ISSUE: #44

MEM

Message

Can we be so convinced we have some new truth, some new revelation, some new research that is so exciting we want to proclaim it to the world? Whether we have this new truth or are listening to others proclaiming such, can we be led astray? Is there a test we can use to be sure what we have is from our Creator? It may not be intentional but we may be so wrapped up in this, "new nugget", we actually miss our calling.

Howard and Alice were faithful to their belief in Messiah. They attended a local congregation and were involved in the programs that aided the poor in their area. Howard had just retired; he was in very good health and practiced eating the things prescribed in scripture. Alice also was zealous for serving her Savior.

They volunteered their time at the local mission. Howard would help the men by counseling them in Scripture and in finding them suitable jobs. Alice helped in the kitchen and counseled younger women with their many moral and social issues.

One day a new man came to visit their congregation. He was very knowledgeable about most everything in Scripture. He knew Hebrew, he wore Hebraic garb, he could quote from the Talmud and from Jewish Rabbis. Because of his charisma and knowledge, a small group would gathered around him after each service. Gradually the group became dissatisfied with their pastor and would invite the man of knowledge to their homes for more instruction.

It was not long before Alice and Howard’s thirst for more knowledge interfered with their service at the local congregation. They were too busy studying and researching to help out at the mission. Letter writing and e-mails to former friends and those in need were also dropped. Any extra income went to buy more books, CD’s, and to attend seminars on how to know more; they learned the Jewish protocol and prayers for most everything.

They were learning Hebrew, how to tie the tzit-tzit, busy reading about the Rabbis and their customs. Soon the pursuit of all these things consumed them day and night. How exhilarating, they were coming to the point of being able to instruct others in their vast knowledge. Their goal was to spread this knowledge to others.

Then one day, instead of researching their resources of Jewish and Messianic writings they opened the Scripture to the book of Matthew 25:31-46 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne… and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;… "Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?... "The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ …"Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (Why?) "Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

And in Matthew 25:12 "But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’

In Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Could it all be so simple as loving our Creator and our neighbor?

1Co 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

There are a lot of theories being proclaimed out there; some "nugget of truth". We find them on the internet and in our congregations. They may well be right to some degree; however this nugget may end up causing discord and destroying the faith of others. May I suggest we keep our new truth to our self for awhile? Pray over it, hold it up to the light of the Word, look for a second or third witness and wait for the voice of our Savior. [See MEM Issue #43] Does this "nugget" fit the Matthew 25 sheep profile?

Let us look at the example of circumcision in Scripture. Is it important? Well, Yeshua was circumcised (Luke 2:21). The Jewish religious sect had added so many rules and regulations to the Sabbath that it became a burden to the lives of those seeking the YHVH of Israel. Yet when it came to circumcision on the Sabbath, it was permitted. John 7:23 "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?"

They missed the intent of the Law. Galatians 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Circumcision became a big issue during the early days of the Apostles; Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Paul spent a good amount of his time addressing this topic, because it was being promoted by those who felt this was of utmost importance, this group caused division among the assemblies. We can summarize Paul’s comments to the intent of circumcision as follows:

Philippians 3:3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Colossians 2:11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

1Colossians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Even in the giving of sacrifices we see some missed the purpose:

Isaiah 1: 11-18 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. (Why?) Your hands are covered with blood. (What should we do?) "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Micah 6:6 With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?...

v.8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

1Corinthians 8:1-3 …we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

One thing we know; our Creator hates discord: Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Authorized Version)

We must be cautious not to make a religion out of our little nugget of truth, not to cause discord, not to miss the purpose and intent of our calling. We are to rest in our Savior, we are to show forth His love by being a new creation. We are to show forth His love, His justice, His humility. We are to care for the widows and orphans. We are to strive for the gifts He gives that promote unity, in love. We are to refine our relationship with Him.

Ephesians 4:1-16 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. … And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

My prayer is we give all diligence unto the Head of the body and not do our own thing. We have been called into His service, to build up the body of Messiah.

Proverb

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all things.

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.

