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05-28-2006, 10:29 AM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Lech Lecha Parasha Thoughts, Studies, and Comments The goal of this section is to get everybody's studies, thoughts, and opinions on anything in the weeks parasha. This includes, word studies, thoughts on verses, history, related subjects, and anything that may help us to understand this Torah Portion. Even if it's just an observation on the smallest part, it can help others who may not have seen it that way. The goal is then as we visit the parasha (Torah Portion) each year we will create a collection of studies and thoughts on this portion and everyone will benefit by having a broader view of the portion. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

05-28-2006, 10:53 AM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Lech Lecha Parasha Nov 12th 2005 Message Lovingneighbor Called to Perfection Lech Lecha "Go Out" Gen12:1 - 17:27 , Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16 By Lovingneighbor H7121 קרא qârâ' kaw-raw' A primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (that is, properly address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications): - bewray [self], that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim (-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say. Kara - to call out, a fitting word to meditate on for this weeks parasha lech lecha meaning "go out". There is an interesting link between a few names in the bible. They make up a progression lets look at the first: Vyikra (Leviticus) " and he called" first used in Gen 1:5 when he called the light day. Second comparison is the name Moses (Moshe) " drawn out" and then the last part of the process is the word Hebrew (eber) " Beyond, the other side" Now how does that relate to the first passage of the parasha: Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: YHWH calls (kara) Abram, to draw him out ( like Moses) of his country, his people, and his father's house ( the athourity of his earthly father), to go beyond (becoming a Hebrew) to a land he would show him. Essentially seting him apart ( making him holy). We see in verse 2 he will replace all that he gives up with even better rewards: Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Here we see what he gave up is replaced, his country (for a new land YHWH will give him) his kindred (he will make him a great nation of his people), leaving the authority of his father ( YHWH will make his name (authority) great), and one final one that he shall be a blessing ( his life will have a greater purpose for both him and those around him). So YHWH called him asked him to "go out" (lech lecha) and leave behind all he had and follow him. Hmm... sounds like something we have heard before. Someone else uses this style. Mat 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Mat 4:20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. Mat 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. If we will forsake what we think our lives are about and the things we count as treasures and FOLLOW HIM, he will replace all we had with much better things. Abraham will get this test later a second time with Isaac (the treasure of his desire). If he would give up his only son he would be the father of billions. This story is directly tied into the parable of the widows mite. It is a call that has a price, the price is all you have. The straight advantage we have that they may not have had is we have seen the result of all those who were drawn out and the exceeding reward they had, so it should be less of a gamble for us because we have seen the faithfulness of our God in response to what he asks he always returns more. So what next after we are called and drawn out when we pay the price of being drawn out. Next we are called to Perfection! How many times have we heard we cannot keep the law, it is just there to show us our sinfulness, or the popular phrase," nobodys perfect". I disagree we are called to perfection, it is the goal of the torah. Messiah said he was the fulfilling of the torah or goal of the torah. So are we, that the spirit of God would be manifest in the flesh and we would be perfect. Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Gen 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. Abram was called to be perfect. Let em say that again Abram was called to be PERFECT. He was called to have the instruction of YHWH lived out in his flesh. This is Perfection! An interesting thing about People YHWH calls to himself they have a few things in common. Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Both are expected to walk with God which meant hearing his call, leaving behind your things so you can Walk with God, and understanding your purpose to Be Perfect ( Do all that YHWH instructs you to do). Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Here he as saying that they are not obeying the word of God but are doing their own ways and using their own judgment. It is interesting the first 2 mentions of the word perfect are about Noah and then Abraham. The third is about the kinds of sacrifices YHWH will accept. The fourth calls us to be perfect with YHWH and the fifth says when it comes to how we weigh things our weights and measures (judgment) should be perfect. Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. 1Ki 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 2Sa 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psa 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Luk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. Praise YHWH you have been called, be quick to give up all you have and be drawn out of the world, and BE PERFECT as your master and husband. And may we all be together again beyond the Jordan( Judgement) as Hebrews ( beyond the other side). Shalom! Lovingneighbor Lech Lecha 11-12-05 A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

