Absolute Truth John 17:17

What is my role today as wife?

2009-10-28T08:47:00.004-05:00

Mereas,

Recently, a brother in the Messiah sent me an email regarding his marriage and their prospective roles within. I thought I'd share its content with you, perhaps to quicken our wifely hearts and REMIND us how, in one fell swoop, we can [yes, are called] to love those lovely hunks of men called husbands ADONAI has given to us.

Here is our Brother's (edited) email to me:

Dear Carmen,

i like you blog and i would like to give you my more sincere congratulations for it. I guess you are very busy woman, and maybe you do not have the time to answer private questions but anyway I would like also to take the chance and ask you about some questions that are really pressing my mind/life sometimes. I am married to a wonderful wife...

My question is, of course from the Christian point of view of the word of God, what do you feel about women leading the household? is it sin? is it wrong for a man to be natural subordinated to his wife inside the family?

I thank you immensely any answer and God bless you.

My response to our brother's question:

"As with all questions we may have pertaining to the Word of God and life, ADONAI reveals His Truth to us as we study TOGETHER with other Believers. Are you and your wife involved in a fellowship where you can study as a couple and a men's fellowship and women's fellowship separately? In the context of a group setting is when and where ADONAI reveals His greatest Truths to us.

I asked my husband what advice he'd give to you and he said that you'd gain a great deal of understanding and depth as you study alongside a body of brothers and pastors in your local fellowship. Your question is not a short email thread, but rather an unfolding and unveiling of Truth over time and practice (sanctification) regarding His intentions that you both may operate in your God-ordained roles in the power of His Spirit.

She is to "phobeo" (Greek, meaning 'revere, respect, be in awe of') you and you are to love (agapeo) her as Christ loved the Set-apart Ones (church). We are BOTH called (as set-apart ones) to LOVE AS CHRIST fully in the roles HE has ordained. That takes mutual submission realizing that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the assembly of Believers. (Ephesians 5)

May ADONAI RICHLY BLESS your marriage (and thus, your family) as you both seek Him together for His blessing, favor, mercy, power, protection, provisions and LIFE abundant.

"For it is written that man shall not live by Bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." ~Yeshua HaMashiach (Matthew 4:4)

To LOVE AS CHRIST is the question we all should ask daily, regardless of the role HE has put us in.

May HE be glorified in us!"

And May HE so be...and may our husbands, without hesitation, be able to say...

He who finds a wife finds a great good; he has won the favor of ADONAI.
~ Proverbs 18:22

Fear and Impatience

2009-09-01T10:11:00.003-05:00

Relax and Enjoy God's Goodness Today!

Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble, So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (Gk. 'sophronizo') and to love their husbands and their children, To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited).
~ Titus 2:3-5 AMP

FEAR and IMPATIENCE are two main inhibitors that often keep us from a fulfilled life.

FEAR imprisons and paralyzes us while IMPATIENCE drives us forward prematurely. FEAR causes the Believer to fall far behind while IMPATIENCE can drive the same Believer too far ahead and out of the position and favor of God.

These two are the antithesis of DISCIPLINE and DEVOTION. Does that bring back memories of 2 Timothy 1:7?

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control (Gk. 'sophronismos').

Both words hail from the root word 'sophron'.

Sozo - ‘to heal, deliver and make whole’ AND Phren - ‘the mind, feelings and understanding’

2 Timothy 1:7 proclaims that our LORD has not given us a spirit of fear, but HE has given us the Spirit of Power and Love which ‘MAKES a sound and whole mind’! That is such powerful wisdom for living!

Now, with that, comes our great responsibility and privilege of TEACHING and TRAINING the younger women of the church ‘making them of a sound mind’.

Did you notice that the Teacher is a ‘teacher of good things’ both in word and deed? That is where we really learn, isn’t it - through both a woman’s LIPS as well as her LIVING?

Here are FIVE beautiful ways to G.R.A.C.E. one another so that the Word of God is not blasphemed, our lives are fruitful, we are completely satisfied, and a lost and perishing world can’t help but notice the difference!

G - GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD YESHUA - 2 Peter 3:18

R - REMOVE THE OLD - Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:20-23;Colossians 3:8-9

A - ACCEPT THE NEW - Galatians 5:22-23

C - CONTINUE IN STEADFAST PRAYER for one another - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17; Philippians 1:18b-19; Acts 2:42

E - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER to persevere and grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD - Hebrews 10:24

Father God, You are the One Who is able to bring ORDER and LIGHT from the chaos and darkness in our lives. I thank You that You are faithful to do so and even now, Your Spirit is regenerating our lives from the inside out. B'SHEM YESHUA ADONEINU!

For by Him, All Things Were Created - Colossians 1:16

2009-08-15T14:57:00.008-05:00

'Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.'

~ Hebrews 13:16

You Can Help

2009-08-11T13:17:00.005-05:00

Checked out the Incarcerated Women’s Prayer Ministry lately?

Thank you Judy Bratten for your great love for these women and your faithful commitment to intercede for them!

Thank you, Sweet Friend, for allowing us to be a part of seeing ADONAI move in their lives. You are one to imitate.

Needing a Change?

2009-07-22T07:28:00.005-05:00

From a distance ADONAI appeared to me, [saying,] "I love you with an everlasting love; this is why in My grace I draw you to Me. ~ Jeremiah 31:3

When my daughter Kierstyn was still in diapers just a few short years ago, she had a most peculiar way of letting me know she had taken care of her business.

She was in the habit of pushing me away from her every time she had ‘gone potty’ - that would be No. 2! Moms, you know the look and you are familiar with ‘all things poopy’, I am sure. (You might be interested to know that I had to add 'poopy' to my spell check.)

For the rest of this story, you just must join us at the Cafe...

How Zealous are You for the things of ADONAI?

2009-07-07T22:50:00.006-05:00

Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 30:1

Haftarah: 1 Kings 18:46 - 19:21

B’rit Chadashah: Romans 11:2 - 32

הָאְנִק - 'qana'

11 "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say, "Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel."' ~ Numbers 25:11-13

qana’ - Hebrew, a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e. (in a bad sense) jealous or envious:--(be) envy(-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous(-y), X very, (be) zeal(-ous).

and it’s Greek equivalent...

zeo - Greek, a primary verb; to be hot (boil, of liquids; or glow, of solids), i.e. (figuratively) be fervid (earnest):--be fervent. (from which comes the extended word ‘zeal’)

“10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer,“ ~ Romans 12:10-12

‘Be aglow, and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.’ - AMP version

You may have noticed a strong connection between ‘zeal’ and ‘enthusiasm’. To be zealous over the things of ADONAI is to be enthusiastic, and even jealous for those things, just as HE is with us...

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I am zealous [qana] for Zion with great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous for her.' ~ Zechariah 8:2

“...(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous [Qanna], is a jealous [qanna] God),” ~ Exodus 34:14

Therefore, one of the Names of God is El Qanna! [Jealous God]

Now, taking this one step further, we see the Greek word for ‘enthusiasm’ is ‘entheos’ meaning ‘God within’. Truly, to be ‘burning aglow, burning with spiritual fervor’ IS TO BE filled with His Spirit, producing fruit and zealous for building ADONAI’s Kingdom and not merely building our own ‘kingdoms’.

Pinchas (Phinehas) was a man whose righteous zeal indeed, caused him to ‘do things with all his might...as unto the LORD, and not unto men’ [Ecclesiastes 9:10; Ephesians 6:6-7].

This zealous act was ‘done in faith’. It was done because Phinehas fore mostly and chiefly believed ADONAI! In other words, it was not the act itself that caused it to be ‘accredited to him as righteousness’ [as Psalm 106 reveals], it was Phinehas’ FAITH!

