Clean and Unclean

There are certain things in the United States that we know to avoid. A piece of “ABC” (already been chewed) gum on the railing of a stairway downtown is a no go. We know to throw away trash and wash our hands when we are done using the restroom. These have been common things that we pick up, in life, along the way. Sometimes we’ve learned these lessons the hard way.

A child may see a half eaten candy at the playground covered in dirt. Depending on the age of that child, we all know that at some point almost all children reach for the dirty treat to enjoy the reward of sugary sweetness in their mouths. If you have been that child, or know a child who has done this, depending on what exactly was on that candy and who had eaten it before they tossed it aside, the child may become ill.

Thanks to our knowledge with germs, we know that if a person is sick and we eat or drink after them, chances are, we will get sick, too. This isn’t always a horribly scary thing because we all have immune systems. But depending upon what germ we are being exposed to and if we have an immunity to it or not makes a big difference in the outcome. The above examples were just silly ideas to get your mind thinking about things that are clean (ie: a new and unwrapped piece of gum) vs. the “ABC” gum that is stuck on that railing of the stairway. We know one is safe and the other, probably not so much.

What about other things in life? Meat seems to be safe to eat if it’s stored properly and cooked thoroughly. But is all meat safe to eat? This is a soap box issue that we won’t get in to today. If you are a vegan you will scream, “NO! Drink a kale smoothy!” If you love a juicy bacon cheeseburger you will lick your lips and say, “YEAH! Get me a side of fries!” I’ve personally been on both sides. I have had my times of being a plant strong Mama for health and grocery budget reasons and there have been other times I can’t wait to go get a nice Bison burger with everything on it.

When I say is all meat “safe” to eat I am talking about something that goes back way before the Forks Over Knives documentary that became hot years ago or the mad cows disease and food recalls that started happening through our generation. What I am talking about actually goes past food in general, but first, let me tell you what my family has recently learned.

As we have been on our journey to truth in the WHOLE Word of Elohim (Creator God), we have discovered that Yahshua (Hebrew for Jesus) didn’t come to this world to abolish the law (Torah), but to fulfill it and give us a New Covenant. - For more on this topic read my blog Old Made New

Now that we believe the whole Word of Elohim is alive, active, and applicable to our lives today, our family has been hungry to learn more. If YHWH (Yahweh) doesn’t want to be worshipped like the pagans worship their gods, how does YHWH want to be worshipped? What can we do to please Him?

Some Christians will say there is nothing we can do. We are sinful and fall short of the glory of Elohim (Romans 3:23). So true, but, the more I learn from the Bible, the more I see there is a balancing act that needs to take place. We absolutely need Yahshua as our Savior! He is only way, through grace, that we all have to be saved! BUT… because of His sacrifice we see that we are capable and called to do so much more then what we realize. - For more on this topic read my blog The Great Commission

When we have been adopted into Elohim’s family, as daughters and sons, through salvation in Yahshua, we have hope for our future. It doesn’t just end there, though. Even the demons know Yahshua is Lord and they are not saved (James 2:19). So why do we think that all we have to do for salvation is believe in Jesus and we are saved? Some denominations will add in being baptized, go to church, etc. But I want to know what the Bible says. I have learned enough in my years of ministry to know that even the best intended preachers can teach Scripture wrong. I could be guilty of that too, so ALWAYS compare what I say to the Word of Elohim and if I get something wrong, in a loving and compassionate way, please contact me and let me know.

I have been doing much study on today’s topic and I want to talk to you about clean and unclean foods. A few weeks ago my husband and I studied Leviticus 11 and watched a 119 Ministries video on YouTube called Can We Eat All Things? They actually have many videos on clean and unclean things. They do a MUCH better job then I could do at explaining why we have decided to stop eating things like pork and still enjoy a hamburger. For more information I would like to send you to them. They encourage you to keep your Bible open and test everything that they teach, so I feel safe sending you that way if you want to know more about eating clean.

I would like to take their teaching a little further though. Over the years I have been learning about GMOs and eating REAL food. I know which aisles to avoid in the grocery store. With all of the added ingredients and preservatives we end up consuming synthetic material with traces of food rather then consuming what YHWH designed for us.

Over my lifetime, I have suffered from migraines, a heart condition, and endometriosis. In the last 10 years, I have been very intentional about paying close attention to my body, after I eat, or do, certain things. I have learned cleaning with bleach and using synthetic fragrances trigger my migraines and put me into a heart episode. Eating too much yeast makes my endometriosis worst. If I eat too many preservatives and have too much caffeine my heart feels like it will explode out of my chest.

I personally feel the best when I eat a clean foods diet, but that can be hard to do sometimes. There are some days I am wonderful about it and then I go through weeks where I will eat whatever we have or is being served (if we go to someones house). It never fails, too much caffeine, preservatives, or synthetic anything and my conditions wreck havoc in my life.

The same has been true with my daughter (who at age 6 was diagnosed with IBS because her food allergies went so long without us knowing what she was allergic to). She can eat watermelon, if I wash the outside of the rind, or if it’s organically grown. If it has been sprayed with pesticides and isn’t properly washed before it’s cut, she breaks out in huge hives all over her face, mouth, and throat. It took us years to realize it isn’t watermelon she can’t have, but the pesticides on the rind that she is having a reaction to.

