Reformation Now

Before and After

2009-05-21T07:21:00.001-06:00

The following article was written for a writing competition sponsored by Faith Writers, a Christian Writers Community. Follow the link on the right for more information.

Is there an after when you reject the notions of traditional Christianity? Is there any place to go? Are we as believers even allowed to question such notions? Who are the authorities in such matters?

Finding myself at this crossroad did not take place instantaneously. I now understand this crossroad was designed for me by my Creator long before my physical existence. For over 40 years I was to travel the road of Christianity with the same fervor that has seemed to flavor all of my life. From accepting Jesus in to my heart at the age of six years old and being in church every time the doors were open to formal Bible and Ministry education culminating in 20 years of Pastoral leadership, my life seemed to be pretty well ordered. I had a successful marriage, a successful family, and a successful multi staffed church. The ministry that God had given me was one to be envied! If only He hadn’t placed within me such a strong desire to know truth.

It was extremely disconcerting for me to realize that my own brand of Christianity embraced more of the traditions of men than the truths of Scripture. I did not want to admit that I had embraced many traditions that were simply Paganism in disguise. My denomination had led me astray by trying to force God into a box. My Heavenly Father was teaching me that He is simply too big to fit into any man made box!

Coming to this realization caused me to take every part of my Christian experience and place it upon a shelf. This was not for the purpose of walking away from it, but instead to examine it under the scrutiny of the whole of Scripture. Beginning with salvation, I would pull that particular piece down from the shelf and tear it apart, allowing the magnifying glass of Holy Writ to illumine portions that heretofore I had thought inconsequential. Things that I’d taken for granted to be truth were not backed up in Scripture it all. Conversely, details that were too small to be noticed came rushing to the forefront for further scrutiny. There were many spiritual “sighs of relief” when I would find portions of my Christian experience that lined up to scripture. There were also many tears of repentance when I discovered things that I had preached as truth were in grievous error.

When we, as believers, find truths that are new to us it is natural for us to want to share them with our fellow believers. I was very naïve to think that my fellow believers would embrace what I was discovering. I had to also rediscover that my Father had not called me to do that which only He could do, namely convict people.

Where do I go now? To whom do I turn? Who is the authority? These questions are answered for me with brand new illumination and renewed relationship with my Messiah! In the words of an old chorus, I conclude:

I go to the Rock of my salvation;

I go to the Stone that the builder’s rejected;

I run to the Mountain and the Mountain stands by me.

When the earth all around is sinking sand,

On Christ the solid rock I stand.

When I need a shelter, when I need a friend,

I go to the Rock!

Shalom

The Word of YHVH

2009-04-30T07:24:00.001-06:00

Without question, this subject will be the most controversial of any that I have written on to date. I ask that the reader seriously consider the subject matter in the light of Scripture.

Jeremiah prophesied that in the last days the Gentiles would begin to wake up (spiritually speaking) and realize that we have inherited lies (Jer. 16:19). I believe that it is my own responsibility to expose these lies and present Truth in ways that will facilitate the soon return of our Messiah. Fasten your seatbelt, here we go!

Is Jesus your Bible? Does Yeshua = your Bible? Is your Messiah limited to the pages of a book?

Why is it, when we ask these questions, we will answer with a thoughtful, but resounding no, but we have no difficulty stating that the Bible is the word of God. Is there a conflict here?

When we take the time to examine if both sides of this issue really are equal, we find ourselves in a conundrum, not really sure what to do with our statement “The Bible is the Word of God.”

We have only one source to examine to determine Truth in this matter, and that is the pages of Scripture themselves.

John 1 tells us that YHVH created all things by His Word. Did He create all things with the Bible, or was it through Yeshua, His only Son? Verse 14 of the same chapter tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We realize that it is foolish to say, “Our Bibles became flesh.”

Hebrews 4:12,13 states, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Personally, I have preached many sermons from this passage, relating it to the writings of Scripture instead of a living Messiah. Here is the problem: When I elevate the Scriptures and say, “The Bible is the Word of God” I am also saying that Jesus and my Bible are one and the same!

Here is the proper (Scriptural) equation: YHVH=Yeshua: God=Jesus: They are the Divine inspiration for Scripture! Jesus/Yeshua is the Word of YHVH.

Revelation 19:11-13 says, “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

The most salient point in all of this: My Messiah is BIGGER than scripture! John said that if all the things that He did while He walked on earthly soil were recorded, the earth could not contain the volume of material! See John 21:25.

One other very important point: Yeshua/Jesus still speaks into the hearts of every believer while Scripture is considered a “closed” canon. Scripture can give you general guidelines on most subjects, but the voice of the Messiah, speaking into your spirit, will give you Divine clarification.

Yeshua is the Word of God!

The scripture is the word from God!

Shalom!

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

2009-04-22T08:37:00.001-06:00

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Pie Town, New Mexico. This was a first for us, as we packed our travel trailer, and headed south, purely as an act of obedience to our Creator. I realize that Pie Town is not Jerusalem, but I have to trust that leaving the comforts of home is keeping the spirit of the command.

Pie Town, New Mexico sits at an elevation of approximately 8000 feet. Needless to say, the weather was cold. The wind blew a with a fury that would rival a redheaded Irishman's temper. We woke several mornings with 1 to 2 inches of snow on the ground. Water hoses had to be disconnected every night keep them from freezing. The tent of meeting had to be constantly watched in order to keep it from being destroyed by the wind.

The Scriptures tell us that three times a year all of the men must present themselves before YHVH. The three times are, The Feast Of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and the Feast Of Tabernacles. The Scriptures also teach us these presentations must occur on very specific dates. Because YHVH is so specific about these dates, we have no excuse for not celebrating these holidays on these dates.

Is it really necessary to get so technical in our acts of obedience? Does our Heavenly Father really care as long as we observe the days? What difference does it make if we are a day or two off from what He commanded?

The answer to these questions will require some serious introspection on your part. Scripture teaches us that before our Messiah returns, all things will be restored. This includes the Creator's calendar. When Yeshua comes back, will he be operating on a Rabbinic timeline, or will it be on a timeline that He Himself created? Remember, these convocations, are also referred to as rehearsals. By their design, they are intended to remind us of things to come. I don't know about you, but my heart's desire is to get it right the first time!

Shalom

A NEW COVENANT PASSOVER?

2009-04-04T08:44:00.002-06:00

Yeshua said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35). He also said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:54-58).

Just before his crucifixion, Yeshua told his disciples to go and prepare for the Passover. He told them where to find an upper room that was waiting for their preparation. Because these men were Jewish, they understood the preparation required certain things. Celebrating the feast of unleavened bread required that they clean the room in very specific ways. The purpose of the cleaning was to make sure any and all leavening was disposed of by burning it with fire. What happens next in the Biblical account completely escapes our western gentile thinking. It seems, according to John’s account, that after dinner,(13:4) Yeshua got up and began to watch the disciples' feet. Peter was appalled at this action. Yeshua explained to him that unless Peter allowed this action, he would have no part in the kingdom that was to come. We understand that Yeshua was talking about a spiritual cleansing. Yeshua also told them at this time that one of them was about to betray him. They queried among themselves as to whom it might be. Yeshua told them it was he to whom he would give a morsel of bread dipped in the soup. Here is where we come to the Biblical conundrum.

What was this morsel of bread, (clearly bread with leavening) doing at this Passover? In John 13, verse 18, Yeshua says that one who would eat bread with him is his enemy, and will betray him. The Greek word for bread here, and other places throughout this passage, is ARTOS. It means “a leavened loaf". In Mark's account of this story, and also in Luke's, we see the same word. ARTOS is used consistently throughout the New testament when referring to what Yeshua did on this night. Paul the apostle, when referring to this night, in first Corinthians chapter 11, used the same Greek word. “and the Lord Jesus, in the same night in which he was betrayed took ARTOS, and broke it. How can this be in the light of the commands of Torah? Could it be that Yeshua was giving us a brand new concept that would apply to us as New covenant believers? If that is the case, is this an unprecedented act found nowhere else in scripture? I submit to you, Yeshua is God, and he has chosen to govern himself by His word. In the application of this concept, we must remember that His ways are far above our ways.

Let me ask you a very pointed question. Does Yeshua, as YHVH, have your permission to do things that are above your ways or your understanding? Does he somehow need your approval to operate beyond your way of thinking? We bristle at this, thinking that somehow He has circumvented His own laws. Is this the only place in the entire New testament that this has happened ? What about in the book of Hebrews the where the writer is explaining to us the concept of the “priesthood forever” after the order of Melchizedek?

The bottom line is this : Yeshua is the bread of life! The leavening that is in Him speaks of the newness of life that He has given us. If He chooses to use the concept of a brand new leavening agent, that is His prerogative!

Shalom!

How Do You Know?

2009-03-29T06:38:00.002-06:00

A comment was recently made to me concerning proof of Yeshua’s Messiaship and how we know of its authenticity. Is there a litmus test to tell us once and for all if He is truly the Messiah? Can we know with absolute certainty? This question has haunted believers since our Savior walked the earth. C.S. Lewis concluded in Mere Christianity that either Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be or else He was a raving lunatic, and there could be no middle ground.

What about you? Have you gotten quiet enough before Him to hear Him whisper to you, “Whom do you say that I am?” Have you come to a conclusion or have you allowed the jury of your mind to remain sequestered, deadlocked in never ending deliberation? (See Matthew 16:13-20)

I am struck by the fact that Yeshua posed this question to an ignorant, belligerent fisherman plagued by small-man syndrome. Why didn’t He ask the same question of the religious leaders? Why was Peter’s answer important enough to be recorded in Scripture? Why, after Peter gave an answer that would rock every religious establishment to the core of its being, did Yeshua tell the disciples not to tell any one else of their conclusion?

We can see several things that must be brought into our decision making process here:

Whatever conclusion we come to must NOT be based on academia…Peter had none!
Our conclusion must be based upon a simple, yet spiritual event…a revelation!
When revelation is received, my personal lack of ability to explain every nuance of that revelation becomes secondary…The important thing is, “I once was blind, but now I see” (John 9:25).

I believe the reason that Yeshua didn’t ask the religious leaders this question is because He understood the trappings of religion and academia (religion and academia without revelation is a lethal combination). The ability to fully explain the four levels of interpretation (according to a Hebrew mindset) of every scripture well enough to write our own commentaries…without a personal revelation of the Sonship of Messiah is mindless drivel! If the question of the identity of our Messiah was to be settled by scientific proof, wouldn’t the Creator of all science have been able to make that proof as succinct as the law of gravity? Just as our elementary textbooks explain the simple rules of mathematics, our place in the Creator’s universe would be taught in every school in the world. THAT WAS NOT HIS PLAN! It was, now is, and always will be a matter of personal revelation!

