Whom Do You Worship?

What is the name of the Supreme Deity that you worship? This is a very important question. Isaiah 42: 8 says: "I am YHWH, that is My Name, and My esteem I do not give to another, nor My praise to idols." (The Scriptures) YHWH is very jealous and He does not want you giving your praise and worship to a false god. English Bibles from the King James to the present modern versions translate YHWH as "LORD" or "GOD." Those are incorrect translations. Gott, Goda, Gode, God, Gud, and Gade were found in ancient German languages as translations for Ba'al Gad. The astrologers of Babel called Jupiter (Zeus) by the name "Gad." Psalm 68:4 says: "Sing to Elohim, sing praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him. Who rides through the deserts, By His Name Yah." We are instructed to sing praises to His Name; we are not instructed to sing praises to a translated name. Think about it; your name remains the same regardless of the country you are in. Your name is not changed because the language spoken changes. Why should YHWH be treated differently?

His Name is very powerful. In that Name is found healing, deliverance, faith, power, salvation, and holiness. Isaiah 43: 11 says: "I, I am YHWH, and besides Me there is no saviour." We must get the Name correct as He says says that salvation depends on it. His Name is YHWH. The four letters are called The Tetragrammaton. His Name is not Jehovah. First, there was no "J" in Biblical Hebrew. It was pronounced as a "Y." Second, the word Jehovah was created by placing the vowels of Adonai between the Hebrew letters YHWH. Jehovah is a made up word. Most "Christians" would quickly condemn the calling of "God" by the name of Allah. They would protest that "God's" name is not Allah. However, when the true Name of YHWH is at issue, there appears to not be the sense of urgency to get the Name correct.

We are headed into some dark days ahead. We need to know upon Whom we are praying to. This is a very serious issue; one that we must get right. What is the name of the one you pray to? Is He the Elohim of the Hebrew Scriptures? Is He the One known as YHWH? YHWH is One and there is none beside Him. He will not share His glory with another.

Walking On The Right Path

Dr. W. T. Purkiser said in the May, 1959, Bible School Journal, speaking of the fall of Solomon: "The first steps away from God might not be large ones, but the direction is wrong and disaster follows." We must maintain a Christian walk that is ever drawing closer to God and His Word. It is only a small step in the wrong direction that takes you away from where you were in your relationship with God. Disaster is the destination of even the smallest step away from God and His Word. His Word is our instruction manual; it provides the answer to life's questions. We don't need man's traditions to guide us; we need the Word applied to our lives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

What does a life look like that is headed in the wrong direction? First, the Word does not maintain the place of highest priority. Second, the desire to pray and worship God is absent. Third, the love of God has grown cold both toward Him and your fellow man. Fourth, there is a sense of drifting without a foundation. Fifth, there is denial that the wrong direction has become the destination. Sixth, there is a tendency to believe that everything depends on your actions without the aid of the Holy Spirit. Finally, there is a denial of sin. Everything will become relative to the one that has begun the journey to disaster. Now understand that these seven characteristics do not occur simultaneously. They are progressive steps in a downward spiral of spiritual death.

What is the answer to such a plight? The Hebrew word for "repent" is shoov. The word picture is to "destroy the house." This means to destroy all that is opposed to the Word of God in your house. Repentance always deals with the changing of addresses. You leave the kingdom of darkness and return to the Kingdom of light, i.e. God. We change where we live. We leave the land of worldly thinking, worldly speaking, and worldly living. We can joyfully return with singing knowing that Yeshua (Jesus) will never turn anyone away that comes to Him. Destroy everything that does not draw you closer to God. Walk the path of true holiness and righteousness. It is found in His Word. There is a highway there. Walk on it.

Sinking the Ship

Someone once said, "The water outside the ship may toss it, but it is the water in the ship that sinks it." We live in a world that attempts to crush our faith at every turn. Those circumstances that attempt to destroy us are like the water outside the ship; they may toss us, but they can't sink us. It is only when we allow the events of life to become our way of thinking, speaking, and acting that we are in danger of sinking. 1 John 2:16 says: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (KJV) The world has lust and pride as its steady diet. Our food should be the Word of God. As we think, speak, and act on the Word of God, our ship will never sink.

