08/01/2008 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Blessed be Yahweh Most High, who has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness, from every unclean thing and sanctified us to be His children.

We are indeed blessed to receive His Spirit

His Spirit leads us to life, to the way of love, peace, hope and righteousness

Were it not for His Spirit, we would be nothing but dead dust

Genesis 2:7 - And YAHWEH Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Life eternal is what Yahweh desires to fill us with

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

But there is another kind of spirit active in the world today, an unclean spirit.

One that brings hatred for love, confusion for peace, hopelessness for hope and wickedness for righteousness.

If we are filled with the things that are contrary to the Spirit of Yahweh, we have been filling our hearts, minds and life with things that do not bring life

What does not bring life?

It's the spirit of the world...

A spirit that entwines and entangles...

A spirit that destroys and slowly kills...

Little by little, bit by bit...

Until the Word (Spirit) of Yahweh is choked out

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 all 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, and few realize the extent of which they have fallen into it.

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

Though most people in this world act as if the world belongs to them, the world belongs to Yahweh

What will eventually happen to the world? For we know that right now it is not in submission to the One who owns it all

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.

Yes, brethren.. the whole world will be judged--including the residing prince of it

Yahweh set man to have dominion over everything.. and filled him with His Spirit to walk in His image. But man has chosen a prince for himself and follows the unclean spirits of the devilt

Yahweh didn't appoint him to be the prince, but he is only the prince because man has chosen to give him that place in their lives.

Man has chosen a liar, and the father of lies

Yahushua said to those who were of the world:

John 8:44 - Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Whose children are we?

Who do we want to be our King?

In whose image do we desire to walk?

The image of Yahweh, or the image of His enemy?

Most will choose the latter, but we want to follow Yahweh!

1John 3:10 - In this the children of YAHWEH and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of YAHWEH, nor is he who does not love his brother.

We want to be His children! His children will practice righteousness, and love one another.

His children will hate lies and love the truth.

Those who love lies will follow the father of lies

2Thessalonians 2:9 - Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

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.

We must love the truth in order to be saved. Otherwise, we will believe a lie.

2Thessalonians 2:11 - And for this cause YAHWEH shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Thessalonians 2:12 - That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Lies, unrighteousness vs. truth and righteousness

If the prince of this world is a liar, what exactly are the lies? For scripture teaches that all the world is deceived..

Revelation 12:9 - So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We must be on guard against the world's lies, and the spirit that inspires it all

And we must be ready to be a part when Yahweh takes it back and rules over all things

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?

If we are to one day judge the world, surely we would want to be no part of its evil.

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.

Unspotted, meaning unstained

The world indeed places a stain

Have you ever felt the stain?

I've felt the stain

I remember about 10-12 years ago I would visit an unbelieving relative after a day of rejoicing on the Shabbat. In that home would be the TV pouring out its worldly spirit..

Afterward, I would feel stained.

I'm not sure how to describe it other than a 'yuckiness' inside after having been exposed to it all.

A few years later I visited a relative and there was a football game on TV

I had spent the night there and was wanting to have a time of scripture reading and praising Yahweh with the family as we want to do every day

But with the worldly production...

worldly music...

and worldly commercials..

And after sitting there about 10 minutes trying to converse with the person I was visiting, I got up..

And all of a sudden, my desire to open the bible and have scripture studies with the family wasn't there.

I felt like the worldliness I had seen on the TV literally sucked out my desire for the things of Yahweh.

I can see clearly that we must be careful that we do not have the world's spirit influencing us, but Yahweh's Spirit in us influencing those who seek to be drawn to Yahweh's light

If we sense that the spirit of the world is influencing us more than we are able to influence the world for righteousness, we need to get out of that situation and do something else for a while

It can be detrimental to try and minister to others unless it is out of the overflowing cup

If our cup is constantly drained out by the world, we are not good witnesses anyway

Now does this mean that we need to go out of the world and live like a hermit?

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.. but Yahweh forbid that the world be in us!

We should be more wary of the world being in the brethren than the world being in the world.

We don't need to go out of the world, but we should be on guard against letting the spirit of the world having power and influence over us.

For we are not to love the world, nor are we to have the world in us. 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.

But didn't Yahweh "so love the world?"

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.

John 3:18 - He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of YAHWEH.

We should not love the world in the sense that we long to do the things they do, but do love the world in the sense that we desire that they would repent and receive salvation in Yahushua.

For if we did not love them, we would not want them to repent and receive eternal life.

But we want them to repent, and turn to the ways of Yahweh's Spirit.

We know that most will not, and most will seek to follow the prince of this world.

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.

Yes, we must beware! For the world will follow after the father of lies.

The world will claim to give peace, but it does not:

1Thessalonians 5:3 - For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

If the whole world will be deceived, and all the world follows after the beast... don't you think that we should be very very careful that we are not influenced by the spirit of the world??

