Let’s face it: we all have issues—some of us more than others—and the sooner we admit it, the better! Of course, I am poking fun at the title of our new publication, Messianic Jewish Issues, which was deliberately named for its double meaning. Indeed, we all trip and stumble in our walk with Yeshua, primarily because of our own issues. But we also have legitimate questions about living the Messianic Life, and we need clarity and direction if we are to be effective people of God. Messianic Jewish Issues exists, then, for this very purpose: to begin to deal with the issues that affect us as disciples of Messiah in and around the enigma that is the Messianic Jewish Movement… and to do it with the same Scriptural integrity and honest exhortation that Perfect Word has always endeavored to employ.

As I have been reflecting on my own “issues” over the past year, my heart has become more burdened than ever for my Gentile brothers and sisters in Messiah. Until now, Perfect Word’s teachings have been aimed almost exclusively at Jewish believers, with the expectation that Gentile audiences would also benefit from what is being offered. While I have no plans to alter this approach, I have come to realize that the health and stability of the Gentile believer is the key to a cohesive and successful Messianic Jewish movement (which will ultimately affect the entire Body of Messiah, Israel, and the world). To this end, I believe the time has come for Perfect Word to add a “Gentile initiative” of sorts to our palette, and begin to nurture a new branch of ministry designed to explicitly build up Gentile believers in Yeshua—both those who are looking into the Movement from without, as well as those already involved in it to varying degrees.

Messianic Jewish Issues will therefore serve as one forum where, in addition to covering subjects pertinent to Messianic Jews, I can also address issues that are directly relevant to Gentile believers. At minimum, these topics will be found in the section entitled The Gentile Chronicles, though I may also discuss Gentile-relevant topics more extensively at times.

I hope you are excited about the possibilities that this new avenue presents, and that you will take me up on my offer to open a dialogue—whether from a Jewish or Gentile perspective—on the “Messianic Jewish issues” that are concerning you. Of course, not every exchange you and I have will appear in Messianic Jewish Issues, but as I am able to discuss these matters with you, you can be sure that I will do my best to give a sincere answer based on the Word.

As with everything Perfect Word does, the ultimate goal of Messianic Jewish Issues is the collective health, balance, maturity and effectiveness of the Body of Messiah. These things usually come at a price, and it often means sacrificing our individual comforts, emotional baggage, insecurities, and—especially—our pet theologies. I hope that you share this desire to see a fully functional and productive Body of Messiah, and that you will join me on this journey, even though it likely means putting ourselves at risk. Indeed, what do we have to live for if not the complete loss of self—all for the sake of the Master? Now, who can take issue with that?

A: Thank you for your question. I hear your heart!

Based on my experience, it sounds like your friend has discovered a very distant Jewish relative. However, determining Jewish lineage (according to Scripture) requires more than finding remote Jewish ancestry. Don’t misunderstand—I very much want to see Jews whose lineage and heritage have been lost begin to fully embrace their true identities, but for your friend to now call himself a Jew seems inaccurate—like if Yeshua had called Himself a Gentile because Ruth and Rahab were His ancestors. So, unless your friend has found out that one of his grandparents was Jewish (or he has equivalent lineage—see “Who Is a Jew”), then I would question the idea that he is no longer Gentile (of course, by using the term “Gentile,” I don’t mean “pagan,” but simply a person not of Jewish descent) and has “become” a Messianic Jew.

As disciples of Messiah, we are called to be separate from the world, not to renounce our heritage whyand bloodlines—and that goes for Gentiles as well as Jews. A Jew is no better than a Gentile, anymore than a man is better than a woman. The Scriptures make very clear divisions between men and women—husbands and wives, fathers and mothers—and yet, we are to be one (Mk. 10:6-8, Gal. 3:28). I believe the same is trueof Jew and Gentile: different, yet united (1Co. 7:19-20,Ep. 2:16-17). There is no shame, but only honor in that!

So, unless one or more of your grandparents is Jewish (or your lineage includes the statistical equivalent), I would ask you to seriously consider why you feel led to search out even a hint of Jewish blood somewhere in your family tree. To find such lineage would not change your standing with God, nor validate the pull you are feeling. That pull is either from Adonai, or your flesh—not a far-off forebearer.

