Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el and Mishpachah. Welcome to the last sabbath of the third month and to the continuing challenges that the massive changes taking place all around us, both in the visible and invisible, place on us. I will hopefully have more to say about that tomorrow.

So to begin this morning, I pray for Yahweh's inspiration so that I may be an encouragement to you, as Job was prior to his great losses (and presumably after his restoration too), of whom Eliphaz testified:

"...you have encouraged many a troubled soul to trust in Elohim (God); you have supported those who are weak. Your words have strengthened the fallen; you steadied those who wavered" (Job 4:3-4, NLT).

"You...[have] put strength into feeble souls; your words have kept men on their feet" (Ibid., Moff.)

A lot of people are wavering at this time, people who thought they were strong. Even in the space of the last few days I have seen people literally 'go under' and either lose their faith or literally become possessed. It is quite shocking, actually. The truth is, we are all under tremendous pressure spiritually, sometimes without even realising it, and we all need to encourage one another so that none within our circle of influence fall. Of course, we can't prevent the exercise of free agency when people make bad choices but we can certainly talk to them, reason with them, and pray for them.

Indeed a few mornings ago, I had this intense dream. There was this powerful 'wind' blowing on me, and it was coming from all directions. It was so strong that small creatures were flying through the air, deperately looking for something to cling onto until the storm passed. I remember especially these bees clinging onto the hairs of my body and I was afraid they would sting me. But the truth is the only thing on their mind was finding a safe place. The 'wind' is the spiritual pressure being exerted on believers and unbelievers alike, as the Enemy searches desperately for grounds to unsettle and destroy people because of the issues they have with Yahweh which they refuse to resolve through confession and repentance.

One of my jobs as a preacher is to challenge you, strengthen you and keep you on your spiritual feet. But this isn't just the work of preachers. As believers, we should all be doing this for each other, but the fathers of homes and congregations have an especial responsibility to encourage and edify. Ian Maclaren once said:

"The chief end of preaching is comfort. Never can I forget what a distinguished scholar, who used to sit in my church, once said to me: 'Your best work in the pulpit has been to put heart into men for the coming week.'"

It is for this reason I often like to quote to my listeners the lyrics of a song by Nelson Eddy, famous for his musicals in the 1930's and 40's when there were still lots of true men around, unlike today's post-modernist Justin Trudeau-type girly cut-outs:

You,who have dreams, if you act, they will come true.
To, turn your dreams, to a fact, is up to you.
If you have the soul and the spirit
Never fear, it will see you through.
Hearts may inspire
Other hearts with their fire
For the strong obey
When a strong man shows them the way.

Give me some men
Who are stout-hearted men
Who will fight for the right they adore.

Start me with ten
Who are stout-hearted men
And I'll soon give you
Ten thousand more.

Shoulder to shoulder
And bolder and bolder
They grow as they go to the fore
Then there's nothing in the world
Can halt or mar a plan
When, stout-hearted men,
Can stick together man to man.

Pastors, Elders, fathers and husbands need to be men again. What we absolutely do not need are the effeminate, degutted, emasculated apologies-of-masculinity that our degraded culture is churning out, you know, the ones who wear perfumed beards with their skirts and always speak softly like women. We need strong leaders more than ever, like Moses, Joshua and Caleb of old.

The stormy winds of life can be strong and violent, but Yahweh-directed ministry, with proper Ruach/Spirit-led male leadership, can help people to not only stand but to make progress in the pilgrim life when sorrow, stress and strife would tend to blow them off their feet. My message is this: you men are going to have to learn to toughen up and occupy the positions Yahweh has called you to with honour and in humility, and to do so quickly, because what's coming will wash away the weakest men leaving those they are supposed to be protecing exposed and defenceless against the elements of life.

When the navi (prophet) Isaiah began his second great period of ministry, he opened with these exhilarating words:

"Comfort, O comfort My people, says your Elohim (God)" (Is.40:1, NRSV).

Those of you who are lovers of classical music may be familiar with the King James Version of these words, "Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people" because Händel incorporated them into his epic 1742 Oratorio, Messiah, in order to echo this message of tiqveh (hope) and consolation to Yahweh's people.

