Do you know and trust Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ)?
Do you have a secure trust in your belief that nothing can exist outside of God?
There are times I question if our English words correctly communicate the meaning of original language words as they suffer translation. Today please consider the original Jewish religious thought illustrated by two Hebrew words. Bitachon and Emunah.
Bitachon is a Hebrew word please consider the religious action it illustrates. It's root meaning is the action of an observant Jew having trusting belief in Hasham, God. This means it is the highest level of trust, your soul can lean or rest on. Because it is secure something grows from it. Having this secure strength within your soul grows emunah often translated to mean faith. This Hebrew word is also defining a very high level of faith secure with knowledge of having God given resources. To assist with understanding, consider the faith of a confident craftsman. Having a high level of confidence in his ability to do his work.
Both actions of the Hebrew words are present in Simon Peter's reply.
Yochanan 6:69(OJB) And we have bitachon and have trusted with emunah and we have da’as that you are HaKadosh of Hashem the Holy One of G-d.
Look around when in a restaurant filled with people. Many people insist living life in a lifestyle they want or are comfortable with. You might see a few with lifestyles that include a secure belief and trusting faith in God. But for the most part people, live their day the same as the day before and the day before that. Their belief and trust is with what they can do on their own. What does that do with meaning for the purpose of life. The purpose of life is then replaced with an almost mechanical or robotic routine; get up, work, eat, sleep, and repeat the process.
In this routine what is lacking is living the purpose of life that God has for you. But if you do not check-in with God. How could you possibly see the glory of God in the lifestyle you settle down to do?
Consider the historical experiences the Hebrews had with God. They were set free from slavery, they were protected from a pursuing army, they were fed, they were led to water, they were given the Words of Life, they were given a Promised Land.
But people like to wake up, work, eat, and sleep without checking in with God. Just recently I saw an opportunity to experience a change in how life can be experienced. Saying goodbye to a short beach retreat and preparing for a eight hour drive home through severe thunderstorms. Out of the corner of my eye I detected something that should not be on the hot asphalt road at ten o'clock in the morning. You have a choice to make when God gives you an opportunity to serve his glory.
Continue driving on, or check in with the glory of God. Stopping the car, alerting my wife, and using an empty communion cup box we rescued a dis-ordinated sea turtle hatchling.
Normally sea turtles hatchlings march to the protection of the water during the night. Otherwise a hatchling can become a meal for ready to eat shore birds. And that was exactly the fate awaiting this hatchling. It was apparent this one went in the wrong direction. When a nest hatches, many hatchlings seem to boil out of the nest. But this one had used up the God given resources. He was not speeding to the waters as hatchlings will do. The heat of the day was taking a toll to make it to the water. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico was quite a distance for a hatchling's small steps. The waters offered the hatchling a chance for survival.
That out of the corner of my eye a slight movement caused a hard decision to be made quickly. My human side understood what effect stopping would cause, a delay our return. But my soul knew this to be a gift of God. And by stopping it would bring a special joy to my wife. She has had a desire to see a turtle nest boil and watch the hatchlings march to the sea. She has wanted to stand guard protecting the hatchlings from the always hungry shore birds.
By ignoring my temptation to keep my control over life, I knew no action would mean death for this exhausted hatchling. Choosing to stop, both of us would experience the offering God's glory offers. Taking the hatchling back a park ranger, the ranger promised the hatchling would be OK. He would call the trained sea turtle response team. Because the hatchling went the wrong way he might need special attention.
Do you wish humankind also would have a response team? Remember God sent His Son. His Son offers survival and life. But his words for eternal life can be hard to listen to, and receive within our soul.
John 6:56-60(CJB) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also whoever eats me will live through me. So this is the bread that has come down from heaven — it is not like the bread the fathers ate; they’re dead, but whoever eats this bread will live forever!” He said these things as he was teaching in a synagogue in K’far-Nachum. On hearing it, many of his talmidim said, “This is a hard word — who can bear to listen to it?”
Castro Hernandez age 34 grew up and had his own home in a Mexican village. Over the years he watched as the town's festivals became more of an opportunity to get drunk and have immoral sexual pleasures than the purpose the village festival originally began to represent. Everyone in the village was expected to pay what the town leaders asked to fund the festivals.
