Jozef_Lydia - Almighty Heavenly Father Yahweh, Great is Your Name and Greatly to be praised!
Jozef_Lydia - We come humbly before you through Yahushua our advocate and High Priest and acknowledge Your standards and Your Will for us, as under the promise of the New Covenant.
Jozef_Lydia - We sometimes feel so inadequate when lined up to Your standards, and at other times we feel defiled by this world.
Jozef_Lydia - It makes us want to step out of this system, as at times the pressures of the world around us are oppressive and hard to cope with.
Jozef_Lydia - We so much need Your Ruach, Your guidance, and Your protection, and that the more as we see this world is plunging itself into deeper darkness.
Jozef_Lydia - Thank You Abba, for your provisions of life each day, and teach us all to be satisfied with our lot in life, and help us to trust in your provisions for tomorrow.
Jozef_Lydia - Thank you also for the protection and the sanctity of life, for our [relative] health, and our joy in You, please keep us in good health, and heal us where needed, show us where we might need to change bad habits.
Jozef_Lydia - Father Yahweh, we also have a special request for this day and age we live in; we call upon Your help to be saved from the vileness, the injustice, and the increasing anger of people that surround us.
Jozef_Lydia - Please help us to be poised and at peace, and help us to take on the nature that was in Your Son when he walked this earth.
Jozef_Lydia - Also help us to help others, and help us not to judge others wrongly, and teach us to be over-comers in this world, how to endure till the end.
Jozef_Lydia - Help us to produce good fruit, the fruits of Your Set-apart Ruach, to be kind and patient and truthful and long-suffering, for we so often fall short of Your righteous standards.
Jozef_Lydia - Forgive us all our shortcomings, as we forgive also others the wrong we feel they have done to us, in the same way as You have forgiven our sin and iniquities..
Jozef_Lydia - Lead us FAR away from the temptations of this world, in all its ugly forms, its filthy entertainment, its craving for money and power, its animalistic sexual lust, and its false pagan holidays.
Jozef_Lydia - Thank you Father for the promise of deliverance from it all, in Yahushua's Name.
Jozef_Lydia - And may it be so, HalleluYAH \o/\o/\o/\o/\o/
We are a people very blessed
Tonight I would like to share something that is sometimes easy to forget in the midst of our truth seeking
Jozef's prayer was quite appropriate for the study tonight. We need to produce good fruit, which comes from Yahweh's Spirit
Looking to Yahushua's words. Yahushua spoke strongly against the Scribes and Pharisees:
Matthew 23:23 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.Scribes and Pharisees spent much time in the scriptures, debating this point and that point. There were several schools of thought. Many interpretations. Shammai and Hillel were two of them
Shammai was often more liberal, while Hillel more of a conservative
So it is with politics
Sometimes I wonder if some of us are getting caught up in the same trappings
Brethren, we must not omit the weightier matters of the Torah/Law
Judgement, Mercy, Faith
I believe that the 'smartest' person in the world could search the scriptures daily for truth, and miss eternal life entirely
While a simple minded individual can learn profound truths reading the same scriptures, or just by simple revelation
1Corinthians 1:26 - For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Corinthians 1:27 - But YAHWEH hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and YAHWEH hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Corinthians 1:28 - And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath YAHWEH chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Corinthians 1:29 - That no flesh should glory in his presence.We ought not be puffed up in our knowledge of truth
We should be humbled that Yahweh was willing to reveal things to us
1Corinthians 8:1 - Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.We should be thankful and greatful, to the point that we do not berate others who are blind or ignorant
For we could quickly be like them. Remember Nebuchadnezzar?
Daniel 5:18 - O thou king, the most high Elohim gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
Daniel 5:19 - And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
Daniel 5:20 - But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
Daniel 5:21 - And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high Elohim ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.May Yahweh have mercy upon us
1Corinthians 13:1 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.Love
Joy
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodnesss
Peace
Faith
Meekness
Temperence & Self Control
These are things of the Spirit.. Yahweh's Spirit
Bearing the right fruits is very important
It is evidence of Yahweh's Spirit in us, and even evidence of our salvation
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.I believe that the above fruits will manifest themselves when we do, from the bottom of our heart have love for Yahweh and love for one another.
