Category Archives: Teachable

Am I on the path?, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Mercy, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Self Control, Teachable

Clothe Yourselves with Mercy, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, and Patience.

As Christians we are called to be a light to the world. To show others the path to Jesus Christ. All too often non Christians cannot tell the difference between Christians and the world by looking at how we live. Paul provides a meaningful call to action on how we should be living.

Colossians 3:1-17.

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

It is difficult to add anything to such a well written passage. This is a scripture to dwell on and not to skim. I hope and pray you reflect on it and challenge yourself to answer the call that Paul (and Jesus) have extended to us in this scripture.

Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Prophecy, Purposeful / Intentional, Self Control, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

All Things Must Be Done Properly and in an Orderly Manner.

I find this section of scripture fascinating and challenging to study. Paul lays out some specific instructions for conducting church in an orderly manner in 1 Corinthians 14. He addresses prophecy and speaking in / interpreting tongues with some interesting considerations that can certainly still be applied today. He also addresses a subject that is sure to make some people uncomfortable or even angry as he speaks regarding women remaining silent in church. For our culture, this is roundly rejected… but should it be? We truly should always challenge ourselves to study context to better understand if this specific instruction was generally applicable or applicable to the church of Corinth due to its specific situation at the time. In any case, the broader point is clearly that we should have order and not confusion in order to edify God, help the body of Christ, and draw in new believers to Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:20-40

Instruction for the Church

     20Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21In the Law it is written, “BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME,” says the Lord. 22So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. 23Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

      26What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; 28but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

      34The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. 36Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

      37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

      39Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

Don’t miss the broader point of the scripture about needing to proceed in an orderly manner for tongues and prophecy and teaching in the church, about needing an interpreter for tongues and so on. Don’t focus solely on the verse about women keeping silent and miss the broader point. God is a God of order and not of confusion. We must conduct ourselves as the body of Christ in an orderly manner.

Curious or upset by the command for women to keep silent in church? Want to explore it more? I encourage each of us submit our spirit to God, quiet our preconceived notions based on our local culture, pray for help and click through to more study resources to explore what Paul may have intended more closely. From the link provided, you can select different commentaries and study multiple perspectives or do you own search. I need to spend more time with it myself. The immediate context may be limited to speaking in tongues or prophesying or interpreting tongues in church setting, which was the topic Paul was addressing, but it is difficult to avoid the possibility that it may be broader than that associated with women not taking a leadership role or authority role over men in the church. The issue of submission for women is covered in 1 Timothy, Ephesians, and 1 Peter in addition to here in 1 Corinthians (refer to link above labeled “study resources”)… not to mention Genesis 3:16.

Try to sort through the topic without bias of “what you are used to” or “what our culture has taught you” or even “current church teaching”. Be teachable and submitted to God. Look not to emotions, but to what the scripture actually says and in what context. Don’t rush to judgement on this topic. Meditate on it. Study it. Pray.  It is not our role to agree or disagree with scripture (e.g. with God), but rather to study it and change our lives to reflect what God instructs. Look around, there are plenty of examples of commonly accepted church practices which are wildly out of step with scripture and God’s instruction… always has been. Look to scripture and God Himself.

Our challenge is to shape ourselves into God’s image, not to reshape Him into our own.

Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal to you more discernment and wisdom on the specific instructions given here and on the broader topic of maintaining a proper and orderly manner in the body of Christ and in church.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Obeying God, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays, Unteachable / Foolish, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

If God Says Something Is Bad, Can We Make it Good?

There can easily be constant pressure to accept the traditions and ways of men or the culture around us. In many cases, it may be what we grew up with. It could be filled with great family memories from childhood and generations of family tradition. Everyone around us may be doing something a certain way and this helps us fit in with other Christians. Often, even if the origins of the tradition are pagan, people have framed up new stories about how the traditions of men really honor God. What should we do? Can we truly take something that God said was bad and make it good?

Christmas, and many holiday traditions common to Christians today, serve as powerful examples. There are many traditions that are of pagan origin. Many don’t know this and don’t even think to ask or test their traditions. Many more do know the traditions are of pagan origin, but rather convince themselves that we can turn what God said was bad into something good. Is this true? What does God say in the Bible?