Life is a bit like riding an old stage-coach, a four-wheeled public coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. These were widely used before steam-powered rail transport came into existence. You've doubtless seen them in old American Wild West movies and in British stories about highway robbers like Dick Turpin. Harold Wilson, one time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, used to say that if you rattle along at great speed in one of those stage-coaches, everyone inside is either too exhilarated or too ill because of motion sickness to cause any trouble. But the moment you stop, everybody gets out and argues about where to go next. He was, of course, talking about politicians, but we can apply the same observation to the spiritual life as well. It is, as the Psalmist said, only as we "run the way of [Yahweh's] mitzvot (commandments)" that He "enlarge[s] our understanding" (Ps.119:32, NRSV) which then enables us to make progress. Anything less than hearty and complete involvement in Yahweh's ways is therefore potentially dangerous.

Once a congregation loses its spiritual impetus there comes a danger of disagreements and schism, of false doctrine and carnal intrusions, because that's what happens when we get idle and careless. Rivers that stop moving grow stagnant like still ponds. Movement is chayim (life), inactivity is death. This is what happened in the early messianic community (church) and it is no different today. When the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) birthed and endowed that early society of believers, it started off in a burst of energy that quickly spread the testimony of Yah'shua (Jesus) through the known world, but later on we learn of the intrusion of false nevi'im (prophets) and false teaching.

We have to stay on our feet. The moment we opt for an exclusively armchair gospel we are done for. We cannot retire to the Internet and expect the business of the Besorah (Gospel) to be exclusively presented there, important a medium though that is right now. We may have to do without it one day, for a variety of reasons, and then what will happen? That is why Yahweh commands assemblies like today's - on the weekly sabbaths, monthly new moons and annual festivals - and to have face-to-face fellowship as much as possible. We need to make the effort, however acclimatised we have become to new electronic and cyberspace 'norms'.

The Internet is full of fantastic material but it is also saturated with false teachings. False nevi'im (prophets), false apostles and false teachers lurk in every cyber-corner. That is why it is so important to be immersed in the Davar (Word), to seek the Ruach (Spirit) in consistent prayer, to search out the wisdom of the Elders in our local assemblies, and to listen to the true nevi'im (prophets). There are so many false spirits trying to blow us off our feet. In this world, and at this time of near universal apostacy, they are relentless. They can put us to sleep, agitate us, intoxicate us with a false sense of security, and much else that is damaging besides. Above all, we need to be around flesh-and-blood people, who can hold us to account, who can be available when we need them, and whom we can serve in practical ways. People will appreciate the truth of this after the collapse when they realise how hard it is trying to survive alone.

Above all, it will be our familiarity with the spiritual world which is inhabited by Elohim (God), the malakim (angels) and the spirits of just men and women made perfect, that will keep us on our feet. We gain familiarity with this as yet invisible world by turning our "eyes from looking at vanities" and fixing them instead on the Torah-giver who then promises to give us chayim (life) in His ways (Ps.119:37, NRSV).

The Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) always - and without exception - honours the Father by making sure that His children adhere strictly to His precepts by which means we are promised steadiness on our feet if we follow the divine tavnith (pattern) and instruction of Scripture:

"See, I have longed for Your precepts; in Your righteousness give me chayim (life). Let your steadfast ahavah (love) come to me, O Yahweh, Your salvation according to Your promise. Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in Your Davar (Word)" (Ps.119:40-42, NRSV).

There is great poverty in discerning the true Ruach (Spirit) these days precisely because modern believers have such a low regard for Yahweh's Torah - His Law and Teaching. I have observed preachers over the years who, at first, were lax in one or two Torah precepts but who, because they did not correct this laxity, gradually became progressively more and more lawless. And there is, sadly, a growing hostility to the Tanakh (Old Testament) as though it were an adverary of the Messianic Scriptures (New Testament). I very much see the Old and New Testaments overall representing male and female principle, respectively, and we see in the culture itself a concerted attack on law and maleness. Little wonder, then, that the churches and messianic assemblies are being negatively impacted when they have not adequately separated themselves from the culture of the world around them.

