Spiritual
Disasters
By
Brother Rabbi Dani’el
Rendelman
Emet Ministries
ravemet@comcast.net
MEMBER
OF BNAI YAHSHUA SYNAGOGUES
WORLDWIDE
A
new report released by the
United Nations shows that
the number of natural disasters
around the world rose by
18 percent during the year
2005. These events killed
nearly 92,000 people, affected
the lives of over 157 million
people, and caused hundreds
of billions of dollars in
economic damage.
For
the United States, the most
devastating event took place
on August 29th when Hurricane
Katrina ravaged the Central
Gulf Coast. Over 1,400 people
were killed as damaging
winds, rains, and storm
surges blanketed Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama.
Devastation
struck the Big Easy city
of New Orleans before and
after the event. As if the
Category 5 storm was not
deadly enough, problems
were multiplied, as mandatory
evacuations were not enforced.
Many who did try to leave
the threatened areas were
stranded on crowded highways
without gasoline. And hundreds
of public transportation
buses sat empty as Government
agencies failed to rescue
those who would be left
behind. Two weeks after
Katrina leveled the coast,
hundreds of people were
still being pulled from
rooftops by helicopters
and rescued by boat.
Best
and Worst
Natural disasters bring
out the best and worst in
humanity. The evening news
is full of reports of looters
and robbers who take advantage
of despair and capitalize
on desolation. Stories of
heroes who risk their life
to save others are rarely
told. Katrina had its share
of both. The Louisiana Convention
Center and Superdome that
were supposed to be safe
havens, turned out to be
extremely dangerous places.
At these makeshift shelters
several women were raped.
Pain and sorrow turned to
anger as time passed and
no hope came to those stranded
by the storm. Thousands
of citizens were abandoned
in their own hometown without
food, water, or safe shelter.
Relief and rescue workers
could not work fast enough.
When
an emergency hits, the governor
of the affected state can
request a disaster declaration,
which releases federal relief
agencies along with millions
of dollars to help those
in need. For those affected
by Katrina, relief was too
little too late. Everyone
pointed the finger, as the
local governments blamed
the state, and the states
blamed the Federal agencies
for the lack of help. The
Federal Emergency Management
Association (FEMA) is now
working to ensure that a
plan is in place to predict
future events and better
manage assistance. We too,
as believers, need to examine
these events and change
our ways.
Spiritual
Disaster!
It should come to Saints
as no surprise that natural
disasters are on the rise.
Our Master predicted the
increase in floods, hurricanes,
fires, droughts, tsunamis,
and devastation. “For nation
shall rise against nation,
and Malchut against malchut:
and there shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes,
in divers places. All these
are the beginning of sorrows,”
Matthew / Mattitiyahu 24:7-8,
Restoration Scriptures.
Sadly,
the do-nothing guilt of
FEMA is a repeated tragedy
prevalent in our faith.
Believers should see the
impending dangers of the
future and get to work.
Let’s
hear the words of our Savior
Y’shua, our President, as
he declares a “National
Spiritual Disaster.” Millions
are broken in spirit, devastated
in their faith, impoverished
physically, lonely, sick,
and without hope. We have
a message of truth; we have
the Sacred Name; we labor
for the Torah; yet we have
lost the first love of Y’shua…“I
know your mitzvoth, and
your labor, and your endurance,
and how you can’t bear those
who are evil: and you have
tried them who say they
are shlichim, and are not,
and have found them to be
liars: And have borne, and
have endurance, and for
My Name’s sake have labored,
and have not fainted. Nevertheless
I have something against
you, because you have left
your first ahava. Remember
therefore from where you
are fallen, and make teshuvah,
and do the first mitzvoth;
or else I will come to you
quickly, and will remove
your menorah out of its
place, unless you make teshuvah…He
that has an ear, let him
hear what the Ruach says
to the Yisraelite congregations;
To him that overcomes6 I
will give to eat of the
eytz chayim, which is in
the midst of the Gan Ayden
of YHWH,” Revelation 2:2-7,
Restoration Scriptures.
YHWH
knows how the Messianic
faith battles against the
lies and deception of the
enemy. We have His name
and we have exposed false
teachers. However in an
effort to always be “right,”
many believers have isolated
themselves, lost the faith
or become consumed with
esoteric knowledge. The
first love of reaching the
lost sheep of the house
of Israel has been forgotten.
