Post Passover–Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections–STAR-85
Post Passover-Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections--STAR-85
This is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections—Episode 85—My Post-Passover-Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections
Greetings fellow Saints in Training. I am trusting that this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections finds you, your families and fellowships well and bless.
Hey, how was your Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration? I hope they were spiritually enriching and that you received the blessings that you were hoping and looking for.
As I am posting this episode, we find ourselves just having entered the second Biblical Month of the Creator’s Calendar Year, with the renewed moon sighted over the land of Israel yesterday, 4/28/2017. Having just concluded Passover and the 7-Day Observance of the Feasts of Unleavened Bread (aka Matzah) less than 2-weeks ago, we now turn our sights to Shavuot (aka Pentecost), the final installment of the Spring Feasts of Yahuwah, which will hit us on 6/4/2017.
As it relates to my Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread observance this year, Hilary and I stayed local, but we did vacate our home and checked in to a hotel for the week. We realize that we cannot keep Passover and Unleavened Bread the way Torah expressly lays out for us given that the Romans in 70 C.E. destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and that Yeshua’s sacrifice replaced the animal sacrifices. Nevertheless, the once majestic temple that once stood in Jerusalem is gone but has been replaced by these bodies of ours and it is our bodies that Abba’s Ruach dwells (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Thus we honor the Feasts of Yahuwah as Abba commanded (Leviticus 23) through fellowshipping with other like-minded Believers in Yeshua Messiah as Father provides. It becomes our greatest pleasure, or it should be, to welcome each feast as it comes with joy and great anticipation, for these are Abba’s appointed times—the sacred moedim of Yahuwah. Father did not abolish His feasts as so many of our cousins in Christianity are quick to point out to us. They are to remain in perpetuity and they serve a divine purpose of reminding us of the great things that Father has done for us through His Son Yeshua Messiah and the great things to come for those who are His and await His coming and the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth.
We know for a fact that Yeshua kept the feasts as did the apostles, especially Paul who wrote to the Corinthian Assembly of Believers: “Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (I Corinthians 5:8, NAS).’
So who are we to shirk the feasts? While the world is falling apart by its seams, we are blessed to have Yeshua, Torah and the Feasts of Yahuwah. Amein.
With that my beloved, let us get on with some post Thoughts and Reflections on Passover and Unleavened Bread.
In Love With the Feast of Yah!
I am a “down-right,” “bought and paid-for,” fanatic when it comes to the Feasts of Yahuwah/Yahovah/Yahweh. Ever since I officially began observing the feasts back in 2004, I take the greatest joy in their observance and the celebratory opportunities they provide the Torah observant believer in Yeshua Messiah.
Looking Back at the Beginning
When I first began observing them, I, as I am certain any new believer to our Faith has experienced, met each Feast with somewhat of a tense sense of anticipation. What I mean by this is that, we begin our “Feasts-honoring-careers” (if you will) with a deep, heartfelt desire to “do the Feasts” properly (knowing now that there is no Biblical-specifics as to what constitutes “proper” when it comes to 21st-century Feast observances) and in such a manner that it would be pleasing to Abba; we did not want to screw any of these celebrations up.
So at the beginning of my Feasts-honoring-career,” I began to over-do them (the Feasts that is) to such an extent that the Feasts became somewhat burdensome for me and I began to question: were we doing this thing correctly; were we dishonoring Father in the way we were observing the Feasts; what will my family members and co-workers think of me taking off so much time from work and life in general to observe—what?—dead Jewish holidays that even the Jews don’t truly observe anymore; do we have the correct dates for the Feasts; would we be ready in time to begin the observance; what is the point behind the observances anyway? Yaddy…yaddy…yaddy.
Still Concerned About the Feasts
These questions and concerns haunted me in the first couple years back when I first converted, and to a lesser extent, they still haunt me even to this day. Oh, these questions and concerns have somewhat morphed over the years, I’ll be honest to say, taking on more of a deeper, personal concern: will we squander the opportunities the feasts provide by not seeking out every possible opportunity; what does Abba want us to gain from the experience; who are the best persons to observe the feasts with—just Hilary, friends or a particular fellowship-gathering; what is reasonable to spend (money-wise) in order to honor Yah through observing His feasts in the spirit that Abba would justly require?
This Passover a Bust?
This particular Passover celebration season proved a challenging one for me in terms of these and other stated concerns. This particular year was quite odd in that my concerns centered upon what Abba wanted me to gain from the celebration period. (Yes, I know, touching on being a bit inwardly focused in my concerns, but I am giving you my sincerest thoughts.)
I will be honest with you: for much of the 8-day observance period (i.e., the day we identify as Passover, followed by the 7-days of Unleavened Bread), I felt troubled and frankly, empty. I just could not identify what I was supposed to be getting out of the weeklong observance. Oh, I delved into some moderately deep Scriptural studies; some teachings online; and some personal reflections and prayer throughout the week, yet by week’s end, I was still unclear what I gained (spiritually speaking that is) from the celebration week.
Yes, I believe (it’s a quirk of mine) that we are to gain or get something out of each feast observance—that we must leave each feast celebration in a better spiritual place than when we began the feast, otherwise I feel as though I’ve missed what Father would have in store for me. Moreover, I do not want to miss a thing that Father has for me.
Father’s Feasts
These are supposed to be Abba’s appointed times that He established at the very beginning to meet with us (Genesis 1:14; Leviticus 23:4; Psalm 104:19; Daniel 2:21) collectively and individually, especially during the three-pilgrimage Feasts of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23), Shavuot (aka Pentecost or Feast of Weeks) and Sukkot (aka Feast of Tabernacles or Booths). I believe that is one of the distinct reasons Father commanded us to pack up and go to where He chose to place his Name and to celebrate these times before Him in joy and in reverence and in anticipation of a spiritual blessing (Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 12, 14, 16 and 26). These feasts gatherings are “dates” we are privileged to have with the Most High and they should be some of the most memorable, beautiful, spiritually romantic, substantive periods in our lives.
