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Passover Readiness
Session Two
Personal preparation
Flesh versus Spirit
Examine Your Heart and Mind
Passover Readiness Checklist

Transcribed and edited from video
https://www.answersoflife.com/

Examine me, O YHWH, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
(Psa 26:2 KJV)

This session is about personal preparation and will look at how we examine our heart and mind.

We are getting ready to start the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. This will be Session Two in the presentation series of Passover Readiness. Session One has been recorded and is about lessons from the past, and some of the lessons of the past are pretty interesting. We focused on Ahaz’s and Hezekiah’s kingship and looked at the contrast of how Ahaz was corrupt and operated according to the flesh. He operated according to the knowledge of good and evil.

In contrast, Hezekiah’s reign was centered and focused on reformation of what his father did. Hezekiah, we looked at in the last presentation as a model of the spirit. As a result, we developed the idea of the flesh versus the spirit and are carrying that forward to include our personal preparation for the Passover.

In putting our attention on Session Two, we will focus on being ready for Passover and look at the flesh versus the spirit. We will have a session that will help us to examine ourselves and take a look at scriptures that have to do with trying and examining ourselves, and there will be a readiness checklist to see if we are ready to take the Passover. This will complete with a discussion of the scriptures that are about the Temple of YHWH, the Temple that now resides within us. That is our agenda for today so let’s get started with a bit of review going back to Session number one.

We concluded Session One looking at Ahaz as a model of the flesh versus Hezekiah being a model of the spirit. What we see when we compare the deeds of these two kings is that Ahaz relied on Tiglath Pileser for his protection, in contrast, Hezekiah relied of YHWH for his protection. Ahaz did not do right in YHWH’s eyes and glorified graven images and idols. In contrast, Hezekiah did right in YHWH’s eye and glorified YHWH.

Ahaz built pagan worship centers and worshipped in groves; Hezekiah tore them down and worshipped in the Temple. Ahaz even sacrificed children and had a corrupted Priesthood; in contrast Hezekiah sacrificed burnt offerings according to Torah and purified the Priesthood. Ahaz desecrated the Temple and pursued a Gentile foreign policy, trying to make an insurance plan out of making alliances with foreigners. Hezekiah repaired the Temple and pursued YHWH’s policies. Ahaz brought a curse and shame to the Southern Kingdom and had no memorial at his death. In contrast, Hezekiah brought blessings to the Southern Kingdom and was honored at his death. Ahaz was not buried in the tomb of the kings; however Hezekiah was, he was buried in a prominent tomb of David’s sons. That is what we went over last time and if you missed that presentation, it is available on my website under the tab of Spring Holy Days. You will find it as Passover Readiness Session Number One.

Preparing for Passover
Flesh versus the Spirit

• Dead man’s bones – Mat 23:23-28
• Flesh is weak – Mat 26:41
• Personal choices – Rom 6:16-23

Today we are going to look at ourselves and it starts with me looking at me. The things I have written have been about my introspection and put them into this presentation. We’ll start with the flesh versus the spirit and some comments that Yahushua made about dead man’s bones, of course that is pretty fleshly talking about dead man’s bones.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
(Mat 23:23-28 KJV)

Straining at gnats and swallowing a camel, today we might say majoring in the minors. This is speaking of somebody that doesn’t have the right priorities. He is making an analogy, if you have ears to hear, that he is telling the Pharisees to listen up and I guess I would say the same thing, if you have ears to hear what is being said here today, listen up.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

I particularly like the comment “full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness”. In today’s jargon we might say this is an empty suit, somebody is wearing a real nice suit but there is nothing underneath it. These dead men’s bones and the whited sepulchers that he is talking about are interesting to think about and contemplate. If you have ever been to Jerusalem in the area around, you see a number of mausoleums and places where there are tombs where people are buried. They might look real nice, white, and painted on the outside; apparently they painted them up especially for the Holy Days season so people wouldn’t bump into them and become ceremonially unclean. If you happen to go into the front door of these mausoleums you would find maggots, filth, stink and stench. What an indictment to these Scribes and Pharisees. Of course the Sadducees were not far off this mark either, he doesn’t specifically call them out but they are in the mix as well.

Dead men’s bones are what Yahushua has called these Pharisees, we don’t want to be an empty suit ourselves, but want to be rich in Yahushua’s Spirit and YHWH’s way of life.

Yahushua goes on to talk about how the flesh is weak in Matthew 26.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak ^{G772= strengthless, literally, figuratively and morally}. (Mat 26:40-41 KJV)

That word “weak” in the Greek means strengthless, literally, figuratively and morally the flesh is weak. Indeed it is and that is what we are going to be talking about this time; the weakness of our flesh and how we must be renovated and changed into a new man.

All of this starts with personal choices. We all have personal choices in the directions we go, the decisions we make, and the path that we walk on. It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve, they had choices and decisions. They had two fundamental choices, one to walk according to the tree of life which means walking by faith, or they had the choice of walking by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which is doing it my way, the world’s way, according to my judgment and values. It is quite opposite from walking in faith.

These personal choices are talked about in Romans.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (take your pick) But Elohim be thanked, that ye were ^{previously – added} the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (Is that what we are doing? That form of doctrine that is delivered to us in the scriptures? Are we living that way?) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness ^{G167=physical or moral impurity} and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now (instead) yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (See the choices that we make? Servants of sin or servants of righteousness) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (It’s interesting how Paul says that, when we are servants and yield your members to sin you are free from righteousness.) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to Elohim, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Isn’t eternal life the goal?) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of YHWH is eternal life through Yahushua Messiah our Master. (Rom 6:16-23 KJV)

What a scripture Paul has written to the Romans about the personal choices that we have. A couple of chapters later in Romans 8, Paul expands on this idea of our personal choices.

Preparing for Passover
Flesh vs Spirit

• Dead man’s bones – Mat 23:23-28
• Flesh is weak – Mat 26:41
• Personal choices – Rom 6:16-23
• Law of the spirit versus law of sin/death
  Rom 8:1-13
  – cf. Gal 4:23 Sarah & Hagar
• The List – Gal 5:16-24
• The old man versus the new man Eph 4:22-32
• Sowing to the flesh versus sowing to the spirit – Gal 6:7-10
• Flesh wars with the soul – 1 Pe 2:9-12

Paul calls one choice the law of the spirit and the other the law of sin and death. These are highlighted so you can easily see the comparison. You see the contrast; the law of the spirit of life in Messiah frees us from the law of sin and death.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah Yahushua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (See the contrast, the law of the spirit of life in Messiah frees us from the law of sin and death) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, YHWH sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Take your choice) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please Elohim. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of YHWH dwell in you. (We are in the spirit if so be the Spirit of YHWH dwell in you. The Spirit of YHWH must dwell in us, not just around us and about us but in us.) Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah (This would be the comforter) , he ^{the man} is none of his ^YHWH’s (We are not YHWH’s if we don’t have the Spirit of Messiah or the comforter). And if Messiah be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Yahushua from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Messiah from the dead (Which is YHWH) shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you (Through the comforter, it’s not in the Greek text but that is what it’s getting at. It’s that Spirit, the comforter needs to dwell in us.) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors (to YHWH I have added), not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify ^{G2289=kill, put to death} the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
(Rom 8:1-13 KJV)

If you live through the Spirit you are going to get rid of, you are going to kill, and put to death the deeds of the body, your vile habits, your wrong thinking, and your wrong understanding. You are going to get rid of those things if you are living in the Spirit.

There are a couple of points about this particular scripture. I want to highlight the Spirit of Messiah the comforter. It turns out there are five occurrences of this word “parakletos” which is translated as comforter in the New Testament. The Comforter is YHWH’s spirit through Yahushua. It has to come through Yahushua. We will read three of the five examples and will catch a fourth later.

