Our family bubble

I like my faith-filled bubble.

Our family prays together and we read the LORD’s Word together and we worship together.

We love to share our faith with those who do not know the LORD and all of us are pretty resilient in the face of argumentation and those who refuse to accept the Truth.

My children are homeschooled and sometimes I forget that we live in this joyful little bubble!

The enemy wants to burst your bubble

And I was taken off guard yesterday.

My son had gone outside to walk our German Shepherd, Canelo, on a small dead-end road that borders one edge of our corner lot house. Our family has walked that way many times because there is rarely a car and we often see beautiful wildlife including deer and sandhill cranes. I often try to get a close-up picture, but the creatures prove elusive.

An evening walk has become a new summertime routine for my son. He started taking the dog all by himself about a week or two ago and I believe it is a quiet time for him. I have noticed an improvement in his snarky-young-teenager remarks and so I was very happy that he had learned to get some fresh air and exercise.

The road seems like a peaceful one, with just four houses on the short northwoods street.

Last year, the houses on that road held a little community rummage sale, so we stopped by and met the neighbors. They were all fairly friendly, but the couple living at one of the houses seemed less so . . . and overly interested in detailing the alcohol flask collection they were trying to sell.

We assumed from their demeanor and manner of conversation that they perhaps struggle with drinking.

I hadn’t seen or heard from them since.

Until last night.

My son came home and he had a look of disbelief on his face.

I asked him what had happened.

When loving thy neighbor is put to the test

“The neighbor lady yelled at me.”

I couldn’t imagine this, so I asked for details.

He recounted: “She came out on her porch and yelled out, ‘. . . You need to go use a different path. Can’t you see you’re making my dog bark? Go on.’ Then she just stood there and stared at me until I left.”

I asked him if he replied to her spitefully (which would not have necessarily surprised me).

He said, “No, I just said ‘Ok, I’m sorry’ and came home. I had a million bad things I wanted to say to her, but I didn’t because I know I’m supposed to be Christian.”

Well, there’s a proud mom moment. My child is trying to act like a follower of our Messiah ought to act.

Trying to give the neighbor lady the benefit of the doubt, I asked if she perhaps was kidding? Maybe she had a twinge of humor, “look, kid, you make my dog bark and it drives me crazy…”

“No. She was not joking one bit.”

So the mama bear in me was incensed that our very neighbor could be so mean to a child! Especially my child! My son’s mere presence in the road in front of her house caused her an issue? Our dog wasn’t barking at her dog. I have heard her dog on other occasions. I believe he looks out their front window and barks every time a dog passes. But that is her issue, not mine. And most certainly not my son’s issue.

I want to tell her that the road is public land and my child has the right to walk his doggie wherever he so pleases. And I want to shout right back at her. How dare she hurt my son’s feelings! But alas. I am a Christian. I am a pastor! I have to be “Midwest nice” at the least, right? I have to love my neighbor!?

Ugh. No one said following Yeshua (Jesus) would be easy.

Perceived Racism

But there was something else that my son said that really hurt my mama heart. He said that the woman had muttered something before yelling and he thought it sounded like “you ill . . . ”

I said maybe she meant, “you ill-mannered….”

I asked if he did anything that seemed disrespectful, such as allowing the dog onto her grass.

He said, “no, more like ‘you illegal’ . . . “

I paused and took a deep breath.

My husband is a legal U.S. citizen. But that doesn’t mean everyone knows or believes that about him. Quite honestly, I wish it didn’t matter. My husband is caramel-skinned and was born in Mexico. My son is handsomely half Hispanic with beautiful tan skin, mocha eyes, and dark curly hair.

Whether or not my neighbor said something that horrible or not, my son perceived it that way.

My son felt like a target of racism.

This sweet boy who has grown up fairly sheltered from the ugliness of the world’s ways says he no longer feels safe walking down this small countryish road right next to our own house.

Addressing Fear

He told me not to worry, that he would use the other roads in front of the house instead.

But you see, that requires crossing a much busier road. And it is not fair that my son would have to change where he enjoys walking in nature just to please an angry (and possibly inebriated) lady who isn’t interested in dealing with her own dog.

I have never felt unwelcome or unsafe in this community. But then again, I am white and I grew up just over an hour from where we currently live.

My son said he observed that the woman’s garage was open with two rifles on display.

Now, my son is known to have an active imagination, so I do not know if this is true or not, though it would not surprise me. It doesn’t help that we just watched the movie “Till” the night before.

What saddens me is that my son is now scared.

He said he’s seen the videos where angry people shoot kids who just ring a doorbell or just because of the shade of their suntan.

I told him that he cannot live in fear. We will still walk on that road with our heads held high. I am blessed because my son knows much of the Word of God, so I reminded him of 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

I guess I knew we would confront issues of race eventually, but it was so unexpected, right here just a few houses up the road.

That said, I do want to be clear. My neighbor may not have said anything racially charged at all. I am focused on what my child perceived. Racially-motivated or not, the outburst was still unprovoked and unsettling.

