My House Will Be Called a House of Prayer

8/14/2019 My House Will Be Called a House of Prayer

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MYHOUSE WILLBE CALLEDAHOUSE OFPRAYER

by Craig Peters

For My House will be called a

house of prayer for all the peoples.Isaiah 56:6

Introductory ThoughtsPrayer is the most important, yet least

understood aspect of True Worship. Of course,being the least understood, thepreeminentimportance of prayer is also not recognized bytodays majority. For many, prayer is a dry,lifeless duty which must be endured because, afterall, This is what a believer is supposed to do.Our prayer to hwhyis that the current study willhelp anyone with such a mindset to break freefrom the mental bondage which this misguidednotion perpetuates. Those who continually drawnear to hwhywith their hearts will eventuallyexperience many things during times of prayer:His love, His sovereignty, His righteousness, Hisacceptance, His peace, and His joy. These thingsare very real and very tangible spiritual blessingsand none of them are, by any means, dry orlifeless.

In the study on Azazel and Yom Kippur,1

we

discussed the wrongful elevation of Bible study intodays modern worship. Not understanding, orperhaps not long contemplating, the manyScriptures which bear on this matter, a committedbrother in the faith wrote a response to that articleerroneously objecting that we put down BibleStudy somewhat effectively in favor of fastingand prayer.

2Yet nothing could be farther from

the truth: Bible study was not put down in anyway. Later in this study, we will revisit thisunfounded allegation, and at that point in oursojourn, it will have already become evident how

a true, proper understanding of prayer only servesto elevate and advance Bible study.

1 See The Numerical Progression of Azazel Through

Tehillim, a study in the series HaMisparim LaDebarim:

The Numbers of the Words.2 This was some while ago, on 7/24/2008.

Other evidence shows many, if not most,individuals and most congregations place fargreater emphasis on Bible study than on prayer:

Why have prayer services so often beenrelegated to a mere once-per-week status in themajority of todays congregations? And why isthe prayer service so poorly attended?

Why do well-meaning believerspay to attend

teaching seminars? Why is it that times of fasting and prayer are sooften frowned upon as fanatical, when the trueprophets and apostles of old knew this to be themeans by which one truly seeks and finds hwhy? And since hwhy clearly stated His House will becalled a house of prayer, why is it that prayer doesnot characterize andpermeate todays worshipservices?

That it is even necessary to ask such questions

shows how far we have diverged from the Faithwhich the Messiah came to establish. And thespiritual symptoms behind the lack of prayer intodays worship are symptoms which exhibit thelack of understanding still ruling in the minds ofso many well-meaning, but clearly misdirectedbelievers. All evidence indicates the manymistaken views surrounding prayer are far fromisolated. Thus, the present study will seek toscripturally address these commonplace errors andthe imbalanced emphasis seen throughout muchof todays worship. And for the sake of those

who promote the vital importance of Bible study(as do we), it will be important for us to considerhow giving preeminence to prayer will actuallysupport our cause in promoting effective study ofScripture with long lasting, even eternal results.

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Regarding prayer, what did hwhysay would bethe one thing that characterized His House? Didhwhysay, My House will be called a house ofBible study for all peoples? If a Scripture can befound which asserts such a thing, then we shouldmost certainly believe and comply. However, asour opening text shows,

3this is simply not the

case: hwhystated His House would be called ahouse of prayerfor all peoples. This statementfrom the mouth ofhwhyshows us thatprayerwould be the one thing which characterized HisDwelling Place. And many Scriptures show usthat men of true faith, and certainly those seenthroughout the written record of sacred history,have always known this to be the case.

There is definitely a spiritual problem whenbelievers exalt the importance of Bible study overand above the importance of prayer, yet this is

usually the case in the lives of most contemporaryfollowers of the Messiah:4 During most weeklyworship services, most Feast observances, mostretreats, most unity conferences, and during mostany other time believers congregate, the one thingthat characterizes the gathering is typicallyBiblestudy and horizontal, human-to-humanconversation.

5Among those who possess great

zeal to serve their Creator, study of the Word6

isthat which receives the most time and the mostattention, and study of Scripture is the facet ofworship which has been elevated to the highest

place in the minds of most well-meaning, butmisled believers.

7The present article will show

that this approach not only reveals a gravespiritual error, but that it has led/is leading toincreasing disarray amongst those who have giventheir lives to follow the Messiah. With the mainemphasis having been placed on Bible study, onewould expect that, if this were really the method

3 Isaiah 56:64 At least those living in the USA: There are reports of

some groups of humble believers in other lands who know

(have known) their spiritual poverty and their great,continual need for the Presence ofhwhy in prayer.5 The exception here, of course, would be the weekly prayer

meeting which is customary in some churches. However,

these meetings are often held but once a week, and they are

often marked by an extreme lack of zeal reflected in theirpitifully low attendance.6 (i.e., the Scriptures)7 That this has been the case is further attested to by the fact

that, upon encountering the real truth of the issue, sincere

but misled believers will often defend/promote Bible studyover prayer.

prescribed by hwhy, then all believers today wouldbe in unity.

8Yet unity escapes us. Why? Unity

escapes us because most have failed to obey theMessiahby engaging in continual seasons ofprayer characterized by asking, seeking, andknocking.

9We will see that the lack of prayer

so starkly characteristic of most individuals and

most congregations in our days is also thereason we lacktrue understanding of theScriptures and, in turn, true unity. And a wrongemphasis will also lead to an erroneous andundesirable result. So what has been the overalloutcome of this improper exaltation surroundingthe pursuit of Bible knowledge?

In elevating Bible study above prayer,the result has been nothing more

than denominational idolatry.

People today so often exhibit more allegiance to

the knowledge, or teaching, of a particulardenomination, or alliance, than their allegiance tothe Most High and His Word. As a result, it isjust as Shaul wrote to Timothy: Multitudes ofsincere people are ever learning but never able tocome to the knowledge of the truth.

10And why

is this? Quite simply, the knowledge of theirparticular denomination/affiliation is acceptedover and above the clear statements of Scripture.Thus, their trust in man

11ultimately keeps them

from trusting in and obeying hwhy. And as thelast 2000 years of New Covenant history shows,widespread division has always ensued and it has,heretofore, largely prevailed:

Believers do not walk in unity becausethey are divided over so many doctrinal issues

which keep them at a permanent impasse.

And does this idolatry-based disunity magnify theMost High and His Messiahwho prayed Hisbrothers would all be one?

12Of course, this lack

8(Or at least a great many more would be in unity than we

see presently!)9 Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:5-910 2Timothy 3:711 Jeremiah 17:5-6, Revelation 3:1112 John 17:17-26. We see the words of the Messiah in this

text as the outworking of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5):Ifhwhy is One (and He is), then His people should be one inand through His love. Said another way, those who are at

one with Him, will also be at one with each other. But due

to the lack of prayer, and due to the lack of fasting-derived

humility (all done in His Name), few are truly at one withthe Most High. Thus follows the disunity which is so


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of unity does notbring honor to hwhy and HisMessiah, and apart from repentance, it will furthercause those who are guilty of such denominationalidolatry to disinherit the Kingdom.

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So all those who place great importance onstudying the Word ofhwhy, and all those whowant to know and understand His ways more than

anything else on earth, all such believers must bewilling to face a critical question:

Will you obey hwhyby making thenecessary changes that willmarkedly

heightenyour current understanding ofthe ancient paths which He has revealed

to us in the Scriptures?

If the answer to this question is Yes, then thisarticle is for you. Since study of Scripture is sucha critical part of our spiritual walk,

14we must first

realize and internalize:No one can better understand theWord ofhwhythan those who have

dwelt in His Presence through prayer.

Those who, through prayer, continually accessthe Throne ofhwhy are also those who have thelight of His Presence. And in His Light, we willsee the light of His Wordfar betterthan if westudied the Scriptures for thousands of years apartfrom continual prayer and Spirit-led fasting:

For with You is the fountain of life;in Your light we see light.Psalm 36:9,ISRV

But even if accessing the Presence ofhwhydid nothold the promise of such a result (yet it does!),should we not still choose to seek Himwholeheartedly, continually abiding in Himthrough prayer, that we might number amongthose who are rewarded for having heard theWord of Elohim and kept it?

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t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

widespread today and which has largely prevailed

throughout the last 2000 years of New Covenant history.13 1Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-2114 (Study is an important aspect of True Worship; it is just

notthe most important.)15 Luke 11:28, James 1:22-25

The Messiah SpeaksOpposing the merchants and moneychangers

whose policy of overpricing was making it so verydifficult for the poor to righteously access worshipin the Set Apart Place eswhy drove them out:He condemned their practice ofprice-gouging asnothing more than underhanded robbery:

45 And entering into the Temple, He beganto cast out those that were selling and buying init; 46 saying to them: It is written, My House

will be a house of prayer, but you havemade it a den of robbers.

Luke 19:45-46

In stating prayer to be the main characteristic ofthe House ofhwhy, our Messiah was quoting partof a Scripture spoken by hwhythrough Yeshayahu(Isaiah), the prophet:

6 Also the foreigners that join themselves tohwhy, to minister to Him, and to love the Nameofhwhy, to be His servants, every one that keepsthe Shabbat from profaning it, and holds fast My

Covenant; 7 even them will I bring to My set apartmountain, and make them joyful inMy house of

prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrificeswill be accepted upon My altar; for My House

will be calleda house of prayerfor all peoples.Isaiah 56:6-7

In this text, hwhycalls His House a house ofprayer not once, but twice indicating the greatimportance of the statement. The lesson here forevery individual and every congregation is this:

If anything hinders the House ofhwhyfrombeing a house of prayer, then it is also

something which needs expunging!

