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“I am the good shepherd; And I know my sheep and am known by my own” (John 10:14)

      (This is from a recent newsletter that Elder Don writes to the elders of Yahweh’s Congregation worldwide called ‘Elder to Elder’. We thought the topic would benefit all believers and decided to include it in this issue of the Remnant’s Walk).

      In this issue of the Elder to Elder newsletter I want to emphasize the importance of the character trait of love to be a true called out elder of Yahweh.

      There are many character traits that an elder of Yahweh needs to be a true shepherd of the flock. There is courage, diligence, perseverance and let’s not forget the most important character trait of loyalty.

      However, there is one character trait that is central to allow all the other character traits to perform; that is the character trait of love.

You could say love is the heart or pumping station of every other character trait that an elder or believer can exhibit, as without it one is left with an empty shell and no real character.

1st Cor 13:2 And if I have prophecies, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love in my heart, I am nothing.

1st Cor 13:3 And if I give out all my possessions to the poor, and if I surrender my body so that I may boast, but I do not have love in my heart, I am not profited anything.

Love truly is the binding tie. Why is love so important? Because integrity, and diligence, and courage are character traits that one possesses but love is the means by which the person can possess them. Yahweh in scripture is actually defined as love, it is not just what He possesses but it is what He actually is.

1st John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of YAHWEH, and everyone who loves has been generated from YAHWEH, and knows YAHWEH.

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by my own” (John 10:14)

1st John 4:8 The one who does not love has not known YAHWEH, because YAHWEH is love.

1st John 4:9 By this was the love of YAHWEH towards us made known, because YAHWEH sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live by Him.

1st John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved YAHWEH, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the atonement for our sins.

1st John 4:11 Beloved, if YAHWEH so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1st John 4:12 No one has seen YAHWEH (The Father) at any time. If we love one another, YAHWEH abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

1st John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because of His Spirit He has given to us.

Someone can be trustworthy and diligent without having the Spirit of Yahweh, but one cannot have the Spirit of Yahweh without exhibiting love, because love is actually not just something Yahweh possesses but it is what He actually is. Every other character trait that He possesses comes from the main artery of love, which He is.

This is why this trait is so important to have in elders and leaders in Yahweh’s Congregation today. I meet many people throughout my travels and many who desire and are seeking ordination. This is not necessarily a wrong desire as scripture even tells us he who seeks the office of an overseer seeks a good thing (1st Tim 3:1). However, if the person seeking such an office does not have an abundant outpouring of Yahweh’s Spirit of love in his life and character, than he would not qualify to be ordained as an elder of Yahweh.

Through the years I have met many intelligent, personable people who were ordained without having this trait, and soon after they were ordained a spirit of control and pride overwhelmed their ministry created by the vacuum that was there due to the lack of love in their hearts and lives.

This is the main ingredient that is missing in world government today. We see everything from dictators such as in North Korea, to tyrants and self-seeking politicians in almost every country on earth. And the reason for this is that these worldly politicians without the Spirit of Yahweh lack the love of Yahweh that can only come through His Holy Spirit to truly serve the people out of a heart of love and not for self-serving reasons of their own.

Most governments see the citizens of their constituencies as pawns for their own self- ambitions and power struggles, instead of seeing them as children of the king whom they have been given the great responsibility to serve and care for. It is no different in religion in the world today also. The leaders for the most part in worldwide religions of today whether it is Christianity, Islam or Judaism, don’t have a heart to serve the people they were selected to serve but they use the people as political tools for their own private agendas.

I teach our leaders quite often on judicial order and the need for judicial order in the congregation. But judicial order is not highhanded, top down government of “follow me or else”. Judicial order is voluntary and reciprocal and Yahweh’s judicial order is the order He created for all things at creation and it is based on love, not control.

Brethren willingly follow the judicial order of the ordained elder because they see the Spirit of Yahweh in His life and they know that it was Yahweh, and not man who ordained Him to the position He is in. However, if an elder is not respected and brethren will not follow his judicial order he must humbly seek Yahweh and ask if maybe he is not exhibiting the love of Yahweh to the brethren as he should.

I know from my personal experience that many times when I had to bring correction to either an elder or one of the brethren it was received well because the person being corrected knew that I loved them and was only correcting them because of the true love of Yahweh and that I wanted them to overcome and be the person Yahweh intended them to be.