And FAITH is nothing less than an ‘ACTIVE TRUST from a believing heart [pure conscience] that produces acts of righteousness in the ZEAL of ADONAI...ENTHEOS!

30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. 31 And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore. ~ Psalm 106

Romans 14:23 cautions us that...

“...whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. “

Both Phinehas and Abraham were JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, not by their works. [Please Read Romans 4:1-8]

You see that we, too, are justified [made righteous] BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST JESUS. And we also see that whatever ‘works’ we do that are not DONE IN FAITH is SIN [dead works]! This is why the writer of Hebrews reveals yet another great TRUTH to us:

‘13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?’ ~ Hebrews 9

Conclusion: True zealous and righteous acts are works done IN FAITH, in union with the Mashiach, in the zeal of ADONAI. These works will continue on and will be rewarded in the world to come [‘olam haba]. For Scripture declares:

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

~ 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

Do you have a real passion and zeal for the LORD, for the things of the LORD (as the LORD does}?
Does it show in your work?
What does this week’s Torah portion and extra drash reveal about your own heart?
Have you asked the LORD to reveal to you what portion of your work is done IN FAITH (living works to be rewarded) and what work is done without faith (dead works to be burned = sin)?
What does ‘be aglow, burning with the Spirit’ mean?
How has The Word convicted and convinced your heart this week?
What has ADONAI instructed that you do differently this week in your relationships?
THE WORD can take you anywhere. Where did the Ruach of ADONAI take you this week in your drash (study)?

Mriy!

2009-07-01T07:14:00.009-05:00

1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, 5 and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Him. The one whom He chooses He will bring near to Him. ~ Numbers 16:1-5

Mriy!

That’s the common thread running through this week’s parashah (Torah portion reading cycle).

Mriy is the Hebrew word for ‘rebellion’. Mriy means bitterness, disobedience, provocation, and rebellion.

It’s the exact opposite of honey that tastes sweet, pleasant and goes down smoothly.

Rebellion ALWAYS leads to some kind of division. It divides the shalom known and realized in the UNITY of the Ruach. It grieves the Ruach of Elohim (Spirit of God).

Sowing discord among the brethren is one of the seven abominations that ADONAI hates, according to Proverbs 6:

16 There are six things that ADONAI hates,

seven that are an abomination to Him:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that make haste to run to evil,

19 a false witness who breathes out lies,

and one who sows discord among brothers.

In 1 Samuel 15:23, the prophet Samuel filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, equates rebellion with the sin of divination/witchcraft!

witchcraft/rebellion: a way of attaining the desires of (your) evil, unbelieving heart through manipulation because you do not believe God has your best interests at heart. Therefore, you must take up any means necessary to achieve the desires of your heart as you do not believe God is either able, willing, or both.

1. Is this the means you use to get what you (think you) desire?

2. Do you manipulate your spouse? Your co-workers? Your children?

3. Has your heart been guilty of mriy in any form?

4. Have you asked ADONAI to examine your heart for any impure motives you may not be aware of?

The wisdom of Scripture reveals to us that as we ‘Delight ourselves in ADONAI, He gives us the desire of our (transformed) hearts’! (Psalm 37:4)

To delight ourselves in ADONAI is to be one with ADONAI in perfect shalom and harmony according to His preparations.

ADONAI hates rebellion because it leads to discord. And discord leads to division which is the opposite of yachad (unity). When there is no yachad, there is no shalom. ADONAI is One. HE is perfect echad. HE is never divided. HE is perfect shalom. Even His name is YHWH-SHALOM. Shalom is what our Mashiach died to give to us.

Scripture tells us to 'be at shalom as much as it depends upon us' (Romans 12:18) and that ‘a harvest of righteousness is raised in shalom by those who make shalom’ (James 3:18); and also that we are to ‘be eager to maintain the unity of the Ruach (Spirit) in the bond of shalom’ (Ephesians 4:3).

This is the kind of heavenly shalom that Yeshua said HE was giving to His disciples...

"What I am leaving with you is shalom -- I am giving you My shalom. I don't give the way the world gives. Don't let yourselves be upset or frightened.” ~ John 14:27

Go here for more about Korach in B'rit Chadashah (New Testament Reading with Torah)

A Tribute to Amy Jones

2009-06-23T10:48:00.005-05:00

I had the privilege of being Amy’s long distance Friend. My husband introduced her to me some years back at a Ziglar speaking workshop in Dallas…just before she was given the great opportunity to work with Ziglar Training.

She welcomed me into her life like no one I’d ever known. She invited me numerous times to go to one of her conferences…and finally, my husband and I had the privilege of being her guests at a GM (Get Motivated!) seminar in Topeka, KS.

Man, was that fun!

She wore me out with her energy! I just love her to pieces…and one additional neat thing, I spoke to my Mom about her numerous times. And my Mom went to be with the LORD two years ago…And now, they finally know each other in that glorious REST called Heaven!

Shalom aleichem, Amy’s family…there is a BIG gap in this present world.

Tom Ziglar wrote an amazing tribute to Amy. Read more about her tremendous influence in many lives at: At the Foot of a Giant

Amy was a Girl who knew how to L-I-V-E! Amy and I would often joke about our great love for acronyms! They helped us to remember the simple things in an often complicated life.

May we learn from her just how much of a GIFT today really is. I will miss your sweet presence, Amy!

You can get her newly released book at the Ziglar Online Shop.

Amy seriously did 'TWICE AS MUCH IN HALF THE TIME'.

Shelach-Lekha (‘Send for Yourself’)

2009-06-19T15:39:00.005-05:00

This week's Parashah Reading: Shelach-Lekha ("Send for yourself")

Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41

Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24

B'rit Chadashah: Hebrews 3:7-4:1

The ‘Sin of the Spies’ account in this week’s Torah Portion follows on the heels of the account of Miriam’s sin of lashon hara (evil speech/slander/complaining, fretting, or whining all stemming from disbelieving hearts) against her brother Moses, the prophet of God. You can read about it in the book of Numbers chapter 12.

Miriam’s punishment for judging Moses’ selection of his wife Tzipporah, (a Cushite woman with black skin) was ironically, to be stricken with tzara’at (a contagious skin disease) that turned her skin AS WHITE AS SNOW. Miriam had, in essence, judged in this case, a person from outward appearances.

The entire camp watched as Miriam’s skin turned white as snow when the Cloud of ADONAI’s Presence was removed from over the tent. Ten of those who saw were the unbelieving spies!

We see that these ten of the twelve spies had done the same. They had judged a land, Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) according to outward appearances as well.

The Sin of the Spies was the same as Miriam’s. They perceived with their eyes only and did not take into account the God Who had ALREADY PROMISED to give them this Land.

The report they gave the Israelites upon their return was lashon hara, for they came back spreading falsities and fear instead of Truth and Trust in the God of their deliverance.

“We can’t attack those people because they are stronger than we are”; and they spread a negative report about the land they had reconnoitered for the people of Israel by saying, “"The land we passed through in order to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there were giant! We saw the N'filim, the descendants of 'Anak, who was from the N'filim; to ourselves we looked like grasshoppers by comparison, and we looked that way to them too!"’ ~ Numbers 13:31-33

Noteworthy: Just before Moses sent out the Twelve Spies out, he changed Hoshea’s (son of Nun) name to Y’hoshua (Joshua). This was significant because Moses added the Hebrew letter yud to the front of Hoshea’s name.

