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    CHAPTER ONE Surprise in the Air

    It was a comment that wasnt supposed to be heard. The words were spoken by a

    nameless man to an audience of air. Yet somehow the remark drifted through the wind

    and into my ears. I will never forget that day.

    Those Christians all they do is talk about victory and peace. All they do is hoot and

    holler and preach about truth but I havent seen any real change. All this stuff is fake.

    Those are the words that penetrated my heart and have echoed in my mind ever since

    that bright sunny morning. You see, I had just given an encouraging sermon during a

    Sunday outreach to the homeless of Columbia, South Carolina. We had some great live

    music by a Gospel band called Yaacov and we had prayed for many of the needy whohad come for worship and the hot breakfast that was served. I had felt satisfied with the

    service and was walking to my car. All was well until I felt like I was hit by my car

    through the observation of a homeless man that I have never seen again.

    Are we really considered fake? Is our talk of love, obedience to the Bible, and truth

    ignored because it doesnt bring real change for some? What is so wrong with us that

    even a homeless person will not respond to our message?

    To answer such an announcement I immediately thought of different passages of

    Scripture. Just think about it if you had to choose one verse that describes our faithand our message, which would you choose?

    John 3:16is probably the most popular mantra for quick evangelism.

    The Great Commission in Matthew is powerful.

    1 John 4:8is another good passage that says whoever that does not love is not of God

    because God is Love.

    For those attempting to learn the Hebrew Roots of Christianity,Ezekiel 37is a focal

    passage that is often spouted.

    These are all amazing verses and concepts but my heart could not settle upon any ofthem.

    Those Christians all they do is talk about victory and peace and the abundant life. All

    they do is hoot and holler and preach about truth but I havent seen any real change. All

    this stuff is fake.

    http://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+3.16&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+3.16&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1John+4.8&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1John+4.8&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Ezekiel+37&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Ezekiel+37&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Ezekiel+37&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Ezekiel+37&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1John+4.8&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+3.16&t=HNV
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    It was an honest observation and probably something that needed to be stated, but

    ouch! Is this really what is thought of people of faith? Could this be why our friends and

    family do not share our love for the Savior or the nation of Israel? And more importantly

    why? Why does it seem that our faith has been hijacked by a powerless set of rules,

    conspiracy theories, orders of service, and traditions?

    Over the next few days I began to pray and seek the Almighty on these questions and

    that life altering statement. What I would get in return was a challenge to return to the

    simplicity of the Scriptures. The Messiah said inJohn 10:10that He came so that we

    could have life and life more abundantly. The Savior didnt just come so that the world

    could be saved from hell and given eternal life in heaven. His quest was to give us life in

    abundance in the here and now. Such an abundant promise became the mission of my

    heart and the search of my soul.As I continued to pray about that morning and the mystery mans message, the Holy

    Spirit led me to1 Corinthians 6:19. The more I began to think on this one single verse,

    the more I began to realize that this is the answer. Its the solution, the explanation, the

    basis, and the source. This one obscure verse holds the remedy to the soul thats sick of

    religion, rites, and quest to be right.

    Dont you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and

    was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,1 Corinthians 6:19.

    No, it doesnt make the best bumper sticker and I doubt you would see anyone holdthese words on a placard sign at Wrigley Field, but1 Corinthians 6:19is the key. This

    one passage opens up the Scriptural Pandoras box to describe our original intention at

    creation, our calling from Moses, and the purpose behind the Messiahs advent to Earth.

    Yep.2 Corinthians 1:19does all of that. And more. How?

    Well, this book is like a shovel to help you dig into this verse. Read the pages with an

    open mind, make notes, and pray the Scriptures. (Direct quotes from the Bible have

    been set in bold to aide your study.) As you flip through these pages, you will begin to

    see why being the temple of the Holy Spirit produces real change. You will learn howto go from talking about the abundant life to living the abundant life through the pattern

    of the temple. When you finish you may even be able to answer the question of those

    who challenge your own personal faith.

    Let the surprise in the air that shook me to the core work inside you through

    understanding what it means to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.

    http://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+10.10&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+10.10&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+10.10&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=2Corinthians+1.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=2Corinthians+1.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=2Corinthians+1.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=2Corinthians+1.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=1Corinthians+6.19&t=HNVhttp://www.blb.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=John+10.10&t=HNV
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    Back to the Basicschapter 2 from the book "Meant for

    More"by Daniel Rendelman

    What does it really mean to be the "temple of the Holy Spirit?" Growing up in theBible belt of South Carolina, I never saw a temple of anything. Sure, there is a churchon every street corner and every Sunday the sounds of bells fill the air, but a temple?Hardly.I do remember as a child that my father would speak of going "to temple" before heand my mother were married. Dad was born Jewish and was raised to attend "temple"every Saturday. It surprised me that he never called his place of worship a church oreven a synagogue. To him, and to many Jewish people, their place of worship is calleda "temple." They do this in an effort to recall the glorious temple described in theScriptures. The Temple (notice the capital T) was built by King Solomon and wasmodeled after the Tabernacle of Moses found in the Torah. Local "temples" are housesof worship that are made to remind the worshipper of the original Temple andTabernacle of Israel.The Tabernacle, or "mishkan" in Hebrew, was the "tent of meeting" that theLORD/YHWH commanded the Israelites to build after they were rescued from the harshslavery of Pharaoh in Egypt.

