“I used to go…”

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Psalm 42:4, I used to go. The psalmist declares that as a result of his deep hunger and thirst for the Living Elohim (vv. 1–2) that he used to go with the multitude to the house of Elohim—with those who kept the pilgrims feasts (i.e. Passover/Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. It says that “he used to go…” implying that he no longer goes. Why? There could be many reasons for this, but for whatever reason, he is no longer able to go. This is not because he doesn’t desire it, but evidently because the opportunity no longer presents itself for him to go with the multitude to worship at the house of Elohim. 

I can easily relate to the psalmist’s dilemma. Many of us today find ourselves in the same situation. I, for example, live in a large city of millions of people. When my wife and I were leading a congregation, for many years we—almost single-handedly with little outside help—organized numerous gatherings of the saints year after year around the YHVH’s feasts. Once we retired from this ministry due to age, health and weariness, no one else in our region picked up this anointed mantle, this righteous burden and yoke, this mitvah. So my wife and I are now alone with nowhere to go on YHVH’s pilgrim feasts, even though out soul still thirsts for the Living Elohim.

Can anyone else relate to this?

 

Who will rise up? The Biblical case for civil disobedience

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Romans 13:1, Let every soul. Paul is not giving believers a carte blanche mandate to follow evil laws and decrees that civil authorities impose upon their subjects. He is instructing believers to follow civil authorities that are not in conflict with YHVH’s higher laws. Peter was faced with the dilemma of whether to follow man’s laws or to follow YHVH’s laws which conflicted with those of men. He made the well-known statement, “We ought to obey Elohim rather than men,” before the Jewish legal authorities who demanded that the disciples cease preaching in Yeshua’s name.

In General, Obey the Civil Authorities 

Elohim in his Word instructs his servants to obey the civil laws and authorities in the lands in which they are living (Deut 17:12; Matt 22:21; Rom 13:1–7; Tit 3:1; 1 Pet 2:13–17).

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. (Rom 13:1)

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work… (Tit 3:1)

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme… (1 Pet 2:13)

However, when obeying the laws of men goes against the higher laws of Elohim, Scripture requires the saints to follow Elohim’s laws over the laws of men (Acts 4:19;  5:29).

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of Elohim to listen to you more than to Elohim, you judge. (Acts 4:19)

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey Elohim rather than men. (Acts 5:29)

Examples of Civil Disobedience in the Bible

Here are some examples from the Bible of righteous saints who disobeyed the civil laws when those laws violated the higher laws of Elohim.

  • The Israelite midwives defied Pharaoh and refused to practice abortion or infanticide (Exod 1:15–20).
  • Rahab defied the ruling authorities of Jericho and hid the Israelite spies (Josh 2).
  • Gideon defied Israel’s Midianites rulers (Judg 6:11–8:21).
  • Samson rebelled against the Philistines (Judg 14–16).
  • Mordechai defied Hamon, the king’s agent (Est 3).
  • David became a fugitive on the run from King Saul (1 Sam 21–27).
  • Elijah defied the king’s religious establishment and defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 18).
  • Elijah became a fugitive fleeing for his life from Queen Jezebel (1 Kgs 19).
  • Obadiah hid the 100 prophets of Elohim from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel (1 Kgs 18:3–4, 13).
  • The three Hebrews defied King Nebuchanezzar and refused to worship the golden idol (Dan 3).
  • Daniel prayed to Elohim against the commands of King Darius (Dan 6).
  • Yeshua turned over the money changers tables in the temple (John 2:14–15).
  • Peter and John were arrested and imprisoned for preaching the gospel (Acts 4).
  • The apostles were arrested for preaching the gospel, put on trial, but refused to stop preaching the gospel (Acts 5).
  • Peter was arrested again for preaching the gospel (Acts 12).
  • Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the gospel (Acts 16).
  • Paul was arrested, tried and imprisoned for preaching the gospel (Acts 21–25).
  • The end times Babylon the Great, Antichrist, New World Order system will require all the inhabitants of the earth to worship the beast and to take the mark of the beast on their bodies in order buy and sell (or, by implication) or starve to death (Rev 13:11–18). At the same time, there will be those saints who refuse to take the mark of the beast (Rev 15:2; 20:4). To not take the mark of the beast will be an act of civil disobedience.

