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What Must Our Focus Be in Hebrew Roots

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; ² Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (2Ti 4:1-5 KJV)

Is our focus in the Faith to such a degree as we’d focus on this drop of fluid?

• What must be the focus of the Natsariym? What must be his or her purpose? What is his or her responsibility?
• Who am I to question such a thing as purpose, focus or even responsibility in our Faith Community
• • Hesitancy to say anything because I am a nobody
• I submit to you that we have been given a set of marching orders that defines what our focus, purpose and responsibilities are in this Faith of ours
• Yet it would seem that we are not following suit. It appears that many in our beloved Faith are victims of the “itching ears syndrome” and are off following all kinds of things that have little to nothing to do with that in which the Master has instructed us to focus on
• What is our responsibility and what is to be our focus and purpose? I submit that the Master outlined it beautifully in the famed “Sermon on the Mount”
• • Everyone knows of this great oratory piece that spans 3-chapters in Matthew’s Gospel
  • It is here that Master sets the rules of the Kingdom and in effect, gives us our marching orders in preparation for the Great Commission which He ultimately delivers at the end of Matthew’s Gospel account
• A few Sabbaths ago, we were privileged to have gone through this most relevant of passages in the whole of the Holy Writ
• I would like for the remainder of this “Thoughts and Reflections,” to conduct an overview of this section of the Gospel records and discern what we as Natsariym should be focused upon
• The problem I am seeing, at least in and around the Hebrew Roots circles I have been associated with, is that we as a community are all over the place in terms of what we do, understand, teach and focus on

Are we focused on stuff that appeals to our itching ears and our shortened attention span?

• • As a result, we as a community have made ourselves irrelevant to the world
  • This is problematic: for we are at a crucial crossroads in world history: millions of former Christian adherents are leaving Churchianity in record numbers and thus, we being in such flux and uncertainty in our Faith, I submit to you, that we are missing invaluable and maybe even, once in a lifetime opportunities to show the world the only true path that leads to life; to lead people to the true Faith once delivered to the first century saints by Yeshua Messiah
• As Natsariym, we know that we should be doing and responding to that which Yeshua taught and modeled
• • Yet Churchianity over the centuries has been erroneously focused primarily upon that which Shaul (Paul) taught
  • • Don’t get me wrong, I believe that which Shaul taught is in alignment with the teachings and doctrines of Master Yahshua, but Shaul is not Yeshua–Shaul is not the head of the Body
    • The enemy, in my opinion, has capitalized upon the problems associated with Paul’s writing style (2 Peter 3:15,16). That, in concert with Paul’s considerable influence among the Gentiles who through his ministry and the work of the Ruach Kodesh have been grafted into the commonwealth of the true Faith once delivered, these have falsely presumed and falsely understood the true meaning of much of Shaul’s teachings and as a consequence, have been in many instances, completely thrown off the correct path set forth for us by Master Yahoshua
    • Yet Churchianity has stubbornly refused to return to the teachings of Yeshua Messiah and to Torah-living to gain a firm foundation and understanding as to what we as grafted in believers, should be doing; should be focusing on; should be responsible for
• Churchianity has postulated over the centuries that there exists a “highway” to heaven–that all one has to do is come just as they are, say a “sinner’s prayer, maybe be dunked in some water and maybe attend a handful of Sunday church services throughout the year
• • There are no responsibilities beyond these to be had by the new convert
• Sadly, Hebrew Roots has somewhat taken this laissez faire mentality to heart and have applied it in great part to herself and what we now see are people observing the Sabbath (to a greater and lesser degree); observing the feast days (to a lesser and greater degree); and abstaining from pork and shell fish (again, to a lesser and greater degree)
• • But for the Natsariym, that’s where everything seems to stop for the most part
• I submit to you that Master gave us a great amount of responsibilities and specific things to focus upon
• • And the focus and responsibility He’s given us is not tied to “itching ear” stuff that seems to have gripped our beloved Faith
  • Our Faith is slowly but surely becoming irrelevant (although I don’t have any numbers to prove it apart from my personal observations and research) because we are not laser-focused on doing that which Yahoshua taught and showed us to do
  • Instead of obedience to the teachings of our Master; instead of being true disciples of Master–we find ourselves in many instances, being disciples of self
  • • We individually determine what our personal focus and responsibilities and purpose to be
    • And in most cases, we give in to the human propensity for the “itching ears syndrome,” whereby we get bored with the stated purpose and focus of a thing such as the Gospel that Yeshua taught, and instead, we latch on to the latest and greatest and most intriguing subject matter
    • • Lunar Sabbaths
      • Flat Earth
      • The 3rd or 4th Temple in Jerusalem
      • The Apocryphal and Forbidden Books not contained in the “authorized” canon of Scripture
      • Messianic Judaism
      • Kabbalah
      • Black Israelitism
      • Modern Israel (the nation that is) Fanatics
      • Sacred Names and Hebrew Names
• I’ll be the first to admit, in the course of my 12-plus years in this Faith, I’ve dabbled in virtually all of the above and Yah knows whatever else was out there
• • Although when I first came into this Faith, my focus was to learn the tenets of the Faith
  • • Those were the best years of my walk with Messiah
    • I grew in obedience and understanding during this period more than anytime in my walk
    • I want to get back to that stage of my life and that is what I am aiming from this time forward to do
    • Focus on that which Master taught us to do and then teach others to do likewise
    • Otherwise, when we default to focusing solely on all of the types of things that I’ve mentioned above, we become like obnoxious and obstinate little children who misbehave while mommy and daddy are away
    • • Do we want Master to return and find us not doing that which He commanded us to do? I say absolutely not
      • • This goes beyond the above type things–this also applies to being obedient to Torah and not sinning
  • Is dabbling in these things–some of these “itching ear” type topics alway wrong or are they are sinful? Absolutely not (although some do cross the line over into paganism and man made traditions and dogmas
  • • But when we focus our whole attentions to these and other such things and ignore our core values and purpose in the Faith, we will invariably start to move away from the Faith; which ultimately will diminish our witness and hinder our effective walk with Messiah
    • Proper focus on the things Master has directed us to do will ground us and get us into a “Kingdom of Yahovah” mindset that will prepare us for Master’s return and our effectiveness and success in the Great Commission
• So, what exactly are we to focus on?
• This topic is so huge and voluminous and relevant. Yet, I don’t wish to turn this into a burdensome dissertation that robs you of your individuality and joy in the Faith
• • I only wish to reflect and provide my thoughts on a problem that I see in our Faith and in our community and to provide some corrective content that I personally will be immediately incorporating into my daily walk with Master and that I believe are relevant for our beloved Faith corporately
  • Everything that I am considering in this episode is coming directly from the Bible–coming actually from the mouth of Master Yeshua

