Your Daily Slice

 

AV 4

Worship

 

“But an hour is coming—it is here now—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people as His worshipers.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit AND truth.” (John 4:23-24 TLV, emphasis mine)

 

Noah Webster defines ‘worship’ as “to adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration”[1].  The biblical verse that Mr. Webster quotes as an example in his definition is Ex 34:14: “For thou shalt WORSHIP no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (KJV, emphasis mine).

Interesting to note that the Greek word that is translated as ‘worship’ in our opening verses is the word proskuneō (Strong’s G4352), and literally means to fall to one’s knees, touching the ground with your forehead in obeisance and profound reverence.  I believe that the key here is the phrase ‘profound reverence’, something that I wonder how many of us will truthfully admit to.  Are we really in awe and amazement at our Creator, and all that He has done, and continues to do?  Are we humbled at the care and concern that He has for us?  Do we hold Him, and His Torah, in high esteem and honor?

As an aside here, the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘worship’ in Ex 34:14 is shâchâh (Strong’s H7812), and also means to bow down and prostrate oneself in homage, similar to the Greek word proskuneō.  It would appear that worship has been conducted for thousands of years either on the knees, or, basically, on your face.  Interesting thought, isn’t it …

To the Jew, the highest form of worship is the study of Torah, the divine instructions in moral and righteous living.  I would suggest that THE APPLICATION of this study would also qualify as worship, especially if it is done with ‘profound reverence’ toward the One who created us.  We were created to do the will of our Elohim, and we know that sh’ma – to hear AND obey – is His will (Deu 6:4-9).  We also know that the Scriptures define Torah as truth (Ps 119:142); therefore, if we are to worship in spirit and in truth, it would stand to reason that the application of THE truth, the Torah, would somehow be involved.

Always remember, folks, the very rocks would praise Him if the need arose (Luke 19:38-40).

 

“For you are to bow down to no other god, because Adonai is jealous for His Name—He is a jealous God.” (Ex 34:14 TLV)

“And they are singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and wonderful are Your deeds, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!  Who shall not fear and glorify Your name, O Lord? For You alone are Holy. All the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed!”  (Rev 15:3-4 TLV)

 

©2022

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[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828

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AV 3

Choices

 

“I have CHOSEN the way of truth and faithfulness; Your ordinances have I set before me.” (Ps 119:30 AMPC, emphasis mine)

 

Self-sovereignty has its foundation in the yetzer hara, what is translated as ‘the evil inclination’.  This is the part of a man that is fleshly, carnal, selfish and self-seeking, the one that dominates in the ‘I, me, and my’.  Self-sovereignty is what will make the decision to always do what ‘I’ want and desire, regardless of the consequences, for self-sovereignty is exercising supreme power and authority over yourself, and all that pertains to your life^[1].

Self-sovereignty is also a choice.  We choose, by our own will, whether we will be in submission, or in dominance, in most every situation we find ourselves in.  We choose whether we will follow the laws of our land and pay our taxes as we are required to do.  We make the choice as to whether we will follow traffic laws, including speed limits and traffic signals.  We choose whether we will be faithful to our marriage covenant, cleaving to the one we are in covenant with.  No one makes us do these things; we do them because we choose to do so.

The Hebrew word that has been translated as ‘chosen’ in our opening verse is the word bâchar (Strong’s H977), and is first a verb, meaning that there is an action associated with it.  The definition includes the sense of approving, selecting, and deciding on a course of action.  When we choose to follow the dictates of Torah, living our lives in accordance with the instructions therein, we have successfully aligned ourselves with the ‘winning team’.  When we deliberately make the choice to allow self-sovereignty as our decision maker, we have stepped off the path that leads to life, and we are strolling down the road that leads to death and destruction.

“I have called the heavens and the earth as witnesses today against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore you shall choose life, so that you live, both you and your seed.” (Deu 30:19 ISR)

Be very careful, folks.  The decisions and choices you make today may have long lasting consequences.  Choose life.