The Case for Civil Disobedience

Civil governments all around the world—especially in formerly Christian nations—are increasingly removing freedoms from their citizens and demanding that they stop preaching biblical truth and the gospel message, and, in essence, obey and worship the State. 

For example, in the U.S. the constitutional right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to keep and to bear arms, to practice one’s religion, to raise one’s children in a biblical way, to educate one’s children outside the government approved educational system, to not be forced to immunize oneself or one’s children with harmful pharmaceutical chemicals, the right to privacy, or to circumcise one’s boys (and the list goes on) is being attacked or being infringed upon every day, and increasingly so at an alarming rate. The righteous saint at some point must establish boundaries and mark lines in the sand beyond which they refuse to go in acquiescing to illegal unbiblical governmental demands. Each person, prayerfully, while searching the Scriptures for wisdom and direction, will have to make the decision before Elohim where the line too far is and beyond which they will not pass. 

Who Will Rise Up—A Mighty Cloud of Witnesses

The Bible is full of examples of those saints who chose to serve Elohim over man. Some paid with their lives for doing so, while many others were persecuted and suffered great hardship. But one thing is certain. They all received a higher, eternal reward from Elohim as the Epistles to the Hebrews chapter eleven records.

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

Elohim having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…. (Heb 11:39–12:1)

Therefore the question remains, when done righteously and in accordance with biblical principles,

Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? (Ps 94:16)

 

The Seven Innate Motivational Spiritual Gifts of Romans 12

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Spiritual Gifts

The Epistle to the Romans chapter 12 verses six through eight list seven heavenly gifts that Elohim the Creator givers to humans. According to Paul, the author of Romans, Elohim has given one or more of these gifts to every human ever born (Rom 12:3). All humans are born with one or more of these gifts. These gifts can be used for good, if motivated and informed by the higher influences of the mind, will and Spirit of Elohim, or they can also be used for selfishness and evil if motivated and under the control of the lower influences of the world, the flesh and the devil. A human can also use these gifts while under the influence of both the upper and lower influences.

These divinely imparted gifts are referred to as both motivational or redemptive gifts. Motivational because when they are understood and used properly, they motivate both the gifted person and the recipient of the gift upward spiritually. Redemptive because when they are used as the Creator intended, they will help to bring people into a spiritual relationship with Elohim through Yeshua the Messiah­ their Heavenly Redeemer and Savior.

Of spiritual gifts imparted to humans, the Bible tells us:

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Pet 4:10)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us… (Rom 12:1–6)

The seven innate motivational gifts are listed in Romans 12:6–8. They are prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy or (otherwise described) perceiving, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, ruling, and mercy.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. (Rom 12:6–8)

These seven innate motivational gifts are different than the gifts of the Yeshua, the Son, (Eph 4:7–11), and the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:7–10). The Romans 12 gifts are from the Father (Rom 12:3). The innate motivational gifts were given to each person at birth. The gifts of the Spirit are given once one has been baptized in the Spirit of Elohim as a result of a spiritual relationship with Yeshua the Messiah.  We will say more about the purpose of these gifts below. The Ephesians chapter four gifts, which are often referred to as “the fivefold ministry” are specific ministry or leadership offices existing within the congregation of the saints or body of Yeshua. One can grow into the Ephesians chapter four ministry office-gifts through the proper use and spiritual development of the innate motivational gifts. This occurs when one recognizes they are being called by Elohim to be either an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher and this calling is confirmed by one’s spiritual elders. During a period of discipleship and training, one can learn to function in their ministry office-gift on their own, and hopefully raise others up to do the same thus continuing the spiritual process.

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

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How to Find the Perfect Will of Elohim for Your Life

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Romans 12:1–2, Prove… Good …Acceptable…Perfect. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable [well-pleasing], and perfect, will of Elohim. (Rom 12:1–2)

Let’s first define some words in verse two.

