Tag: the joy of Torah

Torah Is Shalom

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A person who lives in harmony with God and His creation, doesn’t just feel peace, but experiences it completely.

The person who kicks against His Heavenly Father’s will, experiences a wide variety of peace stealing forces.

Broken Record

I’m like a broken record here. But I guess repeating certain things is important, because the Bible does it. Over and over we see the results of obedience and of disobedience.

When I was convicted and convinced that honoring Torah is for me, I went from turmoil to peace. Turmoil is, in fact, what dropped me to my knees.

Of course I haven’t been perfect. Pharisees and Roman priests have tried to codify perfection by building up zillions (according to my last count) of man made rules and regulations in an attempt to perfect the pious ones. Still hasn’t worked.

Give me 613

The average person does not know that the pharisees were loading up the people with their cement mixer of minutiae… Even though the Bible tells me so.

You leave the commandment of 

God and hold to the

tradition of men.

Mark 7:8

Then He emphasizes,

But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God) then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.

Mark 7:11-13

We generally don’t think of Pharisees as being particularly peaceful.

We mistakenly attribute this grumpy nature to the fact that they were too busy following Moses’ law.

News alert: To anyone who believes the Law was done away with at the Cross; Jesus was still alive.

The Pharisees clearly were following an accumulation of laws that were not so called “laws of Moses.” They were making stuff up and calling it “oral Torah.” How convenient is that? I’m writing this on the day after Reformation Day. If you remember, Martin Luther (not King) hung up his points which addressed 95 new laws made up by man. He realized that tyrants could just make it up. The church that was called Catholic, was under roman authority. The Pharisees were in authority under roman rule as well. Why do we miss this stuff? That’s why I’m here, I guess.

It is so important to know that our Joy comes from God. He says that His Torah brings Shalom. Peter said to seek Shalom, referencing Psalm 34.

I don’t think it’s an accident that the Psalm relates obedience to peace.

Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it.

Psalm 34:14

Shalom in adversity

When we are walking in God’s will, we walk in peace, even in the presence of enemies.

Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

I Peter 3:13-14 ESV

Shalom means more than peace, my friend.

The shalom of YHWH is complete. It means wholeness. It includes what we call “wellness.”

This is the kind of peace that passes all understanding. This is the type that is hard to measure, but you’ll know it when you’re there. This shalom is only truly found in Messiah. He is the prince of Shalom.

May He keep you in His perfect peace.

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I lift up your Name. I lift up my prayer in the name of Yeshua. Please keep my brothers and sisters in your perfect peace. Please shield us from evil and let us rest in your shalom. Help us walk in your Way and shelter under your tabernacle. You are the wise and loving Father, but you always were. You have always shown us more grace than we deserve. Help us to show grace on our neighbors. Amen.

Torah Is Favorable

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Do you like it when people do good things? Do you like to do good things for people? In some ways, Torah is that simple.

We can be favored by God. This is the opposite of many ill-advised instructions to “stop trying to please God.” It’s not futile. You CAN please God, and you should please God.

Inclining our ears

I have really thought about the Biblical concept of inclining the ears. We are told to incline our ears toward God.

Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Isaiah 55:3

I see this as a way to tune our ears into the voice of the Master. His sheep know His voice but people are not always like sheep and we can purposely tune out our Master’s words.

So it takes an act of will. A tilt in the right direction of sorts.

He intends for us to obey.

When we do so, His purpose can be fulfilled. His purpose of blessings follows willful obedience. It’s as natural as rain and sunshine.

so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

Isaiah 55:11

He doesn’t always hear our prayer.

Why do we say that God always answers prayer? To be honest, we have to hear the Word of God about that.

And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Isaiah 1:15 – Cepher

Walking in lawless disobedience brings crickets… Literally in the case of a plague, and figuratively when we try to pray and hear from God.

The Word goes further in that same chapter to give the basic outline for favor with God.

From bookend to bookend, from open to close, disobedience brings consequences. And when we disobey, yes, we should feel some remorse. We should even weep, if we have hurt people with our strong-neck lawlessness.