 

“Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it. Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat 7:13-14 ISR)

©2022

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[1] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sovereignty

Your Daily Slice

AV 2

I Called

 

“The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat; devil waters rushed over me. Hell’s ropes cinched me tight; death traps barred every exit.” (Ps 18:4-5 MB)

 

I have never suffered from an anxiety or panic attack; I understand it is a tremendous blessing to be free from these afflictions.  I do have close friends who deal with such encounters, and my heart goes out to them.  A panic attack puts a whole new meaning on the phrase ‘frozen with fear’.

Researchers and scientists recognize that anxiety and panic originate within a form of fear, which is something that the Word of our Elohim confirms, in that we know that “fear has torment” (1John 4:18).  A person in the tight grips of a panic attack generally has breathing difficulties (see our opening verses), and many bodily functions just ‘shut down’.  Beloved, this has never been our Father’s plan, or desire, for our lives.

We know that fear does not come from our Father; He is the Author and Originator of love (1John 4:8-10) and our faith (Heb 12:2). The Scriptures also tells us that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1John 4:18).  The opposite of fear is peace and security, and we believe that our Messiah is the Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6).  As we cultivate and nurture our relationship with Him, He gives us of His peace (John 14:27).  However, the consequences of those who defy the parental discipline of our Abba Father (both spiritual as well as physical) will bring fear and punishment, for “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Elohim Chayyim [the LIVING Elohim]” (Heb 10:31 OJB, insert mine).

With every trial, every testing, every battle, every encounter, our Creator always has one avenue open that spells victory.  It is the road that leads to the “secret place of the Most High”, and the street called “shadow of the All-Mighty” (Psalm 91).  Within the pages of this book that we call The Scriptures, the Bible, there are estimated to be over 7700 promises that our Abba Father has given to us, and over 100 times we are admonished to “fear not”.  Why?  Because we are to intimately KNOW Him in whom we trust.

 

“You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but He will make with the test a way OUT of it, so that you may be able to go through it.”  (1Cor 10:13 BBE, emphasis mine)

“In my distress I called to Adonai; I cried out to my God. Out of His temple He heard my voice; my cry reached His ears … He brought me out to an open place; He rescued me, because He took pleasure in me.  (Ps 18:6, 19 CJB)

 

©2022

Your Daily Slice

 

AV 1

Wait

 

“Adonai is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.  Adonai is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him.  It is good to WAIT QUIETLY for the salvation of Adonai.” (Lam 3:24-26 TLV, emphasis mine)

 

We presently live in what has often been referred to as a ‘microwave society’.  Most everything is accomplished at speeds we do not try to measure; we complain when our computers run slow, and signal is poor (or non-existent) for our cell phones.  Microwave meals come in all shapes, sizes and flavors, all of which are ready for your fork in significantly reduced time compared to what it would take to cook a meal from scratch. 

However, Abba Father, the Elohim who created not only us frail humans, but the world we live in, is NOT on our timetable, and never will be.  He cannot be coerced or manipulated into operating on our schedule.  All too often we forget who holds the reins of the universe in His hands … (see Ps 24:1)

One of the ways Noah Webster defines ‘wait’ is to “To rest in expectation and patience.[1]”  And this definition is in direct opposition to the way we currently live our lives – in the fast lane – yet can be found within various fruit of the Ruach (Gal 5:22-23). Can we have self-control without learning how to wait?  And what of patience – there is a lot of waiting involved while this fruit is being developed in our lives.

We wait on Him, Adonai our Elohim, the One who was, who is, and who is to come (Rev 1:8).  To demand that He answer us immediately, yesterday, and in a way that WE expect is nothing but arrogance and pride, and stinks in the nostrils of our Elohim (Isa 64:6).  Where are the times of seeking His face, not His hand?  Of listening for His heartbeat, instead of hearing our own voices, reciting our ‘wish’ lists? 