    (YHWH is the ancient Hebrew name of the Creator that was given to mankind in Exodus3. The Scriptures declare that this is His name "forever, unto all generations." Thisname has been hidden in English Bibles behind the capitalized words "LORD" and"GOD." From this point forward this book will reference the Almighty as YHWH. Formore on the name of YHWH visit www.emetministries.org.)

    YHWH used the nation of Israel through their enslavement and exodus to make Hisname known among the entire earth. When the Israelite people decided to accept thegiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19 they capitalized upon the opportunityto reflect YHWH's glory. Through the various commandments given to the new nation,the Hebrew people could set themselves apart from the world and unto the glory of

    YHWH.

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    Upon the mountain, Moshe received exact and precise instructions for the building ofthe tabernacle or "mishkan." This portable dwelling of YHWH was to be a place ofworship and a house of prayer for all people. It was here that YHWH would dwellwithin the camp as the Shekinah glory appeared above the golden mercy seat. Special

    sacrifices were offered in the mishkan's outer court while highly trained priests, wouldminister daily within the holy place. Once a year the High Priest would go behind theveil and enter the holy of holies of the tabernacle. This tent of meeting was the key toIsrael's success as a nation and their role as ambassadors of YHWH's power.

    The entire nation accepted the call to be a "royal priesthood" in Exodus 19 and wouldworship through the tabernacle. Sadly, the people's actions did not match their words.The nation was gripped by fear and sent Moses up the mountain as an intercessor.Then in the absence of Moses the Israelites traded the worship of YHWH for theadoration of a golden calf. Later, the tabernacle would be set up but the nation would

    fail to walk in holiness. The Bible records how the glory of Israel faded when the nationfell into sin and the tabernacle fell into the wrong hands. Sin separated man fromYHWH. The Priests, Kings, and Prophets begged the Israelites to return to true worshipbut the stubborn nation continued to rebel.It wasn't until the Messiah came to "tabernacle with man" that the nation of Israel sawthe full glory of Father YHWH. Jesus/Y'shua did the works of His Father and broughtpraise to YHWH in everything He said and did. Hundreds were healed and thousandswere freed by His message of "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth asit is in heaven." (Y'shua is the Hebrew name of the Savior that was given to him bythe angels in Luke 2. He was never called "Jesus." His Hebrew parents gave him a

    Hebrew name. His name literally means "YHWH is salvation." From this point forwardin this book, the Messiah's name will be restored to the original name of Y'shua. Formore information on the name of Y'shua go to www.emetministries.org.)

    Y'shua brought the glory of the Tabernacle with Him wherever He went as He had been"anointed with the Holy Spirit and healed all who were oppressed of thedevil." After His death and resurrection He passed along His power and anointing tothe believing assembly. He said that "the same works I have done and greaterworks than these shall you do." The very same works that Y'shua did we can do aswe allow the Holy Spirit to tabernacle in us! The teacher Paul understood this principle

    as he often wrote about the types and shadows of the Temple. In two different placeshe reminded us that we are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The glory lost by sinhas been restored by the habitation of the Spirit in you."Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in

    you and was given to you by YHWH? You do not belong to yourself," 1Corinthians 6:19.

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    "Don't you know that you yourselves are YHWH's temple and that YHWH'sSpirit lives in you?" 2 Corinthians 3:16.I believe that these two verses best describe our faith. We are now the dwelling place

    and Temple of YHWH. Before Y'shua the Temple was the place of worship and theHoly Spirit, or "Ruach Ha Kodesh" in Hebrew, would come for a visitation when thepeople walked in covenant with YHWH. Today, weARE the temple of YHWH and HisSpirit has come for habitation! "For you died, and your life is now hidden withMessiah in YHWH," Colossians 3:3.

    The life of Messiah that has been hidden in your born again spirit can be released

    through the Word. "Whereby have been given exceeding great and preciouspromises: that by these we could be partakers of the divine nature," 2 Peter3:4.Sadly, religion has removed the focus on the Temple being inside of us and placed it onoutward actions and outward buildings. Ministry after ministry promotes themselvesthrough marketing and branding in order to declare their unique mission. Recently afriend of mine was telling me of his desire to work with what he called "churchplanting." I thought he was speaking of missionary work and I said that such an ideaseemed needed. He then commented that he was working to plant a church in ourhometown. "Do we really need another church?" I asked him. He said, "what our town

    needs is a good church." I left that conversation totally bewildered at such "kingdom"building of people's pet doctrines. The truth is that the world, and certainly my smalltown, doesn't need another single church or ministry. What is needed is for the peopleof faith to be the "temple" or the place of faith that we so often read of in the Bible.We were made for this purpose... to show forth YHWH's glory and live His very life.

    At creation we received the very breath of life from YHWH. Genesis 2:7 says,"YHWH formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breathof life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person." YHWHbreathed His life into us. This is what made us different than the animal and plantkingdoms.

    YHWH's breath is His life. In Hebrew this is the word "neshama," which means "wind,

    spirit, air, and breath." YHWH breathed upon man and imparted his "breath" or "spirit"to us. Understand that this doesn't mean that we are little "gods." When YHWHbreathed upon man He connected with us in the most intimate way possible. You don't

    just let anyone breathe in your face, do you? Well, YHWH breathed upon man andgave us a part of His glory.

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    Psalm 8 states that were made "a little lower than the angels and crowned withglory." Adam was created without sin and in the exact image of YHWH. Originallymankind was given the glory of YHWH in the spirit or "neshama."

    In the paradise of Eden mankind was created to be a perfect representation of YHWH.

