The Narrow and Wide Gates

The Narrow And Wide Gates

 

Video Teaching

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Study Notes and Slides

Introduction: 

We have seen through the former teaching on the rebuilding of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) that it was rebuilt through much struggle and that truly is the picture of the life of the believer, so today I hope to reveal how by looking at the Hebrew language within the Scriptural writings whether greater revelation can be gleaned. We previously saw that though YAHWEH always desired that his people live in prosperity in a land that was flowing with milk & honey the reality was that they only returned to him & his Torah when the road became Narrow while they were in captivity stripped of pleasures and deprived of the Temple. Today we will address some rather interesting truths hidden within the Brit Chadashah the Nazarene writings to ascertain how the nature of our faith is revealed within the words of Yahshua our Master and the soon returning King. 

Slide 2

The Wider Gate:

In the Scriptures when YHWH completes the Marriage ceremony on Mount Sinai and gives his people Yisrael the Torah which is his Eternal covenant there is a perceived thought that the way to Salvation & blessing has a wider sense found in obedience to his Covenant.  We know that obedience is the standard that YHWH has and will always use. We read in Debarim (Deuteronomy) 28 how exceedingly blessed the people would be if they did not turn to the left or the right but did all according to his Commandments (Mitsvot). To the people this must have seemed like an easy way to blessing and having the Presence, the Shekinah of YHWH in their midst making them a force to be reckoned with, so they said the following and I am sure they said it with all good intention:

Shemoth (Exodus) 19:7- 9 So Mosheh came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which YHWH (the Lord) commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that YHWH has spoken we will do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to YHWH. 9 And YHWH said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.”

So Mosheh told the words of the people to YHWH (the Lord).

Slide 3

Rather than being an easy & wider road to Salvation & Blessing we find that the people of Yisrael were quick to turn from his ways even before the Ketubah the Marriage contract was given them, this being the words of YAHWEH written for them as the Ten Covenant Words the ten Commandments which Mosheh smashed before their eyes because of their disregard for the oath they had made to YAHWEH only 40 days earlier after which they made a golden Calf to worship in total disregard of his commandment. From this incident we find Yisrael living in constant struggle to uphold the Covenant resulting in many attacks of the enemy through the many years of the Judges & the Kings that finally led to the exile for Yahudah (Judah) as we dealt with in the Rebuilding of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) & the dispersion among the Assyrian Empire for the Northern Ten Tribes. The point of all this struggle and failure however was in fact to help the people see that the Gate for their Salvation & Blessing was not as wide as they thought but very narrow and only found in the “Chesed” (Favour or Grace) of YAHWEH according to his promises that go right back to Bereshith (Genesis) 3:15 where the promise is first given that the seed of the woman will crush the head of the Serpent revealing the promise of the Machiach (Messiah) but also to show all mankind that there is a perpetual struggle between the Kingdom of light & the Kingdom of Darkness.  

Slide 4

Romans 10:4 For Messiah is the goal of the ‘Torah unto righteousness’ to everyone

who believes. 5 For Mosheh writes about the righteousness which is of the Torah,

“The man who does these shall live by them.”

What this scripture suggests is that from the very beginning the Torah had the purpose to show the people that they, in their own strength could not attain to the righteousness of YAHWEH and that this knowledge would bring them to the Machiach (Messiah) a road that by all rights is not easy and wide but difficult and narrow.  

Yahshua’s Teaching:

Slide 5

The particular section we will look at today centres on the beginning of Yahshua’s ministry and is usually referred to as “the Sermon on the Mount.” Yahshua is dealing with many aspects of the life of a faithful believer giving many instructions & directions. The particular verses we will extrapolate are found in the following:

MattithYahu (Matthew) 7:13- 14 “Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction and there are many who enter in through it. 14 Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life

and there are few who find it.

Slide 6

To fully appreciate the depth of meaning within these verses we need to investigate various words from the Hebrew meaning & breakdown of individual words something that will bring to light some amazing truths. 

Slide 7

1. Narrow: 

The first word to analyse is the Word “Narrow”:  rye Hatsar with the following meaning: 

Strong’s Number H6862 – enemy, distress, narrow, small, tribulation etc.

Slide 8

In the Blue letter Bible we can see it used in Proverbs 23:27 to demonstrate its usage as “Narrow.”

Mishle (Proverbs) 23:27 For a whore is a deep pit, And a strange woman is a narrow well.

In the Blue letter Bible from 1 Samuel 2:32 it is used as “Enemy.”