If prayer is not the main characteristic of our livesand our worship, then something has been set upin the heart which has been exalted above theMost High.

16While the incident of His cleansing

the Temple is immensely significant, it is not the

only indication that prayer was, and remains, thething ofgreatestimportance in the mind of theMessiah.

Master, Teach Us What did the first followers of the Messiah ask

Him to teach them? Did they request of Him,Master, teach us to study? Or did they requestof Him, Master, teach us to read Hebrew? No,

16 Ezekiel 14:3-5,7, 20:16


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but they well could have, because the recordindicates they were uneducated men!

17Even so,

such an education was not their hearts intent. Sowhat was their greatest spiritual desire?Somehow, there was something about theirMessiah that impressed them far more thananything else. Something about their Messiah

told them they fell terribly short and that theyneeded His help in going forward. So what wasthe thing they were compelled to know?

And it came to pass, that as He was prayingin a certain place, when He ceased, one of Hisdisciples said to Him, Master, teach us to pray,

as Yochanan also taught his disciples.Luke 11:1

On so very many occasions, eswhybroke awayfrom the crowd, and even from his friends, topartake in those times of refreshing

18that only

come through solitary prayer in the Presence ofhwhy:

And in the morning, rising a greatwhile before day, He went out and departed

into a solitary place, and there prayed.Mark 1:35

And when He had sent the multitudesaway, He went up to a mountain by Himself

to pray: and when the evening hadcome, He was there alone.

Matthew 14:23

This explains why eswhy was anointed with theoil of joy above His companions.

19Because He

was continually drawing near to the Presence ofhwhy, the Messiah was continually filled with joyin the Spirit. And this is just what we wouldexpect since David wrote of the joy which mayonly be experienced in the Presence ofhwhy:

In Your Presence is fullness of joy!Psalm 16:4

This is why prayer is far from a dry, lifeless duty:

When one truly draws near and clings to the MostHigh,

20there is life, joy, love, and peace. Because

there is fullness of joy in His Presence, the Spiritproduces the fruit of joy

21in the lives of those

17 Acts 4:1318 Psalm 16:11, Acts 3:1919 Psalm 45:6-7, Hebrews 1:8-920 Deuteronomy 4:4, 10:20, 11:22, 13:4, 30:2021 Galatians 5:22 (among which joy is the second listed)

who continually draw near to the light- and love-filled Presence ofhwhy. This explains why thefruit of the Spirit is elsewhere called the fruit oflight!

22True joy is given by the Spirit to those

who abide in the Messiah,23

to those whocontinually draw near to the Presence ofhwhy andHis Throne of favor.

24And what did hwhy

Himself say would be the demeanorof all thosewho would receive blessings in His house ofprayer?

Even them will I bring to My set-apartmountain, and make themjoyful

in My house of prayer Isaiah 56:7

hwhy stated those who came to abide in His houseof prayer would be blessed withjoy. This is yetmore confirmation thatfullness of joy is onlyobtainable in His Presence. Likewise, the apostle

Yochanan (John) wrote ofabiding in theMessiah

25through continual prayer; and he also

wrote of the resulting joy!

3 That which we have seen and heard,we declare to you, that you also may have

fellowship with us: and trulyour fellowshipis with the Father, and with His Son, eswhy

the Messiah. 4 And we write these thingsto you, that yourjoy may be full.

1John 1:3-4

Anyone who begins to experience the authenticlove, joy, and peace which are found in HisPresence will never again see prayer as a heavyand mundane spiritual obligation. Abiding in thereality and joy of His light- and love-filledPresence, they will be released from the legalismof feeling duty-bound to pray.

His Presence is surely ourgreatest need,but blessed are those who learn that His

Presence is also our greatest joy!

There are so many spiritual blessings which our

Heavenly Father wishes to bring forth for us fromHis storehousesendless treasuries which arefilled with the riches of wisdom and knowledge!

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Times of refreshing come forth from His

22 Ephesians 5:14 (per the ASV, Darby, NASB, and

Rotherham versions)23 John 15:4-1124 Hebrews 4:1625 John 15: 4-1126 Psalm 16:11, Colossians 2:2-3, Matthew 13:52


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Presence,27

but apart from drawing near, we cannever be blessed with those gifts

28that reveal His

Son29

and magnify His Name.30

The TransfigurationThe Transfiguration is still another remarkable

indication regarding the importance of prayer.

1 And after six dayseswhy

took Kepha,Yaacob, and Yochanan, his brother, andbrought them up into a high mountain apart,

2 and was transfigured before them: andHis face did shine as the sun, and His

clothing was white as the light.Matthew 17:1-2

But this account does not give us the whole story!Luke indicates what the Messiah was doing whenthe Transfiguration occurred:

28 And it came to pass after these words,

about eight days, that taking Kepha, andYochanan, and Yaacob, He went up into amountain to pray. 29 And as He prayed, the

fashion of His countenance was alteredand His clothing was dazzling white.

Luke 8:28-29

The Ruach haQodesh indicating that, just as theMessiah

31was transfigured in the Presence of

hwhy, even so, His followers are transformed asthey draw near to the light- and love-filledPresence ofhwhy:

17 Now hwhyis the Spirit: and where theSpirit ofhwhyis, there is liberty. 18 And we all,with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror thesplendor of the Master, are transformed into the

same image, from splendor to splendor,even as from hwhythe Spirit.

2Corinthians 3:17-18

More than anything else, prayer and mediation inthe Presence ofhwhy transform us, spiritually, intoHis image. Being continually transformed in thismanner and possessing increasingly more of His

mindset we are then exceedingly more capableof knowing and understanding His written Wordin the Spirit. As a result, our times of Scripture

27 Acts 3:19-2028 James 1:17, 1Corinthians 12:4-12, Ephesians 4:7-1329 Galatians 1:15-16, 4:19, Colossians 1:27, Philemon 1:6,

Hebrews 13:2130 John 17:6, 26, Exodus 3:14-1531 And Mosheh! Exodus 34:28-35

study will be abundantly more fruitful, and wewill be mining the riches of true wisdom and trueknowledge, as opposed to accepting andformulating false doctrines and man-madeopinions.

A Prophet Mighty in Deed and WordAfter His resurrection, the Messiah was seen

by two believers on the road to Emmaus. As theyspoke to eswhy of the Savior, their account of theMessiahs life contained a very significant andgripping statement:

18 And one of them, named Cleopas, answeringsaid to Him, Do you alone sojourn in

Yerushalayim and not know the things whichhave come to pass there in these days?

19 And He said to them, What things?And they said to Him, The things concerningeswhythe Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty

in deed and word before Elohimand all the people

Luke 24:18-19

Note, once more, this commendation and alsonote the order!

The Messiah of Yisrael wasa prophet mighty indeed and wordbeforeElohim and allthe people.

It is important to note here two things:

1. Deed precedes word.2. Before Elohim precedes before the people.

Throughfasting and prayer, the Messiah showedHimself mighty in deed(s) before the Most High.Hence, at the time of temptation, He was alsomighty in word: His spoken word prevailed as Heuttered the truth of the Torah and opposed theschemes of the Devil. And upon coming forthfrom those forty days of being mighty beforeElohim,

32the Messiah returned in the power of

the Spirit.33

He was then mighty in deeds andwords before all the people:

34The Messiah was

soon seen doing many works of power, includinghealing the sick and afflicted.

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Might in words only comes in the Spirit after onehas been mighty in deeds. And such mightmust first be before Elohim; only afterwards

32 Luke 4:1-13, 24:19, 2Corinthians 10:3-433 Luke 4:1434 Luke 4:15-4135 Luke 5:1-10, 12-14, 16-26; 6:6-10, 17-19; 7:1-22


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may one be mighty in deeds and word before allthe people. This is why believers can studyScripture until they are blue in the face and stillnot have a powerful grasp of the Word:

36Might

in His Word, and powerful revelations in theSpirit, only come from time in grade in the schoolof humilitythe school which one may only

attend through times of fasting-derivedhumility. Fasting and prayer are those deedswhich much be done before Elohim

37where

there will never be any acknowledgement or anyrecognition from any man. And those who haveset their love on the Most High do not need, orseek, the approval or recognition of man.

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After He Had AscendedAfter His resurrection, the Messiah was seen

by His followers for forty days: During this time,He spoke to them many things concerning the

Kingdom of Elohim.

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Aftereswhy hadascended, we read this about the spiritual activityof that group of approximately 120 believers:

14 These all continued with one accord, in prayerand supplication, with the women, and Miriam,the mother ofeswhy, and with His brothers 15 (the number of the names together were

about a hundred and twenty)Acts 1:14,15 (partial segment)

So having walked with eswhy for some threeyears, and having been taught by the Messiah for

forty days after His resurrection, what was themain emphasis and the main spiritual workofthese believers aftertheir Savior had ascendedinto the heavens? How obvious that prayer wastheir mainstay! And why not? They still longedfor the Presence of their Messiah! And theywould have that Presence through prayer

40and

through walking by the Spirit. While still withthem, one of the greatest things the Messiah spokeof was taking up ones stake and daily followingHim.

