Excerpts from the sermon given by Yisrayl Hawkins on 1/29/94
Shalom
everyone! May Yahweh bless each, and every one of you.
I bought some flowers for The House of Yahweh, did you notice them? Can everyone see the green and white flowers up here? There is a little bit of difference in these flowers, but I don't think you can tell from where you are, at a distance, which ones are real and which ones are not. I'm not sure myself, but I think these are the real ones. I'm looking at a distance too! These flowers are like what Satan brings forth in the world, today.
We're going to continue in the same series of sermons, "The Keys to the Kingdom," and talk about the deciding factors for getting you into the Kingdom. This is what Yahweh Himself goes by; and that's what He tells us.
Yahweh talks about, "In the days of these powers." We started off with this, if you remember, in Daniyl. Yahweh said, "In the days of these kings, He's going to bring forth a Kingdom." This Kingdom is the only one that's not going to be destroyed. All other power, all other authority, taken by men, by Satan, or by malakim, or angels, is going to be destroyed. These will be destroyed, along with the person who refuses to give up the power, to get rid of it, and get it out of his life. The way of Yahweh, the way of joy, is submission and service. That is His way, and that's what brings joy and gladness to one another.
These flowers here, I'm sure the one on my right is the one that I would choose. You can't tell the difference by just looking at these two pots from where you are. You would probably have to examine these closely; I had to myself, before I could find out which one had life, and which one didn't. Both of them look real. Both of them look like they have life in them. This one on the right will grow, strengthen itself, and develop, whereas this one on the left is dead. It looks alive; it looks beautiful. It looks almost like the original thing that Yahweh created.
Remember these little things, because if it's not forever we don't want it. If it's not forever we don't want it. We don't want it in our lives, if it's not forever, and eternal. If it doesn't have life, it won't live; it will rot and decay. The only thing that would cause this living flower to rot and decay, is if it gives up its life. Then it will start decaying.
This artificial flower never had life. It can't grow. There is no way that this thing can grow. You could make some more plastic to put with it, and pretend that it's alive, but its not.
It's the same way in our lives today. We can pretend we have life through the teachings that Satan has brought to us from Baal, from Zeus, and from all the Gods. Yahweh says this is Godworship, as we'll see even more closely today.
Godworship has been given to mankind. It's been taught to us, and drilled into us for so long, we actually think it's alive. We actually think this is joy. It has never brought joy. All it's brought is separation, divorce, heartache, and pain. We fight against the very Laws that would bring us peace, joy, love, and sharing. We fight against those continually because Satan has us deceived into her way of Godworship, thinking that it is the true life.
Now, remember the study from the last time I spoke. I asked someone the other day, just in passing, what did the Scriptures show were the keys to the Kingdom, and the deciding factor of what Yahweh says will get you into being a member of the priesthood. Yahweh gives this in detail; we should know this.
He shows the deciding factor in Psalm 119:165. We went over these words last week, and what these words mean.
The expression, "Great peace," comes from two words, with two different numbers. Both of these words are pronounced "Shalom." When you put the two together, they pronounce true peace. They mean safe, well, and joyous. Yahweh's promise to you is that you will be safe, well, joyous, and healthy, and prosperity will come.
Peace, friend, did you get that? You receive peace when the Law becomes a friend to you, when you start looking at it as a true friend, and you long for it. As you actually long for a friend, you actually start longing for the Law, then it will be a friend to you. Then, it will bring you all these things: true peace, shalom, shalam.
Prosperity, peace, and friendship, this is Yahweh's righteousness. It will make you perfect, that's what the word means, perfect, such as, be at peace, able, holy. It will make you one whole person. To be safe in mind, body and estate, to be complete... That is, to be perfect. These are the definitions you can get from a Hebrew dictionary, Strong's and Gesenius, if you want to look them up.
The word, love, where it says, Great peace have they who love Your Law, means to desire, to long for, to actually breathe heavily after. This means making it such a part of your life, that it is like having a great friend who is coming to see you.
You remember in one of the descriptions of the Sabbath, the Rabbis said that we should look forward to the Sabbath, and prepare for it, as we would prepare for a really close friend who is coming to see us. That's the same meaning this Scripture has.
…who love Your Law... It means longing for this friendship. It gives you Scriptures, such as Leviticus 19:18, about not allowing your brother to break the Law, but to love him as yourself. You should love the Law of Yahweh as yourself.