But the Comforter ^{G3875=parakletos=intercessor, consoler, advocate}, which is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, (Here is the definition of it right here, the Comforter is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my ^Yahushua’s name. That is the definition of parakletos) he ^it shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Joh 14:26 KJV)

Sometimes we get distracted by pronouns and I don’t want to get off base on them. The Comforter that is being described as “he” is actually grammatically correct because the word parakletos is a male gender noun. By contrast, when we look at the word “pneuma” for Spirit, then that is a neuter noun and oftentimes it is translated as “he” but it would be more accurately translated as “it”. Going on in John chapter 15:

But when the Comforter ^G3875=same is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he ^it shall testify of me:
(Joh 15:26 KJV)

The comforter is YHWH’s Spirit; it is his power, force, his authority, his foundation, personality and all of his attributes.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter ^G3875=same will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (Joh 16:7 KJV)

This is an interesting scripture if you just think about it. The Comforter will not come to you unless Yahushua fulfills his mission which was to be crucified and give his life for our sins. Yahushua wasn’t crucified yet in John 16, so he said he had to depart and would send him ^{the Comforter} unto you. There is a qualification that Yahushua must have fulfilled his mission statement to give his life for us, and he did. That is why we have this Comforter or parakletos available to us now. If Yahushua would not have done his sacrifice for us and completed it, we wouldn’t have this parakletos available today.

There is another scripture in Galatians, of course Paul has somewhat of a theme in his writing once you start to examine the depth of how Paul wrote and what he said. The book of Galatians was fundamentally written against the Judaizes and the legalists that were trying to influence the territory of Galatia to follow a different Gospel. Paul is writing against that, and it is interesting in this fourth chapter that Paul said:

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid (Which would be the law of sin and death in our analogy here), the other by a freewoman (Which would be the law of the Spirit). But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Gal 4:22-26 KJV)

This is a great scripture to do a more in-depth study. Actually that would include the entire book of Galatians but this is the heart and core of what Paul was getting at to the Galatians. It is almost counter intuitive what he says because he is comparing the two covenants to the allegory of the two sons of Abraham. The one from Mount Sinai which genders to bondage is Agar. Hagar begat Ishmael, so Agar and Ishmael are referenced here in a derogatory manner from Mount Sinai and that would almost seem counter intuitive to us. Mount Sinai is where the Ten Commandments came from, but Paul is using the opposite to help us understand what the Old Covenant is about.

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children, bondage because of the Old Covenant. Particularly people today, those that haven’t accepted the Messiah and are still in bondage to the Old Covenant. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all, Sarah’s son Isaac is the representation of Jerusalem which is above and which is the mother of us all. This is an interesting scripture for you to contemplate in Galatians that references this topic of the law and the spirit versus the law of sin and death. It also compares the two covenants in the process.

With that background, we will take a look at what I have called over the years, “the list”, and it’s pretty interesting. There are two parts to the list, the first part that we find in Galatians 5 is the law of sin and death, the second part we will go is the law of the spirit. Keeping with this same theme, look how Galatians 5 starts.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law ^{(under the penalty= added)}. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of YHWH. (Gal 5:16-21 KJV)

These are the laws of sin and death and it’s a long list, probably not a comprehensive list but it is a good list. Listen up to these laws of sin and death. We will be looking at the Greek reference to some of these words.

Adultery ^{G3430=adultery} Having a relationship outside the bounds of marriage. Sometimes it can be used as having false idols and gods in our life, we are committing adultery with YHWH by not observing His way.

Fornication ^{G4202=porniah=harlotry, incest, figuratively idolatry} The Greek word here is porniah, so you can see where our porn industry comes from. This word porniah means harlotry, incest and figuratively idolatry, much like adultery can be idolatry, fornication can be too, probably just degrees of. Any degree of though, ends with sin and death.

Uncleanness ^{G167=physical or immoral impurity} By the way, as I read down through this list, does it make anyone squirm? Does it make you nervous about what is being read here? I say don’t raise your hand but repent.

Lasciviousness ^{G6766=aselogeia licentious, lascivious, wanton} The Greek word for lascivious is aselogeia, and it also means licentious which means wanton or filthy or just unbridled lust. There is a lot of lasciviousness and lust in the world today.

Idolatry ^{G1495=idolotriah=image worship} Idolatry itself in the Greek means image worship

Witchcraft ^{G5331=farmakiah=medication, pharmacy, magic} Witchcraft is an interesting Greek word, it comes from the Greek farmakiah. We find it in several places in the New Testament, and it means medication, pharmacy or magic. You can see in the time this was written, probably in the first century CE, that farmakiah context probably was associated with the dark side and magic. It still does to this day. It is interesting that pharmacy comes from this word. Be aware about pharmacy, but does that mean we should not take medication for our ailments? It means be careful of what you do take.

Hatred ^{G2054=hostility, opposition, enmity}

Variance ^{G2051=quarrel, wrangling, contention, debate}

Emulations ^{G2205=heat, jealousy, malice, fervent mind} Emulations comes from the word “zelos”, interestingly enough. A zealous person might be easy to stir up heat under the collar or to stir up jealousy, malice or have a fervent mind.

Wrath ^{G2372=passion, indignation}

Strife ^{G2052=intrigue, faction, stimulate to anger} There are people who like to have a good argument and stimulate people to anger. Some think that is a good trait to have, but it says here that strife and intrigue and stimulating to anger would not be a fruit of YHWH’s Spirit.

Seditions ^{G1370=disunion, dissension}

Heresies ^{G139=hairesis=disunion, take for oneself} Oftentimes somebody that speaks of heresy has just that in mind, they speak something contrary with the idea of peeling off a few people from some group so that they will come to a different group that likes this particular heresy. This is something to be particularly aware of. We have this in the assemblies of the believers today.

Envying’s ^{G5385=ill will, jealousy}

Murders ^{G5408=murder, slaughter}

Drunkenness ^{G3178=methay=intoxicant} We think when we read through this list of works of the flesh that drunkenness has to do with alcohol but it really means any intoxicant. It could be and oftentimes is alcohol, but it could be any type of pharmacy that you get intoxicated with, and it could be a drug habit. In the law of the land today, many states have legalized marijuana, and that is an intoxicant. That would be in the category of drunkenness.

Revellings ^{G2970=komos= carousing as if letting loose, rioting} How about commotion? It means carousing as if letting loose and rioting.

and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of YHWH. (Gal 5:16-21 KJV)

Here is a good list to start with. It isn’t intended that you do all of these things but if you do any one of them you shall not inherit the kingdom of YHWH. That is what Paul says, that’s what I believe, so that’s what we’re showing here what the scripture says.

The contrast to this continues on in Galatians 5 verse 22, and it’s talking about the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit is the same as our comparison to the law of the spirit. It is a shorter list, and Paul has good definition here. Love is at the top of the list where it should be.

But the fruit of the Spirit is ^{law of the spirit}

love ^{G26= agape=affection, benevolence} Love to one another

joy ^{G5479=chara=cheerfulness, calm delight have a calm delight about you, a shininess} Charity

Peace ^{G1515= to join, prosperity, quietness} When someone is at peace they generally have a quiet spirit, they may or may not be prosperous, prosperity doesn’t necessarily come with peace. A very poor person could be rich in YHWH’s spirit and that would be a high degree of spiritual prosperity.

Longsuffering ^{G3115=forbearance, patience}

Gentleness ^{G5544= moral excellence, kindness} Being kind to one another

Goodness ^{G19= virtue or beneficence} be a virtuous person and be outgoing

Faith ^{G4102=persuasion, moral} One of the fruits is our faith, our persuasion our moral conviction, what does our moral conviction lie on, what is the foundation of our faith?

Meekness ^{G4236=gentleness, humility} Being humble in spirit

Temperance ^{G1466=self-control} means not to fly off the handle and be making bad and impetuous decisions. We see today impetuous decisions being made, what is wrong with sleeping on a decision that has to be made? What is wrong with asking YHWH to guide us in the decision process and showing self-control? It isn’t only about intake of intoxicants or food, we have to have temperance with that also, but self-control extends far beyond that to our character and the decisions we make.

against such there is no law.