41Prayer is a selfless activity which draws

absolutely no attention to self, provided one is

being led of the Spirit.42 So in placing the greatestemphasis on prayer, and in making it the main

36 As did Stephen! Acts 6:8-1037 Matthew 6:5-6, 17-1838 Romans 2:28-29, 1Corinthians 4:3-4, Galatians 1:10,

5:2439 Acts 1:340 1John 1:3-441 Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34, Matthew 16:2442 Matthew 6:5-6

spiritual work, we see how these disciplesunderstood the meaning ofdying daily

43in their

service to the Most High and His Messiah! Itclearly shows how the first century believersfulfilled their life mission to follow Him daily:

To walk as He walked,44

the firstbelievers in the Messiah made prayer

their main spiritual work!

And so, following His Example, they continued inprayer with one accord.

45And the immense

blessings that soon followed are a record ofspiritual history at its greatest!

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First of AllSo our Messiah taught the supremacy of

prayer: His Example gave prayer the place ofabsolute preeminence because His relationshipwith the Father was the most important part of His

life. Accessing the Presence of His Father, andspending time with Him, was more important toeswhy than anything else. And the Savior taughtthat prayer would be the one thing whichcharacterized the House ofhwhy. Should we,then, be surprised to see the emissary Shaultaught the very same thing? When writing toTimothy, Shaul spoke of the preeminence whichbelievers should give to prayerthe central hubof True Worship:

1 I exhort, therefore, thatfirst of all,supplications, prayers, intercessions, and

giving of thanks be made for all men: 2 Forkings, and for all that are in authority; that

we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in allreverence and honesty. 3 For this is good andacceptable in the sight of Elohim our Savior 8 I desire, therefore, that the men pray in everyplace, lifting up set apart hands, without wrath

and disputing. 1Timothy 2:1-3,8

Prayer was to be the ongoing order of the day;prayer was to be the preeminent, spiritual workfor every believer. Like hwhy and His Messiah,we notice that Shaul was giving the foremostpreeminence to prayer. But the emissarysinstruction still continues through many lines, andhis directives include other things:

43 1Corinthians 15:31, 2Corinthians 4:10-11, Philippians

2:5-8, 3:10, Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34, Matthew 16:2444 John 21:22, 1John 2:4-6, 4:1745 Acts 2:1446 Acts 2:1 Revelation 22:21


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The Role of Women, 1Timothy 2:9-15

The Qualifications of an Elder, 1Timothy 3:1-7

The Qualifications of a Deacon, 1Timothy 3:8-13

After these things, Shaul arrives at the conclusionof this discoursea teaching which began with

his words, First of all. Let us hear the summaryof his extensive instructions:

14 These things I write to you, expecting to cometo you shortly: 15 but if I tarry long, that you mayknow how you ought to behave yourself in theHouse ofhwhy, which is the Assembly of theLiving Elohim, the pillar and ground of the truth.

1Timothy 3:14-15

In this lengthy instruction, Shaul related toTimothy how the Assembly of the Living Elohimshould operate; he taught what things should be

done in the House ofhwhy. We read of Shaulinstructing Timothy (who was an elder), regardinghow to lead the people ofhwhy in the House ofElohim. But the emissarys discourse began withthese clear words:

I exhort, therefore, thatfirst of allsupplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks be made for all men 1Timothy 2:1

In keeping with the words of the Messiah, and inaccordance with the Word of

hwhythrough

Yeshayahu (Isaiah), Shaul was stating prayer tobe the thing offirst and foremost importance inthe House ofhwhy! And so he taught Timothy thevery first thing that should occur in a worshipservice is a time of extensive, all-inclusive,intercessory prayer for all men. Yet as we looktoday across the landscape of the Saviorsadherents, prayer is simply notthe thing thatcharacterizes the House ofhwhy. Visitors to mosthouses of worship might emerge and characterizetheir experience as having been in a house of

singing, or in a house of worship, or in a house ofBible study, but seldom would (or could) anyoneever characterize the time by saying he or she hadbeen in a house of prayer:

Few congregations engagein worship which ispermeated

andtypifiedby prayer

Yet the Scriptures indicate prayer is the one thingwhich will characterize the House ofhwhy. And

such times of prayer must not be mechanical androte: Prayer must be driven by hearts filled withworship, humility, reverence, and thanksgiving.We must continually look to hwhy, even duringour times of public worship. I have been a part ofmany worship settings in many areas of thecountry, and most services were very uplifting,

but there has never been a meeting which ispermeatedby prayer. Nor was there ever aservice which began with a time of extensive,earnest prayer according to the order of worshipset forth by the apostle Shaul in the firstcentury.

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May all of our readers determine to teach the truthof the Word on this matter, and to be examples totheir fellow believers, so that this presentlyimbalanced situation will no longer prevail amongthe people of the Most High.

The Warning From Hebrews:Do Not Harden Your Hearts

One of the most important concepts seen in thebook ofHebrews is that of drawing near to hwhy.The author of this book

48repeatedly mentions

drawing near to hwhyin prayer, as an essential,all-important aspect of the True Faith:

Continually drawing near to theThrone/Presence ofhwhy, through the

blood of the Messiah, is a concept seen,emphasized, and repeated throughout

the letter of Hebrews.

The writer ofHebrews tells us the Messiah sendsforth the heavenly messengers to minister to thosewho trust Him;

49and he tells us eswhy came to

destroy the works of the Devil;50

he tells us theMessiah gives help to assist those who aretempted, so that they may have His power toovercome.

51But this same writer also tells us the

Messiah cannot do these things unless the believeris abiding in Him through prayer:

Through prayer in the Name ofeswhy,

we must continually draw near to thePresence ofhwhyto have His help.

And this was nothing less than what the Messiahtaught about abiding in Him through prayer:

47 1Timothy 2:1-348 (originally written as a letter)49 Hebrews 1:13-1450 Hebrews 2:14-1551 Hebrews 2:17-18


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4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branchcannot bear fruit by itself, except it abides in thevine; so neither can you, except you abide in Me.

5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He thatabides in Me, and I in him, the same bears much

fruit: for apart from Me you can do nothing.6 If a man does not abide in Me, he is cast forth

as a branch, and is withered; and they gatherthem, and cast them into the fire, and they areburned. 7 If you abide in Me,

52and My words

abide in you,53

ask whatsoever you will,and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:4-7

When speaking through the prophets of old, hwhyrefers to prayer as entering into His rest.

54The

author ofHebrews did likewise; thus, the contextof his words shows that giving diligence to enterinto His restrequires continual prayer; it requires

us to continually draw near with a heart ofreverence and gratitude:

11 Let us thereforegive diligence to enter intothat rest, that no man fall after the same exampleof disobedience. 12 For the Word of Elohim isliving and active, and sharper than any two-edgedsword, and piercing even to the dividing of souland spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick todiscern the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13And there is no creature that is not manifest in Hissight: but all things are naked and laid open

before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.14 Having, then, a great High Priest, who haspassed through the heavens, eswhythe Son ofElohim, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For wedo not have a High Priest that cannot be touchedwith the feeling of our infirmities; but One thathas been in all points tempted like as we are, yetwithout sin. 16Let us therefore draw near withboldnessto the Throne of favor, that we mayreceive kindness, and may find favor to help intime of need. Hebrews 4:11-16

The above Scripture provides us with aninescapable conclusion:

A believer is not giving diligenceto enter His rest, unless that one is also

continually drawing near, through prayer,to the Throne/Presence ofhwhy.

52 (i.e., through continual prayer)53 (i.e., through continual meditation)54 Isaiah 28:12, 30:15, Jeremiah 6:16

This, then, also explains that prayerlessness is

largely what it means to neglect so great asalvation.

55The text of Hebrews 4:16 (cited just

above) mentions drawing near to the Throne ofhwhy in our time of need. So when is this time ofneed? When we are sick, hurt, or injured? When

we have financial needs? Only during times of

temptation? Is it when someone we know is introuble? No, our time of need isfar more than

even all of these things combined! Our time of

need is continual: Our time of need never ceases

as long as we are clothed in this tabernacle ofhuman flesh! A bit later inHebrews, we read ofeswhy and His times of prayer:

7 Who in the days of His flesh, when He hadoffered up prayers and supplications with strong

crying and tears to Him that was able to saveHim from death, and was heard in that He

feared; 8 though He was a Son, yet Helearned obedience by the things

which He suffered.Hebrews 5:7-8

The Messiah knew His time of need continuedaslong as He was in this present life, as long as Hedwelt in a tabernacle of human flesh. And thisScripture indicates eswhy overcame through Hisprayers offered before hwhy. But we read nothinghere about Bible study! The Messiah overcameby drawing near to the Most High: He overcame

by dwelling in the secret place of the MostHigh!

56In the days of His flesh, means:

throughout His lifetime! And this fits preciselywith the context of Hebrews 4:16:

16Let us therefore draw near withboldness to the Throne of favor, that we may

receive kindness, and may find favor tohelp us in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

The implication here is inescapable: Those whodo not draw nearwill also not receive the neededhelp to overcome sin and the world. This explainswhy those who fail to continually draw near to theThrone ofhwhy are also those who are notgivingdiligence to enter into His rest.