The good news is always Good.

We can be forgiven and atoned for. We can be blessed. We can please our Heavenly Father. If for no other reason, an argument for keeping biblical Torah is out of sheer thankfulness for what He did for us in providing the sacrifice of His son in our place. But He gives more. He gives riches and honor to His beloved.

If, as many songs claim, we cannot “win” His favor, then we can’t “win” His disfavor by disobedience. While it sounds re-assuring in a song… Maybe reassurance is not what we need. Maybe we need Holy Spirit conviction when we sin. Maybe we need our own conscience to be tuned to the Torah (instructions) of our King.

Trouble awaits

Like David, we have trouble. Sometimes it is from outside, like an earthly king throwing a spear at his face. Sometimes it is from within, like the agony from knowing he committed hurtful sins, and people died.

When we incline our ear to God’s will, to His Torah for our lives, He inclines His ear to us. He hears us in our time of trial. He overturns even earthly decrees against us.

Draw near to your King. Yes, He loves you more than you know. He wants the very best for you. Do not forget that. But seek to walk in obedience. The blessings are worth more than any earthly coin by more than a bit.

Prayer

Father, I love you and I know you love me. Help me to hear your voice through the noise. Help me to hunger for the bread of life and the living water that lasts forever. Forgive me, I ask, for straying from your path. Thank you for welcoming me back when I have come home. Let my obedience with you be about me and you and not a part of a public display of piety. Keep me. Do not let the evil overtake me. Halleluyah. Bless your name. Amen.

Torah Is Nearby

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Do you ever feel like evil is closing in like the bad guys in a 70’s Karate movie?

When Trouble Surrounds…

We must remember two things from today’s scripture in Psalm 119:150-151.

  • God is near.
  • The evil ones are far from God and His law.

God Is Near.

“The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it”

Deuteronomy 30:14

“The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach)”

Romans 10:8

When the evil people of your community come against you… When your trusted institutions (media, government, medicine) seek your harm… When mythical levels of secret forces mock your way of life and attempt to round you up and push you away…

Your Father is near. He is with you and He is in you. Hear His words, feel His breath (spirit) in your very lungs. Read His Word (living and powerful) out loud to draw near and to provide a barrier, an offence to the lawless ones. Remember His angels are here to. He commissions them to stand for our cause. Halleluyah.

Though they threaten, they are lost

The evil ones are the walking dead, slowly encroaching upon your space. Do not give them your mind, your soul, your strength. Those belong to your King (Deut. 6). They are focused but they are lost.

Jerks will be jerks. Without God’s ways in their hearts, the sinners will do sinner’s stuff. They will be trusted, in a way, to be untrustworthy. Don’t take your eyes off your God. Don’t let your heart cheer for their demise.

Pray for those who persecute you.

Do it now. It is super important to take every available moment to use your weapon. The time is short. You may see that Cruella DeVille turn into a meek child of God. Pray salvation, pray Deliverance. Pray the revival will come. You and I were outside God’s will and Kingdom, outside His rescuing grace. Now we need to serve as a lifeguard.

Using wisdom, of course. Let’s love our neighbors.

Prayer

Father in Heaven, sometimes I feel that I’ve known you forever. Sometimes I forget that I lived in a state of being unsaved from my sin. Let me have compassion on the very people who come after me. Bring them to mind in my prayer closet. Hear me when I pray. I pray for my protection and favor in all interactions. Keep us from their evil and their games. If they can be saved, let them turn to you. Amen.

Torah Is Timely

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His Promise Of Judgement

We don’t like to talk of the Judgement of God. We often dispensation-ize it. We sing songs that tell us that judgement and wrath were for times like the Old Testament Sodom and Gomorrah… “BUT mercy and grace He gave us at the cross,” as if setting the old testament apart from the new is easier to gulp down.

We often forget that the judgement would have been withheld if there were only 10 people who were righteous. The grace of God was alive in 2000 BC as well as 2000 AD. As a matter of fact, ALL of scripture speaks of the judgement at the end of this age. This grace was what kept Yah from destroying the nations who inhabited Canaan while Israel awaited return to their promised land.