I like the way this section of the fruits of the spirit ends. Go through a list of these attributes, you do these things; you are not guilty of sin. You are following YHWH’s Spirit.

And they that are Messiah’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Don’t do those things, follow this list of the fruit of the spirit) Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.  (Gal 5:22-26 KJV) 

Paul has another interesting part of our equation of the flesh versus the spirit in the book of Ephesians. Consider this; it’s talking about the old man or the old woman. I know it doesn’t say old woman but it is talking about the old person to be politically correct, the old person versus the new person.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation ^{G391=behavior, conversation} the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed ^{G365=renovate, reform} in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new ^{G2537=kainos=new in freshness vs G3501=neos=youthful, regenerated} man, which after Elohim is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We put off our former conversation; this means our behavior or our conduct. We all have a past and we put that off, we don’t revisit it but set it behind us, we don’t need to look back on it and fondle it, we don’t need to think woe is me because I’ve had all of this past. You repent of your past; you move on and look to the future. You have some of these things in your past because of the lusts that you have had.

In contrast, we are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. Being renewed means to renovate or to reform, as Hezekiah renewed the Temple and the Passover from the last presentation, he had to renew it because his father had corrupted it. So are we to renew and renovate ourselves in the spirit of our mind. We are to put on a new man, and that word “new”, we looked at previously, has two choices in the Greek, one version of new is “kainos” which means brand new and the other is “neos” which means new with respect to age. This word here for the new man is new in freshness versus being simply regenerated as a youthful person. So put on a new man. We put on a new man after baptism, you can put on a new man and you can exercise the new man but it is important to have been baptized to continue on. The new man is going to be created after Elohim in righteousness and holiness.

There are seven verses here for us to consider.

1. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Are we still lying to anyone? Put it away.

2. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

Occasionally anger enters into our life but don’t let the sun go down on it. If you have anger in your heart one day because of some circumstance, don’t let the sun go down on it. Satan will amplify that and stir it up in your mind.

3. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Are you still a thief once in a while? Stealing intellectual property on the intranet would be an example or cheating a little bit on your taxes. We don’t do any of those things, let him that stole steal no more. There is an admonition here to work with your hands so we can help someone else. It’s interesting that it says to work; you know we were all intended to work and there is a job for anyone even at the lowest level. If you can only work ten hours a week doing something then you should be doing it.

4. Let no corrupt ^{G4550=rotten, worthless} communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying ^building, that it may minister grace unto the hearers

Rotten and worthless communication, there is a lot of that today. People send-off colored jokes around, they send conspiracy theories around that are worthless and rotten. It’s a part of our communication and few of the conspiracy theories have been proven. People are intrigued, and Satan likes to stir things up for people up to think about. It says let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, and I will add out of your email, but that which is good to the use of edifying. We should be able to say things that build people up.

5. And grieve not ^{cause grief to} the holy Spirit of YHWH, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption ^{G629=ransom paid in full}.

That day of redemption is when the ransom is paid in full. The word ransom is interesting because when we think of the word ransom perhaps you think someone got kidnapped, they were innocent, they got kidnapped, and now someone else has to pay a ransom fee to get this innocent person freed. Our day of redemption isn’t because we are innocent; we are being ransomed because we are guilty. Yahushua has paid the price for us so that ransom has been paid in full. That is actually what this season is all about.

It might be a clumsy translation “and grieve not the Holy Spirit”, what it is getting at is causing the Holy Spirit to grieve. It would be as if you have kids and you are going along fine and the kids are doing fine and then all of a sudden one day at dinner one of the kids says something that makes you wonder why they said or did that. You are grieved because of what they did or said. We don’t want YHWH’s Spirit to have that reaction to our life and our circumstances and what we say and do so don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by what we say and do and how you behave.

6. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice ^badness:

Malice means plain old badness; that is what Strong’s Concordance says it is. That is a pretty broad category so put all badness away from you, bitterness, wrath anger and clamor, and the bottom line in Ephesians 4 is the last verse and what a way to complete this.

7. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted ^{G2155=sympathetic, compassioned}, forgiving one another, even as YHWH for Messiah’s sake hath forgiven you.
(Eph 4:22-32 KJV)

We don’t want to forget how we have been forgiven which is a mountain of sin in our past and I am grateful for YHWH to have forgiven me. That also means that I am responsible and must forgive others. YHWH’s forgiveness of me is proportional my forgiving others that perhaps have offended me.

This is the old man versus the new man, you can ask yourself the questions that are right before you in this very chapter of Ephesians chapter 4, and ask yourself, where do I stand with this?

Paul goes on in Galatians 6 where he is talking about sowing to the flesh versus sowing to the spirit, so it is a continuation of this theme that we started on.

Be not deceived; Elohim is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh ^{the law of sin and death} shall of the flesh reap corruption ^{G5356=decay, ruin, perish}; but he that soweth to the ^{added: law of the spirit} Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting ^{G166=perpetual, forever}. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:7-10 KJV)

“For whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap”, I would say that is karma, “you reap what you sow”. This scripture is another great admonition by Paul, as you have the opportunity; everyone may not have the opportunity but let us do good to all men, not just the household of faith. There isn’t a limit on only doing good and helping the household of faith or the community of believers in Yahushua. We do good to all men as we have the opportunity.

The flesh wars with your soul, I don’t know if you have thought about this when you have some thought or a situation in your mind, it seems like a war that is going on. You want to get your arms around what is going on and having the right attitude, but our carnal mind fights with us and it is a war. The word war is used here in 1 Peter.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar ^{G4047=acquired, purchased} people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of YHWH: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war ^{G4754=serve in military campaign, contend with carnal inclinations} against the soul; Having your conversation ^{G391=behavior or conduct} honest ^{G2570=good morally, virtuous} among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify YHWH in the day of visitation. (1Pe 2:9-12 KJV)

If you didn’t look at what peculiar means you would say that we as Believers are a pretty peculiar group of people. There is a lot of peculiarity with the different personalities but the word peculiar means that we are acquired or purchased.

People that you witness to today maybe they are your neighbors, work associates or someone of your family, they see your behavior. They see how you live and may call you out as an evil doer, or avoid you because they don’t understand, but when YHWH returns in that day of visitation, these people will eventually have their opportunity for salvation. They are going to understand how all of the pieces fit together and understand Uncle Joe’s odd behavior. This is somewhat how the mystery suddenly becomes unfolded for them.

Peter says “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” This word war is interesting because in the Greek it is used in the context of serving in a military campaign. Obviously it is also used in context of contending with your carnal inclinations. The point I think is useful is for serving in a military campaign, war is hell, it’s hard, it ends in death and misery and when we have war in our flesh it is no different, particularly if we lose the battle. We end up with death. This war that we have in our flesh is something that we need to be aware of and use all of the tools of YHWH’s Spirit to combat it. James also uses this same word in one of his scriptures.

From whence come wars ^{G4171=warfare} and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war ^{G4754=serve in military campaign, contend with carnal inclinations} in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war ^{G4170=from G4171, be engaged in warfare}, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with YHWH? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of YHWH. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? ^{The pride dwelling in us lusts with envy – HBR} (Jas 4:1-5 KJV)

If you think about it in your own life, that is exactly what we have. We have our own spirit in us and our human spirit lusts to envy. Our spirit does that naturally as a human being because we normally humanly pick the knowledge of good and evil in our approach to life. It is rare that a person is actually operating by the tree of life and operating by faith. There are very few that do that but that is what this is talking about. This military war that is going on inside of us when we have lust and lust is at the bottom line of it all, not just lust of a man or a woman lusting for one another but a lust of all of the opportunities and this Babylonian society that we live in allows us to have lust for lots of areas in our life.

Love YHWH With All Your Heart
Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Now what Yahushua said in Matthew 22 is that there are two fundamental commands. They are not only these commands but these are the fundamentals. If you know the account, it’s described that a lawyer is asking Yahushua about this. This lawyer is a skilled doctor of the Mosaic Law, a guy that was a scribe and went on to earn a PHD in Torah. This lawyer asks the Master which is the great commandment in the law, of course he is trying to trap Yahushua into saying number 6 is more important than number 1, or number 4 is no more important than number 10, is what he is trying to get at here.