57In failing to

draw near, these people will notreceive kindnessand favor to help in their time of need. Those

55 Hebrews 2:356 Psalm 91:1, Matthew 6:4,6,1857 Isaiah 28:12, 30:15, Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 11:28-30


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who do not don the armor of light, by continuallydrawing near to the Presence ofhwhy in prayer,will not stand in the evil day.

58The context of

Psalm 95 shows us likewise:

Those who do not continually draw nearto hwhy are hardening their hearts, and so they

are neglecting so great a salvation.59

In this same letter to theHebrews, its Messianicauthor contrasted those who continually drawnear, in prayer, with those who harden their heartsby refusing to do so:

7 therefore, even as the Set Apart Spirit says,Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 harden notyour hearts, as in the provocation, as in the day ofthe trial in the wilderness, 9 where your fatherstried Me by proving Me, and saw My works fortyyears. 10 Therefore, I was displeased with this

generation, and said, They do always err in theirheart: and they have not known My ways; 11 as Iswore in My wrath, They shall not enter into Myrest. Hebrews 3:7-11

But this teaching is not at all detached from theoriginal contextof the Scripture being cited:

60the

context of Psalm 95 clearly relates to bowingdownbefore hwhy in prayer and worship:6 Come, let us worship andbow down; let uskneelbefore hwhyour Maker. 7 For He is ourElohim, and we are the people of His pasture,

and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you willhear His voice, 8harden not your heart, asat Meribah, as in the day of Massah in thewilderness; 9 when your fathers tempted Me,proved Me, and saw My work. 10 Forty yearslong was I grieved with that generation, andsaid, It is a people that do err in their heart, andthey have not known My ways. 11 Therefore,I swore in My wrath, that they would not enterinto My rest. Psalm 95:6-11

Continually bowing before hwhy answers thequestion ofworship and allegiance: Are weplacing Him above all else?

61Are we setting our

love upon Him, abiding in His Presence, anddesiring to hearHis voice?

62If this is the nature

of our praying, then we are fulfilling one of the

58 Ephesians 6:13, Psalm 32:659 Hebrews 2:360 (i.e., Psalm 95:6-11)61 Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Exodus 20:3 > Psalm 81:1062 Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (Genesis 26:4-5), Psalm 91:14

most important aspects of the Shemathecommand which the Messiah tells us is greaterthan every other commandment in the Torah!

63

Continually bowing before hwhy answers thequestion ofneed: Do we see our deep, spiritualneed and ourinability to do His will apart fromthe leading of the Spirit?

64

Continually bowing before hwhy answers thequestion ofgratitude: Are we grateful for thelife-breath He has given us?

65Are we grateful for

His many blessings, and are we grateful for thedifficulties which He allows us to face in Hissovereignty?

66

Continually bowing before hwhy answers thequestion ofservice: Are we offering petitionsbefore Him for others who do not know Him?Are we praying for those in need? Are we, as

intercessory priests, fulfilling His will by prayingfor all men?67 And are we fulfilling the role ofa priest by offering prayer for those fellowbelievers who want to do His will, for those whowant His Kingdom to entirely permeate theirlives?

68And are we praying for the loving

kindness ofhwhy to subdue the will69 of thosewho will yet be drawn to His Messiah?

70

A Royal PriesthoodLet us give more attention to this priestly,

intercessory aspect of prayer. Faith in eswhy hasgiven believers the opportunity to partake in theMessiahs royal priesthood.71 If we wish toultimately qualify for a priestly position in thecoming Kingdom,

72we must know (and live) the

answer to this question:

63 Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 22:35-38, Mark 12:28-3064 Matthew 5:3. Proverbs 18:23 says, The poor makes

entreaties. Those who do not make entreaties before hwhysimply have not learned, or acknowledged, their spiritual

poverty, and this is why so many congregations and so

many individuals are not given to, and do not yearn for,unbroken seasons of prayer.65 Daniel 5:2366 1Thessalonians 5:17-18, Psalm 69:30-31, 107:22, 116:17,

Jonah 2:9, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 2:7, 4:267 1Timothy 2:168 Ephesians 6:1869 Psalm 117:2 (the literal Hebrew here reads: His loving

kindness/chesed hasprevailedover us), Romans 2:470 John 12:3271 Revelation 1:5-672 Revelation 5:10, 20:4-6


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What are the implications and theresponsibilities of being part of

a royal priesthood?73

The priests were intercessors before hwhyregarding those things which pertain to men:

For every high priest taken from

among men is established for men inthings of Elohim, that he may offerboth gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Hebrews 5:1This was in reference to the hacoheyn hagadol,the Great Priest, yet through the prophet Malachi,the Spirit referred to all of His priests asmessengers ofhwhy of hosts:4 And you will know that I have sent thiscommandment to you, that My covenant may bewith Levi, says hwhyof hosts. 5 My covenant with

him was of life and peace, and I gave them to himthat he might fear; and he feared Me, and stood inawe before My Name. 6 The Torah of truth was inhis mouth, and unrighteousness was not found inhis lips: he walked with me in peace anduprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7For the priests lips should keep knowledge, andthey should seek the Torah from his mouth; for heis the messenger ofhwhyof hosts. Malachi 2:4-7

We note that true priests upheld the Torah,74

whilethose who had fallen away, declined from the Law

and failed to teach Yisrael to keep the Shabbatand to uphold the other commandments ofhwhy.75At times, such fallen priests even opposed thefaithful prophets who had not fallen away, orforsaken the Torah!

76The very same thing is now

occurring in our days.77

Our Messiah qualified for the priesthoodbecause, during His time on earth, He madeintercession for the transgressors:

4 Surely He has borne our sicknesses,and He carried our pain 12 yet He bore

73 1Peter 2:974 Leviticus 10:8-11, Deuteronomy 4:1,14, 5:31 - 6:9, Ezra

6:9-10, Matthew 5:17-20, Acts 24:14, Romans 3:3175 Jeremiah 2:8, Ezekiel 22:26, Malachi 1:6-8, 2:1-8,Zephaniah 3:476 Jeremiah 1:18, 26:8-15, Amos 7:10-1777 Shaul warned the time would come when the teachings

of the Torah would not be tolerated, being rejected by those

who desire to reap the various rewards of advocating carnal,anti-Torah precepts. 2Timothy 4:1-4

the sin of many, and made intercessionfor the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:4,12

While the 53rd

chapter of Isaiah is speaking of theMessiahs sufferings, death, and resurrection, Healso spent far more than the last few hours of Hislife interceding for those sheep in His care. We

will study more surrounding His times of prayerin a moment. Those who have made it their lifesmission to follow eswhy, to seek first theKingdom of Elohim and His righteousness, allsuch believers have been given the greatestprivilege and opportunity in this life time: thehonor of following our Messiah by interceding, inprayer, for the spiritual benefit of others.

True MinistryFar be it from me that I should sin

againsthwhyin ceasing to pray for you, but

I will instruct you in the good and right way. The Prophet Samuel

Intercession is a two-way process: When weoffer prayer to hwhy on behalf of others, He canthen use us in their lives to bring spiritualblessings and benefits. Prayer makes the believera vessel prepared,

78because it establishes the

heart to seekhwhy.79 Apart from a ministry-service built on a foundation of prayer, anyservice we provide to others is only an effort inour own strength, an effort in the flesh; and these

labors will not ultimately be blessed with thelasting results which are worthy of a rewardbefore the Judgment Seat of the Messiah.

80

Thanks be to hwhy, He has given us a number ofexamples of men who were priests, or whooperated in apriestly-servant fashion to make theancient paths of the Torah known to those whosought the Most High.

Mosheh The prophet Mosheh prayed/interceded for

Yisrael many times. In what may be one of hismost memorable instances, this man of Elohimeven expressed his willingness to be blotted out of

78 2Timothy 2:2179 2Chronicles 30:18-19. When Hezekiah prayed for those

whopreparedtheir hearts to seekhwhy, we must realize theword prepare, first means establish in the Hebrew

language.80 2Corinthians 5:10


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the Book of Life (thus, willingly surrendering hisright to the First Resurrection

81):

And now, if You would forgive their sin,

but if not, please blot me out of Your

book which You have written.

Exodus 32:32

In Deuteronomy 9:7-29, Mosheh gives anextended account of some of his most criticaltimes of intercession for the people of Yisrael.

Samuel Samuel the priest prayed for the people of

Yisrael on many occasions, and he has left us aremarkable example. In one case, his ministry ofintercession fulfilled a prophecy made by hismother, Channah. In her exultation over Samuelsbirth, this prophetess indicated hwhy wouldthunder from the heavens upon his enemies:

The adversaries ofhwhyshall be brokento pieces; out of heaven He will thunder upon

them: hwhywill judge the ends of the earth;

and He will give strength to his king,

and exalt the horn of His anointed.

1Samuel 2:1082

Years later, after her son had become a priest overYisrael, this Scripture was remarkably fulfilled bySamuels intercession for the people:

7 And when the Philistines heard that the children

of Yisrael were gathered together to Mizpah, theprinces of the Philistines went up against Yisrael.