Satan is attacking gender rôles as in no time previously in history. Worse, he is attacking gender itself because he wants to inflict upon humanity the curse of his own sterility pronounced upon him when he rebelled against the Heavenly Father in successfully tempting our first parents. They say that the Messianic Community (Church) must deal with specific issues and heresies in every age and perhaps the most serious one today is the matter of proper gender identification and rôles. There are only two genders, and if you are unsure as to which one you are, all you have to do is check the equipment between your legs. All else is fantasy and anything that contradicts this marker is a dysfunction. The claim that there are 63 genders is pure bunkum without any scientific or biblical objectivity.

There are, to be sure, some genetic abnormalities which can lead to confusion and we must be sensitive to the struggles these people have. There are so many poisons in our food, water and air now that disrupt natural biological functions, some of which have been deliberately added by malicious, evil people. There are a lot of confused people who are hurting because of the post-modern lack of objectivity who need careful and patient ministry. A lot of people are committing suicide because they don't know who they are any more, confused by hormones and by the lies being told them. We are hugely blessed to have people like Walt Heyer who have walked this strange and confusing path but who have come out of it thanks to the healing of Yah'shua (Jesus). So this is why you hear me preaching so much about the subject of gender and gender rôles because without Yahweh's order recognised, promoted and strictly in place, Satan is able to destroy relationships, neutralise marriages and cause the break up communities of the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones). Until you have this matter rightly established in your minds and hearts, you will not hear the true Ruach (Spirit) clearly.

When people move the train of their life off the Torah railtrack, they place tremendous strains on themselves. Just picture a train running down a concrete road or on sand or on rough ground. It will not get far and the engine will strain and then stall. The sound of the roaring engine may deceive you into thinking you are going somewhere, and you may be deceived into thinking that you are in motion because of all the dust being churned up by the wheels furiously turning in the earth/dirt, but that would be an illusion. The evidence that you are actually moving is your arrival at your destination plus all the biblical markers or evidences along the track.

A few days ago a lady who is a devout follower of Yah'shua (Jesus) suddenly started spewing out obscenities and accusations. There was a shift in personality into someone we did not recognise. She became suddenly possessed. You are going to see a lot of such behaviour in the years to come until it becomes normative. People you thought you knew suddenly become unrecognisable. I am not talking about Alzheimer's here, horrid and real though that is, but what happens to people when their minds are not filled with emet (truth) and their brains become poisoned by chemicals such a psychiatric drugs. We are truly a drugged-up society. In the USA, it's at least 1 in 6 people, starting from as young as 6 years old. ADHD, antidepressants, antipsychotics and anti-anxiety drugs are the worst. That's about 40 million people. Translate that worldwide, and you have an epidemic.

Most of these drugs open doors to demonic spirits. False religion and the belief in lies does most of the rest. If you wonder about the crazy thinkling and behaviour that people commonly exhibit now, this is the reason why. When we reject the emet (truth) by rejecting Yah'shua (Jesus) and disobeying the mitzvot (commandments), Yahweh causes a self-destructive fire to arise. As soon as people turn away from Torah precepts and start following their own, even those who imagine they are serving Him, they find themselves oppressed and plagued by unseen powers. That destructive inner power is the warning flare that trouble is about. Consider Yahweh's own judgment of Lucifer who consciously chose to rebel against the Most High:

"By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out FIRE from WITHIN you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more for ever" (Ezek.28:18-19, NRSV).

The execution of Yahweh's judgments is a very public and visible thing indeed. Everyone can see it. As the Scriptures say, it is done "in the sight of all" and then the people observing it are "appalled". In this passage of scripture, the end and destruction of Tyre is being contrasted and paralleled with Lucifer's own fall and judgment, and warning all men and women everywhere that this can, and will, be their fate if they do not repent. I continue to be shocked by people I once knew who were strong believers literally disintegrate in a short period of time. Some of them are quite mad now. Literally. They're crazy! A destructive fire progressively arose within them the more they rejected the emet (truth), and destroyed them. Some of these people were great ones in the messianic community (church) who at one time taught me so much. Now they are so low and unreachable. The Enemy has cordoned them off so that they cannot be approached without their setting off a tirade of obscenity.