Revelation allows us to put things in proper order. God allows us to see who He is knowing that we can NEVER understand Him or His ways. Being able to prove my point through scripture is far less important than the personal revelation. While scriptural understanding will add color and clarity to the revelation, it must never supersede it. Academia allows US to figure it out….Revelation concludes the matter from YHVH’s perspective!

Shalom

The Masculinazation of Love?

2009-03-24T08:15:00.002-06:00

Is it possible that, at least to a small degree, we men have fallen into the same trap that we are complaining about with our wives? Could it be that we bear some responsibility here?

Of course, the answer is a resounding YES! It is a characteristic of human nature that whenever we are under pressure (of any kind) we revert to a “former lifestyle”. Allow me to explain:

When installing plumbing into a new construction project and before final inspection, the plumbing must pass a “pressure test”. A pressure gauge is installed, compressed air is put into the pipes, and the pipes must hold that amount of compressed air for a specified amount of time. When there is a leak, it ALWAYS occurs at the ‘place of least resistance’. Whatever is inside the pipe will come out at the weakest point.

The “former lifestyle” mentioned above comes into play here. When pressure is applied, we naturally retreat to a place of comfort and/or habit. We are not compelled to change our behavior until we perceive that the place we are trying to attain will be more comfortable than the place we currently are in. We will only take on new employment when we perceive that more money will make us more comfortable. We make purchases, move the furniture in our homes, and even change the channel on our TVs based on this concept. We will never change our behavior concerning our interpersonal relationships UNTIL we perceive that change will bring us more comfort. (OK, if the word comfort makes you feel selfish, you can use the word PEACE in its place.)

Scripture tells us, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”. (Matthew 12:34). In other words, “If it wasn’t in the pipes, it wouldn’t leak out!” As human beings, we are created to “leak” a little. The leaks serve to show us (and those around us) what is inside.

The “masculinization” of love tries to fix the leak, even when that leak may be extremely important to the well being of your relationship. Our wives will thrive when we allow them to share emotions, ideas, and especially intellect with us. Learn to embrace her intellectual contribution to your relationship.

My bride and I, when combining our I.Q.s are an extremely intelligent unit, created in our Father’s image!

Shalom

The Feminization of Respect

2009-03-20T08:12:00.001-06:00

Women’s libbers beware! My intent in this post is not to be disparaging of women in any way, shape , or form, but to point out how a particular societal shift has affected a foundational component of marriages in America.

When it comes to the concept of respect in marriage, most women will tell you that love = respect. However, when asking men about the same concept, you will get a far different answer. Here is where a problem arises. Because of our innate lack of ability to verbally communicate, we come across like an ogre with fourteen thumbs trying to perform micro-surgery! We can’t tell you why love and respect are not mutually inclusive, but we are absolutely sure that they are not.

So, on behalf of all men everywhere, here is my attempt!

The problem with the women’s liberation movement is that in trying to “level the playing field” between the sexes, the movement brought down men instead of raising the bar for women. In order for this to happen, a fundamental component of our society had to be changed. Positions of authority that were held mostly by men had to be attacked in order to break through the ‘glass ceiling’ and level the field. The easiest way to accomplish this is to disparage (disrespect) those individuals whose positions were the desire of attainment. Thus, in the attempt to elevate themselves, the result was a lowering of standards. I am not saying that I think it impossible for women to attain to those various positions…in fact, I am saying the opposite. The women’s liberation movement took the easy way out! Our society would have benefited mightily had they taken the high road and taken on the glass ceiling through merit alone. (No, I am NOT saying there was a lack of equality based on merit…that is not what this post is about).

The result…A lack of respect has permeated our society and we men have stood by and allowed it to happen! Our fault men, not theirs. The reason women will tell you that love = respect is because our Creator has created them to conceptualize that way. A typical male response (conceptualized, not verbalized) is I cannot feel (accept) your love until I feel your respect.

Just as a woman needs romance to fan her feelings of love toward her man (Yes gents, I am talking about flowers and chocolate and all that other sappy stuff here), a man needs to feel respected in order to be motivated to provide the romance.

I am taking for granted that I am speaking to mature believers that have laid aside the arguments of “If he shows me love, I will show him respect'”, and vice-versa. If that is your attitude, you need to grow up.

Respect for your man can be summed up this way…Awareness and recognition of his provision, protection, and covering for you and your family. Your man wants to know that he is still attractive to you, even with his stretched out belly and shrunken posterior. Do you remember how you used to like to just “watch” or “look at him”? He needs to know that you are still interested in the same way!

Maybe I can get my wife to write about love. I guarantee she will give valuable input!

Shalom

Love and Respect

2009-03-17T07:06:00.001-06:00

I was recently asked to join a team of speakers/teachers at a Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration in Pie Town, New Mexico. As I waited on the Lord for His direction, He whispered into my spirit. “Speak on interpersonal relationships.” Consequently, I find myself in the midst of that period of preparation.

Because my bride and I have a 32 year track record of what marriage is supposed to be (I am convinced if every man had a lady like mine, divorce and even most of the conflict in marriage would be non-existent!), and because of our mutual commitment to our Heavenly Father, I believe I can speak to this issue with a certain degree of competence.

Marriage, romance, and familial relationship has long been a passion of mine and the shelves of my library prove that statement. My son and his bride recently gave us a book that added to my arsenal…LOVE AND RESPECT by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Although some readers may find Dr. Eggerich’s style redundant and a bit condescending, the premise of the book hits the proverbial nail right on the head. He uses the scriptural passage in Ephesians 5 to prove a major difference in the emotional needs of men and women in their relationships. While women are primarily motivated by love (no surprise here), men are moved to action by the simple concept of respect. Because of the feminization of our culture, respect has been greatly diminished. This is evidenced by our society’s view of law enforcement, the education system, clergy, etc. Fifty years ago, individuals whose careers encompassed these callings were highly respected…today they find themselves treated with a degree of contempt with no explanation of how they got there.

In the posts to come, I will deal with these two primary motivations. Love and respect need to be restored in order to attain the health that YHVH intended for our relationships.

Shalom

Lets have Relationship

2009-03-14T06:58:00.001-06:00

This past week I have received no less than 5 prophetic warnings of disaster that is about to strike the United States of America and other parts of the world. Most of the warnings that we hear will come from ministers and ministries that have compromised their journeys with the Father in one way or another. At least 2 of the five that I received come from people whom I trust implicitly (If they spoke to me and said that YHVH told them to tell me to swim the ocean, I would immediately begin looking for my launching point!). David Wilkerson is encouraging people to have a 30 day supply of food on hand, as he believes there will be panic buying of groceries when this disaster hits.

I want to encourage you to get involved in another type of preparation that is (or at least will become) more important that the food we stock.

What is the status of your interpersonal relationships? As a believer in Messiah, does your relationship with your spouse and family adequately reflect His concern for you? Sir, does your wife know that the needs of your family will be priority #1 when disaster hits, or have you shown her a lifestyle pattern that says something far different? Ma’am, does your husband know that you trust and respect him to make critical decisions in the face of calamity? Do your children see your relationship as a “united front” that will be a source of protection for them?

RELATIONSHIP IS A FOUR LETTER WORD!

And that word is WORK! It is time to take inventory of your relationship status. As you discover things that are missing, please don’t delay…get the shelves re-stocked!

The most important tool for “relationship-shelf-re-stocking” is repentance. Prove your acts of submission to the Almighty by your willingness to humbly say to your spouse or children, “I’m sorry.” Then do whatever is necessary to live out that repentance.

Shalom

I’m back!

2009-03-12T06:38:00.001-06:00

Because of work responsibilities, I have not been able to write on this blog with the frequency that I desire. My work seems to be slowing down to somewhat less of a breakneck speed so I should be able to catch up with some writing. I hope to soon be back in the swing of posting here 2-3 times a week. I am excited to share what YHVH has been speaking to my heart. I believe we are headed for some extremely difficult times in the United States. Our relationship with our Messiah will come to light in ways never before seen. Discerning His voice will become a matter of survival in the days to come. Preparation for this time will consist of deepening your relationship with Him alone. In other words, stocking up on food, clothes, money, etc., will be insufficient for what is to come. Yeshua made the statement to all 7 of the churches in Revelation (see Rev. 2-3) “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.”

The question that naturally follows is: What is the state of your spiritual hearing? Have you developed a quiet enough spirit to hear His voice? When He speaks, do you recognize His voice?

Just something to think about.

Shalom

Calling all Pre-Trib Rapturists

2009-01-24T05:49:00.001-07:00

Because I preached this doctrine for over 20 years, I believe I can speak to it with a certain degree of clarity. Although it is not within the scope of this particular post to argue the finer points of biblical interpretation on this subject, I am happy to discuss with any and all comers the misinterpretations we have used to arrive at a Pre-Trib Rapture.

The purpose of this post is to pose another, perhaps even more poignant, question. What world event must take place in order for you to realize you missed the Rapture?

On the Freeway of Biblical Eschatology there are several exits of Rapture theory, the first of which is the Pre-Trib Rapture. My question again: What buildings/events/scenes will you have to pass in order for you to know that the exit is not valid? I have listed below some possible exits.

Global Monetary System: This week on Fox News I listened to a report about the Nationalization of America’s banks. The reporter stated that the problems that the US is currently facing are not indigenous to this country alone. We are in the midst (or at least the beginning) of a global economic meltdown that must culminate in a singular, albeit regional, monetary system.

The revealing of the Antichrist: This ministry has stated for the past several years to be mindful of what is taking place in Syria and Iran. Get the latest details here: http://profoundprophecy.com/

The Continued Crumbling of the US Government: It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that chipping away at the moral fiber of any country will eventually lead to its demise. Just like EVERY nation, the US must fall to make way for the Kingdom of Messiah.

I would like to know personally what exit you must pass to KNOW that the Pre-Trib Rapture fits into the category described by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 16:19)

You can email your response to bill@house2life.org

Shalom

Open My Eyes,Lord

2009-01-17T06:09:00.001-07:00

As I was contemplating the events of the day, namely the plane crash in New York (The News Media is now calling this The Miracle on the Hudson River), I sensed a stirring in my spirit. I began asking, “what are You doing, Father? …What are You trying to show us?”

Before giving a direct answer, please allow me to digress a bit. It has been a couple of months since I have felt compelled to post to this blog. Why? It has been a while since we have filmed for the TV program (We have been running re-runs for several months now. Why? For several months now I have not been allowed to share things the Holy Spirit has been whispering into my spirit. Why not?

