02/09/2007 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Matthew 10:38 - And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:39 - He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 10:40 - He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Luke 14:27 - And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

What did Yahushua mean?

Regardless of the instrument of torture, the meaning of what Yahushua said here is very significant.

Matthew 16:24 - Then said Yahushua unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matthew 16:25 - For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:26 - For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

..

Mark 10:17 - And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Rabbi, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

Mark 10:18 - And Yahushua said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, YAHWEH.

Mark 10:19 - Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Mark 10:20 - And he answered and said unto him, Rabbi, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mark 10:21 - Then Yahushua beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark 10:22 - And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Where are our priorities?

What do we truly value the most?

Would we be grieved also?

Are our values in the things which are temporary?

Or the things which are eternal?

The riches of this world are only temporary.

Our body is also temporary.

In fact, most everything around us is... temporary.

Why hold onto it?

Luke 14:27 - And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

This was not a popular thing that Yahushua spoke. Few, if anyone understood it at the time and few truly understand it today.

What did He mean?

It is important that we find out.. for if we do not do it, we cannot be His disciple.

It is written:

Romans 7:1 - Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Romans 7:2 - For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Romans 7:3 - So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Romans 7:4 - Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of the Messiah; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto YAHWEH.

According to verse 4, we are dead "to the torah". Death meaning that we have no life to the Torah. We are dead to the Torah by the body of Messiah.

As far as the Torah is concerned, we are dead. The Torah's requirement of our death has been fulfilled.

Tonight's study is somewhat deep and not particularly easy to understand. I will require some concentration but when we do understand, we are greatly strengthened and enlightened.

I would encourage everyone to try, to pray and pay close attention.

We know that the Torah has a righteous standard.

We also know that we have failed to live according to that standard.

Because we have failed, to be held to that standard (being required by Yahweh to keep it perfectly) is to be condemned and put to death.

In Messiah, we are freed from having to perfectly live up to that standard in order to have eternal life.

We are NOT freed in regards to it being the right standard to live by, but freed in regards to having to keep it perfectly in order to have eternal life.

Without Messiah, the only thing we can rely on to save us is our Torah keeping.

That is a miserable thing, for no one has kept it.

The fruit we were previously bearing (when we didn't have Yahushua) resulted in death rather than life:

Romans 7:5 - For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Referring to our former life, the Torah's work in our members brought forth fruit unto death because according to the Torah we ought to die. We were headed on the path to death and destruction. We were in the flesh and the flesh must die because of sin.

Romans 7:6 - But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

The word translated "delivered" in this verse is from "katargeo" (#2673). This is the only instance it is translated "Delivered". The most common translation of this word is "destroyed".

This would agree with verse 4 which says that we are "dead to the law" and the very next few words which say that we are "dead wherein we where held".

When we accept Yahushua, we serve in the newness of the Spirit (resulting in our salvation), not in the oldness of the letter (resulting in our death). The Torah would put us to death, but we are given life through Yahushua the Messiah.

Contrary to popular opinion, serving in the oldness of the letter does not mean "Keeping the Torah".

It is referring to thetime BEFORE we accepted the Messiah and we were in the flesh. Before we accepted the Messiah, we were held captive by the Torah/law and thus were serving Yahweh with 'the oldness of the letter'. The Torah/law did work in our members to bring forth death. Why? Because we were disobeying the Torah.

So 'serving in the oldness of the letter' it cannot be referring to "Keeping the Torah", it is referring to when we had no salvation due to our Torah BREAKING.. not keeping.

Indeed the wages of sin (breaking the law of Yahweh [1john 3:4]) is death. But now, in Yahushua we are not condemned. Indeed, this is why the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.. because we have not kept Yahweh's law to the letter.

When the command says, "Do not covet".. it doesn't give us life.

It only tells us what the true way of life is

When we hear that command, we realize we have sinned.

It is the Spirit of Yahweh given through Yahushua the Messiah which gives us life.. for we are made righteous through Him.

By reading these scriptures, some get the impression that the Torah is bad. But it isn't the Torah that was bad, it is WE who were bad. Paul answers in the next verse:

Romans 7:7 - What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means! Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:8 - But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Concupiscence means lustful desire.

It was the commandments that not only showed us what righteousness was, but also showed us what sin was. The Torah itself reveals righteousness. The Torah also reveals sin. Without the Torah, sin is dead because would not know what sin is, except by the Torah. Therefore, without the law sin is dead.

