The company You keep

[Shmanu YAH]

shalom l'kulam, All praises and glory and honor to the Most High YHWH, our creator, our sustainer and the origin all real blessings... baruk h'shem! & baruka h'bo b'shem YHWH = blessed your coming in the name of YHWH @ Yahushua.

I pray you and yours are blessed and allowing only the Most High to order your steps as we proceed forward.

In this brief inculcation to some and revelation to others I'd like to examine a pertinent old wisdom saying we have all heard but may not be applying in our lives fully. The saying I'm refering to is: "be careful of the company you keep!", - this is not just good advice but it can also be a warning for your own well being over the long term.
From the mid 1500's there was a old saying: "if a man can be known by nothing else, then he may be known by his companions", .... and hundreds of years later we heard the Ralph Waldo Emerson version: “Show me who a man’s friends are and I will tell you who he is". To the contrary there is also a more modern saying utilized mainy in marine travel that goes: two or more fellows on the same ship doesn't guarantee good fellowship, ....selah!

We can remember back when we were younger and our parents / guardians instructed some of us about who we could and couldn't hang around but we thought they were just being judgemental and they really didn't know what they were talking about - we didn't know they could see things we couldn't! Truth is: the eyes are the mirror to the soul and we weren't mature enough to see into others eyes past their iris, but our elders could. Just sit and recall all of the people that got themselves in trouble by NOT listening to their parents or elders advice through experience, .....NUFF SAID!

In these days and times the same advice / warning should still be prevalent in our interactions "if" we have the wisdom to understand the importance of that concern, here are just a few scriptures to help get us back on track about our "every day of the week" fellowshipping:

t'hlym / psalms 1:1-2, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of YHWH; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ......~ this shows both how to be blessed and how the wrong people around you will prevent that.

mishle / proverbs 1:10, My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not! ......~ simple but strong advice of NOT to be complicite with sinners - for those that can receive this wisdom

mishle / proverbs 13:20, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. ......~ a strong incentive to eschew foolish associates
IsaiYah 9:16, For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. ......~ this is not slander, unfortunately the misdirection did happen and still is continuing, from those still in the churches to those of us in the truth.

James 4:7-8, Submit yourselves therefore to YHWH. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to YHWH, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. ......~ this is really good advice on how to keep good company: out with the old - in with the new and everlasting!

1st Corinthians 5:9-11, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But NOW I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat, ......~ warning warning!

1st Corinthians 15:33, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners, ......~ more simple and strong advice - for those that can receive this wisdom teaching, evil communication is contagious

1st John 3:7-8, Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohym was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. ......~ good andvice warning us NOT to have respect of persons but to observe that works of the wicked and be on guard!

While revisiting the scriptures I came across several examples pertaining to associates of various key figures that proved themselves to be unworthy colleagues but here on only a few:

A strong example from the torah we can see back in b'reshyt 3:1-6, Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which YHWH Elohym had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath Elohym said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohym hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For Elohym doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat, ......~ well we all remember what happened after this incident because the ramifications still exist today, but the point I want to make that many are afraid to is: seeing she already had a ish ( man / husband ) - what the hell was she doing taking instruction from another source? ..... ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

You can also revisit b'midbar aka numbers chapter 16 to recall the antics of Korah, Dathan & Abiram and acknowledge the tragedy of keeping company and being influenced by corrupt men of renoun.
Here's another strong example, did you really consider the unwise behaviour of Shimshon aka Samson that we read in Judges chapter 16 and on? 16:1, 1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her, ...... continuing on to verses 4-5, 4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. ......~ we all know what took place after that but the point I think we need to examine is: this man that was vowed as a nazarite from birth and should have remained clean obviously didn't have a problem going from one whore to another! ( too bad he didn't have the advantage of reading proverbs 6:23-27 like we do) - and you know what calamities happened to him after that! ..... ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

A few months back I articulated a message called "gang related" dealing with Rehoboam and his co-horts that we saw in 1st Kings chapter 12:6-15, 6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and CONSULTED with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? 10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. 11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him; 14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people..... ......~ this bad decision caused tragedy to follow due to counsel from fools, and just because he had history with them, - sound familiar? ..... ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

For those that unfortunately only regard the "new testament", remember what apostle Paul's first torah teacher Gamaliel warned the listeners in Acts chapter 5:34-39?, Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of YHWH, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against YHWH. ......~ this was a straight forward warning via going down memory lane to abstain from self-inflated leaders, morym, priest, etc...... ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

Here is a very important example ( and germane in this hour ) that many won't speak on because they don't want to accuse Yahushua of making a mistake, and their concern is well placed - because we know he never did, but they err in understanding the scriptures. We read in John 6:62-70, What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Yahushua knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Yahushua unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Master, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that mashiach, the Son of the living Elohym. 70 Yahushua answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve ......~ did you notice that Yahushua never blamed anyone in existance for Judas being among them other than himself? - thats called RESPONSIBILITY!!! , ...and he personally wasn't afraid of any "devils" or in ibryt "shatanym" because he can handle them and ALL the wickedness they can bring.

another point we really need not overlook and I'm sure he wants us to understand is: If Yahushua himself could bring a adversary in the midst of the brethren or in the assembly, what makes us think that we are too smart to? ( and it's been done! ) ....selah

It's a sad reality that some people (even adults) often need people around them so that they themselves don't get lonely, but there is a convicting old saying: if you ever get lonely when your alone, it's mainly because your are in bad company, ( apply as necessary ).

We also need to meditate on the more modern wisdom: if you knock on the Devil's door long enough, ...sooner or later he's gonna answer! .....->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU SEEK!

Remember Acts 19:13-16, Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the master Yahushua, saying, We adjure you by Yahushua whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Yahushua I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ......a early example of self annointed-self appointed frauds with the knowledge of the messiah's name, trying to show off ( sound familiar? ), and you see how that turned out!, thus ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU SEEK!

We earlier saw a humbling dialogue between Yahushua and the "tough-guy" of the disciples, Shymon kepha aka "Peter" at a time when he had to bring Peter down a few knotches from his delusional martydom midset , We saw back in Luke 22:31-34, 31 And the master said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren".33 And he said unto him, master, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And he said, "I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me". ......~ again Yahushua wasn't afraid of h'shatan and all the tragedy he could bring, and for some macho reason Peter thought he was right there with him at that level, ....WRONG!!!

Now ask yourself honestly If YOU can truly endure ALL the pain and anguish the disciples eventually ended up going through ( and you may have to ) .... now can you really? - well, whether you can or can't, you still neeed to make things easier on yourself and your loved ones and always ..... ->>> BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

selah and shalommmmmmmmmmm