Saying (s)

"Choose the way of life. Choose the way of love. Choose the way of caring…Choose the way of goodness. It’s up to you. It’s your choice." Leo Buscaglia

Colossians 3:14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Bible Quiz

1. Which prophecy concerning the Messiah was given in Zechariah and fulfilled in Matthew?
2. Is Ezekiel considered a major prophet or minor prophet?
3. In the parable of the good Samaritan, where was the man going who fell into the hands of robbers?
4. Of what did Paul speak among those who were mature?
5. What two animals could be used for the Passover sacrifice?
6. Who followed Aaron as high priest?
7. Who said, "Look, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"

Humility

I had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart are to be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, just as they were of the Master. And further, that this humility is not something that will come of itself, but that it must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith, and practice. Andrew Murray

Our humility comes when we make our Savior the Master of our life. One way this humility is expressed is in our relationship with others;

Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

Did you know:

People often think of satellites as man-made objects launched into space. However, a satellite is actually anything that orbits a planet including the moon.

Here are a couple of thing that happened in history on June 24^th (Roman calendar).

• 1509: Henry VII was crowned king of England
• 1947: A pilot saw strange flying objects in Washington. The term flying saucer was born.
• 1997: The US Air-Force released the Roswell Report, officially closing the UFO investigation.

Lighter Side

GOVERNMENT AND BUREAUCRACY

Pythagorean theorem: 24 words

The Lord's Prayer: 66 words

Archimedes' Principle: 67 words

The Ten Commandments: 179 words

The Gettysburg Address: 286 words

The Declaration of Independence: 1,300 words

The U.S. government regulations on the sale of cabbage: 26,911 words

Children’s Story

Last time: It was not long before the pastor and church board called Harry to meet with them. After much discussion and rebuke Harry was told he must stop instructing the teens about the Seventh Day Sabbath and not to bring up the subject again.

Harry was sure he had not made a mistake. The Scriptures were clear; the historical record shows various groups of people keeping the Sabbath since the time of the early Church. He had been receiving regular weekly commentaries on the Old Testament Torah (the Torah consist of the first five books of the Bible, known as the books of Moses). Harry was sure he was not being misled. Why did the local church not understand? Why would they not even listen to him or give him a chance to explain this clear instruction? His request for a review of the subject was flatly turned down. When he asked, "Why?" the only response was, "The church fathers of their denomination certainly know how the grace of God has released them from the law of bondage."

For Harry it has been forty years of teaching and instructing the young teens, it was a joy to help them. He had put all his effort into studying and teaching, in caring for the needs of these teens. Whenever he could he helped and counseled them; often with their parents when the need arose. His little farm was the gathering place for teen activities, structured games, picnics or parties, or just a place to come by and hang out. The younger teens loved to explore the old rusting equipment scattered here and there around the few remaining acres, and Harry loved these teens.

What a dilemma, stop teaching the wonderful truth of Scripture that brings joy and peace to the troubled lives of the youth and to ones own life, or give up the work of a lifetime. Was there a happy medium that would allow his continued teaching and working with these teens? They were being exposed to the wretched media; he wanted to be able to offer them something better.

Harry prayed; he even fasted as he read the Savior did when He faced His great trial and how the saints often did when important decisions had to be made. He waited and prayed, and read just the Scripture. He asked for a dream, for a voice or some indication from the Scriptures or from someone else. What should he do? On Friday he called the Pastor and asked to be excused from teaching the class that Sunday to give him more time to consider his options. The cold and unconcerned reply he received was disconcerting in itself. But Harry would do his best to make the right decision.

Reading one morning, while on his knees, he came across a scripture in 1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

Later he also read:

Exodus 19:5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;

Judges 3:4 They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.

John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.

2Thessiloians 3:14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.

Isaiah 56:4 For thus says the LORD, "To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant…

Isaiah 58:13 "If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, And honor it, desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure And speaking your own word…

In the Kingdom to come:

Isaiah 66:23 "And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD.

Importance of the Sabbath Sign:

Ezekiel 20:12 "Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Jesus (Yeshua) was pretty clear about which day He claimed:

Matthew 12:8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

The Sabbath was not to be a burden:

Mark 2:27 Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Paul went to the synagogue on the Sabbath:

Ac 17:2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Harry was now convinced, the people of the Creator have a Sabbath rest, now and future.

Heb 4:9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

Next time: The result of taking a stand for the Sabbath.

Quiz Answers

1. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem - Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:1-10

2. Major prophet

3. To Jericho - Luke 10:30

4. Wisdom of Elohim - 1 Corinthians 2:7

5. Sheep and goats - Exodus 12:5

6. Eleazar - Numbers 20:25-28

7. Esau - Genesis 25:32