  • Prove is the Greek word dokimazo signifying “to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals, to recognise as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy.” 
  • Good is the Greek word agathos meaning “of good constitution or nature, useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honourable.”
  • Acceptable is the Greek word euarestos and means “well pleasing, acceptable.” 
  • Perfect is the Greek word teleios (related to telos, see note on 10:4) signifies “a goal-oriented action, that which is complete, whole, brought to its end, lacking nothing necessary to completeness, that which is perfect.”

In this passage of Scripture, Paul’s juxtapositioning of these three words suggests the grammatical construction of the good (the nominative), better (the comparative) and best (the superlative).

What does this teach us? An amazing truth regarding the merciful graciousness of YHVH Elohim! Within the limits of the plan that YHVH has for each of our lives, there are different paths that we can take as Romans 12:2 indicates. The choice is ours. We can take the good path, the acceptable or better path or the best or perfect path that YHVH has for us. 

As to which path is the perfect will of Elohim for us, we have a clue in verse one as to which path that is. Let’s unpack verse one, so that we’ll better understand verse two. 

What Paul is teaching us here is that to the degree we become a living sacrifice for Yeshua by denying our sinful passions and submitting to the will of Elohim (v. 1), and to the degree that we allow the Spirit of Elohim to renew our minds into conformity with the mind of Yeshua by the “brainwashing” influences of his Spirit and the washing of his word (Eph 5:26) is the degree to which we will find ourselves walking in the perfect will of Elohim. This is a process. As we become deconformed or deprogrammed from the ways and thinking of the world (v. 2), and as we accept the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable and gentle and reject the worldly, sensual and demonic “wisdom” resulting in bitter envying, self-seeking and resistance to the truth of Elohim (Jas 3:13–18) is the degree to which we will be able to prove or determine YHVH’s complete or perfect will for our lives (Rom 12:2).

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The just shall walk by faith, but…

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Numbers 13:28, Nevertheless/but. This verse begins with the word but or nevertheless. The spies’ initial report (verse 27) was factual and was in agreement with what YHVH had already said about the land, but all that was disqualified and negated in the minds of the faithless spies by the statement in verse 28 beginning by the qualifier but. Medieval Jewish Torah commentator Rambam comments that the key word in their report that revealed them to be lacking in faith was the word but. By using a word that implied a contradiction to the optimism of their first two sentences, they were, in effect, telling that nation that no matter how rich and blessed the land was, it was beyond their reach. The inhabitants were too strong and their cities too impregnable. Ordinary human beings could not do battle with giants. Thus the spies were advising the nation not even to attempt an assault on Canaan.

Numbers 13:32, It is a land which devours its inhabitants.The Jewish commentators in The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash cogently observe, “Such misinterpretations are typical of people who choose not to have faith. Invariably they interpret events in a way that will conform to their own notions” (p. 803). Having faith in YHVH is a conscious choice that one has to make. Faith does not come automatically. Fear, doubt and unbelief do, however, and are part of the fallen nature or evil inclination that all men possess. 

Paul talks about leaving behind the fallen, faithless, sin-bent nature (Rom 7) and moving into a walk of faith in the Spirit of Elohim when in Romans 8:1–2 he contrasts the “law of sin and death” with “the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua.” Through Yeshua we become more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Moreover, 1 John 5:4 tells us, “For whatever is born of Elohim overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith[i.e. faith in Yeshua who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the One who gives us the gift of faith, the One in whom we have faith, and on whose words and promises believers stand firm and secure as a house built on a rock].” 

The fear of death is the mother of all fears and is what plagued the disbelieving Israelites. Through identification with Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection at baptism (Rom 6:3–6) we too (through Yeshua) can be victorious over the sting of death and the grave, which is the death sentence upon all Torah-lawbreaking mortals (note 1 Corinthians 15:47–58 and rejoice!).