We may be in the world, but we are not of the world. Our citizenship is in heaven and we have already been seated with Yeshua (Jesus). He is the unseen guest at every conversation and meal. He hears all we say. He silently sits observing all we do and say. If we could remember that fact, how might it change us? We need to live lives of faith that include Yeshua at every step. He said He would never leave or or forsake us, yet how many live their lives as if He was not present? Every moment, every hour, every day, should be lived in His presence. The world can not stop us unless we invite it into our lives and crowd out His presence.

Let us protect our ship. We guard it by keeping the influences of the world outside, where they belong. We are to be holy vessels of faith that think, speak, and act on the Word of God. As we do so, we will sail through this life in preparation for the future one. However, don't so focus on the future that you ignore the present. God intends us to live for Him now, in this lustful and prideful world. That is when He can show us off to the unbelieving ones. That is our true purpose: to sail our ship victoriously.

God's Hearing

What does God actually hear? Now remember that we are talking from a Hebraic point of view. The question is not, "What sounds God hears." We are talking about what He will respond to, i.e what causes Him to act. S.B. Shaw wrote the following in 1893: "But let it be remembered, that 'prayer rises far above a mere form of good words. These, of themselves, are nothing, and be much worse than nothing. The soul of the reader or utterer must be in them to give them life and power. God hears not my words, He hears me. I rise to Him upon the wings of prayer. I might recite good words forever, but unless my spirit is in them, they are nothing.' Yea, nothing but idle words, and mockery before God." It is not just the right words, but the right words with our spirit in them that God hears. This means that our inner person is fully persuaded as to the truth of which we speak. The words must be spoken from a believing heart.

God will most likely not respond to the words spoken from the lips of one following a formula. Confessing the word is not about ritual. It is about life giving words spoken from a heart fully persuaded of their truth. You can tell what people really care about. Just listen to their speech. You can hear the emotion, i.e. pathos, in their voices. In the Unites States, the Super Bowl was just played between the Steelers and the Packers. If you heard the fans from the respective teams before the big game, you could hear the emotion and love they felt for their teams. Oh, that we might have that same emotion for the Words of God. When we do, God will surely act.

What has your heart? Is it is another person, a church, a profession, money, or the Words of the living God? You can quote the Bible all day; however, until your spirit is in your speech you are just making noise. If we want God to respond to our words, we need to bathe those words in praise and worship of the One who created them. When our level of worship reaches a point of explosion, then our words will have meaning.

The Indwelling Law

Jeremiah 31:33 says: But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (RSV) The ability to walk in love is found in the above verse. Before, God's law was written on tablets of stone. Now, God has promised to do something different. This is the renewed covenant. The law of God will now be on your heart. The "heart" in Hebrew is the word leb. It means the seat of feelings, affections, emotions, mode of thinking, and acting. God is going to place His laws into our thinking and emotions. When this happens, walking in faith should be as natural as breathing. The law on our hearts will control our actions as we yield to the indwelling law.

We have previously seen that the word picture for lev is what controls the insides. Something controls your thinking and believing. Perhaps it is your own independence. Maybe it is some academic discipline. You may have a certain world view that dominates your perspective. However, for those that follow Yeshua (Jesus), our worldview should be His worldview and His worldview is the Father's will. God's will is found in His word. That word is placed in our hearts by Him directly. We have it in our hearts and our duty is to yield completely to it. If we allow the law to control us, we will be men and women of faith. Consider the following verse: And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. (KJV) Exodus 15:26 If God's law has been written on your heart, that verse is included. God is your healer. Does the verse contain any exceptions? Further, can you find one verse in the Word that tells you that God wants you sick or ill?

When the Word is inside you, it will impact how you live. As you yield to its controlling influences, your life will manifest love. Since faith works by love, the increased love will result in increased faith. The faith walk is about love and love is connected directly to obedience. Is there something that you need to obey? Is there an area of your life in rebellion? If so, find the law and yield to it. If you are a child of God, it is already inside you. Now, go and find it.