And when the children of Yisrael heard it, they

81 For the sake of his fellow Yisraelites, Shaul would have

willed the same for himself, if it would bring salvation toothers. Romans 9:3 These two men are further proof of the

truth of Reconciliation: Are we to suppose that either

Mosheh or Shaul were willing to relegate themselves to an

eternal torment in the Lake of Fire? Hardly; especially since

no such thing exists! And for those who believe in

annihilation, are we to suppose that either Mosheh or

Shaul were willing to relegate themselves to being eternallydecimated, forever turned to ashes to never again knowexistence? By no means; however, these men were willing

to surrender the Great Reward of bodily salvation in the

First Resurrection!82 This text will have one of its greatest fulfillments whenhwhy thunders out of heaven upon the inhabitants of theEarth in these Last Days. Revelation 4:5-5:14, 8:5-13, 10:1-

7, 11:18-19. In great, burning wrath, He will judge the ends

of the earth and punish those who walk in anti-Torah

lawlessness. Psalm 119:126, Isaiah 24:1-6, 2Peter 3:10-12,Revelation 16:8

were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the children

of Yisrael said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to

hwhyour Elohim for us, that He will save us out of

the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a

sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt

offering unto hwhy: and Samuel cried to hwhyfor

Yisrael; andhwhyanswered him. 10 And as

Samuel was offering up the burntoffering, thePhilistines drew near to battle against Yisrael; but

hwhythunderedwith a great thunder on that day

upon the Philistines, and troubled them; and theywere smitten down before Yisrael. 1Samuel 7:7-10

On a later occasion, the people of Yisraelrealized their sin in asking for a king, and theyrequested Samuels intercession. In part of hisanswer, he shows the priestly order of trueministry:

Far be it from me that I should sinagainsthwhyin ceasing to pray for you, butI will instruct you in the good and right way.

1Samuel 12:24

It is important to see that Samuels prayers forYisrael were in advance of His teaching them:prayer had the preeminence over Bible study.Both were very important, but prayer mustprecede and accompany the teaching. Prayer wasthe first priority.

eswhy the Messiah We believe the Messiah individually prayed

for many of those He healed. While we have nodirect scriptural proof of this, eswhy did say (in acontext of healing the sick) that He only did whatHe saw His Father doing!

83We believe the

Messiah certainly saw the Father doing greatworks in the Spirit during those times He drewnear to hwhy in prayer. So it is not unreasonableto expect the Messiah saw the Father healing theafflicted as eswhy offered supplications on theirbehalf.

We also know eswhyprayed for His immediatefollowers,84 and watched over His flock (inprayer) by night.

85The Good Shepherd laid down

His life for the sheep,86

and a significant part ofthat involved offering continual prayers for their

83 John 5:5-1984 Luke 22:31-32, John 17:9-2685 Genesis 31:38-40, Luke 2:8 >> Matthew 14:23-33, Luke

6:12-13, John 17:9-2686 John 10:11,14-15, 27-30


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spiritual nourishment and protection. eswhywould later speak of this prayer-service (thehidden aspect of His ministry that made Himmighty before Elohim

87) which He rendered by

continually watching in prayeron behalf of Hisdisciples:

While I was with them,I kept them in

Your Name which You have given Me: andI guarded them, and not one of them perished,

except the son of perdition; that the

Scripture might be fulfilled.

John 17:12

eswhy guarded His sheep by continually watchingover them in prayer, and those prayers kept Hissheep in the Name/Spirit/power ofhwhy. Thosewho aspire to be true shepherds of the flock mustknow that prayer andprayer alone will be thething which protects the sheep from the spiritualenemies of their souls. Of this watching in prayer,Shaul wrote:

Obey your leaders, and be submissive; for they

watch over your souls as those that shall give

account; that they may do this with joy, and not

grief, for this is unprofitable for you.

Hebrews 13:17

Finally, in those last moments before His death onthe Tree, the loving heart of the Messiahcontinued to pour out prayer and compassion for

those who mocked and abused Him.88

First Century Apostles Gave Priority to Prayer

It has always bothered me since the day thosewords were first spoken: One elder of a certaincongregation actually accused the apostles ofbeing pompous! Here is the written account(given by Luke) which led to this mans off-basededuction:

1 Now in these days, when the number of the

disciples was multiplying, there arose a

murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews,

because their widows were neglected in the daily

ministration. 2 And the twelve called the multitude

of the disciples to them, and said, It is not fitting

that we should forsake the word of Elohim and

serve tables. 3 But seek out for yourselves,

87 Luke 24:19, 2Corinthians 10:3-488 Matthew 5:44, Mark 11:25, Luke 23:34

brothers, seven men from among you of good

report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we

may appoint over this business. 4 But we will

continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry

of the Word. Acts 6:1-4

We cannot overlook the order set forth in this lastsentence: Prayerpreceded the ministry of theWord. Both are important, but prayer mustcontinually precede (and then accompany) anyeffective ministry effort. And we cannot help butcompare these words of the apostles with thosegreat words of the prophet Samuel:

Far be it from me that I should sinagainsthwhyin ceasing to pray for you, but

I will instruct you in the good and right way.1Samuel 12:24

The words of Samuel are not identical to the

words of the apostles, but all these men of faithare clearly in unity over one thing: placing prayerabove and before the ministry of the Word.

So we assert the apostles of the Lamb were notbeing pompous in any way. They did not ignorethe need to care for hungry, dependent widows!

89

They set forth other faithful men to fulfill thesephysical necessities. And in actuality, the apostleswere being rather wise in avoiding the arena offood and eating altogether! The Word ofhwhyindicates they would surely be fasting often

after the Messiah had ascended into the heavens.

90

Frequent fasting was another hidden aspect of theprayer-service which these humble men renderedto the believers in the first century. In steppingaway from anything related to food-service, thesemen were, of spiritual necessity, avoiding thedistraction of food to remain set apart for thepriestly service of prayer and teaching. And whywould they do anything except give preeminenceto prayer, since that is what they had seen theirMessiah doing while He was walking amongthem?

The Emissary Shaul Imagine having continual, heartfelt prayer for

people you have never even met! Most believersdo well to offer earnest prayer for the significantothers in their lives, but what about those whomay seem less significant? Are we rememberingthem with earnest petitions to hwhy for their

89 James 1:2790 Matthew 9:14-15, 2Corinthians 6:5, 11:27


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spiritual well-being? The following is what theemissary wrote about his prayers for thosebelievers in Colossae and Laodicea, includingthose he had never personally met:

1 For I would that you know what great

conflict I have for you, and for those at Laodicea,

and for as many as have not seen my face in

the flesh; 2 that their hearts may be comforted,

being knit together in love, and to all riches of

the full assurance of understanding, to the

acknowledgement of the secret of Elohim,

and of the Father, and of the Messiah.

Colossians 2:1-2

We note that Shauls word for prayer in this textis conflict: This apostle was actually warring inprayer for the spiritual well-being of theindividuals in these congregations. Once more,

this connects us with his words to the Corinthians:3 For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war according to the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not

carnal, but mighty through Elohim to the

casting down of strongholds)

2Corinthians 10:3-4

And it is further evidence that we may only put onthe armor of light by praying in the Spirit. But wemust not miss the point: Here was a man whoknew that his prayers were the ultimate, most

powerful way (really, the only way!) to ministerspiritual benefit to people in distant lands, some ofwhom he had never even met! We see only loveand service in the priestly heart of one who wouldintercede for people he had never met. Of course,the apostles subsequent letter(s) brought theanointing of the Spirit to those for whom heprayed. Yet, once more, we seeprayeras havingthe preeminence over teaching and study of theScriptures: and such prayer-service was renderedin advance of the emissarys teachings!

In many other places, Shaul wrote words ofencouragement which convey to us that prayerwas not only the mainstay all his other ministrywork, but prayer was, far and away, in theforefrontof his work as a true shepherd ofhwhy:15 Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in

the Sovereign eswhy, and love to all the set-apart

ones, 16 cease not to give thanks for you, making

mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the Elohim

of our Sovereign eswhythe Messiah, the Father

of splendor, may give to you the spirit of wisdom

and revelation in the knowledge of Him:18 the

eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling,

and what the riches of the splendor of His

inheritance in the set-apart ones, 19 and what is

the exceeding greatness of His power toward uswho believe Ephesians 1:15-19

2 We always give thanks to Elohim for you all,

making mention of you in our prayers;

3 remembering without ceasing your work of

faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in

our Sovereign eswhythe Messiah, in the sight of

Elohim and our Father 1Thessalonians 1:2-3

11 Therefore, we also pray always for you, that

our Elohim would count you worthy of this

calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure ofgoodness, and the work of faith with power:

12 that the Name of our Sovereign eswhythe

Messiah may be honored in you, and you in Him,

according to the favor of our Elohim, and of the

Sovereign eswhythe Messiah. 2Thessalonians

1:11-12

But we are bound to give thanks always to

Elohim for you, brothers, beloved by the

Sovereign, because Elohim has, from the

beginning, chosen you to salvation, through

being set apart of the Spirit, and belief

of the truth 2Thessalonians 2:13

I thank my Elohim, always making

mention of you in my prayers

Philemon 1:4

And when the Galatians had spiritual problems,Shaul wrote that his earnest prayers for themwere tantamount to a woman travailing in labor:

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth

again until the Messiah is formed in you Galatians 4:19

Prayer for others is completely selfless: We areunnoticed by all others,

91including those we so

serve. Bearing the burden of others in prayer willprepare our hearts and will often lead to the powerand working of the Spirit which enables us to

91 (except hwhy, Matthew 6:6)


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serve them in other waysways which are,oftentimes, more tangible.