^{Lawyer asks} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Yahushua said unto him, Thou shalt love the YHWH thy Elohim with all thy heart ^{G2588=kardia=thoughts, feelings, mind}, and with all thy soul ^{G5590=psuche=breath of life}, and with all thy mind ^{G1271=dianoia=deep thought}. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Mat 22:36-40 KJV)

Yahushua said that most important is to love YHWH our Elohim with all our heart. This word heart is “kardia” in the Greek, cardiac would be the English word that we would understand that is an extension of this Greek word. It doesn’t mean just the muscle that pumps blood through you; this word heart in context, kardia means your thoughts, feelings and mind. Now it takes it to a much deeper level when you love YHWH with all your heart, you thoughts, feelings and mind.

Yahushua also said to love YHWH with all of your soul. The word soul is “psuche” and it means the breath of life. We are a soul, we don’t have one. Mainstream Christianity oftentimes wants to make this psuche to be something that leaves us when we die. It isn’t, it’s what we have now here in this life. We are a living soul, we don’t have one.

Also we are to love YHWH with all of our mind. This Greek word is “dianoia” and it means deep thought. Do you have deep thought? Do you have thoughts at all? Do you have thoughts and feelings and mind that is a part of your heart? Yes, you do, maybe you haven’t thought of it in this context, but this is what is important and most importantly it’s the great or the mega commandment. Love YHWH with all of your heart, soul, and all of your mind.

The second commandment is like it. It has the same characteristics it’s all about your heart, mind and soul, we should love our neighbor with that sort of intensity also. It means you would do no harm to your neighbor. On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets.

I will take a side-bench discussion to talk about the terminology “the law and the prophets”. When people see this, depending on the context, oftentimes someone that is Torah oriented forgets that the word “prophets” is here. They will say it’s about the law, and what I would like you to consider is this terminology, “for the law and the prophets” is about Yahushua. Let me show you why I think that. In Luke 24, Yahushua is talking to them, this is after his resurrection, the same day, and I believe this was on the first day of the week.

And he ^Yahushua said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luk 24:44 KJV)

Heads up when you see this terminology, law, prophets, or law prophets and Psalms, it is talking about all of the characteristics and the attributes that Yahushua would fulfill concerning him, his deeds, what he would do. It isn’t talking about keeping the law. There are eleven of these scriptures by the way that relate to the law and prophets. I challenge you to go find them all in the New Testament and see if what I am telling you is true.

But now the righteousness of YHWH apart ^{G5565=at a space separate} from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (Rom 3:21 NKJV)

This is talking about Yahushua; the law doesn’t bring us to Yahushua, the law, the prophets and the Psalms talk about Yahushua and his coming. The foundational scripture in a person or a group’s belief system, would be Matthew 5:17

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Mat 5:17 KJV)

People read this in a manner of different ways. Many people read it to say “Don’t think I’ve come to destroy the law, I’ve come to fulfill it.” That isn’t what he is saying, he is saying don’t think I’ve come to destroy the law or the prophets, I’ve come to fulfill. He is talking about all of those prophecies about himself. He has come to fulfill them. I think if you start looking at these eleven instances of the law and the prophets, you will see that what I am telling you is correct. It is often misunderstood by many people.

With that slight side-bench discussion, let’s also examine where Yahushua got what he said. Did he just make it up at the point in time that he was talking to the lawyer? No he did not. Both of the statements about loving YHWH and loving your neighbor come out of Torah itself. The first one we find in Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Hear ^{8085=shawmah=hear intelligently}, O Israel: YHWH our Elohim is one YHWH ^{YHWH is one- NKJV} : And thou shalt love YHWH your Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (Deu 6:4-6 KJV)

Deuteronomy chapter 6 is just after chapter 5 where the Ten Commandments were repeated again by Moses as they were sitting in the land of Moab getting ready to go into the Promised Land. YHWH had wanted the Israelites to love Him with all their heart, soul and might just as Yahushua said in Matthew 22. Obviously they were not capable of doing it; so they had to have added to them a sacrificial system. That is all they had at that point in time, but they were really incapable of the level of honor and worship that the heart, soul and mind level. What Yahushua is telling us is that he came and gave his life for us and now we are capable with all of our heart, soul and mind. Loving our neighbor as our self is a quote from Leviticus 19.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon ^{but rebuke your neighbor frankly, so that you won’t carry sin because of him – CJB} him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YHWH. (Lev 19:17-18 KJV)

It is better stated in the Complete Jewish Bible where it says “but rebuke your neighbor frankly, so that you won’t carry sin because of him”. If you have some grievance against your neighbor you should go tell him. In fact it works well, it’s not that you are angry with your neighbor but sometimes something comes up that you need to address. Our neighbors do address it, and we address it so that we all get along in a wonderful way and have love and respect for one another.

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YHWH

It’s interesting to go on in Leviticus 19 the very next verses have to do with animal husbandry and not mixing different kinds of animals. It would be something like mixing a horse and a donkey, or cattle and bison or yaks and bison or different animals that can co-mingle together to produce offspring. The scriptures show us not to do that, and it shows us not to co-mingle our seeds in the garden.

There are things in the garden like squash and cucumber or turnips and carrots as well as dill and beans these are things that don’t mix well. The very next set of lines of verses right after this, loving your neighbor as yourself talks about that, and also about mixing different types of clothing material like linen and wool, why is that all there? It is there so we don’t produce a corrupted product that we end up trading or selling to our neighbor and diminishing what YHWH has already done.

We are to love our neighbor as our self and we are going to honor YHWH’s laws in the process. We can love our neighbor by producing good products that we can trade with them. Maybe you haven’t thought of it that way but go take a look in Leviticus 19 and see what your conclusion is.

I want to go over the Greek and Hebrew of some of these words that we are talking about, we will start particularly with the heart.

Personal Preparation
Preparing the Heart
H3820 – Labe = feelings, will, intellect, wisdom

This is part of our personal preparation by the way. We want to prepare our heart for Passover. What do we mean by that? Well, the first word we’ll look at in Hebrew will be the word for heart which is “labe”. In Hebrew it means our feelings, will, intellect, and wisdom. So again, it’s well beyond the muscle that pumps blood through us. The inner core of our being is what this is talking about. We will find the majority of usages of this word occur in Psalms and Proverbs and in the book of Jeremiah. Take a few examples to see what this means.

• Psa 26:2 Examine me, O YHWH, and prove me; try my reins and my heart ^{H3820 feelings, will, and intellect} .
•  Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart ^H3820, O Elohim; and renew a right spirit within me. 
• Psa 101:2  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart ^{H3824=used like H3820} .  This word “heart” is a variant of labe, but it’s used like it. We are going to walk in my house with a perfect heart, our feelings, will and intellect and wisdom. Pure clean and straightforward.
• Psa 119:2  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart ^H3820. 

The whole heart, does that describe me or you? Are you seeking him with your whole set of feelings, will, intellect and wisdom, or are you seeking your own agenda?

• Pro 4:23  Keep thy heart ^{H3820=feelings, will, intellect and wisdom} with all diligence; for out of it are the issues ^{H8444=deliverance, source} of life. 

We need to keep or guard our heart, be careful of it. It is how we are delivered, the source of our life. What is in our feelings, will, and intellect in our heart is the source of our life.

• Pro 16:23  The heart ^H3820 of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

What a good foundation principal, you want to be wise? Have proper will, intellect and feelings, driven and led by YHWH’s Spirit.

• Pro 23:12  Apply thine heart ^H3820 unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 

We also find this same word “labe” used in Jeremiah 31, this is about the prophecy of a new covenant and notice:

• Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ^H3820; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. 

