Transcript of Sabbath Meeting - 03/10/00

Tonite I would like to talk about something very important.

It's our "Attitude".

The definition for "Attitude" in the dictionary:

12attitude n 1: a complex mental orientation involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

Our attitude toward Yahweh, our attitude toward obedience to His commandments, our attitude in response to salvation are very important

The word "Attitude" is not found in scripture, at least it is not translated as such. However, examples of good and poor attitudes are many. Here is an example of a poor attitude:

Numbers 11:1 - And when the people complained, it displeased YAHWEH: and YAHWEH heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of YAHWEH burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Complaining is often due to a lack of faith:

Numbers 13:30 - And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

Numbers 13:31 - But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

Numbers 13:32 - And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

Numbers 13:33 - And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14:1 - And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

Numbers 14:2 - And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would Elohim that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would Elohim we had died in this wilderness!

Numbers 14:3 - And wherefore hath YAHWEH brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

Numbers 14:4 - And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Numbers 14:5 - Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

Moshe too was tested by this

Yahweh wanted to destroy Israel and make a great nation of Moshe

But Moshe had the right attitude and was an intercessor for Israel

Despite the unfaithful and rebellious attitude of Israel

Numbers 14:27 - How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Numbers 14:28 - Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith YAHWEH, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

Numbers 14:29 - Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

It was for the reason of complaining and lack of faith that Yahweh was going to totally destroy Israel and it was for the reason of murmuring, grumbling, and complaining that Yahweh did NOT allow the children of Israel to enter the promised land!!

Does Yahweh change in this day and age?

Yahweh had a plan for Israel

He also has a plan for us!

Should we complain about how we are led?

He certainly feels the same way about it now as He did then and lest we repent each time we find ourselves complaining about our circumstances, WE TOO could be rejected by Yahweh from entering His kingdom

It all goes back to attitude

Is the way hard? Yes, many times the children of Israel were without water

The children of Israel, in response to the salvation that Yahweh offered...complained

Beware lest we follow their example and complain about our own circumstances, for Yahweh kept them from the promised land as a result!

I believe whatever situation you are in, it is ordained by Yahweh!

Philippians 2:12 - Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:13 - For it is YAHWEH which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:14 - Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Philippians 2:15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of YAHWEH, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Philippians 2:16 - Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of the Messiah, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Numbers 11:1 - And when the people complained, it displeased YAHWEH: and YAHWEH heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of YAHWEH burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Numbers 14:22 - Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Numbers 14:23 - Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

1Corinthians 10:8 - Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

1Corinthians 10:9 - Neither let us tempt the Messiah, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

1Corinthians 10:10 - Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

1Corinthians 10:11 - Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Corinthians 10:12 - Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Psalms 106:21 - They forgat El their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

Psalms 106:22 - Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

Psalms 106:23 - Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Psalms 106:24 - Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Psalms 106:25 - But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of YAHWEH.

Psalms 106:26 - Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

It is particularly wicked to complain about Yahweh's chastening

Lamentations 3:37 - Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when YAHWEH commandeth it not?

Lamentations 3:38 - Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Lamentations 3:39 - Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Lamentations 3:40 - Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to YAHWEH.

A tender heart Yahweh will hear.

Many are the examples of men upon whom destruction was planned against, but when they changed their attitude and softened their heart and humbled themselves before Yahweh, Yahweh would have mercy upon them.

So this is an example of having a poor attitude. Yahweh's people must not murmur or complain about their circumstances.

You will not find one example of Yahshua the Messiah complaining or murmuring, even though He was tortured, hung and killed by those He came to save

Therefore, it is not so much what happens to us that matters, it is how we respond to our circumstances that matters!

Now what should be our attitude toward what Yahshua did for us?

Many teach today that we need not have an attitude of obedience to Yahweh's law as a response.

Instead, millions are taught that "we only need faith, we need not keep the law because Yahshua already kept all that for us, He fulfilled it".

Is this the attitude that Yahweh desires of His people?

Romans 3:31 - Do we then make void the law through faith? By no means! Yea, we establish the law.

Let's examine a lexicon to get a greater understanding of this word.

12BDB/Thayers # 2673 2673 katargeo {kat-arg-eh'-o} from 2596 and 691; TDNT - :452,76; AV - destroy 5, do away 3, abolish 3, cumber 1, loose 1, cease 1, fall 1, deliver 1, misc 11; 27

1) to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative 1a) to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency 1b) to deprive of force, influence, power

2) to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish 2a) to cease, to pass away, be done away

2b) to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one 2c) to terminate all intercourse with one

Romans 3:31 - Do we then make void the law through faith? By no means! Yea, we establish the law.

We are told that the law is "abolished, done away with, ceased, rendered idle, inactive, inoperative" and we are "severed from, seperated from, discharged from, loosed from" the law of Yahweh.

This is in direct opposition to this scripture

While it is true in one sense that we are not held to keeping the law perfectly (for in Yahshua, we are redeemed and made perfect) it is false in another sense to say that the law itself is now "abolished, done away with, ceased, rendered idle, inactive, inoperative" as a standard of righteousness.

Faith does not do anything of this sort to the law

What does faith do? It establishes the law!

That's what Romans 3:31 just said

This is the proper attitude brethren!

What does it mean to establish the law via faith?

