"If you love me, you will keep my commands..." Yochanan 14:15"; by CMY

[Mevaser]

"If you love me, you will keep my commands..." Yochanan 14:15"; by Ellen (Elisheva) Farber; Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
http://www.cmy.on.ca/rebbitzin/yochanan14.htm Online version
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net
by Ellen (Elisheva) Farber

We are seeing a spiraling down of this world right before our eyes. I don't have to name the times nor the signs because you have read about them in my husband's D'var Torahs and in his newsletters as well. However the things I would like to talk with you about here are even more disheartening and discouraging than what he has had to say recently.

There is a problem with the spiritual, as well as the physical well being of many believers today, something is happening. Maybe we can call these believers "Casual Commitment" or "Bogus" believers. Yes these are oxymorons like Jumbo Shrimp but they do describe the problem. Whatever the label however, I am seeing a form of godlessness in the lives of believers!

Many today that claim to be believers are trying to find a richness of life apart from the commandments of HaShem (G-d), the very commandments that bring life. I am seeing believers leave their present congregation because the leadership and others have found out their foundation as a believer is built on sand instead of the Rock. So they move on to cover-up their own lack of commitment. Of course they pass the blame off on the rabbi with excuses like; "I am not being fed here. There is a lack of understanding and compassion at this place," or they say; "not enough eligible spouses, too much liturgy or services are too long." I can go on forever with my list of excuses but I'm sure you get the drift! The truth of the matter is these poor souls have never fully awakened to the reality of serving HaShem in the manner He has required believers to serve Him. So they leave, mostly because their rabbi is holding them accountable. The problem is they do so making themselves look squeaky-clean and presenting themselves as the victim to their new spiritual leader. There is a result to this kind of action however, and that is, eventually they will be found out and will have to make another move. You see you can exchange one place for another, but if you do not deal with the root problem it just travels with you. Ultimately these people will run out of congregations and have to move to another province or even another city - country, that is if they do not get saved and radically delivered.

There is another situation that arises with these casual or bogus type believers and that is they are deceived. They have slacked off so much that they have left their door wide open for Satan to come in and take up residence in them! The evil one not only knows how to move into this type of life without them realizing it, but he also has the ability to make them feel comfortable with him being there.

Here are some of the ways Satan deceives: A voice from within says, "Resting on the Shabbat, really means resting. You should not have go to services. You need to relax at home and rest." Problem is this does not line-up with the Word. We are commanded to fellowship with other believers by not forsaking the assembling together! Additional deception, although limited to Messianic Congregations, is that all of a sudden they think the leadership, by the way they conduct the Torah service, have made the Torah into an idol. So they refuse to stay in the Torah service because they believe the congregation is worshipping a scroll and not the G-d of Israel!

These are just a few character traits of "Causal Commitment" or "Bogus" believers that I have identified in the years of being in leadership. I believe they are all a result of complacency and haughtiness. These two of course come under the heading of pride and we all know that pride comes before a fall!

Complacency is the lack of fervour and zeal to serve, to share the Good News, and to attend to situations that may not be appealing or uplifting.

Complacency leads to lack of discipline and therefore the lack of commitment. Haughtiness is a lot more ugly than complacency. In fact if you have the gift of discernment or the ability to see spirits manifest in the physical, haughtiness is ugly! Usually a haughty person thinks of themselves as better or more spiritual than others. They take on a scouring look, an evil look, and a definite change in appearance. Moreover they are controlling. They pray differently than others in a corporate prayer setting or they don't even pray aloud at all because they feel that they are the only ones truly communing with HaShem. They also take on a lack of respect for leadership or a false condescending respect. I truly believe that no one man or woman is better than another, but we must show respect to those who G-d has placed in authority over us.

What is totally scary about the traits I just shared is that nothing seems as they really are. The complacent person will come off as being patient and having a great ability to wait on the L-rd. The haughty person will appear so spiritual that those who lack discernment will begin to follow and admire them. Be discerning! What I am striving to share is that all does not seem as it really is. Pray for wisdom in this area. Pray for more discernment. Pray for the L-rd to expose all that is done in darkness, not only in other people's lives but in yours as well. Pray to be delivered from slothfulness and to stop living on the river of de-Nile. Pray to get real with HaShem.

Enough bad news, now the good news, yes great news. HaShem is in control, not us! He will shine a bright light on the dark places. He will arrange for more Bible study groups, more corporate prayer times and incredible growth in those that are keeping His commandments and although this may only be a few, they will seem like many! So continue to pray to be transformed into the image of our Messiah Yeshua, but truly desire that! Here is what I mean: Yeshua had no place to lay His head. His flesh was shredded. His beard was plucked out. He carried His own cross up a steep hill. Transformation means sacrifice it means commitment it means endurance. If we have a share in His suffering we will also have a share in His resurrection. Get the picture?

by Ellen (Elisheva) Farber

Hallelujah to our L-rd, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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