Consider the Messiah: Did He privately fast,pray, and weep tears for the woman who was bentover in bondage for eighteen years?

92We believe

He did. It seems nearly impossible He wasunaware of her situation, and knowing His nature

and character, we believe He felt and shared in herpain

93as part of bearing her burden.

94Such is the

hidden ministry of one who is mighty in deed andword in the Presence of Elohim before beingmighty in deed and word in the sight of all thepeople!

95Like his Messiah, the emissary Shaul

had a ministry-service which emanated from themost important thing in his life: Spending time inprayer-fellowship with Elohim, his Father,through eswhy, the Son of the Most High.96

Even His Prayer is an Abomination!

Another text, this one from the Proverbs,shows us that prayer is theforemostaspect ofTrue Worship in the mind ofhwhy, the Father:

He who turns away Hisear from hearing the Torah,

even His prayer is an abomination.Proverbs 28:9

Although we know there is nothing which can bedone to please Elohim if one is walking in sin, thistext shows us that even prayer the thing ofgreatest value to

hwhy will become an

abomination when offered by the lawless anddisobedient. If there were possibly one thing thatmight be done to please hwhy when walking indisobedience, it would be prayer; but if one iswalking in sin and rebellion, even that mostvaluable aspect of True Worship is anabomination: When a person has turned away hisear from hearing the Torah,

97even his prayeris an

abomination to hwhy.hwhy values prayer the most highly because Hetreasures His relationship with His people more

highly than anything else. Prayer should composeour most intimate times with our Creator andRedeemer.

92 Luke 13:1693 Romans 12:1594 Isaiah 53:4,11-12 > Matthew 8:16-17, 9:3695 Luke 24:1996 1John 1:3-497 In complete disregard for the Shema, we might add!

In Your Light, We Will See Light!Why Does Unity Escape the Believing World?

While we have already answered this question,it seems beneficial to emphasize the concept asecond time. Unity escapes the believing worldsimply because so many believers major in Biblestudy and minor in prayer. Knowledge of the

Creator has been idolized as something whichgives its would-be possessors power to dominateothers.

98Thus, the many that have this mindset

toward knowledge are not drawing near to hwhywith their hearts, but with their lips. And settingup such an idol in their hearts, He will not beenquired of by them!

99They will not seek and

find Him because it is impossible for them to bewholehearted.

100And, of course, they will

continue to remain bogged down in doctrinalerrors of many sorts.

101The situation is presently

so deplorable that many Christian denominations

even condemn fellow believers in the Messiah102to what they feel will be the eternal fires of hell.Until those who dwell in such darkness repent andheed the words of the Messiah, earnestly prayingfor the Spirit to bring honor to the Name ofhwhy,the Father,

103they will fail to partake in unity; and

they will fail to overcome/reign in this life104

so asto enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with greatreward.

You Shall Raise Up theFoundation of Many Generations:

Why Revival Escapes the Believing WorldSome fourteen years ago, the writer attended a

revival meeting conducted by a seventh daydenomination. The sincere believer who wasspeaking that afternoon gave his best effort toadvance the need for revival, but I could onlywalk away saddened and, figuratively speaking,shaking my head in absolute amazement andincredulity:

98

Notice we say would-be possessors, for those who thinkto use the knowledge of Elohim for their own designs(including their own monetary profits) are not ultimately

blessed to know and possess the full, complete truth of His

Word.99 Ezekiel 14:1-8, 20:30-31100 Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:24101 Isaiah 1:4102 (i.e., people who are usually members ofother

denominations)103 Matthew 6:9104 Romans 5:17


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While this dear man had carried on forsome time, he still failed to lead the sheep

into the most indispensable contributor towardsigniting True Revival: Fasting and prayer.

How can anyone expect revival apart from fastingand prayer? Simply put: Apart from prayer andfasting in the Name ofhwhy and His Messiah,there will not be an authentic and world-changingrevival. The physical hunger and thirst oneexhibits while abiding under the affliction offasting and prayer is an act of faith which conveysto the Most High an even deeper hunger andthirst: the hunger and thirst for righteousness.One can claim to hunger and thirst forrighteousness, but faith without works is dead:

105

Fasting isfaith in action for thosewho hunger and thirst for His Kingdom

and His righteousness; it is faith in action for

those who know the current spiritual status quois so pitifully far from what the Messiah

came to give His peopleand the world.

On still another occasion, I sat in the congregationof a Messianic rabbi who was speaking aboutseeking for wisdom from hwhy. To be sure, hemade some salient points from Scripture, but oncemore, a leader of the people failed to prescribe thething which is shown forth in Scripture as beingthepreeminent spiritual workwhen one is seeking

the Face of the Almighty for wisdom andguidance:

Proclaiming a fast and seekinghwhyover a set time with

prayer with fasting.

To seek and find hwhy, we must be wholehearted.And it is fasting with prayer that humbles andprepares the heart

106to be wholly offered to hwhy.

There is no better way to obtain the wisdom andguidance ofhwhy.107 hwhy comes to a peopleprepared,

108and prayer with fasting is the means

by which we break up the fallow ground of theheart, so that we might seekhwhy until He comesto rain righteousness upon us:

105 James 2:17-20106 Psalm 10:17, 35:13107 Ezra 8:21-23, Daniel 9:3-23108 Luke 1:17

Sow to yourselves in righteousness,reap according to kindness; break up your

fallow ground. For it is time to seekhwhy,till He comes and rains righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12

Lacking hearts which are prepared, multitudestoday still reject the weightier aspects of the

Torah; yet these preeminent edicts were taughtand requiredby the Messiah of Yisrael.

109

Prayerlessness is SinOne famous author penned an encouraging

book on prayer, and he wrote a simple, powerfulphrase within its pages: Prayerlessness is sin.Still, being of the antinomian persuasion,

110that

writer was never able to completely andeffectively communicate the facts which showedwhy his view was so true. Why is prayerlessnessa sin? Prayerlessness is a sin because it is a

violation of the First Commandment:

I am hwhyyour Elohim, Who broughtyou up out of the land of Egypt, out of the

house of bondage: You shall have noother elohim before Me.

Exodus 20:2-3

Those who fail to pray are also failing to lovinglyuphold the First Commandment (seen just above).They fail to see prayer is far more than a dailyobligation to suffer through so it can merely bemarked off the daily checklist of spiritualduties. They fail to make hwhy their all in all byopening wide their mouths so He can fill themwith all the fullness of Elohim. And in failing topray in a way that makes hwhy their all in all, theyhave also failed to place Him above all else: Theyhave put other deities/idols before Him. Thus, inone form or another, prayerlessness is idolatry.

But for the sake of all those who desire to makespiritual progress in their earthly sojourn, let usapproach it from a completely positive vantagepoint:

109 Matthew 5:17-20110 The false belief that the Messiah abolished the Torah

and its immutable precepts. We know the antinomianviewpoint is not true, because hwhy commanded His Wordto 1000 generations (at least 40,000 years) and because

eswhy stated those who keep and teach the Torah will becalled great in the Kingdom of Heaven (on Earth,

Matthew 5:5). Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 105:8, Matthew5:17-20


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If our hearts are right, bowing in prayerbefore hwhyis the ultimatefulfillment

of the First Commandment!

Those who continually bow before hwhy inreverent prayer are putting hwhy above all otherthings in their lives.

The Presence ofhwhy is ourultimateneeda need most greatly fulfilled by ourtimes before Him in personal prayer.

Yet hwhy also teaches us through the psalms justhow it is that we fulfill the First Commandmentthrough our petitions before Him; He expects usto come before Him, looking to Him, alone, tomeet our every need:

I am hwhyyour Elohim, Who brought youup out of the land of Egypt: Open your

mouth wide, and I will fill it.111

Psalm 81:10

Readers may already see how this part ofPsalm81 is a simple, but most striking rewording byhwhy of the First Commandment:

I am hwhyyour Elohim, Who broughtyou up out of the land of Egypt, out of the

house of bondage: You shall have noother elohim before Me.

Exodus 20:2-3

So the text of Psalm 81:10 shows us how we

fulfill the First Commandment: By letting hwhybe our All in all; by letting Him fill our everyneed, of whichHe is first and foremost! Yet thosewho do not access His Presence in prayer are alsofailing to open wide their mouths before Him; intheir case, the very next verse (Psalm 81:11) isfulfilled:

But My people did not listen to My voice,and Yisrael would not submit to Me.

Psalm 81:11,ISRV

One of the most important things when drawing

near in prayer is hearing His voice, obtaining theleading of His Sprit, as He chooses to give it. Theprophet Habakkuk said it like this:

I will stand upon my watch, and set me uponthe tower, and will watch to see what He

111 The picture here appears to be that of baby birds in their

nest, opening their mouths wide as the mother returns withfood.

will say to me, and what I willanswer when I am reproved.