    The Hebrew states we were made "b'tzelem Elohim" or "in the image ofGod/Elohim." As a physical shadow of the Almighty we were originally crowned withglory and given authority and power over all creation.

    At creation man was made threefold - he had a physical body, an emotional mind, anda glorious eternal spirit. But, when the first couple chose to be selfish and disobey theinstructions of YHWH they "fell short of the glory" and tainted their spirit. Genesisactually indicates that Adam and Eve's spirit died and their neshama separated from

    YHWH. They then passed along a genetic defect of sin to all mankind in the spiritrealm. The curse of sin also affected the physical and emotional realms.

    Sin has caused mankind to "lose" or "fall short" of the glory. The fall of Adamaffected the spiritual DNA of mankind as we who were meant to be eternal can nowexperience death. The original temptation was to question the Almighty's warning ofdeath. "Ye shall not surely die" questioned the serpent. But die they did. Sin andthe curses of sin entered humanity Adam so that he and his sons would no longer haveeternal life. Their flesh would be inclined towards evil. Noah's generation experiencedthis so much that they had to be washed away from the face of the earth.

    Each person born after Adam and Eve enters the world with an innate desire to receive

    for self alone. Everyone in the world is not a "child of God." 1 John 3:10 states thatthe world is full of the "children of the devil." You and I were born into this worldwith a dead spirit thanks to our sinful ancestor Adam. That is why we must be "bornagain" in the spiritual realm unto YHWH.

    I remember the day that I was born into the family of YHWH. It was at a Baptistchurch service that I felt the conviction of the Spirit and I understood the heavy cost ofmy sinful deeds. Though I was just a boy I knew that my selfish actions and attitudedestined me to a life separated from YHWH. I confessed my sins and accepted theSavior's free gift of eternal life. As I prayed at the altar my life was changed in themost amazing way.The Scriptures declare that "if any man is in Christ he is a new creation; allthings have become new." Because of the free gift of salvation, those who call uponthe name of Y'shua are transformed and taken from the kingdom of darkness andplaced into the kingdom of light. At salvation the Holy Spirit, or "Ruach Ha Kodesh" inHebrew, enters and empowers man. This one idea, of YHWH living in the midst ofmankind is what makes our faith unique in the world's religions. We do not think we

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    are little gods like the New Age claims. Nor do we believe that god honors us witheternal life because of our good deeds or martyrdom as the Muslims teach.

    The Biblical faith proclaims that those who repent, turn from their wicked ways, andaccept the blood of Y'shua as final and full payment of sin will be inhabited by the Spirit

    of YHWH. The Almighty, through His Spirit, actually enters each believer and life isinstantly changed forever.

    Of course, this change happens on the inside of us and not in our body or even in ouremotional realm. There is no physical sign at salvation. You don't get a halo or glow inthe dark powers when your sins are forgiven. Because of this lack of salvation"evidence" the world scoffs that the Bible's plan of redemption doesn't work (like thehomeless man did.) It is true that if you are physically fat or mentally slow beforeaccepting the Messiah then you are probably not going to instantly look like a swim suitmodel or have the smarts of Einstein. When 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "all things have

    become new" and that "you are a new creation" the Bible is speaking specificallyand solely about your born again spirit.

    When you were saved your spirit was totally changed from a sinful nature to a holy setapart spirit full of power and ability.

    According to Romans 10:9 and 10, a person is delivered from darkness (or "saved")when they "believe in their heart that Y'shua is their Master and confesseswith their mouth that YHWH raised Him from the dead." A person whoearnestly repents of their sins and turns from their wicked ways by calling upon thename of YHWH Y'shua is instantly born again in their spirit (and not their mind orbody).

    What happens in the spiritual realm is that the evil inclination or sinful nature instantlyand completely is crucified and resurrected with Y'shua. At this moment all of theRuach Ha Kodesh or Holy Spirit comes into man. Salvation is when the glory ofcreation is restored because your spirit is joined to YHWH's Spirit. You are now sonsand daughters of YHWH, joint heirs with Y'shua, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1Corinthians 6:17, "he who is joined to YHWH is one spirit with YHWH."

    Adam's sin created a rift of death in the spirit of man. No longer would mankind enterthe world as perfect. Instead, we are each born with an inclination to sin because ourspirit is first dead to YHWH and alive to sin. Genesis 8 and Jeremiah 18 suggest that at birth our heart is "evil" and inclined to sin.Judaism calls this desire to receive for self alone the "yetzer hara" or the "evilinclination." Judaism though only provides the Law of Moses or "Torah" as a remedyfor the evil sinful nature. Torah does many things but it can't transform a person'sspirit.

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    Altering behavior through obeying the Torah/Law does NOT change the spiritual DNAmakeup of a person. Even the Pharisee Nichodemous was told that he "must be bornagain." Nick's obedience to the Torah couldn't bring him eternal life because it didn'tchange his spirit. Nichodemous, like all other Old Testament saints, didn't have theHoly Spirit inside of them and therefore did not experience the regeneration of YHWH.

    The Newer Testament says that at salvation a person is "translated from thekingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light." This transformation turns usinto the exact dwelling place and temple of YHWH by changing our spirit.Though this may seem elementary, many people have a gross misunderstanding of thebasic principles laid out in this book about spirit, soul, and body. Sadly, most believersthink they have a type of spiritual schizophrenia. How? Well, it's a popular belief thatsaints have the Holy Spirit, an evil fleshly spirit, a human spirit, a mind, and a naturalfleshly tendency bent towards sin. No wonder we walk around confused and defeated!The Scriptures teach that if you are born again then you have a fleshly body, a mind of

    emotions, and a spirit that has been joined to YHWH. Don't get confused!