So how do you help a child who has encountered real racism OR perceived racism for the first time?

I’m not sure I have all the answers to that one, but I do know that we should turn to the Word of God.

He comforts us because our identity is found in Him alone, not in what the world has to say. I am writing this because it is therapeutic to me today.

I am searching the Scriptures, too, to be able to minister to my son’s little heart and I am hopeful this can help someone else somewhere, too, because our world is full of division and unkindness.

1. Remind your child that all of us were created in the image of God. Race is a social construct and racism is sin.

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” Acts 17:26

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

There is no place for racism when living in holiness.

2. If your child has accepted the free gift of salvation that is given to us by putting our faith and trust in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ), he or she is part of a holy, set apart and chosen generation and God calls us “special.” We don’t need to rely on anyone else to validate our existence or our skin color.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

3. Encourage your child to turn to the LORD when feeling scared, discriminated against, alone, or unsafe. He is our Stronghold, our Fortress, and our Deliverer.

“I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3

4. Emphasize the Biblical mandate to remain peaceful. Always seek shalom: wholeness and peace.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

5. Hear out your child. Allow him or her to express their emotions about racism.

I sat down with my son and I commended his recent progress on working hard and improving his early teenage years attitude. (We had some rough moments a few months ago with this too-big-for-his-britches young fellow!) He acknowledged his improvements, but also admitted having some pretty ugly thoughts about the neighbor. I believe it is so important to allow my son to have space to talk about how he was feeling and even explore this early introduction to racism. He knew that he could trust me to support him and love him through this. I’m grateful he has time to work through this as he matures and potentially encounters something far more direct or offensive.

I told him: you are acting like a child of God.

You have a tender heart and you are seeking to do what is right.

But whether that woman knows it or not, she is serving the devil. As harsh as this sounds, that makes her a child of the devil.

And the devil uses people like that to try to unnerve the children of God.

I told him, clearly, son, you’re doing something right if the devil has to take the time to come out and bother you like that using a daughter of the devil.

The best thing we can do is pray for her to come to understanding and repent and that she would, by God’s grace and abundant mercy, become a daughter of God one day.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

Our Savior told us to rejoice and not just be glad: “be exceedingly glad!”

We can confront anything with exceeding gladness because we know our journey doesn’t end here. One day we will rejoice in heaven, rewarded for remaining faithful to our LORD.

6. Exhort your child to be an overcomer despite any circumstance.

I told my son that while you pray for those who persecute you or revile you, your duty is to guard your heart and your mind with the Word of God.

“Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

He is your Protector and Defender, and you shall not fear walking down the road.

“The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:11

Realize that the Scriptures serve for exhortation: we know who God is and we know that He cares for us, therefore we make a conscious choice. We will.not.fear.

This coming from someone who battles anxiety! But I know deep in my heart the Truth that whenever I, with faith and conviction, truly hold onto the hem of His garment, my fear is lost and He makes me brave. I seek to instill this understanding in my children so they, too, will always rely on our Father’s goodness, provision, and security.

Whether confronting racism, sexism, religious discrimination, anti-Semitism, classism, or any other -ism, if we remember that the LORD is on our side, we can and will walk in victory.

7. Pray together in the Spirit.

There is no substitute for prayer.

Pray with your child.

Model a life of faith for your child.

And pray for your neighbors and anyone else who would cause you distress.

Trust that the LORD will work everything out.

Remind your child to wear the armor that God has provided and pray together with your child in the Spirit.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:17-18

Walk in Faith, no matter what and refuse to be intimidated

This afternoon, my husband and I told our son we were all going to take a family walk.

He looked panicked.

“Can I stay home?”

My husband gently told him in Spanish: “no, m’ijo, pero estaremos contigo.”

“No, my son, but we will be with you.”

Just like the LORD is always with us.

We had our son grab a hold of Canelo’s leash and walk him just like he had the night before. On the very same path.

He learned one step at a time not to be afraid.

Because children of the Most High God shall refuse to be intimidated.

Parashat Chayei Sarah (B‘reishit/Genesis 23−25:18) 5783 B”H

Love at first sight: a personal story

A Language Barrier

When I first met my husband, we didn’t even speak the same language!

We met at church, but I was part of the English-speaking ministry, and he, the Spanish-speaking. I would attend the Spanish language services from time to time to support the work they were doing, but I honestly did not understand much of anything.

I could decipher a few words here and there because I had studied French. (I had traveled to France and become quite fluent. I even minored in French in college.)

Yes, I did all of that work to marry a man who speaks Spanish.

I guess I missed the mark on hearing from God when we were selecting a foreign language to learn in the seventh grade. 😉

A man of God

Some of the sisters and brothers at the church had told me there was a young man in the Spanish congregation who was praying for me. They told me this guy would be my “prince.”