"In changing Hoshea's name to Yehoshua, Moshe [Moses] sought to address this last remaining element. Moshe’s choice of the new form of Hoshea's name was not random: adding the letter "yud" to Hoshea created a string of letters which constitute the first three of Tetragrammaton, the four-lettered DIVINE Name of God [YHWH]. "Hoshea" indicates salvation; by transforming this name to include the Name of God, Moshe includes God in the equation. Hoshea becomes Yehoshua: God will be within him, there to aid, to bring about their salvation." ~Rabbi Ari Kahn

“YHWH is BEFORE YOU TO DELIVER YOU. I’m going to change your name, Hoshea, as a REMINDER to you all of YHWH’s DELIVERANCE GOING BEFORE you all!” , was Moses’ encouraging sentiments to the Twelve Spies.

1.) Has lashon hara ever infected your life? How has it infected the lives of those around you?

2.) Is your speech honorable to ADONAI Eloheinu (LORD our God)?

3.) We see that Caleb ‘had a different spirit’. “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” ~ Numbers 14:24

a.) How was it different?

b.) In what areas of your life is HE calling you to ‘follow Him fully’ and have a different spirit?

4.) YESHUA (Latin: Jesus) is a contraction of Y’hoshua, meaning ‘YHWH-SAVES’!

a.) How has YESHUA saved you?

b.) How does HE continue to do so?

c.) Where is HE directing you to fully follow Him in your marriage, with your children, co-workers, neighbors and family members, while driving on James River Freeway, and with the unfriendly check-out lady at SuperTarget?

5.) Do you remember Rachav’s (Rahab) faith in the reading of Joshua 2?

a.) What does Rachav's emunah (faith) say about her?

b.) What can you learn from Rachav?

c. ) How did ADONAI reward Rachav's faith?

6.) The B’rit Chadasha’s reading in Hebrews 3:7-4:1 equates the ‘good news of deliverance’ to ‘mixing our FAITH with The Message’:

The Message (Word of Christ) + My Active Faith = Deliverance

a.) How is The Word directly linked to our faith (active trust), and our faith directly linked to our rest (deliverance)?

b .) How do we gain more faith? (Romans 10:17)

c. ) HOW IS YOUR EMUNAH GROWING AS YOU ARE HEARING THE WORD OF CHRIST BY IMMERSING YOURSELF IN IT DAILY?

Don’t Forget the Tzitzit!

Please Read Numbers 15:37-41

ADONAI instructed the Israelites that ‘they shall make for themselves tassels (Hb. tzitzit) on the corners (Hb. ‘kanaph’ meaning ‘wing’) of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.

The Israelites’ garments would have been large rectangular tunics with four corners. Today, since that style has gone out of fashion, the prayer shawl or ‘tallit’ has replaced this garb. The tallit is a rectangular prayer shawl draped over the shoulders with tassels on its four corners.

The color blue is also significant. The color was more like a dark blue, almost violet. This dye was taken from a substance secreted by the Murex off of the coast of Phoenicia. It was not easy to come by and thus, very expensive. This color was also used within the weavings of the Tabernacle and the High Priests’ robe.

Therefore, when every Israelite was tempted to ‘spy out’ (Hb. tuwr, same root word used for the spies) after their own hearts and eyes, they could look to the tzitzit instead and

1.) REMEMBER the Commandments of ADONAI...

2.) DO THEM...

3.) and THUS NOT (have to) ‘tuwr’/SPY OUT after our own ADULTEROUS hearts and eyes.

Imagine now, how well these mnemonic devices would serve us today! In essence, always wearing this REMINDER on their garments helped the Israelites to...

1.) REALIZE that ADONAI’S GOOD COMMANDMENTS were given as a covering to PROTECT THEM ON EVERY SIDE!

2.) REMEMBER to keep HIS Commandments and be HOLY (Hb. kadosh-pure, set-apart, consecrated/unavailable to the world’s system)!

3.) RECOGNIZE who they really were - a ROYAL priesthood!

Where’s my tzitzit??!!

1.) How does this commandment of ADONAI resonate with your spirit in regards to your OWN hearts and eyes (that Scriptures tells us) which pursue ‘zanah’ (fornication, unfaithfulness, adultery, harlotry, idolatry)?

2.) Kodesh means ‘holy’. It is also the Hebrew word used in the Tanach for the Holy ‘One’ of Israel, speaking of ADONAI HIMSELF! [Such as Isaiah 1:4] HE is not divided. He is the Holy ONE of Israel. He is Faithful. Thus, to not be in harmony with ADONAI in purpose, thought, and deed through His Word of Instruction and by the Power of the Ruach HaKodesh is akin to adultery against the Bridegroom Himself.

Imagine. Dream. Love.

2009-06-03T12:51:00.009-05:00

Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.
~ 1 Peter 1:8 (AMP)

Our imaginations of our LORD is what will prove to deepen our affections for Him.

Just the same as a woman dreams of her lover when he is away, so we, too may dream of the One Who loved us. Yes, even before HE ever laid eyes on us in our mother's wombs, we were loved by Him.

We were dreamt of, in the mind of Yeshua, Creator of Heaven, Earth, and mankind before we ever inhaled our first breath as a newborn babe.

It is a beautiful gift from ADONAI to imagine and to dream.

My husband's work takes him away from home quite a bit. If I were to quit thinking about him, my love for him would eventually and definitely wane. If I chose not to actively keep him in my thoughts even when he is around our home, my love for him would slowly suffocate.

Practically speaking, the hard work finds itself in our actively searching for those quiet, 'dreamy' places whereby we may fill our minds with glorious imaginings of the Lover of our souls.

The perfect rendezvous. That preconceived destination. A still moment where nothing but birds chirp and the wind blows as the morning sun takes its place in the Eastern sky, perhaps.

Dream of Him as you dine with Him - as you partake of the FEAST of HIS Word HE has put before you at His table, dream of Him.

Dream of Him as you walk by the way.
Dream of Him as you talk and as you pray.
Dream of Him as you speak of His glorious ways.
Dream lovely visions of Him to fill your thoughts and bring joy to your days.
Dream of Him as the sun arises, casting shadows on the ground.
Dream of Him in the night as you rest, safe and sound.
Just dream.

When and where are those quiet places of solitude you've discovered? What do those places look like for you? Where do you 'think upon', with wild imaginings, the One Who so intensely loves you?

The Fulfilled Woman at The Cafe

2009-05-23T08:44:00.002-05:00

Yeshua HaMashiach said that He came that we might have ABUNDANT LIFE (John 10:10). HIS Execution Stake (The Cross) made a way for us to receive inner joy, peace, and contentment in our life’s journey.

In the glorious blessing of our salvation, Yeshua has given us THREE KINGDOM KEYS that we may unlock the doors of Favor and Blessing in our lives:

1.) KEY OF WISDOM (TO GUIDE US) - THE WORD OF GOD

2.) KEY OF POWER (TO INVIGORATE US) - THE SPIRIT OF GOD

3.) KEY OF LOVE (TO CHANGE US) - THE PURPOSE OF GOD

The journey to being The Fulfilled Woman is not far. It’s much closer than you may think!

Join me at the CAFE!

Words Are Not Enough...

2009-05-11T10:30:00.014-05:00

The graphic to the left is the Hebrew word 'yachad' which means unity. I wrote about Yachad in an earlier post. Why do you suppose ADONAI looks upon our 'yachad' as GOOD and PLEASANT (Psalm 133)?

I believe HE does, not only because it fills our hearts and minds to be in unity with our brethren, but it also serves a GREAT PURPOSE for those watching eyes who are being called but have not answered His Voice!

Now, Chaverim, what would bubble up inside of you if someone were to ask you the following:

"What information, data, proof, evidence do you have for your religion, that would help me to decide to choose yours?"

"What distinguishes your religion from others, that would help me to decide which is true, and which are not?"

Imagine being posed these questions. How might you respond? Just think for a minute.