Habakkuk 2:1

And our Messiah said it like this:

My sheep hear My voice,

and I know them, and they follow Me

John 10:27And as we have seen from the Book of Hebrews(and Psalm 95), those who do not bow downbefore hwhy, drawing near to Him with theirhearts, are actually hardening their hearts to Hislove, His ways, and His Spirit. E.M. Bounds wascertainly right in saying prayerlessness is sin, butwe must know why:

Without question, there is pride and self-sufficiency displayed by the lack of prayer;

but it ispride because those who walk thusly

are failing to make hwhy their Elohim;they are failing to look to Him and

to make Him their All in all.

They are failing to acknowledge His love andPresence as their greatest need. Somehow, someway, they are putting another deity before Him.

From the Study on Azazeland Yom Kippur

It is necessary for us to now include a citationfrom the study on Azazel.

112The following

discussion appeared in that manuscript in thesummer of 2008: 113

And we cannot say enough about continuallyaccessing the very Presence ofhwhy. Manybelievers like to talkabout the Scriptures, but intheir giving such overriding priority to Biblestudy, most congregations (and individuals) haveomitted something of far greater importance:

Seeking the Face ofhwhyand abidingin His Presence through prayer.

At various gatherings and worship meetings, thereare Bible studies galore, while prayer is mostoften relegated to a one-hour slot, maybe once aweek. Yet if one was to mention prayer meetingsand corporate fasting to these souls, then he or shemay well be regarded as a fanatical anomaly. The

112 The full title of this study is, The Numerical

Progression of Azazel Through Tehillim.113 For this article, some very slightchanges have beenmade according to the leading of the Spirit.


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problem here is that believers can study theScriptures and talk about their findings untilthey are blue in the face, but without the Presenceofhwhy, they will neversee orcomprehendthetruth of the Word at the level which they desire, orat the level which will result in them overcomingto inherit the Great Reward of life in the

Messianic Age. For it is only in the light of HisPresence that we are able to clearly see and obeythe light of His Word:

For with You is the fountain of life:in Your light we shall see light.

Psalm 36:9

Bible study, alone, will not lead to the refining ofones character and to the all-important goal ofsanctification:

114Such purity of heart and purpose

will only come about through abiding (in prayer)in the Presence ofhwhy. Further, it is only in thePresence ofhwhy that we can don the armor oflight, and so walk in victory. For those who majorin Bible study, but who minor in prayer,

115we

believe eswhy would say to them:Be watchful,

116and strengthen

the things which remain, that are readyto die: for I have not found your works

perfected before Elohim.Revelation 3:2

hwhy commanded Abraham, Walk before Myface, and be perfect.

117We walk before

hwhy,

only by continually abiding in His Presencethrough prayer. Shaul wrote, The weapons ofour warfare are mighty before Elohim, to thecasting down of strongholds.

118We must note

this faithful emissary did notwrite:

The weapons of our warfare are mightythrough Bible study.

However, he did write that these spiritual weaponswere (and are) mighty before Elohim, meaning:

These weapons are only wielded

by the believer, and made mighty in HisPresence through prayer!

114 Philippians 3:7-14, Hebrews 12:14-15, 2Peter 1:3-11115 Or worse still, who count prayer as an elective.116 This directive clearly relates to the words ofeswhy towatch and pray that we not enter into temptation: Matthew

26:41, Mark 13:33, 14:38, Luke 21:36.117 Genesis 17:1118 2Corinthians 10:4-5

Mighty before Elohim connotes being in thepowerful Presence ofhwhy!119 And it is only inthe Presence ofhwhy that we may don the armorof light,

120for it is only when we draw near to

Him that He draws near to us.121

When thisoccurs, the light surrounding Him

122will also

engulf those who have drawn near to Him in

prayer. This is why the whole armor of Elohimis also called the armor of light.

Let us be abundantly clear: we are not againstBible study. In no way do we object to Biblestudy! But we do oppose its wrongful place intodays modern worship. While study is an all-important aspect of True Worship,

123it must not

be allowed to relegate prayer to second place.Believers will not overcome and enter into theKingdom with victory until they obtain a heart forprayer, until hwhy pours out upon them a spirit of

favor and supplications.

124

We read thatRehoboam did evil because he prepared not hisheart to seekhwhy:

And he did evil because he preparednot his heart to seekhwhy.

2Chronicles 12:14

Because fasting and prayer break up the fallowground of ones heart,

125it is only by fasting and

prayer that our hearts may be prepared to seek andto find hwhy.126 And it is only those whose heartsare prepared to seek and to find hwhy who are alsoprepared to obey His Word. Those who knowtheirspiritual needwill truly hunger for thePresence ofhwhy, the Presence which can only beknown in prayer.

127An authentic, spiritual

119 2Corinthians 3:18120 Romans 13:12, 2Corinthians 6:7, Ephesians 6:10-18121 James 4:6-8122 Psalm 104:1-2123 Acts 17:11, 2Timothy 2:15. Even study, though, falls in

line behind the all-important aspect of True Worship known

asmeditation, as in continual meditation on the Torah.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Psalm 1:1-3, John 15:5,7, Romans12:1-2, 1John 2:24 Our study of Scripture should be sodirected as to feed and enlarge our times of meditation

throughout the day and night.124 Zechariah 12:10125 Hosea 10:12126 Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 6:7127 The general Christian view of prayer is often quite

twisted: Many believers pray simply because they want to

follow their pastor, or leader, who teaches them the need to

have what is commonly called a prayer life. This, then,leads many people to pray simply so they can talk about it,


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hunger and thirstwill be manifested (and will alsogrow) as we endure thephysical hunger and thirstwhich accompany fasting and prayer.

128The true

proverb confirms this to be the case when it says:

He that is poor speakswith supplications.

129

Other versions render this text,The poor uses entreaties

And this shows us the humble approach on thepart of those who makepetitions before hwhybecause they are truly poor in spirit.

Those who are spiritually poor will speakwith supplications: they will continually

entreat hwhy for His favor.130These are the people who know true strength isfound only in hwhy. This is why those who balkat the importance of prayer have still not realized,or at least fully internalized, their spiritual povertyapart from the Presence ofhwhy. Those lessinclinedto make entreaties/petitions before hwhyare more commensurately distant from their actualspiritual poverty/need forhwhy. And the MostHigh will not speak favorably over the lives ofthose who failed to overcome because theirseeking of Him only amounted to gleaningunprofitable head-knowledge from the Scriptures.If weekly attendance at worship services is merelya social engagement with no life-changing power,then those who approach it thusly will notovercome:

28 They are all grievous revolters, walking withslanders: they are brass and iron; they are all

corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the leadis consumed by the fire; the founder melts invain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

so they can fit into the norm, and so they can sound

spiritual, or at least be socially acceptable in their religious

realm. Prayer then becomes something used to get thespiritual approval of others and, as such, it often becomesa dry, lifeless event which many people endure just so they

can mark it off on their daily spiritual checklist and get on

with whatever it is they really want to do that day. When,

through prayer, the Presence ofhwhy becomes our life andour joy (Psalm 16:11), then a true, spiritual, and lifelong

sojourn has begun in earnest.128 Psalm 42:1-2, 63:1-2, 84:1-2, Matthew 5:6, Revelation

7:16129 Proverbs 18:23130 Isaiah 57:15, 66:1-2

30 Reprobate silver shall men call them,because hwhyhas rejected them.

Jeremiah 6:28-30131

Those who do not continually seekhwhy, in wholehearted prayer, will be rejected.

132

In seeking hwhy daily for our deep, spiritualneeds, His Presence will soon become our joy andour life.

133Prayer will no longer be a dry, lifeless

duty, or a spiritual task on the daily checklistthat we feel must simply be endured and sufferedthrough so we can then move on to somethingbetter. By accessing the very light of HisPresence, those who seekhwhy in prayer will soondiscover their study of Scripture is exceedinglymore blessedandfar more enlightenedthan theyever imagined possible: They will find theirunderstanding of His Word begins to grow farbeyond anything they ever asked or thought.

134

What hwhy said to Yirmeyah/Jeremiah, He alsosays to us:Call to Me and I will answer you,

and will show you great and hiddenthings which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

This promise is conditional: it requires those whodesire to know the will ofhwhy to ask, to seek,and to knock!

135We must askfor the ancient

paths!136

We must call upon the Name ofhwhy inprayer. Those who do not ask will not obtain;

137

and those who ask with wrong motives will not begiven the truth, but a delusional, lawless, anti-Torah understanding.

138On a positive note, many

times our answers to prayer are granted in theSpirit by the impartation of a richer, fuller, andbetter understanding of His Word. So we stateonce more: Apart from reverent prayer and trulyseeking hwhy, Bible study, alone, will not providethe follower ofeswhy with lasting results theresults which will eventuate in the Great Reward

131 Revelation 3:16-17132 1Chronicles 28:9, 2Chronicles 15:1-2133 Psalm 16:11, Job 33:26134 Ephesians 3:20135 Matthew 7:7-8. Note that ask, seek, and knock,

are spoken of by eswhyin a context of fasting (Matthew5:4-6, 6:16-18) and prayer (Matthew 5:43-46, 6:5-15).136 Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 5:17-20 > 7:7-8137 James 4:2138 Ezekiel 14:1-5, Isaiah 66:3-4, 2Thessalonians 2:10-12


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of the First Resurrection and life in the MessianicAge.