When I learned about the clean and unclean foods I couldn’t help but make a connection. If YHWH gives us a list of animals that are considered clean, and safe to eat, what is the difference with those He has deemed unclean? Well, look at the pig and the animals of the sea that He tells us to avoid. A pig can eat rat poison and not die because it’s skin acts as a sponge and absorbs all of the poison. The pig is fine, but if we are to consume that flesh then the poison would still be in the meat. Pigs are also a leading cause of parasites. You have to cook pork VERY throughly and there isn’t much wiggle room for grace. There are countless accounts (that even the average person knows about) when people get a tapeworm that leads to horrible health complications because they ate pork.

Our son, who doesn’t have an immune system due to his heart transplant in 2015, has to be very careful about the food he eats. We have had to learn how to wash, prepare, store, and serve clean food to avoid mold, bacteria, parasites, and pathogens because he becomes very ill and it can be life threatening. His medical condition, alongside my daughters allergies, and my health being made worst with the above items, but can be managed and give me little to no side effects when I eat clean, real foods, is no coincidence.

When we decide to avoid unclean foods and live out all Scripture I think we have to pray about ,and ask ourselves, how much further does that go? This is the journey I am on today. Is it okay to drink certain soda pops because the chemicals and additives in them are, lets be honest and transparent, synthetic and questionably immoral? Is a trip to a favorite fast food joint for a “Happy Meal” for the kids okay after a fun morning in the park? The amount of preservatives and synthetic chemicals added for taste and shelf life are definitely considered not real food.

The questions in my mind continue. I am not kidding, the amount of stuff I find myself questioning revolving around this topic is breath taking.

Here is where I am resting. If it is real food from Elohim, eat it and enjoy. (I still have to relearn the moderation part. Having babies ruined my self-control for portions. I repent and I am actually disciplining myself to get better!)

What we consider food in the U.S.A. (ie: pork and bottom feed fish) is not considered real food to Elohim. They were designed to cleanse the earth, not for us to consume for nutrition and sustain us. Everything we need for an abundant and fruitfully joyful life has been given to us from Elohim.

We do live in a world where we can easily go through a drive thru and pick up a quick treat or if we feel like we are dying from our hay fever pop an allergy pill for instant relief so we can get on with our day. I am not denying any of those conveniences. All I am questioning, and trying to get us to think about is, “Can we be more intentional and mindful with what we put into and on our bodies?”

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Set-Apart Spirit within you, whom you have from Elohim? You are not your own,” - 1 Corinthians 6:19

I have been thinking about this and studying the effects of chemicals in our products and foods for years now. There are some things that I think we have the freedom and grace to enjoy every once in a while. But with the health crisis, unstudied vacc - ines, lack of quality and nutritional value of food, and rise in disease I think, as believers in Yahshua, we have to be more aware and mindful. There are certain things I completely avoid because the way they have been made and/or who they are made by doesn’t line up with Scripture. There are other things that we give wiggle room to.

I can’t give you the definite answers of what is right and what’s not if it doesn’t say it flat out in Scripture. I can tell you the things it says in Leviticus 11 for certainty to avoid, but beyond that, we have to become educated, pray, seek YHWH, and compare it all with His Word.

The Father will use His Set-Apart Spirit to guide us and lead the way. We cannot judge or act harshly with those around us who don’t believe the same way we do. #1 If they aren’t believers, how can we expect them to live how we do? #2 If they are believers, have a love-filled conversation (not debate!) with Scripture (not blogs and articles!), as your guide.

Does the Bible speak about it? What is the complete context of the Scriptures that are speaking on these things? What is the history, or the founder, of what you are wanting to know about? Are there side effects or anything giving you the “eeby jeebies” about the thing in question? What are the companies values and how do they line up with Scripture?

Take your time to think about these things. We can’t live in today’s world and avoid everything unclean. After all, we live in the world, but not of the world. But, we can make the choice to live our lives honor YHWH with everything we say and do. If the Bible is clear about something, and we call ourselves believers, we must obey. If we don’t, we are choosing our flesh over the Spirit and the Bible is very clear about judgment for people who hear His commands and choose to disobey.

When I come across things that I am able to put into practice, I do it. When there are things that I can’t do then I pray about it and thank YHWH for grace and salvation that comes through Yahshua. After all, if we were able to live out ALL of the Torah, we would have never needed Yahshua in the first place. If YHWH’s people were capable of living a sinless life, He would have never commanded them to make sacrifices for atonement of sin. We can’t do it all. But with the Set-Apart Spirit, YHWH’s Word, and the grace and salvation of His Son Yahshua Messiah, we can do our best to seek Him and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

I would like to end today’s post reminding you that we don’t follow Yahshua and strive to live out the commands and laws of the whole Bible to keep us in bondage, legalism, and to be a burden. That was never the point! We choose to live this way because we have come to a part in our journey and relationship with Elohim and He has put it on our hearts to live for Him fully. Obeying the Torah hasn’t been a burden to me and my family. It has been a blessing! We are feeling more healthy and have more energy. We play and laugh together more then ever! We look forward to and enjoy the weekly Sabbath. We are also more hungry and excited for the Word of Elohim then we ever have been before.

If you are feeling burdened or overwhelmed then slow down and take your time. Pray. Study. Talk to other believers. YHWH doesn’t expect us to understand and have the desire to do everything all at once. I believe He sees the culture in which we are trying to separate ourselves from. Give yourself grace and be patient. But when He does put these things on your heart, then it’s time to make a choice. No justifying it. Obey and choose who are you going to serve?

Be blessed. Seek YHWH. Share the truth.

Lots of love,

Ashley

@notmessmama