Recently, I was...and this was my response to the one seeking Truth:

"Friend, the ONLY evidence I have for my ‘religion’ being distinctive is my own changed life. And it is actually not a religion at all, as it is relational. The One I know is Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) Who knew me first....most of my life I was my own god. And evidently god(desses) self-destruct...After all, all an individual has is his/her own experiences. And for me, I have experienced something life-altering."
"...what happened was Someone found me (Psalm 40:1-3)."

"ADONAI spoke to me (yes, HE still speaks) that I cannot change one person with persuasive arguments, but I can be so changed, that they desire what I have..and ask about it (and they do!)."

"And so it is, I cannot tell and/or give experiential Truth to someone in the hopes of changing or re-routing their prospective journeys, nor will I try. But what I will do is explain to them what HE has wrought in MY life…namely, a HOPE and REST that my troubled soul had sorely longed for."

I continue to pray for this man and ask ADONAI to grant him a repentant heart that he might respond to The Call of salvation through His Son Yeshua.

As I prayed and thought about this brief encounter, the LORD continued to challenge my own heart. HE continued to speak to me about the roles we play as His instruments of righteousness.

Now, I ask you as I continue to ask myself. What EVIDENCE have you to present to the world about The One Truth?

Is there anything distinctive and powerful about your LIFE , about your family, about your assembly that could be the catalyst that causes someone to ‘put their trust and confident reliance in ADONAI’?

The DEMONSTRATION OF KINGDOM POWER always manifests itself as

HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS (1 Peter 3:15)/my Supreme Satisfaction
LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN (John 13:35)/my Sovereign Sanctification

Though both are beneficial to the Believer, they also serve as a 'sign' to the unbelieving.

Again, I implore you to gain the highest of understanding that the DEMONSTRATION OF THE KINGDOM, is the POWER of Christ in me, Who is my HOPE of glory!

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of words, but of power. ~ 1 Corinthians 4:20

The Evidence that TRUTH abides in us, and that we are walking with Him is not found in persuasive words, but it is found in a Transformed Life.

Neither in the Old or New Covenant do you see ADONAI jumping up and down like a forlorn child yelling ‘Pick me, Pick me!’. On the contrary, both Yeshua and His disciples bid others to ‘Come and See’ for themselves.

And furthermore, it is HE Who does the pickin’. Not us. (Another lesson for another day!)

Does any other ‘religion’ have a Being Who died for our sin that we may truly LIVE? No. Because no other religion’s ‘prophet’ died for his disciples, let alone be resurrected as Yeshua HaMashiach was. They all remain in their graves.

But not HE!

Is there another religion where the disciples are to ‘become one’? Here is another distinction, whereby all other ‘religions’ are about ‘rugged individualism’. Not so for Followers of The Way.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:17

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:13

There is this growing theme of YACHAD (unity) throughout the Scriptures.

We spoke of the “New Song” last week in our women's Beit Midrash as beautifully depicted in Psalm 40. Notice the glorious progression...

In the miry pit.

ADONAI hears our cries (because HE is nearby).

He pulls us out from the depth of darkness.

He puts our feet upon The Rock (Himself).

He establishes our steps. (Ephesians 2:10 - our works ordained of ADONAI)

He puts a NEW SONG in our mouths (Universal Song of the Ruach HaKodesh).

BECAUSE of my singing that Universal NEW SONG of the Ruach HaKodesh, many will see and fear and put their fear and trust and confident reliance in ADONAI.

We Called-Out Ones have A LOT yet to experience of ADONAI and one another!

We have been chosen that we, too, might sing the Ruach's New Song in GLORIOUS HARMONY with Him and with one another!

Take a blender, for example. Does it not remain a hunk of useless, shiny metal (yet with so much potential) until it has been plugged in, and power flows from an outer source charging the appliance to do as it was designed to do.

"There must be EVIDENCE revealing itself in Supreme Satisfaction and Sovereign Sanctification."

So, again I ask...Is your faith a demonstration of Kingdom Power? Is the Evidence readily there for those seeking it?

...Because THEY are seeking.

Mereas Beit Midrash

2009-04-24T13:38:00.004-05:00

The following is the introductory session of our women's small group Bible fellowship. It might be helpful as you begin to study the Hebraic roots of our faith in the context of a group of like-minded Sisters in the Mashiach! Shalom aleichem!

The Meaning Behind ‘Merea’

Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their

deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or

slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is

right and noble, So that they will wisely train the young women to be

[a]sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their hus-

bands and their children, To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-

natured (kindhearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their

husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach

(blasphemed or discredited).

~ Titus 2:3-5 (AMP)

Mishpachah and Mereas

While many in Christian fellowships would say that mentoring is Biblical, there are very few who are actually doing what God has commanded. As we return to our Hebrew roots, we will gain a better understanding of how ADONAI expects His mishpachah (family) to operate. We as women have been given a glorious role in the Body of the Mashiach!

‘Merea’ means ‘trusted friend/companion’. It comes from the root word ‘ra’ah’ which means to tend, nurture, and feed. and ‘mishpachah’ (family).

First, let us study the Greek word origin of mentorship. The word MENTOR has its roots in Greek mythology. The Oxford English Dictionary gives mentor as:

"allusively, one who fulﬁlls the ofﬁce which the supposed Mentor fulﬁlled towards Telemachus. b. Hence, as common noun: An experienced and trusted advisor." Men is ‘one who thinks’, ‘tor’ is the masculine sufﬁx, ‘trix’ the feminine. Therefore, mentor means a man who thinks, and Mentrix, a woman who thinks. The ﬁrst recorded usage - and the ﬁrst time that it was anthropomor- phised - was in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. ".....Odysseus, a great royal warrior, has been away ﬁghting the Trojan war, and has entrusted his son, Telemachus, to his friend and adviser, Mentor. Mentor has been charged with advising and serving as guardian to the entire royal household."

Mentoring is an ‘intentional’ process, as Mentor deliberately and carefully carried out his duties towards

Telemachus; and mentoring is a ‘nurturing’ process as it was Mentor’s duty to ‘draw forth the full potential in Telemachus’. It was Mentor’s task to help Telemachus ‘grow in wisdom without rebellion’, and mentoring is a ‘supportive, nurturing process’ - as Telemachus was to respond to the advice of Mentor with advising and serving as guardian to the entire royal household."

However, the Hebrew revelation of friends and family within the Body of The Mashiach goes much deeper. The Hebrew word ‘Merea’ describes who we are as Sisters in the family of the LORD (nurturers of one another) as well as what He has commanded us to do in the strength He supplies. Merea means ‘trusted friend and companion; one who feeds, tends and nurtures another’.

Additionally, a healthy ‘mishpachah’ cares for, tends and nurtures one another into ‘good and Godly choices’. Without the love, prayers, guidance, wisdom, and admonition (Greek ‘nouthesia’ - to put into ones’ mind) of a Godly Merea encouraging us to ‘choose well’, we often lack the motivation to make right choices in life. Receiving ‘mereaship’ into one’s life, then, is to experience wisdom without pain. And no one can fulﬁll both the duties and delights of a ‘Merea’ without building healthy, vibrant and trustworthy relationships with other women for the sole purpose ‘that the Word of God would not be exposed to reproach.’ (Titus 2:5)

What Does Scripture Teach?

Scripture unveils that the Apostle Paul admonished Pastor Titus to teach the foundational Truths of Sound Doctrine to three groups. Namely, 1.) Older Men 2.) Older Women and to encourage 3.) Young Men. Notice that the Young Women are excluded! These special young women are to be taught, trained, disciplined and corrected by the Older Women (teachers of good). The Greek word is sophronizo meaning ‘teach to be of a sound, sober mind’. Where there is teaching involved, there is also learning. These ordained Teachers have been anointed and appointed by the God of order Himself, to teach the younger generation of women to be of a sound mind (mind of the Messiah) so that in doing so, they may learn to love their husbands and children, among other Godly behaviors.

