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The true test of Faith and
commitment to YHWH and His Torah
begins when an individual volunteers to serve Mashiyach
within a local community. Yeshua raised up 12 and
then 70 men, "And the seventy returned again with
joy, saying, Master, even the devils are subject unto us
through your name!" (Luke 10:17) Active and
progressive leadership refines our understanding of the
Malchut (Kingdom) of Elohim by putting us in real-life situations
that require leading of the Ruach HaKodesh to guide us
and give us discernment and wisdom. Leading those
who belong to Mashiyach is the
highest calling we could ever embrace in our lives, along with
great joys and victory come battles against the wiles of the enemy.
Each soul in the Malchut Elohim is endowed with
individuality, liberty and personal property according to the Will of YHWH. We have
a glorious
opportunity to know Mashiyach and walk in Torah in this life. Every soul who enters into the
Malchut Elohim is called to live and demonstrate YHWH's
Covenant within the community and world. We
are called to live according to the purpose which we
have been created, YHWH establishes His Word and
authority in us for our benefit and all
others. Authority comes from YHWH through His
Mashiyach and through each soul protecting their unique
individual soul, their freedom and all that belongs to
them. Authority is established
by YHWH and belongs to every human being on earth, we
are all required to uphold Torah for ourselves and for
the benefit of others, Torah is the Word
of YHWH, but false authority upholds religion and man's
ideas and reduces the authority of the individual to
place higher authority upon religious hierarchies and
the wealthy and persons in position of government. In his day Abimelech appointed hirelings and claques
for his selfish purposes, similarly today religions
appoint and anoint their own leaders to advance their own value systems, the
Malchut Elohim in many cases is the furthest thing from
their minds and goals.
A few days before His suffering
Yeshua made his way up to Jerusalem, he
cursed a fig tree saying, "Let no fruit come forth from you
forever", in so doing he showed that the Sanhedrin
(house of judges) had become utterly corrupted. Corruption begins when men in
leadership operate as hirelings, following agendas based on
private, religious or institutional mandates,
these are "light and vain souls" with self interests
which degenerate life, liberty and property of each
soul in their community and everywhere else. Yeshua gave distinct instructions
to
establish reconciliation within the Household of Faith
and protect each soul.
In Matthew 18 Yeshua says, "where
two or three are gathered" the Ruach
(Spirit of YHWH) would be present in their midst to establish righteous judgments.
"Two or three are gathered", refers specifically to
a Beit Din that is required to establish halakha.
Halakha is specific directions about how we are to
observe and guard Torah, it is often referred to as a
point of law. Men gather together in the authority of
YHWH and His Mashiyach to apply Torah principles and
establish YHWH's righteous directives for their lives
and congregation. Two or three gathered means they are
equal, each one is equally vested and valued by their
one vote, they are not a hierarchy where one man has
veto authority.
In Hellenistic
or pagan society the liberty, life and
property of the individual is the property of the state, during the height of the Roman
empire over 70% of men were slaves whose shaved heads
showed their status. Today
men go to churches,
synagogues, mosques and all form of religious
institutions and give their life, liberty and property
over to the authority of a "religious" state, they surrender their authority
to come under mans authority, the authority of the
hierarchy and this is pagan and anti-Torah. Torah requires that each
man
take an active role in
their family and the greater community and walk in the
authority of YHWH and His Word, but religious institutions castrate men so
they cannot express their own authority in freedom.
If someone chooses to express a contrarian viewpoint
that is according to Torah, their sovereignty must not
be diminished for doing so, the majority can never make
up moral codes or halakha that overrule YHWH and His
Mashiyach and then still expect His Hand of Blessing.
But the fact of the matter is that there are many men in
authority who would rather see their families and
communities suffer under their leadership than to
surrender their place of authority to YHWH and serve the
needs of their community rather than "lord it over"
others.
When Yeshua
cursed the fig tree this demonstrated that the Sanhedrin
had brought a curse upon themselves by becoming men
pleasers, rather than pleasers of YHWH. The
Sanhedrin stood between Heaven and Earth and dictated
the judgments of their own selfish man-made religion
over the souls of others, entrapping all who came under
their authority and were cursed for doing so.