You say that if you are “Jewish, and not Gentile, then [you] would be honored and rejoice with great joy!” I would exhort you to be “honored and rejoice with great joy” that you are Gentile! Yes, there’s honor in being Jewish, selected from the people of the earth to be a blessing back to the nations. But there is also honor in being Gentile, because it was for the Gentiles that Adonai called out Israel! (Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 42:6) If Adonai did not love the nations so much, He would not have set Israel apart—nor sent His Son, Yeshua. He didn’t call out Israel because we are “so special”—He called Israel out to serve the nations because of His great love for them… for you! Isn’t there joy and honor in that?

What should you do now? My advice would be toconcern yourself more with the salvation of the Jewish people than the determination of your own Jewishness. Perhaps that pull you are feeling is Adonai calling you as a modern-day sojourner (like Caleb,Rahab and Ruth)—calling you to give your life to the restoration of the Jewish people. If you are, in fact,called to sojourn with us in this way, then you are welcome to assimilate fully into our peoplehood and communities, as the Torah permits. But if your heart is wrong, and your interest is self-serving, you will be nothing but a poseur—indeed, the Scriptures call those “saying themselves to be Jews and are not” a “synagogue of HaSatan”! (Revelation 2:9, cf. 3:9)

I would encourage you in this: to weigh your love for the Jewish people—not a love for being (or appearing) Jewish. Living for Messiah is not about Jewishness—it’s about doing what is necessary to hasten Yeshua’s return (2Pe.3:12)… and Israel’s restoration is at the heart of that. Consider yourself invited to take part in this glorious restoration… just remember that you don’t need to be Jewish to join the team!

This “Gentile Chronicles” article was originally published in Messianic Jewish Issues. The Gentile Chronicles is a recurring feature in Messianic Jewish Issues, and is part of Perfect Word’s developing “Gentile Initiative” designed to explicitly build up Gentile believers in Yeshua.

Why is this important? For Jews whose heritage has been obscured from them, it aids in the restoration of their birthright as sons or daughters of Israel. For Gentile believers in Yeshua who may otherwise be tempted to covet Jewishness (see “Am I Really a Gentile?”), it helps to affirm their birthright as the recipients of the blessings of Israel (Genesis 12:1-3), and keeps them strong in their identity as fellow-citizens with Jewish believers in the Household of God (Ephesians 2:19).

This “Fast Foundations” article was originally published in Messianic Jewish Issues.

Yet, I mention this not to call attention to myself or the character of the devotionals, but to point out the fact that we as believers in Yeshua primarily seek information and inspiration for one purpose: self-edification. While I am personally pleased that my writings have been edifying for so many, the purpose of the devotionals (as well as everything produced through Perfect Word) has never been for self-edification, but always for discipleship—the means by which we first become edified, then multiply that edification by passing it on to others. This, however, is not the way most of us approach a “devotional” or any other kind of spiritual experience—rather, it is generally with the intent to focus ourselves on the Master and increase our devotion to Him.

Such goals are in no way wrong. On the contrary, in a world that is constantly trying to steal our focus away from God, we need to use every means possible to keep our hearts and minds dedicated and devoted to Him. Where we do go wrong, however, is that we tend to stop there, feeding only ourselves, and forgetting the most important reason to increase our own devotion: everyone else. Indeed, the walk we walk in Messiah is ultimately not for our own benefit; rather, “Let no one seek [good for] himself, but each [one for] another’s.” (1Co. 10:24)

It is because of this Scriptural imperative that, when I write a devotional, I think of it not merely as a devotional, but rather as a “disciplnal.” (Completely awkward, yes, I know. It will never catch on—but, hey, it works for me.) By seeing through this lens, it helps me to stay focused on why I am not writing the devotionals, in the hopes that they will yield the desired result when someone else is reading them. In other words, it is not my goal to offer a few inspiring but fleeting moments of spiritual stimulation or encouragement, but to provide a tool by which others will be discipled and therefore equipped to turn around and make more Yeshua-disciples of their own.