To
know or do?
Many have traded the call
to live the Torah for the
satisfaction of just knowing
the Torah. Emails and newsgroups
argue over theological issues
while those new in the faith
don’t know where to turn
for help. Divisions arise
over every intrinsic detail
of Torah and similarities
hardly bridge the gap of
indifference. Groups won’t
even keep the feasts together
because they can’t agree
on what days to celebrate
as Holy. It is no wonder
that many quit corporate
worship altogether. Others
are isolated because they
live hundreds of miles from
the nearest Nazarene worship
center. Lost sheep scattered
all over the world are without
shepherds because no one
is willing to lead. All
of this feeds the cause
of the lazy saint who wants
others to figure everything
out and spoon-feed him the
judgments of Torah.
We
are to be students of the
Word who do not tolerate
unsound doctrine. We are
to learn and increase in
wisdom. And then we are
DO something with that wisdom.
“A person whose wisdom exceeds
his good deeds is likened
to a tree whose branches
are numerous, but whose
roots are few. The wind
comes and uproots it and
turns it upside down. But
a person whose good deeds
exceed his wisdom is likened
to a tree whose branches
are few but whose roots
are numerous. Even if all
the winds of the world were
to come and blow against
it, they could not budge
it from its place,” says
Pirkei Avot 3:22.
Meeting
for Shabbat or learning
Torah on the Internet is
only the fist step in the
great calling YHWH has given
us. We are to take what
we learn and share it with
others. “Go therefore, and
make talmidim of all nations,
doing mikvah upon them in
My Name: Teaching them to
shomer all things, which
I have commanded you: and,
see, I am with you always,
even to the end of the olam
hazeh,” Matthew / Mattitiyahu
28:19,20, Restoration Scriptures.
Let’s
return to our first love
of Messiah before it is
too late. The first love
is heart of Torah, which
is the besorah, gospel or
the good news of Y’shua
our Moshiach. Remember how
young love feels? The same
ecstasy is experienced when
the besorah is shared and
converts are made. Y’shua
has set mankind free from
death. He gave His life
that we could live forever.
What is more exciting than
that? Remember the joy of
His salvation and return
to sharing His emet / truth
through caring for others.
“For YHWH so loved the olam
hazeh, that He gave His
only brought forth Son,
that whoever believes on
Him should not perish, but
have everlasting chayim,”
Yochannan / John 3:16.
Gather
the sheep
YHWH created man so that
he could have a dwelling
place in the world below.
The first Adam failed in
his mission to walk in the
glory of YHWH in an independent
world. Adam sinned and therefore
brought sin into the human
race. The people of Yisra’el
were chosen to manifest
the glory of YHWH and testify
of His will. “YHWH has called
You in tzedekah, and will
hold Your hand, and will
keep You, and give You for
a brit of the people, for
a Light to the nations;
To open the blind eyes,
to bring out the prisoners
from the prison, and them
that sit in darkness out
of the prison bayit. I am
YHWH: that is My Name,”
Isaiah / Yesha’yahu 42:6-9.
Isra’el too failed to walk
in covenant with YHWH. So,
to this nation and to all
mankind Messiah came. The
second Adam, our Savior,
brought redemption to the
world. Y’shua came to restore
the broken relationship
between the Creator and
His creation. His message
was simple, “Repent for
the kingdom of Heaven is
at hand.” He then commissioned
his followers to take His
message of restoration to
the ends of the earth.
“Go
not the way of the gentiles
by staying away from pagan
practices, and into any
city of the Shomronim enter
not: But go rather to the
lost sheep that have strayed
from Beit Yisrael,” Matthew
/ Mattitiyahu 10:5-7. The
lost sheep of the house
of Yisra’el have been scattered
all over the world. Lost
sheep don’t usually just
stumble back to their Master.
There must be someone to
lead sheep, to guide them
into the fullness of YHWH.
Heated debates and hellfire
and brimstone preaching
reach few people. Take a
few minutes and reflect
about your own experience…
*
What first drew you to the
truth?
*
On which web site did you
first learn about Torah?
*
What ministered to you the
most when you began searching?
*
Did you have a heart for
the Jewish people or the
Holy Land?
