07/23/2004 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

The spirit of the world

A spirit that entwines and entangles

A spirit that destroys and slowly kills

Appropriate was the prayer of Jozef this day. Yahweh help us get free from the evil that surrounds us.

I've heard it said..

If you put a frog in a pot of boiling hot water, he will try to jump out. But if you put a frog in a pot of water and ever-so-slowly raise the temperature.. he won't know that he is slowly approaching death

So it is with the spirit of the world, the world and its pursuits

It is such a slow death that few know they are being harmed until it is too late

It is such a deceptive death that few know when they enter its doors

So tonight I would like to share some things on what scripture has to say about "the world", who it really belongs to and how we should relate to it.

To Whom does "the world" belong?

Psalms 40:12 - For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

Psalms 50:12 - If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

What will eventually happen to the world?

Psalms 9:8 - And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

Isaiah 13:11 - And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

John 16:7 - Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

John 16:8 - And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:9 - Of sin, because they believe not on me;

John 16:10 - Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

John 16:11 - Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Including the residing prince of it

Knowing this, we surely must beware of its trappings

And be ready to be a part when Yahweh rules

For the righteous will one day take part in the judgment of it:

1Corinthians 6:1 - Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

1Corinthians 6:2 - Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Rather, our attitude should be to keep ourselves clean from it:

James 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion before YAHWEH the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

I've felt the stain

After a day of rejoicing on the Shabbat, a visit to an unbelieving relative afterward with the TV pouring out its worldly spirit.. I do feel stained

Let's seek to not have its spirit influencing us, but Yahweh's Spirit in us influencing those who seek to be drawn to Yahweh's light

Does this mean that we need to go out of the world?

1Corinthians 5:9 - I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

1Corinthians 5:10 - Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

1Corinthians 5:11 - But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

We should expect the world to be in the worldly people.. Yahweh forbid that the world be in us

We are not to love the world, rather we are to overcome the world:

1John 5:4 - For whatever is born of YAHWEH overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

1John 5:5 - Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Yahushua is the Son of YAHWEH?

Yes

John 3:16 - For YAHWEH so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:17 - For YAHWEH sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We should beware and not follow after the world. If we were to follow after the world, then we are in danger:

Revelation 13:3 - And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Time

We can often know the true character and values of a person by observing how their time is spent

Let's consider and ask ourselves... How much time do we spend seeking and doing the things which do not give peace?

For instance, how much time do we spend on worldly entertainment or things of the world as opposed to things of the Spirit?

Do we read more about movie stars, sports teams and players, musicians and politicians than we read about Yahweh?

Do the scriptures collect dust while we rot away in our easy chair?

These are questions of this age and Scripture has something to say about that:

James 4:4 - Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with YAHWEH? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of YAHWEH.

James 4:5 - Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?

James 4:6 - But He gives more favour. Therefore He says: "YAHWEH resists the proud, but gives favour to the humble."

James 4:7 - Therefore submit to YAHWEH. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4:8 - Draw near to YAHWEH and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:9 - Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

There are loads of entertainment choices one can get caught up in. Television, movies, internet, sports, worldly music, the list goes on

There is a huge assortment of distractions out there to cause us to stumble

But what should we be doing?

Focusing on the temporary things or the things that are eternal?

1John 2:15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1John 2:16 - For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

They will not remain

1John 2:17 - And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of YAHWEH abides forever.

We read in 2Peter/Kepha:

2Peter 2:1 - But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Redeemer who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

2Peter 2:2 - And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

2Peter 2:3 - By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

2Peter 2:4 - For if YAHWEH did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

Some years ago, Yahweh showed me that time spent not doing the work of Yahweh .. not doing things that build up the kingdom and not seeking His ways is wasted time.

For it yields no fruit

Heaps up no rewards

Stores no treasures

And often...

corrupts the mind

Brethren, this is such an awesome moment in history

Never before have the scriptures been so readily available.

As Daniel the Prophet wrote, knowledge has increased

In the "information age", wisdom can be found in His word

We can search the scriptures and go to the verse we want by a few simple keystrokes

In this country and in many countries throughout the world, there is the freedom to proclaim the good news to all nations

We must work the work given to us while it is day

For the night comes, when no man can work

While it is day, will we squander it all sitting in front of a television set, playing games, following sports, drinking the drink, spending excessive time at work trying to chase that dollar bill and other such foolishness?

Too often, all the while, the scriptures collect dust and our spiritual lives as well as the spiritual lives of our families suffer. Let it not be so!

Let's ask ourselves, what would Yahushua be doing in this age?

"Eat, drink, be entertained and be merry?"

I think not

We have an opportunity to seek and share the truth and good news of Yahushua Ha Mashiach.

Let's not squander the opportunities

Titus 2:11 - For the Favour of YAHWEH that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Titus 2:12 - Teaching us that, denying wickedness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and reverently, in the present age;

Titus 2:13 - Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great Elohim and our Saviour Yahushua ha Mashiach;

Titus 2:14 - Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

But if we are redeemed, we will be peculiar..not like the world

We won't enjoy its customs of vanity, nor the revelry within them

For the Spirit within us will groan at the vanity of it all

Brethren, let's be zealous of good works, rather than works that do not profit.

