Shalom Saints,
Floyd and I were hurrying out of the house so we would not be late for our interview to be accepted into the Evangelical Friends Church, a Quaker Denomination. That week, in 1995, was so busy for us that we did not have a chance to compare notes on what we each wrote on the separate application forms!
We met at the church secretary’s house where she and one of the deacons asked us questions about our past history, faith, and future aspirations with the Quakers. All was going well until the deacon looked at me, only me, and said, “I see here Sharon that you drink alcohol.”
“Yes sir, I do.”
“Well, we prefer that our members don’t drink.”
“Well, God hasn’t told me not to drink. I don’t get drunk.”
All this time I was avoiding looking at Floyd who was sitting next to me on the small sofa. I was wondering why Floyd hadn’t “fessed up” and Floyd was probably wondering why I would give these folks ammunition against me.
Then the deacon went into his testimony of how the Lord had delivered him from being a knock-down drunk and how he was afraid to touch the stuff again. He spoke with an urgency that I shouldn’t let drinking control me like it did him.
I listened with empathy and when the deacon asked me again to give up drinking, I looked him straight in the eyes and said, “I tell you what, I will pray about this, and if the Lord tells me to give up drinking, I will.”
We waited to hear if our applications were accepted. As Floyd said, “They were not going to turn down regular attending and tithe paying folks!” True! They accepted Floyd and his wine-bidder wife. LOL
As Arthur discussed, this is an example of someone who wanted to put their weakness on another person. The alcohol had power over the deacon. When we give our control to a substance or a spirit; that is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
However, as Paul tells us, I did not let my freedom become a stumbling block for the deacon. I never drank around him or any of the Quakers, except for my one friend with whom we would enjoy a glass of wine at either my house or hers.
Listen to Arthur explain what it means to have freedom in Yehovah:
Summary of the Teaching
The Holy Spirit was with us in double and triple portions! The Holy Spirit led Arthur into a profusion of glimmering nuggets of wisdom that were aimed at getting us in a state of fitness for the work of being an Ambassador for Yeshua. Here are some of the treasures that came forth in the Messages before the Message.
- We must let scripture interpret scripture and not read into the scriptures what we were taught by denominations. When we follow the denominations, we will end up fearing and obeying the religious leaders more than we do the Almighty.
- Our most important work is developing a right relationship with Yehovah. Only then can we really love each other.
- We absolutely must take responsibility for our actions, words, and attitudes. When we blame others for what we do, we have given them control over our lives and are subject to their agendas for us.
- Yehovah wants servants who fear Him, not man.
- Genuine Saints love you for who you are, not for what you can do for them.
- When each of us recognizes that there is no one on this planet more important than ourselves, other than Yehovah, each of us will take on the mindset that “I will fear no man!”
- Pay attention to the fruit of others; sometimes their repentance comes from their actions, not their words.
Wow!! We haven’t even gotten to the Worship in Song or the teaching!
Listen as Arthur talks about our Evangelical commitment within the Vision of the House of Israel.
Arthur starts Romans 14 Part 2 by reminding us that the word is ALIVE and not stuck in any era of time. The word is as alive as when it was first breathed to man. Let us live in the life of the word. HalleluYAH!
Arthur gives us the cultural backdrop of Rome and the people Paul was writing to some 1900 years ago. They lived in a world with idols and idol temples all around them; the believers knew the Tanakh and had to deal with idol worshippers converting to the Messianic faith. Paul in this portion of scripture is dealing with issues between meat eaters and non-meat eaters. He is not dealing with clean and unclean items. The people of Paul’s day did not have the New Testament. So…. they did not have Peter’s dream (Acts 10: 9-28) to misinterpret as many do today to condone eating unclean items and calling them food.
Again, the Holy Spirit was pouring into Arthur and he was showering us with blessed words of knowledge. You will just have to listen to hear and absorb it all. Here are a few of the significant points Arthur covered.
- If you confess that Yeshua is Lord, and you don’t hear His voice, what voice are you following?
- If in the Court of Law and in Yehovah’s Court, every word can and will be used against you, how are you being mindful of every word you speak?
- What should our attitude be when we have to defend our positions against someone of an opposite position?
- Should we ever judge others?
- Was Yehovah acknowledging other Gods in the first commandment?
- Who should we trust to tell us what the Bible says?
All of this was followed by Arthur’s mandate, “Do not let people back you up from your calling!” Let others see the fruits of your calling in your lifestyle, your attitude and in the words you speak.
Buzz on the Teaching
Today was one of the mountain peaks in terms of the presence of the Holy Spirit and its effects on the body of Messiah at the House of Israel. When Arthur came to the podium to pray, he told David to hold on to the chord because Arthur wanted David to sing “Majesty!” Well… the flood gates opened and the Spirit rushed in.
If the cameras were turned around on the congregation, you would have seen Saints with their arms raised, Saints bowing and kneeling, many Saints crying, and many Saints shouting HalleluYAH that the Holy Spirit was so heavily in our midst.
In the Holy Spirit there is no space or time only its Presence!! Please listen and get your blessing!
Until next time… Blessings to You and Yours,
Sharon
Aunty Sharon, please keep these blogs coming. I look forward to them after every shabbat and it is uplif ting to my soul.
Alas! this is the words of your testimony; when you make comparisons with you then and you now.
Floyd thanks for allowing her to share yours too. Yehovah bless.
Shalom Maureen,
I enjoy writing the Blogs! I am glad that you are uplifted by them. This is one way that I can share what I have experienced and learned.
Floyd said, “Thank you, Maureen!”
Thank you for your kind words!
Sharon