Romans 7:9 - For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Again, we see that it is the Torah that reveals our sins. We were once alive without knowledge of the Torah. But when the commandment (which reveals our sin) is revealed to us, sin (which is transgression of the Torah) is brought to life and we are brought to death. Because the wages of sin is death. One way or another, we MUST die.

Romans 7:10 - And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

The intent of the commandments are to show us the way of life. But because we have not walked in that way of life, it instead brings us death.

This is true of any commandment written in scripture, whether it be in the "old testament" or "new testament"

Romans 7:11 - For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Sin deceived us, not Yahweh and not the Torah

Sin was simply revealed for what it is

So then, while the Torah is holy, just and good, it does not give us life. It gives us death because of our failure to have kept it.

Romans 7:12 - Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Romans 7:13 - Was then that which is good made death unto me? By no means! But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Romans 7:14 - For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

So it is exceedingly clear that the Torah/law itself is not dead unto us.

For "that which is good" is the law, the commandment

This is very important! Although we are dead to the law, the law is not dead to us! The law is not dead nor is it death, it is life. Rather, it is revealing to us the way of life.

Those who preach another Yahushua would say that the Torah is dead to us.. but it is not. We are dead to the Torah!

Those who preach another Yahushua would say that breaking the Torah is NOT sin.

Unless it were sin, the Torah could not reveal our sin. But because it does reveal our sin, it brings death to us. The law is spiritual, holy, just and good--but it is WE that are carnal and the Torah shows us that we are carnal.

Romans 7:15 - For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

This is paul showing how we are indeed carnal.

Romans 7:16 - If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

We want to do what is right (keep the Torah), but when we fail to do His commandments it becomes clear that the Torah is indeed good, and we are not.

Romans 7:17 - Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

We are dealing with this flesh, this carnal nature that wants to sin. It is that carnality in us that desires the victory... to overcome us and overcome what we want to do. Our spirit is willing to do what is right, but our flesh prevails

Romans 7:18 - For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:19 - For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

So we have the desire to do good, but we have this flesh that would keep us from naturally doing that which is good.

Because there is nothing in us (our flesh) that is good.

Romans 7:20 - Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Romans 7:21 - I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

There is a law (Heb. Torah, teaching) that we have this evil present with us when we want to do good. Remember this for later.

Truly, the Torah/law is a good thing and we delight in it. It is this evil flesh within that wars against us and wants to bring us into captivity.

Romans 7:22 - For I delight in the law of YAHWEH after the inward man:

Romans 7:23 - But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 7:24 - O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

So we should all desire to be delivered from this body of death. It is this body of death, this flesh, this evil that is present with us, this carnal nature that would keep us from doing the will of Yahweh.

The flesh does not want to do what is good (Keep Yahweh's Law which is just, holy and good). This is why there are so many who teach that we don't have concern ourselves with keeping Yahweh's law...and people love to hear that.

But this is a false "gospel"

The false Yahushua and the false "gospel" teaches that we can continue breaking Yahweh's law, and it is Yahweh's law that is abolished... not our flesh!

For while they do teach that we are a new creation in Messiah, they fail to deal with the fact that in our flesh we must have the "Dying of Yahushua" in us so that we can indeed keep Yahweh's commandments

Something must be done about this "body of death" brethren

Yahweh declared long ago how He understands that we have this flesh to deal with. Consider the Psalm:

Psalms 103:8 - YAHWEH is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalms 103:9 - He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

Psalms 103:10 - He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Psalms 103:11 - For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Psalms 103:12 - As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalms 103:13 - Like as a father pitieth his children, so YAHWEH pitieth them that fear him.

Psalms 103:14 - For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Yahweh recognizes that we have this sinful flesh that wants to bring us to sin, and this is one reason He does have mercy. The key is whether or not we seek to be delivered from this body of death that is in rebellion against Yahweh's ways.

Psalms 103:15 - As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

Psalms 103:16 - For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

Psalms 103:17 - But the mercy of YAHWEH is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

Psalms 103:18 - To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

So it doesn't say that the mercy of Yahweh is upon those who do away with His commandments. He didn't abolish His commandments (His righteous standard) so that we could live up to it. Rather, it is our flesh that is put to death and Messiah living in us that enables us to receive His mercy

The key is that we do fear Yahweh. Those who fear Yahweh can receive His mercy.