Getting Your Breakthrough

2 Samuel 5:20 says: And David came to Baalperazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a bursting flood." Therefore the name of that place is called Baalperazim. (RSV) The battle referenced is with the Philistines and it comes at a critical point for David. It marks the time when Jerusalem became a royal city. David had started his work of king at the age of 30,and he had already reigned over Judah seven years and six months from Hebron, and his "breakthrough" marks the beginning of his reign at Jerusalem, where he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. David’s move to Jerusalem brought the Philistines against the city, and it was the response of God to David's prayer (2 Sam 5:19) that brought the victory. God is the "God of the breakthrough."

The Hebrew word for "breakthrough" is pereṣ and it means "a gap, a break. It refers to a rupture, a tear, a breaking up or shattering of something: a breach created in a wall of an enemy (2 Sam. 5:20); the breaking or rupture occurring in the process of childbirth (Gen. 38:29). It is used figuratively of separation created between persons or groups." Perhaps you need the God of the breakthrough to explode in your life. Is there some obstacle, i.e. mountain, that blocks your way from walking in all that God has desired for your life? If so, you need to first get a Word from Him concerning His will on the subject. God wanted David to defeat the Philistines. David knew that and brought the matter before Him in prayer. After you know God's will, bring it to the throne of grace in prayer. Then, you need to act on that Word. This will vary from situation to situation. If there is a financial lack in your life, find something to give to someone in need. If you have no money, sell something and give the money way. If you don't have something to sell, find something to give away. Make sure that it is your best that you give. Don't give something you don't really want. Give your best because you are giving it to God as an offering. After giving something, begin to confess that God is breaking through in your situation. Make it present tense, not future tense. God is the God of the breakthrough today, not the God of the breakthrough some day in the future. Faith is now. Faith is present tense.

Our God is the God of the breakthrough. There is nothing that can stop Him. Our duty is to invite Him to participate in our problems. Forget religious thinking that God wants you to suffer. Come to know Him as the breakthrough God. He will tear your problem to shreds. Find a word, bring it to Him in prayer, act on the Word, and begin to confess the breakthrough. Hold fast to your confession and don't let any devil from hell, or church member talk you out of it.

Real Hope

Romans 5:24 says: "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" (KJV) What is hope? Hope can be defined as the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. The emphasis on hope is the feeling you have about a situation. However, this is not Biblical hope. The word "hope" in the verse is the Greek word elpis and it means desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it. The expectation is the difference. Worldly hope is feeling good; Biblical hope is the existence of expectation based on something outside of yourself. Worldly hope focuses on your emotions, whereas Biblical hope focuses on the goodness of God. Real hope is found in the Word of God. The Scriptures contain within them "hope." That hope is based on what the Word says. If it is healing you need, the Scriptures abound with promises that God wills to heal. Therefore, your hope of healing is an expectation to receive healing. The Scriptures promise that God will meet the needs of His children. Therefore, you can boldly proclaim, "My God meets all my needs through Jesus Christ who lives within me." Hope believes in the manifestation of the object hoped for.

God is a good God. He loves us and desires that we live lives according to His Word. Deuteronomy 28 promises many blessings for obedience, and many curses for disobedience. As we live our lives, we should consume the Word of God by reading, studying, meditating, and memorizing it. As we do, we partake of hope. Hope becomes very real in our lives. It is not a feeling that is being obtained; instead, it is expectation in the goodness of God that is known. As hope grows, expectation increases. As the Word is thought about, spoken from our lips, and acted on, we have increased hope.

The world is looking for answers. The economy is on dangerous ground. The world faces many problems. There is rioting on the streets of many cities around the world. It is time for the people of God to stand up with the hope we have and proclaim it from the housetops. The world can spot a phony, so what you have needs to be real. It will be real for you when the Word of God is your true reality. When the Word is truth to you and not what your senses tell you, you will be ready to climb the ladder.