I now believe I have at least a partial answer. My Heavenly Father was saying to me, “Don’t miss the forest for the trees.” He wants us to see a bigger picture and it is extremely easy to get bogged down by the details of life to the point that we will miss the beginnings of an incredible picture that He is starting to paint on the canvas of history.

Jeremiah 16:14,15 states: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

This passage could never have been fulfilled at any other time in history other than in the day in which we live. YHVH God, the Creator of the universe is telling us that in this day He will cause His very reputation to be changed through the events that are happening and will happen around us. Let me share with you how that reputation change has begun!

Reputation Change on a personal level: In August I had a heart attack. Why would a loving, caring God allow this to happen to me? To teach me of His miraculous provision that I could have known no other way! I have related the physical story in a previous post and here I will relate the provision side: We had no health insurance in place to pay this $40,000 bill. I will save all of the details for the sake of time and space. Before we gave the Hospital a penny, the bill had been reduced to around $16,000! We received a statement from the doctor for his portion that said, “Paid in Full”!

Could I have been spared a heart attack? How would I know of YHVH’s care in the MIDST of the trial. Could He have arranged for 100% of the bill to be taken care of? How would I be reminded of His promise to meet my DAILY needs?

Reputation Change on a National level: The crash of US Airways flight 1549 is an event that our creator has allowed to give us an incredible object lesson. I am not hinting that I think the passengers aboard were any more or less righteous than any one else. Our Father just wanted to give us a taste of what kind of things He does THROUGH the circumstances. We are going to see many more crashes in the world, from financial markets to total economies, from cities to countries, from individuals to armies. We, as the Children of the Almighty, get to be partakers of His reputation-changing power and provision!

Reputation Change on the International Level: As I was listening to a news story about the conflict in the Gaza strip concerning casualty reports the thought came to the forefront of my mind, “It sounds as if I am hearing a Bible story from the Old Testament! 1100+ enemy deaths to 6 or 7 Israeli deaths? While I am not discounting that every one of those numbers represents a human life, those are the numbers of casualties that occur when the Almighty is on your side! I make no point here about the righteousness of Israel…just a reference to the promise of the Faithful One!

Well, my friends, we are in for a wild ride, the culmination of which is the return of Our Messiah. Lift up your heads, your redemption draws near!

Shalom

In Pursuit of Truth

2008-10-11T09:00:00.001-06:00

As we become seekers of truth in our walk with Messiah, at some point, a vital question will rear its head. "How far do we go with this truth stuff.?" Do true seekers of truth stop when they discover something that allows them a degree of comfort? Are we willing to keep on seeking, moving past those areas that are appealing to our flesh, especially when it looks so spiritual.

If we are truly living in the last days, we must not neglect the warnings of Scripture concerning these times. If we believe that we are somehow immune to these warnings because of the group to which we belong, we are truly deceived. In fact, Scripture warns against those who would build a following solely on the message of "The day has drawn near." (See Luke 21:8). This is the day when every spirit must be tried, when every "prophetic" word must be doubly scrutinized, when the words of the preachers must be weighed against Holy Writ. This is the day when every man and woman of YHVH must learn to think for themselves, and trust the Living Word "Yeshua" in us.

According to the prophet Daniel, knowledge will increase in the last days. That increase of knowledge concerning Biblical times and customs has led to an explosion in the numbers of people embracing Messianic Judaism. The problem is that people have simply traded one religious system for another. Believers have been deceived into trading a Gregorian calendar for a Rabbinical one. The modern Jewish calendar has its origins in the Babylonian captivity...the proof here being the very names of the months, every bit as pagan as the Gregorian calendar they were trying to get away from. The Torah, that they say they follow, gives very specific instructions on when the months and years begin, and when the feasts are to be celebrated. With the "increased knowledge" of NASA's calculators and biblical understanding of the "Abib" (ripening) of the barley harvest, there is no longer a doubt of when to celebrate these feasts. My point here is NOT to be dogmatic concerning a calendar...but simply to say that if we are rejecting paganism in its entirety, it must include weeding it out in whatever system appeals to us. Truth seekers must be willing to seek truth no matter where it (He) leads.

Because our Messiah IS the Truth, I remind you it is not a system or denomination, or even a leader we seek to follow. We must follow Him, no matter where He leads. We are in the process of learning discernment, and hopefully coupling that together with wisdom. If the promised Holy Spirit truly is our teacher, we can trust what He says, no matter how contrary that might be to what we hear from the pulpits.

Keep seeking and you will find!!

Shalom

Is It Real?

2008-09-13T07:32:00.002-06:00

Time for a little gut-level honesty. Have you ever asked yourself, "Is this whole Christianity thing real?" Can we be assured of the Truth?

While the evidence I am about to present may be of little value to you personally, I can only continue to marvel at what it means to me.

About 3 weeks ago, I was at work as a general contractor on a residential construction site. I was giving an on-site update to the home owner who just happens to be a physician. We were in the lowest level of this split (4) level home. As we were discussing the progress of the construction, I began to feel a little dizzy and noticed some pressure beginning in my chest. I mentioned these symptoms to my client who immediately took the situation under control and asked me if I could climb up to the next level. I climbed up ( approx. 4 ft.) to the next level and looked for a place to sit down. Because the pressure in my chest was increasing, my client asked me to lie down and elevated my feet. She called 911 and requested ambulance service.

As the construction site is in Historical Downtown Boise, we were in the close proximity to several hospitals, one of which is St. Luke's, a facility known for its cardiovascular care. The paramedics arrived within a few short minutes and began their field procedures, including administering nitro glycerin. As they gave me a third dose of nitro, I suggested to the paramedic that since it wasn't working, perhaps it wasn't my heart that was causing the pain. By that time, I was hooked up to the EKG monitor and the paramedic announced, "I believe you are having a heart attack, we are going to St. Luke's code blue with lights and sirens."

Because of the intense pressure on my chest, the next series of events are a little fuzzy, to say the least. I recall the paramedics, and then the emergency room personnel telling me to keep my eyes open and "stay with them." By then the realization had hit me that I may be breathing my last. My vision was fading in and out, and I knew that I was on the edge of consciousness. The amazing thing to me, that even in that moment, there was NO fear. I was completely at peace.

Please understand this was not what I would call a "spiritual" moment, but it was extremely real. I was not having visions of the hereafter, or seeing Jesus with outstretched arms or any such thing. Honestly, the only conscious thought I was having was, "This really hurts, please make the pain stop!"

I recall the medical staff informing me that we were on our way to the Cath Lab, please keep my eyes open and stay with them. The fuzzy 'tunnel' vision with black edges continued. I have absolutely no idea of how long all of this was taking, and it seemed the elephant that was sitting on my chest was not going anywhere.

I was hearing bits and pieces of conversations the medical staff were having with each other, and them asking for responses from me. When they got to the blockage in my heart, the elephant decided to leave. I remember asking myself at this point, "Why was I not afraid." Other questions going through my semi-lucid mind were: "Why was I not concerned for my family?" Had I become so self- absorbed that I had lost sight of that which was most important to me? Why was I not concerned for Carol, my best friend and companion for 31 years? (We had planned to attend the "Chicago" concert that very evening to celebrate our 31st anniversary!). Why, especially at this time, did my thoughts not turn to my 6 kids (3 natural and their spouses) and our 8 grandkids? Was I just being selfish, or is there really something to this "Peace that passes ALL understanding"?

Several years ago, I was involved in an in-depth study of the scriptural concept of peace. When our Messiah said to His disciples, "My peace I give unto you." He was giving them authority to overcome the circumstances of life. The definition of 'PEACE' according to scripture is, "To destroy the authority that establishes chaos"! Certainly a heart attack would establish chaos! Not knowing how to handle the financial obligations that have come our way would establish chaos. I don't know how all of this will work out, but in the words of the Apostle, "I know in Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him, against that day!"

I want to express my appreciation to Dr. Paula Carvalho, for her professionalism and expertise in taking control of the situation. Also thanks to St. Luke's Hospital for their care at this critical time. Most of all, thanks to my loving Creator who has provided His Son, the Prince of Peace who gives of Himself that blessed characteristic that passes all understanding.

Shalom

Times and Seasons

2008-08-17T16:42:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been a month since I have posted to this blog. Time's fun when you're having flies!

Although there is not a lot of time for extended study these days, it is nevertheless a time of phenomenal learning for me. It seems to be a season of theological exclamation points. By that I mean that many things that I have sensed in my spirit have either been confirmed or are being articulated by others whom our Creator is bringing into my path. The challenge for me is to keep an open mind and allow the Scriptures to be my guide. We are in a time that open mindedness, or more perfectly open scripture-ness is vital to understanding the day in which we live. We must be willing to allow our doctrines to be defined by a preponderance of biblical evidence, and never one or two verses pulled out of context. It is a difficult challenge to me, as a former denominational pastor, to lay aside man's ideas as to the interpretation of scriptural passages. I must be willing to lead the way in going back to the original languages to determine for myself the meaning of scripture. I must fully accept the promised help of the Holy Spirit in teaching me Truth. If the New Covenant is Yahuweh's Word written on my heart, than I must be willing to accept, apply, and also accept the consequences of disobedience to what He has written on my heart.

There is much more to come and hopefully time for particulars in the days ahead.

Shalom

Busy Time for Me

2008-07-19T08:52:00.001-06:00

Time gets away extremely quickly these days! Being a construction contractor to support my ministry habit, at times gets in the way of the very thing it is intended to support. Because we had a somewhat slow winter, I will not complain now about the work that has come my way! I feel very blessed just to be working!

Even though I haven't been able to do much writing lately, I feel I am experiencing a time of spiritual growth. There is much confirmation going on in me personally, of things I have sensed in the spirit realm that our loving Heavenly Father is bringing into reality.

Over the past several years I have placed my "complete theology package" on a shelf. It has been a wonderful experience to examine each component of my personal theology under the scrutiny of scripture. Although much of what I believed and even preached publicly has either had to remain on the shelf or be discarded completely, it is gratifying when some components are found to be biblically sound. The goal of all of this is to have a theology (belief system) that is firmly rooted in the whole of scripture, as opposed to the loosely based, denomination supporting structure found in the church world today.

We are on a journey that is sure to get even more adventuresome in the days to come.

Shalom

More on the Renewed Covenant

2008-07-05T12:30:00.001-06:00

The following is commentary from Don Harris at www.thinkredink.com. Please go to his website and get the rest of the story.