Of course there are times that people will not follow an elder or judicial order simply due to a rebellious spirit and a spirit of treason against Yahweh, but that is another subject. And even then when the elder must put the person out of the congregation it should be done not as an act of vengeance, but of love. Love for the person who would never repent if he was not held accountable for his actions and love for the brethren who would be affected by the sinning brother if he were allowed to stay in the congregation and continue in sin with no accountability.

So let’s go to 1st Corinthians 13 and see how this spirit of love can be applied by a true elder of Yahweh in their life.

1st Cor 13:4 Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious; love does not make a vain display of itself, and does not boast;

The first thing we learn about love is that it is patient. The Apostle Paul told us to judge nothing before its time. What this means is that an elder of Yahweh must not be quick to judge and quick to condemn. Just the opposite, the Apostle Jacob told us to be slow in judgment.

Jas 1:19 Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of YAHWEH.

This is because if you judge wrong, then you will be affecting the lives of many people. An elder must have the maturity to gather evidence and witnesses before bringing judgment in a matter. He must also make sure that he never is making judgments out of jealousy or envy of another brother or sister. The scripture also says he must not have pride, which is the opposite of love, as pride is giving a person a false self worth and love is lifting each and every brother and sister better than yourself.

1st Cor 13:5 it does not behave indecently, does not pursue its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;

This shows that even your reputation is part of love. It shows that if you love Yahweh and the brethren you are serving, you will cherish your reputation and not give anyone any undue ammunition to assault your character.

It means that you put the widows and orphans first and don’t always take the best things for you and your family. It means that a true elder of Yahweh will have to make a great sacrifice for those he serves even, at times, at the expense of his physical family.

It is also not easily provoked and doesn’t over think what people say by putting words in their mouth that were never there. A true elder of Yahweh would never partake in gossip, but just the opposite; if gossip has started even about himself he goes to the source and corrects it immediately, and stops it where necessary.

1st Cor 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth.

A true elder of Yahweh doesn’t cover up things even if his close friends or family or another elder is involved. A true elder of Yahweh only wants justice and true righteousness to prevail, as this is the spirit of love that Yahweh is made of and that He distributes to His chosen ones.

1st Cor 13:7 Love quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

True love doesn’t try to expose the faults of others, but in love covers them over. True love takes no joy when someone is being put down but grieves over it and tries to make things right. Love is pro-active, where those without this most important Elohim trait are inactive.

Those with true love have true faith, as the love of Yahweh shed abroad in our hearts can only strengthen our faith in Him and His Kingdom and make us work that much harder for it every day of our life.

It will never give in (compromise) or give up (defection) because it is not self-centered depending on recognition or worldly gain, but it is based on the outgoing concern of others and the commitment made to Yahweh at both our baptism and ordinations.

If an elder is serving for recognition or position or any other reason than the love and dedication to Yahweh in our lives, than he will ultimately burn out and fall away. He will then ultimately start blaming others for his own perceived mistreatment and lack of appreciation, but in essence the one he is blaming is Yahweh, not man.

It is Yahweh who puts an elder in his position and it is Yahweh who rewards him, not man. It is the selfless true love and service for our Maker Yahweh and our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah that inspires us more each and every day, not some flamboyant, perceived recognition of man.

1st Cor 13:8 Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be caused to cease; if languages, they shall cease; if knowledge, it will be caused to cease.

Yes, the true love of Yahweh shed abroad in our hearts never fails and is the chief characteristic and cornerstone of a true servant of Yahweh. Knowledge and even prophecies will cease because once every prophecy is fulfilled there is no longer a need for them, and once Yahshua returns He will instantaneously give us, as Spirit begotten children, all knowledge.

But He can’t give love by instantaneous fiat. It has to be nurtured, it has to be learned, and it has to be worked on. How much love you have is a direct correlation to how much you are denying your own selfish ambitions and pride and surrendering your spirit to the Spirit of Yahweh in every decision and action in your life.

1st Cor 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love, these three things remain; but the greatest of these is love.

As true servants of Yahweh we need to be praying daily to Yahweh for more love in our lives to serve His people. We need to give love out overflowing and it will come back to us.