That said, I am not naïve enough to think that the few minutes it takes to read one of my devotionals is sufficient to make a disciple. What I do believe, however, is that the content of the devotionals (which, of course, is based on and includes Scripture), coupled with their consistent, daily reading and devotional reflection, is likely to have a measurable, lasting effect. By the time you reach the end of one of the devotional books, a change in thinking and behavior will have been imparted to you. Suddenly, you have become a link in an unbreakable chain, participating in an ancient tradition engraved on the template of Scripture: when “in person” is not possible, the life of Messiah may be passed on from writer to recipient. And indeed, it is discipleship.

So even though I may not be able to physically sit across the lunch table from you, pouring my daily walk and passion for the Scriptures into your life, my hope is that through the devotionals, the “inspiration” you receive will motivate you to not hoard the life of Messiah for yourself, but to zealously give it away to someone else. Maybe it’s someone from your congregation, your neighborhood, or workplace—perhaps even someone in your own home. Whoever it is, if you have received in discipleship, then in discipleship you are equipped to give.

I want to encourage you to begin thinking beyond the boundaries of yourself, and invite someone else to share in your secret place. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover just how much you have to give… and how much you will be edified by giving yourself away.

Nevertheless, it’s true—the New Year is here… the New Year for Israel, that is (Exodus 12:2, “This month is to you the chief of months—it is the first to you of the months of the year.”). And yet, even world-wide Jewry doesn’t have New Year’s on its collective radar right now. No, for us, New Year’s doesn’t come around for another six long months (“Rosh HaShanah”)—or so we’ve been led to believe.

“Who cares? What’s the big deal?” you retort. “Scripture doesn’t even say that the first New Moon is to be honored any differently than the others (except the seventh)!” Indeed, why does it matter that most of “civilized” planet earth calls a random moment in time—January 1^st—“New Year’s Day”? And why get all worked up just because Judaism celebrates its New Year in the Fall, instead of observing it in the Spring, according to the Scriptures?

My purpose in mentioning all this is not as corrective as you might think. It is not my intent to convert the world to Israel’s unique calendar, nor to hype up a day that deserves no more attention in our lives than Scripture explicitly calls for.

On the contrary, the reason for the hoopla is simple: to use this timely opportunity to illustrate how almost completely oblivious we are to the ways of Adonai and the Scriptures to which we so casually pledge our allegiance! We will sooner order our lives according to a blank grid hung on a wall than align ourselves with the plain and pure teaching of the Word of God.

You see, to me, “New Year’s in March (or April)” is much more than just the neglected, Scriptural reboot of Israel’s annual calendar. No—to me, it is a symbolic declaration to the world: “You are out of sync with the tempo of God… out of step with the footfalls of Messiah.”

I want you to stop and recognize the first day of the first month, not because it’s the “real” New Year’s Day, or in order to claim some imagined superiority over those who haven’t yet found “the truth.” Not at all. Israel’s New Year Day is important because it is a symbol of Messiah—the former being the cornerstone of Israel’s calendar; the latter, the Cornerstone of our lives.

The Emissary exhorts in 1Keifa (Peter) 2:2-6

… as newborn babies, desire the word’s pure milk, that in it you will grow, if indeed you [have] tasted that the Master is good. To [those] who [are] coming, [He is] a living stone… and you yourselves, as living stones, are built up [as] a spiritual house…. Therefore, also, it is contained in the Scripture: “Look! I lay in Tziyon a chief corner-stone—chosen, precious—and he who is believing on Him will not be put to shame.”

When we attempt to live the life in Messiah by hearsay—entrusting our walk to the patterns of men, rather than our first-hand experience with the Word of God—our initial steps are already off course… our foundation is already out of alignment. The New Year, like the Messiah, represents the starting point—the site of orientation upon which our trajectory is to be based. And, like the Messiah, it is also the goal… the sign that we have successfully completed another revolution, and are on track to keep moving forward in Him.

So, Happy New Year to you, disciple of Messiah! Renew your mind and be free! The heart of God is beating steadily for you today… will you forsake your tempo, and step with His time instead?

Our enews letter read in bold letters: “Only 2 weeks to Passover!”

Our subscriber replied,

No, Passover is just over six weeks away.  You need to discard that faulty Hebrew Calendar, get the new moon sighting from Jerusalem for the first new moon AFTER the spring solstice, then count the fourteen days.