What did Yeshua tell us to focus on? Are we doing it?

1. Ideally, subsist in a humble, always dependent upon Father attitude (5:3)
2.  Always mindful of our past and our need for the provisions set forth by Father for today and the future (5:4)
3. Remaining ever so gentle and teachable (5:5)
4. Remain always thirsty and hungry for truth and righteousness (5:6)
5. Merciful towards others in our day-to-day lives (5:7)
6. Live transparently; our actions and our thoughts and our purpose be transparent and pure (5:8)
7. In everything we do, always seek after peace and in effect, be peacemakers (5:9)
8. Be sold out to Master and His way of life, such that we defy the norms of our society (not in a creepy or suspicious or evil way) and we are set apart from the world, ready and willing to be persecuted and judged by the world for our Faith (5:10)
   1. Are we in the proper place in our respective lives to be able to do this?
9. Be salt and light to a lost and dying world (5:13-16)
   1. salt acts as a seasoning and preservative–thus we are obliged to safeguard the truth that is in us and to properly dispense that truth to a dying world
   2. light illuminates and makes one’s path visible and prevents stumbling–thus we must be examples to the world as to the proper path each soul must take in order to obtain life–live lives such that men are drawn to us and that point the world to Yeshua Messiah
10. Be Torah observant Yeshua-style (5:17-48)
    1. In order to be Torah observant, we must know Torah
       1. Getting sidetracked with the itching ear stuff that has taken over our beloved Faith will rob us of valuable time that should be used to learn and apply Torah to our lives
    2. This alone will take a lifetime to master!!!!!
    3. Practice obedience to Torah which embodies justice, mercy and equality (7:12)
11. Practice forgiveness (6:14-16; Luke 6:37)
12. Fast Regularly (6:17,18)
13. Maintain a positive and responsive perspective in life where focus is on spirituality (6:19-23)
14. Maintain a trusting faith in Father entirely for our substance and sustenance (6:24-34)
    1. Subordinate ambitions, carer, possessions to the service of Yahovah
15. Practice self-assessment over judgment and criticism of others (7:1-5; Luke 6:37)
16. Safeguard the Word (7:6)
    1. Sanctify it
    2. Regard the Word as holy
    3. Discriminate the sharing of the Word with others such that it is not squandered
17. Turn over reliances and needs to the Father (7:7-23)
18. Learn, obey and imitate Yahoshua’s teachings teachings–read, re-read, study, meditate on the Bible (7:24-27)
19. Seek this Kingdom life and the righteousness that is maintained, determined and required of all by Yahoshua Messiah (6:33)
    1. Be giving and generous (Luke 6:30)
    2. This encapsulates much of this whole focus matrix
    3. Requires constant punching of the Bible to figure out how we are to be obedient to these instructions of our Master
20. Love one another (John 13:34,35 and Luke 6:27)
21. Make disciples of the nations of the world (Matt. 28:19)
22. Above all, bear good frujit; do that which is good; feed the hungry; help the needy; visit the prisoner; clothe the naked (Luke 7:43,44)