We should want to do His will. We should desire to be delivered from this body of death.

We should remember to keep His commandments rather than ignoring them, saying they are abolished or saying they don't matter anymore.

The key is in our attitude toward His commandments and our acceptance of His covenant.

Yahweh has had great mercy on us and has done an awesome work to deliver us from this body of death. Let's continue in Romans to read more about this:

Romans 7:24 - O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 7:25 - Thanks be to YAHWEH through Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of YAHWEH; but with the flesh the law of sin.

In our minds we must serve the law of Elohim. But if we are in the flesh we will serve the "law of sin" that Paul spoke of earlier. To review, the law of sin is: When we want to do good, evil is present with us.

We have this carnal and sinful flesh that wants to keep us from doing the righteous acts we wish to do.

But let's remember that earlier we read that the flesh is dead. We are dead to the law, and married to another.. Yahushua the Messiah.

Again, the law is not dead to us!

Continuing in Romans to the 8th chapter...

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in the Messiah Yahushua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Notice that we are not condemned when we walk after the Spirit. Thus, we must not walk after the flesh.

We are free from the law of sin and death, which states that "when we want to do good, evil is present with us".

In Messiah, we must reckon our bodies dead. When we do, we do not have the flesh warring against us when we want to do what is right.

Romans 6:11 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto YAHWEH through Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour.

Earlier in chapter 6, it is written:

Romans 6:1 - What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Romans 6:2 - By no means! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Paul asks the question... "How shall we...?"

In other words, it is not possible

If we are dead to sin, we will not live in it.

This is not to say that we will never ever fail again. But we will not live in it, wallow in it, and basically find our home in it.

We are not powerless to the point of having no choice but to yield to sin

Romans 6:11 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto YAHWEH through Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour.

Romans 6:12 - Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Romans 6:13 - Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto YAHWEH, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto YAHWEH.

Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Sin doesn't have dominion over those who are under grace. If we were under the law, we would be held to keeping it perfectly... and thus be in bondage.

But simply because we are not under the law, this doesn't mean we can live "above the law"

We are dead to the law, but the law is not dead to us. We do not willfully sin so that grace abounds.

Back to Romans 8l.

8

Romans 8:3 - For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, YAHWEH sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Romans 8:4 - That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The law can show us what sin is, but it cannot make us righteous. Yahushua condemned sin in the flesh because He was born in the likeness of sinful flesh but DID NOT SIN. Therefore, we have no excuse and sin is condemned.

We see in verse 4 the necessity that we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. In fact the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in those that do this.

But what about those who are after the flesh?

Romans 8:5 - For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6 - For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

So we see the importance of being spiritually minded as opposed to being carnally minded. We certainly do not want to be carnally minded. Verse one said that there is no condemnation to those in Messiah was walk after the Spirit, not after the flesh. Therefore, we must be sure that we are not carnally minded.

What is a characteristic of one who is carnally minded?

Romans 8:7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against YAHWEH: for it is not subject to the law of YAHWEH, neither indeed can be.

So one who is carnally minded is one who will not subject themselves to Yahweh's Torah/law. Therefore, how is it that anyone could possibly teach that we need not be subject to the Torah? Anyone teaching such a thing is teaching that we ought to have a fleshly carnal mind!

Anyone teaching such a thing is also indirectly teaching that it is okay to be at "enmity against Elohim"! In Messiah, we are supposed to be free from this flesh that brings us to sin because we died with Messiah:

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been impaled with the Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but the Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of YAHWEH, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Therefore, we should no longer be walking in the flesh. We should be subject to Yahweh's Torah/law because we are now spiritually minded as opposed to carnally minded. If we are in the flesh we cannot please Elohim as it says in the next verse in Romans:

Romans 8:8 - So then they that are in the flesh cannot please YAHWEH.

It is very important that we are not "in the flesh", for those who are "in the flesh cannot please Yahweh." True believers in Yahushua should not have a mind that is "in the flesh."

Romans 8:9 - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of YAHWEH dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of the Messiah, he is none of his.

The Spirit should be dwelling in us, causing us to keep His commandments... just as the prophets indicated:

Ezekiel 36:27 - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

So it is the Spirit of Yahweh that leads us to keeping the commandments, being subject to His law. It is an unclean spirit that leads us to not being subject to the Torah. It is the spirit of a devil that we should resist.