1 Shemu’EL (Samuel) 2:32 And you shall see an enemy in My Dwelling Place, despite all the good which Elohim does for Yisra’ĕl and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

Since Hebrew is such a deep & intricate language we need to understand how the same word can mean Narrow & enemy in a different context or at the same time.

Note: It is also interesting to note that the word Tsar or Tzar was also formerly the Ruler of Russia and gives the sense of a person with “Dictatorial powers” therefore truly an enemy in the sense of the Hebrew Word. 

To grasp how the way “the Derek” in Hebrew from which we get direction is linked to an “Enemy” is that the way of Salvation & Blessing is obstructed by an array of Adversaries or Enemies to make the Way extremely difficult & concealed that only a few find it.

Slide 9

 Note: (Hidden Truths Hebraic Scrolls NT) The Earlier manuscripts have the word “door” instead of “Gate” which was used in later manuscripts. The Aramaic word “Tarea” can be translated as “door” or “gate”. Since the tent had a door this could be appropriate as well, since this ties in with the words of Yahshua in:

Yahuchanan (John) 10:9 “I am the door. Whoever enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture.  

Also often Yisrael is used for a title of the Machiach (Messiah) therefore the way to enter is through Yisrael the door since we know the Covenant was made with the House of Ya’acov (Jacob) & the House of Yisrael. 

This also takes us back to Ya’acov in Bereshith (Genesis) 28:17 which is hinting at Yahshua being the narrow door:

Bereshith (Genesis) 28:17 And Ya’acov was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of EL, and this is the gate of heaven!”

It also gives us a Remez level (hint) in the following where we see Balaam’s donkey which stood in the narrow path and saw the Malak of YHWH who is Yahshua giving also the Sod level (the hidden) meaning. We walk through the “door” being Yahshua Ha Machiach (the Messiah). 

Yahshua’s ways however are the ways of the Mosaic Torah which are hard for many who recoil at keeping the Biblical feasts calling them legalistic. Also Sabbath keeping makes the path even more “Narrow” but according to his Word we read in:

Slide 10

Chazon (Revelation) 14:12 Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones; here are those who keep the commandments of Elohim and the faith of Yahshua.

Chazon (Revelation) 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.  

Each Shabbat we read the importance of Shabbat found in:

Shemoth (Exodus) 31 in which we read that the Shabbat will be “the sign between YAHWEH and Yisrael (His people) for the generations to come.” 

We see from all this just how “Narrow” the way is with Yahshua being the “Door” or gate and the path being the Torah of truth bringing us to completeness in Yahshua. No-one gains entry without Yahshua but the way is the Torah also and not living a lawless life since Yahshua said:

Yahuchanan (John) 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.

Slide 11

In the time of Yahshua there were the Pharisees some of which believed that by following their weighty commandments which were derived from the Written Torah as well as the Oral Torah that were passed down and eventually written in the Talmud which we read as the traditions of the elders they could be totally righteous. However Yahshua spoke the following to demonstrate just how “Narrow” was the way of Salvation that could only be received by the “Chesed” favour of YAHWEH and not by their works:

MattithYahu (Matthew) 5: 27-28 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Yahshua in revealing the difficulty of being without sin which makes the path of redemption come down to the favour of YAHWEH which we know is in him so as to direct all those who desire righteousness to find it in him without neglecting the Torah which is still the way of righteous living.  

Slide 12

1. The Wide or Broad:

This Word is the Word “M’ruachot- thfrm ” with some interesting truths: 

H7305 from the Blue letter Bible: Means space, respite, and enlargement. 

What is most amazing is that the root word is “Ruach” which means Spirit (H7305- H7308). 

With this understanding we can say that Yahshua is saying that the way of Destruction has been widened by these evil Spirits (Ruachot). By the work of Ha Satan the way of Destruction is broader since Scripture says:

Slide 13

Romans 9:27 Yeshiyahu (Isaiah) also cries out concerning Yisrael: “Though the number of the children of Yisrael be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.