Consider His people as they left Egypt. Yahweh delivered them from slavery through many mighty miracles. There were ten plagues, parting of the Red Sea, defeat of Pharaoh’s army, God appearing as fire and smoke to lead them, manna and water miraculously to meet their needs in the dessert. Surely, we would think that generation could never turn from the ways of God, but they did. They allowed themselves to revert to influences from the Egyptian culture in which they had lived for generations.

Exodus 32:1-10

The Golden Calf

      1Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

      7Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8“They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. 10“Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

I think we can all see clearly that Yahweh was not pleased with His people for making this idol and worshiping it. He was going to destroy them and start over. Let us consider carefully what happened. If we read to quickly, we may conclude, as many have, that the Israelites were worshiping an idol of a false god and that is why Yahweh was upset… but this is not the case.

Look closer. Indeed, they had created an idol and began to worship it, but in fact they were using the idol to represent Yahweh Himself. Consider the following verses:

“This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”

In fact, the people were worshiping Yahweh, and He was very upset! Why? Yahweh does not want His people to worship Him in the way that the pagans worship their false gods. He wants us to worship Him in the way He tells us.

Deuteronomy 12:30-32

30beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ 31“You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

      32“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.

The Israelites may have been worshipping Yahweh, but they were doing so in like manner to how the Egyptians worshipped their false gods by making idols.

While this may seem like it does not apply today, it certainly does! Yahweh has not changed His opinion on what is good and what is bad. He still does not want us to worship Him with idols or with any of the manners or traditions with which the pagans worship false gods. If we take the time to study our common Christmas and Easter traditions (and other traditions as well), we will certainly find the history of many of these traditions are derived not from God’s word, but from pagan worship practices. Christians have created new meanings for many of these traditions, but they still are derived from pagan worship. Yahweh is not pleased, even if we say it is Him whom we are worshipping.

Do not repeat the error of the Israelites, which drew great anger from Yahweh. Instead, learn the history and true origin of the traditions you practice. Reject the ones that are derived from pagan worship. Instead, study and learn the practices and worship that Yahweh instructs us in His word. There is so much to learn!

I encourage you to invest time to get to know Yahweh. If He is Lord (and He certainly is!), then we should take time to learn His ways and reject the ways of the pagan worship… even if done in Yahweh’s name. Do not accept something just because it is a family or cultural “tradition”. Test and explore to understand the true origin and whether or not it may be offensive to our Lord. Do not fool yourself that you can take what is bad in His eyes and make it good by creating new Christian stories around old pagan traditions. Choose the Lord’s ways over even dear traditions that may be emotionally difficult to walk away from. Do not be like Lot’s wife who looked back at Sodom while leaving, but rather leave behind the past things without looking back on them.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide Your people. Help us to have discernment and courage.  Help us to be hungry to seek Your ways and quick to challenge our own traditions against Your holy word in the Bible. Help us learn from the Israelites history documented in the scriptures that we cannot turn what is bad into good. We can simply choose whether or not to turn away from what is bad toward Your ways. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

Focus on Obeying the Commands of God

People have a habit of getting distracted and emphasizing the wrong things. In Corinth, there must have been some confusion or disputes within the church. Paul writes to clarify circumcision.

Circumcision was originally a sign of the covenant for God’s people. However, it becomes clear from 1 Corinthians 7 that people in Corinth were getting too focused on the circumcision of new believers, rather than on keeping God’s commandments. Sometimes we need a reminder or encouragement to keep the “main thing” as our primary focus. Paul provides this reminder for the church of Corinth.

1 Corinthians 7:17-20

    17Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. 18Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. 20Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.

Also, note that Paul writes after the death and resurrection of Christ and is emphasizing the main thing is to keep the commandments of God as a sign of relationship and submission to God. This is much more important than whether or not someone is circumcised. Obedience to the commandments and law of God did not change with the death and resurrection of Christ. Obedience to God’s commandments and instruction is still the main thing for showing obedience and submission to God.