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"And you
shall teach them unto your children,
speaking of them when you sit in your house,
and when you walk by the way, when you lie
down, and when thou rise up." D'varim
11:19 |
True authority
comes about by observing Torah and receiving and experiencing discernment
and wisdom from the Ruach HaKodesh, neither age or intellectual ability
alone provides man with wisdom and
authority from YHWH. Our Father YHWH Himself
provides us with His authority by giving us mitzvoth
(Commandments) that require us to act according to His
authority. A well-aged man or a group of aged men may
have manifold life experience, they must
be honored for their grey heads. But age itself is not
a prerequisite for receiving YHWH's authority, young men, even
children carry YHWH's authority when they hear from
YHWH, but every father and mother has a responsibility
to YHWH to exercise His authority and teach their
children His Way. True authority comes from YHWH,
false authority is invented by men.
Authority from YHWH is not
necessarily going to make anyone overly popular, having a large vibrant congregation is no
guarantee that YHWH has chosen the leader, "although multitudes of
wicked may join hand in hand, they shall not be
unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be
delivered" (Proverbs 16:5). There is a great danger in
following a multitude, it is much wiser to
seek approval from YHWH. There is also a great
danger to be an island unto oneself, many men desire
to be active in leadership but are proud, arrogant and
refuse to be accountable to others so they stay at home
and don't participate in their own personal development
and the cultivation of righteousness within others.
Many men have learned to keep their word only when it suits them and their "ministry" is centered on
their own "teaching" rather than on
cultivating all the fruits that bless the wider needs of
the body of Mashiyach. A mature leader understands that
people are not coming to listen to him, we congregate in
YHWH's Name to connect with Him and attend meetings to
increase our experience and personal "anointing"
from the Ruach HaKodesh, but man's
carnal ideas, religions and hierarchies are in opposition the
authority and the Way of YHWH.
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"Three times
in a year shall all your males appear before
YHWH thy Elohim in the place which He shall
choose; in the Feast of Matzah, and in the
feast of Shavuot, and in the feast of
Succoth: and they shall not appear before
YHWH empty" D'varim 16:16 |
At least three times a year
every man is required to
bring "sacrifice" to YHWH, this means to draw near to
YHWH and bring forth
our hearts through giving, sharing and acknowledging His
blessings. Each one of
us is to consider the goodness of YHWH to our souls and
respond to Him from thankful open hearts. The
greatest worship we can give our Father YHWH is to delight so much in doing
His Will that we desire all men worship Him and have the
blessings and delight of serving in His Kingdom. Each man is qualified and capable
of service regardless of who they are or how much
experience they may have. However, Babylon
has usurped men's authority given by YHWH, by qualifying
their own leaders on the basis of their money, power, intellect, looks or
popularity. Carnal leaders have credentials
through an institution (seminary etc), they take on roles as
pastors, speakers,
teachers, visionaries or entertainers who are trained by
their institutions, they conspire ideas that are
acceptable to their mentors.
Carnal leaders are
highly esteemed as "men of G-d" based on their
"teaching" or delivery, however, Torah
qualifies men based on righteous character and
accountability to YHWH and one another. YHWH
qualifies men on their ability to draw close to Him and
to practice His Word and be conformed to His Word rather
than be accepted by the religious social clubs.
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"There
is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst
thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the
prey; they have devoured souls; they have
taken the treasure and precious things; they
have made her many widows in the midst
thereof. Her priests have violated my
law, and have profaned mine holy things:
they have put no difference between the holy
and profane, neither have they showed
difference between the unclean and the
clean, and have hid their eyes from my
Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
Ezekiel 22:25-26 |
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"For the
priest's lips should keep knowledge, and
they should seek the Torah at his mouth: for
he is the messenger of YHWH Tseva'ot.