A Date with the Creator
I remember when I was courting my lovely wife, Hilary, back in the day: oh, how I looked forward with indescribable anticipation the dates we would have. Each date we’d set would result in my mind being almost entirely focused upon the plans that we’d made and how I could make those plans even more special for her. When the time came for our date to begin, there was a joy and an anticipation of a wondrous time that I would have with her and how much closer we would become because of the experience. Those were heady and crazy times, looking back 36-years ago. Talk about “first love.”
Somehow, I believe my dates—those set, annual, appointed times with Yahuwah—must exceed the dating experiences I used to experience with Hilary three and a half decades ago.
The question for me becomes–how do I capture that same sense of anticipation and joy in my celebration of the feasts, and for that matter, exceed them?
Not Much Joy this Passover
Sadly, I was lacking that sense of anticipation and joy this year and that has somewhat disappointed me. Do I feel that the entire Passover period was a spiritual bust for me? No, not in the least, but it was not joyous nor inspiring. I will explain in just a second.
Introspective—Testing—Bitter Sweet—Revelatory Type Passover
This Passover for me was more of introspection and a time of testing and spiritual self-inventory; it was more of a bitter experience than a pleasant one. Now this does not mean that the experience was not spiritually good for me. On the contrary, I believe it proved to be a most spiritually beneficial feast for me as a Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah. No, it was not one of those “hang out with the brethren” Feasts this year—it was something else: revelation; introspection; inquiry; concern; regrets are just a few of the descriptors of my time last week. Again, it all came down to what I gained from the experience. It is all about spiritual gain: growth; spiritual development; spiritual and personal insight; fellowship (when available); rest, both spiritually and physically; peace; opportunity; worship; and celebration—celebration of life, who I am as a Son of the Most High, of my redemption, of my tremendous good fortune in Father’s adoption of me as His child. Of course, there is much more.
So what did I come away with—or what did I gain—from this year’s Passover? I came away with the following things that, quite frankly, I’m still working through even as I write this post: first, the “love of the many” has seemingly “waxed cold” in our Faith Community and I’m afraid to say that even I may also be infected with this malady; secondly, the Passover-Unleavened Bread observance was more than just a reminder that sin must be purged from our lives; and thirdly, as much as I prefer introversion as my primary framework for worship, I found that I missed fellowshipping with other like-minded believers apart from Hilary.
I know, a bummer, right? Well, not exactly. What these elements have begun to teach me is that I, Rod, have a ton of work that needs to be completed in my life and that I must decide where my heart, mind and soul truly will lay in my remaining years on this earth before Master returns.
Allow me to reflect upon each of these 3-areas if you don’t mind.
The Love of the Many…in Hebrew Roots
The first of these 3-reflective areas of Passover has to do with my perception—dare I say heartfelt concern—that love is quickly vanishing from the ranks of our Faith Community, if it has not already done so by now.
Despite the reality of our abject preoccupation with Torah, one of the central, dare I say essential criterion of being a member of the Hebrew Roots Community, is that Yahoshua/Yahshua is our Master and we are compelled to obey Him as we obey our Creator Yahuwah. For some odd reason, a huge swath of Torah-keeping believers have all but abandoned Yeshua and have turned their lives almost entirely to a radical form of Judaism or have adopted a Judaistic-like worldview. One believer that I came across in social media aptly dubbed these individuals as “Yeshua-haters;” and indeed, given the excessive venom and vile disdain these individuals have for anyone who doesn’t see the things of our Faith as they do, this title certainly fits these individuals to a tee.
Nevertheless, Master Yeshua and His teachings if ignored will have eternal repercussions.
Shaul (aka the Apostle Paul), in his letter to the Assembly of Believers in Philippi, so eloquently wrote of our Master: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yahoshua, who, although He existed in the form of Yahuwah/Yahweh/Yahovah (i.e., having the qualities and characteristics of His Father), did not regard equality with Yahuwah a thing to be grasped (i.e., a thing to take hold of), but emptied Himself (He essentially set aside His favored status with the Father), taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, Yahuwah highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name (i.e., above every authority), so that at the name of Yeshua every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth (i.e., every created being that has ever existed), and that every tongue will confess that Yeshua Messiah is Master, to the glory of Yahuwah the Father (Philippians 2: 5-11; NAS, amended by me).
So with this knowledge being set firmly in our hearts and minds, it makes undeniable sense that we should do what Yeshua tells us to do; that of course assumes that He is indeed Master over our lives, having been appointed as such by Yahuwah His Father. I would further submit that this point is not up for debate, nor is it optional.
Now, Master gave us a commandment, that He stipulated as a “new” instruction or commandment, and that instruction is found exclusively in John’s gospel, chapters 13 and 15 which reads: “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you; you also are to love one another” (13:34, ESV); and “This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you” (15:12; ESV).
As an aside, I find it fascinating how this concept of love for one another seemed to resonate so profoundly with John, whom the writing suggests the Master loved exceptionally so. This commandment resonated with John so much that he even referenced it in his first and second general epistles—I John 4:21; 2 John 1:5.
So the question I have for our community today is–where is the love? Why is our Faith Community so devoid of love for one another? Why do we persistently hate on one another? Why do we despise one another over the most innocuous things and cut off fellowship with one another because we interpret elements of our Faith differently from one another? This thing is worse than money and politics in the carnal world, for these are just two examples of things that have the potential to sever most relationships between once respecting and even loving peoples.
For some bizarre reason we have many angry and mean folks attaching themselves to our community who seem quite obtuse to the aforementioned Johannine passages.