Let's consider what a fruit is. The fruit of a tree is brought forth with patience.
In the parable of the sower, Yahushua noted that the seed that fell on good ground is like this
Luke 8:15 - But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.When we approach others, we should remember that the seed we sow (if sown on good ground) will bear fruit with patience
Thus, we must be very patient with others who are not of our understanding and let Yahweh make the increase
Paul wrote:
1Corinthians 3:6 - I have planted, Apollos watered; but YAHWEH gave the increase.We can plant, another can water, but Yahweh must give the increase. We can yell at the plant all day, but Yahweh must give the increase for it to grow
Perhaps some of us have been hurt in the past by those who would persecute us
And so it is, when someone of similar belief approaches us... there are quick, snap judgments as to their character
But it ought not be so
Yahushua has been so patient with us, ought we not be so with others?
If they are His, the good fruit will come
We know that there are such things as good fruits and evil fruits. Consider what Yahushua said concerning these things:
John 15:1 - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
John 15:2 - Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
John 15:3 - Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
John 15:4 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.When we abide in Him, we will bear the fruits that come from being in His vine
This is why the Spirit in us is what bears the fruits. The Spirit comes from Yahweh above through His Son Yahushua. We have no good fruit unless we are in the vine.
John 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:6 - If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.Surely we don't want to be burned, we want to abide in Him.. abide in Yahushua and have the fruits of the Spirit He had and has
John 15:7 - If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:8 - Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.It is Yahushua's will that we bear much fruit
For it glorifies the Father
Let us be sure that we bear the fruits of the Spirit in us!
But let it be known that when we bear the fruits..we also will be purged (as in verse 2)..so that we might bear more fruit.
We won't have time to examine all the fruits this evening, but let's look at the first fruit: Love
There may be a man who is an anointed speaker, who has the gift of prophecy and is able to understand Yahweh's wisdom to the fullest. Such a man could give all he had to the poor and give up his body to be burned in persecution.. but if he has not love, it is nothing
1Corinthians 13:1 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Corinthians 13:2 - And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
1Corinthians 13:3 - And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
1Corinthians 13:4 - Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Corinthians 13:5 - Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Corinthians 13:6 - Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Corinthians 13:7 - Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.Yahushua taught that the most important commandment is to love Yahweh
Mark 12:30 - And thou shalt love YAHWEH thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.The fruits in us will reveal this love for Yahweh and also our brother.
The fruits of the Spirit do not just show up on the outside out of nowhere. They come from Yahweh. It is Yahweh's Spirit in us that allows these fruits to grow.
If our heart is evil, bad fruits will manifest themselves:
Luke 6:43 - For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Luke 6:44 - For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh"
What kinds of words come from the treasuries of our heart?
Our words can surely reveal what Spirit is in us.
1Peter 4:11 - If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of YAHWEH. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which YAHWEH supplies, that in all things YAHWEH may be glorified through Yahushua the Messiah, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.We must beware of any idle word which we speak.
We need to strive to let every word that proceeds out of our own mouth be full of Yahweh's fruits, and as the oracles of Yahweh
Matthew 12:36 - But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.Being idle is not like being fruitful.
The same greek word that is translated "idle" in the above verse is translated "barren" in this verse:
2Peter 1:8 - For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yahushua the Messiah.So during the normal course of a day, let us be careful and beware of our "Barren" words
''
But especially on Yahweh's Sabbath Day!
Our words should not be idle at all!
Isaiah 58:13 - If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of YAHWEH, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isaiah 58:14 - Then shalt thou delight thyself in YAHWEH; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of YAHWEH hath spoken it.The Sabbath is a time of spiritual and physical renewal. A time to focus completely on the Father and His ways
It's a blessed time that will keep us growing spiritually
And keep us healthier physically
Surely we want the heritage of Jacob (eternal life in the promised land)
So our words and actions also must bear the fruit of love for Yahweh.