I told them they were crazy. It was sounding like an arranged marriage! I insisted that I didn’t speak Spanish, and that they should tell the poor fellow to find someone else!

Well, little did I know, this very good-looking young man really was praying for me.

He spent 6 months praying and fasting to seek God about whether or not I was to be his wife.

Wife?!

For those 6 months, I didn’t even know who he was! Apparently, he had seen me in a worship service and decided I was the one for him. (aww!)

He and several of the brothers in the church had agreed in prayer that if I was indeed to be his wife, the confirmation would be that I would begin to speak Spanish. I didn’t know about any of these plans about me until many months later.

So one day, these “godly conspirators” introduced me to my now-husband.

Though I could not speak his language, I could see the anointing of the LORD in his eyes, and I knew I was going to marry that handsome man.

Through interpreters, he asked me to go out to eat with him at a local Mexican restaurant.

An interpreter from the church accompanied us on all our first dates!

So we were very well-chaperoned!

I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) to teach me the Spanish language. I had learned French without much difficulty, and I spoke the heavenly language given to me by the Spirit, so I knew I was not asking too much.

Within two weeks, I was forming sentences in Spanish, and by 3 months, I was completely fluent in the language.

Love is a great motivator! 🙂

We were married that year and this year we celebrated 15 years of marriage!

Rivkah & Yitzhak’s Love

Are you married?

When you met your future spouse, was it love at first sight?

Did you have the deer-in-the-headlights look going on?

Did you develop two left feet and trip every time your honey glanced in your direction?

Rivkah (Rebekah) sure did.

When Rivkah (Rebekah) saw Yitzhak (Isaac) for the first time, it was love at first sight.

She fell so head-over-heels in love with him that she fell right off her camel!

In fact, if you are looking for a sweet romantic comedy, you really need look no further than this love story in Genesis 24.

The Bible often gets a bad rap! Antagonistic people falsely characterize believers as uptight and rigid, lacking in humor. Having not read the Bible for themselves, these types of people ignorantly assume that the Bible is boring and irrelevant. But the Bible isn’t boring at all!

Abraham sent his servant to find a young maiden for his precious son, Yitzhak (Isaac) to love and marry. This servant managed Abraham’s wealth and was the oldest of the household, so he would have known Abraham’s preferences very well. Abraham obligated his servant to promise, by oath, that he would not find him a Canaanite woman (Genesis 24:3).

The servant wisely sought the LORD about the matter (Genesis 24:12-14) and requested a sign as confirmation that the young woman was the one for Yitzhak (Isaac): the young woman would draw water and grant a drink to the servant as well as to his camels.

A Sign as Confirmation

Before the servant had even finished his prayer of supplication, Rivkah (Rebekah) appeared with her water jar and proceeded to fulfill that which was proposed as a confirmation.

Long story short, the servant speaks with Rivkah’s (Rebekah’s) family about marrying Yitzhak (Isaac).

It is worth noting (especially because the culture was very patriarchal) that Rivkah’s family told the servant that they wanted to ask Rivkah’s opinion (Genesis 24:57-58). She was not forced into an arranged marriage. She freely elected to go despite her young age. Her family blessed her with their love and also Abraham’s servants before they departed (Genesis 24:60).

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is key in this passage. Abraham had demonstrated great faith, his servant was a praying man, Rivkah’s family prayed and blessed them, and then we find Yitzhak (Isaac) praying in meditation when the caravan arrived (Genesis 24:63).

The Bible says that Yitzhak lifted his eyes and saw the camels coming.

And at the same time, Rivkah lifted up her eyes . . . saw Yitzhak . . . and yes, fell off her camel (Genesis 24:64).

How embarrassing, no?

She scrambled to fix her veil and make herself presentable as Abraham’s servant informed Yitzhak that this young woman was to be his wife (Genesis 24:65c-66)! The Word says that Yitzhak (Isaac) loved Rivkah (Rebekah) and she became his wife (Genesis 24:67).

The Promise to Abraham would be fulfilled, beginning with the love story of Yitzhak and Rivkah

The LORD had promised Abraham that he would make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand by the seashore. (Genesis 22:17) That promise began its fulfillment with the marriage of Yitzhak and Rivkah.

Abraham lived to be 175 years old and he “died at a good old age, old and satisfied” (Genesis 25:8).

What has the LORD promised to you?

The Bible contains promises that apply to your life, too!

When you seek the LORD and love Him with all your heart, He will speak to you and reveal those promises to you.

Repent, believe in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ our LORD), be baptized, and be filled with the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit)! As a child of God, by the mercy of our Savior, you are humbly entitled to the richness of His promises:

“For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away—as many as ADONAI our God calls to Himself.” Acts 2:39

Would you like to share what God has spoken into your life? What promise of God particularly blesses and encourages you? Please leave a comment below!

Parashat Vayeira (B‘reishit/Genesis 18-22) 5783 B”H

Isaac: A Beloved son

If you are a parent, you know firsthand the eager anticipation and joy that comes with pregnancy and the birth of a child.