Romans 8:10 - And if the Messiah be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

We must consider the body to be DEAD "because of sin".

This is so important, and it is something that we receive and believe by faith in the Son of Yahweh who gave Himself for us

Thus, when we are tempted to sin, we speak our words of faith "In the name of Yahushua the Messiah, I am dead to that!"

We read throughout the Torah that the sinners must die. For instance:

Exodus 31:14 - Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Therefore, we are to consider the body dead because of sin. The death penalty has been fulfilled because our flesh died when we were "Crucified/impaled with Messiah."

Now, the life giving Spirit is in us and we have Yahweh's righteousness dwelling in us through Yahushua.

These things we regard as done because of the promises of Yahweh.

We can expect a resurrection and a change from corruption to incorruption when Yahushua raises us from the dead at His coming:

1Corinthians 15:22 - For as in Adam all die, even so in the Messiah shall all be made alive.

1Corinthians 15:23 - But every man in his own order: the Messiah the firstfruits; afterward they that are the Messiah's at his coming.

Our baptism is a picture of this very thing occurring in us, by faith

Romans 8:12 - Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Romans 8:13 - For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Brethren, Yahushua died for us. We are debtors to no longer live after the flesh!

We are to be subjecting ourselves to Yahweh's Torah/law, walking in the Spirit of Yahweh which causes us to keep His commandments!

This is the sign of one who has the Spirit of Yahweh

Don't trust in miracles alone, for miracles will mean nothing in the day of judgment

Matthew 7:22 - Many will say to me in that day, Rabbi, Rabbi, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Matthew 7:23 - And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Miracles prove nothing on the day of judgment

We must "mortify the deeds of the body" through the Spirit in order for us to live!

Romans 6:4 - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as the Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:5 - For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Romans 6:6 - Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:7 - For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Romans 6:8 - Now if we be dead with the Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with him:

Romans 6:9 - Knowing that the Messiah being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Romans 6:10 - For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto YAHWEH.

Romans 6:11 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto YAHWEH through Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour.

That death of the flesh will bring us life. Do we see the connection?

Matthew 10:38 - And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Yahushua said..

John 12:23 - And Yahushua answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

John 12:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

John 12:25 - He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Yahushua's death and our own participation in His death will bring us life. When we die with Him, we also shall live with Him. But first we must die with Him:

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been impaled with the Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but the Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of YAHWEH, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

If we have died then... there is no fear of those who can kill the body, is there?

We must consider ourselves to no longer be alive. It is not we who live, but Yahushua who lives in us. If this is true, then "self" has died. There should be no self-seeking or works of the flesh because the flesh is dead. When the flesh is dead, there are no works of the flesh proceeding from us.

Galatians 5:16 - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:17 - For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Galatians 5:18 - But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Again, we aren't under the law (which required us in our flesh to be perfectly obedient), we are under grace.. through Yahushua the Messiah who has fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Torah in us. If He lives in us, then lets walk as He walked.. keeping the Torah, walking in the Spirit!

We have the TORAH MADE FLESH dwelling in us.. Yahushua the Messiah. Therefore if He is in us, and we know the Spirit of Yahweh is in Him.. then we will bear the fruits of the Spirit

Not the works of the flesh (breaking the Torah)

Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

Galatians 5:20 - idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

Galatians 5:21 - envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of YAHWEH.

Much of these kinds of sins are man's attempt to relieve himself of the pain he has received or is receiving in his life.

Yahushua came to set us free from that

He bore our pains.. suffered them all. We can give them to HIM, the one who asked us to lay our burdens on Him

And regard the flesh as dead, and He alive in us.

When He is alive in us, we willingly pay for the pains others have caused us..even as He did

Thus, the dying of Yahushua is in us.

2Corinthians 4:8 - being afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

2Corinthians 4:9 - persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

2Corinthians 4:10 - always carrying about in the body the dying of Yahushua, that the life of Yahushua also may be manifested in our body.

2Corinthians 4:11 - For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Yahushua' sake, that the life of Yahushua also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

And with this life of Yahushua in us comes the fruits of Yahweh's Spirit. We do not react to pain with sin, but with selflessness and righteousness ..as Yahushua did.