Many believe they love Yahweh.
Many believe that they love Yahushua
But if we love
John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.Let's keep His word
Our words and actions must also bear the fruit of love for our brother, our spouses and our children
1John 4:20 - If someone says, "I love YAHWEH," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love YAHWEH whom he has not seen?It is impossible to love Yahweh and hate our brother at the same time
1John 4:21 - And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves YAHWEH must love his brother also.May this fruit be a full and sweet sacrifice unto Yahweh our Elohim!
For this is the fruit that Yahweh seeks. Good fruit
Let us recognize that good fruit comes from Yahweh
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through the Messiah which strengtheneth me.Brethren
There are certain principles in His word which really aren't that difficult to keep
The Sabbath, using His name, keeping the feasts.. for these are such blessings
Though we do receive persecution for doing them
But can we bear the fruits of the Spirit without leaving this undone ?
How do we relate to our spouses?
Are we bearing these fruits as we should?
How do we relate to our children?
And to one another?
John 13:35 - By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.This is what we are called to do
Few are able
It is a part of the narrow way
It isn't talked about much, probably because it is so hard!
It requires us to die
die to self
and let Yahushua live in us
May Yahweh bring you and me and all of us to perfection in these things
It is SOO Important!!
Let us all be of one mind my brethren...and that is to serve Yahweh our King with all our heart and all of our soul and all of our might Lets be mindful of the needs of our brethren even more so then our own needs.
With all He has done for us, I know He is worthy. I know He is worth it. I know He is righteous and will reign forever and I know He wants to be king over us if we will let Him
Yahushua said
Luke 19:26 - For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
Luke 19:27 - But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.Walking in these things fulfills Yahushua's commandment that we should love one another as He has loved us. He was no hypocrite. He gave His life because of His love for us.
Yahushua saw our need!
He saw that we were lost.. without hope
And look at all He did for us!!
Therefore, let's consider one another better than our ownselves..let's put off all malice and pride!
Now, more than ever..WE NEED EACH OTHER
There is a battle
So we must endeavour to seek:
Ephesians 4:1 - I, therefore, the prisoner of Yahushua, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Ephesians 4:2 - with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
Ephesians 4:3 - endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.We all sit in this chat room
We see His word and its importance to us
If we are failing in this area.. what will we do
Will it be, "Yea, I need to do that" and then forget?
Or will it be "Yea, I need to do that" and then repent?
another fruit which we did not cover before is "Joy"
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,The second fruit is JOY.
Our total love for Yahweh in our lives would certainly allow us to have joy as one of the fruits of Yahweh's Spirit
Indeed, when we are in Yahweh's kingdom..a place full of the Spirit of Yahweh..joy will be the theme!
Isaiah 35:10 - And the ransomed of YAHWEH shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.Let's pray that we be found worthy to attain that age
And trust in the mercy of Yahweh through Yahushua
There are times of sorrow in this world but the joy in us should be the overriding fruit, for this is totally from Yahweh!
How do we 'obtain' joy?
I believe it comes from just our total love and appreciation for what Yahweh has done in our lives and in the lives of others.
If we truly remember all that Yahweh has done for us, it is easier to find this joy
I believe that our thanksgiving to Yahweh is the soil in which this fruit shall grow!
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,The next fruit is Peace
Peace, is "Shalom" which means more than just peace
It is a completeness and wholeness that comes from Yahweh
We who believe in Yahushua have all have felt this inner shalom that only Yahweh Almighty can give.
Even in times of stress this shalom awaits us when we cry out to Him in prayer with thanksgiving.
The shalom really cannot be described. It is beyond understanding:
Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto YAHWEH.
Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of YAHWEH, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through the Messiah Yahushua.The shalom of Yahweh is one thing that the wicked will never possess.
