Religious Pretense Vs. a True Heart for Elohim

Jeremiah 7:21–8:3, 9:22 (23)–23 (24), “The Sacrifice of the Wicked Is an Abomination” (Prov 15:8).

This message of Jeremiah reveals that the purpose of sacrifice and of all outward acts of worship should be to deepen the inward sense of religion and to stimulate one to a holy or set-apart life. Jeremiah, speaking for YHVH, decries the uselessness of religious activity when accompanied with unholiness and unrighteousness. Furthermore, he denounces the mere mechanical performance of acts of worship; of the superstition that the temple ritual could be a guarantee of security from the judgments of Elohim, while the Israelites were divorced from obedience to YHVH’s Torah. Only whole-hearted repentance could avert a national disaster brought on by YHVH’s judgments (Soncino Pentateuch, p. 439).

What is the true meaning of religion and what was the true purpose of the temple in Israel? Its purpose was to transform people into living temples that would be set-apart or holy unto YHVH Elohim. If they acted one way while in the temple and another way while outside the temple, then the temple activities had only become a mockery of YHVH, a farce and a repugnance to the very one they had supposedly come to worship. Humans may kid themselves by their religiosity, but they cannot deceive the Holy One of Israel who Continue reading

 

YHVH to Redeem His People From False Religious Systems and Idolatry

Isaiah 43–44

Isaiah 43:21ff, Religious service is the flower or result of a life of devotion and service to YHVH and our fellow man. It is not the religious service itself that matters to YHVH, but the condition of one’s heart and the life of righteousness that precedes resulting in the religious service that counts. Israel had lost sight of this, and their religious service had become empty, ritualistic and meaningless to YHVH. Additionally, the offering presented to YHVH had to cost the offerer dearly. Though Yeshua fulfilled the sacrificial system by his death at Golgotha by becoming the ultimate sacrifice (and it cost him dearly), if we are in Yeshua we must follow in his footsteps. How is this? (Read Ps 51:15–16; 34:18; Isa 66:1–3; Rom 6:3–13; Gal 2:20 and Heb 13:15–16.) Remember, it is not what we do, or how we do it that matters to YHVH as much as why we do it. Why do you do what you do in your spiritual exercises? If it is for any other reason than to draw near to our Father in heaven, to love him, and to become like him, then your motives may be questionable.

Isaiah 43:23–24, The purpose of the offerings was to bring the offerer nearer to Elohim. Israel had lost that perspective and therefore YHVH states, “Not for me have you brought the lamb of your elevation offering ….” What were the wrong motives on Israel’s part with which YHVH took exception? What are your motives for obeying YHVH? In the Christian world, the need for “fire insurance” against the fires of “hell” is a major though sadly Continue reading

 

Golden Calf Worship Among YHVH’s People Today

Let’s look at the series of events that occurred as the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, which have major relevance to what is occurring in mainstream Christianity in our day. If we fail to learn the lessons of history, we’ll likely repeat the mistakes of history. It has to do with golden calf worship.

Golden Calf 6 21409020

YHVH redeemed the children of Israel out of Egypt and set the slaves free. He blessed them not only by giving them their freedom, but by giving them the wealth (gold and silver) of Egypt as well. We read that the Israelites exited of Egypt with a high hand. They were victorious, free and wealthy.

YHVH led them into the wilderness en route to the Promised Land — normally an eleven day journey. They had some difficulties: Pharaoh tried to kill them at the Red Sea, they lacked clean drinking water, and they had food issues, but YHVH provided them deliverance from Pharaoh, gave them clean water, manna and meat, and they overcame these trials.

Next, YHVH led the Israelites to the foot of Mount Sinai, and on Shavuot he made a covenantal agreement with them and gave them his Torah as their national constitution. They agreed to obey him and to keep his commandments. He promised to bless them if they remained faithful to him.

Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the Torah-covenant on two tablets of stone. While he was gone for 40 days, the people grew worried and anxious and become weary Continue reading

 

Two Choices: Money and Power or the Anointing of Elohim

Exodus 32:2, Break off the golden earrings.The Christian people have generously given the mainstream church much gold and other wealth over the past 1900 years. In the mean time, with that wealth, the church system has constructed many huge religious monuments. These are monuments the gods of materialism—to golden calf worship. Neither Yeshua nor his disciples needed vast sums of money, resources or monuments to spread the gospel message. What they lacked in material resources they made up with passion for the gospel message and with the anointing of YHVH to proclaim that gospel with miraculous power. What the mainstream church largely lacks in passion and the anointing to spread the gospel, they now, sadly, compensate for via wealth and religious monuments.

Given the choice, some of us have chosen the anointing and favor of Elohim over money and power and the approval of men.

 City. Indoor interior

 

New Video: Yeshua to Destroy NWO Banking & Religious System

When Yeshua overturnend the money changers’ tables in the Jerusalem temple and cursed the fruitless fig tree after his triumphal entry, he was taking a political stand. He was also predicting his destruction of the evil New World Order Babylon the Great antichrist system at his second coming as this video explains.