In today’s culture we may well say we are not distracted with circumcision as the “main thing”, but let us take care and not replace it with something else. We can distract ourselves by thinking of “going to church”, “getting baptized” or many other activities as a sign of our obedience and relationship to God. However, God calls us to remain obedient to His commands as the primary sign of our submission to Him. This obedience can not be replaced by a one-time ritual or a repetitive task. It is truly a matter of the heart and of submission to our Lord.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Understanding The Law – What Does It Mean Today?

Today’s teaching is longer than most, but it is important. I encourage you to read it all the way through and truly reflect on it in prayer. It may challenge some of what you have accepted. Test it against the scripture. Ask YHWH to lead you.  The more you pursue a personal relationship with our Father, through Yeshua, based on Biblical truth… the more likely you will have to challenge and be set apart from even some common teachings in the church.

I would like to start in prayer:

Father, please open my eyes to any blind spots I may have in regards to following You instead of the traditions of man. Help me to study Your word and be Spirit-led. Help me not to get defensive to cling to what I have always known, but rather challenge everything against Your unchanging word and be willing to change my current understanding as needed to grow closer to You. Amen. 

—

There is much confusion about what the law means to Christians today. Many teachers of Christianity say that the law (and essentially all the instructions of the Old Testament) no longer apply now that Yeshua has come, died for us, and been resurrected. They proclaim that we are covered in grace and no longer in “bondage” to the law. In order to support this case, people point to passages from Acts and the letters of Paul but ignore or disregard the Old Testament, the earthly ministry of Yeshua, and many other writings of Paul where he is clearly teaching that we should uphold the law. Further, they must ignore that Paul encourages others to follow his example, which is modeled after the example of Yeshua and includes adherence to the law. It can be confusing for sure and at times Paul seems on the surface to contradict himself.

If we test scripture, we realize that those who teach against the law are inconsistent. They are saying the law is null and void but still teaching that we should follow parts of the law and discard others. Do not murder? Do not covet? Do not have idols? Do not commit adultery? These are all part of the law of YHWH. So, too, is tithing… recognizing the law goes beyond the 10 commandments. We should not arbitrarily pick and choose which elements of the law to follow and which to disregard. We should take greater care to challenge and understand what scripture says about which we should still be following vs. trusting the traditions of men taught widely in churches.

People were similarly confused in the early church. So much so that Peter even warned us.

[2 Peter 3:15-18]

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

We should not simply dismiss the seeming contradictions and pick the scripture that feels most comfortable following. Instead, each of us should evaluate and seek to understand this complex and foundational issue. But whom should we trust? The Christian majority? Scholars and teachers? A particular respected or popular teacher? or the word of God in the Bible, which would include the example Yeshua set in His earthly ministry?

The answer, I hope is fairly straightforward… we should trust in the word of God, in Yeshua, rather than the doctrine of men. It is fine to listen to the teachings of scholars and pastors, but we must test everything ourselves against scripture. This can take time and be hard, but that is no excuse just to take someone else’s word for it without testing. To do so demonstrates a lack of diligence or lack of respect for the importance of following Yeshua. If we fail to truly seek to understand what is right because it is hard, it certainly does not show a love for God and that He is a priority in our lives. (Yes, you should test what I teach as well, comparing it to the scriptures. Do not take my word for it, but rather seek to understand the methodology and truth revealed from studying scripture.)

First, let’s deal with the belief that the majority can not be wrong. If you claim to be Christian, then you already accept that premise to be false. The majority of the world rejects Yeshua as God and savior. Well then… perhaps it is the majority of God’s people, backed by scholars and teachers, that can not be wrong? Again, that would be contradictory to the foundation of Christianity itself. The most respected teachers and scholars of the law, with centuries of tradition on their side, were the Pharisees and Sadducees at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. They persecuted and killed Yeshua, denying that He was God. Thus, as Christians, we once again already believe that the religious majority of God’s people along with the scholars and teachers (complete with centuries of tradition) were wrong. Perhaps then we believe that the Christian majority after the death of Christ can not be wrong. Once again, we can look to the Protestant Reformation as an example of true believers fighting against the wrong teaching and doctrine of the church. We have much to be thankful for that now we have God’s word available for all of us to read plainly in our own language instead of hidden away behind closed doors, written in Latin, and kept from the people. How can we possibly hope to know and follow God’s instruction fully if we are not allowed access to His word except for a few minutes a week and that is even only told to us through another person based on what they choose to share? In fact, God commanded us to study and know His word and to use it as a test to identify false teachers. This is a command we can only do properly if we have access to His word.