But you are departed out of the way; you
have caused many to stumble at the Torah;
you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,
says YHWH Tseva'ot. Therefore have I
also made you contemptible and base before
all the people, according as you have not
kept my ways, but have been partial in the
law. Have we not all one father?
has not one Elohim created us? why do we
deal treacherously every man against his
brother, by profaning the covenant of our
fathers? Malachi 2:7-10 |
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"I will
also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and
upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I
will cut off the remnant of Baal from this
place, and the name of the Chemarims*
with the priests; And them that
worship the host of heaven upon the
housetops; and them that worship and that
swear by YHWH, and that swear by Malcham;
And them that are turned back from YHWH; and
those that have not sought YHWH, nor
enquired for him." Zephaniah
1:4-6 |
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"Yea,
they are greedy dogs which can never have
enough, and they are shepherds that cannot
understand: they all look to their own way,
every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Come ye, they say, I will **fetch wine,
and we will fill ourselves with strong
drink; and to morrow shall be as this day,
and much more abundant. The righteous
perishes, and no man takes it to heart: and
merciful men are taken away, none
considering that the righteous is taken away
from the evil to come. He shall enter
into peace: they shall rest in their beds,
each one walking in his uprightness.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the
sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the
whore. Against whom do ye sport
yourselves? against whom make ye a wide
mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not
children of transgression, a seed of
falsehood," Isaiah 56:11-57:4 |
Greedy dogs of course
refers to teachers who stand
before the people of Israel and "dogmatically" teach
paganism or Hellenism, they are shepherds who cannot
understand, they posture an identity that knows everything there is to
know about G-d, therefore people flock to them for answers. An authentic shepherd points souls to
Mashiyach and helps others develop a relationship with YHWH
rather than making people dependant on themselves. False authority wants men to acknowledge
and respect their authority first, in other words, if you don't agree
with their authority or doctrines you are not "called"
to their cause and their cause is really to have you
comply with their religion. The
sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, refers to false shepherds who take authority from
Babylon. Babylon is the whore who hires
herself out to all who will come into her, she is the Jezebel
spirit who hates Torah, Yeshua, and the people of YHWH,
her victory is when men become pleasers of men rather
than pleasers of YHWH.
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"But the
anointing which you have received of Him
abides in you, and you need not that any
man teach you: but as the same anointing
teaches you of all things, and is truth, and
is no lie, and even as it has taught you,
you shall abide in him." 1 John 2:27 |
John identifies the
anointing that each of the Talmidim of Yeshua received as they walked
with Yeshua, verse 26 says "These things
have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you",
because the enemy seduces souls into succumbing to the authority
of men that teach against Torah. Authority must
always come
from and belong to YHWH, not from men, we must never
ascribe authority by our own person, but that we are
called by YHWH to do His will. The enemy
tries to make men believe they are not smart enough, good
enough or disciplined enough to receive an anointing
from the Ruach HaKodesh. However, regardless of the Gift of the Ruach
HaKodesh within, the seducer wants you to be dependent
upon another man rather that on YHWH, this is how
haSatan has controlled the hearts and minds of those
within the fallen Church system.
The
Word and Spirit of YHWH is our only True Authority, if
we rely on others to teach us, we are trusting in
man rather than YHWH. We must NEVER live by another man's anointing,
we are each called to seek YHWH according to our own
personal calling and anointing that He provides for us.
Many are seduced by
those who appear wise and capable,
by the Rabbis (teachers), or Cohanim (Priests), or
self-appointed "Levites" who market themselves as wise
and capable men who are learned in theology, but many
are Hellenized and speak evil things against YHWH,
Mashiyach and His Torah which is why we are expressly
warned; "Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
Elohim: because many false prophets are gone out into
the world" (1 John 4:1).
Each of us must carefully choose who
we give our authority
to, each of us has the power to vote and decide for
ourselves,
by attending meetings we are giving authority over to
the leaders, so we better be very sure we have YHWH's
approval before we sit under the authority of other men
and surrender the authority that YHWH has given each of
us. By studying, learning and applying the
Word of YHWH we are welcoming YHWH's authority to bring the Ruach HaKodesh into our
lives.
The Word of YHWH is Eternal Truth and must always be the
connection we have to YHWH who is our ultimate
Authority.
Speak the Truth in
Love
For several years
in the early to mid 90's I attended a
Messianic Congregation in Vancouver B.C. Canada where I
saw first hand the lesson of false religious authority
being played out before myself and the congregation.
