Quality Control

January 01, 2018 2 Comments

From the teaching Yeshua's Disciple: The Narrow Way - Purity

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Purity is something that we all know something about. When it comes to physical things, we desire pure things. We want to eat pure food and drink pure water. When we pay for material things, we want exactly what was advertised and nothing that's counterfeit. YeHoVaH wants us to know that He desires for us to walk in purity. If we are advertising ourselves as one thing, yet we are hiding and willingly nursing impurities, we are engaging in false advertising. The word pure in Matthew 5:8 is katharos and it means something that is unadulterated; free from the adhesion of anything that soils. To have a pure heart in the way Yeshua is explaining is to love the Father and to demonstrate that love by keeping His commandments.

This past Shabbat, we watched a movie on the book of John that claimed to follow the account nearly word for word. It definitely followed the book closely (despite a few deviations), but the most poignant thing I took away from this visualization of John's Gospel was the purity of Yeshua's heart. I've read John many times, but I was captured by the depiction. The example of purity that Yeshua laid out for us was one of absolute submission to the Father. The tremendous power that was (and still is) in His hand while He walked this earth, yet He humbled Himself to do the will of the Father because no impurity was found in Him. He did not mix in anything that did not come from the Father into His heart or His teaching. The people and religious leaders hated Him because they did not have a pure heart. They were concerned with the things of this world. The religious leaders were so arrogant that they were above reproach and refused to let their hardened hearts receive correction. It was such a disgusting and egregious depiction of pomposity that the significance to our own lives can easily be lost. How many times have we pointed out evil behavior in others, but we have unknowingly or willingly participated in evil conduct ourselves? In many conversations over the years, I've heard people talk about those "evil Pharisees" and call other people Pharisees that fit their definition of a hypocrite, but we have to make sure we are not playing the part of the hypocrite. How many of us know that the testimony of the Scriptures is for us to allow for direction and correction in our own lives? The people that turned their backs on Yeshua when times were hard or those that never wanted to hear Him in the first place are a witness for us to examine ourselves. Rebellion does not always have to have an over the top presentation; it can be subtle.

Yeshua wants us to follow His example. His heart is pure and He is in COMPLETE submission to YeHoVaH. He repeated over and over again that His words and doctrine were not His own, but that it came from the Father. Our words and the things we do and teach others should be the same as Yeshua's; they should be the same as the Father's because the Father and the Son are one and we should be one with them. Once we can move religion out of the way and just look at the raw Scriptures, the continuity from beginning to end is clear. Father calls us to circumcise our hearts so that we can worship Him in His Spirit and do His truth. His will is that you walk humbly with Him, love Him, keep His commandments, believe on the One that He sent by following His example, and to love one another. It's time to examine ourselves and let Father purge out the impurities so that we can walk in His Spirit with the power and authority He has given us so that when all is said and done He will allow us the privilege to behold Him. Remember, that's what it's all about. This world is not our home. He has blessed us with good things to make life on this earth enjoyable such as the love of a spouse, family (blood or adopted), children, health, etc., but the ultimate goal is to do His perfect will with a pure heart so that we can spread His truth throughout His earth. In the end, we will be honored to behold our Holy Elohim in the presence of our brothers and sisters that have also served Him and desired to submit to Him. Don't let the cares of this world, that will soon enough pass away, distract you from the true prize. Until next time...

Cassandra