[Deuteronomy 13:1-5] 13 [a]“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, 2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— 3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. 4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. 5 The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

No teacher in all the history of God’s people is infallible with the notable exception of Yeshua. Yeshua, in fact, as recorded in the book of John was the very word of God made flesh.

[John 1:1-18] 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[f] 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

Yeshua is in fact eternal and is the word of God made flesh to dwell among us. So we should pay special attention to what He teaches about the law, and how he acts with regard to the law. In this, we will find the truth. Let us explore what God’s word says about the law. Is it bondage? Has it changed with the death and resurrection of Yeshua?

Yeshua is incredibly clear… He specifically warns us not to misunderstand why He came. He tells us to obey God’s law and teach it to others. Does this make sense if God’s law is obsolete as so many churches teach?

[Matthew 5:17-19] 17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yeshua further clarifies the subject of the law by clearly stating it is not bondage but rather God’s instructions on how to love God and love one another.

[Matthew 22:35-40] 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on loving God and loving one another. That does not sound like bondage at all! Why would God come as Jesus to die to set us free from the law… from loving God and loving others? This makes no sense. (You can read more about what God’s word says about the law throughout the Old Testament, such as Psalm 119.)

Yeshua went on to instruct his disciples in the great commission to teach others to observe ALL that He commanded them. This includes the teachings of the Old Testament including the law, which Yeshua taught and observed without fail. Please note that this is after Yeshua died and was risen! Yeshua did not cancel the law, but rather confirmed its importance.

[Matthew 28:19-20] 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Clearly, we must reconsider the misconception that Yeshua came to “set us free from the law”.

This is confirmed in several other scriptures in Old and New Testament. I have included but a few.

[Deuteronomy 11:26-28] 26 “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 28 But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.

[Psalm 19:7-13] 7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. 9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.

[1 John 2:3-6] 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

[1John 5:2-3] 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

[James 1:25] 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

Paul encourages those in Corinth to follow His example, which was modeled after Yeshua. Both Yeshua and Paul followed the law. Would it then make sense that Paul teaches to disregard the law? In fact, Paul teaches explicitly the importance of following the law! Keep in mind that when he writes 2 Timothy 3:16-17 there is not yet a New Testament. He must, therefore, be referring to the Old Testament. Is he contradicting himself with regard to how he teaches about God’s law? A detailed study of the context in Paul’s letter is necessary to understand properly what Paul is teaching.

[1 Corinthians 11:1] 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

[Romans 3:31] 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

[Romans 7:7] 7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”[c]

[Romans 7:12] 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

[2 Timothy 3:16-17] 16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

One of the most referenced scriptures by those who say we are no longer under the Mosaic law is Romans 6:14. However, careful study of context shows that Paul is not referring to Mosaic law, but rather what he refers to as the law of sin and death, as clarified in Romans 8:1-2.

[Romans 6:14] 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

[Romans 8:1-2] 8 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [a]in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

To study more deeply about what Paul really taught about the law, we encourage you to visit 119Ministries.com and watch their video series on the “Pauline Paradox”.

Yeshua did not come to set us free from the law. The law is perfect. The law sets us free. The law is God’s instruction on how to love Him and one another. Why would He want to set us free from this?

Yeshua came to set us free from the curse we receive when we fail to live up to God’s law perfectly. All of us fall short of perfectly executing God’s law. Jesus came to take our punishment so that we could be redeemed… be forgiven.