Last week, I mentioned that there was a fatal flaw in the popular Messianic Doctrine. I also pointed out that if we take it as read that the prevalent Messianic teachers are correct in their assumption about the Brit Hadasha, i.e. that the "New Testament" is not a "new" covenant at all but a "re-newed covenant", it remains contingent upon us to ask, "Which covenant has been renewed?"

This question is quickly answered by leaders and by those versed in the doctrine, "Why, the Mosaic covenant, of course!" (By this they mean the covenant of Laws given to Moses.)

I have been commissioned (it seems uniquely commissioned) of the Lord YHVH in this matter. I speak with authority because I know within myself that it is the truth and the rejection of it may cost you your very soul. Accept or reject it, but you will reject it at your own peril.

The covenant upon which our salvation is based IS NOT the Mosaic covenant. It cannot be. The Mosaic covenant is an interruptive, stop gap measure that YHVH put into place to maintain a relationship with a gainsaying, argumentative and stiff-necked people who had no ability to serve their God in grace and truth. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17 You may not "take or leave" this truth and remain theologically accurate in your thinking or worship.

Shalom

The Covenant

2008-06-20T06:41:00.001-06:00

Jeremiah, the prophet said: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)

This passage has caused some misunderstanding within the body of Messiah. Many teach that Yahuweh is simply renewing His covenant with Moses, and therefore restoring the Torah to all believers in Messiah. This view does NOT withstand the scrutiny of Scripture. We must be willing to take a hard and fast look at what Yeshua did in being the mediator of a New Covenant with us.

In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he articulates some changes to the Torah (Yahuweh's teaching and instructions). Paul's understanding of circumcision not being necessary for salvation was contrary to the Mosaic law. He also stated that HIS gospel (that message which the Holy Spirit taught to him in the Arabian desert) was the ONLY gospel that is truth for us. His (re)introduction of the Melchezedic priesthood was contrary to Levitical order.

In light of this evidence, I submit to you that it was NOT the Mosaic covenant that was renewed, but our Father's covenant with Abraham! This is extremely important for us to understand as Abraham's covenant was based on faith. Abraham HEARD the voice of the Almighty and he believed! That covenant is renewed with YOU! Have you HEARD His voice? Will you BELIEVE?

Shalom

Count the OMER??

2008-06-14T12:52:00.001-06:00

The following is from Don Haris of Think Red Ink Ministries...Good Stuff Don!

So, how many omers have ya' counted so far?
For me it's ZERO! I have counted 49 days up to this point. You see, I have been counting days - not omers. Why? Because Leviticus 23:16 says clearly, "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days..." The Torah itself does not give us a reason for counting the omer.
Over the years, the Rabbis have provided us with several poor explanations for this "Biblical" commandment. Although I cannot see how, some Rabbis say the Omer count links Passover and Shavuot (Day of Pentecost). According to them, the nation of Israel was given its freedom on Passover, and "we were given the purpose of our freedom on Shavuot."
The Kabbalah, (pure Jewish mysticism), teaches, "We count the omer because each day of the counting is an ascension from one of the forty-nine levels of the impurity we lived as slaves in Egypt. Only after these 49 days of ascension were the Israelites worthy of receiving the Torah."
You can easily see why I take no part in this omer counting. It comes from pure "Torah worship;" however, I do believe that the commands of YHVH have some significance.
So, what is the significance? I wish I knew it in all its fullness, but I don't. So, I will approach it in a simple, direct, and (more than likely) different way.
Could it be that the LORD YHVH's intention was spoken by the Messiah, (Luke 24:45-49) "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, ... behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

I am intrigued by the statement, "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures..." Here we witness a supernatural impartation of understanding.
It also presupposes that they DID NOT understand the Scriptures pertaining to what had just occurred. Hadn't these boys ever been to Sunday School? Hadn't they learned the teaching of the Rabbis pertaining to Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Firstfruits Offering, and counting down to Pentecost? Hadn't they kept these days and festivals all of their lives? What was it that they did not understand? (And if they did not understand, isn't likely that we do not either?)
THIS IS THAT!
On the road to Emmaus the Apostles were despondent and approaching bitterness. Jesus come close to them cloaked in anonymity and asked a red-letter question, Luke 24:17-51,
"And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Then [Jesus] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself..".
The despondent men, now elated, returned to Jerusalem:
"And they told what things were done in the way... [Then] Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, "... These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
Now we have arrived at the Scripture with which we started. "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye (count the days - wait - keep the weeks) in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

Here we have the whole package:
His life of suffering (Isaiah 53)
His fulfillment of Passover (His death)
The sign of Jonah (the three days and nights in the grave)
The firstfruits (His resurrection)
The fulfillment of Isaiah 61 (Jubilee)
The waiting (counting) of the days of Shavuot or Pentecost
The fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that later was boldly proclaimed by Peter:
Acts 2:14-21, "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

How did Peter, John, Cleopas and the rest of the 120 come to such a realization? They waited!
They waited without knowledge - but not without hope!
They counted the days to Pentecost without facts - but not without expectation!
They waited in faith - the substance of things hoped for - until the promise came.

They waited and counted the days until hope became a reality!
Our firstfruits offerings hold little moment when compared to the actuality of YHVH's firstfruits gift. The "firstborn from the dead" was none other than Joshua - Yeshua - Jesus of Nazareth.
At THAT Day
John 14:16-20, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth ... for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ... Because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

Have you come to THAT Day? Have you been endued with power from on high?
Wait for it! Count the days. The promise will come... if we wait!

Shalom

Your Subscription Please:

2008-06-07T21:34:00.001-06:00

We have added a new feature to this blog...namely a subscription link. In the upper left hand corner there is a link to subscribe via an e-mail subscription or an RSS feed. When you subscribe, every time there is a new post, you are notified via an email message and you can click on the link in your email message and read the remainder of the post. This will allow you to be kept up to date with House To Life Ministries.

I had some difficulty uploading the first video on the Creator's Calendar to the web site. The second video is now on the front page of the web site and ready for viewing. I will continue to work on video #1 and get it in the archive as soon as possible.

I am really excited about the response to The Creator's Calendar. both on the web site and the TV program (The Living Room TV program airs Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM on KCLP-TV 18 in Nampa, ID) The web site has received hundreds of hits for downloading The Creator's Calendar. You can get yours free at www.house2life.org. Our ministry exposure is growing exponentially because of the interest of people like you, and for that I am grateful. Our purpose is to keep our eyes and ears open to hear from Yahuweh and keep the Body of Messiah informed as to what is happening in these most exciting of days. Because of the day in which we live, the Scriptural admonition is most appropriate: lift up your heads, your redemption is near!

Shalom

New Moon Sighted

2008-06-04T15:33:00.001-06:00

Karaite Korner Newsletter #331
New Moon Report
June 2008
Third Biblical Month
On Wednesday June 4, 2008 the New Moon was sighted from Ashdod at
20:09 by Magdi Shamuel and Eli Shamuel and from Jerusalem at 20:10 by
Johan Schutte and Nehemia Gordon.
Rosh Hodesh Sameach!
Happy New Moon Day!
Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

Those of you who have downloaded the Creator's Calendar from our website (www.house2life.org) will note that the Third Month has two pages. The page that places the 1st day of the month on June 6th can now be discarded. The New Moon has been sighted in Israel and we now know how the days fall according to the scriptural pattern.

Shalom

Repeat the Warning

2008-05-23T07:52:00.001-06:00

On April 8, 2008, I wrote the following commentary on a passage in Obadiah. Do we really think it is a coincidence that our nation is literally being torn apart by tornadoes, wildfires, and earthquakes at the very time we are tearing apart Israel? What a joke that our legislators are blaming the CEOs of oil companies for the fuel crisis, when their 'worship of creation' has caused what they now rail against. Our Creator warned throughout scripture what would happen to those nations that would bring harm to His bride and her land. Forgive me for the repetitive post, but I fear more destruction is coming!

Obadiah 1:15 “For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.

This passage concerns the nations that would divide Israel. To the degree that the United States of America participates in this division, we too face that division at the hand of the Almighty! Psalm 83 speaks of a coalition of nations that come against Israel in the last days. That day is now upon us. Any push by the United States government for Israel to give up more land is in direct violation of the Word of the Almighty. I encourage believers to examine their bibles for the consequences to nations that deliberately disobey. My friends, swift and sudden destruction is headed our way. It is very likely too late for the United States of America to repent. Therefore a clarion call must go out to the body of Messiah to prepare for what is coming. The question is, "How does a human being prepare to be a participant in the Judgement of Yahuweh?" In other words, "What must we do to be saved?" The answer is found in the book of Acts, verses 19-21. "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Yeshua the Messiah, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Shalom

Calendar Restored?

2008-05-22T06:41:00.001-06:00

I want to take an opportunity here to address more of the Scriptural restoration process.

How do you view restoration? Do you see it as non-consequential or as having only minor importance. Is the restoration process disconcerting to you because it requires response? Are you satisfied with a 'status quo' that you moved into during a time of revelation, and are now afraid to move on? Have your previous crops of spiritual grapes turned to vinegar or fine wine?

As we look to our Messiah for the restoration of all things, we must not neglect the process of change He desires for us. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." In other words, when we observe His Glory (in restoration) we take on His glory.

What if I don't agree with what is being uncovered? What if I have problems with those through whom the restoration is coming?

Well, my friends, it is time to make another choice. You can choose to face the world each day without looking in the mirror before you leave the safety of your home. Or, you can make sure that the image that is reflected back to you is seen in the faces of those with whom you fellowship. Just because we see the same image, however does NOT necessarily mean that it is the image of Messiah! I remind you of the pious images of the women's dress of the polygamist sect whose children were removed from them. Just because they looked a certain way certainly did not guarantee the safety of the children entrusted to them.

Taking on the image of Messiah requires constant and continual (redundancy intended) change. Yeshua required change when He came the first time...The same requirements are in place now!

Shalom

The Creator's Calendar

2008-05-19T18:22:00.001-06:00

House To Life Ministries is excited to present The Creator's Calendar. This is a fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy. We are told in Acts 3:21 that all things will be restored before Messiah returns to earth. Daniel prophesied that knowledge would increase in these days and that certainly includes Scriptural knowledge. We have, at our disposal, the Creator's Calendar for you to download and use. Simply click on the banner at the top of this page and follow the links.

Thanks to Don and Pam Harris at www.thinkredink for making this resource possible. I encourage you to check out this brother's material. You will find it extremely beneficial to your walk with Messiah.

