Matters of the Heart (3)
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This is the last session for Matters of the Heart. The heart is quite interesting. When I think of a person and the way the Bible emphasizes the heart, I think of the core of a person. When you eat a fruit, when do you stop eating it? Most people would stop once they reach the core or pit… the deepest part of the apple!
In growing up, many times people would say something like, “wow that is very kind of you”! This idea of care, affection, sharing, and etc. was always said to be rooted in someone with a good heart, but all of us know that it is the brain that allows us to function in this way. The core of a person is the binding together of body, soul, and spirit. G-d for example is Abba Shebashemayim (Father in the heavens), Yeshua (The Salvation/Son of G-d), and Ruach Elohim (Wind/Spirit of G-d). The core is all of Him (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) as One. When you talk about the heart of G-d, you are talking who G-d is working in perfect harmony. When we talk about the heart of man, we are talking about our Body, Soul, and Spirit working in perfect harmony. When G-d said He made us perfect, He meant it. He made us very similar to Him, in fact we read it in His W-rd, “He made us in His Image/Likeness”, He made us under His shadow. When we are working in perfect harmony, we can create, enjoy, feel, do and soooo much more. Ecclesiastes shares all that takes place, and truly everything that is confined to this earth is exactly that… confined. Except, G-d placed something unique in our heart, and that is Eternity.
In Spanish, the first book of John read quite different than our English translations. In the Beinning was the “Verbo” or in English “the Verb”. It shares with us that there was action by what we call in english, an understood You who was and is G-d.
“En el principio era el Verbo”
“In the Beginning was the Verb”
W-rd that does, while, in our English, we read “W-rd”: “The W-rd was with”… “the W-rd was”…. And “the W-rd became”! This is where we also get the understanding that G-d, “He was, He is, and He is to come”. In Hebrew, the word W-rd is rooted in the word “Davar” which is the same for the word “thing”. In Hebrew, it shows that for every word there is a thing, and for everything there is a word. Thus, G-d who is the W-rd has always been. In Science and Math, He is what you would call “Constant”. What makes G-d different than us is that at His core, the essence of who He is or, we can say, His Unity, He was never created. ” We on the other hand were created, which is why I believe, we can never understand the eternity that is in our hearts… We can only choose to draw near to Him.
G-d created us, we were created. We are limited, because we are creation, but G-d created a way in which the core to His creation can be with Him. To the human mind, it is difficult to perceive, because it requires to work against the grain and open our heart to the idea that we cannot without G-d. We cannot without Submission, we cannot without the fear of G-d!
We are a word from the W-rd; we are not the W-rd.
Let us pray then we will look into today’s portion “Vayera”, and into the beginning of Joshua:
Then Adonai appeared to him[1]- Gen. 18:1
Then Adonai appeared to him at Mamre’s large trees while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day.
“My Lord, if now I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. 4Please let a little water be brought so you can wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree. 5And let me bring a bit of bread so that you can refresh yourselves—then you can pass on—since you have passed by your servant.[2]– Gen. 18:3-6
Then he said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. Please let a little water be brought so you can wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree. And let me bring a bit of bread so that you can refresh yourselves—then you can pass on—since you have passed by your servant.
They said, “Do just as you have said.” So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and prepare bread loaves!”
Just for all to know, in the Torah, there is no law regarding the separation of meat and milk except that you shouldn’t cook a kid (baby goat) in it’s mother’s milk. As we read, G-d, Himself partook of butter and milk with the young ox prepared for Him by Abraham.
Back to Abraham, at this time Abraham’s promise would soon be fulfilled, but as we see, his heart was that of one who was in perfect submission. His servanthood reflected throughout his life, and thus, Abraham saw G-d’s unlimited power at work.
Adonai spoke to Abraham and Sarah, “14Is anything too difficult for Adonai? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” [3]- Gen. 18:14
Is anything too difficult for Adonai? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
So the first thing that is huge is that G-d spoke to Abram, and Abram listened. G-d established with Abram a covenant that if Abram would continue to walk according to G-d’s plan, G-d would bless him. Abram was then called Abraham! Submission/Fear of G-d is the most important step, and we read, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” – Proverbs 1:7
The fear of Adonai
is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
And again… “The Fear of G-d is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10
The fear of Adonai
is the beginning of wisdom
and knowledge of the Holy One
is understanding.
Because Abraham had already established His faith in G-d, G-d revealed to Abraham what did not have to be revealed to him.