When Jeremiah wrote this, it was at the end of the kingdom of Judah and just before they went into captivity in 587 BCE. He said there was going to be a covenant that is going to be made after those days, YHWH said he would put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts, their feelings, will, intellect and wisdom, and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. This is a prophecy of the New Covenant to come, and as I have mentioned at the beginning of this particular page, the number of matches you find of this word “labe” in Hebrew is high numbers. There are nearly six hundred matches and about one third of them are in the books of Psalms and Proverbs. About another ten percent are in the book of Jeremiah so they contain quite a high number of usages of this word “labe”, feelings, will, intellect and wisdom.

Personal Preparation
Preparing the Heart
G2588 – kardia = thoughts, feelings, mind

In the Greek, the same word for heart is “kardia”, fundamentally it means the same as we saw in Hebrew meaning thoughts, feelings and mind.

• Mat 5:8  Blessed are the pure ^{G2513=clean, clear} in heart ^G2588 for they shall see YHWH. 

The clean, clear in heart are blessed.

• Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart ^G2588 be also. 

You can see where a person’s treasure is by just being around them for a short period of time. It doesn’t take too long to see what their focus and attention is, that is where their treasure is and that’s where their heart, their thoughts, feelings and mind is.

• Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart ^G2588 bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart heart ^G2588 bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart ^G2588 his mouth speaketh. 

This is a good axiom to keep when you talk to people to be aware. Again what is a person talking about? Because out of the abundance of a person’s heart, which means his thoughts, feelings and mind his mouth will be going. What is he or she talking about? What a person is talking about, what they write about, what they comment on and the direction of their life goes is all evident of what is at the center core of their being.

• Rom 6:17  But YHWH be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart ^G2588 that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 

This is talking about the doctrine that is delivered; it is being anchored in your thoughts, feelings and mind.

• Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart ^G2588 be established with grace ^{G5485=charis=graciousness, the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life}; not with meats ^{G1033=ceremonial sacrifices (Levitical system)}, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.  ^{We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Yahushua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Heb 13:10-13 KJV)}

Grace is YHWH’s Spirit is the divine influence on us and on our heart. How is it reflecting in your life? Is there a reflection, a light on a hill or is it hidden under a bushel basket? How about underneath a bag on your face? It’s interesting that it goes on to say not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein, a number of commentaries think this is talking about clean and unclean food but they haven’t bothered to read on because it’s talking about sacrificial ceremonial sacrifices. Hebrews 13:10-13 is not talking about clean and unclean meat.

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Yahushua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Heb 13:10-13 KJV)

• 1Pe 1:22  Seeing ye have purified ^{G48=make clean, sanctify} your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned ^{G505=sincere, without hypocrisy} love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure ^G2513=clean heart ^G2588 fervently ^{G1691=without ceasing, intently} : 

A very pure heart fervently; this is a strong verse from Peter.

• 1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart ^G2588, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of YHWH of great price. 

Your humility in your thoughts, feelings and mind and ought to be evident with a quiet spirit.

Personal Preparation
Examine Yourself – what does YHWH see?
H974 – bawkhan= to test, investigate, examine, prove, try

One other word to look at is to test, investigate, examine, prove and try. Does YHWH see us as being approved? What does YHWH see when the tests in fact do come? Keep in mind we are talking about the personal preparation for Passover, and we are talking about examining ourselves but what does YHWH see? He sees all so there isn’t any place you can go that he doesn’t see. This word for test in Hebrew is “bawkhan”.

1Ch 29:17-19 KJV I ^David know also, my Elohim, that thou triest ^H974 the heart ^{H3824=used like H3820=labe=feelings, will, intellect, wisdom} , and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart ^H3824=same I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O YHWH Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart ^H3824=same of thy people, and prepare their heart ^H3824=same unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart ^H3824=same, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace ^Temple, for the which I have made provision.

David is talking about providing the material for building the Temple; Solomon will be the project manager and do the construction. Notice that he says “give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart”, David asked YHWH for that. It seemed as though Solomon had a perfect heart, look at all of the Proverbs Solomon wrote.

Solomon has been thought of as the wisest man, unfortunately he didn’t end well. He started well, he probably is not in the resurrection because he made pagan altars at the end, and he followed the pagan idolatrous practices of his many wives. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. How could that be? His heart became deceived in the end. David wanted his son to have a perfect heart but he didn’t. The example of this ought to be striking to us. Yes, we want to start anything we do well but I would argue that it is better to finish well than to start well.

We want to do both if we can, but most of us are now in many years of being a believer and now is the time not to let up. We don’t want to end like Solomon did; we want to end well and with a perfect heart. We should be improving and not degenerating and falling into corruption. We should be improving our life and becoming pure and clean in all aspects.

• Job 23:8-11 – Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried ^H974 me (he has investigated, he has examined me, he knows I’m going to respond because he is trying me.) I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

I should mention that I don’t believe that YHWH puts stumbling blocks out in front of us. When we are talking about being tried it’s not as though YHWH putting stumbling blocks in front of us. Satan does, and one of his main stumbling blocks is lust. If you have that stumbling block in your life in any way, shape, or form, know where it is coming from, it’s not YHWH putting it there, Satan is putting it there. YHWH is obviously watching and examining he allows time and circumstances to go by. YHWH clearly sees the choices we make, choose the tree of life not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

• Psa 139:23-24 – Search me, O El, and know my heart ^{H3820=labe=feelings, will, intellect, wisdom}: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

If we have wicked hearts YHWH knows about them but we want to be led in the way everlasting, the way to eternity.

• Psa 26:1-12  A Psalm of David. Judge me, O YHWH; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in YHWH; therefore I shall not slide. 

(2)  Examine ^{H974=test, improve} me, O YHWH, and prove me; try ^{H6884=to fuse metal, refine} my reins and my heart ^{H3820=labe=feelings, will, intellect, wisdom}. 

I want to make a comment here about the word “try” in this application. It is a Hebrew word different than the word bawkhan that we are focusing on. This word “try” means to fuse metal and refine my reins. If you know anything about welding, there is arc and settling. Both of them are very hot, arc being the hotter than a settling, but when you fuse metals together in welding, it is happening as a result of heat. The trying of our reins is probably like that, at least sometimes. There is heat that is involved, it’s a hot process. The choices are extreme and it is like fusing or refining metal. It is interesting to know that he is saying to try my reins and my heart.

We know what the heart is well enough now, our feelings, thoughts, and innermost being, our reins is something like our steering wheel. We have reins when we ride a horse so you know you can give the horse the indication to go right or left, to stop or other commands. What are your reins? How are you steered? Where is your heart?

(3)  For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. 
(4)  I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers ^{H5956=veil from sight, conceal, hide (hypocrites-CJV/HCSB/NKJV}. 

Dissemblers means hypocrites, there are a lot of hypocrites in this world do we go with them? We don’t want to be a part of that. Maybe you have to work with them from time to time but you certainly don’t have to be associates and collaborate.

(5)  I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 
(6)  I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O YHWH
(7) That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 
(8)  YHWH, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. 
(9)  Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 
(10) In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 
(11)  But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. 
(12)  My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless YHWH.

I like the ending verse “My foot stands in an even place”. We have a lot of uneven ground where we live, yes we have flat land around but we have to watch our step. It is easy to step into a hole, or walk on uneven ground and twist an ankle, but when we get on flat ground, we feel secure. When we are on flat ground we don’t have to worry about our next step because we are on an even place. That is what we want to do with examining ourselves and having YHWH test us. We want to be on good flat solid ground. We don’t want to worry about our next step; we need to keep our spiritual footing on flat ground.

Jeremiah 17:9 came to mind at this point in this presentation. Jeremiah 17:9 is probably the one scripture that got my attention years ago, back in the 70’s when I first started to have a little bit of understanding. Unfortunately most people still haven’t gotten this understanding today.

• Jer 17:9-10 – The heart ^{H3820=labe=feelings, will, intellect, wisdom} is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I YHWH search the heart ^H3820=same I try ^H974 the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 

I hope that is stunning to anyone listening to these words. Your/my heart is deceitful so I can just read it using myself as the pronoun. My human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? YHWH knows it, I might reject that my heart is wicked, but YHWH knows it is. Until you come to the realization that is who you are as a human being, you probably won’t make much progress in the community of believers in Yahushua.