All fallings are caused by one thing, by one weakness in man; it is the cement that keeps the flesh together and gives it a false light and life. How did Tyre fall? How did Lucifer fall? The answer is very simple:

"Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you" (Ezek.28:17, NRSV).

Pride is a devil. It's his hallmark, his calling-card, his main tattoo on display. It can start seemingly innocuously when a person starts thinking that he or she is a cut above others - superior in inspiration, superior in knowledge, superior in wisdom, superior in cleverness, superior in beauty, or whatever. It's immediate effect is to damage relationships with others and with Yahweh, because the two go hand-in-hand. Pride is destructive when it involves wanting too much recognition, taking too much credit, wanting your own way, thinking your way is always best - in short, thinking too highly of yourself. And believe me, the flesh is expert at cloaking pride in false piety and humility when it wants to. Pride causes us to view and interpret the world from a selfish point-of-view, blinding us to our faults and leading to jealousy, envy, and a judgmental attitude toward others.

Yah'shua (Jesus) rebuked the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day for regarding themselves as a cut above everyone else, when He said:

"All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted" (Mt.23:12, NRSV).

No one can develop the kind of emunah (faith) and humility needed to please Yahweh who has not learned to joyfully submit to the authorities that Yahweh has set up over them in His Torah. The grace - the undeserved loving-kindness - of the Besorah (Gospel) of our Master only ever shines brightly in us when we have first learned to submit to those whom Yahweh has placed in authority over us, starting with our parents. Many are the excuses offered by the flesh to circumvent these authorities, as they deceive themselves into believing, from obeying Elohim (God).

The kind of emunah (faith) that pleased Yah'shua (Jesus) so much, that He exalted it above all other examples of emunah (faith) that He had come across in His ministry thus far, was of the kind that soldiers best know and understand. Because this illustration is so important, let me relate it to you as Matthew recorded it:

"When Yah'shua (Jesus) had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, asking for help. 'Master,' he said, "my servant lies at home paralysed and in terrible suffering.'

"Yah'shua (Jesus) said to him, 'I will go and heal him.'

The centurion replied, "Master, I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. But just say the davar (word), and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.'

"When Yah'shua (Jesus) heard this, He was astonished and said to those following him, 'I tell you the emet (truth), I have not found anyone in Israel with such great emunah (faith). I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth'" (Matt.8:5-12, NIV).

Do you want this kind of emunah (faith)? If you do - and it's the kind that Yah'shua (Jesus) praised above all other kinds - then there is only one way: the Way of the Disciple, and that means discipline. It means we need to learn the lesson that took Solomon an entire lifetime to learn:

"Fear Elohim (God) and keep His mitzvot (commandments); for that is the whole duty of man" (Eccl.12:13b, NRSV).

Please notice that this fear of Elohim (God) that leads to obedience is the beginning, not the end, of our walk:

"The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov.1:7, ESV).

We have closely examined the question of what the fear of Yahweh is in the past but it's so important to discipleship we need to refresh our memories and not skim over it. If it is truly the beginning of wisdom, then if we miss it, we shall fail at everything else, since every other path, according to Solomon, leads ultimately to "vanity" or futility (Eccl.1:2).

So what exactly is the fear of Elohim (God)?

• 1. First of all, it is an awareness of His presence. To be aware that He is near us starts a train of effects;

• 2. Secondly, the fear of Elohim (God) is to have a sense of awe of His Person. If Elohim (God) is so great, and if I am so little, at first it makes me feel inferior. I am overawed;

• 3. Thirdly, in spite of this holy dread, I am attracted to His Personality;

• 4. Fourthly, this longing to embrace Him leads to adoration of the perfection of His character. This develops in me a disposition to avoid doing anything' which might displease Him, such as breaking any of the mitzvot (commandments); and to this end,

• 5. Fifthly, I joyfully accept His toqef (authority), confessing Him as Lord and Master, and accepting the toqef (authority) He gives to others over me - like husbands over wives, fathers and mothers over children, pastors over patriarchal heads, and so forth;

• 6. Sixthly, I seek out His approval; and finally,

• 7. Seventh, I accept His will, serving Him acceptably, in divine tavnith (pattern), in harmony with the authorities He has set up uin my life here on earth, "with reverence and with [godly] fear" (Heb.12:28, HRV).

