Identity Crisis in Hebrew Roots–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode-81
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; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR Yahuah’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.
This is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode 81–Hebrew Roots Identity Crisis
Calendar
Continuing with my reflections on the topic of Spiritual Warfare and Spirit-Filled Torah Living
With all that is going on in our nation and in the world these days, there is no time like the present to get our act together as self-professing Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah. Unfortunately, the forces of darkness are overshadowing and over-shouting our message, even the message of the Church–both Christianity and Hebrew Roots have become irrelevant in the world of today. We have not been called to sit on the sidelines and watch the world fall apart and observe people’s lives be destroyed–we have a purpose that we must fulfill in this world. That purpose will also define who and what we are.
Are we fulfilling that purpose?
If Master were to return tomorrow, would we hear Him say to us, well done my good and faithful servant? (Matthew 25:21) Are you satisfied with your walk with Mashiyach? Do you feel that you’ve done all that Abba has intended for you to do?
What is a Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah and What is He/She Suppose to Do?
Master told the Samaritan Woman at the well that our Creator is a spirit and that those of us who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
In episode 80, I discussed that Master was identifying who the true members of our Faith Community and Movement would be–those who are Spirit-filled and Torah Observant (John 4:23, 24)
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NAS)
Communing with Abba from a spiritual perspective as opposed to a mechanical, insincere, rote manner–that includes worship/communicating with Him through the Ruach Kodesh that should be operating in our lives–our hearts and minds renewed such that we worship Abba as an act of pure love and unrivaled reverence.
We are supposed to be living lives that are steered by Yahuah’s instructions–His Torah–which defines the Truth part of this equation.
The life we’ve chosen to live is defined, not in how the world sees and defines us, but in how we commune and interact with our God and how we commune and interact with our neighbor. We’ve chosen to love Yahuah our Elohim with all our hearts, souls and minds and to love our neighbors as we love our selves–thus we’ve chosen to be Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, for on these elements–love of Yahuah and love of our fellow man–does the whole of Torah and the prophets rest.
Christianity in part endorses this thinking and encourages its adherents to adopt such a lifestyle. But what does loving God and loving neighbor look like? Loving God and loving neighbor is defined exclusively through Torah. Yet man has taken it upon himself to define what love of God and love of man looks like. Man has dummied-down much of this down to the two sides of love being nothing more than a cognitive-emotional construct that can easily be manipulated and be not of Yahuah.
In order to fulfill this commandment, we must adopt the formula that Master gave the Samaritan woman: operating in Spirit and in Truth–both are required and both are not man-made constructs–they both are purely and wholly of Yahuah our Elohim.
We are thus compelled to adopt a Spirit-Filled-Torah-Life which defines what a Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah is. Unfortunately, most Hebrew Rooters reject the Spirit side of this equation despite Master insisting that it is a requirement.
Zachary Bauer contends that the Ruach will not be poured out upon Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah until the time of the Greater Exodus–I categorically reject this thinking and teaching. The absence of the Ruach in our Faith Community is what I believe to be part of the reason why we have such a pervasive identity and purpose crisis and why our Faith community is so scattered and all over the place; why we have so many gurmudgeon and ineffective folks wasting away in our Faith; why we have so much head knowledge on some of the most inane topics and issues but no heart for worship and evangelism; why we are so despised and rejected by not just the secular and Christian world, but even members of our own community.
We don’t know what and who we are because we don’t fully realize what are purpose is on this planet and in the Body of Messiah. We’ve become in many circumstances, as reeds shaking in the wind–putting out a bunch of stuff that has no direct impact or relevance to the lives of those who Abba has placed in our lives. (Matthew 11:7)
Indeed, our meat; our drink should be to do the will (Gr. thelema) of Abba Father as Yeshua told the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well:
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34; NAS)
We should not settle for being nothing more than a group of wacky rebels who’ve decided to reject Christianity and take up a life of Torah–at least that’s what we should be. Yet most of us have done only that. And in so doing, we’ve made ourselves insignificant–irrelevant.