[John 3:16-21] 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[h]”

So we know that we do not need to follow the law to be saved… to find salvation. Salvation comes through Yeshua alone by grace, through faith, and not by works. So Yeshua now holds in our place the judgment and condemnation for our failures to properly follow the law. He has paid the price on our behalf.

To learn more about why Yeshua came to live among us, died, was buried, and rose again… please read our teaching about The Message of The Cross.

So why then should we still follow the law?

We follow the law not to achieve salvation, but because we are saved! We follow the law because God commanded it and because it was His instruction for how to love God and love one another. We follow the law to show God we love Him. The law is not then canceled or no longer valid, but rather it serves us still as God’s guide and instruction for our lives. The entire Bible is relevant and applicable to our lives today as we seek to know, love, and serve God.

Make note, not all commandments can or should be followed today.  As an example, some are relating to the Levitical priesthood or the earthly temple and thus can not apply anymore. Hebrews 10   confirms that Yeshua’s sacrifice means we no longer need to sacrifice animals for the forgiveness of sin. However, by and large, there are many commandments that are being discarded by Christians today that still apply and that we should be following.

To learn more consider our teachings:

and consider learning from other ministries or study material:

 

Shalom. Teaching by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Teachable, Thankfulness, Traditions / Holidays

Embracing Sukkot by Increasing Our Understanding

Once again, I am focused on Yahweh’s appointed time of Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles. It is a fun celebration that reminds us how God led His people out of bondage in Egypt and looks forward to the return of our King, Yeshua, when He will dwell among us again.

Today I am highlighting two resources for you to consider that can help to broaden your understanding of Sukkot and how to celebrate it. I encourage you to explore both and test them against scripture. Both present a view of this appointed time in the context of scripture and our Messiah. You do not have to agree with everything they say and do in order to learn from the material which is well laid out and I find very helpful.

119Ministries.com will provide a video to watch. SetApartPeople provides personal insight into their journey celebrating this appointed time. You can refresh the search to get more recent articles on their page by searching “Sukkot”.

I include a few additional links below. However, be sure to validate everything you read against the truth of scripture. As a last encouragement, note that Yeshua even set an example by celebrating the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles, despite people seeking to kill Him (John 7). I encourage you to click the link and read all of John 7.

Have fun with it. This is a celebration! Our Messiah returns! Consider even some easy online searches for songs or music videos associated with Sukkot. We have found some that are very cheerful and fun and some that are more spiritually focused and meaningful. Do not be discouraged from these resources because Sukkot is celebrated by Jews. It can be observed by anyone who rejoices in our Creator and His appointed times. With Christ, we have even more reason to celebrate these appointed times.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to embrace Your appointed times. Help open the eyes of Your followers everywhere to Your celebrations and their purpose in drawing us closer to You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Teachable

Hear My Prayer, O’ LORD

This prayer continues to be relevant in our lives today. I have grown to love the Psalms and to apply them in my life. Of course, we have the benefit of Yeshua acting as our mediator between us and God. However, God wants us to bring to Him our prayers and supplicaitons.

Psalm 143

Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

     1Hear my prayer, O LORD,
Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!

      2And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.

      3For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.

      4Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is appalled within me.

      5I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.

      6I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land.

Selah.

      7Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.

      8Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.

      9Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;
I take refuge in You.

      10Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

      11For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

      12And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies
And destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For I am Your servant.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Justice / Judgment, Protector / Deliverer, Repenting from Sin, Teachable, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Victory Does Not Always Come Quickly or Without Challenges

In our last reading, we focused in on the first 9 verses of Isaiah 7. Today we zoom out the focus a bit and take in the whole of chapter 7 to see what message it may reveal to us.

It starts with a war against Jerusalem. God speaks through Isaiah a message of encouragement to the king of Judah, Ahaz. Though the enemies are feared, God says in verse 4 to remain calm and do not fear. Picking up in verse 9, we see emphasis that if he does not believe, then he will not last. This certainly gives a hint that there are some hard times coming for Jerusalem. In fact, as we read the rest of the chapter, we get just that message.