10-31-2006, 12:34 PM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Lech Lecha Parasha 2006-7 Message Lovingneighbor I Will Show You Something Greater For Parasha Lech Lecha By Lovingneighbor 11-4-2006 This weeks Parasha is in the book of Genesis also called B'reisheet, and is called Lech Lecha which means 'Go Out'. In this weeks parasha: Avraham told to leave his country and go to the place YHWH will show him and He will make him a great nation and bless him Avram, Sarai, and Lot take their stuff and leave Charan Avram builds an altar in Moreh Avram Pitched his tent East of Beit'el and built an altar there Avram journeyed South to Egypt because of the famine in the land Avram asks Sarai to say she is his siter instead of his wife so the men of that place don't kill him to take her Pharoah treats Avram well because he like Sarai Pharoah sends them away when he finds out Sarai is Avram's wife because YHWH plagued Pharoah Avram is rich and travels back to East of Beit'el where he built the altar Lot went with him but they could not dwell together because they had so much animals and wealth The herdsmen of Avram and Lot fought so Avram said lets seperate in peace Lot went East to the plain of Yarden and Avram went West to Sedom but the men of Sedom were evil Avram showed the land North, South, East, and West and told it will be given to him and his seed forever and to walk the border of it Avram came to Mamre and built an altar there The 4 kings of Shin'ar, Ellasar, Elam, and the nations made war with the 5 kings of Sedom, Ammorah, Admah, Tzevoyim, and Tzo'ar The 4 kings smote the Refa'im, Zuzims, Emim, Chori, and the Amori The 4 kings slew the 5 kings in the valley of Siddim The 4 kings took the spoil of Sedom and Lot and his family and departed One escaped and went and told Avram that they took Lot his nephew as spoil Avram armed the men of his household 318 men and went and smote them in the night Avram brought back Lot and the captives to Sedom Malki-tzedek priest and King of Salem brought bread and wine and Blessed Avram The king of Sedom offers Avram all the goods and spoil Avram said he wouldn't take anything from the king so he couldn't say he made Avram rich YHWH comes to Avram in a dream and tells him He is his shield and great reward YHWH promises the land and commands Avram to take animals and divide them on the altar Avram slept when the sun went down and saw a vision Fire passed through the pieces and YHWH made a covenant to give Avram the land Sarai tells Avram to take Hagar her maid as a wife to bear children because she could not Once she had a child Sarai was less esteemed in Hagar's eyes Sarai complained to Avram Avram said she is still your maid do with her as you will and Sarai treated her harshly and Hagar fled An angel of YHWH found her by a well on the way to Shur and asked her where she was going The angel tells her to return and submit to Sarai and promises she will greatly multiply She is told she will have a son and shall call his name Yishma'el and he will be a wild man At 99 years old YHWH appeared to Avram and changed his name to Avraham Avram promised the land and commanded to circumcise his male children as a sign of the covenant The uncircumcised child shall be cut off from his people Elohim changed Sarai's name to Sarah and said hHe would give her a son Avraham laughed and said shall he who is 100 years old or her that is 90 bear a son, please let Yishma'el live before you Elohim said you will indeed bare a son and shall call his name Yitzchak and I will establish an everlasting covenant with him and his seed As for Yishma'el he shall be a great nation and shall father 12 princes Avraham at 99 years old circumcised himself and his whole household Haftarah YHWH promises to be there for His people and strengthen them and put them over their enemies In this weeks Parasha we see YHWH told Avram to leave his country, kindred, and his Father's house and go to a place He will show him. Many people fail to realize what YHWH was asking. If someone asked you to leave the US, leave your City, and leave your Father's house to go to a place I haven't even shown you yet. How many people would uproot and just go no questions asked? We learn what kind of person Avram was in this very first sentence. He trusted Elohim with all he had, his possessions, his family, and his future. And he knew Elohim would show him something greater. Avram didn't know where he was going or what to expect but he trusted Elohim had a plan for him and his goal was to fulfill the plan Elohim had for him. Elohim wanted to show him something. A land that he wanted to give to him. Along the way they