I thought this was interesting when I realized there was a difference between the verses telling us how we were to love Adonai our Elohim in the Old Covenant (Testament) compared to the New Covenant.  In D’varim (Deuteronomy) 6:5 it says “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”.  Another translation I use, The Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern says, “and you are to love Adonai (Hebrew for my Lord) your God (Elohim is the Hebrew word for God) with all your heart, all your being and all your resources”.  I found it of interest comparing the words “all your soul” to “all your being” and the words “all your might” to “all your resources”.  I like to compare the words in various translations and see if they match, add to each other to offer a greater understanding, or do not go together at all.  If they do not go together, I weigh them per what I know of Elohim and what HIS word says of HIM and see which one is more Biblical (can be proved true per verses in the Bible).  However, when you compare the verse from the Old Covenant to the verse in the New Covenant there is an addition to it.  Mark 12:30 – “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your might;…  In The Complete Jewish Bible, Mark 12:30 – “and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength”. Similar verses are in Luke 10:27 and Mattityahu  (Matthew) 22:37.  What is different is the addition of one word “mind or understanding”.

Let’s look at some verses that contain information about “the mind” and the other items HE brought up.  In Acts 5:12 it calls the believers “united in mind and purpose”.  Acts 4:32 – “All the many believers were one in heart and soul, and no one claimed any of his possessions for himself but everyone shared everything he had.”  Luke 12:29-34 talks about – not striving about what you will eat or drink because pagan nations set their hearts on these things, don’t be anxious or fear because your Father knows you need these things too, seek HIS Kingdom and these things will be given to you as well, sell what you own and be charitable/righteous for where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.  Romans 8:5-8 says, “For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom (peace/safety/success).  For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God’s Torah (teaching) – indeed, it cannot.  Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God.”  Ephesians 4:17-22 talks about not living any longer as the pagans live: sterile ways of thinking (not bearing fruit for HIM), intelligence shrouded in darkness, estranged from the life of God because of ignorance in them which comes from resisting God’s will, sensual, impure, greedy for more, not living like the truth the Messiah taught, not stripping off their old nature which is rotted by deceptive desires, (22-23) “and you must let your spirits and minds keep being renewed, and clothe yourselves with the new nature created to be godly, which expresses itself in the righteousness and holiness that flow from the truth.”  Based on the above verses, we should study and understand HIS ways, and follow them with all our hearts, souls, minds, might (resources) “…so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.” Romans 12:2.

Looking at the Old Covenant without the inclusion of the word “mind or understanding”, what comes to my mind is that the Israelites grew fat on the abundance given them and instead of using their resources for good to help others (read Yesha’Yahu – Isaiah – 58) they went whoring after their pagan neighbors and spent money on what was luxury and hurtful to Elohim (read Yesha’Yahu chapters 1-5, D’varim – Deuteronomy – 31 and 32).  So with the New Covenant, HE made sure to include loving HIM with all our “minds/understanding” in the wording because HIS people need to be reminded like children (read Yesha’Yahu 28:9-14).  We ALL unfortunately need to be reminded!               2 Timothy 3:1-5 – “Moreover, understand this: in the acharit-hayamim (end times) will come trying times.  People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud; arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good, traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God, as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power”.

Another point with the New Covenant, the Word of Elohim was willing to be born into a body of flesh (read Yochanan – John – 1) and be a suffering servant and die for us (read Yesha’Yahu 53).  HE was showing us how much more HE was willing to do for us to be with HIM and not lost forever.  Think about this, this is the Word of Elohim, Elohim of all who has always been, is now, and always will be, who is righteous and holy and sinless, going through: being born, being an infant, being a child, obeying HIS earthly parents (but put HIS Father in Heaven first), having satan move HIS body during the tempting (try to imagine your adversary who is subject to you having the power to move your body to the top of a mountain and the Temple!), being accused of healing through satan, humbling HIMSELF to serve us and be poor, not having a home – a place to lay HIS head, bearing our diseases and illnesses (sins), suffering with our pains, people turning their faces from HIM, people denying-despising-avoiding HIM, being mocked-spat upon-struck, having HIS beard pulled out, being beaten till HE was disfigured/no longer looking like a man, and not only experiencing a physical death for us but one that criminals suffered!!!

HE did all of that (and so much more I’m sure) and we are the ones who can’t be faithful to HIM and want to do things our way not HIS way, and not follow HIS mitzvot (commandments), and not even take the time to study HIS word or spend time with HIM, and even get angry at HIM for things that happen to us or loved ones (have you asked HIM if it is because of sin or HIM testing/proving or satan sifting or HIS will), and even say we would have problems with HIM if HE actually did what is said in some Bible verses!  I have to shake my head at what some people have told me.  I don’t think that they get it that they are talking about having a problem with ELOHIM!  According to the Bible, when you see HIM you fall on your face before HIM and tremble and can’t even speak and don’t have strength (read Dani’el – Daniel – 10).  It also says that we will be accountable for every word we speak (Mattityahu – Matthew – 12:36) so I encourage you to think twice about what you say to HIM or about HIM.

Something to think about, I had a Christian tell me he believed the narrow way was all Christian’s and that the wide way was non-Christians.  I do not believe that.  What would a non-believer be doing on the way?  The wide way/gate/door is easy and most are on it HIS word says.   Most people including believers want the easy way.  He says once you believe in HIM we are to obey HIS commands and HE says satan is the god of this world.  How many believers obey HIS commands?  How many want the world and HIM too (Read Ya’Akov – James – 4:4, in fact, read all 5 chapters)?

I have been trying to give HIM everything because I want to be as close to HIM as possible.  I know HE gave us everything and still does and I want to do the same for HIM.  What HE has shown me is that the way to the narrow door is not easy and is very challenging and not to be taken lightly and that HIS enemies want to separate us from HIM every way they can (Mattityahu – Matthew – 7:13-14, Luke 13:24, Revelation 12:17).    While HE is stronger than they are and through HIM we are strong, HE continually shows me my weaknesses and where I need to get stronger.  Pray to HIM to be on the way to the narrow door and not the wide one, ask HIM for strength-protection-whatever you need to succeed and not fall, ask HIM to open your eyes-ears-heart-mind-soul to the truth so that any deception in you is brought to the light and to show you where you are weak and need to be made stronger.  Our Abba in Heaven, I pray for all on the wide road that they would want to be on the narrow one and I pray for the success of all who want to make it to the narrow door and go through it with your Son, our Messiah, in HIS name, in the true name of Adonai, Amen.