 

“But as for me, I will look to Adonai, I will WAIT for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”  (Mic 7:7 CJB, emphasis mine) 

“…but they who WAIT for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk, and not be faint.” (Isa 40:31 TLV, emphasis mine)

 

©2022

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[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828

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TAMMUZ 29

Deleted

 

“But the person who sins DEFIANTLY, whether native or outsider, reviles Adonai and that person is to be CUT OFF from his people.  Because he has despised the word of Adonai and has broken His commandment, that person will certainly be CUT OFF—his guilt will remain on him.” (Num 15: 30-31 TLV, emphasis mine)

 

There is no such word as ‘delete’ in our English translations of the Scriptures – I looked through many different versions.  The word ‘delete’ means “to strike out or remove (something written or printed); cancel, erase; expunge”.[1]  I like Noah Webster’s definition also: “to blot out”[2].  These are definitions that are found within the pages of Elohim’s Word, and it is well worth looking at them.

However, let us look first at the word ‘delete’ itself.  When something is deleted or erased, all trace of its presence is gone, as if it never existed in the first place.  I have an excellent example of this:  I purchased my very first computer back in 1990.  While learning all of the in’s and out’s, I accidently deleted my entire hard drive, and needless to say, it would no longer function.  Period.  I could turn it on, but there was nothing but a dark screen.  I ended up taking it to a friend who knew more about computers than I did (LOL), and he was able to ‘fix’ what I ‘un-fixed’, complete with an operating system that worked.  None the less, imagine, if you will, that black screen with nothing on it.  And imagine, that could possibly be you, or me, if we do not line up with how the Scriptures say we should be.

The Hebrew word that has been translated as ‘cut off’ in our opening verses is the word kârath (Strong’s H3772), and it also carries an alternative meaning dealing with the cutting of the sacrificial offerings when making a covenant.  However, in much of its use throughout the Scriptures, it means TOTAL ANNIHILATION, cut off, and blotted out – in other words, deleted.

Rûm (Strong’s H7311) is the Hebrew word that has been translated as ‘defiantly’ – the KJV uses ‘presumptuously’ – and has to do with exalting and elevating oneself, with pride and arrogance.  One of Noah Webster’s definitions of ‘presumptuously’ is “willfully; in bold defiance of conscience or violation of known duty; as, to sin presumptuously”[3]; this certainly sheds more light on our opening verses.

The verses I have quoted from Numbers 15 deal with any transgression, sin, or wrongdoing that was done with deception and intention; in other words, something was done with the full knowledge that the particular action was completely against and violated what has been written down in Torah.  It was a deliberate action, knowing that it was wrong.  Any individual that continues to engage in this type of activity, without genuine teshuva (repentance) and tikkun (restitution and restoration), will be kârath, cut off, and deleted.

It is a universal law:  for every cause, there is an effect.  Elohim said it: “whatever a man sows, that he shall also reap” (Gal 6:7), and He “shall render to each one according to his works” (Rom 2:6).  Brethren, we cannot, we must not, continue to live in the realm of SELF-RULE while calling ourselves Torah observant.  The two are not compatible.  We cannot willfully, deliberately, and maliciously transgress the dictates of Torah, and respond with “Elohim is love; He knows my heart.”  Yes, our Father is a God of love, but is also a God of justice.  If we do not turn, do teshuva (and tikkun, if it is required), then the ‘Word must be executed’.  We will find ourselves kârath, cut off, and deleted.

 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens.  Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’  And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!” (Mat 7:21-23 ISR)

 

©2022

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[1] delete

[2] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828

[3] ibid

Your Daily Slice

TAMMUZ 24

The Way

 

“A highway will be there—a roadway. It will be called the Way of Holiness.” (Isa 35:8 TLV)

 

It is interesting to note that the word translated as ‘highway’ in our opening verse is the Hebrew word maslûl (Strong’s H4547), and this verse in Isaiah is the only place in the Tanakh (Old Testament) that this word is found.  It means a great road, one that is elevated and of primary importance, which certainly fits the description of the “The Way of Holiness.”