are sent to Egypt and Avram says we better be careful how we present ourselves in Egypt(the World) because when they see how beautiful my wife is, they may want to kill me and take what is mine. There is a very interesting pattern here as the wife is like a garden and when the men of the world see how beautiful his garden is they may want to kill the one who's it is and take the garden for themselves. Does this sound familiar? Mar 12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. Mar 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. Mar 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. Mar 12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. Mar 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Mar 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. Mar 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. This is what I think Avram was afraid of. That they would Kill the rightful owner of the garden and take his inheritance for themselves. How does this tie into his wife? Well she was the one to have a man's baby and give him a heir which is his inheritance. So right in the beginning of coming into Egypt Avram worried he would lose his wife. YHWH plagued Pharoah and when he realized he was being punished for desiring Avram's wife he sent them out in peace. YHWH did not allow Pharoah to take hold of Avram's wife for she was for Avram. Avram was being blessed by YHWH along the way and became rich and he ran into trouble with one of his relatives. It seems they had both been blessed and yet couldn't dwell together without strife. They could have each drawn swords and slayed the other to get rid of the problem, or enforced their will for how things should be ran pulling rank on each other, but instead Avram being wise decided to simply seperate and go in peace instead of being in each others face too much. Hmm sounds like a wise man. This brings us to another test YHWH was showing Avram along the way to where I'm taking you I will bless you, but not just you, and there may be a point you will have to walk down your path seperated from your brothers. But in the end it will be for your good, because you shall come back and save your kindred from judgement.Sounds like Yosef. Next Avram comes out of Egypt with much substance and then when going to see the land that is promised to him he ends up seeing the wicked people who are there already in Sedom. This sounds strangley like the children of Yisra'el who came out of Egypt and to the place of promise and there were wicked people already there. Next we have Avram walking the border of his land. This is the land YHWH was wanting to show him when he was still back in his country and in his house and with his kindred. Strangley enough he left his mother and father to cling to his Elohim. He went through Egypt Where the leader of Egypt tried to take his inheritance but YHWH brought him out so he would bring him to a place promised to him but not yet given and evil men were there who would soon be judged and destroyed by Elohim. The next event is interesting also. The relative who he fought with ended up getting in trouble and Avram came and saved him with the same servents that Lot's servants fought with were now their saviors. Avram did not need the spoil or money of the ruler of Sedom because YHWH was his provider. He loved his Nephew who fought with him, and took the better land and yet he was not angry leaving him to suffer, he loved him and was there for him putting in danger his own inheritance and wealth being the strength of his own household to help His nephew.It reminds me of the verse about awakening the lion. The men who concuered Sedom might have thought themselves strong, but when they messed with Avram's family he rose up and smote them. Malki'Tzedek blesses him and brings him bread and wine. This is very interesting in that Malki'tzedek is a model of Messiah and we know this to be true because Messiah said: Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. In psalms 11 it is talking about Messiah as sitting at the right hand and then speaks of him being a priest of Malki-tzedek and him striking through kings in his day. Avram just slew the kings that were ruling over the area and then pops up this priest of malki'tzedek who blesses Avram. I think the rejoicing and the day of his wrath happened prophetically in this verse and Thus Avram who only had the servants of his house destroyed the kings and saw the day of Messiah's judgment on those who tried to make spoil of the family of Avram. Psa 110:4 YHWH has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Psa 110:5 Adonai at your right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. After all this YHWH finally makes the covenant with Avram and promises him a speacial son given from Elohim. But along the way the helper of Avram his wife doesn't realize the blessing promised isn't that of just a child but that that specific child was promised because he had a role to fill. So she decides she is going to do her part in bringing the promised child by giving her maid to Abram. Talking about jumping the gun. They got so caught up in the literal promise they didn't see that it was the spiritual promise of the son from Elohim that was of value not just having a son. But it was what the son would do and