*
How did YHWH reach you?
*
Was it the Holy Days that
peaked your interest?
*
Did the Spirit speak loudly
to your soul about YHWH’s
Name?
*
What books did you first
read about the Two Houses?
*
What teacher or friend influenced
you to study deeper?
*
Who invited you to a worship
service or meeting?
YHWH
uses people to reach people.
He has called us out of
darkness into His marvelous
Light. We are to share that
Light with others. Evangelism
is NOT against Torah. Outreach
is NOT a sin. When we take
the effort to minister to
others our soul is fed and
our spirit soars. If your
spiritual life is void,
tired, or empty – if you
have lost your first love
– remember how it was and
return by ministering to
those around you. Ask yourself:
*
“Is your spiritual life
vivid?”
*
“Have you spent time this
week sharing the Good New
of our Messiah and the Restoration
of Israel with someone?”
*
“Do you daily offer prayer
support for those in need?
*
“Are you currently helping
in a ministry that weekly
feeds the hungry or clothes
the poor?”
*
“Have you involved your
entire household in a spiritual
discussion this week?”
*
“Do you regularly pray,
meditate, or intercede for
the lost and needy?”
*
“Do you monthly minister
to the needs of those hurting
in prisons, hospitals, or
nursing centers?”
*
“Have you taken steps to
improve your spiritual walk
today?”
*
“Is your first love Messiah
and his message of the Kingdom?”
*
“What can you do to promote
your spiritual growth?”
While
we are busy at our worship
centers or reading emails,
the world around us is starving
spiritually and physically.
Our own spiritual lives
are in a rut and are rotting
away because of a lack of
revival. Many congregations
are often too small to open
soup kitchens or do evangelistic
meetings. So we do nothing.
How sad.
Excuses
are lies
Like those stranded by Katrina,
the lost sheep are waiting
for a lifeboat. Stop pointing
the finger at the church
or the Jews or other Messianics.
Look inside. Every excuse
imaginable is given for
not sharing the heart of
Torah. We say:
*
“I’m not a people person”
*
“I’m too busy with family
or work”
*
“I have to learn it first”
*
“I don’t know any body”
*
“I don’t understand it all
yet”
*
“I don’t get along with
them”
*
“I do enough for my family
now”
*
“I’m just a housewife”
*
“No one will listen to me”
*
“I am not comfortable in
my faith”
*
“The government has programs
for that”
An
excuse is a “lie disguised
as a reason.” It is time
to unmask the lies we tell
ourselves and get serious
about our faith. As we sit
and Midrash Torah, the needy
remain needy. The world
waits, needing to be rescued.
Some need a word of heaven.
Others need a loaf of bread
or some clothing. Many just
want to hear a message of
hope. Prisoners are lonely.
The elderly are abandoned.
The sick are forgotten.
“Greater is he who performs
tzedekah (actions and gifts
to the poor) than he who
offers all the sacrifices,
for it is said, to do tzedekah
(justice) and justice is
more acceptable to the YHWH
than sacrifice,” says the
Talmud.
We
have our web sites and our
arguments. We have our Torah
commentaries and beautiful
tallits. But do we have
our first love?
Y’shua
has called us to minister
to people’s spiritual AND
physical needs. Convincing
articles are a lot more
convincing when they are
accompanied by acts of mercy.
The restoration of Israel
will NOT fully occur until
both houses deal with their
sins. All of Yisra’el is
blinded in part. Today’s
believer must bring balance
to both Judah and Ephraim.
The
Sin of Judah
The major sin of the house
of Judah is the sin of omission.
The Jews have the Torah;
they know the precepts of
YHWH. But they don’t accept
the Moschiach. “What advantage,
then, is there in being
a Jew, or what value is
there in circumcision? Much
in every way! First of all,
they have been entrusted
with the very words of YHWH,”
Romans / Romiyah 3:1. Though
the Jews have Torah, they
fail to recognize the true
Living Torah. “For had you
believed Moshe, you would
have believed Me: for he
wrote of Me. But if you
believe not his Ketuvim,
how shall you believe My
words?” said Messiah in
John / Yochannan 5:46,47.
According to this verse
from our Master, the Jews
who don’t accept Y’shua
DON’T really follow Torah.