YHWH searches the heart and try the reins, they investigate, examine, YHWH and Yahushua watch what we do; karma is in effect here. Every man will be given according to his ways and according to the fruits of his doing.

There are two takeaways in this presentation that if you did nothing else and took these two takeaway items, this is number one of two. Number one is Jeremiah 17:9. Your/my heart is deceitful without YHWH’s Spirit there is no hope for us, we are lost. We need a heart transplant; there is no medication we can take to fix our deceitful heart. The only medical procedure is a renovated and renewed man. The heart needs to be replaced with YHWH’s heart and His Spirit.

Personal Preparation
Examine Yourself – what does YHWH see?
G1381 – dokimadzo = to test, to approve, discern, try

A couple of examples about that:

• Rom 12:1-3 KJV – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable ^{G3050=logikos, logical} service. And be not conformed ^{G4964=fashioned like, conform to same pattern} to this world: but be ye transformed ^{G3339=metamorpho=transfigure} by the renewing ^{G341=renovation} of your mind, that ye may prove ^G1381=test what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of YHWH. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as YHWH hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

This scripture is jam packed; we should present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy acceptable, clean and pure to YHWH which is our logical or rational service.

“And be not conformed”, The word conformed here means fashioned like or conformed to the same pattern of this world. Are we conformed? Is our lifestyle fashioned like and conformed to the pattern of this world? Instead we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

The word transform is “metamorpho”, this is the Greek equivalent of what we see in biology called metamorphosis, the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly if you will, and it is the same word at its root, metamorpho. We are to be transformed and it’s something like that. I think the biological transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly is a good one. What starts out, the genetics of what starts out ends up being different and the pattern of what the butterfly has is altogether different than the pattern of the caterpillar is that it came from so it is transformed, it’s metamorpho.

This word metamorpho is also used in the transfiguration, in the chapters that talk about the transfiguration as in Luke 9, Mark 9, and Matthew 17, the word is also used in 2 Corinthians 3. This transformation, when Peter, John and James went with Yahushua to the mountain and Yahushua was transfigured, he was metamorpho. That is the same Greek word, so many people think that he went to heaven, this was a transfiguration, he was metamorphosed, if you will. When that event happened it was a figure, Moses and Elijah came in this transfiguration, it’s the same word, you can do your own comparison beyond this but that is what we are to be. We are to be transformed in that same way, we are to be transfigured by the renewing of our mind and the word renewing means a renovation.

If it’s a renovation, it’s a remodel project. If you are going to renovate a building or a house you tear out the old infrastructure, take the walls down to the studs and you rebuild. That is what is being talked about here; we need to renovate our mind to that degree. Get rid of our old conformity to this world. Unfortunately some still have conformity to this world and have not been transfigured.

The scripture goes on to say:

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as YHWH hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Nothing that I am talking about should cause any ego or great swelling of your head. It actually ought to be the opposite; we need to get rid of that. The only character we want is YHWH’s character in our life and his spirit.

• Gal 6:3-5 KJV – For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove ^1381=test his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.

You worry about you, and I worry about me, we don’t worry about proving each other’s work, we just stick to our own knitting.

• Eph 5:9-11 KJV – For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; Proving ^{G1381=testing, to approve, discern, try} what is acceptable unto YHWH. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Call them out; be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove when you do that though. Be careful about being over-zealous with some of these behaviors. Yes, there is a time and a place to call someone out but use wisdom if you end up in that situation.

• Php 1:9-11 KJV – And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve ^{G1381 testing, to approve, discern, try} things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Messiah; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Yahushua Messiah, unto the glory and praise of YHWH.

We are to dokimadzo these things that are excellent, search them out, try them. One last related word to testing and scrutinizing and discipline is piradzo.

Personal Preparation
Examine Yourself – what does YHWH see?
G3985 – piradzo = to test, scrutinize, discipline

Piradzo is similar but a different Greek word.

• 2Co 13:5-7 KJV – Examine ^{G3985=discipline} yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove ^{G1381=dokimadzo=to test, approve, discern, try} your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Yahushua Messiah is in you, except ye be reprobates ^{G96=unapproved, rejected, worthless}? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates ^G96=same. Now I pray to YHWH that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates ^G96=same.
• Heb 2:17-18 KJV – Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to YHWH, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted ^{G3985= to test, scrutinize, discipline}, he is able to succour ^{G997=aid, help} them that are tempted ^G3985.

Yahushua was tested himself, he was scrutinized by the Father and passed his test with no failure, and he is now able to succor, to aid and help us that are being tested scrutinized or disciplined.

• Jas 1:12-14 KJV – Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ^{G3986=from G3985=adversity, a putting to proof by experiment of good}: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which YHWH hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted ^G3985, I am tempted ^G3985 of YHWH: for YHWH cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth ^G3985 he any man: But every man is tempted ^G3985, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

YHWH doesn’t tempt us, Satan does that. It is us, it’s Satan, it is that airwave and that connection that causes us to be drawn away, it is our lust and enticement.

Passover Readiness Checklist
Participation Prerequisites – RCA

• Forgiveness
  A time of friendship
  A time of forgiveness and reconciliation
  A time to grant pardon
  Forgiveness cancels debt
• Reconciliation
  Reconciliation requires repentance of the offender
  Without repentance there can be no reconciliation
  Without repentance there is not unity
  Honor one another with the gift of reconciliation

With that foundation and background, we can take a look at a checklist that I have put together and some of the prerequisites that are necessary for our Passover readiness. I have likened this to be something like in the business or engineering world of root cause analysis. The root cause analysis of our failures unfortunately oftentimes only looks at the symptoms and not the cause. True root cause analysis looks at what caused the failure, in a root cause analysis in an engineering field, you want to get to what caused the failure, the electronic or the mechanical failure and what was the source of it. You have to go way back to the beginning design and architecture in order to understand what the root cause of the failure is.

We have to do the same thing; we have to get to the root cause of our failures and misgivings. One of them I want to address in this checklist is forgiveness. Forgiveness is paramount at this time of the year at Passover. It is one item that must be tended to in our own personal readiness. Forgiveness is a time during the Passover of friendship so if we are going to have friendship in the Passover there has to be forgiveness. It is a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.

There are two parts to becoming united with someone. Forgiving them for what they did is certainly one aspect of it, but the other component you may have not thought about and that is reconciliation. It takes two to reconcile, one party in a relationship can forgive the other but if I have offended you and you say “I forgive you for what you have done”, that is all good and well but there can’t be reconciliation between us unless I ask you to forgive me and I come to you to reconcile. Once I do that you will say “certainly we can reconcile”, I would say that this is something that is sorely missing in the community of Believers. It certainly is sorely missing in the business world. If you have a job and a responsibility working with other people, there is opportunity for forgiveness in your job environment and there certainly is in the assemblies of Messiah department but there is also opportunity for reconciliation and it is a relatively simple process to state, maybe more difficult to do because of circumstances, but you simply go to someone and say that you know that I did wrong and thank you for forgiving me but I really would like to reconcile with you. What would happen is that the hearts will melt, the love will be reestablished and the forgiveness will be mutual. There will be unity not only forgiveness but reconciliation.

Now is the time to grant not only pardon, but also to reconcile. When we do this our forgiveness effectively cancels the debt that got generated by the offense.

Reconciliation requires repentance of the offender so the person that caused the offense is the one that needs to go reconcile. Without repentance there can be no reconciliation so this is a simple process and probably simple to understand, maybe more difficult in application because you have to humble yourself to want to reconcile.

Without true repentance and reconciliation there can’t be unity. You can forgive for the offense and you are fine, you are clean before YHWH, but the other party is not if they have not gone the extra step to reconcile. We want to honor one another with the gift of reconciliation in the best way we can. Sometimes it means going back a number of years because of a situation that happened, if it is practical to do. You certainly don’t want to go back to someone you haven’t seen for fifteen or twenty years, I’m talking about the general here and now.