what would come out of that son which was the bigger promise. Now let's hold on and see if there is another parallel here. Let's say the wife is like the Jews who are helpers and have been given a promise. Yet they hope they have is in the Torah and yet not the literal Torah though it is great it is not the one of promise. It is the spiritual Torah that takes longer to study is of much more promise than that of the literal. And even if Avram loves it and wants it to live before YHWH it is the child of a maid, meant to serve but not to rule. The spirit of the Torah is to rule and in it shall all the earth be blessed or it could also be said that through the spirit of Torah will the deeds of Torah be blessed. We see this example in how Hagar didn't value or lightly esteemed Sarai after she bore fruit. In much the same way the literal Torah lightly esteemed the spirit of Torah(Messiah) when he came and yet the literal Torah is not the one of Promise. Yet it mocked the Spirit of Torah(Messiah) just as the child of Hagar Mocked the promised child. Notice the next thing that happened Hagar was getting treated harsh for lightly esteeming Sarai and she left to do her own thing. Though she was but a servant she thought she could survive on her own. I see the literal Torah and the Jews in the same way. They were corrected by Messiah and they figured that they would be praised of Messiah but they weren't so they decided they didn't need him, they could be fine by themselves. Yet Elohim told them to submit to their master and return. In other words the literal Torah must submit to the spirit of Torah and return to it when it tries to live on it's own. This is a great model of how we should interpret scripture. The literal must never be without the spiritual and must submit to it and serve it not try and live by itself. As promised to Hagar if she returned she also would multiply and be great. And so the literal Torah will be great only if it submits to the spirit of Torah. We see this taught in John's statements about he must decrease so Messiah can increase. He served hispurpose but he submitted to the promised one of Elohim and in doing so he was called the greatest prophet my his master. This also ties into what Messiah said that the least shall be greatest and He also said whosover teaches others to obey Elohim shall be called greatest in the kingdom. Literal Torah by submiting to the greater spiritual Torah becomes great, and if It teaches men to obey spiritually the higher authority it will be called great also in the kingdom. This patter has gone on all through scripture Elohim uses the small to overcome when they submit to His authority he lifts them up to greatness. May we all humble ourselves and humble our view of the outward things and lift up and submit to the spiritual things and then we will bring greatness to the outward things. It is our duty to accept Messiah the spiritual Torah and hold it higher than the literal Torah so that the literal Torah may live through it and teach others how to live in in letter and spirit, and inspirit and truth so that we may be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

11-01-2006, 5:56 PM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 The Daily Bread Parasha Talk Show 2006 Lech Lecha Click the link below to listedn to a 1 hour open discussion on the Weekly Parasha. A group of our friends get together every week and talk about the weeks Parasha. Click the link below to listen to this weeks discussion, This takes just about a minute to load it will play once loaded Http://loveoftorah.com/Audio/TheDailyBreadLechLecha2006.mp3 Or you may right click the link and select "Save Target As" and download the MP3 to your computer where you can listen when you want, burn it to CD, or share it. Enjoy! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

03-11-2007, 7:50 PM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Thought by Verse Commentary - Lovingneighbor Thought by Verse Commentary Parasha Lech Lecha By Lovingneighbor - 12:1 "Go out" This phrase Lech Lecha is a curious statement, some actually translate it Hawlak which is walk though that isn't the word used, and others go for yourself, but when I looked at the letters and the meanings of the ancient pictographs they were a lamed which is the shepard staff also meaning teach or yoke, and the kaph which is the open palm. One of the things that caught me was the phrase Lech Lecha has some interesting clues. In Hebrew when something is repeated it seems that it is an indication of intensity, like d'rash d'rash means diligently search, d'rash means search and when you say it twice it means to intensley search. Here the word Lech is teach the hand or palm the first thing to look at is that the hand represents the commandments of Elohim. The ten fingers for the ten commandments. So we could interpret this to mean teach the hand, teach the hand. Teach both hands or teach the ten commandments. The other interpretation would be that the hand represents all ten commandments and Lech Lecha means teach the commandments, and teach the spirit of the commandments represented by the ah sound added to the second Lech. Showing there will be be two witnesses to the commandments. This may tie to the ten tests Judaism believes Avraham went through in his