Qôdesh (Strong’s H6944) is the word translated as ‘holiness’.  One of the definitions that Noah Webster uses for ‘holiness’ is “That which is separated to the service of God”^[1], which we are, if we claim to be disciples of the Living Elohim.  We are instructed to be set-apart, or, to be separate, dedicated and sanctified (Lev 11:44).  We are called to be different from those of the ‘world’, from those who enjoy the practice of self-rule, and the consequences of such.  Our modus operandi is found in the pages of Torah, the divine instructions in righteous and moral living, and these are the standards that set us apart.

Twice in this section of Isa 35:8 the word ‘way’ is used.  It is the Hebrew word derek (Strong’s H1870), and though this word is a noun, it implies an action, such as in going, or a journey.  Jeff Benner defines derek as “The path or manner of life”^[2], which is the how we choose to live our lives, or our lifestyle.  If we combine all of this, “The Way of Holiness” is the manner in which we are set-apart, or qôdesh.

Bear in mind, brethren, that our Messiah Yeshua is called “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life”, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him (see John 14:6).  I do not believe that it would be in error to say that He is a critical part of this “Way of Set-apartness” that we are called to live.

 

“Who is wise? Let him discern these things. Who is intelligent? Let him know them. For the ways of Adonai are straight, and the just walk in them, but the wicked stumble in them.” (Hos 14:9 TLV)

 

©2022

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[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828

[2] Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible; ©2006 Ancient Hebrew Research Center; ISBN: 1589397762 Author: Jeff Benner 

Your Daily Slice

TAMMUZ 23

Halacha

 

“One who walks in integrity, walks securely, but one who takes crooked paths will be discovered.” (Pro 10:9 TLV)

 

The Hebrew word that has been translated as ‘walk’ in our opening verse is the word hâlak (Strong’s H1980), and is a verb, requiring action.  Yes, it does mean to walk, but it also includes with it the sense of our walk of life, of how we live our lives, our lifestyle.  Integrity is for the most part explained as doing what we KNOW to be right, even when no one is watching.  Therefore, when our lifestyle reflects a commitment to doing what is right, what we understand as Torah, we are walking in integrity.

Halacha is kin to the word halak, and is the way a believer is “directed to behave in every aspect of life”^[1], according to the instructions of Torah.  Again, this encompasses our way of life, and our lifestyle.  When we choose to live according to the divine instructions in righteous and moral living (Torah), our lives are, most generally, above reproach.  However, when we begin to replace our commitment to the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with our own self-sovereignty, our halacha goes out the door, and our paths become crooked and perverted.

‛Aqash (Strong’s H6140) is the Hebrew word that has been translated as ‘crooked’ in our opening verse, and yet means much more than that.  There is the sense of taking something that was once pure and undefiled and polluting it, compromising the integrity of the original unit.  It then becomes a perversion, something to be thrown out and discarded.  Of interest is the fact that this word - ‛aqash - is only found five times throughout the Tanakh, the Old Testament, and 80% of the time has been translated as ‘perverse’.

How does this relate to us?  When we make the deliberate choice to turn aside from our ‘walk of integrity’, engaging in and doing (remember, hâlak is a verb, requiring action) anything that is not according to Torah, we have become polluted, perverted, and compromised.  If it is a conduct that we are attempting to hide, this verse guarantees that it will be uncovered.  Boom.

 

“For if—after escaping the world’s pollutions through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah—they again become entangled in these things and are overcome, the end for them has become worse than the beginning.  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after learning about it, to turn back from the holy commandment passed on to them.  What has happened to them confirms the truth of the proverb, “A dog returns to its vomit,” and “A scrubbed pig heads right back into the mud.”” (2Pet 2:20-22 TLV)

©2022

[1] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/halakhah-the-laws-of-jewish-life/