In the days ahead we will use this calendar to teach in greater detail the Feasts of Yahuweh as well as gain insight into Scriptural prophecy. Be sure to watch the videos that will be produced over the next few weeks as they will refer to this calendar.

Shalom

What If???

2008-05-13T07:36:00.002-06:00

I truly believe that we are in the last of the last days before the return of our Messiah. I believe that Jerusalem is about to be divided and the city of Damascus is about annihilated, all according to Biblical prophecy. I believe that EVERY governmental system on the face of the earth will fail, for the ultimate purpose of the establishment of a Kingdom designed by Yahuweh Himself. I believe that over the next two years we will be able to know, without doubt, where we are in the timeline of Apocalyptic Scripture.

Having said that, what if I'm wrong? What if this is just another bump in the road of human experience? Yeshua gave us a parable (Luke 11:19-27) that challenges what our attitude should be while we await His return. In the parable, the servants are to "occupy till I come". Carry on...Hang in there...Keep on keepin on...Take care of your family....Do what you normally do...etc.,etc.,etc., can all fit within the quotation marks. In other words, for the true believer, the return of Messiah is NOT something you prepare for...It was already prepared for when He accepted you into His kingdom! The return of the Master is part and parcel of our relationship with Him! You see, the question is NOT have you prepared your heart for the Messiah's return, but "Have you allowed the Messiah to prepare YOU for His return.

It is entirely possible that all of my research and study is completely on the wrong track, but that is entirely inconsequential because MY reputation is not what is at stake. If I live my life in proper relationship to my Savior, His reputation is my charge! It matters not what you think of me, but what do you think of Yeshua? Have you allowed Him to prepare you for His return?

Shalom

Enter HERE for Rest

2008-05-09T06:30:00.001-06:00

Our previous post consisted entirely of a scripture portion taken from the book of Hebrews, chapter 4. I would encourage you to read it in its entirety before proceeding.

Verse 12 of this chapter speaks of the Word of Yahuweh being alive and powerful. If that is the case, is it not torture to the Living Word to take verses and/or passages out of context and build doctrines and even denominations of them?

The context of this chapter is entering into the rest of the Almighty through what Yeshua accomplished for us on the cross. We enter that rest through His gift and nothing else. The 'unmerited favor' extended to us as human beings was so costly to our Heavenly Father that He would declare it impossible for anyone to enter His kingdom through any other method.

Look at Hebrews 6:4-6: For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Any time we take what has been given to to us by grace, and then attempt to add requirements to it we are guilty of adding to the Word of our Creator. Scripture strongly warns against this (Rev. 22:18,19). {This reference is specifically referring to the prophecy in the book of Revelation, but is a repetition of Torah commands in Deuteronomy}

Because we enter His rest (salvation) by His grace, EVERYTHING from that point on must be done out of love and respect for what He has done. If you are going to obey scriptural injunction, it must be because you love, and not to earn! When we come to this understanding then passages of scripture such as Romans 6:1-4 take on new meaning. Please don't misuse the grace that has been extended to you. It cost Yahuweh the death of His Son. It is Grace that allows you to attempt walking in obedience!

Shalom

Rest IS Available

2008-05-07T06:12:00.001-06:00

Hebrews 4 speaks to us of the rest of the Almighty. Because of the length of this passage, I reserve comment for the next post.

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
    “So I swore in My wrath,
    ‘They shall not enter My rest,’”
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”
Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:
    “Today, if you will hear His voice,
    Do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:1-16)

Shalom

The Spiritual Blame Game

2008-05-01T07:57:00.001-06:00

We have spent a considerable amount of time and space, on this blog, encouraging and challenging believers pertaining to their relationship with Yeshua. While this topic remains our highest priority, I want to discuss another extremely important relationship with you.

If you have been married for any length of time (more than one hour) you have probably had disagreement with your spouse. These disagreements take on a sinister nature when there are spiritual overtones. As believers, we have a tendency to personify the attitude: "If he/she were as spiritual as I am, there would be no argument here!" What would happen if we carried into this extremely important relationship the belief that our spouse is just as close to their Messiah as you are? In other words, disagreements happen when both parties are in right relationship with our Creator!

In counseling many married couples through the years a principle has risen to the top of rules for believers. That principle: NEVER use the Word of Yahuweh against each other!

The Bible teaches that the Word is a weapon (see Hebrews 4:12) and most times when it is used to prove a point in an argument, it will cause irreparable damage to the relationship. Our lives are governed by scriptural principle, therefore preaching to our spouse can be perceived as "hitting below the belt." If I use scripture against my wife, I have become the voice of the Holy Spirit to her...a role I could not possibly fulfill. It is far better to trust the Almighty to get His word across to your spouse. After all, it is His Word.

A couple of years ago, my child bride and myself were at an impasse. I was shocked to come to the realization that BOTH of us were praying fervently about our situation. We were BOTH seeking our Father's will. We simply had a disagreement that we were taking from the natural (carnal) realm into the spiritual. When we dealt with the problem where it originated (our own wants and desires) the solution was ridiculously simple. It became a relatively easy matter of communication rather than an eternal problem.

I believe it is a devious trap of the enemy of our souls to get us to spiritualize our petty problems. Our Loving Heavenly Father has given us a brain to use. Using it to further our interpersonal relationships is also furthering His Kingdom!

Shalom

Tribute to My Friend

2008-04-25T07:51:00.001-06:00

I received word yesterday that my friend Ken Daly passed away. Through the Holy Spirit, Ken is the person who introduced me to the Hebrew roots of my faith. Ken and I were scheduled to teach separate classes at a Leadership Training Conference (see the link to Fellowship of New Testament Ministries on this blog and on our website). Ken's teaching was on the Talit and Tzit-tzit (Prayer shawl and its fringes). Ken shared how Yahuweh gave the instructions concerning this garment (Numbers 28:15) and also how our Messiah used the Talit in His earthly ministry (re. woman with the issue of blood and many others). As we implemented this new knowledge into our own ministry, we were subsequently introduced to a whole new dimension of reality in the Holy Spirit. We saw incredible miracles from cancers disappearing to depression lifting. Over the next several years, Ken and Carolyn made trips to Idaho to host Passover dinners and to minister together in a Conference setting. Ken and Carolyn performed a 25th anniversary celebration for my child bride and myself. We hold these memories in places of careful protection in our hearts.

Ken's ministry was dedicated to an introducing the teachings of Torah to the body of Messiah as a whole. Ken thrived on the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. It was not unusual to watch his countenance change and his speech transform from a soft spoken and stuttering individual into a powerhouse of anointing as he declared the oracles of the Holy One of Israel. I will miss my dear friend, but we will be together again in a short matter of time. We know that Ken is now experiencing the ultimate in fulfillment of what he taught...Namely that Yeshua has made us into "the one new man." To Carolyn....TO BE CONTINUED!

Shalom

Do You Belong to a Cult?

2008-04-21T17:29:00.001-06:00

** cult –noun

1.a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2.an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3.the object of such devotion.

4.a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5.Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

6.a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

7.the members of such a religion or sect.

8.any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

–adjective

9.of or pertaining to a cult.

10.of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie.

Because of a recent accusation of belonging to a cult, I thought it might be profitable to examine the definition in some detail. While it is certainly not my practice to respond to accusations, I feel this is an opportunity to examine what we do and teach.

According to the above definitions 1-5, virtually any religious organization would fit the pattern. Number 6, however, is the area that the I would like to examine in detail.

TRUTH

The purpose of House to Life Ministries is to be an agent of biblical truth. We are actively exposing the falsehood that has permeated the traditional church in America. We seek to expose the paganism and idolatry that has infiltrated places of worship.

ORTHODOXY

The word 'orthodox' is from a Latin word that means "to keep straight". House To Life Ministries is dedicated to the principles of returning to biblical purity. Scripture tells us that our Messiah will return when "all things are restored" (Acts 3:21). We are committed to that restoration process. We teach that Yeshua is the Only Begotten of the Father, and it is through His blood alone that our salvation was purchased. We teach that obedience to His Word is proof that you have asked Him to be your Messiah. In Matthew 5, Yeshua instructed us to keep the commands of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-20). If this is not orthodox, then our dictionaries must be re-written.

CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

Our Leader is the Creator of the Universe! Is He charismatic? He created it! Is He demanding? He said there is only one way to enter His Kingdom! Is He fair? No! He is just! Can I know Him personally? Praise His Name forever, He has allowed me that privilege! Because I want to know Him better, I will learn about His Name and the instructions He gave to remember it. I will call upon His Name because He instructed me to do so.

In summary, as we look at the refusal of the established church to examine themselves in the light of Scripture, according to the definitions given above, who is more cultish?

Shalom

**American Psychological Association (APA):

cult. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved April 21, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult

Chicago Manual Style (CMS):

cult. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult (accessed: April 21, 2008).

Modern Language Association (MLA):

"cult." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 21 Apr. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult>.

Its All About Relationship

2008-04-18T06:57:00.001-06:00

What is your relationship with Messiah? Do you know Him or just know about Him? Is He an integral part of your daily experience or have you relegated Him to a cozy religious corner? Does He permeate every decision that you make or have you denigrated Him to convenience?

As the events of this world escalate toward the return of our Savior, our personal relationship with Him will continue to increase in its importance. This leads me to an even more probing question: What is the foundation of your relationship with Messiah?

If your foundation is simply religion or religious experience, the building will crumble. In other words if your faith is predicated on church attendance, what will happen when you can no longer attend church? If your foundation is Bible study, what will happen if your ability to read is taken from you? Your relationship with the King of Kings can never be built upon rote duty! Relationship is work! You can never take a short cut here. There is no substitute for an open line of communication between you and your Creator. The only way for that line to remain open is a walk of obedience and faith. The faith part is simply believing that He has opened the possibility of relationship through the blood of His Son. Obedience is living our lives in such a way as to insure that the communication remains open. If you don't know Him, it is impossible to obey Him!

Shalom

Are you Prepared?

2008-04-08T15:47:00.001-06:00

What are we to do with what we know? What if what we know goes against the conventional wisdom of the day? How can we warn the hearers if there is a refusal to listen?

Many times we temper what we say based on the perceived reception of the hearer. Yeshua told us not to 'cast our pearls before swine.' Because of the foolishness of the concept, we may be reluctant to cast pearls at all. I must remind myself that rejection of the message and rejection of the messenger are not necessarily one and the same. That being said, my responsibility as a messenger has no direct tie to the responsibility of the hearer.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

Obadiah 1:15 “For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.