• If we simply focused on these, let’s say 22-teachings and instructions of Yeshua, we would have little to no time to worry about the other extra-curricular activities that seem to captured much of our community’s attention these days
• • More people will come into the true Faith once delivered
  • More good works will be accomplished
  • Our community and Faith will be so tight and inviting and point the way to the path that leads to life and salvation and away from the broad smooth path that leads to destruction
  • Our walk with Messiah will be more fulfilling and responsive
  • We will grow spiritually beyond imagination
• At the base of Mount Sinai, we were given a most auspicious and unique opportunity. That opportunity, up to that time, was never offered to any other peoples of the world. Yet Father, in His infinite wisdom, chose a people who were from the lineage of Abraham to be His people. And not just a people. A people to serve a purpose for the Creator of the Universe:
  Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; ⁴ Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. ⁵ Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: ⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exo 19:3-6 KJV)
• • Thus, Father chose us, took us unto Himself and proposed (i.e., a marriage proposal) to us at the base of that mountain. We were given the unique opportunity to say yes or no to His proposal. And what a proposal it was: Not just to be called or seen as Father’s favorite, or as He coined, His peculiar treasure–a treasure–valued above all people–but also to be His representatives and example to all the peoples of the world–that is, to become a kingdom of priests and by default a holy–set apart–nation
• So the proposal was given to us and we did not hesitate to say yes:  ⁷ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. ⁸ And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. (Exo 19:7-8 KJV)
• So the the marriage covenant was made between Father and us on that day at the base of Mount Sinai
• But we cheated; we adulterated; we violated the tenets of that covenant–over and over again
• Yeshua came to repair that breached marriage covenant and those of us outside of Israel were also invited to be part of that renewed marriage covenant: ⁶ But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. ⁸ For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: ⁹ Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. ¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: ¹¹ And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. ¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. ¹³ In that he saith, A new covenant , he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (Heb 8:6-13 KJV)
• • One thing we know from years of research is that when one party in the marriage partnership places their focus and interests in places that are not in the best interests of the marriage relationship, that marriage is often destined for problems if not divorce at some point
  • The focus must always be on keeping the relationship viable, healthy, loving, caring and the like
• We cannot confuse dabbling in quasi-religious topics, issues and matters as being focused or having a sense of purpose or as fulfilling our responsibilities in this Faith…if anything, when our focus crosses the line of not devoting time to develop the relationship such that we focus on the things that we’ve discussed prior, it is full on distraction–itching ears. And that eventually causes us to become numb and disinterested in sound doctrine
• • It’s a prescription for problems in the covenant relationship and violation of our unique call
• Yeshua is returning for a holy assemblage of believers who He will designate as His bride: Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (Eph 5:25-28 KJV)
• Shaul teaches that we must be holy in every respect: he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Eph 1:4-6 KJV)
• How can we achieve the level of holiness that Master is requiring at His return if we spend our days focusing on empty spiritual caloric foods such as those we discussed earlier? Such a requirement for holiness demands focus on the things that Master has given us to focus on and do
• What has been my focus the last several years?  Recently? More importantly, what will be my focus as it relates to my Faith and my walk with my Master?
• • Yes, I am sad to admit that I’ve dabbled in a lot of “itching ears” stuff and have not devoted the time and gray matter to the things that matter the most
  • I’ve been convicted of this fault and I will be much more focused upon learning and doing that which Master Yahoshua taught and commanded of us. Furthermore, I purpose to do whatever I possibly can to pass what I learn to others as the Father provides the opportunities and means
  • Have I been distracted with the latest itching ears dogma? Absolutely. Do such things still capture my attention and imagination? Absolutely
  • • But I know now that I must learn to put all of that itching ear stuff in their proper perspective and not allow it to take over the limited time and gray matter that should otherwise be given over to serious discipleship training and working the great commission
• How about you? Are you caught up in the itching syndrome. Is your focus, as it has been mine and countless fellow Natsariym?
• • The times at hand and ahead of us demand that we re-purpose and re-focus and be about our Father’s business
  • Are you with me?