We don’t know who we are and we certainly don’t have a clue what our purpose is. Are we simply to meet together on Shabbat and talk Torah? Are we simply to debate nuances of Torah and bad mouth Christianity? Are we to do anything but occupy till Master returns?
Before one can even entertain such questions, one has to understand just who and what we are and what purpose we serve in the earth and to Yahuah.
* Everything ever created by either Yahuah or man has a purpose and identity. Some identities and purposes can not readily be understood until some set and appointed time.
Like Abba, man has taken on the task of identifying and purposing things, people and events.
* Man determines who we are in terms of other people on this planet
* Man determines what purpose we serve on this planet
* Man determines whether our identity and purpose are acceptable
* But does man’s concepts of identity and purpose matter
* Christianity identifies us as heretics and the purpose that we serve is only to pull or push the true body of Christ off track/to distract; the secular world sees us as having no true purpose but identifies us as right-wing religious zealots who pose a threat to the democracy of this country.
The Christianity has NOT done a good job defining who they are and what purpose they serve apart from the nebulous talking points of being “saved” individuals who are purposed to “win souls” and do “do good things”
Rick Warren’s book and teaching series: “The Purpose Driven Life” for the first time in history put before the consciousness and conscience of Christians around the globe that believers must determine what their purpose is and after determining that purpose, to go forth and fulfill that purpose.His work became one of the most influential extra-biblical works in the history of Christianity and it placed him on the national map as one of the most influential Pastors/Ministers in this country in the past half-century or so.
Regardless what one thinks about Rick Warren and this work, it posed one of the most relevant questions ever posed by any Christian pastor or minister; it actually challenged so-called Christians to take stock in themselves and understand that they were made for a purpose and that each of them has a purpose to fulfill.
There are a lot of crazy ideas floating around out there as it relates to the purpose that Christians serve and their identity.
* Some contend that Christians are God’s replacements of the Jews and to evangelize the world to this end.
* Some contend that Christians are future citizens of heaven who will sing praises to the Trinity for all eternitty.
* Some believe that we are missionaries who are sent to the darkest places on the planet to evangelize the heathen to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, that message; that challenge–has not reached over to the Hebrew Roots Community and Movement, that it is imperative that we come to a firm understanding of who we are and what our purpose is. Failure to understand identity and purpose will result in:
* Our living wasted and pointless lives
* Never fulfilling our God-given potential (not man’s given potential)
* Succumbing to the whims of the enemy
* Becoming misled in our God-given purpose
* Having the mind of the enemy instead of the mind of Mashiyach
* Going after our own agendas instead of Yahuah’s agenda
Establishing Our Identity and Purpose
I’ve heard at least one person in our Faith community preach against boxing ourselves/labeling ourselves, which I believe to be a horrendous mindset to adopt. We’ve been designed by the Creator to identify/to label/ to purpose things–such as Adam in the Garden.
This is how we determine what a thing is and what it’s used for. We are called to discern the difference between the pure and the impure; the holy and the unholy; the good and the bad.
Will not Master label us in the end? The sheep and the goats? Those who keep His commandments and those who don’t? The redeemed versus the not redeemed?
If we don’t define who we are and establish what are purpose is, not just for ourselves, but for the world, then we are no good to Abba.
Establishing Identity and Purpose is vital to our existence
Do we know who we are? Do we know what our purpose is? Our focus is too much on Torah. Certainly Torah observance is vital to our walk in Mashiyach, but Torah observance does not define our purpose. We do not define ourselves to the world appropriately. We do not have defined goals and intent that would spell out what our purpose is as Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah–we are simply a fallen, heretical offshoot of Christianity that seeks to obtain our salvation through the keeping of Torah.
Nothing we say, do or teach, however, defines who we truly are and what our purpose is. The worse thing any of us can do is to not have a purpose in life, especially not have a realized and workable purpose in the Body.
Our Purpose Will Define Who We Are in Mashiyach
* Has our purpose changed since we began as a nation?
* If so, what was our purpose before and what is it now?