The congregation was led by a
Mr. Eli Nessim,
a classic one-man-show with "side kick"
Lionel Leslie the informant. Anyone caught voicing ideas not authorized by the
grand-poohbah was considered a threat to "the authority
of the leadership".
This Abimelech style leadership makes itself the center of
power by positioning light and vain men
to uphold their authority before the claque. For decades
Mr. Eli Nessim
and his claque were able to quench all startup Messianic
groups in the Vancouver area by mounting
gossip and character assassination campaigns against
all who would not come under his "authority". Those who attended
"unauthorized meetings" were suspected of being
dissidents. This hierarchical authority of groups, as
operates within the Kehillath Tsiyon, is easily traced to the harlot church system of Nimrod.
The hierarchy of Hellenism is threatened by those who
teach Freedom in Torah and Mashiyach. Leaders of the religious sects embark on all form of
defamation against those who "sprout" up to
speak about deliverance from Hellenism. This attitude
of denial reflects the modern day cry of "Israelites in Egypt",
these would rather enjoy the cucumbers and leeks of Egypt
and follow dead religion than
seek the Malchut Elohim and be free in YHWH and His
Mashiyach.
It is not
wise to attend a congregation
as though it's a religious social club and then depart without
ever actively participating in the
progression of the Malchut Elohim within that community.
We are required to "speak the truth
in love" and establish a witness according to the
Word of YHWH. False religion protects itself from
truth and insulates itself from allowing individual
freedom of expression and relationship with YHWH and His
Mashiyach. False religion demands conformity and
as in the Kehillath Tsyion in Vancouver there is
a core group that will gossip and defame
anyone who would bring a challenge against a loveless and pathetic social club
that churns through people who don't bow before "the
authority of the leadership."
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"That we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind
of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait
to deceive; But speaking the truth
in love, may grow up into him in all
things, which is the head, even Mashiyach:"
Ephesians 4:14,15 |
No man can
be an island unto himself in the Kingdom of Heaven, no man has all truth
though he may think and posture himself as such.
Regardless of how someone is know to receives criticism or
reproof we are required to honor and respect the souls
of our fellow
man, this means to speak openly, honestly and with love, about
how we are each being led in YHWH, Torah and His
Mashiyach. We do not know if YHWH has sent us to
speak the truth to someone for the salvation of
their own souls or to prove us to see if we prefer Him
over the comforts of religion or both.
Hirelings have no authority from YHWH, they
only have authority by man because they are being endorsed
by man, not by YHWH. It is common among hirelings
to say great swelling words of puffed up recognition
about their upline so as to
swell each others egos before their congregations, the
people have been sold out to the membership of man
rather than the power of the Ruach haKodesh dwelling
within the midst of the congregation. "The hireling flees, because he is a
hireling, and cares not for the sheep." Religion pits people against each
other, it is full of esoteric ideas not
easily judged by concrete facts, it is replete with ideas
easily to manipulate for gain. Religion has shown itself unclean and ruthless
against the sheep, but Yeshua said, those who deny Him
before men, He will also deny them before His Father who
is in Heaven, each of us has a responsibility to uphold
the values and teachings of Yeshua in the Malchut Elohim.
Truth arrays the battle against unrighteousness, against
acts of disobedience and rebellion against YHWH, rather
than the individual. In the religious worlds there
is always a loophole where someone can hate another
person and be justified, or slander and gossip their
enemies who don't bow to their authority.
Yeshua
said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the
teaching, whether it be of Elohim, or whether I speak of
myself." John 7:17. Truth the
opposite of the intellectual white-noise that is common
in anti-Torah fellowships. To be understood Truth must be lived,
observed and rehearsed on a daily basis and this
requires an element of dying to self and producing
sustained Love and Unity within the body of Mashiyach. By
taking an active role in a Beit Din a man is able to
access insights and discernment from YHWH through the
Ruach haKodesh to effectively serve the Body of
Mashiyach. There is no greater satisfaction than
to join our efforts together to bring forth Justice and Righteousness
for ourselves and others who have been made sick by the
unregenerate dying world. Many souls who are seeking
the Kingdom of Elohim are being beaten back for
exercising their Faith, Yeshua said of those
who follow him that they "shall be hated of all men for
my name's sake", the gossip and hatred against the
people of YHWH isn't likely to stop, but more
and more souls are joining together in the high calling if Yeshua
Mashiyach.