The 3 Circles of Mishpachah

Imagine three circles, one within the other. The innermost circle is ‘Holy Fellowship’. That is the springboard for ‘Growing Relationship’. And growing relationship then progresses to our purpose, ‘Fruitful Discipleship’.

Yeshua said, ‘By this My Father is glorified, in your bearing MUCH FRUIT...’(John 15:8). Our purpose is to glorify God by bearing MUCH FRUIT. That does not happen outside of ADONAI’s Mishpacha. It takes ‘Growing Relationship’ which begins with ‘Holy Fellowship’.

Can you see and hear the Maschiah’s ‘High Priestly Prayer’ and how The Father is and will continue to answer His Son’s request to ‘make us one as We (They) are one?’ (John 17)

3 Glorious Reasons Why Studying our Hebraic Roots causes THE WORD OF GOD TO COME ALIVE in YOU!

1.) From Genesis to Revelation, The Holy Scriptures (Breathed out by God - 2 Timothy 3:16) were written by Hebrew people! Scripture declares that it was to the Jews that the oracles of God were given.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (Greek ‘theopneustos’ meaning: ‘Theo’ - God and ‘pneo’ - to breathe out hard), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Romans 3:1-2 - 1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.

2.) In order to more fully understand Scripture, we must begin to DILIGENTLY STUDY (DRASH!) the Word not like a 21st century Gentile (Hebrew ‘Goyim’), but as a 1st Century Jew!

And, in order to understand these 1st century Jewish customs/culture, which are the ROOTS holding up our ‘Goyim’ branches, we must dig down past the surface to grasp what the Holy Spirit Inspired writers of Scriptures already knew. It is then that we begin to comprehend who and Whose we really are!

* The Hebrew word for Holy Spirit is ‘Ruach HaKodesh’. ‘Ruach’ means ‘Spirit or Breath’. ‘HaKodesh’ means ‘holy’ which literally means ‘set-apart’. Thus, Ruach HaKodesh translates to ‘The Set-Apart Breath’ of God!!

3.) Finally, This God-Breathed Word proclaims that HE is a Rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek HIM! And that Word is found in HEBREWS 11:6!

Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

Without a proper understanding of the Hebraic roots which holds up, feeds, and sustains the branches, DIVISIONS of every kind and rampant MISINTERPRETATIONS of Scripture within the Catholic/Protestant ‘Church’ have been the product.

There can be no proper understanding of these Hebrew Scriptures without digging down to our Hebrew roots...and that kind of diligence, my Friends, God REWARDS! Are you ready to INHALE what ADONAI ELOHIM (The LORD God) is exhaling?

Discussion Questions:

1.) How has ADONAI used a Merea in your life recently?

2.) How would you describe your relationship with your Heavenly Father? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of the LORD? 2 Peter 3:17-18

17 But you, dear friends, since you know this in advance, guard yourselves; so that you will not be led away by the errors of the wicked and fall from your own secure position. 18 And keep growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory, both now and forever! Amen.

3.) Read 2 Timothy 3:1-7 Without the 3 Circles of the Mispachah that are built upon the Word of ADONAI, God’s people are prone to ‘always learning, but never able to come to the full knowledge of the Truth’. What do you want most from this Beit Midrash?

Passed-Over for What?

2009-04-07T16:43:00.008-05:00

Just this week we got a mass mailed 'invitation' to attend an Easter service at an area congregation. We opened up the beautifully designed high resolution (did I mention LARGE?) mailer to find a list of movies that would be used...evidently to depict the Easter story (cause, you know, Scriptures could use the extra help).

"God at the Movies" was one phrase used in the publication.

Both my husband and son responded that the poor folks on the high-gloss page wearing their nifty 3-D glasses looked somewhat transfixed.

The publication wasn't at all surprising to me, just turned the old stomach momentarily, ya see.

I recounted the whole lack of the word 'Church' in the Scriptures emphasizing that we, the children of God's grace, are 'The Called-Out Ones'.

"What are we 'Called-Out' from?", I asked my son.

"Sin and the world", my son answered.

"Yes, just like the Israelites were called out of Egypt. So we, too, are 'CALLED-OUT' to be set apart from the 'olam hazeh (present worldly system)! Does this look like God's Called-Out Ones? (pointing emphatically to the publication)", I asked.

My purpose here is not to persuade you to cease using the word 'Church' in your circles of influence, nor is it to slam those fellowships who look, by all accounts, just LIKE the world we are supposed to be separated from. I am not saying we shouldn't use media for Kingdom purposes, either.

I am, however, hoping to draw attention to every reader's mind during this GLORIOUSLY PASSIONATE WEEK, are you feelin' your CALLED-OUTedness? Is it showing up on you? In your fellowship? Do you know what you are Called-Out from...what exactly were you Passed-Over for?

My Pastor used a very clever illustration about congregations recently. He took a large container and had a small cup beside it. Each cup depicted the 'spiritual temperature' of an individual in that fellowship. The first cup represented those 'burning with spiritual fervor'. A second cup represented those who are not too hot for Christ, but very warm nonetheless. Each consecutive cup had an impact on the overall temperature of that fellowship. And yes, there were plenty who were ice cold, plummeting the fahrenheit pretty quickly! So, as the Mashiach assesses that certain congregation, testing its spiritual temperature, HE then must conclude and proclaim that fellowship as being 'LUKEWARM'.

Okay. We know from Revelation 3:16 what His feelings are toward the Lukewarm fellowship of Laodicea.

A fellowship is only as vibrant as the individual members who make it up, right?

Which is why I write to you today, the Called-Out One on the other side of this monitor.

Pesach (Passover) is the feast that commemorates the Jewish nation's exit out of Egypt under Moses' leadership. Sunset April 8th (this evening) begins the celebratory PESACH: " The Festival of our Deliverance.

For an in-depth study of the Pesach and our Blessed Seh HaElohim (Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, YESHUA!), please go HERE. You will be eternally glad you did, come your assembly's next RESURRECTION CELEBRATION...for you will have been deliciously informed of the foundational Hebrew roots holding up your Christian Faith.

John Parsons, a wonderful teacher of the Hebrew4Christians website writes the following:

"For Messianic Jews, Passover marks the liberation of the entire world from the bondage to the evil one (a type of Pharaoh who enslaves humanity) by the hand of One greater than Moses. Like the original Passover in Egypt, the sacrifice of the Lamb causes the wrath of God to "pass over" those who are trusting in the LORD's provision for redemption, but in the case of the sacrifice of the Mashiach Yeshua, this redemption delivers us from the cruel bondage of Satan and causes the wrath of God to forever be put away from us (baruch HaShem!)."

Baruch HaSHEM, indeed!

Chaverim, may ADONAI grant us all a new understanding of our Faith in Yeshua and ALL that HE sacrificed Himself to give us. And in so doing, may HE additionally grant us a burning spiritual fervor that catches like wildfire in our congregations!

May our trusting faithfulness in YESHUA HaMashiach, Seh HaElohim, grow out of all worldliness keeping us from BEING ABOUT THE FATHER'S BUSINESS.

Abba YHWH, for You are faithful and will do it for the sake of HaSHEM (The Name)! We praise and thank You for teaching us, for Your Spirit guiding us, for Your Son's TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE for us! May You continue to set us apart for You have CALLED US OUT of Sin and the world! Let all who call upon the Name of ADONAI rejoice!

