Humble Exaltation

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 3

And let the brother who is humble take pride in his exaltation, and the one who is rich, in his humiliation, because, as a flower of grass, he will pass away. For as the sun rises with the burning heat, and THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER OF IT FALLS, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed, so also the rich man in his pursuits will fade away! Happy is the man who perseveres through the ways of testing, because, becoming proven in his faith, he will receive the crown of the Life, which the Master promised to those loving Him. (יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 1:9-12, mjlt)

From the moment that mankind became capable of accumulating wealth, there have existed the extremes of those who have abounded in material riches, and those who have had little to none. While this outward inequality may seem to some an immoral injustice, to others it is no more than natural economic reality. Many, in the hopes of doing good, may seek to relieve the plight of the poor—some through voluntary charity, others by forceful rule of law. But in Messiah, all who are wealthy and all who go without will become equalized—not in the things we have, but in the character of who we are. Read more

/1 Comment/by

Seeing the Invisible One

A Special Passover Message

Every year the Passover season brings with it a sense of renewal and hope. It is our annual reminder of the power and sovereignty of God, His unending zeal for His people, and His uncompromising willingness and ability to save. Passover-time is known as the Season of Freedom because it commemorates an event in Israel’s ancient history which God continues to repeat spiritually for all followers of His Son. But even with the freedom that we now have through our Savior Yeshua, many believers in Messiah still struggle to walk daily in that freedom. It is, in fact, Mosheh (Moses)—Passover’s first hero—who shows us how to be truly free.

Read more

/8 Comments/by

Doubting Nothing

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 2

And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God—who is giving to all, generously and not denouncing—and it will be given to him; and let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed about. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Master—a two-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 1:5-8, mjlt)

When we find ourselves facing difficult and trying times, it’s easy to lose our heads. The brain shuts off, the fear ramps up, and calm, rational decision-making is replaced by emotional, knee-jerk reactions to people and circumstances. Without even realizing it, we are consumed with every negative thought and event, oblivious to the storm inside our minds that we ourselves created through our own poor choices and wrong actions. Not only are we unable to find a way out, but we are past the point of remembering even to look for one. We’re stranded, lost, and hopeless—caught inside our own instability. Read more

/4 Comments/by

Count It All Joy

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 1

From יַעֲקֹב, Ya’aqov, a slave of God and of the Master יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua the Messiah; to the Twelve Tribes of Yis’rael who are in the Dispersion: שָׁלוֹם, shalom. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various ways of testing, knowing that the proving of your faith brings about perseverance in you. And let the perseverance have a maturing work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
(יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 1:1-4, mjlt)

Ya’aqov had every right to brag. Being the brother of Yeshua, he also garnered a great deal of respect and influence as an authoritative voice among the Emissaries. And yet, when he wrote his powerful letter to the Jewish believers “who had been scattered abroad from the oppression that came after Stephen” (Acts 13:19, mjlt), he identified himself in his greeting simply as “a slave of God and of the Master יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua the Messiah.” More than a mere statement of humility, acknowledging one’s position as a “slave” emphasizes and elevates the position of one’s “Master.” It speaks categorically as to whose purpose one will serve, and whose will one will subvert. It is from this lowly vantage point that Ya’aqov is fully qualified to address the plight of his brothers and sisters, and to advise them in their behavior and actions as they live their own lives as slaves of Messiah. Read more

/7 Comments/by

Unconditional Obedience

Bearing the standard of Scripture means far more than simply recognizing Scripture as the objective, authoritative, written Word of God. It’s even more than knowing what the Scriptures say—more than faithfully turning to the Word for comfort, counsel and inspiration. If it is our true intention to renounce the voices we have allowed to influence us—to no longer live only for ourselves, but to follow Yeshua completely and without compromise—then it’s time to wake up, and totally commit our lives to God’s Word in absolute, unconditional obedience. As disciples of Messiah, there is no higher calling than to serve and obey the One and Only Master, whom we love.

