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What Does Being a True Servant Mean

Being a Servant, as defined by my studies during devotional time, will probably take more studying to get a full picture, but here it goes!

The words I found in Hebrew that translated as servant were many, but the most common are these:

Na’ar נער- young man

Sharat שרת- Minister- to be in service to another.  Breaking the letters down into their ancient concrete meanings I thought it could mean that the second is more important than the first. Shin Resh Tav- two or second, head or first, cross or mark. The mark of the second is submitting to the first.

Shifcha שפחה- maid servant as joined to a mistress, to spread the family out.  When I went back to the ancient meanings of the letters; shin, fey, chet, hey. Teeth, closed hand, open mouth, tent wall, arms raised. Trying to understand the narrative for that brought me to this: Press into work on the borders to warn of dangers from the outside.

Eved עבד- slave or servant- the root is avad, which is work performed out of obligation, requirement, or gratitude. The verb form is to provide service to another or work at a profession.  The ancient hebrew breakdown I found for ayin, bet, dalet; was eye, house, door- one who watches over the household diligently.

Dalal דלל- Humble- the ancient concrete meaning is a door on the rod- which in the tent was a curtain that swings back and forth as people enter and leave – such as a person’s (who is lowly in spirit) head hanging low and moving back and forth in weakness. The door (curtain) is easily moved by the wind, and the wind represents the Spirit. So the one who is humble is easily moved by the Spirit of Elohim.

For Greek, I was looking into Yeshua’s words about a servant and found many that were translatable.

Diakonos- The Septuagint cross referenced to sharat.

Doulous/doule- one who gives self up in service to another’s will, to the disregard of their own will/interests.

Therapon- service rendered to another, especially by medical or household service, also cross referenced to Sharat.

A servant is someone who:

Completes his vows- makes a covenant with peace- fulfills his promises to Yahweh, the Master.

Is Blameless- knows the house rules and does everything to abide by them with his heart in the right place.

Speaks truthfully with his Master- not lying in order to deceive, cause failure or disappointment, not functioning like he was meant to.

Presses into his work-not being lazy or sluggardly, but is alert and focused on the task at hand.

Adores the Master- he is so full of love that he is willing to obey when sent to wherever.

Is Trustworthy- faithful and known to do what is required of them, and beyond, acting according to their belief in the Master’s desires.

Is Humble-not thinking more highly of his work or position or status. Sensitive to the Spirit.

Knows the will of the Master- seeks to do right, love mercy and walk humbly with Elohim.

Servants can be weak, they can be leaders, and they must work diligently, cooperating with their fellow servants.

A servant is one who is looking to the well-being of his Master’s interests and his Master’s household. He does whatever it is that needs to be done; guarding, healing, cleaning, delivering messages, organizing, leading.  Whatever the Master calls upon him to do.

May this post not confuse, but deepen understanding for you, and may it bless you as much as the study blessed me.

Shalom

שלום
קארין

Katherine

Pruning for Good Fruit

A few months ago, we students had the opportunity to thin fruit trees. Not only our own fruit trees, but the orchard of a friend.  As we found out, there were a lot of good, spiritual principles found in thinning fruit.
Each fruit tree needs to be thinned considerably. Over 3 quarters of the fruit gets picked off each tree, in the early stages of growth, so that the tree can support, and focus on the remaining fruit. This also enables the branches not to get too weighty, and break off the tree. Even though it can be stressful seeing all that fruit go to waste, a good harvest is seen in the end of the season.
The spiritual principle that I took away from this is that some things in my life need plucked out. To really focus on a small portion of my interests, skills, and talents, for a period of time. And maybe the other fruit in my life isn’t that bad, but it needs to be removed, for a time, so that the other fruit can flourish, and produce a healthy crop.
This is what we are doing here at GIT; taking time out of our lives to really focus on areas that need work, or areas that we want to produce even greater fruit. We are setting some things aside for a time, so that we can truly learn and grow. And it is all a part of being pruned and trained under Yahweh’s guidance.

Green house construction

Growing in Torah. Article 1. 7/8/2016 “Construction of a Green House.”