8 Give thanks to ADONAI! Call on His Name! Make His deeds known among the peoples. 9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him! Talk about all His wonders. 10 Glory in His Holy Name; let those seeking ADONAI have joyful hearts. 11 Seek ADONAI and His strength; always seek His presence. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:8-11

An Ode to ADONAI and Seasons He Brings

2009-04-03T11:14:00.010-05:00

If the sun were always shining and there were never any showers,

Gone would be the butterflies and the beauty of the flowers

And so it is with you and I, the plantings of our LORD

Secrets and wonderful plans He whispers through His Holy Word!

Heavenly Father plants us gently. Soon after, we take root

Patiently, He waits for His tender little shoot

Heaven’s rains begin to fall amidst the clouds and scary thunder

‘Are you still there?’ the Tiny Plant begins to wonder

‘I AM right beside you’ says Heavenly Father with a smile

'The rains I have sent...but only for a while'

Just when I think I am surely headed for some definite doom!

I feel something moving, changing...could that be a bloom?

Suddenly the rain subsides, the sun breaks through, and its rays caress my face

'I thank you, my Heavenly Father, for Your warm, relieving grace!'

Compassionately He speaks: 'Look how you’ve grown through this replenishing rain!'

'My hand never once left you as you struggled in your pain

See, now, your lovely petals, My sweet smelling flower?'

‘I make all things beautiful in its time!’ He spoke out in His power

'When I planted you in the soil, I already saw what you would be

I use both rain and sunshine to fulfill My plans for thee!

Rains I do allow for My holy life-giving reason

But Precious child, remember...It is ONLY FOR A SEASON.'

If the LORD hadn’t helped me, I would have soon dwelt in silence.

when I said, ‘my foot is slipping!’, Your grace, LORD, supported me.

When my cares within me are many, Your comforts cheer me up.

~ Psalm 94:17-19

Baruch atah ADONAI Eloheinu!

Sanctified by Word OR Conformed to World?

2009-03-31T11:07:00.000-05:00

Mereas, have you been introduced to the Truth of your personal sanctification?

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

Slow down James! That's a little harsh, don'tcha think? I don't think my head can handle such a beat-down!

James' fiery passion for The Living Word is equally invigorating as it is injurious to your inner man. Or is that just me?

As a modern day American, how can your spirit not squirm at this indicting statement? The struggle ensues however, as the Ruach HaKodesh within disentangles us from the rottenness of this world of which we do not belong.

Sha'ul taught us...

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
~ 1 Corinthians 2:12

James' compassion for the people of God and his passion for the Word of God compelled him to relay that the subjective effects of dispersion creating chaos in my mind is caused by my friendliness with the world.

Yep. I've never heard of a surgery that didn't involve some sort of pain. It has to be this way.

We are either being SANCTIFIED by the WORD or being CONFORMED to the WORLD.

One of two WILL BE happening everyday.

The average Follower today, I'm afraid, has a case of the lazy brain. Wouldn't you agree? I'm just sayin' because it's a far easy task for me to grow lax in the study of God's Word. Frighteningly easy. Like breathing.

Let's go back to the original inspired writings in The Book for a quick lesson on who we are as children of ADONAI.

The word translated 'Church' in our Bibles is 'Ekklesia'. 'Ek' meaning 'from, out of' and 'Kaleo' meaning 'called'. Thus, the correct and original rendering of this word ought to be:

'Called-Out Ones'

Not 'Church'.

For, it is ADONAI Who called us OUT OF the world through Yeshua the Pesach (Passover) Lamb just as HE called the Israelites out of Egypt!

This is important because our lazy brains automatically think of 'Church' often as being a building, a service or a (passive) organization rather than the active living Organism she actually is.

The problem is, buildings don't move. They just remain immobile. Buildings don't change lives because they don't possess life.

Our perceptions of who we are hold sway over what we do. It's that simple.

What does being part of the 'Called-Out Ones' mean for me? For you?

What would happen to your theology if you referenced your local community of Christ- Followers as 'The Called-Out Ones'? How might recalling that you are part of the 'Called-Out Ones' change your daily behavior? Works? Your mission to stay 'set-apart'; to be 'IN', but not 'OF' this world?

The danger of not seeing and referring to yourself as 'Called-Out' is that your old man is naturally inclined to see yourself as part of the world you see (by implication of your behaviors)...which could not be further from the Truth.

It certainly changes my perspective AS I THINK UPON my being CALLED-OUT.

Fathom this. As Yeshua Adoneinu (Jesus, our Lord) SHOOK UP the globe with His nail-scarred Hands, HE began to SET-APART a people unto Himself. HE separated that HE (The Word) might sanctify.

The Way to sanctification is to set up tent in The Word. The Way to realizing what being 'Called-Out' means is to read, meditate, abide and savor The Word of God...for it is by The Word of ADONAI that men truly live.

Having our minds sanctified by The Living Word produces the hard evidence that we are truly Yeshua's Called-Out Ones. His Talmidim (disciples).

Called-Out Ones, what is your attitude toward YOUR being sanctified by The Word? Is it a flippant one...or are you taking it with all seriousness? Because...

...friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Ouch. I really needed that.

A few additional worthy pointers by a recent John Piper/Desiring God Blog Post:

"A Plea for Heart Devotions and Head Study"

Mimhtai Mou!

2009-03-22T05:05:00.000-05:00

μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ.

You say, ‘That's Greek to me!’ Yes, friends, it is.

Translation:

“Be an imitator of me just as I am an imitator of Christ.”

Mimetes means to imitate, to follow. The root word means ‘to mimic’...

Follow me, Friends, to the Cafe for an encouraging Word about Holy Imitation!

The Pile of Sin Stinketh!

2009-03-11T09:15:00.008-05:00

"The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of the foot even unto the head--there is no soundness in it; but only wounds and bruises and putrefying sores!" ~ Isaiah 1:5, 6

"Sin and Satan have wounded man's body, which bring it down with disease and pain to the dust from whence it was taken. They have wounded his soul in all its faculties--his understanding with darkness, his will with a wicked choices, his affections with worldly-mindedness, so that he places his love upon the creature instead of the Creator. They have wounded his conscience with guilt, and with fear of death and dread of Hell. They have stopped his ears to the voice of the Spirit, and closed his eyes to the glory of God. How completely and severely man is wounded! Worst of all--sin has inflicted a mortal wound which has deprived man of his spiritual consciousness, for he is insensible, unaware of his desperate state!

Fallen man is in such a wretched condition, that he is beyond doing anything for his deliverance. But such a truth is far too distasteful to proud human nature. Man will not accept the Divine verdict, he will not believe his case is so desperate as the Scriptures depict it. He persuades himself that it lies in his own power to win the favor of God. He thinks that if he tries his best, and employs himself in religious duties--that such endeavors will receive an eternal recompense. All the expedients which human wisdom has devised as remedies for the wounds which sin has inflicted, may be reduced to two: good works--and religious duties."~ Arthur Pink, "The Good Samaritan" 1942

Bring it, Arthur!

Last night after a delectable meal together, our little crew read and discussed Psalm 66:18.

‘Had I cherished evil thoughts, Adonai would not have listened.’

Would countless religious activity atop piles of rotting sin describe your walk these days? Are you wondering why ADONAI does not answer your requests for whatever it is you think you need?

Does your Christian life seem to be one looooong stream of monotonous blah?

Do you smell that? It's the PILE OF SIN that stinketh!

Just as Mr. Pink's wisdom portrays the spiritually proud as trying to buy the favor of God with 'good works and religious duties', we are wise to CEASE ALL ACTIVITY if we have been sitting atop piles of unrepentant, rotting sin.

ADONAI will not hear us in this state.

However, my friend, there is GLORIOUS NEWS!