[End of discussion from Azazel]

* * * * * * *The above discussion is the one to which a certainbeliever wrote a very sincere and loving, albeitinvalid objection. Recall from our openingdiscussion that this person had charged us withputting down Bible study. Giving the exact quote,once more, this dear one claimed that we hadeffectively put down Bible Study in favor offasting and prayer: A portion of our reply

139

that segment which addressed this misplacedobjection now follows:

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Absolutely nothing in the study puts down Biblestudy in favor of fasting and prayer. The simplefact is that we cannot majorin study and minorin

prayer as those multitudes who are 'everlearning but never able to come to the knowledgeof the truth.

140

Far be it from me that I should sinagainsthwhyin ceasing to pray for you,

but I will instruct you in thegood and right way.

1Samuel 12:24

These were the words of Samuel and this showsus the rightful,priestly orderwhich Shaul also

emulated in his true ministry work. Many of hisletters open with the clear fact that he had been inearnest prayer for those to whom he was writing.This is why his teachings were so powerful andenduring. But the point is: Shauls Scriptureteachings were subsequent to his prayers forothers. And the other apostles said/did likewise:

... but we will give ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the Word.

141

Do you disagree with the order clearly inspired byhwhy Himself? (Also from Matthew 9:14-15, wecan be sure fasting was part of the apostlesministry work and that this was part of theirpraying; this fasting was certainly not continual,we can be sure it was often.)

139 This response has been minimally modified with

footnotes to indicate the source (chapter/verse) of each

Scripture reference. And there are other very slight editing

changes.140 2Timothy 3:6-7141 Acts 6:4

[End of This Portion of the Response]

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Returning to the present study, we say it yet oncemore: When prayer and fasting are in their properplace (meaning: when prayer has the preeminencein our hearts, minds, and actions because hwhy

has the preeminence), then our understanding ofScripture will be propelled forward in leaps andbounds; our times of Scripture study will beexceedingly more fruitful. And as a result, wewill eventually knowfar more than we wouldhave ever known otherwise.

142Now does this

statement sound like someone putting downBible study? Absolutely not. Study of Scriptureis extremely important, it is just not as importantas abiding in the Presence ofhwhy through prayer.So we ask that readers who have come to hastyconclusions over this matter will, henceforth,

reconsider that we have said nothing amiss inregard to the study of Scripture and itsimportance.

Our Only Source of RestWe wrote earlier of those who pray because

they know true strength is found only in hwhy.But these believers also know that true peace andtrue rest are only found by continually resorting tohwhy in prayer:

My being finds rest in Elohim alone Psalm 62:1,ISRV

Part of what the Spirit must reveal (to help ourweakness in prayer) is that drawing near to hwhygives us such immense rest and peace of mind!

143

And these great blessings are not to be foundanywhere other than in His Presence! Such greatspiritual treasures are only found by drawing nearand rolling our burdens upon Him as we trust inHis eternal sovereignty. Prayer is that sanctuaryin time and space where He intends for us to bestill and know that [He is] Elohim.

144One of the

greatest teachings on this matter, and which may

be applied especially to prayer, was given by hwhythrough Isaiah:

For thus says the Sovereign hwhy,

the Qadosh One of Yisrael, In returning

and rest you shall be saved; in quietness

142 Hebrews 4:16 > 2Peter 3:18143 Isaiah 26:3, 28:12, 30:15, Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew

11:28-30, Colossians 3:1-3144 Psalm 46:10


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and in confidence shall be your strength

Isaiah 30:15

The Poor Man Makes EntreatiesIt has always been noteworthy to meet people

who are financially poor and who also have somemeasure of commensurate humility in theirapproach toward others. I remember an instancewhen working at a gas station/food mart whilestill in college: One day, while out in the lot toattend to the duties required for switching shifts, Icrossed paths with a man wearing a blue collar,uniform shirt, and although this was many yearsago, his immediate deference and humilitytowards me will never be forgotten. This manssincere response went something like Excuseme, or Pardon me. His obvious concern wasjust the opposite of those people who glare at youin a store when you have inadvertently gotten in

their way, and sternly say, Excuse me, when itis quite obvious from their tone of voice that theyreally mean, Excuse you!

145And the man in my

story was probably middle-aged while I was stillonly in college. These thoughts bring us to theamazing truth of a very great proverb:

The poor uses entreaties,but the rich answers roughlyProverbs 18:23 (modified ASV)

And Darby also expressed it nicely:

He that is poor speaks with supplications,but the rich answers roughly.

Proverbs 18:23 (modified)

We would combine them to render this text in thefollowing way:

The poor speaks with entreaties,but the rich answers fiercely.

And for what may be the best translation:

The poor speaks beseechingly,but the rich answers fiercely.

Proverbs 18:23,ISRVSeldom do we give such attention to a singleverse, or its translation, but this proverb is makinga most significant spiritual point. In some of Hismost well-known words, eswhy taught us:

145 (i.e., excuseyou for getting into my way!)

Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of the Heavens.

Matthew 5:3

If one combines this Scripture with Proverbs18:23, it quite confirms what we have been sayingthroughout the study:

Because the poor makes entreaties,those whodo not make continual supplicationsbefore hwhysimply have not learned, or fullyand properly acknowledged, their spiritualpoverty.

146This is why so many congrega-

tions, and so many individuals, are notgiven to, and do notyearn for,

unbroken times of prayer.

Which of our readers has not pondered the sad,indicting word spoken over the declining spiritualstate of Yisrael during the reign of King

Shaul?

147

2 And David said to all the congregation ofYisrael, If it seems good to you, and if it is ofhwhyour Elohim, let us send abroad to ourbrothers everywhere, that are left in all the landsof Yisrael, and with them to the priests and Levitesin their cities and suburbs, that they may gatherthemselves to us; 3 and let us bring again the arkof our Elohim to us; for we did not seek Him inthe days of Shaul. 1Chronicles 13:5-6

King Shaul failed to seekhwhy while He could befound.

148

So when this king finally didacknowledge his need, it was too late: hwhywould not hear.

149Sadly, in a final move of

rebellion, Shaul turned aside to a woman with a

146 Another reason that prayerlessness is sin: Lack ofprayer conveys the pride of self-sufficiency.147 (Ironically, Shauls very name relates toprayeras its

Hebrew root means ask, or desire.)148 Isaiah 55:6-7. And the apostasy that resulted from his

lack of seeking hwhy is most telling: King Shaul foolishlymuzzled his warriors in the day of battle (1Samuel 14:20-33,

Deuteronomy 25:4), which led them to fly on the spoil inextreme hunger; consequently, they ate meat with the blood(Leviticus 3:17); Shaul failed to obey the Word ofhwhy indestroying the Amalakites (1Samuel 15:1-23); he sought to

murder David (1Samuel 18:6-11, 20:30-34); in his evil

obsession to murder David, Shaul became responsible forthe murder of 85 priests, along with the entire city of Nob

men, women, children, nursing infants, and animals

(1Samuel 22:6-23); and he made his daughter, Michal

(Davids wife), an adulteress, by giving her to another man

(1Samuel 25:44).149 Proverbs 1:24-32


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familiar spirit;150

as a result, he died the very nextday.

151

If You Abide in MePrayer is the most important facet of True

Worship for anyone who desires to abide in theMessiah. For it is only through continual prayerthat we abide in Him. When teaching us about

abiding in Him, through prayer, the Messiah saidit like this:

I am the Vine, you are the branches.He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same

bears much fruit: for apart fromMe, you can do nothing.

John 15:5

The lack of prayer, then, reveals the pride of self-sufficiency: We need the Messiahs strength andwisdom; we need His Spiritwithout which wecannot bear fruit (the fruit of the Spirit).

152Apart

from the Messiah (and His Spirit), we can donothing. Further, we believe it will be the lack ofprayer which causes the Messiah to cast away thelawless believers who refused to uphold theFathers Torah; He even tells us the words He willsay to them on that day:

I never knew you; depart from Me,you that work lawlessness.

Matthew 7:23

But why will it be that the Messiah must say Hedid not know them?

eswhywill say this because

they will not have lived a life ofabiding in Himthrough prayer:

5 I am the Vine, you are the branches:He that abides in Me, and I in him, the samebears much fruit: for apart from Me you cando nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in Me,he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;

and they gather them, and cast them intothe fire, and they are burned.

John 15:5-6

150 Isaiah 8:19-20151 1Samuel 28:6-25, 31:1-7. It is evident that Shaul was

guilty of breaking the Third Commandment (Exodus 20:7),

since he swore to the woman in the Name ofhwhy that noharm would come to her. 1Samuel 28:8-10 Yet hwhy hadcommanded in the Torah that those with familiar spirits

were to be put to death. Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy

18:10-12 (We give thanks to hwhy for the present footnotewhich is based on thoughts from brother Yohance Branch.)152 Galatians 5:22-23

Having failed toput to death the deeds of thebody,

153they will have also failed to uphold the

Torah by faith and love;154

consequently, theMessiah will cast these fruitless believers into theFire of Gehenna.

155

Those who draw near to hwhyin/through prayerwill be saved, while those who are far from Him

will perish:

For behold, those that are far from Youshall perish: You have destroyed all

those that go astray from You.Psalm 73:27

This explains why prayerlessness leads toincreasing, or continued lawlessness; and thisexplains why eswhy will have to

My House Will Be Called a House of Prayer

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