Here at G.I.T this early summer, we began construction of a very large green house.
It began by adding unto a previous structure made 2 years prior. The holes were laid out and dug, and then it was realized that the original structure was off center by just a few inches, which meant many feet at the end. In our efforts to build it rightly for future members of G.I.T., we uprooted the previous structure, keeping it intact, and moved it to the required spot. After all this had been accomplished, we began raising one green house arch at a time. Before we had constructed one hole, one arch, and set it up one at a time. Through learning and good leadership by my fellow student Daniel, we constructed all arches at once, laid out like dominoes. Thanks to his idea, we have put up 2 in a matter of 45 minutes, where as before it would maybe only be 2 in 2 hours. Currently we continue construction but hope to be well done the primary structure before the new moon of this month.

The construction of the Green House has been a great task as well as an opportunity, and remains to be so for sometime. It has given spiritual insights as well as social insights in team work. Through the construction of this Green House, spiritual lessons such as the need to walk upright in faith through careful measurements and proper communication skills have become more clear, along with the reality that sometimes things may not be as they seem. We may see that in our walk through life, we develop habits, structures, that are all fine and dandy for that one to 5 arches, places in life. But as we walk them out longer and longer, that mere inch turns to a great gap, showing the entire structure to be crooked. How important it is to have a right foundation, a corner stone, Yahshua our messiah and husband, which from Him pours out true uprightness.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the YHWH with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Shalom shalom!
-David T.Sperling.

Grafted Into the True Vine

 

Proverbs 22: 6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he turns not away from it.” ISR98

One of my favorite projects since I arrived at GIT has been working in the vineyard. There are so many references to vines and vineyards in scripture. Israel is commonly referred to as a vine, Yeshua is called the true vine, and Gentiles who accept Yeshua are grafted in to that vine. I would like to expound on a few interesting points I’ve seen while working in the vineyard.

Building the Trellis

DSC_0062Our first project in the vineyard was to prepare and build the trellis system. This system is comparable to YHWH’s Torah. We had to drive stakes into the ground next to each vine, to give them a foundation to grow. After the stakes had all been put up, we had to run multiple wires down each row. There is a wire for irrigation at the base, one for a foundation for the main parts of the vine halfway up, and two at the top to support the fruitful branches.

Training the Vines

While the vine is young, it moves around, looking for a path to grow. If it isn’t secured to the stake, it will start to spread out on the ground. People are the same. If we aren’t trained up from children to be obedient to YHWH’s Torah, then we will go our own way.

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As the vine gets older, it hardens. If it hardens before it is fastened to the trellis, then you won’t be able to completely straighten it without breaking it. At this point you can still train it so that the main branches can follow the wire, but the consequences of letting it grow on it’s own will always be evident. This too, compares to people. A person who has lived their own way is not out of YHWH’s reach. They can be trained like a vine to live according to YHWH’s Torah. However, though there is forgiveness, the consequences of their past will be there as a reminder of where they came from.

Producing fruit

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Some of the vines barely came up to my knees when I arrived at GIT. Building the Trellis system was hard work, and it took a lot of time. Even after it was built, and the vines had been attached to it, the results were not immediately seen. It is taking time, and a lot of care, to ensure that the vines are healthy, and that they are trained up correctly on the Trellis. However, with patience and diligence, the branches have grown, and they are producing fruit.

 

The vine and the vineyard represent so many things. Parents are like vine dressers, and their children are their vines. It is the parents responsibility to train their children up in the right path. Also, each person is a vine. If we allow Him, YHWH will be our vine dresser, and He will train us up in His Torah. He will give us the water of His word until we begin to produce fruit.

Conclusion

There is so much that can be gleaned from YHWH’s creation. I only scratched the surface of what can be said about the vine, and YHWH can be seen in all of His creation. I would encourage you, if you haven’t already, to get outside and look for YHWH. Plant some flowers; Grow a tree; start a garden. If you are diligent in your search, you will find Him.

Romans 1:19-20  – “Because that which is known of Elohim is manifest among them, for Elohim has manifested it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, both His everlasting power and mightiness, for them to be without excuse.”

Shalom!

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GIT family, I didn’t say goodbye! So…

GIT family, I didn’t say goodbye! So goodbye. I will miss you all. See ya in a few days.