journeys. - 12:2 "And I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be blessing" Interesting here these all seem to be things he's giving up by leaving, His country, people, his place in society(name), his blessings, and his impact on those around him. But Elohim will give him better things than he already has. - 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who curse you, and all families in the Earth shall be blessed through you" This verse seems to imply that Elohim has chosen him for a mission to bless the world and no one can stop it, they can only choose to help you but they can't stop you. - 12:8-10 Avraham seemed to come to beit'el or the house of El, then leave there for a famine and go to Egypt only to return later. This seems to foreshadow the entering into the promised land only to leave it and to then later come back. There are many iteresting parallels in Avraham's journeys. - 12:13 " Say that you are my sister" Interesting when in Egypt it appears the two are relatives and not one so that they wouldn't be hurt. This seems to possible be a shadow of the jews and scattered Yisra'el who seem to be seperate but they are really one. When YHWH puts Efrayim and Yahudah together they two will be one and yet while in the world they are two so they may grow in strength and in protection. I really see this has many potential shadows of Judaism and Christianity in Torah observants and Judaism. It seems while in the world they appear as realatives while in fact the two are one as Abram and his wife. A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

10-20-2007, 9:20 PM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Lech Lecha Parasha 2007-8 Message Lovingneighbor Blessings from Difficulty For Parasha Lech Lecha By Lovingneighbor 10-20-2007 This weeks Parasha is in the book of Genesis also called B'reisheet, and is called Lech Lecha which means 'Go Out'. In this weeks parasha: - Avram told to leave his country and go to the place YHWH will show him and He will make him a great nation and bless him - Avram, Sarai, and Lot take their stuff and leave Charan - Avram builds an altar in Moreh - Avram Pitched his tent East of Beit'el and built an altar there - Avram journeyed South to Egypt because of the famine in the land - Avram asks Sarai to say she is his siter instead of his wife so the men of that place don't kill him to take her - Pharoah treats Avram well because he like Sarai - Pharoah sends them away when he finds out Sarai is Avram's wife because YHWH plagued Pharoah - Avram is rich and travels back to East of Beit'el where he built the altar - Lot went with him but they could not dwell together because they had so much animals and wealth - The herdsmen of Avram and Lot fought so Avram said lets seperate in peace - Lot went East to the plain of Yarden and Avram went West to Sedom but the men of Sedom were evil - Avram showed the land North, South, East, and West and told it will be given to him and his seed forever and to walk the border of it - Avram came to Mamre and built an altar there - The 4 kings of Shin'ar, Ellasar, Elam, and the nations made war with the 5 kings of Sedom, Ammorah, Admah, Tzevoyim, and Tzo'ar - The 4 kings smote the Refa'im, Zuzims, Emim, Chori, and the Amori - The 4 kings slew the 5 kings in the valley of Siddim - The 4 kings took the spoil of Sedom and Lot and his family and departed - One escaped and went and told Avram that they took Lot his nephew as spoil - Avram armed the men of his household 318 men and went and smote them in the night - Avram brought back Lot and the captives to Sedom - Malki-tzedek priest and King of Salem brought bread and wine and Blessed Avram - The king of Sedom offers Avram all the goods and spoil - Avram said he wouldn't take anything from the king so he couldn't say he made Avram rich - YHWH comes to Avram in a dream and tells him He is his shield and great reward - YHWH promises the land and commands Avram to take animals and divide them on the altar - Avram slept when the sun went down and saw a vision - Fire passed through the pieces and YHWH made a covenant to give Avram the land - Sarai tells Avram to take Hagar her maid as a wife to bear children because she could not - Once she had a child Sarai was less esteemed in Hagar's eyes - Sarai complained to Avram - Avram said she is still your maid do with her as you will and Sarai treated her harshly and Hagar fled - An angel of YHWH found her by a well on the way to Shur and asked her where she was going - The angel tells her to return and submit to Sarai and promises she will greatly multiply - She is told she will have a son and shall call his name Yishma'el and he will be a wild man - At 99 years old YHWH appeared to Avram and changed his name to Avraham - Avram promised the land and commanded to circumcise his male children as a sign of the covenant - The uncircumcised child shall be cut off from his people - Elohim changed Sarai's name to Sarah and said hHe would give her a son - Avraham laughed and said shall he who is 100 years old or her that is 90 bear a son, please let Yishma'el live before you - Elohim said you will indeed bare a son and shall call his name Yitzchak and I will establish an everlasting covenant with him and his seed - As for Yishma'el he shall be a great nation and shall