    You were meant for more than what you have experienced as "religion" in the past.YHWH wants to manifest His glorious power in you and through you by helping youunderstand the Temple inside of you.

    In the Tanakh (Older Testament) the tabernacle was called the "tent of meeting."This is the exact place where YHWH would come to meet with Israel. Today we are the"tent of meeting" where YHWH dwells daily.

    It was never YHWH's intention to meet with you for only one hour on Sunday morning.You were created for His glory and to manifest His presence every day of your life.The glory that was originally given to Adam, the very same glory that shown at themishkan in the wilderness, is in each person who has repented of their sins and beenborn from above.

    Don't you know that you are the temple of the Ruach Ha Kodesh? It is the recognitionof this amazing fact that can change lives and lead people to walk in righteousness andobedience. We are the Temple! YHWH isn't just for us or looking at us - YHWH is inus! "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who livesin you and was given to you by YHWH? You do not belong to yourself," 1Corinthians 6:19.The tabernacle/temple in the Older Testament is a perfect picture of our life today.How? The tabernacle had three distinct compartments which were the outer court, theinner court, and the holy of holies. You, as the temple of YHWH, have an outer court

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    body, an inner court mind, and a heart for your holy of holies. We may call thesedifferent terms, like spirit, soul, or body, but we are referencing the same things.

    The remainder of this book will help you understand mishkan organization andworship. Through learning these basic concepts you can mature in your faith walk in allthat Y'shua has for you.The true faith is not about a building called the Temple or your neighborhood church,but about beingthe Temple. This simple revelation will free us from religious bondageand defeat so that we can know YHWH better and be the change that has beenpromised in the Bible. The world doesn't need any more churches, temples orsynagogues. Buildings and organizations don't offer real solutions. What the worldneeds today is for believers to be the Temple of YHWH and reflect the glory of YHWH.

    Will you accept this challenge?

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    FOLLOW IN FEAR

    Lesson Three of Fully Trained: A Guide to Maturity in the Faith. By Daniel Rendelman

    www.emetministries.org

    The loving and sometimes tumultuous bond between a husband and wife is a perfect

    picture of our relationship with our Master Yshua. Over time, two polar opposites join

    together to become a union of love in order to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

    Thats you with your spouse and with your husband Yshua. You were meant to grow

    up into maturity to become a spiritual spouse of Yshua and parent to other believers.

    The Almighty doesnt save anyone just so they can trudge through life without hope,

    sit on a pew awaiting the rapture, or remain immature. You were rescued from an

    eternity of death so that you can know YHWH and make Him known. Like it or not,

    when you prayed to accept Yshua as your master and Savior you were actually

    speaking wedding vows.

    A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him,

    "How many women can a man marry?" "Sixteen," the boy responded. His cousin was

    amazed that he had an answer so quickly. "How do you know that?" "Easy," the little

    boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the preacher said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4

    richer, 4 poorer."

    Wedding vows are sacred words shared to express a covenant agreement to stick

    together through thick and thin or good days and bad. Of course these promises

    arent a magical spell that guarantees lifelong commitment or love. To have a lasting

    relationship takes work, work, and more work. This is true for our physical union and

    your spiritual union.

    We have learned spiritual maturity isnt measured by what you know, how long you

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    have been saved, what deeds you perform, or your righteous standing before YHWH.

    (Read parts 1 & 2 of this series if you havent yet.) Our measurement is defined by

    Messiah in Matthew 5:48 when He said to be perfect as your heavenly father is

    perfect. To be perfect means to be complete and without blemish. You cant be

    sinless like Yshua but you can be perfect for moments and maybe even longer.

    Perfection comes as you strive towards maturity in the faith. The Scriptures are clear that each believer

    should progress from death to life and

    from an infant to a parent in order to reach spiritual maturity. The pattern for

    achieving the abundant life promised by Messiah Yshua is to first become a disciple

    and then make other disciples. You start your relationship, learn the truth, walk in the

    knowledge of what you know, and then share that with others. Growth takes place as

    we learn the Bible and apply its message to our life. It does not happen automatically

    over time. In Hebrew the word for disciple is the term talmid. A talmid is a

    student, apprentice, and follower of a Teacher that learns the teachers words and

    ways and then makes other followers. He is accountable to someone and holds

    others accountable. The pattern that Yshua used to define discipleship is easily

    found in Matthew 4:19 when He said, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

    This is a key passage to dissect and understand if you want to know about

    discipleship. It is actually a type of wedding proposal. Yshua offers his lifes blood

    as a mark of engagement and begs you to accept His proposal.

    The phrase, follow me indicates the first step of discipleship. Following Y'shua is

    more than just believing Him or accepting Him. To follow Y'shua means you walk

    after Him until you die and are resurrected as a new creation. This is a duty of the

    mind that will affect your emotions, will, and thinking.

    To be like Yshua is the purpose of discipleship. And its the reason why you were

    saved from eternal damnation in the first place. Luke 6:40 says, "every disciple /

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    talmid fully trained will be like his teacher." This one verse encompasses this entire

    subject. The Messiah often presented do or die scenarios to those who came to

    him. You cant have a girlfriend and a wife at the same time, nor can you follow

    Yshua and be selfish. Once he told a person to sell all of their belongings and give

    up the good life to follow his dusty sandals across the land of Israel. Priorities can

    easily get out of whack as we learn the tenets of the Bible and relearn the various

    issues that have been manipulated. Many of these areas are good to consider and

    are noteworthy for learning, yet there are some things that should take precedence

    and need attention first. There are weightier matters of the Torah that we should

    consider. We must be careful not to get the proverbial cart before the horse if we

    want to go anywhere in our own personal spiritual life.