Yes, people in our Faith Community can be exceptionally mean and these exceptionally mean people have no problem eating you alive in person or online over the most innocuous Torah topics. I got into, yet, another fight on Facebook the week of Passover, this time over the Biblical validity of what I often refer to as the Lunar Sabbath debacle. That on-line conflict essentially ruined an entire day of the Feast for me; I was outraged at the arrogance of the two individuals who insisted that we Torah-keepers are for all-intents and purposes lower forms of life and, as one of them called me, infidels, for not adopting this evil, baseless doctrine that seems to be setting up shop in our community. How does such a ridiculous doctrine, obviously from the pit of hades itself, find such a zealous home in the hearts of once devout Hebrew Rooters? I just do not get it. Then those very same Hebrew Rooters, now converted Lunar Sabbatarians, take on a sense of brutal arrogance that seeks to shut down those of us who do not agree with it.
Another Facebook conflict happened to me just this week, although I was not a willing participant in this conflict, which involved a long-time Facebook friend (whatever that actually means these days), who posted a scathing retort on my Facebook page over my referring to Abba as—wait, here it comes—God! Yes, I dared to refer to Yahuwah, our Elohim, by the title of God. Okay, since when did it become a crime in Hebrew Roots to use the title God? Honestly, how many of us grew up calling our Creator by what we presume to be His true name today—Yahweh—Yahovah—Yahuwah? I can pretty much guess, not very many of us, and oh, by the way, our best guesses at the Creator’s Name is just that—best guesses. No one alive today truly knows the correct pronunciation of the Creator’s Name. However, there are certain members of this sacred names sect that will cut you down just as quick as the lunar Sabbatarians. Again, where is the love that Master commanded us to show towards one another? Indeed, the love of the many in our community has waxed ever so cold.
Nevertheless, what Father has revealed to me in the midst of my outrage and disappointment (in those who are supposed to be Spirit-filled and possess love for God and for brother/sister) is that the tares and wheat MUST grow together until the time of harvest, otherwise in uprooting the tares to free the wheat, the wheat will be uprooted in the process (Matthew 13:24-30). Furthermore, it’s too bad that my little feelings were hurt as a result of a couple of personal attacks over such non-issues and topics as the Lunar Sabbath debacle or even the Pharisaic attempts by some to stamp out the use of the term God from all Hebrew Rooter vernacular. In addition, I am almost certain that many of you listening to me today have endured such attacks from the ultra-conservative, radical arm of our community. These and other such fights are not mine to wage, as much as my ire towards those who seek to harm our Faith Community with their lies is so easily kindled when they so arrogantly go about their trolling for new converts to their confederacy of evil.
Unleavened Bread—A Time to Embrace Affliction
The second of my three reflective areas for this Passover season has to do with the concept of affliction. Allow me to explain.
This past Passover and Unleavened Bread season was particularly challenging for me on a couple of levels. To begin with, Hilary and I are working through some major life-changes that involve relocating cross-country to attend to ailing family members and initiate a full-time ministry. Can I just say—this is one of the most challenging things we have ever done in our 3-1/2-decades of married life. I will not bore you with the particulars, but suffice to say, this is turning out to be something that I will be happy to see come to a complete end here shortly, Abba willing and the crick don’t rise.
Along with that, the situation back East with my aging and ailing loved ones seems to have taken quite a turn for the worse and I’m having to deal with a great deal of guilt over not being there, and of course, the tremendous anxiety of not getting this whole “relocation” thing over and done with fast enough. I guess it comes down to a “woe is me” situation playing out in my head. It is weighing heavy on it adversely affected, not just and me how I was relating to my beloved Hilary, but it was weighing heavy on my focus during the entire Passover week.
Therefore, I struggled to maintain a positive focus during the week of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the midst of my guilt and worries, while at the same time fighting to identify what it was I was supposed to be learning for the Feast-week.
With all, that I have mentioned that was going on with me during that week, turns out that I did not gain an understanding of what Father had for me in terms of that Passover week until the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. Upon tuning in to House of Israel in Charlotte North Carolina from Hilary and my hotel room (having vacated our home in honor of the Feast week), I received the understanding I was searching for. That understanding was something that I have always known about in the back of my mind, but never thought to apply it to myself, David, a minister at House of Israel, delivered it to me.
David reminded me that most of us place quite a bit of focus on sin as it relates to the Feast of Unleavened Bread; that is, the elimination of sin from our lives. The popular teaching in our Faith Community is that the Feast of Unleavened Bread provides a prophetic-framework that reminds us that Abba’s plan of salvation and His purpose for sending us Master Yeshua was to vanquish sin from our lives—both imputed vanquishing of past sins through Abba’s grace and Yeshua’s sacrifice, and our daily work of eliminating sin from every aspect of our lives through obedience to Torah and the transformative work of the Ruach HaKodesh (i.e., the Holy Spirit) in our lives.
Indeed, this is a crucial aspect of our lives that I believe we must keep in the forefront of our thoughts, and thus we fight the good fight daily of dying to self.
Yet until David’s teaching, I felt as though Abba was shortchanging me this Feast. Oh, how wrong could I have been!
The other aspect of Unleavened Bread we tend to overlook in our Faith Community is the historical link between the consumption of Unleavened Bread during the 7-day Feast week and the years of horrendous bondage that we endured in Egypt. Abba referred to those years of bondage as “affliction” (that is, “oniy”) (Exodus 3:17) and that affliction is memorialized in the leavened bread that we consume during the week and the bitter herbs we cringe to eat during the Pecach meal (Deuteronomy 16:3).
Affliction, the consuming of matzah and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are intricately linked. Unleavened bread is symbolic of affliction. Let us face it, leavened products can be quite pleasing to the pallet and appealing to the eyes; whereas unleavened products tend to appear bland and taste equally so. It is often a challenge to willingly submit oneself to consuming something that is as distasteful as unleavened bread (aka matzah) for seven days, especially when there is so many other options readily available to us.
Have you noticed breads, cakes and cookies seem to find their way in our line of vision annoying so during the week of Unleavened Bread? Fortunately, I love the celebrating this feast more than I care for leavened foods.
What then is the nexus between unleavened bread and affliction? Well, for me, affliction is certainly not something that I relish taking place in my life. Yet I am not so naive to know that bad times come upon us when they come and often there is little that we can do about them. Often times they come as a result of something bad that we’ve done, thus affliction is the reaping of that which we’ve badly sown (Galatians 6:7-9). The Tanakh is filled with examples of affliction brought about through disobedience or evil deeds.