Now with this in mind, Yahweh says that when you have this, when this develops in your life, nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever cause you to fall away. This is His promise to you. This is His deciding factor, the judgment that He gives us, and He says this is how He chooses us. He says, when He chooses us, and when this comes into our lives, like He's describing, then, He says, "You're fit for My Kingdom because I will never have to worry about you falling away."
Now let's go over to Ecclesiastes 1, about Solomon who craved for knowledge; he craved the Laws of Yahweh. All of his experiences were to prove these things. This is a great book that this man wrote, as Yahweh gave him more knowledge and wisdom than any other man at that time.
He shows us that He's giving us the same thing in these Last Days. He's, through prophecy, giving this to His House. He is giving more now, than even King Solomon had in his day, and time.
Ecclesiastes 1:1. The words of Qoheleth, the son of David, the king of Yerusalem.
Verse 2, Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!.. That is, mankind striving after this, or that, the way you see the governments doing today, with ninety percent of the wealth owned by ten percent of the people. They are oppressing ninety percent of the people. Then, if they have a revolution, they put a million more police officers on the job to keep the people squashed, and keep them from rising up. Do you know why? This is to take their wealth away, because the governments don't have the Law of love in their heart.
Now, whether this love comes with a fountain pen by writing, or the love of a person, or whatever, if you don't have it, you need it. You need it desperately. What would The House of Yahweh be, if we didn't share love with the other people or with each other? What would anything matter if you had it all to yourself?
Verse 3, What does a man have to show for all his toil and trouble during his brief lifetime under the sun?
Verse 4, One generation passes away, and another generation comes… They all seek after the same thing. For 6,000 years, man has rocked along in this same boat, seeking after his own way. What has it brought him? Only grief. It has brought this up until Yahweh establishes or calls someone out of this world, and teaches him or her the true way of life.
Now, He speaks of this Kingdom that He is establishing, in these Last Days, in our time period, in this last generation. During this last generation will be the development of a Kingdom that will bring joy, peace, love, and all of these things to the world. That's what we're learning now.
Verse 6, The wind blows toward the south, then turns around to the north; the wind whirls continuously, going back and forth on its same course… He's trying to show you what mankind does, because mankind does not have the ability to come out of Satan's world by himself. It's only through Yahweh's Laws that you have the ability to come out of the selfish mess that Satan has created that has caused all the hell we see in the world.
Verse 7, Every river flows into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the rivers started to flow, the water returns there, just to ceaselessly begin flowing again... All of these things take place.
Verse 13, And I applied my mind to search out and investigate by wisdom… The wisdom that Yahweh gave him. …all that is done under heaven—the wretched employment Yahweh has given to the sons of man, so that they might be afflicted by it... Notice, He gave it to them for this purpose, so they might become afflicted by these things and not ever want them in their lives again.
If you look into the world today, you see nothing but a rat race all the time. They all have the mindset of, "Get, acquire, get, acquire." He who seeks after silver will never be satisfied with silver. We see marriage, we see separation, we see more marriage, and more separation. There is never an end to it. It doesn't bring joy. It just brings separation. It's stupid. It's not the way Yahweh intended at all. For 6,000 years, their way has not brought joy, but they keep seeking after the dead, like the flower on my left.
Verse 14, I have seen all the works that are done under the sun… All of them …and truly, all is vanity... Everything that Satan has given, in the form of Godworship, has been nothing but vanity, hurt, and harm. It brings hurt and harm into our minds because we chase after it. It's like being on a merry-go-round, never getting off.
Ecclesiastes 12:1. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth… We read this before, but maybe it will make a little more sense to you now. This man, Solomon, searched after everything. He saw everything, and then came to a conclusion. Yahweh inspired him to write that conclusion for you.
…Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come... Yes, we know the days of trouble are coming. In fact, I just read you a newspaper article the last time I spoke, showing how the food supply is at its limit. In the last three months, the rice prices have doubled three times. Food is going up now, and getting more expensive day by day.
We know what Yahweh predicted would occur to the food supply; we are in that time. We are living in a time of horror, a time of the worst trouble ever on the face of the earth. We have the means to destroy all life in this generation. We have all of Satan's way of life sitting before us, so we can see it all in one lump sum in these Last Days. Sin has increased, where hatred is built between every individual and the other. All they teach is "love, love, love," and their love can turn to hatred in ten seconds. That's not true love, it's not even lasting. True love is what you see in Yahweh's Laws.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the day of trouble comes, and the years draw near when you say: I find no pleasure in them… Find the true love in Yahweh's Laws while you have a mind to work with, is what Solomon is trying to tell you.