Numbers 13:33, And so we were in their eyes…(The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash). “As [Israelites] and emissaries of the [Israelite] people, they should have thought only of their mission, not of what anyone else thought of them (ibid., p. 803). 

What can we learn from the example of the 12 spies? We must walk by faith and not by sight always keeping our eyes on Yeshua. Remember the Gospel account of Peter walking on the water (Matt 14:22–33)? As long as Peter kept his eyes on Yeshua he was able to walk on the sea, but when he took his eyes off of Yeshua and looked at the stormy circumstances around him he began to sink. The Scriptures tells us, “Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38), and, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to Elohim must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6).

 

My Commentary on the Messianic or Hebrew Roots Movement

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Ezra 6:21, Separated themselves. This is traditionally believed to be the origin of the sect of the Pharisees. What started out as a noble step toward holiness and pleasing Elohim through righteous obedience to his commandments by Yeshua’s day had devolved into an exclusivistic religious cult comprised of a caste system based on human pride and traditions of men that had all but lost the concept of the true biblical concepts of holiness and righteousness. 

Having just suffered and endured the judgments of Elohim against the wicked rebelliousness of their forefathers, these Jews returning to land of Israel with Ezra the priest resolved to separate themselves from the pollutions of the world and devote themselves to living set-apart lives holy unto YHVH their Elohim.  Their starting point was noble and commendable and well-pleasing to Elohim, but several hundred years later they had so strayed from that original mission and spiritual course that now Yeshua the Messiah, Elohim in the flesh, was condemning them as the sons of the devil and the synagogue of Satan!

The same has been true, to one degree or another, of nearly all biblical based religious movements from that time until now including the modern Messianic or Hebrew Roots Movement. Many well intended individuals have started biblical truth restoration movements hoping to corrects the errors of past religious leaders, organizations and movements, but, in time, they too succumbed to the pendulum swings of whimsical and capricious human vicissitudes and have ended up in a ditch on the side of the road that Yeshua Messiah referred to as the straight and narrow path. 

What therefore must we do? Simply this: Get back to the basic apostolic message or the everlasting gospel (Rev 14:6) as described in the book of Revelation. The true end times saints are those who keep or guard the Torah-commandments of Elohim as revealed in the Tanakh (the Old Testament), while at the same time adhering to the faith or testimony of Yeshua as revealed in the Testimony of Yeshua (the New Testament) (Rev 12:17; 14:12).

 

There is a time…and there is NOT a time!

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Ecclesiastes 3:1, To everything there is a season, a time.

The preacher in Ecclesiastes chapter three tells us that there is a time and season for everything. On the face of it, this sounds like an innocuously bland and self-evident statement, but not really.

There is a time do to things, as the wise preacher informs us. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a  time to die…” and so on. But the more the years and decades slide past me and as I reach the grandparenting season of my life, the more I realize that there is, perhaps, more importantly, a time not to do a lot of things that I might have done at an earlier time in my life. There are battles not to fight, words not speak, things not to do. There are several reasons that immediately come to mind for this. 

First, and, perhaps, most importantly, determining what to do and what not to do is a matter of one’s personal priorities. As one reaches the top of the hill of one’s life and begins the descent on the other side toward death, one can see more circumspectly one’s past life as well as that which remains whether it be a long or a short time. With the stark reality of one’s life in full view and the idealization of past unfulfilled expectations gone like dust in the wind, that the time one has left suddenly becomes a valued treasure. Add to this the unexpected deaths of loved ones and friends around you, which, to any young people reading this, occurs more frequently the older one gets, suddenly, every breath and heartbeat becomes a cherished gift from the Creator.

The second reason for not doing or saying many things that I might have in my earlier years has to do with following the leading of the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim more precisely instead of jumping obediently and unquestioningly to the demanding impulses of my impatient, impetuous and sin-oriented flesh. This too has to do with priorities—desiring to be in the perfect will of the Almighty by seeking first the kingdom of Elohim as Yeshua instructed his disciples to do instead of seeking all those other carnal and earthly things.