Here was my reply:

Thank you for writing. I am well aware that the current Jewish calendar is determined by calculation and not by observation, and is therefore rarely accurate. I’m sure you know that the Spring Solstice is only one indicator of the arrival of the New Year (and not a Scripturally prescribed one at that, nor is it inerrant), along with the observation of the ripened barley in the Land (which is also not Scripturally prescribed, but is a reasonable factor, taking Scriptural indications into account, [i.e. the context of Exodus 9:31]).

Nevertheless, it is our position at Perfect Word that until a reliable Messianic Jewish testimony from the Land can be established—for the determination of Chodesh [New Moon] as well as Aviv [the state of the barley, hence the description of the first month of the year, see Ex. 13:4, for example]—we will join with the rest of our people in Dispersion and follow the faulty Jewish Calendar for determining months. We do this knowingly yet with a heavy heart, because it is evidence of our dispersed state as a people.

The fact of the matter is, I can celebrate Passover here in Phoenix two weeks from now, and you can celebrate it where you are in six weeks, yet neither one of us will have kept the feast.  As long as Israel nationally remains in Dispersion and fails to keep the feasts in the Land, [our observances] are nothing but memorials of memorials—and so we “keep” them as individual families and communities the best we can.

I would encourage you to pray for the Messianic Jewish community in the Land, that they may see the restoration of Israel’s calendar as an important aspect of our national return to Adonai.

Some additional thoughts: The issue of determining the calendar is not simply an issue of following the explicit instruction of Scripture. Indeed, Scripture in no way, shape or form clearly teaches us how to determine when the moon is new, or when the month is Aviv. We can extrapolate these practices from both Scriptural as well as historical data, but the issue ultimately comes down to one of authority.

Who has the authority to reestablish Israel’s calendar? The competing voices at present are as follows:

• The Israeli New Moon Society (Orthodox)
• Karaite Jews
• the established Jewish calendar

and the fact of the matter is, that these three voices carry the same level of authority: none, in my opinion. The INMS, in fact, states as much, citing the reestablishment of a Sanhedrin as the necessary precursor to altering the present calendar. The Karaites, on the other hand, feel they have the God-ordained authority to change the calendar, thus inciting many misled Messianics to assume the same. My assertion is that the Messiah Yeshua Himself has given the Messianic community alone authority over all Israel in matters such as these (Matthew 18:20), but as of yet, no acceptable voice from the Land (since this is an issue specifically concerning the Land) has made itself heard on these issues. On matters of such importance, I do not believe we should trust just any voice, but one that is proven and tested, and has the respect and acknowledgment of other upright members of the community.

It is because the present, competing voices carry the same weight of authority, that I feel the best option is to defer to the established Jewish calendar, rather than follow a rogue, non-Messianic voice (Here’s a question: would we follow a new non-Messianic Sanhedrin? Or a non-Messianic priesthood?). “Being right” on this issue is not sufficient grounds for further parting ways with our people—such an attitude demonstrates a blatant disregard for the communal character of Adonai’s covenantal relationship with His people. If we are going to make divisive decisions that challenge the status quo, they need to be made with the right attitude, on firm Scriptural ground, with unshakable, Messianic authority. Adonai is no more pleased with us for following the Karaites than the current calendar, because as long as we are a dispersed people—independent-minded and self-serving—not following the King Messiah, we simply cannot “keep the feast[s]“.

I look forward to the day that a trustworthy, established Messianic voice proclaims the days, months and years boldly from the Land. Sadly, today is not that day.

What do you think? Leave your comments below.

The story of Esther and the Jews living in Persia takes place around 500 BC, near the end of Israel’s expulsion to Babylon. The historical account concludes with Esther and Mordechai’s triumph over Haman and the spirit of anti-Semitism, securing the Jewish peoples’ momentary safety in a foreign land. In short,

…Haman… the ’Agagiy, adversary of all the Jews, had devised [a plot] concerning the Jews to destroy them, and had caused pur to fall—that is, the lot—to crush them and to destroy them. But in [Esther’s uncovering of Haman’s plot and] coming in before the king, [the king responded] with the [written proclamation] letter, “Let [Haman’s] evil device that he devised against the Jews turn back upon his own head!” And they hanged him and his sons on the tree. (Esther 9:24-25)

The ensuing “days of banquet and of joy, and of sending portions [of food] one to another, and gifts to the needy” were celebrated “as days on which the Jews have rested from their enemies, and the month that has been turned to them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a good day.” (vs. 22) These days inaugurated an annual memorial—“Puriym—by the name of the lot”—established by Mordechai’s letter to the Jews of Persia.

Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, and what they have seen concerning this, and what has come to them, the Jews have established and received upon themselves and upon their seed and upon all those joined to them—and it may not pass away—to be keeping these two days according to their writing, and according to their season, in every year and year. And these days are [to be] remembered and kept in every generation and generation, family and family, province and province, and city and city. And these days of Puriym may not pass away from the midst of the Jews, and their memorial may not [be] ended from their seed. (Esther 9:26-28)

So by royal decree, the Jews of Persia escaped an onslaught against them, and instituted Puriym as an annual reminder to all Israel of this “good day.” Puriym is to be celebrated “the fourteenth day of the month of Adar [the twelfth month], and the fifteenth day of it, in every year and year…” (Esther 9:21)

The Silence of God

One of the historical criticisms levied against the book of Esther is that neither the name of Adonai, nor any reference to the God of Israel, is found in its text. The defense of the book’s inclusion in the canon of Scripture, however, comes from the allegedly underlying theme of divine providence, which may be encapsulated in the famous line uttered by Mordechai to the reluctant Queen Esther, “and who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for a time such as this?” (Esther 4:14)  It is therefore traditionally understood that God’s silent role in the story of Esther is what brought about the protection and salvation of the Jewish people of Persia.

But with the voice of God sounding so loudly throughout the bulk of Scripture, His “silence” in the book of Esther rings ever so conspicuously where the authoritative establishment of Puriym is concerned. Indeed, it is absolutely clear from the text that Adonai in no way authorized and implemented Puriym as a feast to be kept by Israel. Rather, it is a self-appointed time of celebration—much like that of Chanukah, another self-proclaimed feast which commemorates Israel facing and defeating a similar foe. In the end, there can be no argument that Mordechai and the Jews in Persia unilaterally imposed the annual celebration and memorial of Puriym upon their descendants forever—an appointment which was never explicitly sanctioned by Adonai. How, then, are we to handle this precarious—and somewhat presumptuous—command, which has been preserved for us in the context of Scripture?

Puriym Like Chanukah: Memorial of Historic Significance

The story of Esther is not the first account in which the Jewish people faced atrocities at the hands of the Gentiles. Even before she became a nation, Israel’s future was severely threatened while she remained enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt. Though Adonai clearly deems the Exodus story as a monumental and super-significant event, we can also see the incitive spirit of anti-Semitism weaved like a thread throughout the tapestry of Israel’s volatile history. When she was not destroying herself by following other gods and losing her own way, she was being squeezed by the nations—forced to worship and follow other gods and other ways, or face the sting of persecution and death.

Puriym is therefore akin not to the appointed times of Adonai, but to the historical events that have shaped Israel’s identity as a persecuted people. As a pre-Messianic-era event, Puriym is most like Chanukah—indeed, their historic similarities are compelling. But as just one more event in a long line of persecution-related narratives, Puriym joins a host of Jewish “histori-days,” such as the modern Yom Yerushalayim, which celebrates the retaking of the old city of Jerusalem during the six day war of 1967, ending the reign of Gentile rule over Jerusalem for the first time in two millennia. Puriym is, of course, unique, since it alone appears in the Hebrew canon of Scripture, but its themes reverberate through the annals of time.

Clearly, there is a call from Israel’s fathers to which the sons of Israel are obliged to hearken—a voice of instruction exhorting us to remember and “never forget” what has been done for us—and to us—as the chosen people. And yet, a most curious dynamic develops from this preoccupation with Jewish victory over Gentile enemies, and suffering at the hands of foreigners—and it is vividly portrayed in the way Puriym is presently celebrated in the Jewish community… a way that is in marked contrast to the divinely ordained appointed times of Adonai.

Setting Priorities

Israel’s annual calendar is most clearly outlined in Leviticus 23, which places Passover at the beginning of the year in early Spring, and Sukot (followed by Yom HaSh’miymiy ’Atzeret) at the end of the year in the Fall. For the remainder of the annual cycle—from around mid-October through March—no once-a-year appointments exist on Israel’s officially sanctioned calendar. Like the Land, it enters a time of winter dormancy until it emerges again with new life in the Spring.