Abraham and Sarah had waited decades hoping for a child and finally reached the conclusion that they were too advanced in years to keep on hoping.

Sarah laughed when she heard the news she would have a son (Genesis 18:12).

She was 90 years old, can you really blame her?

According to Genesis 17:17, centenarian Abraham also laughed.

And the child’s name would be Yitzhak  יִצְחָק (Isaac) meaning, “he who laughs.”

After waiting that many years, this son was truly beloved.

Any child is so dearly loved, but can you imagine the depth of love these new elderly parents would have felt toward their precious child Isaac?

Abraham and Sarah had waited, given up, and then, by the grace of the Almighty One, received such an unexpected bundle of joy!

Messiah Yeshua (Jesus): our Heavenly Father’s Beloved Son

Our Father in heaven sent His only begotten, beloved Son to earth.

Yosef and Miryam (Joseph & Mary) were certainly surprised by the news that Mary would be the instrument through which Messiah would be born into this world.

There are many parallels between Abraham’s son Isaac and our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), God’s Son:

“Then He said, Take your son, your only son whom you love—Isaac . . . ” Genesis 22:2, emphasis added

“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17, emphasis added

Aqedah עֲקֵדָה “binding”

The binding up of Isaac to be sacrificed is known in Hebrew as the aqedah (akedah/akeidah), which literally means “binding.”

Abraham was commanded to offer up his son Isaac as a burnt offering.

Isaac’s father would bind him up and place the boy upon the altar, but before it got to that point, Isaac asked a pivotal question:

“. . . Where is the lamb . . . ?” Genesis 22:7

The binding up of a beloved son would demonstrate the greatest of all love: one day the Lamb of God Himself would be bound and beaten, sacrificed in our place.

Do you know the Lamb of God today?

Where is the Lamb in your life?

Have you allowed the LORD to rescue you from bondage?

Isaac survived because of the intervention of a divine Messenger (Genesis 22:11).

Abraham’s son would be unbound: Isaac was set free, saved from a horrific death.

The first time the word “love” is found in Scripture

The word “love” is not used in Scripture until Genesis 22:2. The first time “love” is mentioned in the Bible occurs in this verse about Isaac, Abraham’s beloved son. It might surprise you that a word so central to our faith and to the unfolding of salvation history wouldn’t appear right from the outset, such as with Adam and Eve.

God’s Word is truly remarkable. The depth of love that Abraham had for Isaac could be compared to the profound love the Father has for His Son.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son—  the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.” Hebrews 11:17-19, emphases added

Certainly the binding of Isaac prefigures the crucifixion: Abraham had the confidence that the LORD His Provider – YHVH Yireh – would not fail him. The Hebrews text above tells us that Abraham even reasoned that resurrection was possible. ADONAI had promised Abraham that he would be the “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4), so by having faith in resurrection, Abraham could reconcile killing Isaac if he truly had to follow through with God’s demand. Abraham’s hope was that Isaac would be resurrected and continue the lineage, fathering many nations.

Abraham is a model of faith for every generation. He passed the test by maintaining unwavering trust in the LORD. Isaac’s father knew God and loved God, and knew first-hand nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). He had also come to learn that the God of Israel was merciful: Abraham had no reason to doubt God’s provision. Yet even so, it is one thing to have the willingness to forfeit one’s own life; indeed Abraham was even willing to sacrifice his own self – for what parent could kill their child without losing a part of their own self? The emotional pain would have consumed him, but there was nothing Abraham wasn’t willing to do for His LORD. But sacrificing of self is not quite the same as sacrificing one’s life entirely. And it is another thing altogether to have the faith to end one’s own child’s life if so required. Jewish midrash discusses many instances when God’s people have been in situations which required self-sacrifice, or situations in which parents have had to make the difficult decision to encourage their children to give up their lives rather than renounce their faith in the God of Israel.

Is your love for God that intense?

Are you truly willing to sacrifice anything for Him?

Do you live with this type of faith?

Do you have an unwavering confidence that no matter what, the LORD will see you through?

“Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.'” Genesis 22:12

Our children are on loan to us from the Holy One. We must entrust their well-being to the LORD, as He allows us to love and care for them.

Bound together in Love

Abraham loved his son. Surely, the events of the aqedah bound him and Isaac together with an even deeper love. The account of Abraham and Isaac (Yitzhak) should remind us today of the centrality of love. May we learn to reflect the virtue of Messiah’s love to those who are still looking for the Lamb – to those who are bewildered and look all around them, but do not realize the nearness of their salvation.

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14

No matter what, always trust in our Loving Father who is full of compassion. He will provide for your every need, bind up the broken-hearted, and save you when you call upon His Name.

“Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and behold, there was a ram, just caught in the thick bushes by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.  Abraham named that place, ADONAI Yireh,—as it is said today, “On the mountain, ADONAI will provide.” Genesis 22:13-14

The Binding of God’s Word

Have you bound God’s Word to your heart?