Some check-off items:

• If you hold a grudge – stop
• If you owe someone money – pay it
  This is a common one in the believing community, people in the believing community borrow money from one another for whatever purpose, and “Well you, you know, we keep the Sabbath, and we all you know, you’ll understand that I don’t pay you back.” And nothing is ever said. Well, nothing is ever said translates into three years later nothing is still ever said, but the person that lent the money still remembers that you owe money when I see you but you never say anything about it. What kind of an example is that? Well, the person that lent the money may have well forgiven it, but you don’t know that. You can’t assume that so if you owe somebody money it doesn’t matter if he is a believer or not, if you owe someone money, somebody like your neighbor, or your work associate or colleague, you go pay it back or make arrangements to pay it back. Maybe you can’t pay it all at once but you need to fess up and clean up that part of your life.
• If you have cheated someone – own up to it and go fix it, just say I made a mistake here, I knew that I sold you five of these items and only gave you three, you paid me for five and I still owe you. Fess up go own up to these problems that you have with these sorts of things.
• If you gossip – cease
• If you have lust – quit. Lust is not just between male and female, there are lots of items of lust; it could be a job, it could be something you want to buy, a house, a car, a boat, or maybe you are looking for a mate and you are lusting to have a mate. It could be anything; lust is one of those things in life that really is insidious and stealthy if we are not careful. If you have any kind of lust you need to get rid of it. Of course common lust is lust for the flesh today and people that are oriented to pornography. Unfortunately there are some in the assembly that are closet observers of pornography and every now and then somebody comes out. If you have ears to hear may it be so.
• If you are lacking love for your brother – fix it
• If you owe someone an apology – apologize, this is something like cheating or stealing from someone or having a grudge, it’s along the same line. If you owe an apology go apologize.
• If you have addictions – overcome them, it is like the lust we just looked at, addictions come in many forms. You can be addicted to the internet, watching movies, certain patterns of the way you do things. Our addictions are not always the methay in the Greek kind of addictions like medications or intoxicants. Addictions can come in many forms.
• If you possess devotional symbols – burn them

A little about devotional symbols because I would think even the true believers that have been around for some amount of time, if you would go look in some of your drawers and closets, you are going to find some of the things that I am going to talk about that you that you have long forgotten about. The reason I know this, including the list I have given you is because I am fundamentally guilty of all of these items at some point in my life. As I write them down I have three fingers pointing back at me when I point my finger out and am not pointing my finger at anyone in particular. I have to be very careful because I have these three fingers pointing back at myself. I know how to write these things because of my guilt in the past and I am hoping they are useful to you.

Devotional items that are idols are an interesting one. Actually in the last couple of years, my wife Linda and I just went looking in drawers for old things to see if we had anything like this. We did! We found items that we moved after my parents died. My parents tried to honor God in the way that they knew. My mom had prayer beads and crucifix and stuff like that. We had packed all of that stuff away when we moved and brought it to Montana. Eventually we discovered them not long ago.

Here are some of the items that we have run across and have seen in other places we have visited. All of this gets down to obeying the third Commandment. By the way, the Commandments we have numbered one through ten is a librarians system. There wasn’t a numbering system as they were given in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. You can catalogue them to 10 easily. The third Commandment says:

Thou shalt have no other Elohim before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ^H6459=idol, or any likeness ^{H8544=something portioned, a shape, phantom, embodiment, manifestation} of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: (Exo 20:3-4 KJV)

• Representation of a god used as an object of worship
• Art or pictures
• Jewelry
• Figurines/statues
• Divination accessories
• Horoscopes

Some people think that it is for personal use, they think they can have these things because they are for their own personal use and say they don’t see it this way. YHWH sees it that you should not have those things. Don’t make any graven image, means an idol or a likeness. The word likeness means something portioned, a shape, a phantom, something that has an embodiment, or a manifestation of YHWH. You don’t do that. You don’t do it from any pattern that you see in the sky, the heaven above, on the earth where we stand, or in the earth beneath and the water under the earth. If you think about that, there’s not anything that is not included in those three categories, the heaven, the earth and the water. There is no reason to have any of these types of graven images in your presence. These images are a representation of a God which is used as an object of worship. If you consider what some of these might be, it could be art or pictures on your wall. It could be jewelry that you have, which was one thing we found to have brought to Montana from Colorado. We found jewelry from my mom.

There are figurines and statutes, some people like to have the Madonna holding baby Jesus as a little statue in their living room thinking that is righteous. Some may have Yahushua may be hanging on a cross someplace in their house; these are manifestations of graven images.

Divination accessories are another that we have run across. People that claim to be a believer but find that all of a sudden something has to be decided. All of a sudden they say they need to get a bauble out to see how it should go. It is surprising to find they need to dangle a bauble to find an answer. When digging a well for water, it isn’t uncommon to get a well witch. All of these things are amazing when you start thinking about them. Hopefully these things are for your edification and perhaps I am ringing a bell. Perhaps you have something in your garage, in a back room or in a chest or drawer that you have forgotten about.

Horoscopes are another one. I sure hope that we don’t have anyone in the believing community that is still reading horoscopes. These are all graven images and devotional items. Burn them if you can, but if you can’t throw them in the trash.

• If you haven’t been Baptized – make it your number one priority ^{He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Per Yahushua – Mar 16:16)}

Baptism is most important on this list, I said there were two items to take away, and one is Jeremiah 17: 9 and the second takeaway is if you haven’t been baptized and you are hearing these words, you need to make it your number one priority. There may not be many days for this to happen. I am not saying we are imploding next Monday but society is cratering and the world is coming to an end. The number of days we have is one less today than it was yesterday. If you haven’t been baptized properly, sprinkled isn’t considered to be properly baptized.

What did Yahushua say at the end of Mark 16? He that believes shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned. (Per Yahushua – Mar 16:6) so he that believes shall be saved that is what a lot of people say this says. Notice what it says though, but notice there is two parts to being saved. He that believes and is baptized, this requires you not only believe, but that you are baptized also and you shall be saved. Either part that is missing doesn’t end in your salvation. In other words it doesn’t end well. If you haven’t been baptized, make it your number one priority. That is takeaway two of two.

Look what happened to the Assembly in Ephesus, it was a strong group of believers in the early part of the first century. What happened? Revelation 2:

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen ^{G1601=drop away, driven out of your course, become inefficient} , and repent ^{G3340=metanoeho=think differently, reconsider}, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent ^G3340=same. (Rev 2:5 KJV)

Metanoeho, think differently, repentance means that when somebody says “I’m sorry I offended you or I did something” and they say I’m sorry, certainly that is what you say, you say I’m sorry. The question is, have you really repented? Repentance isn’t just saying that you are sorry, repentance means that you start thinking differently and that you reconsider a different path for the next time. Our thinking, our heart, mind and soul is at the center of this. We have to think differently, not just speak the words that say we are sorry and we are going to change, we have to actually do it.

The people of this assembly had fallen; they had been driven out of course and became inefficient.

Personal Preparation
Performance Review

• Love one another

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended ^{G346=sum up} in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Rom 13:7-11 KJV)

Our love to one another has no law against it. It is fundamentally fulfilling all of the Torah that talks about how you should treat your neighbor. If you need a list, go read Torah. Everything you are supposed to do with your neighbor is listed.

In reality if you love your neighbor you don’t need to think about a list, you just do what is right and loving for your neighbor. It is a one-step item that covers all. You have to do it with all of your heart, mind and soul.

• Cleanse out the old

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice ^{G2549=badness, depravity} and wickedness ^{G4189=depravity, malice, sins}; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity ^{G1505=clearness, purity} and truth ^{G225=verity (a true principal or belief)}. (1Co 5:7-8 KJV)

Get rid of that depravity, that malice and sin and keep the Days of Unleavened Bread with sincerity which means clearness and purity which is pure, clean and truth. Verity is a true principal or belief.