Though in the Natural Yeshiyahu (Isaiah) was speaking in the P’shat or direct about the returning Yisraelites from the exile when only 43,360 people returned from Babylon while many were enticed to remain within the prosperity of Babylon as it is today, on the other hand Sha’ul is writing in the “Darash” or comparison of those that are truly saved since Yisrael is notably a reference to those in Covenant whether in a physical or Spiritual sense. This reminds us of the Words of Yahshua:

Slide 14

MattithYahu (Matthew) 7:21- 23 “Not everyone who says to Me, Adoni, Adoni(Lord, Lord), shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Adoni, Adoni (Lord, Lord), have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The practising of Lawlessness is equivalent to being without Torah. To do the will of the Father is to be obedient to his Word the Torah but not to do as these were doing though the works appear honourable as representing him but these people still had no love for him in their heart because they did not know his heart which is his Torah. We must consider carefully to whom Yahshua is referring in these verses. We must ask ourselves who in the World is doing the Works of healing and casting out of Demons but not doing the will of the Father which is clearly revealed in his Torah since Yahshua did not come to abolish Torah.

Sadly the modern Church has tried to broaden the way of Salvation by simply focussing on Yahshua (Jesus) but has neglected the path to him which has always been the Torah as he is its goal. The verses in Chazon (Revelation) 14 & 22 previously Quoted in slide 10 however challenge that thought and should be seriously considered.

Slide 15

1. H’abdun or Abadon

Strong’s Number H12 – meaning Destruction or known in Hebrew as “Abadon” (Nfdba) or in Greek as “Apollyon”. 

Referenced in the following: 

Esther 9:5Thus the JewsH3064 smoteH5221 allH3605 their enemiesH341 with the strokeH4347 of the sword,H2719 and slaughter,H2027 and destruction,H12 and didH6213 what they wouldH7522 unto those that hatedH8130 them. 

Chazon (Revelation) 9:11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.  

What we see is the hidden teaching in the Hebrew language that is never revealed in the English since Yahshua is teaching that there are Spirits (Ruachot) working to widen and to bring many to destruction and through the above verse we know that this is a Malakim (Angel) who is also known as the Angel of death:

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

We are talking about a being that was cast out of Heaven with Heylel or Ha Satan: 

Chazon (Revelation) 20:14 Then Death and Hades (Sheol) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Slide 16

1. Ashar or Asher

This word is the name of one of the Tribes of Yisrael and can mean to walk straight, upright & knowing you are on the right path or Derek (the way). Alternately it can mean to be happy. 

We could say that people are happily walking into destruction thinking they are upright like those who think they are righteous as in MattithYahu 7:22. Yahshua also said that these will deliver you up thinking they are doing the right thing therefore the broad road is full of people who think they are doing righteousness and this is not about just unbelievers. Sha’ul (Paul) understood that he was one of these before the favour of YAHWEH found him.

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Yahshua the Messiah came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 

Slide 17

1. M’tsuq or Mutsaq

Strong’s Number H6693 – meaning to oppress or distress.

The reason the way is hard pressed is that the enemy is oppressing & obstructing the way to the gate because Yahshua said that those that endure to the end will be saved. 

1. Mathy’m or M’atiym

Strong’s Number H4962- The root word is Math and means few as in Mankind therefore a few of Mankind in a limited time frame. 

Conclusion

From this one verse by using the understanding of the Hebrew & its root words imbedded within we come to some interesting conclusions:

Slide 18

1. This teaching reveals to us that the Gate to life is Narrow but also that we are hard pressed on every side but we also know that the Favour of YAHWEH is with us through his RUACH (Spirit) and by his strength we will endure. 

1. Though the path & the Gate is Narrow we have been given the revelation of the path being the Torah that has narrowed the way to the Gate but we have the Key to the Gate being Yahshua the joy of our life for through him & his Torah has the way been cleared of all obstacles since he promises blessing and Salvation in this life and the World to come if we are faithful. 

Amein. 

Discovering True Joy

Discovering True Joy By Elder Jason Jordan

Over the past year I’ve noticed a steady decline in enthusiasm and joy for daily Torah living in Messiah and a steady increase in doom and gloom thinking within the body of Moshiach. So what’s going on? 

The enemy is on the warpath for your joy. It wants to infect it, remove it and destroy it. The enemy is powerless to form its own weapon and make a full-frontal assault on the community of Israel. Added to this the Nation of Israel is immortal and while it stands as a community it cannot be removed, but if the enemy divides and separates people away from the community, it can influence lost sheep to construct their own gallows.  
King Messiah Yahshua said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:9-10

The more I looked into the problem and really pressed into the core of the matter, I found a rather startling truth. 