There are three important devotional activities that will help us grow in the fear of Yahweh:

• 1. Prayer. Earnest and effectual prayer will bring us into the presence of Elohim (God). True prayer is more than words. it is a sacred tryst, an Elohim-meeting experience;

• 2. The Bible. Psalm 19:9 says that "the fear of Yahweh is pure" (NRSV, NIV, NLT) or "clean" (KJV, NASB, ESV) and here, in this particular passage, "the fear of Yahweh" is a synonym for the Torah or Law of Elohim (God) which causes qadosh (holy, set-apart) feelings to be aroused in our hearts; and

• 3. The Melchizedek Priesthood, or Yahweh's "covenant with Levi" (Mal.2:4), which in the New Covenant is the Cohen or Priest of every family (the husband of his wife and the father of his children) and the Cohen (Priest) of every assembly, the Pastor (himself a family head), and the Cohen, Priest or Apostle of every Tribe of Messianic Israel (each a family head). Remember that Levi did not have its own territory in Old Covenant Israel, though was given certain cities within these territories. In the New Covenant they are the Assembly of Israel's Pfresiding Ministers! (Many messianics, falsely believing the sacrificial system will be restored, think the Levites will be singers in the a restored 'temple' or responsible for offering sacrifices, which, of course, cannot be since the sacrificial system is permanently over). Thus it is written of Levi in the forward-looking Book of Malachi:

  "My covenant was with [Levi], one of chayim (life) and shalom (peace),
  And I gave them to him that he might fear Me;
  So he feared Me
  And was reverent before My name.
  The Torah (Law) of emet (truth) was in his mouth,
  And injustice was not found on his lips.
  He walked with Me in shalom (peace) and equity,
  And turned many away from iniquity.
  "For the lips of a cohen (priest) should keep knowledge,
  And people should seek the Torah (Law) from his mouth;
  For he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts" (Mal.2:5-7, NKJV).

The heads bring chayim (life) and shalom /(peace) through to their people - to their families, congregations and tribes - which is why they must both submit to, and be submitted to,. in divine tavnith (pattern) as they, trusting in the salvation of Messiah, maintain a fear of Yahweh and teach and live His mitzvot (commandments). This is how the Father and Son are echad (one) in the hearts of Their people.

Today's New Covenant Levite is the head of every household (the husband and father), the head of every assembly of Messianic Israel (pastor), and (when they are restored), the head of the heads of the Twelve Tribes (the 12 apostles). The pastors are the heads or fathers over family heads who are over their wives and children, and the apostles are the heads over the pastors. This is the patriarchal order and must be adhered to. When this is done, then the fear of Yahweh will be properly established in the Covenant Community and the promises of Psalm 128 may be harvested:

"Happy are all who fear Yahweh,
who live according to His will.
You shall eat the fruit of your own labours,
you shall be happy and you shall prosper.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house;
your sons shall be like olive-shoots
round about your table.
This is the blessing in store for the man
who fears Yahweh.
May Yahweh bless you from Zion;
may you share the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life,
and live to see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel!" (Ps.128:1-13, NEB).

We must pray much, study the Davar Elohim (Word of God) often, and receive instruction from our congregational heads (pastors and apostles) and family heads. As we saw in Psalm 128, the household has a divine structure. By this threefold means we live in a healthy divine tavnith, we maintain a healthy, godly fear of Elohim (God), we demonstrate our trust in the salvation of Messiah Yah'shua (Jesus), and we gladly keep His mitzvot (commandments). All these things are integral and lead to harmony and echad (oneness) in the home and in Messianic Israel (Church). Here Jerusalem forms a picture of central toqef (authority) which radiates outwards. May Yahweh bless your Sabbath and give you His shalom (peace) as Israel! Amen.