There is a reason Yahweh calls us, and gives us plenty of time. Conversion doesn't come in a moment, especially when you've been raised and suckled on Zeus's way all your life. You have had trouble, after trouble, after trouble, and what has it gotten you? It's gotten you more pain. The world keeps blaming Yahweh's Laws, and hating everyone who wants to keep them, just as they hate you today.
Verse 2, Before the sun, or the light... or the stars become darkened... We know this is going to take place. Our own Savior spoke of these days; they are right around the corner from you, now. You don't have to believe it. You can hide your head in the sand, and seek after these dead flowers along with the rest of the world, and die with them. Then, your bodies will turn to the same dust that this flower will turn to.
Verse 3, In the day when the keepers of the house will tremble, and the strong men will bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few… Yes, nothing will be left to grind. The food shortage is going to be there for all to experience. Only the chosen are going to have the promise that they will get fatter, while the world starves. …and they who look out the windows see darkness…
Verse 4, When the doors will be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is hushed; when men will no longer rise up at the sound of birds, and all the daughters of music will be silenced.
If you study the history of Jerusalem, you can see what those people, our forefathers, went through. It's going to be worse this time. All the fields are going to be dried up, and the grains will be gone. Yahweh shows this in Yahyl 1-2.
Verse 5, When they are afraid because of danger from on high, and because of terrors in the way; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden and desire fails; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets.
Verse 6, Remember your Creator… Remember Him, while you have the time, and can work on the problems that you have in your mind. The mind is where it's all placed, and this is how you overcome, inside the mind. This is how you get the body to do what you want it to do.
…before the silver cord is cut... This is speaking of the stuff that goes through your backbone. The cord brings the information to your brain, and the brain uses it to make the body do what it wants it to do. That's what this silver cord is speaking of here.
...before the golden bowl… That holds your brain. The pitcher that holds your brain is what controls your body. He goes through every bit of the motion that your body goes through, showing you how to remember, and how to overcome through this. You have to do this before it's taken from you, before Yahweh says, "He's never going to overcome. I have given him this much time, and he wants to stay in the same rut. He wants to chase his tail around, and around. He's not fit for the Kingdom." Do this before that takes place, and Yahweh turns you over to a reprobate mind. You have plenty of time to do it, if you will do it.
When I was a young boy, we used to drive to town and back in a wagon. On the old roads in Oklahoma, where the cars would drive, there would be ruts that would get so deep that the wagon would be dragging high center in some places. I remember when we would get in the wagon, take off, and get in one of these ruts. It was very hard to get out, at times. They would be like six, or eight inches deep, maybe deeper. It would be hard to get that old wagon to climb up out of these ruts. Cars would have to get up out of the rut too.
The team would be pulling with all of its might to get that wagon out of that rut, and it was so deep that it would hold the wheels. The wagon was sliding along in that rut. We would have to get out of that wagon sometimes, and push on the side of it to get it out of that rut, so the other traffic could get by us.
Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to get out of these ruts that we're in. Sometimes it isn't easy, it comes with pain, but we can do it. Yahweh says we can do it.
Verse 13, He gives you the conclusion here. …Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter… The whole matter now; you got this? …Reverence Yahweh… Remember all the sermons I brought on reverencing Yahweh? What a delight that was to bring this, and to hear it, too, and find out how to reverence Yahweh, and how to become a member of His House. This was such a pleasure.
It's such a pleasure, and growth when you find that you can overcome, and that you can actually believe Yahweh. Once you do this, there is great joy. It's kind of like when you first started keeping the Sabbath. I think that was one of the hardest things you faced when you started keeping the Sabbath day. It was such a bore to sit, just sit, and not be active, because we were so used to getting out, and having fun. Once you start keeping the Sabbath day, the Sabbath day becomes that delight; it becomes that close friend to us. We start looking forward to visiting that friend every week. We've found the joy in that.
This is true with every one of Yahweh's Laws. You don't accept it readily because everything in your body fights against it. Your body says, "No! No! Get it away from me. I don't want it; I can't stand the thought of it." Once we start doing it, and practicing it, and practicing it, and practicing it, then comes the joy.