Shalom

More Prophetic Signs

2008-04-06T06:41:00.001-06:00

Israel's home defense command has scheduled a nationwide test of their air-raid warning sirens on April 8 - which according to the Astronomically and Agriculturally Corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar (AACBHC) will be the first day of the New Year - Biblical Rosh HaShannah - Aviv 1, 2008. This test will occur two days after the Rosh Kodesh (head of the month) incorrectly calculated on the modern Jewish calendar. We always watch for prophetically significant events to occur on significant dates on the Creator's Calendar. Since Isaiah's prophesied "Covenant with Death" was annulled on the day scheduled by Heaven - before sundown, September 28, 2001 - and was accurately calculated 6 months in advance, it conclusively established the validity of the restored Creator's calendar as the foremost prophetic tool of this generation. Those who obediently look to the heavens to determine the Times and Seasons of the Most High will never be ashamed.

The preceding paragraph was copied from a recent email from Michael Rood at www.reallyrood.com. I also received a warning from Benji Mallory at www.fntm.org that is worth noting. An excerpt follows:

Let me take you back to the events that led to God’s minister-priest, Eli. You know the story of him and his two sorry sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Both served under their Father, Eli, in the priesthood in the Temple of God. Now these were the ones who, by inheritance, were responsible before God, to remain pure and totally dedicated to the work of the Lord and His temple.

As I was reading about those two sons, whose lusts were without restraint and how they defiled themselves as priest, I felt myself being pulled into comparing what goes on in the ‘The Church’ today. Whoever ‘the man’ was that God sent to prophesy to daddy Eli, spoke these soul shaking words, “..and (you) have honored your sons, more than Me, to make yourself fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people.”

The time had come when God no longer would tolerate the insolence and degradation of his ministers as His representatives.

Here before my face, was a picture, to a great extent of the Church today and not only The Church but also The Government of the United States of America.

I was in the Spirit as I saw Israel taken into a battle that God had not commissioned them to fight. Truly the Philistines were a formidable threat, an enemy of God’s Chosen People,

though the Jews were God’s Chosen Ones, they were in no spiritual condition to have God’s favor in battle. When I read that 4000 soldiers were killed, I could only gasp, and remember that a few days before, the news reported that over 4000 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq, a war that God certainly never told us to start.

Like The Philistines, the Muslims are threatening haters of God and His people. As in Eli’s time of rule, we are in no spiritual condition to make war on our own. To those who do not know The Lord and His ways, to go to war sounds reasonable; “They are the enemy and the worst part is they have the oil we must have. We are the military and financial leaders of the world, why can’t we win any battle, we decide to wage?”

(For Benji's entire article please email me here: bill@house2life.org)

My personal comments will be forthcoming over the next several days. For now...Watch what Syria is doing...Lines are being drawn in the sand! EVERY manmade government must fall including the United States of America! Even so, Yeshua Come!

Shalom!

Troubler of Whom?

2008-04-02T06:15:00.001-06:00

As I continue to ponder Gideon's call to leadership, I can't help but ask, "Have I been doing enough to trouble the powers of darkness?" Have I waged a warfare that would cause a change in the strategies of The Enemy of our souls? As we begin to think in these terms, it is easy to become grandiose in our ideas. We fail to recognize how little it takes to change the world. One simple decision on the side of righteousness can change the world for all eternity. One man who recognizes his responsibility to be the spiritual leader in his home will effect every member of that household, and in turn, every member of that household will make decisions accordingly. One woman who realizes her ability to make scriptural decisions can effect the outcomes of virtually everything she puts her hand to.

Every week in America, there are hundreds of thousands of commitments made by well meaning Christians to go out and change the world. After hearing inspiring sermons, we make our promises to the Almighty. Much like the infamous New Year's Resolution these commitments are laid aside in frustration by Monday morning. What is it that makes our promises so hard to keep?

The problem is that we tend to think our Creator is not very interested in the day to day decisions that we make. We must understand that those "small" decisions are what effects the greatest change in our lives. Example: Instead of a commitment to "pray for an hour each day", how about a simple action to make sure the lines of communication are open between you and your Maker. If we struggle with our temper, how about a prayer for help to recognize what it is that sends us "over the edge" and work on that. Somehow we have fallen into the trap of thinking that we can change our lives simply by struggling a little harder. If what you are doing isn't working, STOP DOING IT! Relax! Your service for the Master is a journey, not a destination.

Shalom

Gideon's Name Change

2008-03-27T07:44:00.001-06:00

Now it came to pass the same night that the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the LORD had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. So they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.” (Judges 6:25-32),

I have been pondering Gideon's call as a Judge/Leader of Israel. Gideon seems to have had a less than stellar pedigree (at least in human terms). He wasn't from the right tribe, he wasn't the first born son, etc., etc. Gideon's only claim to leadership? He heard from Yahuweh! Once hearing from the Almighty, Gideon tore down the altar of Baal and destroyed other symbols of pagan worship. He was so fearful of the consequences to his family, that he performed his deeds of destruction at night. When it was discovered that Gideon was the man who caused the Baal worship problems, he was branded with a moniker that means in essence "Troubler of Baal".

We are living in a day when once again, there is a need for the men and women of the Creator to stand up and be counted. First of all the pagan 'high places' must be torn down in our own lives. As we take a stand for righteousness expect friends and family members to reject your ideas and opinions. Don't be surprised when you are branded as "living under the law" or misguided, etc. Such is the cost of leadership in the day in which we live. If our Heavenly Father did not believe you could handle the call that is on your life, He wouldn't have given it to you.

The Joseph Connection

2008-03-19T07:32:00.001-06:00

The following is an excerpt from an article by the same title from our website. As with all of our material, this article is a 'work in process. changes and additions are made as appropriate. See the complete article at www.house2life.org.

Joseph was sold into slavery. He had to endure hardship in

order to become fulfilled in his destiny. His hardship became

his training ground. He found himself in a foreign land, subject

to unfamiliar customs and culture, and yet prospered under

Yahuweh’s providential hand. It was in the midst of the

foreign prison that Joseph accepted his responsibility to

become salvation for Egypt and Israel. I submit to you that

the church (especially in the United States of America) has

been in a prison and is about to be released. Just as Joseph

was kept in prison by the lies of others, we too have been

bound by the lies of our forefathers (Jeremiah 16:19). At this

juncture, it would be tempting to bemoan the fact that we

have been in prison. It is far more productive, however, if we

begin to examine what we are to do with our new found

freedom.

The church has settled for a religious system that misses the

mark of the ‘high calling’ of our Messiah. We must repent of

the sins of the past and learn to live responsibly to the freedom

given to us through the blood of Yeshua. Our houses of

worship must be “seeker-sensitive” only to the degree that the

seeker is looking for eternal life and not simply entertainment.

Our evangelism methods must move from models that are

concerned with census figures to relationship structures that

are governed by Scripture alone. Leadership must accept the

challenge to build the Kingdom instead of building their local

congregations. Now is the time to take the gospel outside the

four walls of the physical buildings and into the marketplaces

of society. Church leaders must release their people to do the

work of the ministry.

Shalom

An Anchor Bolt

2008-03-14T08:34:00.002-06:00

Every once in awhile, it is extremely important that we, as believers take a hard look at what it is that makes us believers. We are so fractured and disjointed that I am amazed that the Body of Messiah can even function. Were it not for our supernatural Head, function would be quite impossible. My personal study, over the past week, has led me to take inventory of my own doctrinal positions. Because we examine subjects that have become somewhat controversial it would be easy to draw conclusions that may not be true.

An Anchor Bolt is an extremely important piece of the building construction puzzle. It is the connection point between the foundation of a building and its framing. It has one end set in concrete and the other attached through framing members. The anchor bolt keeps the building intact during storms and adverse situations. The anchor bolt's placement and frequency of use by and large dictates the type of structure on top of the foundation. If the anchor bolts are inadequate, the building will fail.

The Anchor Bolt I want to address today is our salvation through the blood of Messiah. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. " (Ephesians 2:8,9). Much of what we teach (here and other ministry outlets) has to do with obedience in one way or another. I remind myself (and you) that my obedience can NEVER gain me an ounce of favor with my Heavenly Father. Personal obedience is for MY benefit alone. My obedience (or lack of it) does not help or harm my All Sufficient Creator! I don't obey to be saved...I obey BECAUSE I am saved.

I realize that a myriad of doctrines have used this anchor bolt as a launching pad and many of those doctrines are diametrically opposed to each other. That does not change the point, and in the words of an old church hymn, "my anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock!"

Shalom

The Restoration Process

2008-03-11T06:44:00.001-06:00

The following is an excerpt from a series of studies that is just now becoming available via my web site www.house2life.org. Although not yet ready for download, there is still some provocative reading there.

Restoration- res·to·ra·tion

Function: noun

: the act of restoring or the condition of being restored: as a : a returning to a normal or healthy condition

It is a fact of human nature that we will not change until the change is perceived to make us more comfortable than the state in which we currently find ourselves.

Understanding this most basic of human behaviors causes us to realize that neither truth or the lack thereof is sufficient to motivate us to change. We are “Comfort Creatures.” Unless a restoration has a direct appeal to ease our level of comfort, most times it will not be given a second thought.

A primary responsibility of the individual(s) called upon to undertake restoration is to create a sense of discomfort with the current state of the article needing to be restored. This is true whether we are talking about a priceless work of art, a building that needs remodeled and updated, or the Church of Jesus Christ (Assembly of Ye’shua the Messiah). Scripture tells us that Messiah is returning for a Bride that has thoroughly prepared herself for His coming. Everything we do in service to the Messiah must be in relationship to the love that is exhibited between our Heavenly Father and His Bride. Ephesians 5:25-27 says; “Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it, in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless.

Knowing that most of the Body of Messiah is in a state of lethargic comfort, we realize that promoting restoration will be met with great skepticism. Therefore, at the risk of being labeled “troublemakers” we undertake our first task, which is causing dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Shalom

Success...on His Terms

2008-03-09T08:40:00.001-06:00

Moses had just passed away and Joshua was now in charge of the Children of Israel. Obviously he is struggling with the tremendous responsibility that he has inherited. Look at what Yahuweh says to him.

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9)

Notice the encouragement "Be strong and of good courage." Apparently the Almighty thought the statement important enough to repeat it three times in the same number of verses. As our responsibility increases, our desire to 'tuck tail and run' increases to the same degree. In this case, our Loving Heavenly Father not only gave the encouragement, He gave the instructions on how to accomplish His will. He told Joshua to meditate on His laws (Hebrew word: Torah which means His teaching and instruction). The word success in verse 8 is the only time we see this word in the entirety of the King James version of Scripture. I believe that adds to its poignancy all the more. We are in a day when believers are going to be called upon to exercise courage. We must be examples of success. the prescription for that success is still the same. Meditate in and practice ALL the teachings and instructions of the Creator of the universe. He made it all...He knows how it works!