Afflictions come to us at times to prove us and build us up in the areas of our lives that are spiritually lacking and if those areas are not refined and molded properly, we become useless to Father (Job 4, 8, 11, 18), and this my dear friends is one of the areas of affliction that seems to applied to me the most. There are many areas of my life that need refining and strengthening in order for me, and yes you, to be the vessels that Father is desirous of us to work out His purpose in the earth.
Afflictions come to us at times to test us—to show to Father, the world and to us, that we’ve overcome our weaknesses and have died to self and are ready to truly be Yahushua’s disciples (again, see the story of Job).
Afflictions come to us at times to bring Abba glory. I know, how strange to apply such a concept—affliction—to the glory of Yahuwah, but David did a fantastic job pointing out that the Scriptures are filled with examples of people being healed and miracles transpiring all over the place for the express purpose of our God gaining the glory He so justly deserves (John 9:1-5).
Afflictions come to us at times to draw us closer to Father and to put us into “a right relationship with Yahuwah.”
In the case of our Master, afflictions came to Him to atone for the sins of the world. We deserved to be on that execution stake, but our Master took on that penalty for us and thus we’ve been gloriously released from the eternal sin debt that haunts all mankind from birth (Isaiah 53:3-7).
The first thing that comes to my mind whenever I sense affliction has come to my world is that God is out to get me. I recall growing up in Baltimore during the 1960’s and 1970’s, in a Southern Baptist environment, and whenever someone would be afflicted with whatever, the common thinking amongst the holy rollers was that God was getting some payback. In some cases, this may have been true, but the more accurate way of looking at these situations should have been that Father was not intending to destroy those who were being afflicted (as with us today), but was simply working these individuals through any of the above noted situations.
What I came away with this Unleavened Bread season was that afflictions are a big part of our walk with Messiah and as distasteful as afflictions may be (just like the taste of matzah), there is a divine purpose behind them. Our desire should be, then, to readily accept those afflictions and endure them (2 Timothy 2:10), no matter how bad they may get. As the affliction progresses, it then becomes our responsibility to turn fully to Yahuwah and resist the temptation to complain to the world about our issues (Colossians 1:24); to rejoice in Yahuwah for the great things He is presently doing and is going to do in our lives (Philippians 4:4) and give Abba thanks, even though when afflictions hit, it’s often a challenge to do so (I Thessalonians 5:18).
This is the life we signed up for and it took this Unleavened Bread season for me to have this reality revealed to me. Praise Yahuwah for David’s teaching and for delivering to me that missing piece of the Unleavened Bread puzzle that eluded me for most of the Feast this past season.
Missing Fellowship
The last reflection has to do with my missing the joy of formal fellowship this Passover season. This was one of the first years in a few years where we, Hilary and I, celebrated Pecach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread alone, outside of a formal fellowship-type gathering. I must admit that I missed having that formal-fellowship this season. We were blessed to be able to tune into the Michael Rood Passover celebration, broadcasted on the internet for a fee by the Rood organization. I have some personal misgivings about this whole thing that I will save discussing for another time, but we did get some semblance of fellowship through this live-internet broadcast. Additionally, House of Israel broadcasts first and last day of Unleavened Bread teachings and praise and worship services that I found helped lessen my feelings of missing fellowship.
It was not the same, and I am hoping that next year, if Master tarries, Hilary and I will have the blessing of fellowshipping with a group of like-minded Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah.
King David wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). As convenient and cost effective as on-line programs such as was offered by House of Israel and the Rood organization, I can attest that tuning in to on-line programs during the feasts does not compare to actually being with and in the midst of the brethren.
Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
I’ve shared with you just a few thoughts and reflections that I gained from last week’s Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration. Looking back to that week, I can honestly say that it was bitter sweet for me. Part of me wished that it would have been different; that it would have been like in years past when we fellowshipped with other like-minded believers in a formal fellowship setting and that things were going along in our lives swimmingly and without the problems that I described to you earlier. Turns out, I did not have such a pleasant experience this go-round.
I should say that I cannot attest for Hilary’s experience this season, but I think she spent a great amount of time putting together some teachings that you might find of spiritual value; and you may find them at www.itsnotasyouperceive.com.
The other part of me, however, is thankful for the week. I can say, without reservation that I’ve gained more spiritually from this year’s Passover/Unleavened Bread season than I’ve gained spiritually in past years. I’m still “feasting,” if you will, from the various elements of this year’s feast, as bitter as those elements turned out to be, and I am seeing myself from the perspective of someone who remains a “work in progress” and who has a long ways to go as it relates to meeting that mark for the prize of the high calling of Yahuwah in Messiah Yeshua.
It is my hope and trust that you too had a blessed Passover/Unleavened Bread season, not just celebratory-wise, but spiritual-wise. I do not know what is going on in your life today nor do I know what transpired in your life during the Feast last week. All I know is that Father is preparing for Himself a people who will finally fulfill the void left behind by our forefathers who chose to follow other elohim. Father is going to fix that problem soon and eventually, all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). As it relates to us today, Abba is preparing a nation of priests for this world and it is my sincerest hope that we all find ourselves busy at work doing that which Father has commanded us to do and that we ultimately find ourselves happily and eternally housed in the soon coming Kingdom of Yahuwah.
I would have once said, hasten and come now Master Yahoshua, come now, but after this past feast season, I’m hoping He tarries just a little longer so that I can get my act together and fulfill the mission that He’s given me; there’s just so much remaining that needs to be done.
Nevertheless, may Yahuwah bless you and keep you and may His glorious face shine ever so brightly upon you and that you live in complete shalom. Until next week my dear friends and fellow saints in training.
Faithfully
Rod Thomas
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It goes without saying that many of us have a difficult time grasping the things of YHVH, especially when we first transition into our Faith Community. It’s one thing to decide to give up pork and shell fish and to start worshiping on Sabbaths as opposed to...
