ALPHA INTRO NIGHT

BEING WISE

Proverbs 18:2

A  fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18: 15

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge and ear of the wise seeks knowledge

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.

Many times we read the above passages and do not put much thought into them. We say yes we know these but do we really know? We will only be deemed to really know if we put them into practice and put it into practice without realizing it. We do it out of habit.

People can label us great conversationalist just by us listening and not saying a peep. A fool however does not listen but blabs away his opinion or he listens only to find opportunity to express his opinion on what he hears or he listens with coloured prejudged opinions. He does not listen to see if there is anything to learn. A wise man truly listens, searches for insights whether speaking to the most intelligent man in the world (by human standards) or the least educated fellow (Does this not require humility in a man?) He makes no pre-judgements. He makes no conclusions until he listens.  In Hebrew “heart” encompasses the mind, the emotions and the will. So the heart in Proverbs 18:15 , mind, emotions and will is always acquiring knowledge. How?  By listening to what others have to say and by listening and applying the word of God (Does this not require humility and loving God with all our heart? Does this not require a reverence for God? The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom) . Knowledge and wisdom are not merely or necessarily, education in schools, colleges and universities but a person’s ability to make right choices, to manage life. Right choices cannot be by human standards for that is ever changing according to what people deem it right at some given time. Right choices are choices that God would be pleased with. His laws are ever constant. His words are ever constant. Making such right choices will enable one to profit from life’s opportunities and avoid the pitfalls.

The wise one (chakham) takes joy in learning and gaining wisdom. The wise one dares to make mistakes, picks himself up after making mistakes and continues. So today, we humble ourselves and begin to shop for knowledge in conversations, in books, in mistakes of others, in lives of others, anywhere, everywhere, anything and we make it a habit to do so.

Torah

A portion from the Torah.  To be taken seriously for this are God’s words.

1.              Focus on Deuteronomy 27:24

“Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbour secretly”

We are forbidden to speak secretly against someone behind his back. If we have a problem, go speak to that person and speak with that person gently.

2.            Focus on Deuteronomy  27: 16

“Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt”

The Lord takes honouring our parents very seriously. This command is constantly repeated.

General

A righteous man is a man that has learned to bridle his tongue. If one can learn to control the tongue, controlling the other parts of man is easy. The tongue is difficult to control as we are governed by our emotions. Our speech reflects of what is inside of us. What we say to each other and what we say to our parents reflect that which is deep in us. Even if we say, we were just joking or we didn’t mean it, that which was uttered reveals the root of our emotions. Gossiping is also indicative of our heart. Deal with the problem.

Look up James 3:2-7

Matthew 15: 18-19

Remember our parents are God given. They are to guide us while we are here on earth.

No Compromise

The message is the Sermon on the Mount:  If there is to be Joy in life ,  if there is love for all there must be no compromise with evil (a compromise harms us and others), no concession to loveless indifference (loveless indifference=not being bothered about the plight of others, being apathetic to the habits of our colleague which harm them – because it is of no consequence to us,  even being apathetic to the injustice in our country, may be examples or even accepting that bribery is a way to get this done here is a loveless indifference) or murderous injustice. Love will touch all things, it will change all relationships.

Many oppose non violence to deal with issues.  Yeshua lived under the oppressive Romans and was non violent. If one were to say to Yeshua is not the Way but recognize Yeshua as a prophet, why not then follow his non violent ways? Some compromise with evil.  They argue that one can never rid of sin and in any event they live under grace not law . They call any uncompromising stand legalism, fanaticism. But if the uncompromising stand stems from love, it is not legalism.

Only the poor in spirit, the broken who realize that they have been forgiven much by God because of the love of God, is able to forgive much and love much. And so the disciple of Yeshua, constantly abiding in Yeshua, faces the oppressive Roman soldier  in all forgiveness, , he turns the other cheek, he goes the extra mile( “if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles...”), he loves his enemy knowing that He makes his sun rise on the evil and the good (Who knows, he may be able to tell the enemy of his joy?) . He fights the spiritual fight within himself to succumb to his flesh which tells him to do otherwise. It is not softness. This is a hard battle and he fights to death (his death of the flesh).  He wins and though there is external hardship, he is freed from it internally. He is freed from anxiety over his enemy’s next move. He also teaches others to do the same and lives his life that reflects the winning battle for all to see (living testimonies).  It applies to striving against evil in all human and social conditions in our families, workplace, and country. He makes a stand to choose God not mammon(The world)- an uncompromising choice.  Disciples already live in His kingdom with His rules. He is all light. In Him there is no darkness. Should we not eliminate darkness then within and without? 

LIVING THE LAW

Living the Law

The law and the prophets (contained in the OT) reveal God’s Will. They reveal God. Yeshua came not to remove or change any part of the law and the prophets. God’s laws remain unchanging. People who reject these laws will be poorly prepared for God’s kingdom.

Because God is good and only God is good (It is a more profound statement than we think it is. All that which man deems as good in a person cannot measure up to God’s good), His laws are good. This means His justice as revealed in the law is good. His justice reveals love. Take any one of the laws, they reveal that we are to love each other. Loving each other displays love for God. Love for God keeps us from harming ourselves and others,  gives us guidelines  to live by and helps us grow.

What of those that keep the law or rather attempt to keep the law down to the letter as the Pharisees did? It is proposed that they must study their motives. Do we do it for rewards, for men’s praise? Out of pride? If yes, then they have kept no law.  These are external acts with no “heart” for God but for self. They have failed. If they do it in obedience, will they not always fail too? Does not history show that men fail time and time again? The Holy Spirit is required. He will push us to abide in Yeshua. When they abide in Yeshua He will abide in them. It is God in us that enables us live out His laws and as we go through the process of being transformed to become like Yeshua, there will be times where we fail. He that abides in us will correct us, will guide us and will remind us to repent, to receive the forgiveness that Yeshua’s death enables us to receive. The Pharisee who seeks to obey but fails, what terrible burden He must carry for the failures that he is aware of? How he must live in constant fear of condemnation?  How he cannot love naturally? He lives with religion, with a set of rules, do-s and  don’ts.  Yeshua lived the law and the prophets – internally and this was reflected in His outwards acts. He loved (His “enemies” ) because He truly loved (He didn’t have to like them!). A follower of Yeshua will seek, will yearn to follow Him. The “following”, will soon be habit and the living out of the law and the prophets will be second nature.