How many times in our own lives do we feel like we face something overwhelming? We should seek God first. Trust in what He tells us. If He tells us that we will have victory and not to fear, but to remain faithful, that that indeed is what we need to focus on in our situation, just like Ahaz and Jerusalem. Just because God gives us victory does not mean it will be easy or quick. Sometimes we must be prepared to wait faithfully for it.

Isaiah 7

War against Jerusalem

      1Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it. 2When it was reported to the house of David, saying, “The Arameans have camped in Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.

      3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller’s field, 4and say to him, ‘Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. 5‘Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6“Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7thus says the Lord GOD: “It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8“For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), 9and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.”’”

The Child Immanuel

      10Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11“Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” 13Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 15“He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16“For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Trials to Come for Judah

      17“The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah, the king of Assyria.”

      18In that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19They will all come and settle on the steep ravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes and on all the watering places.

      20In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard.

      21Now in that day a man may keep alive a heifer and a pair of sheep; 22and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone that is left within the land will eat curds and honey.

      23And it will come about in that day, that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become briars and thorns. 24People will come there with bows and arrows because all the land will be briars and thorns. 25As for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the hoe, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.

Remember from the earlier chapters of Isaiah, that God’s people had rebelled and were far from Him. This war and these tough times were brought as a result of that, perhaps to cleanse and refine them and bring about a repentance among the people. They needed a shakeup to return to the LORD. This is not a cruel God but rather a Father helping to steer His children back to the right path. Maybe a good lesson for us would be take care that we are not so hard hearted that God needs to be this direct with us when we need correction in our lives! Let us seek and expect the Spirit to guide us and be responsive with a lighter touch from the LORD.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please strengthen our faith in times of challenge and hardship. Help us to seek and find You. Help us to grow and remain strong in our faith, even facing tough circumstances. It is little test of faith when all is going well. All praise and honor to You, O Lord my God. You are all powerful and all knowing. You know what is best for us as Your people and can bring it about, even if it is uncomfortable for us. If we need discipline to get back in right relationship with You, then please bring that as You see fit. We want to walk in Your ways and in Your presence.  In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Seeking God, Share the Good News, Teachable, Wise

Blessed Are the Feet of Those Who Bring the Good News

For those of us who desire to be true disciples of Christ, we must ask ourselves, how can people call upon the name of the Lord if they do not first hear the truth about Christ? Blessed are the feet of those who bring the good news in truth rather than deception and false teaching.

As we read in Romans 10, verses 11-21, below, we must first remember the context. In the first part of Romans 10 Paul specifically addresses that those who are to be saved must truly believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord. It is not simply calling upon Jesus once and then ignoring everything He taught. It is genuine, wholehearted discipleship. It is transformational and changes our lives.

Romans 10:11-21

11For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

     14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”

      16However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” 17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

      18But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,
AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”

19But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,
“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION,
BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”

20And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,
I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”

21But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”

The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is available to transform everyone’s life, if they will only open up to it and embrace it fully. It is so much more than just “making it to heaven”, but rather transforms our lives on earth as well.

There will be no excuse “surely I never heard the word taught accurately”. Each of us having recognized our Creator through observing Creation around us or having heard the gospel of Christ will be without excuse for choosing not to follow and obey. We all have time with which to seek out the answers in prayer and study. Consider what you spend your time on. Seek out teachers of correct doctrine and avoid those who teach false doctrine.

This means you will need to be in the word yourself and pray for and use discernment to sift truth from falsehood. God is our source of truth, but He has provided us the Bible as our guide. It is a guide which most of us have unlimited access to but choose only to use a little.

I invite you to take a few minutes right now to pray.

Prayerfully ask Yahweh to guide you in putting aside the right amount of time in the right way to know Him and His word more intimately and completely. Pray for those who are teachers of truth, that they would be able to share God’s word effectively and boldly. Pray also for those who preach false gospel, that they would gain wisdom and repent so that their talents and energy could serve God’s kingdom rather than create confusion and pull people away from Him.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Correction, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Study the Word, Teachable

The Great Commission – Personal Discipleship Plan

This teaching is really a core part of our personal walk with Yeshua. Please take the time to read through it prayerfully, even though it may be a bit longer than average.