Yeshua Messiah (aka Jesus Christ) as our Apostle and High Priest
During my morning studies today I was led to pick up where I left off from this past Sabbath's Brit HaDashah reading that is found in Hebrews 3:1-6. Interestingly enough, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 hours after beginning the study, I had not progressed beyond verse one. For...
Messianics Dedicated to Service
This Week's Torah Portion-Beha'Alotekha-The Menorah On this Shabbat, I was blessed to read and reflect upon this week's beautiful Torah Portion entitled Beha'Alotekha-The Menorah. The portion was contained in Numbers, chapters 8 through 12, And I don't know if it's me...
Impediments to our Understanding Things of the Faith–Part-1–Understanding the Bible
Many of us have a hard time grasping the things of YHVH. There seems to be impediments to our receiving, understanding and applying the things of our Faith. Indeed, there are many impediments that we could explore. However, for this post we will consider those...
The Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah as Slave
Paul opens his letter to the assembly of Messianic Believers in Rome with an introductory bio of himself. He writes: "Paul, a bond-servant of Christ (i.e., Messiah) Yeshua, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God (i.e., Yah)..." (Romans 1:1; NASB). Other...
Keeping Shavuot–The Feast of Weeks–Pentecost–Its Importance and Meaning to Messianic Believers Today
For the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah, Shavuot—The Feast of Weeks—Pentecost is about the giving and receiving of YHVH’s Torah and the establishing of the marriage covenant between YHVH and the Children of Israel. The Feast of Weeks is about...
Feast Pilgrimages to Israel–Messianic Lessons Learned from Shemitah
Pilgrimages to Israel for the Feasts of YHVH Question Posed: Are We Suppose to Conduct a Pilgrimage to Israel Today? The question has been posed and sadly has been incorrectly answered some: Are we obliged to keep Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Weeks...
Living a Life Beyond the Norm–Lessons Learned from the Levitical Priesthood
Organizations establish standards by which its members' job performances are judged. There are set standards and job performance levels that separate an average from an exceptional worker. A member's job performance when compared to those standards may determine that...
Biblical Illiteracy Behind the Anti-Hebrew Roots Agenda
Is Biblical Illiteracy behind the Anti-Hebrew Roots Agenda these days. In this post I reflect upon a recent experience I had on Facebook that suggested to me that Biblical Illiteracy may, in part, be behind the animus Christians have towards our Hebrew Roots/Messianic...
A Call for Unity in the Body of Christ/Messiah
By virtue of our role as disciples of Yahoshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), we are called to be a united and unified body of believers in every respect. Just as Master was united with His Father, we too must be united with the Father, our Master and with one...
When Tradition Eclipses Torah
My Torah Portion Observation of the Week I was profoundly moved by the section of this week’s Torah portion that recorded what on the surface seemed the very harsh and violent encounter we had with YHVH. It was Parashah 26: Sh’mini, Eight and I wish to briefly...
Day of Firstfruits and Keeping the Sabbath Holy
Keeping the Day of Firstfruits The Day of Firstfruits is a little known or publicized feast in our Faith Community. Firstfruits is also referred to as Yom haBikkurim (Hebrew) and the Wave Sheaf Offering. It is sandwiched into the week of...
Our First Passover–A Survey of Exodus 12 and 13 and How it Applies to Us Today
Passover Like All Feasts are Shadows of “Good Things to Come” Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, embodied and explained to us in Father's Torah, was aptly described by the writer of the Book of Hebrews as "Shadows of Good Things to Come:"...
Select Your Passover Lamb
I'm Reminded I’m reminded when looking over our copy of the Hebrew Observational Calendar that today is the day that we would select the unblemished animal of the first-year that would serve as our paschal lamb. Choosing a Lamb Today Certainly, today, the vast...
Observing and Guarding the Month of Aviv–How to Observe and Guard the Month of Aviv
Torah Instruction to Guard In Deuteronomy 16:1-3 Abba instructed us to “observe (i.e., shamar—guard) the Month of the Aviv,” and keep the Passover unto YHVH our Elohim.” Because in the Month of the Aviv YHVH brought us forth out of Egypt by night. What...
Torah Portions and the Body of Christ (Messiah)
My Love and Concern of Torah Portions I personally love the Torah Portions system for a number of reasons, including reasons associated with connecting with other like-minded Messianic believers who appreciate the Torah Portion system as well. Certainly, there are few...
All Things Are Lawful For Me
"All Things Are Lawful For Me..." (The Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Assembly of Messianic Believers) Well, I’m going to take a slight break from our series on the plurality of the Godhead series to tackle one of the Apostle Paul’s many difficult passages that the...
Are the Father and Son the Same Person (Part 2)–Genesis 1 and Elohim Proof in the Trinity or Not
The question has been posed countless times: Are the Father and the Son one and the same Person? In this second part of the series we reflect on Genesis chapter one, specifically the term/title Elohim in our search for an answer to this question. Pluralists contend...
Are the Father and the Son the Same Person?
The Billion Question In this installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections we will begin tackling one of the biggest and most frequently posed questions by members of our Faith Community: Is the Creator—God—Yahovah/Yahweh/Yahuah and the...
Five Things Every Believer Should Consider About Christmas (104)
Preface Let's consider five things every Messianic should know about Christmas. Indeed, there are numerous other things to consider beyond this simple list of five, but these five constitute a great starting point. Christmas now being upon us, I felt that I would be...
What Does Climate Change Really Mean From A Hebrew Roots Perspective?
Global Warming/Climate Change Make the News Anyone who has kept up with the news over the last decade or so should be somewhat familiar with the subject of "global warming," recently changed to "climate change." In case this subject is a little foggy in your mind,...
Hanukkah and the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua (Installment 103)
To Observe Hanukkah or Not Observe Hanukkah Today's Thought and Reflections topic is season appropriate and it has to do with Hanukkah and its significance to the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua. Obviously, some of you do not observe or celebrate Hanukkah, and...
Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns? (Installment 102)
Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns? Question: Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns? In keeping with our renewed aim to include a question and answer session in Sabbath Thoughts and Reflection...
Should Torah-Keeping Believers in Yeshua Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving and the Torah-Keeping Believer in Yeshua Messiah. In this installment, we reflect upon Torah-Keeping Believers in Yeshua celebrating Thanksgiving: Is it a terrible reminder of genocide that New World Settlers brought upon Native American Indigenous...
Understanding our Call and Purpose-The Wilderness Experience
Understanding Our Call and Purpose Through a Wilderness Experience Do you truly understand your call and purpose? Maybe you're a new to the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith and you have no idea where to go from here. Or maybe you've been in the Faith for a while but have...
Leaving the Hebrew Roots Faith Lured by Seducing Spirits
Leaving the Hebrew Roots Faith Lured by Seducing Spirits In this installment we reflect upon a recent Zachary Bauer posting related to folks leaving Hebrew Roots after being lured by doctrines of seducing spirits. Taken Aback I was quite taken aback after viewing a...
The 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
Netsarim/Netsari Defined The term or title Netsari and Netsarim have been making and floating about the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith Community for a few years now, slowly catching in popularity and distinction. The reason I use Netsari and Netsarim to refer to us as a...
Feast of Tabernacles 2017 Thoughts and Reflections
What is the Best Way to Witness to Non-Torah-Keepers? Right and Wrong Ways to Witness This is probably one the most frequently asked questions that I have received over the years, and to be honest, there is no true right answer to the question. I do believe that there...
How to Correctly Keep Yom Kippur
How to Correctly Keep Yom Kippur Believers Want to Know How to Keep Yom Kippur Correctly We have brethren in our Faith Community who are seeking Truth and want to understand when and what Yom Kippur is and how to properly observe and celebrate the day. As mature Torah...
Day of Trumpets—Yom Teruah—Rosh Hashanah—Subject to God or to the Rabbis?–STAR-95
The Calender: Friday 9-22-2017—Yom Teruah—Day of Trumpets Sunday 10-1-2017—Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur Friday 10-6-2017 through Friday 10-13-2017—Feast of Tabernacles—Sukkot Commentary: The World is Falling Apart and Coming to an End Although the Day of Trumpets is...
Overcoming the Cares of Life–STAR-94
The Cares of Life—For Some a Daily Challenge; For Others A Frequent Distraction From a general, let’s say, secular standpoint, the cares of life (or cares of this world as interpreted by some Bible translations) are the many elements of everyday...
The Bible-The Answer to Every Concern or the Ultimate Instruction Manual-STAR-92
Thoughts and Reflections Part 1: The Great Book Known as the Bible The Bible--The Holy Writ--The Word--The Word of God--The Sword--The 66-Special--The Book--The Good Book: these and many more are the descriptors and titles of arguably the most famous and well known...
Witnessing to Non-Believers-Is Keeping Torah Even Possible–Is Tithing a Burden–Does Prayer Purify Forbidden Foods–STAR-91
Thoughts and Reflections Part 1: Closing Thoughts on the Issue of Controlling Our Emotions I just want to put forth some closing thoughts on emotions and the problems that emotions can cause us in walking and living out this walk. Episodes 87 through 90, I reflected...
Controlling Our Emotions for the Work of the Gospel–STAR-90
Shabbat Shalom fellow saints in training. Greetings and blessings to you on this day that Yahuah our Elohim has made—one that we were admonished by the psalmist to be glad and rejoice in it. This is especially so given that the Sabbath is a most sacred day to us Torah...
The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians-STAR-89
Part-1--The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians In following up with my last Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections post (episode 88—”When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason”), I explored how some of the traditions of the church (namely the modern...
When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason–Sabbath Thoughts & Reflection-88
KJV Mark 7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.1 3 For the Pharisees, and all the...
Making a Case to be Holy–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–87
A Case for Holiness As I was conducting my Torah studies week-before-last, I came to Exodus, chapter 19. This of course, is a well-known passage of Torah to our community, for it is the place that marks that point in our history that we officially received our...
Why Aren’t We Wearing Tzitzits or Fringes?
38 "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves atassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. 39 "It shall be a tassel for you 1to look at...
Interpreting the Bible Literally and Eating Unleavened Bread for 7-Days?
Feast of Unleavened Bread--Thus Saith the LORD! As is my typical custom during this time of the Biblical Calendar year, i read and re-read Torah's account and instructions regarding the Passover. What I especially enjoy doing, though, is reading entire passages of...
One of the Greatest Passover Mysteries of the Ages Revealed-STAR-84
The Greatest Passover Mystery of the Ages is Found in the Knowledge and Understanding of Who Yeshua HaMashiyach Is. For some strange reason, a rather sizable chunk of Rooters seem to be more focused upon the mechanical observance of Passover than upon the revealed...
Operating Effectively as a Disciple of Master Yeshua Today–Episode-83
Before moving in to the focal point of this thoughts and reflections episode, I want to first touch upon one housekeeping item if you don’t mind. Last week on 3/29/2017, we began a new calendar year. We celebrated--or should have celebrated, Biblical Rosh...
Is Cooking on the Sabbath Prohibited by God and Torah-Pastors in a Credibility Crisis-STAR-82
Calendar: Just 1-1/2-weeks out from Rosh haShanah presuming the barley is Aviv and the renewed moon is sighted over the land of Israel concurrently. Rosh haShanah is the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah's New Year Day! and signals the start of the Spring...
Identity Crisis in Hebrew Roots–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode-81
Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY...
Hebrew Roots Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth
Hebrew Roots Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth Let's reflect upon the topic of worshiping Abba in Spirit and in Truth as it relates to our Hebrew Roots Faith. This will be part 3 of my multi-episode series on operating and walking out this walk in the Spirit. If...