The
nation of Judah commits
its sin by not accepting
the Moshiach and not following
His halakhah. The Jews have
great knowledge of Torah.
They have midrashed every
yud and nekudah. Orthodox
Rabbis know the Torah backwards
and forwards. However, religious
Jews often reject the Spirit
of the Law. Y’shua is not
accepted as Moschiach. Judaism
doesn’t actively pursue
converts. The religion frequently
views itself as the entire
nation of Israel.
The
Sin of Ephraim
The major sin of Ephraim
is in the area of commission.
The lost tribes have lost
their identity, forgotten
their heritage, and committed
disobedience to the Torah.
Though the Torah is found
within every KJV Bible,
it is forsaken and forgotten
throughout Christianity.
The church, as a whole,
believes it has replaced
Israel within the plans
of YHWH. Pastors preach
that grace overrides the
Torah and Judaism has been
outmoded for Christianity.
Major denominations commit
hideous sins by promoting
pagan practices, pagan holidays,
and pagan gods. The Hebraic
mindset and even YHWH’s
name has been traded substitutions.
The truth of Torah has been
omitted from most pulpits.
Ephraim,
found mostly in the church
system, transgresses the
Torah without care or concern.
It commits disobedience
to the Father’s Torah. “For
everyone who sins practices
Torah-less-ness, because
sin is torah-less-ness,”
1 John / Yochannan 3:4.
However, the church does
a lot of great things. It
has programs for the elderly,
the inmates, and the sick.
The church often operates
within the Spirit of the
Law through showing love,
extending mercy, and seeking
justice for the needy. Consider
Romans 2:12, “For as many
as have sinned without Torah
knowledge shall also perish
without Torah knowledge:
and as many as have sinned
with Torah knowledge shall
be judged by that Torah
knowledge.”
‘When
the church feeds the hungry,
clothes the naked, build
aids treatment centers and
preaches Yahshua as Savior
according to Matthew 25,
they do the Torah regardless
of their knowledge of which
verses they are fulfilling,
or which mitzvoth they are
performing. Those who merely
sit all day and listen to
Torah discussions and views,
are not keeping Torah, and
can never be justified without
Yahshua, and without acting
on that knowledge.
‘“For
when the nations, which
have not Torah knowledge,
do by nature the things
contained in the Torah,
these, having not the Torah
knowledge, have an inbred
Torah for themselves,” Romans
2:14. Born again Ruach led
people will do and perform
the heart of the Torah,
even though they may not
do it on the right time,
or the right day with all
the right methods. YHWH
says they have the “inbred
Torah,” the Ruach HaKadosh,
until they come to a fuller
knowledge through teaching.
This inbred Torah has raised
up more hospitals, hospices
and healing venues, then
all the Torah midrashes
alone. Their inbred Torah
keeping excuses their lack
of knowledge and details,
although that also needs
to be received by teaching.
The Ruach will either excuse,
or accuse non-Torah keepers,
based on their actions and
their knowledge, or lack
thereof. Yahshua has come
to forgive both those who
talk Torah and do nothing
for lost and unredeemed
mankind, like many Messianic
and Nazarene leaders, and
those who love mankind,
but don’t know the proper
methods and details of the
Torah,’” wrote Rabbi Moshe
Koniuchowsky.
Returning
Yisra’el
Returning Yisra’el shares
the sins of both houses.
We have omitted our identity
as Hebrews and forsaken
the Torah. Returning Yisra’el
must become knowledgeable
of the Torah and the Hebraic
lifestyle and then share
that knowledge and the love
of Y’shua with others. It
is easy to slip back into
these areas of sin…to become
consumed in our search for
Torah knowledge or forsake
the Torah because of excuses.
Modern-day, two-house believers,
should seek to unite the
letter of the Law and the
Spirit of the Law through
following our Master Y’shua’s
high calling.
“How
then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall
they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without
a proclaimer? And how shall
they proclaim, except they
be sent? As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet
of them that proclaim the
besorah of shalom, and bring
good news of tov things,”
Romans / Romiyah 10:14,15,
Restoration Scriptures.
YHWH
is restoring all things.
He is using web sites, articles,
music, emails, books, cds,
and dvds to restore the
true faith and educate people.
This is just the beginning.