Let's live soberly in this present world. This is not a time to sit back every evening and be entertained or drink the drink, it is a time be sober and seek the will of Yahweh

Matthew 24:48 - But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My master delayeth his coming;

Matthew 24:49 - And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Matthew 24:50 - The master of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

Matthew 24:51 - And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

But not in a way you might think

Too often, I see brethren "eating/drinking with the drunken", that is, the false doctrine. Certain ones build huge doctrines around scriptural "theories" that cannot be proven

Partaking of its falsehood, then beating the brethren over the head with its falsehood

You see, times of prosperity can also be a time when spiritual drunkenness can occur by digging into all kinds of strange and false doctrines.

We must beware in this time of prosperity and fullness of bread. Idleness breeds sin and corruption

There are many false prophets (and misled brethren) teaching strange and outlandish doctrines and many are gone after them.

Ezekiel 16:49 - Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

The Word of Yahweh will bring the faith we need to turn hearts toward Yahweh

And it will guide us into eternal life

Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of YAHWEH.

How much time do we spend in His word?

The common saying "I don't have time" is all too commonly just an excuse

I've met brethren who have been believers for decades and have yet to read throught the scriptures even once!

"I don't have time" really means "It's not a priority", for we all have the same amount of time in a day

What we do with our time determines so much

1John 4:1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of YAHWEH; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1John 4:2 - By this you know the Spirit of YAHWEH: Every spirit that confesses that Yahushua the Messiah has come in the flesh is of YAHWEH,

1John 4:3 - and every spirit that does not confess that Yahushua the Messiah has come in the flesh is not of YAHWEH. And this is the spirit of the AntiMessiah, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Those who follow after them do not know the Torah, nor the prophets

But let's not be ensnared by the false doctrines, rather let's overcome them through the Messiah who lives in us.

1John 4:4 - You are of YAHWEH, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1John 4:5 - They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

1John 4:6 - We are of YAHWEH. He who knows YAHWEH hears us; he who is not of YAHWEH does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Strife among brethren, and in the home

But if we were all in a time of tribulation and distress, we wouldn't get offended at the little things quite so easily

Having a visible, common enemy has a way of uniting people against its cause.

Brothers and sisters, I tell you now that there is a common enemy even now, but he is very subtle and deceptive! We need to unite against him!

Beware of the choking effect

Matthew 13:18 - Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:19 - When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Matthew 13:20 - But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Matthew 13:21 - Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Matthew 13:22 - He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But the thorns grow slowly around a person daily growing and growing until there is no room for anything else.

We must let the seed fall upon the good and right soil

Matthew 13:23 - But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

2Peter 2:20 - For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Savior Yahushua the Messiah, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

2Peter 2:21 - For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2Peter 2:22 - But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."

The word sown in us should overcome the world. It should bear fruit, drawing others away from the world by the light of Messiah in us. There needs to be a difference!

There needs to be brothers and sisters who are willing to be different. And I don't mean just different with the name, Sabbath and feasts, etc

There needs to be brothers and sisters who aren't wasting excessive time in worldly things.. but are working toward spiritual things

But how can we change the world if the world has already changed us?

How can we turn the world upside down if we have already been turned upside down by the world?

Brethren, we must be different, even at the risk of being hated:

John 15:18 - If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

John 15:19 - If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

John 15:21 - But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Don't be surprised if/when we receive such things

1John 3:1 - Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of YAHWEH! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

1Corinthians 3:19 - For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with YAHWEH. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

They so desired to gain converts that they let the world change them, rather than them changing the world. They changed at the expense of cheapening and watering down the true faith

This seems to be a trend that exists even today. Everything from Christian music that's identical to the world, to even Christian Magicians and Comedians!

But brethren, the WORD should be before us and the WORLD should be far, far behind us.

There is no turning back!

Luke 9:62 - And Yahushua said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of YAHWEH.

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:

Colossians 3:11 - Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but the Messiah is all, and in all.

1John 4:4 - You are of YAHWEH, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

John 16:32 - Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Overcoming the world is necessary if we ever want to be among those who find and walk the narrow path.

Romans 12:1 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YAHWEH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YAHWEH, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of YAHWEH.

It is only when our mind is renewed that the transformation from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light takes place.

It's hard to renew one's mind if it is continually and willingly filled with filth from the Satan box. Yet, some fill themselves with a dose of it every day! What does Yahweh think of this?

David walked within his house with a pure heart:

Psalms 101:1 - I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O YAHWEH, will I sing.

Psalms 101:2 - I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Psalms 101:3 - I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

We must have that renewed mind in order to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Yahweh!

Therefore, let's be sure that we have the right spirit feeding us and dwelling in us:

1Corinthians 2:12 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of Elohim; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of YAHWEH.

Now it is time to DO what is right in the sight of Yahweh our strength! Yahweh help us to do what is right in your eyes!?

Let's rid ourselves from any and all corruption from the world

Let's be "unspotted", unstained!

Let's renew ourselves to doing the work of Yahweh, seeking His ways

For when we do what is right, He will bring us the good land

When we truly give our lives to the One who can take us to the promised land, only then are we truly fulfilled

Yes, fulfilled and blessed to be inheritors of the true Kingdom that does not end, where we will reign with Yahweh forever and ever

At that time, the world will be ruled by Yahweh...and righteousness will reign

We know that He has already shown His love for us through the Messiah who gave up His own life for our sakes

Let's show our love for Him by dying to self and letting Him and His Spirit dwell in us..

NOT the spirit of the world.

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