Isaiah 48:22 - There is no peace, saith YAHWEH, unto the wicked.We should know that even as our hearts receive this peace from Yahweh, our lives will often bring turmoil to those who do not know Him ... and from those who do not know Him
We are inherently at odds with those who do not know Him
Matthew 10:34 - Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:35 - For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Matthew 10:36 - And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.It is sad when this happens, but Yahushua predicted it
While on the outside there may be turmoil. Our inner peace from Yahweh above will manifest itself as a fruit of His Spirit.
And generally...those around us will be amazed
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,Now let's look at the next fruit: Longsuffering
Yahweh is longsuffering with us. It is a characteristic of Abba Yahweh...
In Hebrew, longsuffering means 'patient, slow to anger' This is so true of our Elohim!
Yahushua taught us of the longsuffering of Yahweh
Luke 13:6 - He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Luke 13:7 - Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
Luke 13:8 - And he answering said unto him, Master, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
Luke 13:9 - And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.If Yahweh is longsuffering, so will we..if His Spirit is in us
Beware that we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts!
It is Yahweh's longsuffering Spirit that should manifest itself in us toward others
The next time we consider not being longsuffering with a brother, consider how longsuffering and merciful Yahweh has been with us!
It becomes easier to forgive someone else, when we consider that we also have sinned against Yahweh. We need to humble ourselves
Now let's examine another fruit: Goodness
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,Brethren, if we have any good at all in us, it comes from Yahweh
Matthew 19:17 - And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, YAHWEH: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.Even Yahushua had to recongnize the source of all goodness...Yahweh
For Yahweh is good:
Psalms 33:5 - He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of YAHWEH.
Psalms 34:8 - O taste and see that YAHWEH is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.Let's desire the goodness of Yahweh to manifest in us this fruit:
Psalms 119:68 - Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Nahum 1:7 - YAHWEH is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.Now let's examine another fruit: Faith
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,Now there could be an entire message on this fruit alone (as well as the others) but let us consider that without faith, we cannot please Yahweh
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to YAHWEH must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.Not having faith is like believing in Atheism. We must be full of faith or faithfull
If we are full of faith we will not fail to trust
When we lack faith and trust in Yahweh, we show to Him that we do not believe that He is.
But we must trust Him for our needs and let Him direct our paths:
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in YAHWEH with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3:6 - In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.Yahweh will hide Himself from a faithless generation:
Deuteronomy 32:20 - And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.How about this generation?
Luke 18:7 - And shall not YAHWEH avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luke 18:8 - I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?I hope that He will find faith if we are here
So Let's allow the Spirit of Yahweh bear the fruit of faith in us.
Let's put off our old mind and be conformed to the image of Yahushua the Messiah. And let us not forget that faith without works is DEAD faith
Let's be doers of the word and not hearers only
James 1:22 - But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:23 - For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
James 1:24 - for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
James 1:25 - But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.It's so easy to let circumstances cause us to lose faith
The circumstances offer convenient excuses to forget the need for us to bear the fruits of Yahweh's Spirit
But if we are willing to maintain a frequent and constant meditation into Yahweh's word, we will be less of a forgetful hearer and more of a doer
Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of YAHWEH.Faith can only come by hearing. And hearing comes by the word of Yahweh. If we are willing to hear, then faith will come
I encourage everyone to spend a minumum of 20-30 minutes a day in His word
If we do so, we will have read through the scriptures in only a year
If we were to neglect the partaking of our physical food, we would eventually die
So it is with our spiritual food, His word.. we slowly die out spiritually
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.There is a picture of a blessed man, one who meditates on Yahweh's word.
In verse 3 we see that he does not wither, but whatsoever he does shall prosper
Let's do likewise, so that we will not wither away.. but rather prosper and grow in the love of Yahweh our Elohim who is worthy of our devotion
Look at all He has done for us, isn't He worth it?
We know He is
For even if we receive the crown of life, like the 24 elders we can only cast our crowns before the one who is worthy and declare:
Revelation 4:10 - the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
Revelation 4:11 - "You are worthy, O YAHWEH, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."May Yahweh's Spirit be manifest in each one of us as we go through our lives, all to the praise of His glory
and may Yahweh bless you and have mercy on us all!
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