Spiritual Transfer of Power–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode-78
"Finally my brethren, be strong in Yahuah and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of Yah that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against...
Israel and the U.S.-Best of Friends, Right? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-Episode 76
Israel and the United States--Best of Friends, Right? This is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections--Episode 76 By now, anyone who keeps up with world events will know of the most recent United Nations Security Council Resolution. But in case you've been distracted with...
Falling in Love with Christmas all Over Again-Part 2–STAR-75
KJV Jeremiah 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are...
Falling in Love with Christmas all Over Again Part 1-STAR-74
Are we falling in love with Christmas all over again? This is part 1 of what i hope will be just a two part series on this issue. Christmas Posing A Crisis of Faith in the Hebrew Roots Community I believe our community is in, at a minimal, what I've chosen to call "a...
Compassion and Yeshua Messiah–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-73
Compassion and Yeshua Messiah Part 2 of my Divinity of Yeshua Messiah Series--Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 73 In this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, I wish to examine the the Godly attribute of Compassion and Yeshua Messiah. This topic stems...
The Divinity of Yeshua Messiah-Part 1
The Divinity of Yeshua Messiah-Part 1 Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-72 Visitor’s Comment on the Cepher Bible Episode A few weeks ago I received a comment from a visitor to themessianictorahobserver.org that I felt needed to be aired and discussed. The commenter was...
Sharing Hebrew Roots with Christians—The Lunar Sabbath Debacle—America Spotlighted in Deuteronomy 32
Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 70 Day of Atonement Just a day or so out from Day of Atonement (aka Yom Kippur)—a most solemn day of rest for our Faith where we fast and pray and reflect upon our lives and the past year. Prophets sight this Day of...
Are We Seekers of God or Torah Observers?
Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-Episode-69 A Probing Question For this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, I have been led to share a comment left by a visitor to our website. That comment--more a question than a comment I should say--seemed to call into...
Rejected by Family and the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-68
Rejected by Family and the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-68 Master Yahoshua was rejected by the very people He grew up. All indications are that Master's hometown rejected His Messianic works and wisdom because they could not get past His...
A Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit Gets God’s Attention–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-67
A Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit Gets God's Attention A Question of Numbers--Affiliation--Religion--Or Something Else “With all the billions of people in the world—believers and non-believers alike—what makes me stand out from all the others? What makes...
Hollywood and Atheism
Hollywood and Atheism Atheism is Alive and Well in Hollywood I came across an article the other day that just solidifies for me how shallow some of the more elite of us are in our western society. When it comes down to the question of "do you believe in God?" I...
How Must We Deal with a World that is in Chaos–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode 66
How Must We Deal with a World that is in Chaos? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections—Episode 66 Vanity of Vanities for all is Vanity! Well, unless you’ve been completely off the grid—that is, in complete seclusion without access to news of any sort—you are no doubt...
Will the True God of the Old Testament Please Stand-Up–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–65
Will the True God of the Old Testament Please Stand-Up? The so-called God of the Old Testament: This is somewhat of the focus of this episode/post. As I completed chapter 24 of Deuteronomy in my Torah studies this week, I came to realize that we serve a most loving...
The Costs of True Discipleship–A Hebrew Roots Perspective–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–64
The Costs of True Discipleship A Hebrew Roots Perspective Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections--Episode 64 Opening Passage: 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? 29 Lest...
What Must Our Focus Be in Hebrew Roots–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–63
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The Mixing of Seeds in our Faith–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode-62
[podcast src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4455245/height/90/width/480/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="480"] The Mixing of...
The Value of Life According to Yahovah–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 59
[podcast src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4423863/height/90/width/480/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="480"] The Value of Life...
Pope Francis and the Spirit of Anti-Messiah–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode 58
[podcast src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4405449/height/360/width/480/theme/standard/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/" height="360" width="480"] Pope Francis and the Spirit of...
Counting Omer and a Question of Circumcision–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 57
[podcast src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4384332/height/360/width/480/theme/standard/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/" height="360" width="480"] Counting Omer and a Question of Circumcision...
The World Loves Baal (aka Nimrod)–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–Episode 56
The World Loves Baal (aka Nimrod) Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections--Episode 56 In this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, I reflect upon the realization that the world loves Baal (aka Nimrod). This comes to mind in light of a couple YouTube videos that I...
10-Key Teachings of Yeshua Messiah Leading Up To Passover–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 55
10-Key Teachings of Yeshua Messiah Leading Up To Passover Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections--Episode 55 The week leading up to His sacrifice on the execution stake, Yeshua Messiah delivered a number of key teachings to us, contained in the Gospel Record. I selected 10...
Purim–The Providence of God–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 54
Purim--The Providence of God Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections--Episode 54 In Purim-The Providence of God: Then Mordekai commanded to answer Hadassah: “Think not with yourself that you shall escape in the king’s house more than all the Yahudiym. For if you altogether...
Purim–Mourning in Sackcloth and Ashes–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 52
Purim--Mourning in Sackcloth and Ashes Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 52 Well, we can say that we’re still in the Purim season as we work through the latter half of this Adar Bet—the 13th Month of the Biblical Calendar year—and I would refer you to STAR...
Is the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith in a State of Crisis? STAR 50
Is the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith in a State of Crisis? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 50 Well, I have to tell you, I was hard-pressed and set to continue with the Purim series for this posting when I got tangled up with thoughts on the...
What do you Mean the Barley is not Aviv? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 49
GUARD the month of Aviyv, and keep the Pecach unto Yahovah your Elohim: for in the month of Aviyv, Yahovah your Elohim brought you forth out of Mitsrayim (that is Egypt) by night. (Deuteronomy 16:1) as I am publishing this episode, which I believe to be a very...
Purim-Haman, the Anti-Christ (aka Anti-Messiah) Cometh–STAR-48
Purim-Haman, the Anti-Christ (aka Anti-Messiah) Cometh Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-48 Chapter 3 Verse 1 (cf. 5:11) Haman is advanced by Achashverosh to the rank, according to JFB, of vizier or prime confidential minister Achashverosh establishes Haman’s authority...