YHWH is
providing His authority to walk in
Mashiyach and not be threatened by Babylon or Hellenism
or by the many religious institutions that go against
His Mashiyach.
"And the times of this ignorance Elohim winked at; but
now commands all men every where to repent: Because He
has appointed a day, when He will judge the world in
righteousness by He whom He has ordained; YHWH has given
assurance unto all men, in that He has raised Him from
the dead."
We are each
called to exercise YHWH's authority which is our
individual sovereign authority to walk as Mashiyach walked
and speak
the Name of YHWH and command demons to flee, rather than
be an island and make a retreat from the battle.
As we seek two or more men to pray with and establish YHWH's authority in
our communities we see the Arm of YHWH revealed and the
victories coming to us on every side. Let us each exercise
our YHWH given authority in Mashiyach Yeshua, encourage each man to bring forth
YHWH's teaching,
and the testimony of His Word and each Wonderful insight the Ruach HaKodesh has put upon
our hearts.
Reject one-man-show leaders who glorify their own flesh,
they are carnal, proud and a disgrace
to the Name of YHWH and His Mashiyach, they have no
shame, no accountability and no humility but seek their
own gain that is veiled by a religion. It doesn't
matter what religion a carnal man chooses to emulate,
the carnal nature of man cannot be converted to a
spiritually renewed man by a religion. When we
remove the idols of religion and raise our eyes and our
heads up towards our Father YHWH and keep His Torah with
delight only then can we understand the difference
between man's false religious authority and YHWH's
Perfect authority over our lives and over the lives of
others.
By
observing Torah we elevate the value of all souls
whether Jews or Gentiles and we do not make up false
religious tiered systems that discriminate and prejudice
people against each other.
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"For the
grace of Elohim that brings salvation has
appeared to all men, Teaching us to deny
those things which are against Elohim and
all worldly lusts, but that we should live
soberly, righteously, and holy, in this
present world; Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of
El Elyon and our Saviour Yeshua Mashiyach;
Who gave Himself for us, that He might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works. These things speak, and exhort,
and rebuke with all authority. Let no
man despise you." Titus 2:11-15 |
*Chemarim are "black robed
priests", men wore black robes as a way of showing their
authority and instilling "fear" (respect) of their authority
from others.
This tradition is being practiced in Rabbinical Orthodox Judaism,
Christianity and many other religions, the basis of it is evil and pagan.
YHWH created Set Apart garments for Aaron haGadol
**wine symbolizes teaching,
"Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins: else they
break, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish: but they
put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
Matthew 9:17 Yeshua compared His teaching to "old wine"
Yeshua quotes Jeremiah 6:16 when he says "Come unto me, all you
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls."
Matthew 11:28-29. Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus says YHWH, Stand ye
in the ways, and see, and ask for the Ancient Paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find
rest for your souls." Yeshua was stating that He was
bringing the old wine, the ancient paths.
"Yeshua answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but
His that sent me. If any man will do His will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of Elohim, or whether I
speak of myself." John 7:16,17. Yeshua's teachings
are from everlasting, they are the Ancient Paths, not the new
wine of any contemporary teaching.
new cloth = new wine = fasting
old garment = old wineskin =
ancient paths or ancient teachings of Mashiyach
Yeshua was
teaching that His doctrine is from everlasting, the old wineskin
represents an teacher who is full of ancient wisdom. There
is a saying in Mishna Avoth 4:20 "he who learns from the young,
unto what is he to be compared? Unto one who eats unripe
grapes and drinks wine from his vat, and he who learns from the
old, unto what is he to be compared? Unto one who eats
ripe grapes, and drinks old wine...regard not the
container but that which is therein, there is a new
container full of old wine and an old container in which there
is not even new wine." Even a child who knows of the
ancient paths (has the old wine) is considered wise, one does
not look at the age of the person teaching, but what
he is teaching. An elderly man doesn't automatically have the
old wine, he may not even have the new.
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