Shalom

Old Eddie - A lesson in History

2008-03-08T08:47:00.001-07:00

It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange and was starting to dip into the blue ocean.

Old Ed came strolling along the beach to his favorite pier. Clutched in his bony hand was a bucket of shrimp.

Ed walks out to the end of the pier, where it seems he almost has the world to himself. The glow of the sun is a golden bronze now.

Everybody's gone, except for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed is alone with his thoughts....and his bucket of shrimp.

Before long, however, he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier.

Before long, dozens of seagulls have enveloped him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly.

Ed stands there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds. As he does, if you listen closely, you can hear him say with a smile, "Thank you. Thank you."

In a few short minutes the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn't leave.

He stands there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place. Invariably, one of the gulls lands on his sea-bleached, weather-beaten hat - an old military hat he's been wearing for years.

When he finally turns around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too, fly away. And old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach and on home.

If you were sitting there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might seem like "a funny old duck," as my dad used to say. Or, "a guy that's a sandwich shy of a picnic," as my kids might say. To onlookers, he's just another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp.

To the onlooker, rituals can look either very strange or very empty. They can seem altogether unimportant ....maybe even a lot of nonsense.

Old folks often do strange things, at least in the eyes of Boomers and Busters.

Most of them would probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida. That's too bad. They'd do well to know him better.

His full name: Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero back in World War II. On one of his flying missions across the Pacific, he and his seven-member crew went down. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

Captain Rickenbacker and his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger. By the eighth day their rations ran out. No food. No water. They were hundreds of miles from land and no one knew where they were.

They needed a miracle. That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle. They tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose. Time dragged. All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft.

Suddenly, Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!

Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and wring its neck. He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew made a meal - a very slight meal for eight men - of it. Then they used the intestines for bait. W ith it, they caught fish, which gave them food and more bait......and the cycle continued. With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued. (after 24 days at sea...)

Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first lifesaving seagull. And he never stopped saying, "Thank you." That's why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.

PS: Eddie was also an Ace in WW I and started Eastern Airlines .

Thanks to whomever emailed this to me...

Shalom

Check it Out...Please!

2008-03-05T06:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I spent a considerable amount of time researching my passion, end times prophesies. I am amazed at the propensity of so-called religious leaders to put out information/predictions and expect people to swallow it hook, line and sinker. The sad thing is many if not most people do. I include those preachers who are preaching a warm fuzzy massage, as well as those who are putting forth a doom and gloom future. How do we sort it out? The answer is in the pages of Scripture itself. John 4:1-3 gives this warning:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Because of the condition of the world, people are looking for answers. Because of the condition of mankind, people are willing to get their answers from any and every source that makes them feel a little better. Remember it is the desire for personal comfort that causes us to be open to deception. The Bible teaches that teachers will be held accountable for what they teach (James 3:1) but you, as an individual will be held accountable for the information that you act on. Whether it comes from a televangelist, your local pastor, an angel or me, please check it out for yourself (Galatians 1:8,9).

Shalom

Why so Particular?

2008-02-29T07:56:00.001-07:00

As we post on this blog, and also update our web site, I'm sure you notice that we make every attempt to be extremely accurate when it comes to dates and historical facts. We purposely draw lines in the sand as it comes to the celebration of Passover and consequently the remainder of Yahuweh's feasts. We have attempted to explain why this accuracy is important, but since we realize we are 'swimming upstream" I want to try to explain it again. Our purpose is NOT to simply be divisive. On the contrary, it is to make sure that our unity as believers is completely in line with the unity of Scripture. In reference to our Messiah's crucifixion and subsequent 2nd coming lets look at Acts 3:17-26. “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which Yahuweh foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Messiah would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Messiah Yeshua, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘Yahuweh your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which Yahuweh made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, Yahuweh, having raised up His Servant Yeshua, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

One of the primary purposes of this ministry is to be on the cutting edge of what is currently being restored and how it affects the Body of Messiah. We don't use Hebrew names simply to impress you with knowledge. We use the Hebrew name of the Almighty because He told us not to forget His name. We use the Hebrew name of the Messiah to show its close proximity with His Father's, and to be reminded of the myriad of promises to us when we invoke His Name. We believe that there is not a single Biblical command that was given just to test our obedience. As we obey, and walk in that obedience, revelation continues to pour in. What a day to be alive!

Shalom

When to Celebrate Passover!

2008-02-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

The following excerpt is taken from Karaite Korner.org. It explains the difference between celebrating Passover according to the Biblical calendar vs. the Hebrew civil calendar. It answers the question, "When is the month of the Abib?"

Where is Abib Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible?

The story of the Exodus relates "This day you are going out in the the month of the Abib." (Ex 13,4).

To commemorate that we left Egypt in the month of the Abib, we are instructed to bring the Passover sacrifice and celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot) at this time of year. In Dt 16,1 we are commanded:

"Keep the month of the Abib and make the Passover (sacrifice) to YHWH your God at night, because in the month of the Abib YHWH your God took you out of Egypt".

Similarly, we are commanded in Ex 23,15:

"You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in it you went out of Egypt."

The same is commanded in Ex 34,18:

"You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as have I commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in the month of the Abib you went out of Egypt."

What is Abib?

Abib indicates a stage in the development of the barley crops. This is clear from Ex 9,31-32 which describes the devastation caused by the plague of hail:

"And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv'ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot)."

The above passage relates that the barley crops were destroyed by the hail while the wheat and spelt were not damaged. To understand the reason for this we must look at how grain develops. When grains are early in their development they are flexible and have a dark green color. As they become ripe they take on a light yellowish hue and become more brittle. The reason that the barley was destroyed and the wheat was not is that the barley had reached the stage in its development called Abib and as a result had become brittle enough to be damaged by the hail. In contrast, the wheat and spelt were still early enough in their development, at a stage when they were flexible and not susceptible to being damaged by hail. The description of the wheat and spelt as "dark" (Afilot) indicates that they were still in the stage when they were deep green and had not yet begun to lighten into the light yellowish hue which characterizes ripe grains. In contrast, the barley had reached the stage of Abib at which time it was no longer "dark" and at this point it probably had begun to develop golden streaks.

More on this in the days ahead.

Shalom

We're Getting Tthere

2008-02-26T06:15:00.002-07:00

We're getting there! Our Ministry site is now up and running. Although much of it is still under construction, at least the door is open. Check it out at www.house2life.org. The weekly TV broadcast will be on the front page. Inside you will find links to this blog as well as to the sister site www.house2life.com. The .com site is used for ministry funding while the .org site is solely for spreading the message of the Gospel. Some things that will be available from the ministry site are correct feast days as well as an explanation as to why there is a difference between corrected days and the Hebrew civil calendar, if any. New moon sightings will also be posted. We will be placing Torah teaching and its relevance to New Covenant Believers. A complete video library will be available from the site as well as an order form to get teachings on DVD. All ministry materials are free of charge.

Live at peace...yeah right!

2008-02-25T07:46:00.002-07:00

Romans 12:17-20: Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."

As I ponder this passage, I am watching a news report on some of the 'mud-slinging' that goes on everday in American politics. I understand that this type of activity has become so much a part of our political process that we don't give any thought whatsoever to the spirit behind ALL of this activity. More than ever before, our hearts begin to long for the end of it all. Is your heart prepared to usher in the Kingdom of Messiah?

Shalom

The Warnings Continue

2008-02-15T07:19:00.002-07:00

As I listen to news reports of continued economic downturn, I must remind myself of the cyclic nature of these events. I honestly don't know if this is the final straw for the "good ole USA." I know that at times it becomes very popular to be the bearers of 'doom and gloom.' That being said, it is also important to heed warnings, especially as they are outlined in Scripture. The news events of the past few days (assassination of a radical Muslim leader in Lebanon) and the threats of all-out war in Israel drive the point home for believers once again.

Isaiah 1:24- 31 says , " Therefore the Lord says,
The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,
“Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,
And take vengeance on My enemies.
I will turn My hand against you,
And thoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.
I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
And her penitents with righteousness.
The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,
And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees
Which you have desired;
And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens
Which you have chosen.
For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,
And as a garden that has no water.
The strong shall be as tinder,
And the work of it as a spark;
Both will burn together,
And no one shall quench them."

The context of this passage is judgement on a wicked and wayward Israel. There is promise of restoration as well. We are living in the day when these warnings are more appropriate than at any time in history. Those who study Scripture are struck by its stark accuracy and how it pertains to the day in which we live. I want to illustrate how close these events bring us to the return of Messiah.

In Daniel 9, we are told that a command to restore Israel goes forth. That command went out from the United Nations on Nov. 29, 1947. According to the same passage, Daniel gives a 70 year timeline that would end in the year 2017. Because of the reference to a 62 year period, Daniel's timeline puts the start of the final Tribulation in the year 2009-2010. It is no accident that there is international pressure TODAY to establish a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capitol. We have crossed the threshold...The times of the Gentiles has come to a close...This is the day of the Revelation of our Messiah!! His message is the same as what he declared when He came the first time! Repent, for the Kingdom of Yehuweh is at hand!

Shalom!

Ever Closer...Open Your Eyes

2008-02-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

I received an email message from Jerusalem this morning that confirms what I feel Yehuweh is speaking to all who will listen. Our Creator has given stern warning as to what would happen at the end of this age. He has told us how to discern the times of the end. Although the article was written in October of last year, it reminded me once again of how very close we are to the return of our Messiah. Here is a partial quote from the article written by Robert Berger.

Photo Caption: Mike Evans and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Jerusalem Prayer Team Summit, 2002

A senior government official says Israel is prepared to relinquish parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace agreement.

Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon says the Israeli government would support a division of Jerusalem as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians.

Ramon told Israel Radio that under the plan, Israel would transfer many of the Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

This would be a key component of an Israeli-Palestinian declaration to be made at an international peace conference in the United States this year.

The plan marks a sea change in Israel's position, after it captured East Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six Day War in 1967. Since then it has been an Israeli slogan that Jerusalem would remain the united capital of the State of Israel forever. Ramon said Israel does not need 170,000 Arabs in Jerusalem, about a third of the city's population, to be citizens of the Jewish state.

Palestinian officials say Israel's position is a step in the right direction, but that it still does not resolve the key issue: sovereignty in Jerusalem's Old City. The Palestinians say any peace deal must be based on an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders, which would include a pullout from the Old City.