As we begin to remove one by one the sin from the putrid fly-infested pile through confession and repentance, ADONAI will not only hear us, but HE will show us the STARVING LOVE lying at the bottom. It is still there, though it lies dormant needing some cultivation. It has grown cold at our neglect, piled up with sin.

The LOVE that we mistakingly thought had fled away, though languishing, still LIVES ready to thrive once again!

For whom has your love grown so utterly cold? Is it your husband? Your wife? Your life? Your family? Your God?

That’s what’s wrong.

Past time to take out the trash...

Is Unforgiveness Crippling You?

2009-03-09T09:25:00.003-05:00

Abba YHWH, I praise Your glorious Name this day. I thank You for the working of Your Spirit in our lives that saves, sanctifies, and satisfies! May Your Spirit govern me this day that I would not fulfill the lusts of my pitiful flesh and thus be condemned by my own iniquities! Faithful Abba, by Your great grace may I combine my trust (faith) with Your Word that I might enter Your rest this day - mind, body and spirit! Deliver Your children from the hard-heartedness that the deceit of sin has propagated. B’shem Yeshua Adoneinu, Amen.

The Healing at the Pool on the Shabbat (John 5)

1 After this, there was a Judean festival; and Yeshua went up to Yerushalayim. 2 In Yerushalayim, by the Sheep Gate, is a pool called in Aramaic, Beit-Zata, 3 in which lay a crowd of invalids -- blind, lame, crippled. 4 (Some manuscripts have verses 3b 4: . . . , waiting for the water to move; v4 for at certain times an angel of ADONAI went down into the pool and disturbed the water, and whoever stepped into the water first after it was disturbed was healed of whatever disease he had.)
5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 Yeshua, seeing this man and knowing that he had been there a long time, said to him, "Do you want to be healed (made whole)?" 7 The sick man answered, "I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I'm trying to get there, someone goes in ahead of me."
8 Yeshua said to him, "Get up, pick up your mat and walk!" 9 Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and walked. Now that day was Shabbat, 10 so the Judeans said to the man who had been healed, "It's Shabbat! It's against Torah for you to carry your mat!" 11 But he answered them, "The man who healed me -- he's the one who told me, `Pick up your mat and walk.'" 12 They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to pick it up and walk?" 13 But the man who had been healed didn't know who it was, because Yeshua had slipped away into the crowd.
14 Afterwards Yeshua found him in the Temple court and said to him, "See, you are well! Now stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you!" 15 The man went off and told the Judeans it was Yeshua who had healed him; 16 and on account of this, the Judeans began harassing Yeshua because he did these things on Shabbat.

Have you given your life as a dispenser of His great Grace and Truth which has been powered by the LIGHT OF THE SON?

The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw His Sh'khinah, the Sh'khinah of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. ~ John 1:14

We are to be dispensing HIS fullness of Grace and Truth in a life of praying for and thinking on others needs before our own. His Life is manifest in our lives as we spend our patience on someone who doesn't have their own (or doesn't spend theirs wisely).

There are plenty of moments that I don't want to give up my life. I want to take it for myself that I might do as I wish in that moment.

Foolishness.

Forgiveness: The pathway to abundant living; the 'being made whole' of your inner man (which is, in reality, your life) is ALWAYS in Christ's (inward) expression that He revealed in Gat-Sh'manim.

Then Yeshua went with His talmidim to a place called Gat-Sh'manim and said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."... "My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, let what You want be done." ~ Matthew 26:36,42

The outworking or the outward expression of that being made whole, HE revealed BEFORE Gat-Sh'manim in John 5:9.

HE asked the paralytic “Do you want to be made whole?”

Not everyone wants to be made whole.

The paralytic diseased for thirty-eight years due to his own sins of choice, first complained as to why he hadn't already been made whole. It was somebody elses' fault. It always is.

The LORD, however, did not answer his complaint, but rather gave HIM a COMMAND “GET UP! (stop talking about it), pick up your mat and walk! (DO! rather than complain).

The paralytic then responded without words. He responded in ACTIONS. He obeyed the Torah (instruction) of the Mashiach.

Do you want to be made whole? Are you complaining about the others who you think are standing in your waters of wholeness?

STOP!!!

Instead, YOU obey...YOU forgive...YOU ask forgiveness...YOU GET UP...YOU pick up your mat (your burden) and then YOU WALK it out in obedience to the LORD's every Word.

HE will not do the thing HE has given YOU to do.

YOU must do it. Then you WILL BE MADE WHOLE.

An additional word Christ leaves the once ill man, '"Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you."

“When I confessed them (my sins) to the Father, Jesus Christ washed them in His blood. They are now cast into the deepest sea and a sign is put up that says, NO FISHING ALLOWED.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

But...do you find that you keep fishing in someone else’s sea of forgiveness? Mereas, if your campsite is turned toward this sea and your fishing pole cast, you have not truly forgiven. May His Ruach HaKodesh quicken your hardened heart and set you free from the deceit of this sin. It is HIS pleasure to set you free. It is His will to make you whole!

Furthermore, if His will is that you be conformed to the image of His Son, then ask yourself ‘Would His Son withhold forgiveness from ______?’ You already know the answer.

Have mercy, ADONAI, upon the unforgiving by stirring them up to repentance that You might make them whole!

18 Who is a God like you, pardoning the sin and overlooking the crimes of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in grace. 19 He will again have compassion on us, He will subdue our iniquities. You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea. ~ Micah 7:18,19

Chaverim! Do you not know that your unity with your brethren (or lack, thereof) is THE INDICATOR of your unity with your very own Father (or lack thereof)?

God cannot be divided. But we surely can.

FORGIVE as you have been forgiven! And you will find that the shalom that His Spirit of Unity has ALREADY GIVEN will envelop your heart and mind. But, first you must respond to His Word.

Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!

The Fulfilled Woman Bible Study!

2009-03-03T13:41:00.004-06:00

'The Fulfilled Woman'

Women’s Beit Midrash

What does a fulfilled woman look like? Being satisfied in life begins with knowing Jesus Christ Whose Spirit gives purpose, empowerment and instruction for living. And this fulfillment grows as we obey His instruction to ‘love one another as I have loved you.’ (John 15:12)

God’s Word and your life are all about your relationships - beginning with Him and overflowing into all others!

What do your relationships look like? God’s plan is to generously bless you as you

believe enough to follow His Word. Are you positioned for a blessing?

Luke 1:45 says, ‘Blessed is she who has believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!’

Join us as we sojourn together through His Word in fellowship, food and

fun! Praying His many blessings are yours!

Click HERE for your downloadable PDF!

The Fulfilled Woman - Sanctify My Lips, LORD!

2009-02-28T12:38:00.007-06:00

Do you have anything in common with a jackass?

Take a stroll with me over to the Plumb Line and let's see!

For the Sake of HaSHEM

2009-02-24T06:29:00.009-06:00

"The LORD, the One Who made the world and everything that is in it, the One Who lit the taper of the sun and put the stars in their places, that's my Shepherd. The One Who threw a carpet of green grass upon the earth and tacked it down with flowers, the One Who scooped up the valleys and piled up the hills, the One Who took the song of the seraph and robed it with feathers and gave it to the nightingale, the One Who took the rainbow and wove it into a scarf and threw it about the shoulders of a dying storm, that's my Shepherd. At evening time, He pulls down the shade of the night and shoots it through with sunset fire. That's my Shepherd." ~ Angel Martinez

This is that Great Shepherd Whose Name we serve.

This is He Whom we have been set-apart to. Kodesh. Holy.

Our manner of life and actions TODAY will either defile and profane His Holy Name, or they will be proclaiming His Majesty before every eye.

