The Bible says the population of Messiah's Kingdom comes from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. What is it that connects all those diverse people? It doesn't seem possible that people from so many different nationalities, cultures, languages, and time periods could comprise a single nation unless they have a shared history of some kind that connects them across time and space.
https://thebarkingfox.com/2022..../10/08/national-anth
The Bible says the population of Messiah's Kingdom comes from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. What is it that connects all those diverse people? It doesn't seem possible that people from so many different nationalities, cultures, languages, and time periods could comprise a single nation unless they have a shared history of some kind that connects them across time and space.
https://thebarkingfox.com/2022..../10/08/national-anth
Shabbat shalom shalomies~
Here's something to listen to on your way to the Feast! Shalom everybody!
https://firstcenturychristiani....ty.net/yeshua-our-me
Here are some worthwhile thoughts on keeping Sukkot with humility and gratitude from the Philippines by way of Jerusalem...
(I don't know anything about the group who sponsored this event, so caveat emptor.)
SEEING YHVH – PART 2
2 -- If I Want to See YHVH, I Will Make A Commitment To YHVH’s Kingdom:
Purity of Heart not only entails committing myself to what YHVH values in an ethical and moral sense, I also must get on board with what YHVH is doing in the world. My heart is pure, in the sense that I have a single-minded determination to join YHVH in working for the progress of His Kingdom. In working hand in hand with YHVH, I see Him more clearly, because I have become one with Him in purpose. Do you want to walk hand in hand with YHVH as He builds His Kingdom?
A -- Recognize That Yeshua Is In Charge:
In any ministry there are people who are responsible for leadership, but none are in charge of Moshiach’s Church. If we are to grow pure in heart, if we are to see YHVH, we have to recognize and applaud the fact that Yeshua is in charge of His Church and of the members of His Church. [And He (Yeshua) is the Head of the Body, the Church: Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.] -- Colossians 1:18. Now, I not only have to be committed to this fact, I need to celebrate it and wilfully place myself under the authority of Yeshua Moshiach.
B -- Adopt a Group Mentality:
[So, we being many, are one Body in Moshiach, and every one member’s one of another.] -- Romans 12:5. The church, prayer groups, gatherings or social media are not places for individualists; it is for those who understand that what they are trying to accomplish demands a team effort. If you do not want to be a part of a group and to adopt the vision YHVH has given to us for the future, then you are in the wrong place by attending your one of these places. With YHVH in our sight and with our hearts pure, we recognize that belonging to your preferred group, is much more than having your names on a membership role; it is making a commitment to be a vital part of YHVH’s Kingdom building team.
C -- Develop Your Spiritual Gift:
Speak to your Pastor, Minister, Preacher, group leader or social media guide here on TTN, they will give you some help in determining your spiritual gifts. But in the meantime, let us take a moment to see what type of gifts we are to excel in. [Even so ye, for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.] -- 1 Corinthians 14:12. When you are a fully functioning member of YHVH’s team, you are willing to develop your gifts for the up building of His Kingdom.
3 -- If I Want To See YHVH, I Will Make A Commitment To YHVH’s Future:
I see YHVH now through adopting His value system and by joining Him in Kingdom work and purpose, but there is coming a day where I will see Him face to face.
A -- YHVH’s Future Motivates Our Present Ministries and Groups:
We should be motivated for ministry or group simply based on what Moshiach has done for us. But YHVH gives us another reason to be motivated. [Beloved, now are we the sons of YHVH, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.] -- 1 John3:2-3. There is coming a day when I will see YHVH as He really is. And the fact that I am looking forward to that day brings me purity of heart and a sense of calling that would not otherwise be there.
B -- YHVH’s Future Promises Us An Eternal Home:
[But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living Elohiym, the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to YHVH the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Yeshua the mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.] -- Hebrews 12:22-24. Of course, Mount Zion is a reference to heaven, the place where we will join with the angels in assembly and all the members of Moshiach’s Church from every generation and into the very presence of YHVH Almighty.
C -- YHVH’s Future Awaits Those Who are Pure In Heart:
This is the condition that must be met for those who desire to see YHVH in both this life and in the next. [And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.] -- Revelation 21:27. We become pure in heart when we place our trust in Yeshua Moshiach. And the moment that trust has been placed our names are added to the Lamb’s Book. There is coming a day, a reunion of sorts, when all of those whose names have been written down will come together to celebrate the Lamb that was slain. And on that day, we will see so very clearly, the face of YHVH and that face will never leave our presence. In the book, Men of Integrity, Tony Campolo said, [YHVH carries your picture in His wallet.] We carry our picture of YHVH with us, when we are truly committed to His Values, His Kingdom and His Future.