I contend that there is no one purpose that defines who and what we are. I also contend that there is at least one over arching purpose that defines who and what we are as a people, but then, there are individualized purposes that define our roles as members of the Body of Mashiyach. I would further contend that those individual purposes are simply off-shoots of the overarching purpose.
The overarching purpose: We are purposed to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6; I Peter 2:9; Isaiah 61:6)
We are to be servants of the Most High God here on this planet; here on this plain: to be lively stones built upon a spiritual house; a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Yah (I Peter 2:5); to be kings unto Yahuah to reign here upon this earth (Revelation 1:6; 5:10); to be holy unto Yahuah (Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 7:6).
Individual purposes are given to us through the Ruach
Shaul’s purpose was to be a minister and a witness of Yeshua Messiah to the Goyim (i.e., the nations of the world) (Rom. 8:28, 29). Even those who are not Yahuah’s own serve a purpose: in Pharoah’s case, his purpose was to shew Yahuah’s power to to Israel, and that His name be declared throughout the earth (Romans 9:17). Yeshua’s purpose was to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8).
What is your individualized purpose in the Body of Messiah?
* To exhort?
* To intercede?
* To serve the body as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah (Ephesians 4:11, 12)?
Our Identities Revealed and our Purpose Defined
We are Servants of the Most High God whose purpose is to be a king and priest to the nations of this world and to serve the Body of Mashiyach to that ultimate end which is to glorify the Creator of the Universe (Acts 16:17). Thus when we factor in all that Abba has put forth to us about who and what we are and what are purpose is in the earth, we learn that we are to be Spirit-Filled-Torah Observant Believers/Disciples of Yeshua Messiah.
Our global purpose is to serve Abba Father as a unique kingdom of Priests on and to this earth (as Master is our priest in heaven).
As it relates to us as individuals, we all have unique callings on our lives that we must immediately identify and put into play
Time is of the essence. Master is counting on us to do that which the Ruach leads and equips us to do to the glory of Yahuah our Elohim. The Body of Messiah is also counting on us to build and exhort and share the spiritual load and to carry the message of the Kingdom of Yahuah to a lost and dying world.
How do we then Achieve Such a Purpose and Truly Manifest our Revealed Identity. How do we live out our Identity and Purpose to the satisfaction of Yahuah?
* Do we turn to the Church?
* Do we turn to our Pastors and our Ministers?
* Do we pick out our own purpose and hope that it sticks?
* Do we pray and seek Yahuah’s guidance?
* Do we turn to the Bible?
To Be Continued
Overcoming Obstacles to Belief–Part 1: Learning From Ancient Israel’s Mistakes
Goal: What I intend to address in my message today is something that I believe is crucial for our (1) making it into the Kingdom of Yah; (2) successfully walking out our Faith in Spirit and in Truth; and (3) living the life abundant that Yeshua our Master...
Should Messianic Torah Observers Keep Thanksgiving? The Re-Broadcast
Should Messianic Torah Observers Keep Thanksgiving? In this installment, we reflect upon Torah-Keeping Believers in Yeshua celebrating Thanksgiving: Is it a terrible reminder of genocide that New World Settlers brought upon Native American Indigenous Peoples, or a day...
Lashon Hara-The Sin You Never Knew You Were Committing-Torah Reading Numbers 12:1-15
Verse-by-Verse Discussion Miriam and Aharon Engage in Subversive Conversation Verse 1—Two of Moshe's family members, Miriam and Aharon, engaged in some subversive conversation against Moshe. Moshe apparently married an Ethiopian woman which seemed to outrage the...
Finding Contentment in our Faith–Torah Reading-Numbers 11:1-35
Finding Contentment in our Faith--Torah Reading--Numbers 11:1-35 Verse 1--The peoples' complaining or murmuring (complaining about their hardships openly in Taberah or The Place of Burning) displeased Yah which led to His wrath coming down upon the people...
What Did Paul Mean by Being Under the Law–Part 1
Goal of this Post “For Yah shows no partiality (that is, Yah shows no favoritism). For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are...
Paul and the LGBTQ Community–A Messianic Perspective
The Indictment Against Homosexuality In our ongoing quest to untangle and clarify some of the more difficult and challenging Pauline writings, (of late making our way through the Book of Romans), I want to next tackle Romans 1:26-27. Now, most of us should be...
Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God in You
The Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God (of Yah) in You My goal in delivering this discussion to you here today is to communicate to you another way of looking at and understanding the Kingdom of Yah. Another perspective. Another angle. Another Truth....
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)–A Messianic Torah Observer Perspective
Introducing Yom HaKippurim (aka, Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement) Instead of trying to figure out what the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur/Yom HaKippurim is about through hearsay, public discourse or opinion, what do you say we delve into the riches of Torah to get...
Yom Teruah’s Greatest Truths and Mysteries (Revealed)
Yom Teruah's Greatest Truths and Mysteries (Revealed) Today I want to expand our understanding of Yom Teruah (aka The Day of the Blowing of Trumpets or simply the Day of Trumpets) from the day being just another one of the 7-annual Feasts of YHVH; just that...
Polygamy and the Bible–A Messianic Perspective
My Interest Piqued In my studies of this past week’s Torah Reading, I was drawn to Deuteronomy 21:15-17. Many modern English bibles generally entitle this passage something akin to “The Right of the Firstborn.” That being said, this short passage really is about the...
Picking Up and Moving Forward With TMTO
Update on TMTO (Special post without any fanfare and promotion)--Where we are today and where we'll be going. Discontinuing Live-Stream and Why. The failure of the Livestream. Non-committal group of individuals. Newsletter failures. Loss of focus on the original...
Torah Reading 48–Shofetim–Judges–Reading Outline
This week's Torah Reading is contained within Deuteronomy 16:1--21:9 and is entitled Shofetim. In English, Shofetim means Judges. If one were summarize the content of this reading I guess it could be described as a discussion of Yah's established civil...
The Righteousness of God Revealed From Faith to Faith—Its True Meaning and Reality for God’s People
Today’s discussion is entitled, “The Righteousness of God Revealed From Faith to Faith—Its True Meaning and Reality for God’s People.” Why The Church Loves This Romans 1:17 Fundamentalists; traditionalists; and evangelicals absolutely love this passage. Why? Because...
Jews Before Gentiles?
Today’s discussion is entitled, “Jews Before Gentiles? How Does that Work?” And the biblical basis for our discussion this evening is found in Romans 1:16 which reads: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation...
Torah Reading 46–Ekev (Because)–A Focus on the Kingdom of God
Highlights and Comments Shalom Saints. This week's Torah Reading is entitled, "Ekev," or "Because." The portion covers Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25. I wish to share with you some of my thoughts and reflections on the many life truths that I drew from my study of this...
To Whom Do You Pray?
Who do you pray to and worship and give thanks? Yeshua? YHVH? Both? Is it Biblical to pray to and worship Yeshua as so many Christians routinely do? In this installment of the Messianic Torah Observer, we will continue our review of the Book of Romans and Paul's...
Messianic Sainthood–Paul and the Book of Romans
Paul Calls His Roman Readers Saints. What Gives? Our next challenging Pauline passage of the Book of Romans is found in chapter 1 verse 7 and it reads as such: "To all those in Rome who are loved by G-d and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from G-d our...
Chevra Kadisha-Honoring the Jewish Dead
An Intriguing Article I recently became intrigued by an article I came across on the "My Jewish Learning" website. The article was entitled: "Chevra Kadisha or Jewish Burial Society." It was written by a Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. And yes: I do from time to time visit...
Guarding the Righteous Heart–The Breastplate of Righteousness–Paul and Hebrew Roots Series
How does the Child of Yah put on and use the Breastplate of Righteousness? Yeshua taught us how and we discuss in detail how to don and use this vital piece of spiritual armor: The Breastplate of Righteousness.
Putting on God’s Image-The Belt of Truth-Part 1 of the Armor of God Series
Ephesians 6:11-18—The Armor of Yah Famous passage of Scripture that most evangelical and fundamental Christians know and understand from a denominational standpoint. In fact, whole ministries have been launched and based upon this passage alone. And the focus seems...
0 Comments