(SEE Ezekiel 36:16-23)

vs 21

"But I am concerned about My Holy Name, which the house of Isra’el is profaning among the nations where they have gone. 22 “Therefore tell the house of Isra’el that Adonai ELOHIM says this: ‘I am not going to do this for your sake, house of Isra’el, but for the sake of My Holy Name, which you have been profaning among the nations where you went. 23 I will set apart My great Name to be regarded as holy, since it has been profaned in the nations - you profaned it among them. The nations will know that I AM ADONAI,’ says Adonai ELOHIM, ‘when, before their eyes, I AM set apart through you to be regarded as holy.” (CJB)

1 Peter 3:15 expounds in that we are to

“treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts”.

That is vs 23 of Ezekiel in a glory-filled nutshell:

“The nations will know that I AM ADONAI when, BEFORE THEIR EYES, I AM SET APART THROUGH YOU to be REGARDED as HOLY.”

Are you, too, concerned about His Holy Name among the nations as HE is? What about among your friends? Your neighbors? Your family?

Everything HE has done, is doing and will do is all for the sake of HaSHEM. The Name.

Will I submit to the sanctification of my will that HE may work in and through me? It is only then that I am able to regard Christ as holy in my heart.

HaSHEM. May our lives be a reflection, a demonstration of Your Great Name...before every eye.

B'Shem Yeshua Adoneinu!

(In the Name of Jesus, our LORD)

Before Every Eye...

Let Her Works Praise Her!

2009-02-21T07:09:00.002-06:00

Do your works praise you this day?

Would ADONAI?

Grab your Gospel shoes, join us at the Cafe and let's see!

The Fulfilled Woman - L'chayim!

2009-02-20T05:00:00.001-06:00

I'm at the Plumb Line today talkin' bout

L'Chayim!

(To Life!)

Won't you join us?

WARNING: SIN SUCKS...

2009-02-18T09:40:00.011-06:00

...the LIFE right out of you!

Have you noticed? Do you remember your old lifestyle? Do you have a past?

Do you ever take time to recall the grandeur of our YESHUA (YHWH Saves) in your life?

"You are to remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and ADONAI your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm." ~ D'varim 5:15

Does your heart feel compassion for those around you who still are living lives of grasping for the wind, as you once did?

Mine does. But not because I'm special. My heart feels compassion because of what HE continues to do in me. Through me. To me.

Understand, I once was fine with my old lifestyle. The old man was the only man I knew. It really never entered my mind that I could change. I never knew that Someone could change me...if I relented.

Straight to my core I sincerely believed that you had to be 'born into that perfect lifestyle' to experience such freedoms from what I'd grown accustomed to. I was partially right. You did have to be born into it...'born again' into a NEW LIFE, that is.

In the midst of my sin, I sat back and pondered for months why it is I had no peace. Joy. Life. Continuity. Stability. Love.

I had been 'had', folks. That is the easiest way to put it. I no longer found satisfaction in that way of living. I had had enough. I finally realized that not only did this way of living (which is really a slow death) do great damage to my emotions (which would take some sanctifying repair), but also, there was NOTHING NEW about what I was doing.

Can you believe it? Nothing new. Along this broad way I was walking were miles and miles of the wandering footprints of my predecessors.

'How can you be so alone when there is so many others on this broad path?', I thought to myself.

There was nothing new at all about my sins of choice. They'd all been done before me through different timelines and cultures.

This broad path was old, tired, and played-out. Solomon's quest for life's answers as depicted in the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) was centered around the somber and shared cogitation 'Is there life BEFORE death?'

I was on a quest. Some of us had good counsel and guidance along the way. Some of us did not. Some of us didn't care to listen to whatever good guidance we were given. Some of us just didn't care.

Ya see, I was on a quest for SOMETHING NEW like so many people today. New experiences. New love. New heights to lessen the low depths of my soul (that black void I was trying to ignore by earthly anesthetics). It worked, too, for brief periods. All those people I hung with were anesthetizing their voids as well. We all were helpless and wearing disguises.

My reckless attitude of 'Who needs God?' was the destructive mindset that propagated the very sin that was slowly suffocating me.

Joy. I didn't have it. I didn't know how to get it. I was afraid to give myself to God because that meant He would REQUIRE my sin. I preferred my chains only because I was so used to them and afraid of what change might mean.

But the LIGHT began to break through my sin-seared conscience and I slowly began to realize that HE wanted to ACQUIRE MY SIN, rather than requiring it.

There's a difference. HE was extending His Hand to lift away the heavy burden of sinful destruction from my weary bones.

HE wanted to clothe my sin and shame with the sacrifice of HIS SON just as HE did with the VERY FIRST sacrifice (of any kind) in the Garden with Adam and Havvah. ADONAI had to kill an animal in order to clothe the sin and the shame of His beloved Adam and Havvah (Genesis 3:21).

Likewise, HE was doing with me. I am ever grateful that HE saved and continues to save me from myself by His tender mercies.

Pray for your lost, suffocating friends. Love THEM as they are. They may be rejecting your Message (Christ in you), but one day, Friend, if the sin is not unto death (absolute and final rejection of Christ), their unbearable pain will cause them to look to the closest Christ they know...you.

Pray for them. Love them. And wait for their place of brokenness.

They do not need a judge. They need 'Jesus with skin on'.

When the darkness becomes too dark and their earnings begin to overtake them, they will look to that Christ in you. The one who loved. The one who prayed. The one, yes, whom they have rejected.

When they have ears to hear, tell them that sin has bankrupted their spiritual bank accounts because sin's wages are DEATH (Romans 6:23). That is what sin earns us. The employer - Sin - pays back DEATH to its employees. Carousing behaviors never satisfy because our idols always betray us.

Tell them that the insatiable inexhaustible nature of our human existence has carried them off into captivity. Tell them that empty black void in their soul is crying out for LIFE! Tell them, however, that there is a Redeemer.

Tell them that TRUSTING CHRIST (the One Who continues to hold out His nail-scarred hand) will GAIN them something in which HE has already paid in full. And as they trust, HE will give to them what HE intended we have from the beginning. Eternal LIFE.

There is no bankruptcy in ETERNAL LIFE. Life begins to happen NOW as we continue TRUSTING, together. Tell them.

Tell them their 'friends' may surely forsake them and persecute them. But one day, those same friends will look up to the Redeemed for help from their sin-saturated pits of tumult.

Tell them it is a lie that they have to remain trapped in their personal Egypts. Tell them that Jesus Christ wants to ACQUIRE their sin debt that they may inherit a NEW LIFESTYLE of worship...freedom from sinful self-indulgences.

Tell them they were made to worship! They have just been worshiping the wrong things.

Tell them. Pray for them. Pray with them if they allow you. Love them.

Tell them that all their problems with not simply disappear overnight if they begin to Trust Christ. But, tell them that...

...the ACQUIRER of their sin-debt is now their ADVOCATE...and if GOD, their Advocate is for them, who (pray tell!) can be against them?

Tell them there is precious FREEDOM from the wandering madness of a vigorous life's journey of 'chasing after the wind'. Tell them that their Advocate has REST for their weary souls.

Tell them that HE is the ONLY ONE able to untangle them from this Mess they call life.

Tell them that after they have trusted and yielded their lives to Christ, that HE Who has now begun a new work in them will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. Yes, HE is coming back for His own.

Tell them.

"I know in our day, rebel means sinner. But everyone is sinning, so it's no longer rebellious to sin. Jesus was a rebel who was countercultural. You're just a conformist if you're drunk and naked, driving around on a loud motorcycle, smoking cigarettes, breaking commandments, and getting pregnant out of wedlock. Everyone's done that; that's so tired! If you really want to be a rebel, read your Bible. Because no one's doing that. That's rebellion...that's the only rebellion left!" ~ Mark Driscoll