Torah Wheel of Fortune.
Am I creating a Torah based game show?
No, not so much.
I don’t watch television, and I don’t recommend watching television.
I am in the midst of self-evaluation and study to determine what it is we are supposed to do in Yah’s kingdom with regard to our fellow man.

Wow, tough subject, right?
For Tracy and I, Torah is simple.
If we read the Word and learn something new, our decision is to simply say, “Yes, Yehova, we will do as you ask of us.”
It really is that simple.
When we first learned the truth of the Scriptures, we had to make changes in our lives.
We immediately began to observe and honor Shabbat.
It is a sign between Yehova and His people.
We want to be His people.
We own a cafe’, so this required some major changes on our part.  We immediately [as in that very week] changed our cafe’ hours to be closed on Shabbat. Our customers thought we were nuts.
So what?
We did it anyway.
Our hearts’ desire is to obey the Father.

We learned that eating biblically clean is important to Yehova.
Therefore, it became important to us.
We began learning how to eat clean.
We made changes at home, and we also removed unclean foods from our menu at our cafe.
Again, we had some upset customers.
Cest la vie…
Such is life.

We learned about the Feast Days, Yah’s appointed times.
We got rid of our Christmas stuff, our Easter stuff, our Halloween stuff…
We purged all of that from our lives.
It was not easy, because we have three children who have learned and lived the culture of these holidays.  We have extended family who HIGHLY value these holidays.
But we said, “Yes, Yehova, we will celebrate Your appointed times, and we will purge this other nonsense from our lives.”

We made tzitzits and began wearing them.
Not sometimes.
Not just on Shabbat.
We wear them every waking moment.
Is it because we are legalistic?
Nope.
Is it because we think following rules will save us?
Nope.
We do these things, because Yehova desires it of us.
And we say, “Yes, Yehova, I will do this because you desire it of us.”
It really is that simple.

We began walking Torah alone, because no one else was interested.
Our friends and family thought we’d lost our minds.
In time, we learned of Torah fellowships near us, and we met really wonderful people.  After being quite alone in our walk into Torah, we were elated to find others doing the same.
We were excited to no longer be alone in this walk, and we joined them.

But we quickly noticed something.
We quickly realized that people in “Torah Observant” fellowships did not wear tzitzits.  And they work on Shabbat.  And they go out to eat, or go to the movies on Shabbat. Or they go to college football games or baseball games on Shabbat.
And they work on the moedim, Yah’s appointed high Sabbaths.
And they feast on unrighteous, sin-filled entertainment produced by Hollywood and the worldly entertainment industry.  And they still embrace the seeker friendly mainstream church mentality.  Or they left the mainstream, and instead, adopted the Jewish traditions that are not in accordance with the Scriptures.
And on and on and on…

Tracy and I did not understand.
We met groups of people who spoke of being grateful to be called to Torah and to have their veils lifted, but then they had a very nonchalant, non-committal attitude towards the things of Torah.
We were baffled.
How could people read and study the Torah, and not take it seriously???

We addressed our concerns, and eventually left those groups because of their lukewarm behaviors.
So now what?
We know that being partially committed to the things of Yehova is not what He wants from us.
He does not want rebellious complaining followers who long for the things of Egypt (the world) over the things of the Father [if you are unsure about this, read the Exodus story and pay attention to the details].

Are we supposed to separate from the rebellious and the disobedient?
Are we supposed to remain among them, and be a light and an example to them?
Are we supposed to stay and try to motivate them?
Or are we supposed to step away from them, and not get sucked into the earth as happened to Korah in Numbers 16?
Are we to have compassion and pray for them from a safe distance?

These are the things I’m studying, evaluating, and praying through…
We know that the entire Torah is summed up as this:
1. Love God with all that we are (mind, body, soul, strength).
2. Love our neighbor as ourself.

Yeshua defined how it is we are to love Him.
Here is one of many references:
John 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

But how do we love our neighbor as ourself?
Scripture speaks of love, kindness, patience…
But how do we apply these ideas to the willfully disobedient?
How do we apply these ideas to the nonchalant Torah semi-followers?

This is what Yehova says about those who sin while having the full knowledge of the truth (those who learn Torah but continue to violate Torah):
Numbers 15:30-31
 “But the person who sins defiantly, whether native or outsider, reviles Yehova and that person is to be cut off from his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the word of Yehova and has broken His commandment, that person will certainly be cut off—his guilt will remain on him.”
Are these empty words, or is Yah serious about this?
Read Numbers 15:32-41 to find out.

How do we apply the fruits of the spirit to those who have learned Torah, but do not do the things of Torah?
These are difficult ideas and concepts.
I want to honor what Yehova says. I want to love my neighbor as myself.

To me, the ultimate love for my fellow man is to do everything in my power so they do not hear this one day:
“I never knew you. Depart from Me.”
These are the words of Yeshua Messiah.  He is speaking to people who claim to have followed Him, and yet, He does not know them and He rejects them.

In my mind, there is no greater love for my fellow man than to help him avoid this fate.
This means telling them the truth.
This means showing them the warnings in scripture.
This means holding them accountable for the things of Torah that they have learned, but refuse to do. Or only do them when convenient.

I’ve been called unloving and harsh because of these things.
People do not understand my motivation.
People do not realize I approach all of these matters seriously and with intensity, because I do not want them to hear, “I never knew you. Depart from Me.”

I will continue to study and pray.

1Corinthians 13 defines love for us:
⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails.

I’ll be doing word studies in scripture on each of these definitions.
Man may define love a certain way in his thoughts and ideas.  I often see this translated into tolerance of rebellious behavior, inclusiveness for the sake of friendship/fellowship, turning a blind eye to willful sin in the hopes they will eventually change.
And these things are labeled as love and patience and kindness.
But is it?
What if a rebellious person is allowed to continue in their rebellion for months, years even?  What if they die in a car wreck tomorrow, and end up hearing, “I never knew you” because of their disobedient behaviors?
Is that love?
These are the types of things I’m trying to sort out.
Bear with me…
And stay tuned…

And lastly, a bit of praise for Yehova.
We recently have met some new friends who want to follow Yehova wholly and completely. They began as new acquaintances, new friends. But they quickly have become new family.
It is a joy to find others who value following Yehova completely.
Our challenge as a group, though, is how do we inspire and encourage others around us to do the same?