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 5:23 - gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:24 - And those who are the Messiah's have impaled the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:25 - If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

We should already have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires. The works that the flesh wants to do will no longer be present:

Colossians 3:1 - If ye then be risen with the Messiah, seek those things which are above, where the Messiah sitteth on the right hand of YAHWEH.

Colossians 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:3 - For ye are dead, and your life is hid with the Messiah in YAHWEH.

Colossians 3:4 - When the Messiah, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:5 - Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Colossians 3:6 - For which things' sake the wrath of YAHWEH cometh on the children of disobedience:

Colossians 3:7 - In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Colossians 3:8 - But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Colossians 3:9 - Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Colossians 3:10 - And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Brethren, scripture is clear. The flesh should be dead

But if we live in sin, we are failing to believe and we allow our flesh to rise up and get on the throne.

If our flesh is on the throne, then how can Messiah be on the throne??

The flesh should not only be off the throne, it should be dead!

In fact, from what we have read up to this point, our life as a disciple of Yahushua BEGINS with the death of the flesh. The concept is found in baptism and it is a foundational aspect of our faith.

Therefore, we should beware of seeking a life of satisfaction and fulfillment of the flesh, rather than realizing that life in Messiah means death to that flesh.

As I've heard it said, the flesh is willing to give up a lot of things as long as it doesn't have to die!

There are many "self help/self improvement" books out there trying to teach various ways to "improve self".

But deciding to follow Yahushua isn't a self-improvement program, it's a SELF-DEATH program that brings about a new life. That new life is Yahushua the Messiah living in US.

The flesh must be put to death rather than simply "redirected." Christian psychology books will redirect your flesh, but scripture says the flesh should be dead

We need to quit worrying about "self" staying alive and hold onto Yahweh for life, trusting in Him.

Today, the word is preached in such a way that men think they can serve Yahweh and still save their self-respect. But "self" must be slain if we expect to follow Yahushua.

Luke 17:33 - Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

James 4:14 - whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

We need to experience that death to the flesh that brings about a new life before we can ever hope to be overcomers.

This is key to overcoming:

2Corinthians 10:1 - Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of the Messiah-- I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!

2Corinthians 10:2 - I ask that when I am present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.

2Corinthians 10:3 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

2Corinthians 10:4 - for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

2Corinthians 10:5 - Destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of YAHWEH, taking every thought captive to the obedience of the Messiah,

2Corinthians 10:6 - and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

When a thought comes into our mind which is sinful, it is a lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of Yahweh. It must be taken captive... and our thoughts must be brought to the obedience of the Messiah

For we must not only overcome the flesh and walk in obedience, we need to be ready to punish those who do not!

For we will reign with Messiah, and the Torah will be the rule.

We cannot regard the things of this world, for it is just as temporary as this life is.

Galatians 6:14 - But YAHWEH forbid that I should boast except in the offering of our Master Yahushua the Messiah, by whom the world has been impaled to me, and I to the world.

Brethren, these things are not popular and it will never be popular because TRUE life in Messiah demands death. There are too many people holding on to the flesh and don't know how or or aren't willing to give it up:

Luke 13:24 - Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Too many will love their life in the flesh, in spite of the death it will eventually bring anyway.

We must follow Him and participate in His death. We must die daily, carrying about in the body the dying of Yahushua:

When we regard our flesh as already dead, it will be easier to not fear when some want to kill our body:

Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Our willingness to die as Yahushua died is the ultimate evidence that we reckon our flesh to be dead and He is truly in us.

And so brethren, let's put away the foolish things of this world. Let's put away the things that simply "cover the hurt" by gratifying the flesh and it's sinful ways. Let's put on Yahushua the Messiah and allow Him to reign in us.

Galatians 3:27 - For as many of you as were baptized into the Messiah have put on the Messiah.

Rather than redirecting our fleshly desires, let's allow them to be slain with Messiah. Rather than trying to "improve self", let's put self to death. For when we die to self, we live in Him.

The following is something I read some years ago and it truly made an impact on my life:

"When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught and you do not sting and hurt at the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for the Messiah...that is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself but take it all in patient, loving silence...that is dying to self

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensitivity, and endure it as Yahushua endured it...that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of Yahweh..that is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or to record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown...that is dying to self."

To all who will hear...

If we have not done so already.. it is time for 'us' to die...

...that we might truly live.

May Yahweh bless you and may He have mercy on us all!