The first portion of the Sh’ma urges us to “bind” the Word of God to our hearts and hands; to walk in His ways at all times and to teach our children to do the same:

“Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. Bind them as a sign on your hand, they are to be as frontlets between your eyes, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9, emphasis added

I encourage you today to seek the LORD and His Word. He is the God of Abraham and Isaac! Worship Him and praise Him for His all-encompassing love! Here are two worship songs that you may enjoy today. The first one is one of my all-time favorites: LORD God of Abraham by Paul Wilbur:

Shalom!

Please leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts! We love hearing from you, friends!

Parashat Shoftim (D’varim/Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) 5782 B”H

Justice in the Land of Israel

This passage in D’varim (Deuteronomy) details how the nation of Israel should achieve justice for its inhabitants.

Here we find instructions regarding the appointing of judges, the process through which legal claims should be investigated, as well as the necessity for legitimate witnesses to be present at trial.

Even among God’s chosen people, there would be criminals.

There would be those who would intentionally cheat others.

And surely there would be an Israelite or two who would steal from others.

In extreme cases, one would end up murdering another and undoubtedly a few would turn from the God of Israel to seek after false gods using sorcery and witchcraft.

So the Word of God addresses all of this:

“So you are to purge the evil from your midst.” Deuteronomy 17:7b

Rebellion does not have to be the future for your family

Samuel told Saul in 1 Samuel 15:23 that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft and that stubbornness is like idolatry.

The world applauds rebellion and even expects it in their teenagers.

Dear reader, if you are a disciple of Messiah, rebellion does not have to be the future for your children.

Do not accept society’s norms.

Align your lifestyle to the Word of the LORD. Train your children to love the LORD with all their heart.

Show them the calamity that rebellion brings and pray that they will choose obedience and grace over chaos and self-destruction.

Biblical Justice

Sadly, today, the very term “justice” has become obfuscated by those who would pervert justice to suit their own desires and agendas. Some even worship the goddess “justice.”

Yet real Biblical justice is intended to be at the core of our faith!

So we need to understand true Biblical justice.

Biblical justice is about fairness. In the United States, we enjoy a special legal system which attempts to ensure fairness when one is accused. The system is not perfect and those who run the system are certainly fallible, but a high precedent is set and the expectation in our country is that justice can be served.

In many other countries, this is not the case. Tyrants and dictators do not favor due process and corruption prevails. Those of us who live in free nations ought be very grateful, and we must pray for those in authority so that the legal system can be trusted and fair trials ensured.

American Jurisprudence

Did you know that our legal system in the U.S. and procedures for due process are based on Torah?

Indeed, the American legal system was profoundly shaped by the writings of the Hebrew Scriptures. The 14th Amendment, in particular, reflects the concept that all citizens deserve equal protection under the law. Due process is based on this Biblical concept: “Justice, justice, you shall pursue.”

“Justice, justice you must pursue, so that you may live and possess the land that ADONAI your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:20, emphasis added

Trying to memorize Scripture?

Notice this particular verse in the TLV translation nearly rhymes, making it an easy verse to memorize.

Justice, justice you must pursue

so that you may live and possess the land that ADONAI your God is giving you.

Justice and Righteousness are better than sacrifice

The Holy Scriptures tell us that

“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to ADONAI than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:3

A sacrifice may atone for one particular sin, but if we live consistently in justice and righteousness, there would ultimately be no need for sacrifice because sin would be averted.

We are not perfect; however, and sin does creep into our lives.

There is nothing greater than the sacrifice Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus Christ) made for us. He lived in perfect righteousness and justice and also sacrificed Himself on behalf of us sinners, to make atonement for us.

As believers who have placed our hope and trust in our Savior, the best way we can demonstrate our gratitude is by living as He would – seeking justice and truly pursuing righteousness. We cannot possibly do so perfectly, but we ought to try. We ought to show a rebellious world how wonderful and different life can be when we strive to live in righteousness.

Ways we can seek to live in justice and righteousness

Honoring others, demonstrating love, quieting our attitudes, dressing modestly, reaching out to our neighbors offering help and kindness, minding our tongue so as not to speak judgmentally, offering genuine hospitality, managing our resources with wisdom and prudence, and creating a gentle home atmosphere so that our families live peaceably . . . these are all ways we can seek to live in justice and righteousness.

It isn’t enough to tell a rebellious world that we know a better way. We must show the world that we are different: they will know we are Christians by our love.

We have a new hope today. The criminal can be forgiven. The thief can be restored. The liar can learn Truth. The Messiah of Israel came to this earth to live and to die on behalf of those who would put their trust in His Name. You are not too far gone. Maybe you have lived a life of rebellion. Maybe you think there is no hope for you. What you need to know today is there is a Savior who loves you and He died so that you could live eternally in heaven with Him.

Please, put your trust in Him today. His divine and righteousness justice could have condemned us all for all eternity, but His love is such that He chose to save us, if we will allow Him into our hearts. He is so very just that we are all found guilty, but He chose to forgive us.

