 There is no denying that the majority of us live in a fast-paced society. We are used to communication, travel, food and entertainment right at our fingertips and within moments on demand. Years ago, a simple letter could take weeks to receive but through today’s technology we are able to get updates from our loved ones in mere seconds. Entertainment can be reached by a simple push of a button while not leaving our couch. Want to go to the other side of the world? No need to board a giant ship and sail for months, just click a button on your phone which sends the money from your account to your selected airline. Sit on a plane, take a couple naps, eat a couple meals and then you’re there. Are you hungry and need to satisfy your hunger quickly? For most there are multiple choices within a handful of miles from your house with drive-thru service. Typically, you’ll have a meal in front of you within 5 minutes. Of course, if it takes longer then we start to become impatient, don’t we? What is taking so long? I’ve been waiting for a whole 10 minutes! While some fast-paced conveniences have become a blessing, through the hurries of life, could we have lost the authenticity of living? Meaning, have we gotten ourselves in such a hurry and stuck in the pattern of instant demand that we neglect the valuable things that cannot be rushed? Food is a prime example of this debacle. Think about the type of “food” we are receiving through that drive-thru window. Typically, it is injected with hormones and filled with antibiotics and fried in unhealthy oils. The majority are loaded with sugar, added chemicals and ingredients not meant for our bodies, and we struggle to digest them. Sure, the meal satisfies our hunger for the moment, but did it actually feed our body what it craves? Did we experience nutritional benefits or fake fulfillment? Sadly, this fast-paced mindset (which I have coined “Drive-thru service” or “DTS”) has led many to eat fake spiritual food as well, because they choose to receive it from the drive-thru. For example, out of our 168 hours in a week many will set aside one of those hours to get “fed” at their local church by someone on the stage. Or even nowadays, a click of a button will pop up some YouTube channel with a “message for believers”. Drive in, get what we need, then go. Most assume this person on stage or narrating a video has more time to read, study and research - so it must be nutritious and beneficial, right? If we choose to rely only on another to teach us and feed us our Spiritual food, are we ignoring the clear instructions from our heavenly Father? He states, “And you shall seek, and shall find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 This verse makes it clear as YHWH says, “you seek” and “you search” with all “your heart”. When we do the seeking and the searching, He then promises to be found by us. This verse is not saying to find someone else and have them do the seeking and searching for you because YHWH understands you are too busy. Our relationship with YHWH is dependent upon our efforts, our seeking, and our hearts. Based on our effort, He will show up and He will reveal Himself (i.e. “be found”). Just like any relationship on earth, the amount of time and energy we commit to the relationship will determine the quality of that relationship. In my latest book, I briefly compare the unhealthy “DTS” mentality in our Spiritual walks. The Spiritual “walk” seems to be becoming non-existent and instead replaced by a quick fix, drive-thru fake fulfillment. Walking requires time, effort, and energy from us. Walking is a verb that requires action, action to move. We have become such a lazy society because everything has been handed to us so easily and with little effort. Could our Spiritual walk be suffering or non-existent because of this DTS mentality? I’ve heard from others in the past that they just don’t have the time to study. This response reminds me of a saying I heard years ago in the world of sales. “Time and money are never an issue, only a measurement of value.” While the excuse of not having enough time sounds legitimate on the surface, it only reveals that the person has little desire and lack of passion to know Him. It shows their measurement of value. I admit, I have a lack of desire on some topics. For instance, car mechanics. I have no idea, nor do I really care to learn all about how a car engine works. If my car broke down, I would have no clue what was wrong with it or how to fix it. I can honestly say “I don’t have time” to learn and fix it myself because I lack the passion to know. You too could probably think of certain subjects that you don’t care to spend a lot of time learning. However, knowing YHWH should not be one of them. In fact, seeking and knowing Him should be our priority. “But seek first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.” Matthew (Mattithyahu) 6:33 Butch and Cassidy Victor and I live in the mountains of Costa Rica. This rural environment results in the need to care for many stray dogs. We love animals so we can never turn a blind eye when we see they need food and shelter. About 3 months ago we had 2 male dogs just show up one day. We have no idea where they came from, but both were malnourished and were also timid towards