    In Matthew 4 Yshua approached a few guys that were out fishing on a boat. The

    Messiah worked a miracle before their very eyes and then challenged them to come

    and follow me.

    The first step of maturity in the faith is making the choice to leave the world and follow

    Messiah. When Y'shua called the disciples he said "come and follow me." To follow someone you must

    first leave. Separating yourself from the world means that you

    leave "normal" routines and habits to "come" to Messiah. As you walk with YHWH

    you will become holy or kadosh. The ancient word kadosh literally means set

    apart. When you are kadosh you are set apart from this world and the things of this

    world. There are many distractions or better yet, distractSINS that stop us from

    focusing on our spiritual maturity. Remember the words of Yshua

    every disciple fully trained will be like his teacher." Are you fully trained and fully like

    your Messiah Yshua in thought and deed? If you are not fully trained then do you

    really have time to entertain yourself, jump into learning the Hebrew language, take a

    trip to Israel, or tell everyone you meet about your faith? If you are not fully trained

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    should you live as if you are fully trained?

    The original talmidim were with Messiah for about 12 hours every day for three and a

    half years. Following Yshua takes total commitment and total abandonment. In the

    book of John we see three distinct duties of a disciple. These describe our ideal life

    as follower of Messiah. First, we must be abiding in YHWHs word. So Yshua was

    saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you

    are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you

    free," John 8:31-32.

    To abide in YHWH's word is to remain or to hold fast the teachings of His word.

    Discipleship is not a simply a decision of belief at some point in time but an ongoing

    process of thinking on the word and obeying the word. The result of abiding in

    Messiah's word is freedom ... spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin until we are

    dead to sin and alive to Yshua. Victory over sin comes as our heart and emotions

    are totally set unto YHWH. Abiding is the first duty of a disciple.

    Then as we are walking in the Word and leaving our life of sin behind we will bear

    fruit. And finally, a disciple turns his affection and devotion for YHWH towards other

    people. Loving one another is a duty of a disciple. A new commandment I give to

    you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one

    another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one

    another," John 13:34-35.

    Love should be what really sets us apart from the world as kadosh. When you are

    fully trained you will be like Yshua. Thats your goal as a follower. You are to walk in

    His ways and reflect his life in this dark world. All of this will lead you to love one

    another with selfless devotion. Selfless devotion. Think about those two words for just a minute. What

    relationship should be characterized by selfless devotion? Our

    bond with YHWH and our marriage to our spouse should embody this concept.

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    A good spiritual relationship with your husband Yshua and a good marriage

    relationship doesnt happen by accident. You must be intentional with your spiritual

    growth. Abiding in the Word requires intentionally seeking YHWH when it is

    convenient and when it is not. Being a good husband requires loving when its easy

    and when its not. You cant abide in YHWH if you allow the weekly worship service

    define your spiritual life. Imagine that you lived for yourself six days a week and then

    on the seventh day you simply spent an hour with your spouse and spoke sweet

    words of love to her. Would that last for long? No, a lasting relationship requires time

    and effort. Once a week worship doesnt cut it for those who are to be fully trained.

    The Scriptures must be in our mind and on our mind every single day. This starts

    with a quiet time to listen and learn from YHWH in the morning. When was the last

    time you took a few minutes to sit and soak up YHWHs goodness before the day got

    a hold of you? Dedicating some time each day to begin in YHWHs Word with prayer

    sets the tone for the remainder of the day.

    To be fully trained you must be fully committed to YHWH. Being committed to any

    relationship requires time and effort. If you are dedicated to your relationship with

    your spouse then you will meet their needs and persevere through the thick and thin.

    When things are good with your wife you will enjoy the closeness. As things get

    tough you will dig in and endure. Your partners needs and desires will be on your

    concern. Loyalty and allegiance turns a selfish life into one of love and service.

    Marriage is a solemn covenant between a man and woman. Its a decision to love

    that shouldnt be entered into easily and certainly shouldnt be ended easily. Today,

    over 50% of marriages end in messy divorces that damage children and rip apart

    families. Most of these marriages occur because someone stops being devoted to

    their lover and finds attention somewhere else. To be married is a decision that is

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    made over and over again. Spiritually, we must choose to build our relationship by

    deciding to walk in covenant with YHWH every single day. Indeed, something you

    need to decide each morning before you get out of bed is if you will be faithful to

    YHWH. No wonder believers are called the bride of Messiah.

    As followers, as the spouse of Yshua we choose to be faithful and to keep YHWH in

    mind. Psalm 16:8 tells us to continually set YHWH before you. Life is different

    when you are ever mindful of Yshuas presence in you and with you. Dont you

    behave differently when you know that someone is watching and could be influenced

    by your behavior? Setting YHWH before you is a natural by product of abiding in the Word. The more

    you read, study, think on, and share the Scriptures you will notice that you mind will

    be renewed and your life transformed before your very eyes. The first step of this

    process is to choose to come after YHWH to follow Him. As you choose to seek Him

    you must leave your life of convenience and comfort to be united to YHWH. Like

    marriage, the two shall become one through willfully abiding in the Word. In marriage

    respect must be given and received. The mans position as the head of the

    household should be respected. The woman as the emotional caregiver needs to be

    honored for her delicate qualities.

