A Blessing and Our Focus

The following has occured in the past 24 hours.

Today at the 11am Intro to Jewish Roots class I attend, a member just got back from being in Jerusalem for 2 weeks. He tried to go last year but became ill and couldn't go. So this year he actually made it there and back. He said one of the Shabbat's he was there he and the group he went with went down to The Wall as that's where many go to welcome the Shabbat. He turned and shook hands with a 16 or so year old and said, "Shabbat Shalom" and from there they had a 45 minute discussion about Messiah. He told the young man that whether we're wathing for HIS second or first appearing, when HE does come, we will definately realize we are brothers. He said that was the highlight of his trip.

Then he told us that he wrote all of our names down on a piece of paper and slipped it into The Wall. Our instructor told us that a Rabbi will come along and collect the paper slips and they will be prayed over. So since today was our 49th day of the Omer ((yes via civil calendar, which saduccean would be next weekend)) I took this as a blessing. Hopefully DH will turn back to Messiah and embrace his Hebrew Roots and we can have more children.

The guy who just returned also took our classes gift to Ami and his family. Ami is the young man whose dad is a Messianic Minister over there and on Purim they got a gift that exploded and Ami was injured. The doctors are amazed at his recovery although they said the nerve and tendon damage will take many surgeries to correct and lots of therapy. They did find out it was an ultra-orthodox person who left the "gift" and we pray justice is done and that person finds Messiah because if it's swept under the rug the Jews who accept Yeshua as Messiah may face further such treatment from those who are mad at them or somehow think they've forsaken their faith.

Last night at HavDalah get together someone mentioned we are like pawns or Vessels of the
L-RD if you prefer that terminology. Being used either for G-D's glory or by the slanderer (hasatan). ((who we've learned is like a toothless dog on a leash, he can only do what G-D allows but he tried to intimidate us, but where's your focus ... on the chained animal or YHVH?))

We talked about the coming storm for our country if you will and what the Bible says:
Romans 13:1-5
1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

Titus 3:1 -
1Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

I Peter 2:13-17
13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Examples of those who remained faithful to G-D and mitzvot and didn't get in the face in a pushy, forceful way : Joseph and Daniel, and G-D protected them.

Also these words were spoken to the Believers when there was heavy persecution of those who followed Messiah. They were told to submit ... even though it could and did many times cost them their lives and hey they may just say as they are about to execute you, "well at least you've been honest and faithful to what you believe" .... like when Daniel was in the lion's den, who prayed for him all night...yep the guy in charge.

Then someone else said when it came to Paul's writings they didn't totally understand them. After all he was a very high up pharisee and maybe if we all were, we'd totally get everything he meant. Also we have his answer letters but not the question letters.

And check out what Peter says about Paul's words:
II Peter 3:15-16
15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Someone said, what if some of these things are just like more of the "narrow way" test ... some will interpret Paul's words to mean one thing while others interpret it different. We can't both be right, there has to be one right meaning. Few will find it.

Here's some scripture the one man who admitted to not getting Paul all the time said trips him up and until a full understanding for him comes, he reads them but tried not to let it overwhelm him.

Galatians 4:9-11
9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

((of course the pauline chrischun circle says this is referring to not having to observe G-D's calendar anymore, but then that is replacement theology saying G-D had to change HIS mind and come up with something, "better" ...but we know G-D is perfect and would not need to perfect anything HE does.))

I asked if the Galatians were Jewish? and if they were a greek civilization then to me Paul is saying, don't go back to your greek observances after you've come to know the True G-D and what HE says to observe. So for me I do not see this as saying that Leviticus 23 is voided.

Colossians 2:16
16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

again, to me this means don't let those that are not Believers tell you not to keep Leviticus 23 observances. I do not see this as saying, hey stop observing G-D's calendar. That's absurd, why tell someone to disobey G-D?

The theme for last night was to endure and today to remember even with the craziness going on around us to let our focus remain on Yeshua and not the waves.


This morning in about 15 minutes, a very deep discussion, I'll just share some with you.

Jacob 5:7-8
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

patient, endure ... hmmm there's that command again

Shavuot - the early rain, the first rain of the season for the farmers .... many times Scripture talks of writing HIS Torah on our hearts and that's what the Holy Spirit does which is why HE came at Shavuot ((pentecost for you greek thinkers, count me out, I don't want to be hellenized))

the early rain has come, are you watching for the latter rain, that last rain, which signals the harvest is soon? I know I am.

Many then understood what it meant to be born again or anew, except nicodemus who asked how he could enter his mom's womb and re-emerge again.

but even with a new heart and being a new creation, that newbie needs training and correction.

I am learning so much of my need for this continual training and correction. This made me think of habit training or training of the will. Our instructor said many do learn the hard way, by making mistakes and then being corrected. Then there are some who learn by watching others' mistakes what to do and what not to do. And then someone piped up that some are diligent followers of Proverbs.

I thank YHVH for being patient with me and ask that HE continue to be patient with me and train/guide me in HIS gentle way to make me who HE wants me to be and to do what HE wants me to do.