Exodus 20:18 And all the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Mosheh, “You speak with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.” And Mosheh said to the people, “Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.” (ISR)
We’ve all experienced difficult and even terrifying circumstances. (Many are experiencing them right now!) The outcome, however, always depended on what kind of relationship we have with YHWH/Yeshua. If we’re “lukewarm” toward Him, then chances are, we’re mainly “fence straddlers” (with one foot in the spiritual and one in the carnal – which does NOT work!) who will continue to reap “carnal” results because we constantly “sowing carnal seeds.”
YHWH has given us a perfect outline for moral, holy living via His Torah, and most of us have already learned “the hard way” that veering outside Torah ALWAYS serves to distance us from Him.
Stepping outside the boundaries of Torah is dangerous because it keeps us in the realm of the Enemy. Out there, we are subject to all manner of “carnal” enticements and desires and pleasures. This doesn’t necessarily mean sex, drugs or alcohol; it can also mean idol worship, such as the constant pursuance of “more.” More money, more possessions, more “stuff”. Nobody in pursuance of “more” has ever reached that point of “enough”….
“More” - for us Americans - naturally includes excessive use of credit cards - which are nothing more than plastic money-eating monsters that devour your time and energy as you attempt to feed their little bottom-less pits which seem to get pregnant and multiply and nip at your empty wallet because their high interest rates prevent you from ever paying off the principal.
Sure, you realize you can’t get ahead, even though you have three jobs and work long, hard hours - but gosh, it’s just plain HARD not to use those handy-dandy pieces of plastic that provide the instant gratification you so desperately crave!
But, of course, when you finally realize you’ll never pay those cards off, instead of deciding to cut up those hideous little beasts that are clearly ruining your life, you call on YHWH to get you out of your jam! “God, I TRUST you to meet my financial needs! Please give me a miracle!”
His response? “You should have trusted my Word to show you how NOT to end up in this mess, in the first place! It’s up to YOU to change your lifestyle and start following ME!”
...The thing is, Torah TELLS us NOT to go into debt (or do ANYTHING to excess)! Scripture is replete with passages about debt and how the borrower is a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7)! Torah contains everything we need to know about conducting our lives as stress-free as possible, at every level - including the fact that YHWH's people should never cheat each other. We are to use “equal weights and measures” when buying and selling and anything that involves a transaction of some kind (Leviticus 19:36, Proverbs 11:1 and 20:10), etc.
But “the world” doesn’t necessarily do this, does it? Our world is “dog eat dog” and if what I do hurts you, well, too bad, so sad! It’s YOUR problem….
If people would only begin to realize that YHWH’s Word holds the “key” to our happiness and success! (Happiness and success doesn't necessarily mean we will all supernaturally become millionaires; it means we should "bloom where we are planted.")
We need to learn to recognize that the trials in our life are usually self-induced due to our own, flawed reasoning, lack of understanding and/or self-control! WE are our own, worst enemies! If we could all start learning to "let go of ourselves" and begin to seek HIS ways, what a better life WE would have, and what a better world this would be!
If we could only learn that, if we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’re GOING to keep getting what we got!” It’s true! We will stay in our self-dug ruts if we don’t start learning to look to YHWH for the answers, and that the trials and tribulations of life are often constructive tests to build dependence on, and faith in Him!
This is why He had His people wandering in the desert for 40 years…to TEACH them to trust Him and begin to do things HIS way, because HIS ways are perfect! Everything we need to know about life and living in ways that cause Him to smile upon us, can be found between the pages of the Bible! TRY it; you'll like it!
Hey, Carmen. Have you ever heard of Sighting Moon and Joseph Dumond (I think his name is.) He goes all out on everything he teaches, but obviously a second opinion is always better than one. Shabbat Shalom, may Yahwey's peace forever be with you.keep up the spectacular work you have been blessed with.
ReplyDeletehttps://sightedmoon.com
Shalom, Bea, and thank you for your question. My husband (who knows something about astronomy and calendars!) responds:
ReplyDeleteJoseph Dumond arrogantly teaches that "his" calendar is "YHWH’s true Torah calendar" and that should be a "red flag" for anyone looking into the calendar. He defends his position by saying anyone can follow along with their Bible and verify from scripture that what he says must be true.
The problem is, ALL calendars are defended by the very same scriptures, and most people don't have the astronomical knowledge to know if what Dumond's interpretation is right or wrong. So he is literally hiding behind the ruse that people will only understand scripture by his interpretation.
Mr. Dumond was raised Catholic, and apparently only started questioning the calendar in 2005, and within months (with no background of astronomical knowledge of his own), concluded the month begins at the "sighted moon", and that he also "discovered Nehemia Gordon and the Karaites, and Michael Rood" who agree with him and now "teaches" that his is the "right way".
He also teaches (paraphrasing) that "we can't have a calendar which is known in advance because of Matt 24:36 says we can’t know the date of his [the Messiah's] return." And he falls for and advocates the "barley" nonsense without realizing that in doing so he has "elevated" an "earth sign" over that of the sun, moon, and stars. (He goes so far as to argue that the sun, moon, and stars can't be used to establish the calendar because it would violate Deuteronomy 4:19 which says "do not look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, stars and everything in the sky, and be drawn away to worship and serve them" and in his mind that means you can't use them for a calendar.
This is a very good example of the scripture twisting of the former Catholic, now Messianic "teacher", Joseph Dumond.) I could go on, but I think I have made my point.