Rest & Reflection ~ Differences

Spirit and Truth.

What is it to worship Yahweh in spirit and truth?

This is the question that has brought us to where we are now some 12-13 years from where we first started coming out of the church system, where we first started being cleansed from the doctrines and traditions of man and essentially being transformed from a Greek mindset into a Hebrew mindset.  It has been quite a journey...

Lonely?
              Yes.

Difficult?
              Often. 

Confusing?
             Sometimes.

Wouldn't trade it for anything!   So glad we asked this question...or rather were led to the question...it sort of just popped out to us, the verse that is and we asked it...what does THAT mean exactly?   It is so amazing to look back and see how utterly different we are from then.

This following God...Yahweh, it really isn't complicated.  It is us that gets in the way and makes it complicated with all the confusing things we have been programmed to believe.   It is just hard to muck through all the...well...muck...and there is so, so much of it to muck through at times. (Yes, I really did use muck three times...well four...)  Be encouraged, there are dry places where you will be thirsty...and places of hunger when you can't seem to find anything to munch on...then there are areas where you contemplate going back...but you are then reminded not to look back...there are those moments when you have to recite, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" over and over again because you feel so alone and times when making God what you want Him to be just seems to be easier than actually following Him because where is He?....this is the wilderness after all and it has been lived out before...more literally, but nevertheless, we do the same things they did, all the while saying...'if I was there I wouldn't have done that!'  Yeah...OK...I get it...

There are a lot of differences in the way people think in this world.  Strange customs, odd cultures and sayings that get lost in translation...western thought is basically Greek thought...some say Roman...OK...close enough.  We forget the Bible is actually Hebrew, not Latin...not Greek...it is Hebrew in it's entirety.  The difference in doctrines comes out of misunderstandings based on Greek thinking and a programmed antisemitism that is so deeply rooted it is impossible to see unless you are directly confronted by it...yes, I will admit it.  It happened to me, it was quite startling and I was seriously offended by myself as I had no idea that was possible of me, it was fear that brought it to the surface, I mean, really who wants to be associated with people that have been so abused through time?  Now I can say that I am a Hebrew, I may or may not be Jewish but Yeshua IS Jewish, not American and therefore to be like Him, I must follow what He did...I am grafted into Israel as I believe in the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.  He is Echad, One.  This is so much different than what I once thought was truth.  I am so grateful, Yahweh has led my family and I on this path.  I am excited for more differences as I continue to grow in Him. 

Today we learned a few things I would like to remember here, mostly for me as I am so forgetful but also for those who are searching and may find this helpful.  I'm afraid this will be quite random...

John 19:19-22
 Pilate also had a notice written and posted on the stake; it read,

YESHUA FROM NATZERET

THE KING OF THE JEWS

Many of the Judeans read this notice, because the place where Yeshua was put on the stake was close to the city; and it had been written in Hebrew, in Latin and in Greek.  The Judeans’ head cohanim (priests) therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, “I am King of the Jews.”’”  Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

In Hebrew this meant something significant as the first letter of each Hebrew word was the Yud, Hay, Vav, Hey...which spells out the name of Yahweh.  It didn't matter so much in Greek or Latin...these priests wanted the saying changed in Hebrew so it wouldn't spell out Yahweh's name.  


The whole armor of Yahweh from Ephesians 6:11-18

This is not a Roman soldiers armour...like we have been ingrained with since we were children...nope...this is none other than the priestly garments, the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the spirit, feet shod with the preparation of peace...Isaiah 11, 49, 52 and 59 have references to this armour as well.  The priests were barefoot in the Holy Place, being grounded and shod with the 'preparation of peace', the Gospel, the Word of Yahweh. 

                                         (from http://www.messianic-torah-truth-seeker.org)

The Hebrew word kahal (qahal),  to gather as an assembly or congregation
Greek words ekklesia (a calling out of) and synagogue (a gathering) ~ depending on the 'whim' of the translators, these words have been used to subtly change the way we think.  i.e. 'synagogue of satan'...just means gathering of satan...the church in the wilderness...those gathered in the wilderness...either of these words being translated as 'church' is incorrect, making up doctrines that have done much harm and have deceived many.

Next year is the Shemita (7th) year, during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) there will be a lunar eclipse, it will also be a super moon, in Israel.  This is interesting...keep watching!

Links for today: 

Mark Biltz ~ El Shaddai Ministries

Sheepfold Gleanings


 What is it to worship Yahweh in spirit and truth?  Ask Him...He will lead you. 

~Shalom & Blessings