We need to be ready to stand against this spirit and be sober, vigilant and aware of deception and lies through unrighteousness

Notice that the world will say "peace and safety"

This is because they do indeed seek peace

But Yahweh says:

Isaiah 48:22 - There is no peace, saith YAHWEH, unto the wicked.

Only in Yahushua do we have peace:

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.

How can we know if we are following after the ways of the world?

Maybe we keep certain commands that the world does not, but are we receiving their spirit in any way?

Observe the things that the world does, and then examine our own lives. Are we doing just as they do?

Do we act the way they do?

Do we look the way they do?

Do we think the way they do?

It is so easy to just go along with all the other sheep.

And it's not so easy for the carnal man to turn away. For much of it is quite appealing to the flesh

Then in the background the father of lies wants to come and feed us with pasture after pasture of ways to justify it all

Some think that we need to look/act like the world to win the world.. and appeal to the masses

Thus, there are "Christian" versions of everything it seems.

They justify it by trying to appeal to the world.

But the truth is we don't win the world by imitating the world. We win the world by imitating Yahushua the Messiah!

So who are emulating? Yahushua... or the father of lies who inspires the world?

What are we doing with our time?

If there is any question as to whether something is worth your time, ask yourself.... "Does this really benefit me spiritually?"

"Can I picture Yahushua doing this with me and enjoying it?"

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 entertainments or things of the world as opposed to things of the Spirit?

What would Yahushua be doing?

The world seeks their amusements

It seems that with the world, everything has to be amusing, but what does 'amusement' mean?

To muse means to think

A- is the negative particle

A-muse - no- thinking!

I've heard it said.. America is going to the lake of fire...

And they're laughing all the way...

There are so many time wasting distractions from what is really important!

I'm not totally against engaging in any form of entertainment, but we need to beware of the dangers here

Most read about movie stars, sports teams and players, musicians and politicians than they read about Yahweh.

The scriptures collect dust while most people spiritually rot away in their easy chair

The things of the Spirit are secondary to chasing after the dollar in whatever work they choose to get involved in

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"?

We should not let the world entangle us with its amusements, entertainments and things that do not profit. Yahweh is jealous of all the time that "brethren" spend in worldly matters.

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.

Let's repent and free ourselves of the double mind which seeks to mix light with darkness.

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

James 4:10 - Humble yourselves in the sight of YAHWEH, and He will lift you up.

The world has plenty of things to take our eyes off Yahweh. Perhaps now more so than at any time in history

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

I once got a mailing from "Dr. James Dobson" today encouraging people to go visit this web site where they review all the movies out there and tell you which ones are okay to see.

I kept asking out loud.. "Didn't someone have to sit and watch all that filth in order to review it? Why do we need any of it?"

I called the people who ran the web site "ministry" and asked them this question.

They had no answer but justified themselves by saying that people have to have their movies

It's like an addiction out of control!

People demand it

They have fallen in love ...

....with the spirit of the world, "hollywood" and all it has to offer

That same unclean spirit will follow after the beast faithfully

Few things have contributed to a corrupt society in greater ways than the spirit that comes from Hollywood

It used to be that you had to go to some dark corner of town to see total corruption, moral depravity and wickedness

Now they pipe it into millions of homes every day on a regular basis

They do it in an "entertaining" way in order to corrupt you.

Even "FOXnews" which claims to be "conservative" is a web site I dont' frequent because they have a regular flow of filth "news stories" at the bottom of their home page

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

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.

The things of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life--- 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 should seek to abide forever, and seek the things that do abide forever.. lest we also pass away with it

Lot was tormented/vexed with the wickedness around him.

Likewise, the very sight of these worldly things should torment/vex our souls.

Surely we should not be allowing those things to be any part of our own walk.

But the spirit of the world has ways of grabbing a person who doesn't have his guard up.

Yahweh said:

Isaiah 33:10 - Now will I rise, saith YAHWEH; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

Isaiah 33:11 - Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.

Isaiah 33:12 - And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

Isaiah 33:13 - Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

Isaiah 33:14 - The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Isaiah 33:15 - He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Isaiah 33:16 - He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

The world will tell you all the gruesome details of various murders and various other crimes. But we should be shutting our eyes and stopping our ears to these things, that we might dwell with Yahweh, who is a consuming fire.

Yes, we need not be ignorant of the world's evils...but there is no reason to participate in all the gossip. There is no reason to read and focus on all its ugliness. Sin is nothing new. We don't need to know all there is to know about it.

Let's focus on pure things

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

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 or treasures in the age to come..

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 indeed increased

In this "information age", awesome 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.

Are we squandering the opportunity?

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 things?

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! Yahweh give strength to Your people!

I'm not saying we can never enjoy time together doing things, but we should not enjoy the things that are of the world!

If we do, something is not right about our desires

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

Spend His time with the mindset, ""Eat, drink, be entertained and be merry?"

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

So 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.

If you really take a close look at it, it becomes evident that worldly things have a way of:

1) Killing the zeal

2) Setting aside the hope

3) Marginalizing our reverence toward Yahweh!