I was telling someone last week that we used to make sorghum molasses when I was a child. When I was a child, Dad had this old syrup mill, and we had a mule that pulled a grinder, the wheel that pulled inside. We would throw these stalks of sugarcane in, and it would squeeze the sap out of them. We had the vat it poured into. We would put a fire under the vat, heat it, and cook it to a certain thickness.
The first time I tasted that stuff, I hated it. I couldn't stand it. I was just a child. One thing that will make you love food is to get hungry. People who tell me that they are finicky about food, I know that they have never been hungry. If they were hungry, and that was the only thing they had to eat, I guarantee you, they would learn to like it.
This sorghum molasses, I didn't know it was healthy at that time, I just knew I didn't like it. Later on in life, I read about blackstrap molasses. When I found this article on blackstrap molasses, I thought, I know what that is, it tastes horrible. I read how much iron blackstrap molasses has in it. It comes from a plant that Yahweh made, and He puts the lifegiving particles in it.
This article was written by a doctor, an MD. He was always called out late at night, and he would be so tired that he would actually fall asleep the next day talking to patients. He began hunting something to build up his energy. He was talking about how he ate blackstrap molasses three times a day, because of the iron that it contained, and the other natural vitamins and minerals. After he had eaten it for just thirty days, he said he could stay awake up to three days and nights, working with patients.
When I read that, I thought, wow, I would like to have some of that myself. At that time, I was in college, and I wanted to stay awake, because I wanted to learn. I wanted to study. I started eating blackstrap molasses. I love blackstrap molasses today. To me, there is nothing better than blackstrap molasses and whole-wheat pancakes. Boy, my mouth is watering! I think I could eat some right now!
It gives you energy. After I read, and I saw, the life-giving process in it, I wanted to like it, but it took a while to learn to like it. Now, I don't just like it; I love it.
It's the same way with Yahweh's Law. Eat them. Remember what He told Yechetzqyah? He said, "Take this thing, and eat it. Take it, and eat Yechetqzyah, and then you will learn to love it." That's the way it is with Yahweh's Laws. You have to submit to His Laws, first.
This is the conclusion of the whole matter: reverence Yahweh by keeping His Laws. Keeping His Laws is the way you reverence Yahweh, not by rebelling, and saying, "I don't want them." It's by submission to them. It's by repentance, and submission, to Yahweh's authority. ...Reverence Yahweh, by observing; keeping His Laws, for this is the whole duty… This is the whole duty that will get you into the Kingdom of Yahweh. This is the whole duty, because once you start doing it, then you will start liking that black strap molasses or that Law. Once you start eating it, forcing yourself to eat it, even if you have to go hungry, and fast a day or two, you will like it.
Verse 14, For Yahweh will bring every work into judgment… Every work, every thought, every objection against His Law, He's going to bring it into judgment. He has called you, and He's testing you to see if you will put forth the effort to learn to love His Law, and make it a friend to you.
…including every secret; hidden, thing… You can't get by with the secret things, like gossip, of any kind. No, it's being written about you right now. Every stupid thing you say, whether in strife, anger, or whether in emotional calmness, it's all being written about you, because you are being judged. You're being chosen. You've been chosen to be given this opportunity to be a part of something that is forever, that is alive, like this flower on my right. You can actually live, grow forever, have life, and do things. You can enjoy the life that's in this flower. Everything Yahweh creates has life in it. Once that life starts to leave, there's nothing that can bring it back, except Yahweh Himself. Life is what you enjoy. If it wasn't for your life, you couldn't enjoy anything. Once this silver cord is broken, once the bowl that holds the brain, that you overcome with, is gone, you can't enjoy anything. You couldn't even enjoy a movie, once the brain is gone. Soon it will fade; it's not forever. The flesh and blood brain is not forever. The one Yahweh has in store for you is forever. The limits to a body of flesh and spirit are unending.
Yahweh says, before this is broken, before He decides you unfit and unworthy for the Kingdom, then take advantage of this. Make it a part of your life; learn to enjoy this blackstrap molasses, and you will live forever, not on blackstrap molasses, but on Yahweh's Spirit.
…including every secret; hidden, thing, whether it is righteous… Whether the secret hidden things are righteous. …or whether it is evil... Whether it is according to Yahweh's Law, or whether it is according to Zeus or Baal. Proverbs 20:12-15 shows you to judge by Yahweh's judgments; this is what we covered in the last Feast.