Will you trust Him today? We will you allow His righteousness to cover you? He loves you, and He wants to welcome you into His Kingdom as His very own child.

If you have made a commitment to trust in the Messiah, the Savior of the world, Yeshua (Jesus), please let us know! Please leave a comment so we can pray for you as you learn to walk under His righteous covering. You don’t have to fear. He is willing to forgive you, even today.

Parashat Kedoshim (V’yikra/Leviticus 19-20) 5782 B”H

The Leviticus Holiness Code

The Holiness Code found in Leviticus 19 tells the people of God that they are to be holy, for ADONAI is holy.

The term in Hebrew is קְדֹשִׁים q’doshim (also spelled, kedoshim) – you shall be among those who are holy; the holy ones.

The instructions here are meant for the entirety of Israel, not just the priests and leaders.

"Speak to all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael and tell them: You shall be kedoshim, for I, ADONAI your God, am holy."  Lev.19:2, emphasis added

Though the Torah was written so very long ago, there are 15 points that are still completely relevant to us today.

These points contain important instructions to help us live in holiness (another term for “sanctification.”)

“This is the will of God — your sanctification.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

We have been made holy through what our Messiah did for us on the cross at Calvary (Col.1:20-22). We cannot be holy on our own or achieve holiness by doing good works. However, once we have received the gift of salvation, we are to continue to live as sanctified people:

"Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."  2 Corinthians 7:1, emphasis added

The fruit of our salvation is that we choose to live rightly. We choose holiness.

Here are instructions on how to do it!

Related post: The Leviticus 11 Controversy

Major points of the Leviticus Holiness Code:

1. Holiness requires that we must respect our father and mother (Lev.19:3).

"Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God."  Leviticus 19:3 (NKJV)

“Each one of you is to respect his mother and his father, and keep My Shabbatot. I am ADONAI your God."  Lev.19:3 (TLV)

This seems so basic, yet look around us. How many people truly respect and honor their parents? Are you training your children to be respectful?

We must be cautious as to what we allow our children to watch. Many shows and movies targeted to young people today encourage aloofness and rebellion. We must oversee their usage of technology and encourage positive, godly friendships. Our job is harder than generations past – children today are truly inundated by information – both good and bad, and are targeted for their innocence.

How about grown up children? If their parent is in an assisted living facility, do they visit? Sadly, I have seen far too many of our elders in this country practically abandoned by their adult children, left to be cared for entirely by health professionals. I am thankful for the professionals, who give so much love, but it is never the same as the bond that ought to exist between a parent and their child.

The denigration of traditional family by modern society is ha-satan‘s way to attack this basic, fundamental principle.

To live in holiness, we must be respectful of our parents.

2. We are to keep God’s Shabbats (Sabbath Days) (Lev.19:3)

Notice that in the same verse that we are instructed to care for our parents, we are also instructed to keep God’s Sabbath days. That is because these concepts go hand-in-hand. If we love our families, we will want to spend time with them, and we will honor our LORD. Sabbath is about spending time with the LORD and with our families, resting and enjoying the presence of the LORD and our loved ones as well as our brothers and sisters in Messiah.

Assuming that our parents taught us to keep Shabbat (which many didn’t, because this has been lost over time), we then keep the Shabbat to honor their teaching to us, as well. Shabbat is ultimately about family and keeping our generations on the right path.

The wording of this verse catches my attention. “Keep my Shabbatot.” “Keep my Sabbaths.” God tells us the Sabbath belongs to Him – consistent with our Messiah’s teaching that He is the LORD of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). It is an important day to our LORD, so it should be important to us, too. Sabbath was established after creation – God rested on the seventh day and sanctified it (Genesis 2:3). Sabbath, according to the Bible, is Saturday, rather than Sunday.

This point is so important to the LORD that He reiterates it just a few verses later in Leviticus 19:30. “You are to keep My Shabbatot, and reverence My Sanctuary. I am ADONAI.” We must take seriously the command to rest.

What does rest have to do with holiness? Spending time at rest allows us to minister from a place of restoration.

We cannot help others if we don’t care for ourselves.

3. We are to not turn to idols (Lev.19:4)

A few years ago, we drove from the Texas border down to south central Mexico. During our trip, we saw many handmade shrines along the dusty paths bordering the Chihuahuan desert. The conditions in some of these desert regions are so harsh and desolate that the improvised, crude nature of these altars seemed to aptly reflect the difficulties of life in these places.

Why do people turn to idols? When do people feel inspired to build their own high place?

When they long for a relationship.

When they want answers to life’s hard questions.

When they genuinely seek, but have not yet found.

When they are trapped in a generational cycle of idolatry.

There is true hope in the LORD, but some people have not yet heard. And some who hear will reject the Truth, in favor of their idolatrous traditions and customs. But the stronghold on their lives is rooted in the idolatry of generations before, pagan traditions passed down with the hope of finding a better life, but missing the mark.