Let's look at a lexicon for the word translated "establish":

12BDB/Thayers # 2476 2476 histemi {his'-tay-mee} a prolonged form of a primary stao {stah'-o} (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); TDNT - 7:638,1082; v AV - stand 116, set 11, establish 5, stand still 4, stand by 3, misc 17, vr stand 2; 158

121) to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set

There is more to this definition but it is very long

We "cause the law to stand"! By our WORKING Faith, we cause the law to stand, not FALL or go into oblivion!

This should be the proper attitude toward what Yahshua did for us

Our attitude and our heart should be one of obedience toward Yahweh's commandments, not the common saying, "Well, I don't believe I'm going to lose my salvation over it".

This is the common response from many who don't have the right attitude

Many say this in response to a conviction about using the true names, keeping the Sabbath or many other things that we share with them.. "Well, I don't believe I'm going to lose my salvation over it"

But this is NOT the right attitude!! The children of Israel perhaps thought many times "Well Yahweh is still going to take us into the promised land".

But He rejected them for their attitude and for transgressing His law.

Sin is still defined as transgressing Yahweh's law

1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

And complained about following Yahweh and His commandments

Therefore they led their rebellion to go back into transgression (Sin)

This is exactly what is being taught today

It is taught that once a person is saved, they can go back to Egypt!!

Can we begin to see how important attitude is?

What should be our response to a conviction?

An attitude of obedience is at the very heart of salvation

Yahweh says "Choose you this day life or death, blessing or cursing" therefore, our attitude should not be "I'm not going to lose my salvation over this issue" but "I love Yahweh and I want to do what is pleasing unto HIM!!"

For unless you walk in the truth that Yahweh gives you, you are not walking in the path of salvation!

Here are some scriptural examples of a poor attitude toward truth:

Isaiah 59:4 - None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

Jeremiah 9:5 - And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

2Thessalonians 2:10 - And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

1Timothy 6:5 - Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is righteousness: from such withdraw thyself.

2Timothy 3:8 - Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

For through Moshe, Yahweh gave commandments that even Yahushua the Messiah had to obey.

Yahshua the Messiah is our perfect example. What was His attitude toward truth?

He prayed concerning us:

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

This is what our attitude needs to be, that His word is truth

We know that Yahshua is also the word, are we not to follow His example?

What was His example concerning obedience toward the law of Yahweh? Let's examine

Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 - For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:19 - Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Truly, I have had some in Christianity say to me " I'll settle for being among the least in the kingdom"

And one a while back said to me "I won't do them nor teach men to not do them"

In other words, he wasn't going to teach anyone to do them

But this was the desire of Yahshua in verse 19, that we do them AND teach them.

So is "I won't do them and I won't teach others that they shouldn't do them" the attitude that Yahweh desires??

What is the proper attitude toward the commandments of Yahweh?

1John 2:4 - He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

And the commandments of Yahweh are HIS commandments...His word

So if the truth is not in him, then neither is the Word

and thus.. neither is Yahushua!

1John 2:5 - But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of YAHWEH is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

Yahushua will keep the commandments in us..that He kept while on earth

His word and every commandment in the law teaches us how to love Yahweh and love one another

We have a great example brethren

so

1John 2:6 - He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

He had the right attitude toward unfair situations

He had the right attitude toward Yahweh in all things.

Matthew 5:48 - Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The mainstream teachers of today will despise you and call you a legalist for trying to be perfect before Yahweh.

But this is the right attitude according to Yahweh's word.

Yahshua was perfect and we are commanded to walk as He walked. It

It is the spirit of satan that tries to make us feel guilty for trying to keep Yahweh's word, do not heed it!!

Jeremiah 6:9 - Thus saith YAHWEH of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

Jeremiah 6:10 - To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of YAHWEH is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Psalms 1:1 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalms 1:2 - But his delight is in the law of YAHWEH; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 1:3 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Even so, a man who meditates on Yahweh's law day and night is well fed

and will bring forth fruit, and his leaf will not wither

Psalms 1:4 - The wicked are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Psalms 1:5 - Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Psalms 1:6 - For YAHWEH knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the wicked shall perish.

The line seperating the righteous and wicked, satan has muddied.

But one day, Yahweh will make the difference manifest:

Malachi 3:16 - Then they that feared YAHWEH spake often one to another: and YAHWEH hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared YAHWEH, and that thought upon his name.

For Yahweh listened and heard

Malachi 3:17 - And they shall be mine, saith YAHWEH of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

And in the time of tribulation those who practice this shall be spared

Malachi 3:18 - Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth Elohim and him that serveth him not.

For righteous judgement will come upon the earth

Malachi 4:1 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith YAHWEH of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

Malachi 4:2 - But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Malachi 4:3 - And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith YAHWEH of hosts.

Malachi 4:4 - Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

And I see this verse 4 as a final warning

To remember the law of Moshe given by Yahweh

So in all things, remember the law of Yahweh.

And let us also remember to trust in the mercy of Yahweh for when we fail.

But let us not fail anymore!

That's the right attitude. If we have the right attitude, we do have an advocate with the Father

Therefore, let our heart be tender before Yahweh

Let our heart be humble before Yahweh.

And in all things, let our attitude be right before Yahweh

May Yahweh bless you all!!