Now, let's go over to Isayah because Yahweh shows that Satan is the one who introduced the way that looks great, that looks like life. It actually looks like life, like this flower on my left. It actually looks like life, and looks like a desirable life. If you took this flower, and you didn't know the difference, it would look desirable to you, if you liked flowers, which almost all of us do. Yahweh puts beauty in these things that is desirable to have around you. If you understand the difference, then you want the live flowers, instead of the dead ones. That's what Yahweh wants. He wants life around Him. He wants you to live. In fact, He says, He desires that you choose life.
Isayah 14:12. How you have fallen from heaven, O Hillel… How did she fall from her position? Whatever Satan did, she also put in mankind, because her spirit is what she feeds to you, just like Yahweh feeds His spirit; which are His Laws.
…How you have fallen… "How did you fall from your position that I gave you?" Remember, Yahweh gave her everything. He gave her everything she needed. She wasn't satisfied with it, but He gave her everything she needed.
…How you have fallen from heaven… How have you fallen from this position? …child of the light! How are you cut down to the ground... What caused you to be like this? ...you who weakened the nations!… Notice, whatever she had that weakened her, also weakened the nations, and is weakening them even today.
Verse 13, For you have said in your heart; I will ascend above the heavens... Notice, she wasn't satisfied, and she's showing it here. She's saying, "I will ascend." She's saying in her heart, "I want more, I want more, I want more. No, I won't submit, and show you that I can accept Your authority, and the authority You have placed over me. I want more, I want to be above You. I want to be above Yahweh."
In the same way, we hear today, "I want to be above my mother and daddy. I don't want to take orders from them. I'm free, white, and twenty-one, or free, yellow, and twenty-one, and nobody is going to tell me what to do." How long is that life going to last like that? Not long. The silver cord is going to be broken, very soon. In fact, all the silver cords are going to be broken pretty soon.
…I will raise my throne above the stars of Yahweh… That is the authority. It's like saying, "I want authority over my mother, my daddy, my husband, or the Elders. I want authority over them. I don't want to be under them."
…I will sit in the highest place on the holy mountain of the congregation… This is what she's putting in the world. Why does every nation want to be tops? Why does every businessman want to be the best? Why do we want to keep up with the Jones' or get ahead of the Jones', as the old saying goes? This is the same spirit Satan has. This is what Yahweh said caused her to fall, to fail.
It also causes Christianity to fail. Christians will never receive eternal life, unless they repent. They will never be able to bear the precious fruits of love, joy, and peace, that Yahweh wants in His Kingdom.
Verse 14, I will ascend above the heights… Even though Satan had everything that she needed, she wanted to ascend above this. ...I will be like the Most High... In fact, she wanted to be above Him, and above all the stars of heaven.
Verse 15, Yet you will bring yourself down to Sheol; the grave…Yes, this is His promise to you, and everyone who follows the Gods. …to the sides of the pit.
Verse 16, Those who see you will stare at you, and they will talk about you, saying; Is this the one who shook the earth... You can be a part of shaking this earth, or you can be a part of building the earth; either one. You can't be a part of building this earth, unless you first submit to the authority that gives you the power to build the earth.
…and made kingdoms tremble?... You're being a part of the whole destructive process if you yield to one iota of Godworship.
Verse 17, Is this the one who made the world like a wilderness… Are you going to be a part of making this world like a wilderness or are you going to come out of the Christianity that's been taught to you all of your life, or the Judaism, or the Muslim way, or whatever?
…who overthrew the cities in it, and would not let her captives go free?… They have binding on their minds, through jealousy and envy. This is what caused Satan to stumble and to fall, to fail.
Philippians 2:1 Therefore, if there is any consolation in the Messiah… If this penetrates you, at all. If any of this penetrates your mind, you can start seeing Yahweh's way. …if any comfort in love… The love that Yahweh has promised you. If this brings any comfort to you, knowing, or believing in any way, this will bring you love. …if any fellowship… Yes, this comes with the spirit of fellowship in the spirit. …if any affection and mercy.
Verse 2, Complete my joy by being like-minded… Like minded? Keep these things in mind as we read on. Be like-minded, with Yahweh and Yahshua. The only way you can be like-minded is to be in unity with Him. If you fight against Him, you're not being like-minded with Him; you're not in unity with Him.
…having the same love… The same love. He says, "My Laws are love. If you practice my Laws, you're practicing love." It doesn't turn to hatred, because you're following the line He has set for you.