“Should I keep secret from Abraham what I am about to do, 18seeing that Abraham will most certainly become a great and mighty nation and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19For I have made myself known to him so that he will command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of Adonai by doing righteousness and justice, so that Adonai may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”[4]- Genesis 18:17–19
when Adonai said, “Should I keep secret from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will most certainly become a great and mighty nation and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? For I have made myself known to him so that he will command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of Adonai by doing righteousness and justice, so that Adonai may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
G-d spoke, and after He spoke, Abraham drew near to Him! Abraham spoke to HaShem saying, do not wipe away the righteous, and HaShem spoke until the it ended with should there be found 10 righteous people, G-d would not wipe them out. And it was, because of Abraham that Lot and his family were spared, but Sodom and Gomorrah were not.
Abraham was not the only one who knew about G-d, because in chpt. 20 Abimelech knew of G-d, and G-d did something incredible, because of the promise He had with Abraham, and because of the Integrity of Abimelech’s heart.
6Then God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I myself knew that you did this with integrity of your heart, so I, yes I Myself prevented you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. 7So now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all who are yours.” [5]- Genesis 20:6-7
Then God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I myself knew that you did this with integrity of your heart, so I, yes I Myself prevented you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. So now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all who are yours.”
So you see that Abimelech was not spared, because of guiltlessness of his hands, but he was spared, because of his integrity of heart. When someone comes before a situation with a humble heart, G-d is able to act. However, if Abimelech was haughty, I know for sure that he would not have given an ear and G-d would have responded differently. Abraham didn’t desire for any of this to happen, but we see that G-d was not too happy, and, because of Abraham, every womb in Abimelech’s kingdom was closed. However, Abraham prayed to Adonai, and the woman were healed. It doesn’t stop there ofcourse, because Abraham’s whole life was set in G-d’s hands. A few chapters back, in last the last portion, we see what happens when we get impatient. Sarah, got impatient, and Abraham instead of listening to G-d, listened to Sarah in her desperation of a son. Ishmael who would still be blessed, because of Abraham, was not the son G-d gave. Ishmael was the son that Sarah gave. It was not the son of the promise, rather it was a son of the desires of the flesh. Even though Ishmael’s birth brought trouble, Abraham was still patient. You see, what makes this story so special is that Abraham waited for G-d, and G-d showed up! Abraham was not judged by what he did, rather for the integrity his heart. Abraham’s heart, the core of who Abraham was was set on G-d who is Faithful! Abraham would them follow G-d in obedience through the covenant of circumcision, to which G-d appears, and enables Abraham and Sarah to give birth to his son, the son given by G-d, the son of the promise!
The portion ends with Adonai asking once more to Abraham to act by giving his most prized possession, his son. Yet, as we read,
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son— 18the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” 19He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there. [6] - Hebrews 11:17–19
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son— the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.
Abraham had great expectation knowing G-d could and would keep His promise which is why he had no doubt that G-d would bring Isaac up from the dead. G-d saw his faith, G-d saw the integrity of his heart. G-d saw perfect submission, G-d saw Abraham counting his own life as lost, because he saw and chose to be set on the Constant, the G-d, who had set eternity in his heart!
“So now, O Israel, what does Adonai your God require of you, but to fear Adonai your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Adonai your God you will fear—Him will you serve. To Him will you cling, and by His Name will you swear. He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your eyes have seen.
Breifly, G-d has shown us through His servant 5 simple steps to activiating eternity in you heart:
1. Submit to G-d,
2. Obey,
3. Expect,
4. Stand, and
5. Respond.
Now I will make it even shorter for those that have trouble with keeping those 5….
1. Listen to G-d,
2. Follow Him, and
3. Obey!....
Okay, okay…. I have yet a shorter list and it contains only 1 W-rd…..
1. SHEMA (LISTEN!)
Thank G-d that while this is the last session for Matters of the heart, part 2 of this last session will continue next week!
It is not by your works that you are saved. No good thing can you do! I can do a trillion mitzvah’s, but without a heart of integrity to diligently/whole-heartedly submit myself to G-d, I will receive the promise. However, G-d appeared and He gave the promise of His Son who was the Sacrifice as Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”[7]– Genesis 22:8
Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
The two of them walked on together.
If you want to receive the promise that has been established in your heart, if you desire to come to the knowledge of who G-d is, come up and submit yourself to HaShem Yeshua, the offering, G-d’s Son, who has been raised from the dead revealing that eternity is made known to you as it has been established for you to receive. Receive Him and receive eternity today by praying with me today.
May the Congregation now please come forward as we pray the Aaronic Blessing!