It is in this wintry void that Chanukah and Puriym find their oddly upbeat voices—the former joyfully shouting “Draydl!” while the latter happily heckles Haman. At the very least, we should ask ourselves why—in a season without days designated by the Father—we are so quick to faithfully honor our ancestors’ incidental institutions. This is not so much a question of whether or not such remembrances should be observed, but to what degree we celebrate, innovate and emphasize; especially considering that our modern observances of Chanukah and Puriym are usually more soiree than substance—and almost always pursued and commemorated with greater zeal and grander spectacle than the days instituted by Adonai Himself. Surely, the remembrance of Jewish victories should be met with joy and celebration… but that doesn’t mean Puriym has to become the Jewish answer to Halloween any more than Chanukah should continue to reign as Christmas for Jews.

The Pur You Will Always Have With You

Over the course of any given year, there are many opportunities to remember significant events in our lives and the lives of our ancestors—and none of them require an edict from God. It is perfectly fine and normal to remember anniversaries of dates that mean something to us personally, and for our parents to ask (or even demand) us to remember dates that were important to them and their parents. But like everything in life, we are required to temper our perceived needs and wants with the instructions given to us by Adonai… and if our remembrances begin to rival those appointed to us by the Father, we put our present and our future in grave jeopardy. We are what we remember—this is why Israel was given appointed times in the first place: so that we will remember Adonai, and we will be only who He wants us to be.

So this year when you celebrate Puriym, and you’re decked out in your Puriym costume, wildly swinging your gragger, and stuffing your face with Hamentashen, check yourself: do I put this much effort—and more—into all the days that Adonai has designated for remembrance? Remember your heritage and the history of our people with joy, but don’t forget the One who set you apart and made you for a purpose… a purpose far greater than parties, performances and pastries…

The very thought of “Israel” can transport us to a foreign and mystical land. We are enamored with its beauty and power; captivated by its historical and spiritual meaning; fixated upon our minds’ fantastic images of an exotic and distant world. We send it money and humanitarian aid, we lobby for its support by our policymakers, and we pray for its peace, petition for its prosperity, and intercede for its salvation. And yet…

… there is no such place as a land called “Israel.” It is a figment of our imagination.

Yes, there is a God-given, Jewish homeland, and it lies in the Middle East.

Yes, there is a modern State of Israel that many mistakenly fancy as “Palestine.”

Yes, half of all the world’s fourteen million Jews live on a very real parcel of land only twice the size of the state of Rhode Island…

… yet Scripture never calls this place “Israel”—and the mere thought of such a place is obstructing our view. Indeed, “Israel” is not a place at all, but a people—and you can find us almost anywhere… including the Land that belongs to Israel, promised to us by Adonai our God.

“Israel” is not a place, but the name given to our father, Jacob, whose all-night wrestling match with God pictures the Jewish peoples’ struggle to follow only Him. (Genesis 35:10)

“Israel” is not a place, but the birthright of the sons of Jacob, whom Adonai set apart as His chosen people, though we are scattered throughout the nations of the earth. (Exodus 19:5-6)

“Israel” is not a place, but the spiritual heritage of every single Jewish person—the one who works in the cubicle across the aisle; the one who lives in the house down the street.

“Israel” is not a place, but every Messianic Jew—each Jewish believer in Yeshua who lives a Jewish lifestyle according to Scripture, and a sold-out life for the Good News of Messiah, our Master.

“Israel” is not a where, but a who, and we are in great need of your prayers, friendship and aid. The Jewish people living in what is presently considered the Land of Israel do indeed need your help, and desperately need to be turned toward the Messiah, Yeshua. But don’t just gaze longingly toward a land past the horizon in order to find an “Israel” to know, care for, and love. On the contrary, we are in your towns and cities, your workplaces and communities, the circles in which you move, and the ones you temporarily brush up against. We may know Yeshua, or we may not; but either way, we need to know you. Please—pray for the peace of Jerusalem; but don’t forget your own neighborhood, or the Messianic Jewish ministry from which you receive spiritual nourishment.

Look!  Here I am!  See me, children of God… I am Israel!