Love is making up your mind that you will not murder; that is love. Love is making up your mind that you will do unto others, as you would have them do to you; that is love. You can practice that way. You can follow that line, because it's straight. Your mind says, "This is Yahweh's way, and I'll set my mind on it, and I'll do it." That way won't turn to hate.
Verse 2, Complete my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in one accord, of one mind… Letting all of us follow it together, being in one accord of one mind. Letting us all follow it together.
Verse 3, Let nothing be done by way of strife… This is the way the whole world is going today. That's the reason they have to take their weapons away from them, and put a million more police officers over them.
Yahweh sets the Law of peace in front of you. He says, "Follow this, and you will know love." This is love, following this way. It's not an emotional thing. It's something you can set your mind to do, and say, "I want no part of that way. I want no part of Godworship." Every bit of what is contrary to His way, anything that is done out of strife, anything that is not under the authority that He has set, and the offices that He has set, Yahweh calls it Godworship, which Satan brought in.
Verse 3, Let nothing be done by way of strife or empty glory… This is what Satan did, out of strife and empty glory, wanting to be equal, and in a fifty-fifty marriage with Yahweh. You will never have that, and if you desire it, you're going the wrong way. You can be joyous with what you have, even if it's all taken away from you, and you have to live, as I did, where you don't have anything.
Verse 3, Let nothing be done by way of strife or empty glory, but in lowliness of mind… In lowliness of mind. …let each esteem others better than themselves… This is what brings the joy: knowing that Yahweh is right, and will always be right, and knowing we have a loving authority over us, Who will have the power to keep us in the way, and keep Satan from bringing the hell that we see in the world today.
Yahweh is always cherishing us, and showing true love because He set the same guidelines for Himself. The same guidelines that He says, "These are right," He follows Himself. We never have to worry about Him leaning from one side to the other either, because He says He will be the same way forever. He will change not, and that's what He wants in us. He wants those who look on the Law as a friend, and those who follow every Law, statute and judgment, as a friend. Set your mind to it. Push all the other out. Don't let gossip or anything else change your attitude towards that Law.
Verse 4, Let every one of you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others… This is an unselfish kindness, an unselfish love, that does no harm. When everyone comes to that unity, then everyone will have the same joy and gladness that Yahweh and Yahshua have.
Verse 5, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Yahshua Messiah… Have the same mind, and the same spirit; not the spirit of Satan of selfishness, and rebellion against authority, with the "No one will tell me what to do," kind of attitude.
Verse 6, Who, being in the form of Yahweh, did not think… Now notice this; this is the mind He wants in you. Read that for yourself; study it closely.
…Who, being in the form of Yahweh, did not think it was something to be seized upon to be equal with Yahweh… You're never going to even get as high as Satan was, unless you turn to Yahweh in submission. The only way that you can prove that you won't be like Satan, and that you won't rebel with this spirit of Satan, that she rebelled with, is to prove to Yahweh now that you can accept authority. That's the only way. It will be too late after the cord is broken, and you have no mind to overcome with.
Verse 7, But abased Himself, taking the form of a servant… A slave; this is exactly what Yahshua did, and never asked for anything more. Never once did He ask for exaltation, never once. He humbled Himself. He became a servant to the people, teaching them, going through embarrassing situations, and risking His life. He went through all of these things so that He could teach the every word of Yahweh.
Verse 8, And being found in fashion; appearance and conduct, like a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death… Notice obedient, not rebellious, but obedient. Did you get that? Not rebellious; you don't find that in the way of life, in the way of eternity. ...and became obedient unto death: the death of the sacrifice on the stake...This is laying down your life in death.
Verse 9, Because of this, Yahweh also has highly exalted Him… Although He didn't ask for it, not in any way. Yahshua never asked for exaltation, and never tried to raise Himself above Yahweh. In fact, He always built Yahweh up in everything. He always stood up for Yahweh in everything He did. He exalted the Father all the time.
He was even asked about what righteousness is. Did He set Himself up as an example? That's what we want to do, isn't it? We brag on ourselves, as the examples of righteousness. We become legends in our own minds, as someone said. We are the highest; we want to exalt ourselves above all. Yahshua never did that. He became a slave, a servant, and asked for nothing more than that. He had the heart of King David, who said even if he was a floor sweeper, it would be a joyous thing.