SEEING YHVH – PART 1
A young man was playing cricket in South Africa, he was caught out again without any runs and he walked back to the bench. [Rats! I will never be a big-league player. I just do not have it! All my life I have dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I know I will never make it.] His manager turned to console him: [You are thinking too far ahead. What you need to do is set yourself some more immediate goals.] He looks up and asks [Immediate goals?] The manager replied, [Yes, start the next time you go out to bat. See if you can walk out to the field without falling down] The manager is not what I would call an optimist. When we talk about setting goals, we are saying there is an end in sight, there is something that we want to accomplish and that we are willing to do whatever is needed to achieve it. In Matthew 5:8, Yeshua tells us what our target is and how we are going to reach it. [Blessed is the pure in heart: for they shall see YHVH.] The goal is to [see YHVH] and the means to accomplishment is being people who are [pure in heart.] When Yeshua speaks about seeing YHVH I believe there is a double meaning here. Those of us who are Moshiach followers will see YHVH at a future date. But there is a sense that we see YHVH in the present and we see YHVH more clearly, the more closely we identify with Him. Those who are pure in heart are those who have examined YHVH’s Heart and decided to make it their own. When I adopt YHVH’s system of morality and when I join with Him in His purpose, I begin to not only understand Him better; I begin to see Him in a whole new light. No longer will I view Him as [YHVH Elohiym out there], Who from a distance, is watching over my every move. While I am always aware that He is the Creator and I am His Creation, I also begin to see Him in a new way, as my Companion and as the One with whom I am striving for a better world.
1 – If I Want To See YHVH, I Will Make a Commitment to YHVH’s Value System:
[Who shall ascend into the hill of Adonai? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from Adonai and righteousness from the Elohiym of his Salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.] -- Psalm 24:3-6. This is the passage that Yeshua is alluding to here in our text. To be pure in heart I need to value the same things that YHVH values. How do we do that?
A -- Let Down Your Guard:
When we are walking in our own way, we are actually running from Adonai. If we are committed to YHVH’s value system we must be willing to give up our own. [Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked.] -- Deuteronomy 10:16. [And Adonai thy Elohiym will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed, to love Adonai thy YHVH with all thine heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.] -- Deuteronomy 30:6. Without getting too graphic here, we need to understand that physical circumcision is considerably painless compared to spiritual circumcision. While the former removes flesh, the latter removes the stubbornness of our hearts. The first is a simple surgical procedure, the second insists on a willingness on our parts to let go and let YHVH.
B -- Draw Close to YHVH:
[Draw nigh to YHVH, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of Adonai and He shall lift you up.] -- James 4:8-10. Remember the Brady Bunch TV episode when Bobby Brady was running across the field with open arms to meet his girlfriend in the middle? YHVH is not waiting for us at the end of the line, He is right here, ready to meet us with open arms, no barriers in the way.
C -- Be Willing to Obey:
This is one of the toughest steps for us, isn’t it? Esther Schmidt’s daughter-in-law noticed that her two-year-old daughter was ignoring her food and asked, [Keri, why aren't you eating?] Keri replied, [I cannot eat; YHVH told me not to.] Her mother scolded: [YHVH would not tell you not to eat your supper.] Keri looked up at the ceiling and then conceded, [Well, maybe it was Moses.] [And Samuel said, Hath Adonai as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Adonai? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams.] -- 1 Samuel 15:22. We will never begin to see YHVH, to understand Him, until we learn to live a life of obedience. YHVH is more interested in a heart that is willing to follow His direction than He is in our religious exercises.
D -- Seek Guidance:
Purity of heart is not obtained by lone rangers. We only grow to see YHVH when we seek YHVH out and ask for His assistance. The Psalmist prayed: [Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.] -- Psalm 51:7. [Create in me a clean heart, O YHVH; and renew a right spirit within me.] -- Psalm 51:10. Perhaps he recognized something we are slow to learn; pure hearts are created and sustained by Almighty YHVH. But they are only cleansed when we honestly seek for YHVH’s guidance in our lives.
E -- Get Real:
One day Yeshua was teaching to the crowds and focused His message on the teachers of the Law and Pharisees; these were the legalists of Yeshua’ day, the people who saw everything in terms of black and white. They understood the letter of the Law, but did not understand its spirit. [Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.] -- Matthew 23:25-28. By all external measures these men looked great; anyone who saw them would identify them as men of YHVH, people who were spiritually superior to the rest of us. But Yeshua could look them in the eye and see deep down into their souls. And what He saw were religious counterfeits; people who claimed to be pure in heart, but their hearts were filled with bitterness and pride. The message to us is clear, [Get Real]. Be the same person on the outside as you are on the inside; prove yourself to be true to YHVH and you will begin to see YHVH.
Here are some worthwhile thoughts on keeping Sukkot with humility and gratitude from the Philippines by way of Jerusalem...
(I don't know anything about the group who sponsored this event, so caveat emptor.)
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