• Purge unrighteousness

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Master out of a pure heart.
(2Ti 2:20-22 KJV)

There are a number of alternatives that we have, we can pick gold, silver, wood or earth, what are we going to pick? Purge out those things that aren’t pleasing to YHWH.

• Keep His word, walk in the way

Don’t be a hypocrite, walk in it.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate ^{G3875=parakletos=intercessor, consoler, comforter} (Here is that other representation of parakletos. Keep in mind these are all in John’s writing, the Gospel of John and then in the Book of John.) with the Father, Yahushua Messiah the righteous: And he is the propitiation ^{G2434=atonement, expiator (one who makes amends)} for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (Do you know people that say they know him and don’t keep his commandments? What commandments are we talking about here? Are we talking about six out of ten, or eight or nine out of ten? What about ten out of ten? These are His commandments and we are to keep ten out of ten.) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of YHWH perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (If we are keeping his word) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1Jn 2:1-6 KJV)

Temple of YHWH

The temple that we saw earlier that Solomon was to build was the first Temple, that first Temple was destroyed in 587 BCE because of idolatry. It was because of false practices and false understanding and people doing what was right in their own eyes. They were not following YHWH’s laws and commandments and the original covenants that were given to them. So when Nebuchadnezzar came, that Temple was razed to the ground.

The second Temple that was set up through Zerubbabel fell in 70 CE when Titus Vespasian came and took that one down. It happened because of corruption in the priesthood. It is the same sort of things that just got worse. The second Temple didn’t get better, it started out better with Zerubbabel and Ezra and Nehemiah, but it got worse. The priesthood got corrupted because they became hypocrites just as Yahushua called them out on. They became whitewashed sepultures. So the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE and Titus was the one that took it down but now we have the Temple within us. The Spirit dwells within us.

• YHWH’s spirit dwells within us – 1 Co 3:16-17

Know ye not that ye are the temple of YHWH, and that the Spirit of YHWH dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of YHWH, him shall YHWH destroy; for the temple of YHWH is holy, which temple ye are. (1Co 3:16-17 KJV)

• We are the Temple – 2 Co 6:15-18

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Messiah with Belial ^{G955=from H1100=worthlessness, an epitaph of Satan}? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (The answer is, we don’t have a part) And what agreement hath the temple of YHWH with idols? (It doesn’t have a part) for ye are the temple of the living Elohim; as YHWH hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith YHWH, and touch not the unclean thing ^{G169=impure, moraly lewd, demonic} ; (Don’t touch any of those things and shed them, get rid of them) and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the YHWH Almighty.
(2Co 6:14-18 KJV)

• We are the Temple of YHWH’s spirit – 1 Co 6:19-20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of YHWH, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify YHWH in your body, and in your spirit, which are Elohim’s. (1Co 6:19-20 KJV)

I like this scripture because it says the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you. It doesn’t say with you, it says in you. We want YHWH’s spirit in us, not just with us, if you haven’t been baptized, the best you have is YHWH’s spirit with you, not in you until you have been properly baptized. There is a big difference, it is a must have if you are seeking eternity and salvation, it is a fundamental part of your belief system that you get baptized.

• A building fitly framed together – Eph 2:19-22

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of Elohim; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yahushua Messiah himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together ^{G4883=render close jointed, organize compactly} groweth unto an holy temple in the Master: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of Elohim through the Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22 KJV)

I like the terminology “the building fitly framed together”, if you will look at the Greek word for fitly framed together it means to render close jointed, and to organize compactly. In other words, the stones of the spiritual temple are exactly straight, they stack exactly. The lines in the walls are perpendicular; they are measured with YHWH’s spiritual laser guide and level. All of this fits together perfectly. It is close jointed; there are no mismatches or uneven architecture. This is potentially a building engineering statement. The end result is that we are in unity and unanimous with YHWH’s spirit.

Examine Yourself

The first statement I will say is, examine yourself; keep in mind I still have my three fingers pointing back at me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Master’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Master, unworthily ^{G371=irreverently, unfit}, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master. (You probably don’t want that) But let a man examine ^{G1381=to test, to approve, discern, try} himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Master’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ^{G1252=separate thoroughly, discriminate} ourselves, we should not be judged ^{G2919=distinguish, decide, determine, call into question}.

(1Co 11:26-31 KJV)

There are a couple of possibilities here, we can judge ourselves and take it upon ourselves to be judged and make the changes or we can have YHWH do it for us, or to us. Which would you rather have? My prayer is to have YHWH show me but show me softly so I can work with this. If you don’t have an attitude of doing it with YHWH’s spirit, doing it without a disaster in your life, you need to ask YHWH for some guidance and be thoughtful and discriminate in how you do it. What will happen if you don’t do that? It will come on us like a ton of bricks and will be a disaster. Wouldn’t it be much better to get this and make these changes that are necessary for our salvation to do them in an organized and non-invasive as possible without a crisis in our life? Yes, it is a crisis, you need to get it done but I hope you have ears to hear what I am saying.

It is also noteworthy that it talks about the body and the temple here. There are people that are eating and drinking unworthily and have the wrong attitude. Notice that he says for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep. I’m not saying that people that are weak and sick are the ones that are the sinners, but the sinners are causing those that aren’t in unity and harmony are causing sickness and weakness among the community of believers. For this cause many are weak and sickly, you can think about what this is saying. This cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep, in other words, many are dead. The community of believers need to clean up its total act and there will be prosperity for all and love for all if we do that.

Examine Me!

I was thinking of subtitling the whole presentation “Examine Me”.

Search me, O YHWH, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psa 139:23-24 KJV)

That is my prayer.

We are at the mantra of the day.

Do Your Own Homework

Don’t believe what I say, do your own investigating. I might be a sophist.

For we have not followed cunningly devised ^{G4679=Sofidzo=to render wise with deliberate deception, continue plausible error=sophist} fables, when we made know unto you the power and coming of our Master Yahushua Messiah, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2Pet 1:16 KJV)

Peter is saying that he is not coming as a sophist, with cunningly devised fables and lies. He was an eyewitness. What we have been talking about is an eyewitness of the scriptures. I could be a sophist, this word “cunningly devised” means sophist, sofidzo, it means to render wise with deliberate deception and continual plausible error. That word means sophist if you examine it and it also means sophisticated in English.

A sophist is an interesting study all by itself. In the first and second century BC and CE, the Greeks and Romans had their higher education much like we have higher education today. They had people that were skilled, trained doctors of philosophy and science and history. They were skilled in religion and worship. These sophists were thought to have a higher level of understanding. The problem is that they liked to use philosophy from Socrates and Plato so people that happened to be well heeled. They had an affluent family which was certainly the minority in these days. These people could go to a special school, what we would call today a finishing school, and get trained by a professional sophist that told them all of the finer points in life. The problem is some of the elements that were being taught were cunningly devised fables. A cunningly devised fable in sophism if you look it up is an argument that is apparently correct in form but is in fact invalid. We have a lot of those today; it’s called fake news, meaning especially an argument that is used to deceive.

Sophism was a prominent teaching device in the early centuries in this period of time for the aristocracy, of course the poor man didn’t have any access to this but there were people that believed what some of the true believers were affected by some of this sofidzo. That is what Peter is talking about. Peter says I haven’t followed the sofidzo, the cunningly devised fables because there were cunningly devised fables in this time. Don’t follow them, challenge what I have shown you, prove it in the scriptures whether these things be so.

All scripture is given by inspiration of YHWH, and is profitable ^{G5624= helpful advantageous} for doctrine ^{G1319=instruction, learning} for reproof ^{G1650=admonish, conviction} for correction^{, G1343=equity of character or act, justification}. (2Ti 3:16 KJV)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy ^{G5385=Jewish sophistry} and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rediments of the world, and not after Messiah.
(Col 2:8 KJV)

And this I (Paul) pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve ^{G1381=test, discern, examine} things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Messiah. (Php 1:8-10 KJV)

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