Yahshua Himself said, the least in the Kingdom will be greater than Yahchanan the Immerser. Yahchanan the Immerser was a very great man, and a brave man, but he had some doubt. The ones who make it into that Kingdom of Yahweh, will become the priestly kings, and the family of Yahweh, who will bring joy and gladness to all the world, and rule forever, teaching and enforcing the Laws of Yahweh. They will love the Law of Yahweh and the Laws will be a friend to them. They will know, and they will get it in their minds that this is the way that brings joy. They will stick with it, and Yahweh knows this.
Verse 9, Because of this, Yahweh also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every Name… And will always be above every name. We will always exalt Yahshua, and know that He is above us, and we will be glad for it. He's the One Who made it possible for us. Yahweh is the one Who made it possible for Him.
Verse 10, That in the Name of Yahshua, every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth must bow… The same glory, Yahweh says, is going to be given to the 144,000 priesthood, although it's not something you should crave, or seek after. What you should seek after is righteousness, which brings peace, joy, and gladness forever.
Verse 11, And every tongue must confess that Yahshua Messiah is King… And not just confess, you must know it in your mind that this is always going to be so. It will be forever.
…to the glory of Yahweh the Father... Yes, He was made king to the glory of Yahweh, and that's what He wanted to do.
Verse 12, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only… Don't just do it in his presence, but do it to build up yourself in righteousness. This makes you pleasing unto Yahweh. You start proving yourself to Yahweh, and then you'll learn to love it.
…but now much more in my absence, work out; effect, achieve, your own salvation with fear and trembling... You're either going to work out your own salvation, or you're going to receive the death penalty; one of the two.
Yahweh has already said that remaining slack or lukewarm will not be accepted in His presence. He says He will spew you out of His mouth. Remember, the Laodicean group? You need to make yourselves hot for Yahweh, and be zealous, Yahweh says.
Verse 13, For it is Yahweh Who is at work in you, both to will and to act according to His righteous pleasure... It's Yahweh Who's working in you, and Who's proving you.
Now you can reject this. You can quench Holy Spirit. You can fight against Yahweh's way, until the silver cord is broken; then, that's it. You'll have no other time to prove yourself to Yahweh once the silver cord is broken. Now is the time to overcome.
Verse 14, Do all things without murmurings… Oh wow! Hey did you hear that everybody? Wow! …do all things without murmurings…
Verse 14, Do all things without murmurings and disputings… Notice the disputing. Don't be griping, and don't be disputing, always wanting to have your own way and always wanting to rise above.
Verse 15, In order that you may be blameless... See, He's giving you all of these instructions so that you can become blameless, and be worthy of that Kingdom.
…and harmless, the children of Yahweh, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation… We have had to grow up in the worst there is, because Satan has had all this time to practice, and work on the human mind, and to create things that would put in you desires. She did this to Eve, and does it even more so today. She makes this way look so great. She even makes it look like it's life, and feeds it to the Christian world.
…among whom you shine… You shine in this perverse generation. ...as lights in the world... As Yahshua said, "You are the light of the world." You're the salt of the earth, because you're practicing the Laws of Yahweh in this perverse generation.
Verse 16, Holding fast the Laws of life… You who are a light to the world, you're holding fast the Laws of Life. That is, you're following this way, where Yahweh says, "This is the way, walk you in it." You're saying in your mind, "I will not lean here nor there; this is the way that Yahweh says, and I'm going to follow it because I believe Him and I want to be like Him."
…so that I may rejoice in the day of Messiah, that I have not run in vain, nor labored in vain… I would hate to think that myself; that all of this work, all of the tears, the sweat, and the embarrassment that I've gone through were all in vain. I hate to think that the people I've taught, through the strength of Yahweh, would turn from Yahweh's way, through the pulls of Satan, or that I would lose any one of you. I could, just because of a little bit of rebellious spirit, just hanging on to one little bit of it.
Verse 17, Yes, even if I am poured out like a drink offering for the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all... And I do, I rejoice because I know that I'm teaching you eternity.
Won't that be a joyous day, when you hear the voice saying, "You have made it." It will sure be worth it then: all the sweat, tears, embarrassing situations, and penny-pinching trying to get the word out to others.
Verse 18, For the same reason you should also rejoice, and rejoice with me… Rejoice; rejoice in Yahweh's Law of being humble, of being rid of the raised up spirit that Satan has put in this world.
May Yahweh bless you. May you all overcome. I will turn the services over to the song leader.