The third reason for adding the negative adverb not to the statements in Solomon’s famous Ecclesiastes three passage is that the older one gets, one starts getting a little more tired if not physically, at least emotionally from chasing the wind and ending up with little or nothing to show for the effort. Suddenly one wakes up and discovers the wisdom of working smarter, instead of harder. This is wisdom, which only comes with age and perspective. It’s wise to conserve energy and to save it for those things that are worth the time and effort, and for which there is a payoff especially in the next life. 

Fourth, so much of what we do and say is an expression of human pride and vanity. We are all guilty of this, so raise your hand. I’ve got mine up! As I get older, I agree with the preacher’s words in Ecclesiastes verse two of chapter one, “‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” When one gets brutally honest with oneself and analyses most of one’s words and actions, human pride and vanity is the pathetic label that can be applied to most of it. So what does the Almighty have to say about this? What reasons will we give to him on judgment day as to the motives behind most of what we said and did? What legacy of value are we really leaving to the next generation? Will we be leaving behind a grandiose frozen-in-time, stone cold and lifeless monument to ourselves, or will we have sown seeds into the fertile ground of the lives of those around us that will hopefully bring forth fruit that will not only make the world a better place, but that will also serve to expand the kingdom of Elohim at the expense of the kingdom of darkness? 

Make no mistake, every one of our thoughts, words and deeds is a pebble dropped into a vast lake; the ripples go forth and touch many lives for good and for bad. We have no idea of this! The ripples travel beyond the horizon. So act and speak wisely on the front end. This is another good reason not to do and say a lot of things.

Another reason to say less is this: Did you every wonder why we have two ears and two eyes but only one mouth? One learns more by listening and observing than by talking. Some people never stop talking! You ask them a simple yes or no or a one sentence question expecting an equally short answer and you get an epistle. I’ve been guilty of this on more than one occasion. A mark of wisdom is to speak volumes with few words. Yeshua the Messiah was the master of this approach. His longest sermon was only three chapters long and only takes a few minutes to read, yet these few words have turned the world on its head!

Add to all these reasons why there is a time not to speak and do is this one: The older I get, the more I realize that most people don’t care what you have to say or think anyway. They’re too preoccupied with their own stuff and too self-absorbed to care beyond that. So why waste the time, energy and breath saying it if only to hear yourself talk? This too is vanity of vanities! Those who do care—who have ears to hear—will seek you out and will want to hear what you have to say. You don’t have to have to go after them. I have found this out the frustratingly hard way after 18 years of pastoring and more than 30 years in continuous ministry.

Finally, you learn more by being a receiver than a transmitter. Currently, my receiver is pointed heavenward. This means waiting patiently on Yehovah to transmit. The older I get, the more I realize how much I don’t know. To be sure, this is humbling. At the same time, the more I realize that others don’t know as well. Those who act like they have all the answers and know it all usually have something to sell you. Follow the money! Most of them, too, are simpletons and sometimes even fools (like the rest of us), but they’re too proud to admit it. This too is vanity of vanities.

Now that you’ve read this far, do you really want to really know what’s going on? It’s this. The world is currently in a state of hyper confusion induced by godless men under the spell of secular humanism and demonic antichrist concepts and agendas, which the Bible prophesied would occur prior to the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah. We live in gross darkness, and there are no human spiritual leaders to guide us through this Satanic black hole, obscure cesspool. Where are they? Most are too busy making money, building their empires or gratifying the lust of their flesh, and they’re clueless. It’s business as usual. That leaves the rest of us to search for answers and direction on our own. We’ve never been this way before; theses are last days after all. There’s only one direction to look for guidance, and that’s up. We have only the Word of Elohim and his Set-Apart Spirit to guide us at this point, since we’re in uncharted territory. That means shutting up and listening. You can’t receive if you’re transmitting!

Let me leave you with these words of David,

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from YHVH, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  YHVH is your keeper; YHVH is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. YHVH shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. YHVH shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalm 121:1–8)

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to YHVH our Elohim, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O YHVH, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud. (Psalm 123:1–4)