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems as if we members of the Body are as concerned with worldly things as those who are of the world. We’re rocked by an unexpected turn of events; we worry about our health, wealth and happiness. Some of us feed that anxiety by obsessively following the daily news; some of us put our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is going along just fine. But what most of us often forget—or only acknowledge intellectually without action based in faith—is that what is happening around us really doesn’t matter… what matters is whether or not we are living for Yeshua. Whether we are being forcefully evicted from our homes, or rushing our deathly ill child to the hospital, or buying a morsel of food with the very last dollar in our pocket, we have a choice. Do we become caught up in the moment and react out of fear, or do we face reality with a conviction of spirit and a heart fortified toward God?

The Master Yeshua showed us the way to face the trials of life: the more that we are hated, the more we need to love; the more that is stolen from us, the more we need to give. We shouldn’t be afraid and hide until the storm is over, because it may never pass. We can’t hold on for dear life to what we already have, because it too may be taken away. Difficult times will come, they will endure and sometimes even get worse, but worrying will accomplish nothing. Being like Messiah is not about making the best of a bad situation, but about enduring suffering and pain with faith, hope and trust.

As you read the following, I want to encourage you to open your heart and allow yourself to be challenged. Step outside yourself for a while and try to see your situation as God sees it. I’m not trying to minimize your problems—they’re real, and they’re causing you distress. What I am encouraging you to do is make Adonai larger in your eyes, and your anxiety will fade in comparison. Put your trust in the Only One who can save you, and, surely, you will be saved. It may not always be in the way that we expect, but we must have faith in the One who knows best what we need.

Many of us are anxious about the future… when times are hard, where do we turn for our comfort and salvation?

There’s always something to worry about. Sometimes the source of our anxiety is of global proportions—like an imminent terrorist attack on U.S. soil, or a new world-wide virus that scientists have never seen before. Other times, it is closer to home—like the looming failure of a troubled marriage, or the sudden diagnosis of a serious disease. With just a little imagination, we can conjure up all kinds of scenarios in which life as we know it is hurtling toward its end. But what if our reality is actually not far from the misfortune we fear? How should we react? Our natural inclination is to hide ourselves away and hoard whatever we have, trusting our fear response to protect us from the storm.

But is this how the Master would have us weather difficult times?

For a while now, one particularly ominous threat hanging over our collective heads has been the state of our economy. Everyone has been affected in some way by this downturn—or at least knows someone who has. We all have the foreclosed homes in our neighborhoods, we’ve all been surprised to notice that another local business has closed, and we’ve all wondered if our elected officials truly have our best interests at heart. But while we’re assigning blame and lamenting about all of our problems, we often fail to even consider pointing a finger of fault toward ourselves. Of course, some of us find ourselves in situations completely beyond our control; but how much is our own anxiety adding to our troubled circumstances? How much have we brought on ourselves by misplacing our hope and trust?

The words of the Master Yeshua ought to shake us from our cocoons. Perhaps you have heard them before.

“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it came to pass in the sowing, some [seed]… fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit…. These are they who hear the word, but the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires concerning other things, entered in, choked the word, and it became unfruitful.”  Mark 4:3-4,7,18-19 YLT

“Yes, yes,” we say, “I’m not supposed to be afraid. I get it—I shouldn’t let the anxieties of life choke out the word that has been implanted in me.” But it’s much, much more than that.

The thorns of life that suffocate us and keep us from yielding fruit for God are not just “the anxieties of this age.” Especially in our luxurious land flowing with indoor plumbing, refrigeration, and conditioned air, consider how “the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires concerning other things” can enter in and choke out the word in us. Have we grown so accustomed to our modern lifestyles that “wants” are no longer discernable from “needs”? Indeed, it is “through anxieties, and wealth, and pleasures of life” (Luke 8:14) that we become barren, unable to produce good fruit.

We mistakenly perceive that we are in financial distress because our 401(k)s are drying up, or we are considering siphoning money from our children’s college funds. We believe we are plummeting toward poverty because we have to think twice about eating out, or getting a latte every day on our way to work. This is “the deceitfulness of wealth”: being so accustomed to an easy, comfortable lifestyle that we lose sight of what is truly essential. Surely, some of us are in dire straits, and we ought not to make light of the plight of those in desperate need. But most of us merely have a warped sense of what it means to endure “difficult times.” If we have health in our bodies, and food on our plates, what more do we truly need?