    The Hebrew concept of respect is woven throughout the Scriptures. Instead of

    translating the ancient term yirah as respect or reverence the Bible uses the English

    word fear. Throughout the Bible idea of the fear of YHWH is really the respect of

    YHWH. To fear YHWH is to esteem and hold Him in deep regard.

    The yisar of YHWH comes as you abide in the Word and write His commandments

    upon your heart. Proverbs 2 explains, My son, if you accept my words and store up

    my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to

    understanding indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

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    and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will

    understand the fear of YHWH and find the knowledge of Elohim.

    The fear of YHWH is similar to the natural fears you may have in life. If youre afraid

    of spiders, clowns, or heights then you are paralyzed by just the sight of such.

    Instantly you think, what will happen to me if That should be the same response

    we have as we walk in the fear/respect of YHWH. The fear of YHWH understands

    that for every action there is a reaction and for every cause there is an effect. Having

    the yisar YHWH means that you realize that these effects arent usually instant. With

    a snake its easy to see the instant ramifications of getting too close. But with the sin

    areas in our life we dont normally experience sudden punishment. There are curses

    associated with disobedience and defiance. There are blessings that come with

    devotion and observance. It is by abiding in the Word and then allowing the fear of

    YHWH to be in our mind that we set out on our journey to be made into Yshuas

    image and are fully trained.

    The fear of YHWH is a concept that stretches the text of the Bible from Genesis to

    Revelation. This is a subject that must be studied and understood before a

    meaningful relationship with the Creator can develop. Fear is a scary concept. It can

    paralyze or it can inspire. Everyone is afraid of something. There is a difference

    though, in fearing stuff or fearing man and fearing the Almighty.To fear YHWH is a direct command of

    the Scriptures, it is one of the 613 mitzvot

    (commandments) of the Torah, yet it is forgotten. You shall fear YHWH your Elohim,

    and serve Him, and shall swear by His Name. You shall not go after other Elohim,

    Deuteronomy 6: 13, 14. We know a lot about many of the commandments in the

    Torah, now it is time to learn about fearing YHWH!

    While making a toast during a wedding reception the master of ceremonies raised his

    voice and called a wedding ring the smallest set of handcuffs in the world, then he

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    said, there are three rings to a healthy marriagethe engagement ring, the wedding

    ring, and the suffering. To fear YHWH is to possess an emotional trait equal to a set

    of handcuffs. The fear of YHWH allows us to go and do as our Master allows. Then,

    our hands will be tugged if we go a little too far on our own. Our handcuff is pulled

    back when we dont see the impending danger of our actions or if we cross a

    dangerous line. This is the idea of yirah YHWH. Scary Hebrew terminology? Not

    really. The phrase yirah YHWH is pretty simple to grasp. It literally means to be,

    terrified, exceedingly dreadful, morally reverent, terribly frightened. We need the

    restraint that the yirah YHWH provides. And now, O Israel, what does YHWH ask of

    you but to fear YHWH, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve YHWH with all

    your heart and with all your soul, and to observe YHWH's commands and decrees

    that I am giving you today for your own good?, Deuteronomy 10:12-13. In this

    passage from Deuteronomy we see that the commands and decrees were given for

    our own good. As we learn of His ways we will fear Him for our own good!

    We need to understand that to yirah YHWH is to respect the results of lifes decisions.

    It is directly connected to our acts of service, to the devotion of our heart, and to our

    love of the Saint. When we yirah YHWH we are, in essence, acknowledging the laws

    that He has set in place to govern the universe. We are seeing Him as the Melek, the

    king of the universe. We are seeing the power of sin to displease Him, to warrant His

    punishment upon us. In understanding exactly what yirah YHWH means, lets

    consider a few verses on the subject:

    Job 28:28

    (way to walk) a, and the perverted mouth, Proverbs 8:13

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    HWH men depart from evil, Proverbs 16:6

    from evil, Proverbs 3:8It is easy to see that the

    function of the fear of YHWH is to actually bring wisdom. The

    yisar of YHWH is the means by which we turn away from evil. As we turn to YHWH

    and from evil we are made wise. The more we abide in the word as talmidim the

    more we should fear YHWH. Why? Well, the more of the Torah we learn the more

    we more we realize we dont know. As we discover the variouscommandments

    about life we soon grasp that we cant keep the commandments properly or in totality.

    The Newer Testament says that to know to do right and not do it is sin. Having our

    eyes opened to YHWHs purpose for us to walk in His Word should make us tremble

    with fear and respect for His ways. Its not easy to follow our Master Yshua and

    observe the Torah of YHWH.

    The disciples struggled as we do today. The answer to their issues was yirah YHWH.

    Remember how they were once on a boat that was quickly sinking. A storm had

    come up and was causing their afternoon on the lake to become a nightmare. The

    winds beat the sail, the waves pounded the hull, and the water poured into the ship.

    Fear gripped them as they witnessed their craft transform into a coffin. They cried out

    to Yshua to help and the storm was calmed. With just a few words from the Masters

    mouth the situation went from sudden death to suddenly sunny. The response of the

    disciples is worth our attention. Luke 8:22-25 says they were amazed and awestruck

    at the power of Yshua. Being a talmid, or a fisher of men, requires the fear of YHWH

    while you are on the waters of life.

