A Call to Separate

We are to live lives set apart to YHWH. We need to know His name and follow His commands. However, there is still a "white elephant" in the room that continues to be ignored. That "white elephant" is pornography. Christianity Today wrote in 2008: "Seventy percent of American men ages 18–34 view Internet pornography once a month. This shocking fact is one of many that CT consulting editor John W. Kennedy found during his research for this month's cover story, "Help for the Sexually Desperate" (page 28). Don't assume that porn isn't a problem in the church. One evangelical leader was skeptical of survey findings that said 50 percent of Christian men have looked at porn recently. So he surveyed his own congregation. He found that 60 percent had done so within the past year, and 25 percent within the past 30 days. Other surveys reveal that one in three visitors to adult websites are women." We need to confront this tool of the enemy since it is enlarging, not shrinking. Women and men are both being drawn into the web of deceit that can destroy marriages, injure men and women, and hinder normal relationships. The porn industry destroys lives. Recently, a famous actor was partying with a 22 year old porn star. Afterward, she attempted suicide. It really struck me that this young woman was only 22. How tragic that her young life has taken the turn it has. I wondered about her parents and how they must feel. However, the truth is, that if people would cease creating a market for porn there would be no 22 year old destroying their lives. The followers of YHWH need to stand and proclaim in the language of Scriptures that pornography is not victimless. It is not OK to look. We need to call a sin a sin.

Being set apart includes honoring YHWH's special days and festivals. Purim begins following the close of Shabbat this week. How many attendees of "churches" this week even know this? If they don't, why don't they know? Our beloved Yeshua would have likely participated in the celebration of the victory of the Jews as told in the book of Esther. Further, if we are going to be set apart to YHWH, we should celebrate His festivals. He did not tell us to celebrate "Easter"; He told us to celebrate Passover. Who are you following? What are you celebrating? We don't want pornography to be a part of our lives because it doesn't bring esteem to YHWH. We don't want to celebrate pagan customs because they do not bring esteem to YHWH either.

Are you willing to live a life set apart to YHWH? If so, you have the opportunity to put actions with thoughts and words. Read and learn about Purim and Passover. If you are a Gentile follower of Yeshua, you have been grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel. The church does not replace Israel; it is grafted into Israel. Enjoy the rich heritage of living set apart to YHWH and His son Yeshua.