father 12 princes - Avraham at 99 years old circumcised himself and his whole household - Haftarah YHWH promises to be there for His people and strengthen them and put them over their enemies In this weeks parasha we have a common theme going on that is shared in all the points. That is the blessings from difficulty. It starts off with Avram having to leave all he knew to follow Elohim. Many people like the rich man in the new testament may not be ready to leave behind all they have. I know I experianced this when we started obeying torah. Many people just aren't willing to do it if it means they have to suffer or change. This I see is one of the biggest hurdles for a new believer to overcome and even for people as they grow in torah. Now don't get me wrong you don't need to lay it all on them when your sharing with them as many do and then they get overwhelmed, but they should be aware that as soon as they decide to start following the Elohim of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov they will be put to the test. I know it happend for us and sometimes those first few tests are the hardest. I don't know how many times I've heard, you aren't taking away my christmas, or I couldn't do that I love lobster. Trust me if these are the things you can't give up then Torah is more than you want. Like the rich man these people in may cases want to get something not give something up. Compare this to many followers of Messiah whether christian or Messianic. Most are motivated by the blessings. Because of this they may not be willing a few steps in to start giving up their old sinnful ways. Things get to tough and people fall away or deny they have any responsibility. I went into a chat room and they were talking about buisness markets and reading newspaper clips about money markets claiming it was relevant to bible prophecy. I mentioned we may not want to talk about the housing market on shabbat and was asked to just listen and another person asked me to leave. Shame on the 100 plus people in there who none stood up and said maybe we should not do this. But they were used to it and so even if it might violate torah they weren't giving it up. But as we see in the whole sacrificial system that giving something up is commonplace when following YHWH. The further you learn the more you may need to give up. Look at Messiah who in the end gave up all he had even his life. Avram essentially did what most would never want to do, he moved around, left his comfort, didn't have the surety of knowing where he was going, had to lead his family when he himself didn't know what was going on, and he was continually put in difficult situations and could only trust in Elohim to save him. Then when he was successful the world again tried to entice him and he had to reject those things holding on only to the blessings Elohim would give him. This also reminds me of Mashiach who would not have the cup taken from him of what was coming, neither would he run or save his life or even take poison to end his suffering. This is similar to Avraham not taking money from the king of Sedom and David saying he would not offer to Elohim that which cost him nothing. These costs and prices paid, suffering, and testing is like currency in my opinion. Like the widow who gave all she had, she gave more than the other. The pattern with Avraham was continually he had to endure the hard things before he received the blessings. Look at circumcision. This I think would have been a very unusual request to Avraham. This pain would not go away in an instant. Yet this is a sign of the covenant between him and Elohim. It's one thing to do this to yourself, but how easy would it be to tell all the men with you they had to do it also. This reminds me of the phrase if I could only be a servant in my father's house. What others see as hard things and things they want to avoid, some count as blessings because they have experianced it and made the choices and count the tough things as blessings. I know for us some of our toughest choices have also made us strongest in many areas. When we had to be willing to give up our only income to keep the sabbath it was one of our biggest blessings, yet I hear people say well I have to work on the sabbath or I can't keep the sabbath because of work. They just aren't willing to give up and trust in Elohim. These things prepare us for other choices that we might not have been able to do otherwise. It's not so hard to not eat pork if you would also go into poverty for Elohim. Each choice like working a muscle strengthens us either to good or bad. Most people love the things of the world and comfort and yet the day will come when no one will have such comfort, even the ones who trust in Elohim may have to go through dificulty before they inherit the promised and blessings of YHWH. So next time you suffer, may it be for righteousness and not your own wickedness. Learn to endure and bless YHWH not just in your plenty but in your want also. Because these blessing have weight and the suffering of the righteous is of great value. Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Php 4:13 I can do all things through Mashiach which strengtheneth me. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

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