humans. Victor named one of the boys (we think they are brothers) Butch and naturally he decided to name his brother Cassidy. Within a couple weeks Butch became more trusting. He clearly is the affectionate one and loves love. He greets us every morning by running to us, wagging his tail, and soaking in all our hugs. He even sits outside our window all day waiting for us to come out and spend time with him. Cassidy is not that way. While he expects the food and shelter, he doesn’t like to be touched and could care less about wanting a relationship with us. So unsurprisingly, I can admit that Butch is my favorite. We have a connection and a special relationship that I do not have with Cassidy. This is both of their choices of course. If Cassidy showed he wanted a relationship with me, I would give it. However, it’s Butch who moves my heart and it’s him who has become my favorite of the two. When I’m typing this out, it sounds a little harsh to me, but I realize that it is Cassidy’s choice – relationships are a two-way street. I’ll never stop providing for Cassidy, but it’s clear we have no relationship. I hope you can see where I’m going with this. I never want to be viewed as a “Cassidy” in the eyes of my Father, YHWH. I want Him to see that my world revolves around Him. I want my most precious time to be spent with Him. I want Him to see that I desire His love, His affection, and His guidance.  Growing Pains
There seems to be a new label of religion. The word “believer” has become a popular self-proclaimed faith. “I am a believer” or “they are believers”. Honestly, when I hear that description of someone’s faith, I tend to ask the question in my head – what does that mean? It’s such a vague proclamation if we compare it to a “follower” of our Messiah. This nebulous label reminds me of chapter 2 in the book of James (the brother of Yahushua Messiah and one of His disciples). Here are just a few take-aways but I encourage you to read the whole chapter or rather all five chapters as it is quite clear and precise. “My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him.” James (Ya’aqob) 2:14 “You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that belief without the works is dead?” James (Ya’aqob) 2:19,20 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.” James (Ya’aqob) 2:26 It seems quite clear that there is a big difference between knowing something exists (belief) and serving the One you know exists (works). Belief alone does not save us. We need to grow up, grow out of belief and grow into obedience. In fact, those works of obedience show our belief. There is no need to label ourselves a “believer” as it will be clear to all by our works - to be a doer, a follower in accordance to His commands, His desires. And He said to them all “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake shall save it.” Luke 9:23,24 “If you love me, keep My Commands” John (Yohanan) 14:15 “And become doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James (Ya’aqob) 1:22 Crazy as this sounds, I have been accused by others of being a doer, in a negative way. That truly is the only painful part in the growing process. My heart aches for those who are still too blind or stubborn to investigate their "food." The masses have been fed through the drive-thru that they do not have to be doers, they just need to believe, and they are saved. Sadly, because many depend solely on the deficient drive-thru food, they never have the desire to examine this food. They “feel full” so why the need to test and see if this food is real? (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Could this be false food that is slowly killing them? If belief is all we need yet demons also believe, what distinguishes us from demons? We read several times that demons cried out to Yahushua saying they knew who He was, and they shouted He was the Son of Elohim! (Matthew 8:28, Mark 3:11, Luke 4:34) Knowing this, what makes “believers” different? If we were to ask most in the Christian faith, what does it mean: you are a believer? I would bet the majority would say “It means I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” Now the terms of that statement are incorrect on many levels but that is addressed in other blogs I’ve written on the topic of “What’s in a Name” and “Identifying a god.” However, understanding that the response is saying they believe that the Messiah is the Son of Elohim who came to die for our sins – then my next question would be: how is that any different from what demons believe? Remember, they clearly called out and identified Him as the Messiah. Many DTS believers might say the difference is they love Him, while demons do not. Okay, HOW do you love Him? “The one who says ‘I know Him,’ and does not guard is Commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.” “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who is coming to Me, and is sharing My Words and is doing them, I shall show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock. And when the flood came, the stream burst against that house, but was unable to shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But the one hearing and not doing, is like a man who built a house on the earth without foundation against which the stream burst, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49 Matthew 7:21-23 I’d like to conclude with some additional words from our Messiah. I believe it’s wise to read these words slowly, read them again and meditate on them. It is such a profound warning that most “believers” have either overlooked or have never even read because it wasn’t provided on the drive-thru menu. So, this Spiritual drive-thru is not only quick, easy and lacks nutrition, it also is very limited on the menu selection. It is missing critical food that can save our eternal souls. Let’s examine the warning from our Messiah. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ And Then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness (anomia)!” Those of you who have read previous blogs or books that I have written, you know I like to “hone in” on specific words in critical verses and this important verse (i.e. warning) is a great example. First, it’s imperative that we recognize who Yahushua is talking about. There are a couple ways to identify who these “many” are. They are described as follows:
Amazingly, He tells these believers “I never knew you”… why? How could He not know them if they believed in Him and even called Him “Lord”? Also notice that they seemed to be much busier in their faith than the average believer, yet He still did not know them. This should be mindboggling for most and should raise a huge banner of caution in our minds for the answer. I surely do not want to be one of the “many”, do you? Thankfully, we have a clear answer on how to avoid this future tragedy and instruction on how to be known by Him. This answer is based on how He describes them at the end of this warning. He adamantly proclaims, “you who work lawlessness!” Notice the exclamation mark, He is very serious. Also notice I had added the Greek “anomia” where our English versions translate to lawlessness or iniquity. Anomia is more clearly defined as “without Torah”. Living our lives outside of His clear Commands. So, while these many are busy doing works, they are not the works He plainly instructs throughout His Word. Yet on the other side of the spectrum, we are given clear descriptions of those who will not be turned away but receive the crown of life. Listen to these works: “Blessed are those doing His Commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14 “Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has been proved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Master has promised to those who love Him.” James (Ya’aqob) 1:12 Recall how Yahushua defines those “who love Him”: “If you love Me, keep My Commands.” John (Yohanan) 14:15 Most are oblivious to our Father and our Savior’s instructions for living because they are not hungry. I do not mean to imply that they have no desire to know Him, but that they lack the hunger pains of knowing the truth because they are so full on fake unhealthy food. I realized I needed to set the drive-thru “food” aside. I hungered to know Him more, and I decided to seek Him with all my heart (Jeremiah 29:13) - that is when I began to know Him. I read His Word for myself, I looked up words in Hebrew and Greek, I used concordances, lexicons and I continually prayed that He would reveal Himself to me as I desired nothing greater in my life. I had to spend some time detoxing misconceptions, misunderstandings, and false “food”. I was severely spiritually malnourished and thankfully He was patient with me until I “sought first the Kingdom of Elohim”. Understanding the Sabbath day was a huge one for me. In fact, I realized it is a significant Command from Him. I was devastated that I had spent most of my life oblivious to an everlasting sign (mark) that would set me apart from the rest of the world. A sign that shows Who I belong to! I believed it was irrelevant and done away with because that is what I was fed. Granted, it was my fault as I had yet to seek Him with all my heart. I was a simple-faith “believer” until He woke me up through personal tragedies in my life which motivated me to seek Him. I continue to learn and continue to seek as He remains faithful in being found by the hungry. The majority of professed “believers” are suffering from severe spiritual malnourishment. It is imperative that they get out of the drive-thru line, examine what they have been fed and instead start looking to the One who truly feeds. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of YHWH” Matthew (Mattithyahu) 4:4 “The righteous eats to the satisfying of his being, but the stomach of the wicked is lacking.” Proverbs (Mishley) 13:25 “Your Words were found, and I fed on them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For Your Name is called on me, O YHWH Elohim of hosts.” Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) 15:16 _____________________________________ Suggested resources to help on your walk: Recommended versions of Scriptures: www.thejourneybackblog.com/resources Other blogs with specific topics: www.thejourneybackblog.com My latest book on how to be set apart from this world and be found “doing”: The Transitional Period Book series of how to “Walk in the Light” and “Leaving Babylon” by Todd D Bennett: www.shemayisrael.net Comments are closed.
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