As faithful disciples of Messiah, and humble servants of the God of Israel, our “grand business” before Him is simply to obey. We have neither the prerogative nor the responsibility to determine our own beliefs, establish our own values, or prescribe our own boundaries for behavior. On the contrary, even though the mere thought of being ordered around makes us squirm in our rebellious skin, our job is no more and no less than to just do what we’re told.

Read more

/4 Comments/by

You Are Not Your Own

Do you remember when you first came to Yeshua? Perhaps you were a child at the time, and you were taught to trust God and love Him as a father—a love and trust that followed you into adulthood; a love and trust that you continue to rely upon as a son or daughter of God.

Or perhaps when you first came to Yeshua, you were a teenager or an adult, and you came to Him as your savior and friend. You began to learn over time to increasingly trust Him as your protector and constant companion—a mighty defender, and an approachable, compassionate and caring God.

And certainly, for as long as we follow Him, God is and always will be all these things: our father, our savior, our friend.

But as disciples of Messiah, we must also not forget the price of our discipleship, which means that we are more than just God’s friend, more than just His children, and more than just the goal of His salvation.Indeed, as Messiah’s disciples, He is also our Master, and we, therefore, His slaves. We show our gratitude, then, for God’s fatherhood, friendship and salvation by devoting our lives—and enslaving ourselves—to the Messiah.

Read more

/4 Comments/by

Deny Yourself: The Atoning Command of Yom Kippur

Excerpts from Kevin’s book of the same name.

In Jewish tradition, the phrase “deny yourself” is essentially an instruction to fast—to not eat or drink for the duration of Yom Kippur—such that one denies himself of that which sustains life. This is clearly a vivid and valid interpretation for how one might conduct himself on this most holy day.

However, we also deny ourselves when we abstain from feeding our appetites and refuse to indulge in the lusts of the flesh. For the disciple of Messiah, this is the very heart of the Spirit-led life, as encapsulated in Galatians 5:16, “Walk in the Ruach, and the desire of the flesh you will not bring to its goal” (mjlt). Read more

/1 Comment/by

4 Reasons Why You Need God’s Word

If you’ve been a reader of mine for any length of time, then you know just how extremely high I hold and regard the Scriptures—the written Word of God. After all, with a name like Perfect Word Ministries, it is our explicit purpose to maintain that the Scriptures are God’s perfect Word, written down by divinely-inspired hands for mankind’s benefit and direction, and that the Scriptures alone are wholly sufficient and supreme in their guidance and wisdom. Indeed, how could I ever not cling to and champion the singular belief that only by bearing the standard of Scripture may we find, fix upon, and follow our Master—the Messiah Yeshua?

So with that in mind, here are four reasons why, above all else, you need God’s Word. Read more

/1 Comment/by

Kick Your Theology in the “But”

“Wow, Kevin! Your teaching on [insert topic here] is spot on! I couldn’t agree more. I had previously been taught to believe something different than what you’re saying; however, your analysis of what the Scriptures actually say is exactly right. There can be no argument from the Word. You are 100% correct that this passage does not say what I have always thought it says—on the contrary, it says something completely different…. Nevertheless—and I’m definitely not saying that you’re wrong—I still believe what I previously believed, and your teaching has not persuaded me otherwise.”

I’m not kidding. In response to a recent teaching of mine, to my surprise, I received multiple replies along these lines. My reader would affirm that while my teaching was accurate in its correction of a long-held and firmly ingrained belief among believers, it didn’t change their mind. Even though I demonstrated the truth from the Scriptures themselves—and my reader recognized that truth—they remained unswayed. In so many words, the response was, “I now see the truth of the Scriptures, but… I will continue to hold on to a false teaching, because I still believe it.” Read more

/5 Comments/by

Does the Devil Really Come to Steal, Kill and Destroy?

Answer this to yourself right now—don’t think too hard about it, just give the first answer that pops into your head: True, or false? The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy.

If you said, “true,” it’s probably because you know by heart what the Master says in John 10:10, and what you’ve heard (or taught) a thousand times from the pulpit, “the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy.” Unfortunately, there’s just one tiny, little problem…

That’s not what it says. At all.

Read more

/8 Comments/by