Many of us can recall how Yahshua wept, but can any of us recall a time when Yahshua showed great joy? We all know the shortest verse in Scripture, how “Yahshua wept,” but how many of us know a time when he was joyful? We read insights into his experience and the general reception of his ministry and somehow it adds to the weight of a sorry man on a sorry mission to rescue a sorry world. “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” – Isaiah 53:3 

For too long we’ve portrayed the Messiah as a sorry soul, misinterpreting his cry “Why have you forsaken me!” and even interpreting his bitter cup incident in Gethsemane as a last minute request to get himself out of the supposed mess he was in. It doesn’t help that we’ve been intravenously fed images of him in a state of dying. The 2004 movie The Passion seemed to consist of 127 minutes of watching the Messiah get the stuffing kicked out of him with very little screen time devoted to the glorious power that he exhibited through the Father. 

We’ve become people fixated on failure, rather than success. 
You’d be forgiven for thinking that we, the Netzarim, the prophetic resurgence of Yah’s chosen people have become a cesspit of negativity and depression.

As we’ve looked at, the Feast of Sukkot is all about joy. That joy of knowing that Yahweh broke off the best piece of Himself and inserted it into our environment in the form of a man to save the lost sheep of the House of Israel. So we are in the closing moments of the Feast of Joy. How did you go? Where you able to look beyond the murkiness of your own personal struggles and the weight of the world’s collective preoccupation with mass self-destruction and find joy, real joy? 

Even the Jewish Sages that many of us have been conditioned to look at as stuck up Pharisees, showed so much joy that they attracted countless onlookers to the Temple precincts. Like David, a man well acquainted with sorrow and hardship, they rejoiced with dance and spectacle before the Presence. 

Yes Yahshua also rejoiced! He was overwhelmed with joy at seeing that the weak were given eyes to see, whilst the wise who had become conceited and arrogant in their understanding had become blind. “Yahshua rejoiced in the Ruach HaKodesh and said, ‘I praise you, Father, Adonai of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. – Luke 10:21

Why is joy so important? Many people cite two principle things as being the cause of breaking covenant with Yahweh Elohim. They are: 

• Disobeying Yahweh, either through conscious decision, whether by deliberate rebellion or through strong desire or ignorance brought on by lack of enthusiasm as to find out the Almighty’s ruling on a given issue. In other words, lacking in reverential fear. 
• Obeying Yahweh without the proper intent. In other words, carrying out obedience begrudgingly or legalistically. 

But there is a transgression that is often overlooked. 

“All these curses will befall you, pursuing you and overtaking you to destroy you because you did not obey Adonai.... Because you did not serve Elohim, your Elohim, with joy and gladness of the heart.” — Deuteronomy, 28:45, 28:47.

Worship Yahweh with gladness; come before him with joyful song.” — Psalms, 100:2.

Yahweh commands us to be joyful? Why? Because joy is a power! You have joy, you have power. When a salesman has joy, he moves his product. When a customer has a problem and an employee has joy, he comes in and the costumer's attitude immediately changes. A person who has joy changes the whole atmosphere of a room. 

In 1997 staff of Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle began tossing trout and salmon through the air of the market providing high energy which energized many pedestrians passing by on their lunch breaks. They gave their complete attention to each customer and ensured each had an enjoyable visit. An entrepreneur noticed the actual work of selling fish was repetitive, cold and exhausting. It occurred to him that the fishmongers might not enjoy every part of their job, but they chose to bring joy to how they approached it. They also sold a lot of fish. He asked the fishmongers if he could film them and they agreed. The film became a training video for businesses all over the globe.

The only thing that changed this business around from being near closed to have a global impact and drawing customers and onlookers from all over the world was joy!

But how do we get joy? This is a big problem, because many of us don’t know what real joy is. Most people believe that true joy and happiness is having everything that we want. Since what we want costs money, the rich and successful are our benchmark for happiness. 

Where do most people look for their joy? Is it sitting down to the game with mate’s joy? The pursuit of worldly joy without having spiritual reasoning behind it is a distraction from true joy. This doesn’t mean that following a football team or having a hobby is evil, heaven forbid. These activities for a believer keeps him anchored to the climate, allowing him to always be able to relate to his current audience and keeps him well rounded with the mundane and the profoundly Divine in his awareness. But sport as well as popular forms of entertainment without the insight they provide in one’s Torah learning keep a man distracted in an entertaining way until his death. It’s interesting to note that many serious soccer supporters often treat their fandom as a form of religion, which sometimes translates into a warped form of joy that escalates into rioting and street violence. 
It’s further interesting to notes that New Year’s Eve, a time synonymous with joy, has the highest rate of suicides over any other time of the year. Is this how joy is meant to go? 
In the Book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon taught that joy is futile. 