In several different villages in southern Mexico, we witnessed processions of people walking down the roads carrying wooden idols they had made.

I had never seen idolatry in such a pure and unabashed form. Sure, I had seen statues and carvings, but never entire communities of people parading these objects for purposes of worship.

In a sense, we are blessed in the United States because this isn’t something we “see.”

But we are also blind because we don’t realize that idolatry is just as rampant here, it just takes other forms.

You see, ha-satan is astute. Historically, our Protestant-influenced culture did not make easy room for idolatrous religious images and carvings. Holiness was taken more seriously. So the devil has found ways to lure people into less obvious forms of idolatry. Worship of self, materialism, obsession over celebrities, the love of money . . . there are so many forms of idolatry. It is sinful to look to these things as though they are deity.

We are clearly told in the Bible’s Holiness Code that in order to be holy as the LORD is holy, we mustn’t have idols of any sort.

4. We are to provide for the poor. (Leviticus 19:9)

Did you know that Ruth was able to glean from the fields of Boaz (Ruth 2) because of the law found in the Leviticus Holiness Code of Leviticus 19:9? It’s true!

Those who owned land were obligated by the Word of God in the Torah to intentionally leave the corners of the field unharvested and not to glean the leftovers of their crops in the fields. Specifically, landowners were not even to pick up fallen grapes from their vineyards (Lev.19:10). These remnants were to be left for the poor and the stranger.

There is always a lesson about hospitality to be found in the Word of God. We are to love and help the poor with kindness.

True holiness embraces abundant, radical hospitality.

5. We mustn’t steal, lie, or deceive. (Leviticus 19:11)

Stealing, lying, and deception all go together. We must be careful, especially those of us in ministry positions.

Peter warned that judgment begins in the house of the LORD. How many ministries have brought embarrassment and shame upon themselves for lying and deceiving people or stealing tithe money?

Resist all temptation to participate in schemes that will harm the LORD’s flock!

You are responsible to set an example for believers by living in true holiness, according to the Word of God.

"For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God. If judgment begins with us first, what will be the end for those who disobey the Good News of God?" 1 Peter 4:17

6. We must never swear by YHVH’s Name falsely. (Leviticus 19:12)

Swearing by YHVH’s Name falsely profanes the Name of your God, according to this Scripture.

I don’t know about you, but I shudder at the thought. We must live in holiness and honor the Name of the LORD.

This is written, though, because it is inevitable that certain members of the house of the LORD will fall into error. We must not follow suit.

7. You are not to oppress your neighbor nor rob him.

We need to learn to live in peace with everyone. We must be honest and good to our neighbors.

Many of the commands in the Leviticus Holiness Code sound like the Aseret HaDibrot: The Ten Words (i.e., the Decalogue or “Ten Commandments“). They are rules to live by, for our own good and the good of our communities.

If you truly want to live in holiness, find ways to bless your neighbors.

8. If you are a day employer, you are to pay your hired worker at the end of their work day, not hold the money overnight. (Leviticus 19:13)

The Leviticus Holiness Code provides for workplace fairness as well as the proper handling of money.

Day laborers are usually at a disadvantage, lacking their own land or company.

Day employers who obey the LORD will not take advantage of their workers or cheat them and will compensate them fairly and at a reasonable time.

I knew a wealthy man, who claimed to be a devout Christian, who thrived off of cheap labor. He would hire unskilled laborers and pay them the very least amount possible to retain their services. His workers would come and go because they were paid so little they would try to find work elsewhere. To his credit, I heard that he did pay his workers fairly quickly, but a person truly living in holiness will not take advantage of people or try to intentionally maintain them at poverty level. If you are in a position where you have financial advantages, find ways to bless those who work for you. Your team will stick with you and you will prosper, as well.

9. We must care for the rights of those with disabilities. (Leviticus 19:14)

Specifically, the Torah here is concerned for those who are deaf or blind.

We are not to curse anyone who has a disability nor make their lives difficult (putting a “stumbling block” before them).

Related post: A Cure Changes Everything.

If you truly seek to live in holiness, look for ways to help and befriend the disabled. You will be blessed.

10. We must be impartial in our judgments. (Leviticus 19:15)

When you are in the position to make a decision that will affect others, you need to show impartiality. These verses deal with justice. We must seek justice, whether it is in the workplace or in our neighborhoods. We cannot allow political preferences to cloud our judgment, either.

In all things, we must be fair. If you are a judge or someone in authority, you mustn’t show favoritism to others in similar positions. All cases must be dealt with fairly, regardless of financial or social status.

"You are not to be partial toward the poor nor show favoritism toward the great . . ."  Leviticus 19:15

We need godly judges and lawyers who seek to live in holiness! Pray for those who are studying law, that a new generation of godly lawyers would be raised up. That they would make rulings that honor the Word of God and that they would not be swayed by either political party, but rather make all decisions based on God’s Word.