Indeed, the Master says,

 ”…he who is storing up [treasure] for himself… is not rich toward God.” And [Yeshua] said to his disciples, “Because of this, to you I say, be not anxious for your life—what you will eat; nor for the body—what you will wear; [because] life is more than nourishment and the body [more] than clothing. Consider the ravens, that they neither sow nor reap—[they have] neither barn nor storehouse—yet God nourishes them. How much better are we than the birds? And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one [hour]? If, then, you are not able [to do] such a little [thing], why are you anxious for the rest… you of little faith? And you—seek not what you will eat, or what you will drink, and be not in suspense, for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, yet your Father has known that you have need of these [things]. But seek the reign of God, and all these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, because your Father delighted to give you the reign. Sell your belongings and give money [to those in need]. Make for yourselves moneybags that [do] not become old—an unfailing treasure in the heavens where thief does not come near, nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.” –Luke 12:21-34 YLT 

Be rich toward God—not yourself. Life is more than nourishment. Your Father knows what you need. All these things will be added to you. Fear not.

If our treasure is stored up in the stock market—or a savings account, or the foresight and intellect of our government, or even our ability to provide for ourselves—that is where our heart will be. There we will look for our comfort and salvation, yet ultimately find none. A better storehouse in which to deposit our wealth is available, and its return on investment is inestimable.

Freedom from anxiety comes from the understanding that since we own nothing, we have nothing to lose. The only thing left to give up is ourselves—to others, and to the One who will always love and care for us.

Surely, it is the greatest price to pay… which only the poorest of us can afford.

… for I have learned in [whatever situation] in which I am—to be content. …in everything and in all things I have been initiated, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need. For all things I have strength, in Messiah’s strengthening me…  –Philippians 4:11-13 YLT

When Adonai gave Israel the Torah and established her as a nation, He also set apart the priesthood—a select group of people within Israel, chosen solely by bloodline, who would serve the entire community by facilitating the relationship between God and the rest of the nation.  The priests were forbidden from taking part in certain things that were permitted for the rest of Israel (i.e., Le.21:1-6, De.18:1-2), and the people of Israel were forbidden from performing and participating in the service and lifestyle of the priests (i.e., Ex.30:31-33, Nu.1:47-53, 3:10, 18:1-7, Le. 22:9-10).  There was a clear line that Adonai Himself drew between the priests and the people of Israel so that each could maintain their distinct yet mutually beneficial roles within a single, unified community.

In Exodus 19:5-6, Adonai issues a most unusual decree.  He says to all the people of Israel, “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  So if the role of the priests within Israel is to act as mediators between Adonai and the people of Israel—set apart from within the nation to perform a sacred duty on behalf of all—what, then, does it mean that the nation of Israel (the Jewish people) as a whole is to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation… among all the peoples… [of] the earth”?  Adonai says, “I have called you in righteousness… and I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations… O Jacob (Israel), my servant….” (Isaiah 42:6, 44:2, cf. 41:8, 42:1)  Is it possible that Adonai’s ancient plan to distinguish the Jewish people from all the nations of the earth is still in effect?  In the same way that the priests were distinguished from all the people of Israel, might the Jewish people still be set apart to perform the sacred duty of uniquely facilitating the restoration of all peoples to their Creator?  Could this be what the Master Yeshua meant when he said that “salvation is from the Jews”? (Jn.4:22)

As individuals, all believers in the Messiah Yeshua are “one in [Him]… Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise”—and in this respect, “there is neither Jew nor [Gentile].” (Ga.3:28-29)  And yet, a unique distinction remains for the Jewish people “to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Torah and the temple service and the promises….” (Ro.9:3-4).  Let us wholeheartedly embrace the irrevocable, uncommon calling that God has sovereignly made to an imperfect, singular people for the greater, common good.  Like priests to a people, the Jewish people have a responsibility to serve the needs of the many nations of the earth… to facilitate the reconciliation of all people to God.  May “all Israel… be saved” (Ro.11:26) so that she will become the Messianic nation she was always meant to be, finally able to fulfill her role as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to all mankind.  “For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Ro.11:15)