Recently with the growth that the Lord has provoked in our lives we have seen certain folks that we would normally think of as dear friends act like we were leppers.
This is troubling to say the least, however it is not fatal... for us anyway.
Rejection comes in many flavors but most painfully from the ones you love.
Since answering the calling of the Lord Jesus: Yeshua Ha Moshiach and listening to the Spirit that Adonai placed with in me, I have seen my "family and friends" reject the move of G-d as though it were a plague.
Ezekiel the Prophet states that the Kol Voice of Hashem came to him and spoke this;
that Hashem would place His Spirit with in us and that He would move us to desire to know His spirit. Yeshua/Jesus said that a man cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven lest he be "born again".
What direction would the Spirit of Adonai move us? Toward or away from the Hebrew roots of our faith. Would the Spirit of G-d desire us to move away from the Jewish People or to move toward them with love and admiration. To move toward our brethren and to unite the family of Elohim throught the Spirit of Christ Jesus/ Yeshua Ha Moshiach.
To be "born again" means to be made new and to allow yourself to be taught. For what child is born with attitude that prevents them from learning. On the contrary, the innocent and pure heart is an easel for us to paint upon. We defile the innocent mind through de-sensitization and blatant assaults on the virtue of our young.
But what about us?
Can we trust again?
can we be born again so that we not only trust but are willing to learn the attributes and the character of Jesus Christ/ Yeshua the Messiah?
The other day my wife and friend were walking down the street in our little town when they were passed by an old friend. This was someone we spend much time around a long time ago. They too are "Christians" but i guess they must think that we are different "Christians" and not the same caliber as they are. Subsequently the driver ignore the two ladies and drove on past as though they never saw. Very well.
Later the same day, the driver and her husband were driving through town and it was made quite plain that they both saw my wife and children in the car we have had for some time and chose to look forward as though they were tremedously busy.
Does the Church of Jesus Christ see others that don't attent their congregation as less than whole, as less saved? WWJD?
Ask yourself what would the early church in Corinth or Galatia do?
Did Peter and Paul only go to the Synagogue or did they go and love on the ones who weren't in the temple?
The answer is they reached out and met the people where they were.
This last weeks Parsha states in the Chumash that Yitro/Jethro has 7 different names.
No he didn't have split personalities but it should be noted that under certain circumstances or in different territories he may have been know by different names.
Likewise Yeshua/Jesus may be referred to by different pronunciations yet the scriptures state that you will know them by their fruit and by their walk.
WWJD?
How did he teach? Was it with arrogance?
Of course not!
So why does the body of so called "Christians" beat each other up so often?
Isn't this the same reason that Yeshua took the blessing of the
Torah and gave it to the Multitudes? Ie: the lost 10 tribes?
The Religious Jews would not share the blessings of the Torah with those whom they saw as dirty ritualisticly unclean. This was the old addage, "don't cast your pearls amongst the swine."
With that attitude they held tightly to the greatest gift that had been given to them freely.
Freely I give it unto you, freely you shall give it away.
So now we see the same false piety in the church of today looking down on others because they don't belong to our congregation or den0mination. how are we different?
If indeed we are saved by the blood of Christ through faith then aren't the Jews who held tighlty to the Torah just as saved as the christians who are now holding firmly and tightly to the deliverence that was given them?
We are to walk out the lifestyle and characteristics of Yeshua so that the love of the Spirit is seen and witnessed in us.
What message are we sending in our daily walk?
If you love me, you would keep my commands and do them.
You don't have to do a thing, however if the HOLY Spirit really dwelled in us would'nt it be leading us toward yearning to do Torah out of our freedoms?
Pray about it and ask the LORD what He would have you to do.
I love you and pray that you see that legalism will do nothing for you. Legalism also comes in many different forms such as the form that tells you, "you can't study the Torah because that's legalism".
Matthew 5:17 on says Jesus told the disciples, "Do not think that I came to do away with the Torah and the prophets, but rather I came to fulfill (make fuller, completely clear and understandable) it. truly i say unto you that not the least letter or stroke of the pen will be abollished from the Torah till all heaven and earth pass away.
Shalom, and Rejoice!
He Came to Deliver not Condemn.