At Hearing From Jesus, we take the commands of our Lord very seriously and that certainly includes The Great Commission. In fact, it is this command that most directly inspires our ministry. We want to obey Yeshua and make disciples of all the nations.

Besides being the command of our Lord, it is also a natural desire we have in gratitude to Yahweh for His grace and forgiveness and also out of love for other people, who may be headed for eternal separation from Him in hell, unless they hear and study the true word of God.

Matthew 28:16-20

16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

To learn more about the Great Commission given to us by Yeshua, we recommend you study our teaching, The Great Commission – Make Disciples Of All The Nations, before continuing with this teaching on building a personal discipleship plan.

Whether Hearing From Jesus is a primary source for your personal study and growth with the Lord or just another valuable reference site, we have structured our ministry to help you become a disciple, a learner, of Christ and then to prepare to go and make disciples of others. This last point is important… it should not be our goal to do the absolute minimum we can and still get into Heaven. Those who have this attitude are far from the kingdom of Heaven. Our goal is to grow spiritually to the point that we are feeding ourselves from Yahweh’s word and growing in our relationship with Him from now until we die. It is a journey that we never finish, but it transforms us along the way to become more like our Messiah and less like our old sinful nature. We are to learn well enough to then teach others effectively and help them become disciples as well… so they can , in turn, teach others.

Overwhelming? It can be. So, how do we begin such a task?

Let us begin by studying and then following the example of Yeshua. Likewise, we can review how others, like Paul or Moses or Elijah practiced discipleship. In all the examples I just mentioned, these servants of Yahweh knew the ultimate authority was the Creator, not a religious authority figure or scholars or traditions. We must seek to develop a personal relationship with Yahweh. We must not cling to traditions of men, even if they are taught by religious authority figures. The Pope, like the earthly head of every religion, is quite fallible and what he teaches must be tested against the word of Yah in the Bible. Sadly it often contradicts God’s word. We must test everything against the truth of the scripture and seek Yahweh in prayer consistently. To be a disciple of Christ we must be willing to put Him first, above and before all other parts of our lives and it will be hard. We must lose our own lives in order to find true life with Jesus.

Matthew 10:34-39

34“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35“For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Yeshua did not attend formal schooling or study at seminary. These things may be helpful, but are not necessary and for most of us, not practical. Yeshua studied the scriptures rigorously and with devotion since He was as child. So knowledgeable was He, that when He was twelve, He was amazing the scholars and teachers of the law.

Luke 2:46-47

46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

If you are coming to know Yeshua later in life, do not worry. Use the time our Father has given you and get started studying (not just reading) the Bible consistently today. He will reveal much to a devoted disciple through His word. Yeshua’s disciples certainly did not start studying scripture as children but God used them in a mighty way!

Yeshua had a powerful prayer life. Communicating with the Father to receive instruction through prayer is essential to live as an effective disciple. Yeshua did not pray when convenient… when He had time. Yeshua stayed up late and got up early. Consistent prayer is essential to staying submitted to the Father’s will rather than our own. To study more about Yeshua’s prayer life, I recommend reading Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, by Henry and Norman Blackaby.

When it was time for His public ministry to begin, Yeshua found a small set of disciples, or followers. He had an inner circle in which He invested much time (Peter, James, John) and He had a wider group, but still small, that included all twelve disciples. He invested much time in the twelve, but not as much as He invested in the closer circle of three. Yeshua also taught the masses who sought to hear God’s word. He never turned away those who were genuinely seeking the word of God.

We must recognize that Yeshua forced no one to be a disciple or to listen to His message. Instead He choose people as disciples who came enthusiastically and willingly. They were eager to learn and they were not rebelling against Yah, insisting on clutching onto their traditions or their personal lives before meeting Yeshua. They were willing to put Yeshua as a priority above all other things. They left much behind of what they knew to follow Him. Others whom he invited, such as the rich young ruler introduced in Matthew 19:16, could not put him first and thus chose not to follow him.