Torah Brings Promised Judgement

Judgement is not simply a punishment, it is a vengeance.

The wicked people of the nations do wicked things.

Wicked people do unmentionable things to the “least of these.”

Wicked people fight for the rights of people to do those wicked things. Judgement is, in a real sense, God’s answer to the prayer of the persecuted.

We often ask why so much evil is allowed to exist. “How can a loving God…”

Our loving Savior will come for the very purpose of executing judgement over evil deeds and the people who do them. He will also be setting the captives free and rescuing the little ones who have seen pain and distress at the hands of the wicked.

But Yah Will Save Even The Repentant Evil-doers.

LORD is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not intending any to be lost, but all to come to conversion,

II Peter 3:9 (LSV)

He really does love us. You and I were outside His Way for too long. We can be so grateful that He is so graceful in his judgement.

Not everyone will be saved.

But Yah wants them to.

When will it be time?

When will he deal with the sins of the world? These sins bring death, disease, war, and all types of pestilence. At some point, He will blow the trumpet and take action. There will be weeping, there will be gnashing of teeth. There will be a world of people who say…

Gulp!

At some point, it will be too late. At this point, many of us say,

“Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”

Numbers 10:36

I pray that you are “in that number” when Yeshua returns to reward the faithful with glory and to judge others with the end of their story.

Prayer:

Father in Heaven. You are great and most wise in your actions. Thank you for your patience with mankind. Keep me in your shalom as I wait for the promise. Keep me in your provision as your enemies seek to take away our life.

Your promise will be fulfilled to your perfection, in your perfect time. Help us lead people to the light and away from the dark as we wait for your Hosannah! Amen.

Torah Is Memorable

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A Breeze?

My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.

Psalm 119:109

This is something we often forget as believers. Our lives are in our hands.

What? I thought we have placed our lives into God’s hands.

Exactly. Our lives are in our hands. Free will in action. Therefore, we, place our lives into the hands of the one who made us. We open ourselves to change, to transformation. In doing this, we have received an eventual glorified body, mind, spirit.

I realize there are ultra Calvinists who reject this scripture. Personally, I’m just not concerned with giving my time to Mr. Calvin.

Instead, I choose, with my own mind, and my own will to trust in Yah, and His directions for my life, found in Torah.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

Easy Breezy

The very Breath of Yah is our comforter. We have this Spirit, this breeze, in our lungs to guide us in His way of living. The very word of God will be brought to mind, rememberance, as we walk through our days. Amen.

Prayer:

Father of grace and mercy. My life is now in your hands. I surrender to your word. I surrender to the leading of your Ruach, your breath. Help me to walk in the ways of your teachings. Help me to hear your voice as you dwell in me. Fill me with your Breath. Bring to my mind all the words of truth and power that have been written down. Let me speak these words of power with your almighty power and authority. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for bringing my heart to you and uniting my heart with the heart of Messiah and your will. Amen.

Torah Is Enjoyable

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The pull of Torah

Simply put, the pull of Torah is a lifeline to keep us from destruction.

Torah gives us a hope. Torah gives us something to cling to. Will we go through the life of a disciple without a rope, without a lifeline?

If it was so wretched, I would not crave it.

If you’ve been told that Torah is burdensome, you’ve been lied to. The scripture says that His commandments are NOT a burden. They are to be loved. As Jesus is to be loved, we are to love His instructions.

It is because of that love, we are sustained during affliction, famine, disease, and destruction. We can be held up from the death of the sinners.

It is a Tree of Life

Cling to that central root of the olive tree. If you were grafted on, do not push off. Do not be as one who is pruned off the tree. Live and learn from the Yeshua (salvation) of your soul.

Prayer:

Thank you Oh Father of fathers. Thank you King of kings. You have sent me a lifeline. You sustain me in persecution and distress. Keep your servants in your Way. Help us cling to your lifeline. Help us wander not away. Give us strength to pursue the truth. Thank you that there is joy, and not pain in Torah. Amen.

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