In
the world to come our Master
will not judge us upon knowledge
but deed. “Come, you blessed
of My Abba, inherit the
Malchut prepared for you
from the foundation of the
olam hazeh: For I was hungry,
and you gave Me food: I
was thirsty, and you gave
Me drink: I was a stranger,
and you took Me in: Naked,
and you clothed Me: I was
sick, and you visited Me:
I was in prison, and you
came to Me. Then shall the
tzadikim answer Him, saying,
Master, when did we see
You hungry, and fed You?
Or, thirsty, and gave You
to drink? When did we see
You as a stranger, and took
You in? Or, naked, and clothed
You? Or, when did we see
You sick, or in prison,
and visited You? And the
Melech shall answer and
say to them, Truly I say
to you, Whenever you have
done it to one of the least
of these My Yisraelite brothers;
you have done it to Me,”
Mattitiyahu / Matthew 25:34-40.
The
knowledge of the Two Houses
and even the knowledge of
the Sacred Name are not
going to bring about the
restoration of all things.
We’ve go to…
Learn
it…Live it…Share it…Give
it…
The
process is simple. Don’t
stop at just learning the
Torah. Don’t settle for
just living it. Share it
and give it to others. Partner
with a local group to meet
the physical needs of those
in the community. Unite
the letter of the law with
the spirit of the law and
be amazed at how YHWH will
draw people around you to
the truth.
Learn
it
Learn all about the faith.
Have a set apart time to
study and worship each week.
Try to find a worship center
or group nearby and join
with like-minded believers.
Feed your soul through worship,
study, prayer, meditation,
and fellowship. Set apart
the home as THE place of
worship. Read articles,
listen to audio teachings,
watch videos, and study
the Torah. Get a Sacred
Name Bible. Read the “Old”
and the “New” Testament.
Begin reading the weekly
Torah portion during the
week, before it is taught
at the worship center. Subscribe
to an audio cd teaching
ministry. Download teachings
from Messianic web sites
and highlight the verses
and comments that speak
to your soul. Memorize the
scriptures. Keep searching.
Learn about your identity
and heritage as an Israelite.
Know the difference.
Live
it
Walk out what you have learned.
Do it daily. Act the same
on Monday and Wednesday
as you do on Sabbath. Live
out your faith in the physical
world. Wear your faith;
speak your faith; treat
others as a person of faith.
Be led of the Spirit. Try
not to be pushy. Pray, worship,
and praise daily. Follow
as much of Torah as you
can. Don’t be afraid of
failing or doing Torah the
“wrong” way. When you make
a mistake, don’t give up,
just keep going. Help others
celebrate the feasts. Speak
the blessings when you can.
See the difference.
Share
it
Take what you have learned
and pass it on. Find one
friend and tell them about
your journey of faith. Forward
emails to friends and families.
Do what you can. Pass along
books or cds to those you
know. Learn enough of the
truth and be ready to share
it with others. Evangelize
as the Spirit leads. Don’t
force the truth…share it!
Write out your testimony
so you will be able to share
it in the future. Let the
glory of YHWH shine through
your life. Support a soup
kitchen or food pantry in
your community. Be a light
where you are. Write an
article or teaching and
submit it to be printed
in a local newspaper. Come
out of the prayer closet
and help others learn what
you have learned. Stand
your ground on the Torah;
yet try to work with other
groups to bring about unity.
Contact the American Red
Cross or Salvation Army
in your town and put your
name on the resource list
so that when there is an
immediate need you can be
contacted. Share the difference.
Give
It
Commit one hour a week to
deliver meals on wheels
to the elderly. Visit the
hospital and pray for the
sick. Donate clothes to
a local charity. Contact
the prison in your town
and ask how you can minister
to inmates. Give and it
will come back to you. Donate
money to a ministry far
away. Donate time to a ministry
in your community. Help
with a food pantry. Pray,
pray, pray! Put a bumper
sticker on your car. Mail
articles to believers in
third world countries. When
you read about a tragedy
in the local newspaper try
to find a way to minister
to those in need. Call an
old friend and tell them
about your Yisraelite identity
and faith. Mail used or
new books and Bibles to
believers in third-world
countries. Set aside a little
money every month for a
special needs / tzedekah
fund. Give the difference.