    The day Yshua told these same fishermento come and follow me he was giving

    them a mental choice. To decide to follow Him is a choice of will. As the mind is

    renewed by the Word of YHWH then His fear should fill us. Following is a duty of the

    mind that will eventually affect your heart and your hands. When you fear YHWH you

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    admire, esteem, value, regard, and hold his Word in high opinion. A person who has

    the yirah YHWH acts differently than one without it. It should cause us to shudder at

    the idea of our actions and thoughts grieving the Holy Spirit and dulling our hearts to

    holiness. Now, you might not think you should fear your spouse but Biblically fear in

    marriage is a good thing. Husbands and wives should respect and appreciate each

    other. You shouldnt shake at the sound of your husband walking in the room but its

    perfectly okay to give him honor. And husbands definitely shouldnt be afraid of their

    wife yet men should regard her opinion and value her actions.

    It has been noted that the longer a couple stays together the more they begin to think

    like each other. Through time and attention, wives can finish their husbands

    sentences and men can finally figure out what their bride is thinking. As you walk

    with YHWH and persist in the Word your mind will be in tune with the Spirit and your thoughts will

    become His thoughts. YHWH hates evil and you as well will begin to

    hate evil. This implies that your decisions will be different as a talmidim who seeks to

    be fully trained. As you get closer to Yshua you will begin to despise and be repelled

    by evil, murder, death, violence, sin, perversion, jealousy, and envy. "The fear of

    YHWH is to hate evil" Proverbs 8:13. Do you hate evil or do you tolerate it? Is evil

    allowed to enter into your home or mind from the Internet, television, or movie

    theatre?

    King David teaches the fear of YHWH in Psalm 34. Here he says to "Keep your

    tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Turn away from evil, and do

    good, seek peace and pursue it." Turning from evil should lead to doing good. It is

    possible, and indeed it should be normal, for a believer to walk in step with the Spirit

    so much and so long that people cant tell you apart from your Messiah. Is that you

    today? Are you a good representation of Yshua on this earth? What if everyone in

    your congregation or family had the same spiritual life as you do? Would they be

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    better off or would the world be a worse place? These are tough questions to

    consider but they need our attention and consideration. By simply thinking like this

    we can empower the fear/respect of YHWH in our lives.

    As you abide in the Word and fear YHWH you will indeed seek to obey the

    commandments. That he may learn to fear YHWH by carefully observing all the

    words of this law and these statutes," Deuteronomy 17:19. Abraham, Moses and

    others proved their fear of YHWH by walking in His commandments. The Prophet

    Samuel counseled the Israelites to "fear YHWH and serve Him in truth with all your

    heart." Children obey because they do not want to be punished for their rebellion. As

    you mature in your spiritual walk, you shouldnt obey just because you fear the

    punishment of our sins. Instead, we should fear walking out of the will of YHWH by

    disobedience and allowing our hearts to be hardened. Sin does this. It cuts off our

    fellowship with YHWH and puts up a wall between us and our Savior.

    Think of it this way, maybe the fear of YHWH is actually thatYHWHs fear. If

    YHWH could fear anything, what would the Creator fear? What would make the

    Almighty El Shaddai shudder? Surely being separated from your children makes you

    fear and the same makes YHWH fear. YHWH fears and hates the distance placed

    between us and Him when we walk away from His goodness. That chasm is covered

    when we abide in YHWHs word and set His presence always before us. Yshua

    said, "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments," John 14:15. Obedience

    should spring from our love for YHWH. That is a much better motive than fear of punishment. Maturity

    then sets in as you remain in YHWHs word and keep the fear

    of YHWH in mind throughout your day.

    A disciple is committed to the yisah YHWH because it produces the fruit of maturity.

    By keeping His Word constantly before you your spiritual life and your married life will

    prosper. As you abide in the Word and walk in the fear of YHWH you will abide the

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    fruit of the Spirit. Becoming one flesh with Yshua is what the faith is all about.

    The Christian movie Fireproof tells the story of a marriage between Caleb and

    Catherine Holt that is in crisis. The two finally decide to divorce. However, Caleb's

    father, proposes that his son delays their separation process for forty days and follow

    a procedure called "The Love Dare" to make them love each other again. Its a daily

    plan of love and devotion that Calebs parents used to save their own marriage. Yes,

    daily and intentional actions can rescue any relationship from the pits of despair.

    Thats just another reason YHWH gave us His Word to read and apply daily. Instead

    of reading the Fireproof book, perhaps you should take a reading and action

    challenge unique to the Scriptures. To help progress on to maturity take the 31 Day

    Proverbs Challenge. For the next 31 days read and meditate on the Proverb for the

    day. The details of the challenge are below. As you do this you will abide in the

    Word and learn to fear YHWH, then you can produce His fruit in your life. This

    Scripture based experiment will indeed help you to walk in the fear and respect of

    YHWH so that your relationship with the Savior and others improves.

    Starting today, read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to today's date. For

    example, if today is May 17th read Proverbs 17. If today is May 20th read Proverbs

    20. If today is May 1st read Proverbs 1. After reading the chapter, choose one verse

    from the chapter that you want to share with someone. From our earlier example, if

    today you read Proverbs 17 then you might choose Proverbs 17:10 "A rebuke goes

    deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool." Or you may

    choose Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for

    adversity." You may find it hard to choose just one. Then go public with it! Post it on

    your Facebook status or twitter account. Add it to the auto signature on your emails.

    Make a point of working it into a conversation throughout the day. Sit down as a

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    family or with a group of friends and share which verse you chose. Make a T-Shirt.