Castro made a decision about the purpose of his life. He would rather try to live for virtue, and share the Word of God with family, friends, and neighbors. When Castro Hernandez said the name Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ), people understood that he knew just who he is. Within his soul was a trusting and secure belief in God's purpose for life.
The leader's of the village, first threatened Castro, then they jailed Castro, and later ordered Castro out of the village. Because of He trust he has lost everything because of what an evil lifestyles support. But the trade was worth living life, knowing eternal life, and experiencing the glory God gives. This is a hard word to bear to hear.
John 6:61-65(CJB) But Yeshua, aware that his talmidim were grumbling about this, said to them, “This is a trap for you? Suppose you were to see the Son of Man going back up to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life, yet some among you do not trust.” For Yeshua knew from the outset which ones would not trust him, also which one would betray him. “This,” he said, “is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has made it possible for him.”
Consider being on vacation and in a different city. Your ears have heard a voice you do not recognize, it's calling out your name. Do you respond thinking someone is calling out to you? Or do you think they know someone else with a name similar to yours?
When you hear someone say the name of Yeshua Hamashia in English; Jesus Christ. Depending on their vocal tones, sometimes you just are not certain that they actually know Yeshua.
Yeshua, said no one can come unless the Father has arranged the introduction. This means bitachon and emunah are at work within your soul.
A group of four people sat at the table behind us on the dock. My wife and I were enjoying our favorite lunch and drinking southern style sweet tea. Arriving after us, we were well into our lunch before theirs arrived at their table. These people did not talk so only the people at their table could be in their conversation. Their knowledge was so important they wanted their voices to be carried out from table to table.
We all could hear the lady with the three men when she explained. "Well I might say the name Jesus everyday but that doesn't mean I have to change my lifestyle". In this human attitude, bitachon and emunah are not present. Without the soul being observant to the will of God's plan an introduction to His Son was not made. If it had, any human would be happy to part with pleasures of the world that mean death.
Do you know Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ)? When you hear someone say the name of Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ). Are you certain they actually know Yeshua? Is there something in their lifestyle that lets you know? One of the men sitting at the table had complained about Christians and how they would want to change his choice of lifestyle.
He did not understand life is more about the Spirit and less about physical pleasures. In a very short time; a good bit of their lunch was in the garbage, along with empty beer bottles. They shared so everyone could hear, they had to leaving to chase after their busy lifestyle. One was rushing to the airport. I wondered why they had even stopped for lunch?
Yeshua teaches about Spirit and life. His teaching includes knowing the ways of Spirit and Life, understand the flesh is not of any help. But more important he teaches no one can come to know the Son without an introduction from the Father.
John 6:66-67(CJB) From this time on, many of his talmidim turned back and no longer traveled around with him. So Yeshua said to the Twelve, “Don’t you want to leave too?”
Because of the miracles he performed, because his teachings about the Father were refreshing, many people followed him. But inside their souls they just had not been introduced. Maybe their hearts had been harden by years of difficulties. Maybe they just were not ready to love their neighbors like they loved Hashem. Maybe they could not open up to the knowledge this man was the promised messiah. He after all was not speaking about solving the problem with foreign invaders in control of the Promised Land. He was speaking about having love and peace with God by receiving His body and His blood.
Humans do not like to recognize the effects lifestyle choices have in our relationship with God. And wasn't that the purpose for the sacrifices in the temple. Isn't that how God forgives sin? Consider Peter's reply when Yeshua asked his disciples if they would like to leave him also.
John 6:68-69(CJB) Shim‘on Kefa answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the word of eternal life. We have trusted, and we know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Yochanan 6:68-69(OJB) In reply, Shimon Kefa said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, to whom will we go? You have the divrei haChayyei Olam. And we have bitachon and have trusted with emunah and we have da’as that you are HaKadosh of Hashem the Holy One of G-d, .
The Words of Eternal Life are God given. There is no other person, place, or way to go. Securely know within your soul that Yeshua is HaKadosh. Meaning "Holy". Yeshua is the Holy One of God. Understand no activity in your life misses the knowledge of your Father and that is why He sent His Son.