 

Woe be to a false religious and economic system that are in bed together!

Matthew 21:12, Temple of Elohim…money changers. With the same violence that Yeshua threw out those who loved money from YHVH’s temple, we must cleanse the temple of our spirits by expelling from our souls the love of money, which is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10).

At his second coming, Yeshua will destroy the fruitless, end times whore system of banking and religion.

At his second coming, Yeshua will destroy the fruitless, end times whore system of banking and religion.

In this event, Yeshua is coming against the rapacious banking system of the nation of Israel, which was centered around the temple, which was the storehouse of the nation’s wealth. This evil banking system continues to this day and is run by a cabal of global elitists who control the governments and economies of this world for their own benefit. Often the religious and banking systems are united at some level, since both are motivated by the love of money and power. At the highest levels, neither care for the welfare or well-being of the common man — especially the poor and helpless who have little power, wealth, voice and influence. At Yeshua’s second coming, he will suddenly come to his Continue reading

 

22 Tips to Walking in the Presence of Elohim

(From Hoshana Rabbah Biblical Discipleship Resources at www.hoshanarabbah.org.) 

It’s time to extricate YHVH Elohim from the religious boxes we all too often have confined him to in our lives. These boxes are times and places we do our “God-thing.”  This can be church or other religious services, grace at meals,  and even or personal devotional times. After having thrown a bit of religiosity at Elohim, we then go our way as if he weren’t much of a part of our lives. In this way, we keep Elohim confined to a few boxes labeled “religion.”  We keep him trapped in these closets when he wants and demands to be part of every aspect of our lives.

Open cardboard box closeup

Here are 22 practical tips for bringing YHVH into every aspect of your daily life.

  1. Watch and pray (Matt 26:41; Mark 13:33; 14:38; Luke 21:36).
  2. Pray that you might be counted worthy to escape YHVH’s judgments that will be coming on the earth because of wickedness (Luke 21:36).
  3. Endure to the end (Matt 24:13; Mark 13:13).
  4. Keep your eyes on the Yeshua the Lamb and follow him wherever he goes (Rev 14:4).
  5. Occupy until Yeshua comes (Luke 19:13). Be busy doing what Yeshua has called you to do.
  6. Engage in intercessory prayer, though at this time, it may not do much good, since biblical prophecy has to be fulfilled as end time events occur. This means that things will be getting worse and worse until Yeshua returns and destroys Babylon the Great New World Order.
  7. Be an overcomer in every way possible. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21). Those who overcome spiritual evil will experience great rewards (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21)
  8. Be prepared to engage in civil disobedience as a last resort, if necessary. If civil laws violate YHVH’s laws, the Bible tells us to obey YHVH’s laws over men’s laws (Acts 4:19; 5:29; Ps 94:16).
  9. Be prepared to help persecuted brothers and sisters in any way possible. You might be next the next one to be persecuted!
  10. Continue to be salt and light to those around you in every way possible (Matt 5:13–16).
  11. Don’t expect things on earth to get better. Yeshua never said it would get better, but only darker before his return. He’s coming at the midnight hour when evil will be the most pervasive and rampant on the earth.
  12. Expect intense persecution of Bible believers (2 Tim 3:12; Matt 5:10–12; 10:22–25; 23:34; Mark 10:30; John 15:19–21; 16:2, 33; 17:14; 1 Thess 3:3–4; 1 Pet 4:12–16; Rev 7:14). Yeshua and the Book of Revelation prophesy this will occur in the end times.
  13. Be wise as serpents (Matt 10:16). Find ingenious ways to circumvent Caesar’s evil and unbiblical mandates without getting caught, while at the same time being obedient to YHVH’s higher laws.
  14. Love not your lives unto death (Rev 12:11). Be willing to lose some or all of yourself for Yeshua including your material possessions. Greater rewards await you for your faithful obedience to Yeshua (Matt 10:39; 16:25).
  15. Be inspired by the great faith heros of the Bible and the Christianity (Heb 11).
  16. Come out of Babylon more completely (Rev 18:4) starting with the spiritual aspects of this evil and ungodly worldwide system.  Eventually, this may mean leaving the cities and going into communal situations into the wilderness with others like-minded believers. Some of the Roman Catholic monasteries were started by those fleeing the corruption of Rome.
  17. The more evil intensifies against you, love the light of YHVH’s truth, love Yeshua more and run to and hold on to him — the Rock of your salvation — more tightly.
  18. Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you and pray for them (Matt 5:44).
  19. Put the audio Bible on your iPod or smart phone and listen to during the day.
  20. Wear tzitzits or fringes on the corners of your garments as the Torah commands to help you remember YHVH and the importance of loving him by keeping his commandments throughout the day (Num 15:37–41; Deut 22:12).
  21. Fast periodically even if it’s only for a meal or two. Among the many spiritual benefits of fasting, when you feel the hunger pangs, it will remind you to think about YHVH Elohim and the need to grow closer to him by controlling and sublimating the carnal appetites.
  22. Read your Bible and pray after you get up in the morning and as you’re going to sleep each night even if it’s only for a few minutes.