11. There is no place for slander or hatred. (Leviticus 19:16-17)

The Bible clearly teaches that we mustn’t go telling tall tales about people. In our day of YouTube and social media, so many horrible TikTok “challenges” and slandering occurs. Leviticus 19:16 says, “You are not to endanger the life of your neighbor.”

We are not to hold grudges or take revenge or do anything that could harm another human being.

If we want to live in holiness, we must use social media with caution. We should use the power of technology to spread the Good News of our Savior rather than slander and hatred.

12. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18)

Yeshua (Jesus) told us that the second greatest commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31

He got that from the Torah, you know! He wanted us to understand the heart of our Father as revealed in the entirety of the Scriptures.

How do we love our neighbors as ourselves? We learn to love ourselves, not in an idolatrous way, but seeing ourselves as God sees us. He loves us and He has made us worthy by the blood of His Son, the Lamb of God. If we love ourselves, we can love those around us, most primarily our families, and that love extends to our neighbors.

True holiness requires us to learn to love.

13. We must “rise up in the presence of the gray-haired and honor the presence of the elderly.” (Leviticus 19:32)

Just as we must honor our parents, we are to honor the elderly. They have lived long lives and have much wisdom to share. Our family has been watching a Korean series on Netflix because my children are learning about Asian culture and we have all been struck by the amount of deference to elders depicted. This type of respect truly is foreign to American culture and we could learn a thing or two.

As discussed above, we will live in holiness if we respect and honor our parents and elders.

14. We must show love and hospitality to the immigrant (Leviticus 19:33-34)

Immigration is a controversial subject…. yet another overly-politicized issue of our day.

While our nation must have laws and borders, we also must demonstrate kindness to immigrants. There is no place for racism if we are living in holiness.

Some of the very best people I know are immigrants to our country!

If you want to live in holiness, be welcoming of those who are newcomers to our nation.

15. Honesty is the best policy (Leviticus 19:35-36)

The Scriptures are clear that we must be honest in all things. All items used for measurements, weights, and balances must honest according to the Leviticus Holiness Code.

Here, the LORD reminds Israel that He brought them out of Egypt.

God’s people were brought out of Egypt so they could live differently from the Egyptians. I would expect that dishonest measurements were probably used in ancient Egypt to take advantage of the Israelites living in bondage. Surely the freed people of God should be expected to demonstrate honesty in all matters which is a way of showing gratitude as well for all the LORD has done.

A person who lives in holiness is honest.

Are these points still relevant to us today as followers of our Savior Yeshua (Jesus)?

Each of these points help us to live in kindness, with righteousness, putting others ahead of ourselves. There are more instructions found in Leviticus 19, but they deal with more specific situations such as if a man lies with a slave girl or if you are planting in the land of Israel. Perhaps they don’t seem “as relevant” to us, but if we read them carefully, we can see how applicable even these remain even to this day.

For example, it remains prudent not to “eat any meat with the blood still in it,” (Lev.19:26) and it certainly remains forbidden for disciples of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) to practice any type of “sorcery” (Lev.19:26). It is in this same passage we find the prohibition against tattoos (Lev.19:28). I know my view is unpopular today as many try to justify “Christian” tattooing, but Biblically-speaking, it does not make sense to pick and choose what we like and don’t like if it is all in the same portion of Scripture, in the Holiness Code.

A few years ago, when we pastored a church in Tennessee, one of the sisters in the congregation got a tattoo around her wrist. She came to show it off one day, and I fear I offended her when I was not nearly as excited about it as she was. I should have sat her down and spoken more gently to her, but my initial reaction was that she had made quite a mistake! We have an obligation to protect the Temple, not put graffiti all over it.

"Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Ruach ha-Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body."  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Interestingly, it has become cultural. Our congregation was comprised of both English-speakers and Spanish-speaking Hispanic immigrants. Our Hispanic members were very wary of the sister’s tattoo, while the English-speaking folks raved about it. It really caused a controversy between the groups! In this case, I believe the Hispanic folks knew the darker undercurrent of tattooing from their experiences with the occult in their home countries.

Ok, time to change the subject! I know that not everyone will agree on this!

In all things, seek the LORD in all His Holiness

Allow the Holy Spirit to illumine your understanding. He will show you the incredible connections made throughout the entirety of God’s Word; how the Bible’s text is so interwoven and contains no error. When I first went to undergraduate school to learn theology, I went there with the intent of disproving the Scriptures. I didn’t think it was possible for the Bible to be faultless. But the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the Truth and I was able to continue my studies, fully convinced of the inerrant nature of the Bible.

If He could do that for me, He can do that for you.

Ask Him to show you His will and His ways, and your life will be forever changed!

Be encouraged today, that He can help you to walk in holiness and in the fullness of His love and grace!

Please leave a comment and subscribe today! We all need encouragement to live holy. Which of these points would you like to work on, in your personal life? I would love to hear from you!