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 not justify things falsely. If we are seeking to join the world in worldly things to win the world, we are making a big mistake

Churchiainity makes that mistake often.. with its "christian" version of everything the world has to offer

Rather than bringing people to the example of Yahushua, people come in and water down whatever is left of the true faith

How about we set the standard high, for it is time that the Torah/Law of Yahweh be lifted up as the standard that ALL men should live by!

Tthose who seek to turn away from their sins and earthly pursuits be drawn to the pure, unadulterated truth, not a watered down worldly faith!

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.

Matthew 24:52 -

In my walk, I have come across many brethren who are doing these very things

Some literally, others spiritually

Drunkenness is linked to False doctrine in the book of revelation.

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

Some are bored with seeking righteousness, so the focus is seeking after supposed "secret things."

I prefer to call them "evil surmisings"

They have no biblical basis.. just ideas and theories that have no real proof.

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.

Idleness and fullness of bread are accurate descriptions of this age

Let not the sin of Sodom overtake us, but let's remain sober.. looking to the appearance of Yahushua the Messiah.. establishing our beliefs on the ROCK.. the undeniable Word of Yahweh

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

And it will guide us into eternal life

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

The Word of Yahweh gives us the hearing..and the hearing gives us the faith

So many are defeated, and lacking faith in their lives

Falling into a spiritual lull, they are starting to lose the first love.

Let's cleave to the First Love...

Yahushua

The WORD made flesh

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 through the scriptures even once!

"I don't have time" really means "It's not a priority"

Don't we all have the same amount of time in a day?

What we do with our time determines so much. For our time is our life, and our life is our time...

Let's not fail to immerse ourselves in His word, which is Yahushua the Son, His Life. Words of peace, love, joy, and so much more

The more of His word we fill our minds with, the more we will recognize what is not of Him.

And the spirit of the world will not be able to deceive us

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.

There are plenty of sheep being carried off by grievous wolves... anti-Yahushua and anti-NT teachers of foolishness.

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

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.

I've noticed that in times of prosperity and plenty, a lot of problems in relationships tend to arise.

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 the truth. There is a common enemy even now, but he is very subtle and deceptive!

We need to unite against him! He wants to enter your home through any means he can.. through the TV, the Internet, a book, a magazine, the news, a visitor, a friend, a relative, you name it

Beware of the choking effect

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

Matthew 13:2 - And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

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.

What a fitting description! The world simply chokes out the word of Yahweh! It need not take it away, it need only choke it out so that we are unfruitful!

Let not the seed fall among thorns where the world chokes out the word!

Thorns grow slowly around a person daily---growing and growing until there is no room for anything else. Thus, one is just taking up the ground--bearing no fruit because he is not receiving light to grow.

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.

For it is better to have never known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then again be entangled with the world:

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."

Let's not be dogs, let's beware of dogs and let's be Israelites indeed!

Let's be sure that we have removed the world from our lives and let's rather be a light to the world with a righteous example!

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. Spiritually minded people, humble people, loving people who aren't focused on the flesh. People that think different, behave different and look different

For 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, Yahweh says we will be different, peculiar.

1Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

We must be willing to be just that...

...even at the risk of being hated and rejected

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

Therefore, let's depart from the spirit of this world and not look 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.

Remember Lot's wife! There is no turning back. We need to move on in the Spirit! We need to set our affections on the things which are above, not the things which are beneath

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:

We are not that old person anymore brethren.

We need to let go.

We are a new creation

We have takin on a new identity

A new outlook

A new life

A new perspective

A new family

A new way of thinking

A new way of reacting to the world

We now identify ourselves with Yahushua

His life is our life

And our life is hidden in His

And if He is in us..

We will overcome!!

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.

It's time to put those things behind us... and overcome!!

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.

Though none go with us, and many around us walk corruptly.. our love and devotion is set toward One who is greater than they.

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

We must have that renewed mind, one that is not conformed to this world, in order to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Yahweh!

Therefore let's allow our minds to be sown with good, pure, praiseworthy things

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.

The TV and Internet are often a direct violation of this very principle

Therefore, let's be sure that we have the right spirit feeding us and dwelling in us and let's not allow the spirit of this world to affect our minds, but rather let's seek Yahweh's Spirit

John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The words of Yahweh, spoken through Yahushua are Spirit..and are life

This is the Spirit that we have received

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.

So brethren, we see what is right.

Now it is time to DO what is right in the sight of Yahweh our strength!

May Yahweh help us to do what is right in HIS eyes! We all, including myself, have more overcoming to do.

Let's rid ourselves from any and all corruption from the world, today.. right now.. no time to waste!

Let's be among the "unspotted", unstained!

Cleansed by the blood of the Lamb!

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

We will be 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

That's the kingdom we seek, and that's the one in our hearts

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 filling ourselves with His goodness, His purity, His love by 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!