Shalom my brothers and sisters. I am glad to be sharing with you once again. I had an experience on Sunday morning that
compelled me to write to you all. As you
all know, I have an apartment in Fort Mills, SC. Mind you, I really didn’t know much about
this area. Apostle Bailey lives nearby
and House of Israel, where I’m ministering, is not too far away as well. That’s why I chose this area.
There is a minister that some of
you are familiar with who goes by the name of Mahesh Chavda. Understand that I have desired to meet and
even minister with this particular man of Yah for many years. Well, while I was exploring the area when I
first moved here, I happened to see a sign for a church, and passed by several times,
before I realized the pastor’s name at the bottom of that sign was a man named
Mahesh Chavda. Can you imagine my
astonishment to know that someone that I have respected for many years had his
congregation literally a bike ride away from my apartment?
I have endeavored to visit his
congregation since I moved here and finally was able to do so this past
Sunday. What you must understand is the teachings
that I have now been under since moving here have caused me to be very aware of
what’s coming forth from the platform of any congregation and this experience
was no different. I began to hear things
that I knew were somewhat erroneous, as well as things that I absolutely agree
with. To my chagrin, the mixture was
very evident. But, I must be completely
transparent in what did take place.
As I stood in the back, during
the worship time, I noticed a woman walking around speaking to different
people. As she drew closer, I recognized
it was the wife of Mahesh, Bonnie Chavda.
She finally approached me and the love of Yeshua simply flowed from her
countenance. As she introduced herself, we
shared a couple of sentences. Then, without
warning, she placed her hands on the sides of my head and began to give a word
of knowledge.
The gist of her word for me was
that there was a “yes” over my life, and that I was going in the right
direction, even though there was some confusion. She said that every direction begins with
taking a step and that I had taken the right step in the right direction. She said that my willingness to follow after
the Spirit of God was the “yes” in my heart and life. I was very encouraged by this.
At the same time, I was somewhat
perplexed as I left the building.
Knowing now what I have learned about Torah, and hearing some of the
same rhetoric that I’ve heard for many years come from this man that I respect highly,
I sat in my truck contemplating what had just transpired.
I said to myself, “There have to
be verses that would seem to contradict each other. Paul, in Galatians, seems to berate the
law. Yet, I know there are other verses
in which he seems to admonish us to follow the law. But, where are those verses?” It was at that moment that I looked over at
my Bible, and I had placed the VIP card for being a visitor in the Bible. Being curious, I opened it to where I just
happened to place the VIP card. Sure enough, it was in the place of 1 Timothy, chapter 1, and I was immediately drawn to verse numbers 7 and 8, "Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully." WOW!
Here I was just asking in my
heart for a verse that would seem to contradict what we have always believed
about Galatians, and the VIP card that was given to me was placed right in a
verse that would seem to do just that.
Now, we can go on and read more
verses in this passage and find some way to contradict the point I’m trying to
make here. But, that verse is absolutely
clear. Paul says the law is good, and
then in Galatians, he says the law is a curse.
How can they both be right? Obviously,
we need understanding, and the place that YeHoVaH has brought me to is where I’m
getting that understanding. The law is
absolutely good, and we all should desire to be teachers of the good law. As Yeshua said, we should do and teach others
to do the commands of the law. Our lack
of understanding of Galatians has curtailed our walk with YeHoVaH, and while I
believe strongly that YeHoVaH has used us in spite of our lack of
understanding, it is time for the truth to be known.
I encourage all of you to take a
hard look at Galatians along with me and Apostle Bailey as he has been teaching
a verse-by-verse series on Galatians.
Suffice it to say, that the law mentioned there by Paul is not the law
that is mentioned by Yeshua. Paul, in my
limited understanding, is speaking of the rabbinical laws, not the law of YeHoVaH,
and so there is no contradiction. The
law is good and the rabbinical law is a curse.
Hallelujah!
I wish I could elaborate much
more, but the fact is I am still learning these truths. But, as I learn I will endeavor as always to
bring you what I have discovered.
Let us be good Bereans. Just as Paul admonished his audience to do as
the Bereans did, they searched not the New Testament, because there was no New
Testament. They searched the Torah to
see if the things that Paul had said were true.
I admonish you as well to be a good Berean and search the Torah to prove
the thing that Paul had said.
I look forward to sharing with you
again as we go deeper into His truth, and always in His love. Amen!