But it’s not till the concluding portion of this writing that we read his the entirety of his thought. “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear Elohim and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)” But what pleasure can we derive from fear? “And the Spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of Yahweh. And His delight shall be in the fear of Yahweh. (Isaiah 11:2-3)”

“Yahweh delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Psalm 147:11)”

Yahweh regulates our joy as with all our other range of emotions according to his set times (Moadim). Here King Solomon enumerates a season for everything. 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)” 

Here King Solomon is enumerating the spectrum of human emotion according to the Set Times as handed down by Yahweh. There is a time to be born – Shacharit (morning prayers) and time to die – Kriyat Shema (Bedtime Prayers), There is a time to plant - Tu B'Shevat (the Year of the new tree), a time to uproot, kill and tear down - Shavuot (the Harvest Festival), a time to heal and weep - Tisha B'Av (the ninth day), a time to laugh and dance, Simchat HaTorah (The Joy of the Torah), there is a time to search and speak - The Month of Elul, there is a time to mend - Yamim Noraim (the Ten Days of Awe), there is a time to be silent – The Amidah (The Standing Prayer), there is a time to hate and throw away - Tashlich (to cast), there is a time to for war – Chanukah (Feast of Dedication) and a time for peace – Shabbat. 

In Scripture there are many forms of Joy. The primary Joy, Simcha, contains some interesting facets. 

The Torah teaches us that in order for Man's service of Elohim to be complete, it must be completed in a joyful manner. The Hebrew phrase "in happiness" (b'simcha, בשמחה) contains the same letters as the Hebrew word for "thought" (machshava, Hebrew: מחשבה). This is understood to mean that the key to happiness is found through our minds, by training oneself to weed out any negative thought that prevent one from experiencing happiness. Rabbi Elazar ben Moshe Azikri stated “Though a person may be depressed on account of his sins, he must be joyful at the time of Divine service. This applies to every service of Elohim, and how much more so then to the service of prayer which is called ‘the service of the heart.'"

The mind and the heart are to merge as one, but it is as if the heart rises up into the cavity of the mind, a place that should permeate with joy. It’s no wonder that HaSatan hit’s hardest at the mind. By disabling the mind and flaring the heart, HaSatan, can get a man to be led by the desires of heart and use his mind to cover and support the movement of this desire devouring organ. It is therefore for this reason that the serpent’s head was struck. 

In Christian and Jewish traditions, the name Golgotha refers to the location of the skull of Adam. A common version states that Shem and Melchizedek travelled to the resting place of Noah’s Ark, retrieved Adam’s skull from it, and took it to Golgotha — described as a place shaped like the dome of the head, resembling a kippah, at the centre of the Earth, where the serpent's head had been crushed following the Fall of man. This tradition appears in numerous older sources, including The Kitab al-Magall, The Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan, The Cave of Treasures and The Writings of Patriarch Eutychius of Alexandria. 

The skull houses the brain, which is the vessel for thought, the source of all transgression. We thus imitate Messiah by crucifying evil thoughts, which alone brings true joy. Yahshua’s offering of himself at the Place of the Skull teaches us this very truth. 

Anyone who wears a kippah or a yarmulke, whether they like it or not, testifies to the victory of King Messiah Yahshua at Golgotha, the top of the head, the dome, the skull.

Rav Sha’ul, a Benoni, an intermediate one, also speaks extensively on joy. 

“For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the gallows of Moshiach. Their destiny is destruction, their Elohim is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, HaMelek Yahshua HaMoshiach , who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in Adonai, dear friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in Adon. Yes, and I ask you, loyal true one, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the good message, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in Adon always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. Adonai is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Elohim. And the peace of Elohim, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Yahshua HaMoshiach. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the Elohim of peace will be with you. “I rejoice greatly in our Adonai that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the good message, when I set out from Macedonia, not one assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to Elohim. And my Elohim will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Yahshua HaMoshiach. To our Elohim and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amein.” (Philippians 3:18-4:20)

Interesting how we read this glowing account of Sha’ul’s exchange of love between him and his fellow Philippians, and see that is hardly the words of a man that entered a ministry by being knocked violently to the ground, blinded and then battling for 14 years to regain credibility, and when it does, he finds himself being stoned, wiped, starved, naked, beaten and imprisoned. 

In the service of Yahweh, one must pay very close attention to remaining happy and joyful with his lot. Any dislodgment of assuredness is fatal if not immediately dealt with.

One who is happy has a face that will shine, his countenance will be radiant, his body will be healthy, and old age will not leap upon him, as it is written in Proverbs 17:22; “A happy heart is as healing as medicine.”

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