Yeshua made time for people and demonstrated compassion, but also remained focused on going about doing God’s work. He dealt with mockers appropriately so as not to let them distract Him from getting to those who wanted to hear. Yeshua would reply to those trying to trick Him, but only to provide a teachable moment and an opportunity for them to hear truth and repent, and then He would move on.

In three years He created a team of disciples who could go out and teach others. This is what disciple means… Yeshua does not call us to just remain a “baby” in the faith, needing constant care and feeding. Rather He calls us to be disciples who can learn and teach others to learn. Those others then teach more and there is a multiplying effect that has dramatically impacted the world over the last two thousand years… starting from the humble beginnings of a poor carpenter who taught truth and stood up against the established teachers and scholars of the time and against centuries of traditions of men which were put above the commands of God.

We will briefly comment regarding Moses, Elijah, and Paul but of course you can study and learn more about them by reading the scriptures.

Moses trained judges to be prepared to help meet the needs of the people in order to properly lead such a large number of people. [Exodus 18:17-26]

Elijah invested time to disciple Elisha, who became his successor. [1Kings 19:19-21]

Paul managed his disciples over a wider geography, across many different cities and regions. He taught to crowds, big and small, on his missionary journeys. However, he clearly had a close circle of disciples with whom he traveled and invested significant time and a wider circle of individuals whom he discipled through occasional visits and more frequently through correspondence (e.g. letters).

So… what do we learn from Yeshua and some significant servants of Yahweh? What is a practical way to begin?

We must all begin with study of the scripture and prayer. We must develop a strong personal relationship with the Father. Do not get in a hurry to be the teacher. Yeshua did not start discipling others immediately, he studied from time of child and started with disciples at 30 years old. His disciples spent three years under His instruction and care before going out to disciple others on their own. They maintained a support structure often going out in pairs and coming back to consult with one another.

Most of us need to identify resources and techniques for studying scripture, and possibly find a teacher or disciple who is further on the journey than we are to help lead the way and answer questions. We must learn to feed ourselves with Yah’s help, still listening to the wise, but testing all they teach against scripture.

When you are ready, start seeking those you can invest time and relationship in to come together to study Yah’s word with commitment and devotion. Seek your disciples, without giving up or forsaking your relationship with your teacher or with the Father. Keep feeding yourself and continue on the journey to know, love, and serve Yahweh or you will not be effective in leading others. Even if you do not feel comfortable guiding a Bible study on your own, set up a Bible study anyway. You can use material from our ministry or from other teachers who have already prepared and shared the message of God’s word. Just remember to test everything against the whole of scripture using your own discernment and prayer… as even good teachers have some doctrine incorrect… and some of it quite significant.

After a time, do not rush it, and staying connected to the disciples you study with… each of you perhaps in pairs can also set up separate small groups to disciple others. Invest in more than just Bible study, but in life activities and support one another. Do not tolerate among your disciples those who would tempt you to sloth or to disregard and rebel against God’s word by rationalizing sin or worldly culture as acceptable. Do not tolerate among your close disciples those that refuse to submit to Yahweh and repent of their sin, clinging to their sin nature and refusing to change behaviors to honor God. Follow Jesus’ instructions found in Matthew 18:15-17.

15“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Listen, also, to your fellow disciples when they point out to you your sin… for the wise listen to good advice with thanksgiving and become wiser. A fool despises correction.

Stay focused. Consider writing down a plan for your personal discipleship both as a learner and as a teacher. Review periodically, perhaps a few times a year, to evaluate your progress and commitment to this mission. Pray for our Father’s help frequently… “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Please reach out to us with questions through our Contact Us page. Our intent is to teach you and support you in becoming a disciple, not just to give you a word from the scriptures daily… though that is a great start.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in Your word with wisdom and courage. Help me to develop the passion to pursue the truth and depth of Your word. Give me a humble heart so that I may learn from others, even as I become more mature spiritually. Help also prepare me to lead others and to go forth and make disciples. To You be all the glory and honor. Amen. 

Shalom

Teaching by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.