    The possibilities are endless... Then, tomorrow, do it all over again...for the next 31

    days. FOLLOW IN FEAR

    Lesson Three of Fully Trained: A Guide to Maturity in the Faith.

    www.emetministries.com

    RELATE . . .

    Begin your group time by engaging in relational conversations and prayer that may include the

    following elements:

    Welcomea simple, brief time to greet one another (especially new friends), enjoy refreshments,

    and make announcements.

    Reviewa time to review the truths discussed last week and report on how members have had

    success or frustrations in applying those truths during the week. (The leader will want to provide

    encouragement and shepherding during this time.) Occasionally, the leader will want to review the

    vision for the group and discuss ways to accomplish that vision better.

    Prayera time of general prayer with the whole group praying for struggles regarding the

    application of truths, for those with whom the group is sharing the Scriptures, and for understanding

    of todays truths.

    REFLECT . . .

    Use the following summary and questions to review this weeks message and reflect on its

    implications for our lives. (As a training tool, leaders might want to have various members

    summarize the teachings in their own words each week sharing how they think the Scripture applied

    to the original hearers and how the principles apply to us today.)

    Group Discussion and Message Review

    Use the following questions to discuss the teaching and help review the application of YHWHs

    Word to our Head (What does YHWH want me to know?), to our Heart (What does YHWH want me

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    to desire?), and to our Hands (What does YHWH want me to do?).

    s to mature as they come after

    Messiah. Describe how following first starts with leaving.

    Yshua. Discuss how we are the bride of Messiah and how we must love Him above all else?

    What is spiritual infidelity?

    -32 and then Proverbs 2:1-6 and discuss what it means to abiding in

    YHWHs word will teach us to fear and respect YHWH.

    you know? Why is a study of this important?

    What place does the fear of YHWH have in our spiritual transformation?

    s Word. When you have His

    fear you are concerned of grieving the Holy Spirit. How can people grieve the Holy Spirit

    today? How have you allowed sin to harden your heart in the past? What are you doing

    today to show that you indeed hate sin?

    s how the fear of YHWH affects your daily walk. Review Job 28:28, Proverbs 8:13,

    Proverbs 16:6 and Proverbs 3:8.

    -25. Why did they fear Yshua? How does the

    reverence of Yshua inspire worship and adoration?

    A once a week worship service will not meet all of your spiritual needs. How can spending

    time in the Scriptures each day change your life? Do you set aside time for worship and

    prayer each day?

    the Word of YHWH daily and share what

    you learn with others. Will you accept this challenge starting today? How can you hold

    yourself accountable for reading one Proverb a day?

    ou comfortable

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    with your current pace of spiritual growth?

    what it means to you? Why is it important to memorize YHWHs word?

    salm 16:8. Memorize this verse in the first person I

    have set YHWH always before. Because He holds my right hand, I shall not move.

    RESPOND . . .

    Encourage your group to break out into smaller, same-gender groups where they will respond to the

    truths of todays study. These groups will share with one another based on the following questions

    and then close in prayer:

    o know from this study?

    do your thoughts need to adjust to align with these truths?

    YHWH want you to take according to the truths of this study?

    Close this time by praying for each other, specifically for strength to apply these truths, for personal

    needs, for the lost people with whom you are seeking to share the truth with.FOLLOW IN FEAR

    Lesson Three of Fully Trained: A Guide to Maturity in the Faith.

    www.emetministries.com

    In Hebrew the word for disciple is the term ____________________. To be like Yshua is the

    purpose of

    discipleship. "Every disciple / talmid fully ____________________ will be like his

    ____________________."

    When Y'shua called the disciples he said "____________________ and ____________________ me."

    The

    Hebrew word for holy is ____________________ .

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    The book of John gives three distinct duties of a disciple. These describe our ideal life as follower of

    Messiah. First, we must be ____________________ in YHWHs word according to John 8:31-32. Then

    we

    will bear fruit and ____________________ one another.

    ____________________ should be what really sets us apart from the world as kadosh.

    To be fully trained you must be fully ____________________ to YHWH. Being committed to any

    relationship requires time and effort. How much time and effort goes into your daily faith?

    Psalm 16:8 tells us to continually ____________________ YHWH before you. Setting YHWH

    before you is a natural by product of abiding in the Word. The more you read, study, think on, and

    share the Scriptures you will notice that your mind will be renewed and your life transformed before

    your very eyes. The first step of this process is to choose to come after YHWH to follow Him.

    The Hebrew concept of respect is woven throughout the Scriptures. Instead of translating the term

    yirah as respect or reverence the Bible uses the English word ____________________.

    We need to understand that to yirah YHWH is to respect the ____________________ of lifes

    decisions. When we yirah YHWH we are, in essence, acknowledging the laws that He has set in

    place to govern the universe. We are seeing Him as the Melek, the king of the universe. We are

    seeing the power of sin to displease Him, to warrant His punishment upon us.

    The yisar of YHWH is the means by which we turn away from ____________________. As we turn to

    YHWH and from evil we are made wise. The more of the Torah we learn the more we more we

    realize we dont know.

    A person who has the yirah YHWH acts differently than one without it. It should cause us to

    ____________________ at the idea of our actions and thoughts grieving the Holy Spirit and dulling

    our hearts to holiness.

    "The fear of YHWH is to ____________________ evil" Proverbs 8:13.

    To help progress on to maturity take the 31 Day Challenge. For the next 31 days read and

    meditate on the ____________________ for the day. As you do this you will abide in the Word and

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    learn to fear YHWH, then you can produce His fruit in your life and progress towards maturity.FULLY

    TRAINED