Thoughts and Reflections on Purim–Yahovah’s Providence Over the Will of Man and Satan–Sabbath Thoughts & Reflections 47
Thoughts and Reflections on Purim--Yahovah's Providence Over the Will of Man and Satan Sabbath Thoughts & Reflections 47 As I reflect and put together this episode, we find ourselves on the 11th Day of the 12th Biblical Month known to some as Adar. The next...
The Cepher Bible–A Violation of Torah? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 46
The Cepher Bible--A Violation of Torah? Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 46 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the...
Praying to the Man Upstairs? Really? Torah Living Daily Challenge–Episode 35
Praying to the Man Upstairs? Really? Torah Living Daily Challenge—Episode 35 As I was driving into the office this morning, I was listening to one of Southern California’s 24-7 news radio stations as I often do to get a sense of what’s happened in the world over...
Spiritual Darkness in the Desert–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 45
Spiritual Darkness in the Desert--Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 45 Territorial Spirits in Las Vegas? Biblical Calendar The writer of Psalms got this principle and I believe it is only by the Ruach--the Spirit--of the Most High that he was led to write this...
A Postmortem Examination on David Jesse’s Defense of Christmas and the Top 7-Issues Most Affecting Hebrew Rooters in 2016–STAR 42
A Postmortem Examination on David Jesse's Defense of Christmas and the Top 7-Issues Most Affecting Hebrew Rooters in 2016 Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections Episode 42 Shalom and Welcome Calendar 27th day of the 10th Biblical Month which is the 9th of January, 2016...
Grace-God’s Sovereignty or Man’s Free Will–Part 11 of the Grace and the Law Series–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 41
Grace--God's Sovereignty or Man's Free Will Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 41--Part 11 in the Grace and the Law Series Opening Scripture-- 12 ¶ And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; ...
Falling into Idolatry and Paganism–Torah Living Daily Challenge 34
Falling into Idolatry and Paganism Torah Living Daily Challenge 34 Deut. 13:13-19 speaks to the destruction of those people and places that are considered heretical and that follow after pagan gods and practice paganism. We live in a secular society, far different...
The Real Hanukkah Story–Torah Living Daily Challenge 33
The Real Hanukkah Story Torah Living Daily Challenge 33 The true story and meaning of Hanukkah is encapsulated and recorded for posterity sake—praise Yahovah for that!—in the Maccabean Revolt or movement that occurred between the rise to power of Antiochus IV—surnamed...
Hanukkah–The Ultimate Torah Challenge–Torah Living Daily Challenge-Episode 32
Hanukkah-The Ultimate Torah Challenge Torah Living Daily Challenge Episode 32 No better time of the Torah Observant Believer in Y’shua Messiah’s calendar year better exemplifies challenge—that is the daily life of living Torah Y’shua-style that Hebrew Rooters face,...
What About Grace Then? Part 10 of Grace and the Law Series–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 39
What About Grace Then? Part 10 of the Grace and the Law Series Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 39 Calendar 22nd day of the 9th Biblical Month—Kislev Just 2-days before the start of Hanukkah—sundown December 7th, ending on Sunday the 14th According to the Calculated...
Torah and Politics–Torah Living Daily Challenge 31
When you have come unto the land which Yahovah your God gives you, and shall possess it, and shall dwell therein; and shall say: I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me; you shall in any wise set him king over you, whom Yahovah your God...
Grace or the Law, Which is it? Part 9 of the Grace and the Law Series–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 38
Grace and the Law, Which is it? Part 9 of the Grace and the Law Series--Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 38 As I am putting the finishing touches on this Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, Thanksgiving is at the door. Despite what is typically a joyous time of year,...
Israel Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow–Torah Living Daily Challenge 29
Israel Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Torah Living Daily Challenge 29 As I came to the end of Parashah 47, I went over to the Haftorah reading that is found in Isaiah 54:11-55:5. What a heart-lifting passage of Scripture. And let me just say before I move forward with...
We are no longer under the Law? Grace and the Law Part 8–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 37
We are no longer under the Law? Grace and the Law Part 8 Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 37 Calendar 2nd-day of the 9th-Biblical Month--also known as Kislev. The renewed moon was sighted over the land of Israel by members of the New Moon Society—headed by Torah...
Where is God’s Dwelling Place-Part 2-Torah Living Daily Challenge 28
Where is God's Dwelling Place Part 2 Torah Living Daily Challenge 28 In my last Torah Living Daily Challenge, we discussed the last Torah Portion section of Parashah 47 that addressed the Feasts of the Lord and our celebrating before Yahovah at the place of Father’s...
The Feasts of the Lord and our Priorities–Where is God’s Dwelling Place Part 1–Torah Living Daily Challenge 27
[podcast src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/3942165/height/360/width/480/theme/standard/direction/no/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/" height="360" width="480"]The Feasts of the Lord and our Priorities Where is God's...
Opinions Matter Only So Much–Torah Living Daily Challenge 26
Opinions Matter Only So Much Torah Living Daily Challenge 26 The other day, I found myself in an awkward situation, which I surmise is not uncommon to many of us in the Hebraic Roots. And I would venture to say that, with the advent and popularity of social media,...
Living Under the Curse of Torah–Grace and the Law Part 7–STAR 36
Living Under the Curse of Torah Grace and the Law Part 7--STAR 36 Calendar 25th/26th day of the 8th Biblical Month--also known as Marheshwan Approaching the beginning of the 9th Biblical Month—if all goes as expected, this coming Friday at sundown, the 13th of...
Exorcism and the Torah Observant Believer in Y’shua Messiah–Torah Living Daily Challenge 25
Exorcism and the Torah Observant Believer in Y'shua Messiah Torah Living Daily Challenge 25 This morning I stumbled upon an article that got my attention. It was entitled, “The Great Exorcism Boom,” by Andrew Chestnut; dated 11/5/2015. This article was written...
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