Look at Revelation 11:1-3 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Emphasis mine)

Once again, it comes home to us that Scriptural prophecy is being fulfilled in front of our eyes. ALL misinterpretations will cease as truth is laid out in our newspapers and broadcast through the media. I reserve further commentary for future writings.

Shalom

Obedience, a Condition of Repentance

2008-02-07T08:06:00.001-07:00

“Come now, and let us reason together,”
    Says Yehuweh,
    “Though your sins are like scarlet,
    They shall be as white as snow;
    Though they are red like crimson,
    They shall be as wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
    You shall eat the good of the land;
But if you refuse and rebel,
    You shall be devoured by the sword”;
    For the mouth of Yehuweh has spoken (Isa 1:18-20).

Take a look a the Hebrew word translated "reason together":

yâkach yaw-kakh' A primitive root; to be right (that is, correct); reciprocally to argue; causatively to decide, justify or convict:—appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct (-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove (-r), surely, in any wise.

It seems our Creator is issuing an invitation for us to present our case concerning how He deals with our sin.

Look at this picture. I will admit that this is a self-serving, un-abashed promotion for the buildings I sell (see the Master Line Inc. link above) but it illustrates the concept of our discussion. Yehuweh is saying to us in effect, "Here is what I do with your sin when you are obedient to Me. I challenge you to leave no stone unturned in your attempt to prove Me wrong." This is the type of challenge that would cause Perry Mason to tremble in fear. This challenge is issued by the Creator to His creation and there is no possible rebut. How can we continue to wallow in sin thereby cheapening the grace and mercy of our Father (See Romans 6:1-4).

Please notice the condition of obedience. In order to have our sins removed from us requires repentance AND obedience. In fact, the Scriptural concept of the word "repentance' cannot be realized without obedience. If there is no change in direction of the individual, there obviously was no true repentance. Also notice the promise for obedience. There is no direct economic tie to this promise. Although it must be understood that the Creator's blessing rests upon the property of the obedient, there is NOT a condition that the obedient be a property owner! My point here is this: We are headed for a time when civil rights and property may well be confiscated. Obedience to the Word will be required for our very survival! Spiritual survival is far more important than physical survival.

Shalom

HELP!!!

2008-02-04T10:50:00.001-07:00

From time to time I am given, either via email or through traditional venues, writings of Christian authors that are preposterous, to say the least. Some are heretical, while others are just opinions based on faulty interpretation principles. Because these teachers command extensive vocabularies and speak in the languages of Theological Cemeteries (seminaries), the masses follow along (at respectable distances) following their diatribes concerning the truth of Scripture.

First a Scriptural warning:

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. (James 3:1-5)

There is always room for opinion! My opinion is that the Author of Scripture knows the interpretation. A lifelong quest, for the believer, is to make sure that our interpretations of Scripture have been passed by the scrutiny of the Author, as well. Any time that our understanding of Holy Writ requires us to discount or eliminate major passages of the same, means we are in extreme danger of missing our Father's plan for our lives. I find it somewhat amusing (and sad) that men will deem it necessary to overlook scriptures just to make them fit into the boxes they have created for their religious experiences. For example, Scriptures concerning the foreigner (Gentiles) are left out of discussions as to the importance modern believers celebrating the Feasts of Yehuweh. (See Lev. 23) We have designed a myriad of excuses as to why Scriptures that encourage us to do this "forever" and throughout "all your generations" do not apply to us. I have even heard people try to re-define "forever" and "generations." What has happened to "obedience is better than sacrifice?" We have stated, concerning various passages, "That was for the Jews" or "Apostles" or "That Age" or any thing else that helps us feel better about our lack of obedience! We categorize dispensations and covenants and try to prove how these Scriptures do not apply to us. By doing that we have discounted some 85% of Scripture as irrelevant to the modern believer. My friends the time for repentance is NOW! Yeshua's first sermon carried this theme (Matthew 4:17)! We must turn from our habit of discounting Scripture. We must accept His Word as from His heart and for His people. You are not your own...You were bought with a price. Our lives must be conducted accordingly!

Shalom

Personal Faith

2008-01-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

As we look to Scripture to determine our actions in the circumstances of our lives, it is imperative that we, as believers, know how, when, and where to pick our fights. The vast majority of what we choose to squabble over would fit quite comfortably within the same categories as "the color of carpet" in the local sanctuary. Somehow the color of that carpet has risen to eternal importance because many churches have split over issues of equal or less import. I submit to you that when we choose to quarrel over such trivial matters, we cheapen our own salvation and denigrate the grace that purchased it. Let's look at Romans 14:1-13.

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for Yehuweh has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Yehuweh is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives Yehuweh thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives Yehuweh thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Messiah died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah. For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to Yehuweh." So then each of us shall give account of himself to Yehuweh. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

I believe what Paul is saying to believers here, is "let lesser issues remain lesser." There is something far greater in the works than what we eat or what holidays we celebrate. I will continue to live by my own personal convictions and be always ready to discuss them with you. I will continue to pray for the Body's collective eyes to be opened to the truth of the Word and will pray for the ability to not be a stumbling block by imposing my convictions on others.

Personally, I wish this passage was absent from the writ of Scripture. Then I would be free to make spiritual clones of myself. I would be able to say to my clones, "Do what I do: Say what I say; Wear what I wear; etc., etc." However, I must come to understand that our Heavenly Father loves me enough to give me the power to choose whether or not to believe in Him AND how to carry out that belief in my own life. As a believer in Him, I must allow fellow believers that same privilege.

Shalom

2008-01-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

Our family is currently facing a situation that is of grave concern to us and it involves our newest member. Asher William Pogue was born January 13, about 6 weeks early. His progress seems to be steady, but certainly far too slow for his parents and family. As we pray for his growth, our Father continues to show me parallels between this precious little one and His bride, the body of Messiah. Because Asher was losing a little weight, the Doctors determined a supplemental feeding tube through his nose was in order. He was not getting the nourishment he needed because he was not quite developed enough to do the job,

Here is the parallel...As the body of Messiah begins to wake up, she finds herself losing spiritual weight because she is not used to feeding herself. She has become so accustomed to the spoon feeding from the pulpits of the local churches that she feels like she is starving, How many times have you heard the statement, "I used to go to church there but I quit because I wasn't being fed."? Scripture teaches that we are to grow up, get beyond the milk of the Word, and be able to digest the meat. I remind you, it is hunger that will drive you to growth.

There seems to be a fear that articulates itself like this: Who will tell me if the spiritual food I am getting is good food? We have produced a system that does not allow individuals to 'feed themselves'. I must have a pastor/priest/rabbi to tell me if I am doing the right thing or interpreting the Scriptures correctly. Please don't misunderstand here...a balance is in order. My point is that the current system fosters fear that prohibits individual growth rather than encouraging it. Leaders pacify themselves with the justification: "I foster growth, as long as it fits within the scope of the local model." "Come and sit under my ministry, I will give you a track to grow on," is another mantra that is bandied about. Where are the leaders of the Kingdom that encourage uninhibited growth? Where are the teachers that are overjoyed when their students outpace them in Kingdom achievement? Men and women of faith take heart, your day is at hand!

Shalom

Whose Agenda in Prayer?

2008-01-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Because of the election season in the United States, I hear believers calling for prayer in greater measure than usual. While more people praying can never be a bad thing, this illustrates our reliance on crisis to move us to do what is right. Our sincere belief is that our god (lower case g on purpose) will perform according to a particular political ideology. I remind you that the Elohim of Scripture cannot be reduced to a political persuasion and to do so is tantamount to idol worship. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says Yehuweh. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8,9) If our governmental system could be perfected through our prayer efforts alone, there would be no need for our Messiah to return!

The reformation principle in play here, is prayer motivation. We need to move from crisis motivation to relationship motivation. When we are moved to pray through relationship, we are much more inclined to pray the will of our Heavenly Father. Our approach must be that of the betrothed longing to spend time with her Beloved as opposed to 'the kid in the candy store' trying to get the owner to give us a freebie. When the heart of our Lover is our goal we determine to study the Word for our answers, assured that He has buried treasure there just for us to discover. With relationship as our moving force, our prayer for the return of Messiah is NOT about fixing the world's problems. When relationship is our guide, political agendas shrink to their proper perspective and we realize the problems of the United States of America are not very high on the priority list of the Almighty. Scripture says that He wants to give us the desires of our HEARTS as opposed to our wallets. Yeshua DIED to have relationship with us, therefore, political systems are inconsequential! The one exception to this statement is our Messiah's own political system and in order to implement it requires the destruction of every other system including our own!

Shalom

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

2008-01-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2Timothy 3:1-7)

This passage could easily be a commentary from a socially conservative individual on any modern news program! In this day of mud-slinging presidential politics, I want to key in on the phrase "having a form of godliness but denying its power." We believers find ourselves between the proverbial 'rock and hard place.' We feel pressure from all sides as we listen to the rhetoric. America is looking for a candidate who: will lower taxes and provide more social programs...is against abortion but says its okay to kill babies...wants to bring our soldiers home and will put in place a global police force...supports Israel and Palestine...is a believer in Jesus Christ and Muhammad, Buddha, Hinduism, etc.,... The bottom line is this...The next president of the United States of America will be a human being. America does not need another human being (of any political persuasion). AMERICA NEEDS A MESSIAH! I call upon the believers of this country to quit looking to our political leadership as pseudo messiahs. Your call to be a part of the Family of the Almighty is much higher than a political ideal. Do not allow any smooth talking politician to define your relationship with your heavenly Father. In the big scheme of things, our political persuasion is about on the same level as deciding which gas station to use to fill your automobile.

Men and women of the Family, "lift up your heads, your redemption draweth nigh"! As you watch events unfold, please don't forget that this world is about to undergo some radical changes in the very near future and there is not one man or woman anywhere that is up to the task of staying the judgement that is about to be unleashed. The One-World Government is right around the corner. With every tick of the clock, we see end times prophecy being fulfilled. Many times I find myself in the position of not knowing how to pray because of biblical prophecy (i.e. the division of Jerusalem, etc.). I believe we are in for an exciting ride in the days ahead!

Just as we as Americans have allowed fear-mongering politicians scare us into voting in a particular fashion, we as believers have allowed memorial building preachers to scare us into a scriptural belief system that is contrary to the whole of the Word. We have spent a whole lot of time teaching about the reign of the Antichrist, when according to Scripture, his reign is designed by Yehuweh to set up Messiah's kingdom. This is the one-world government we should be focusing on! We are talking about a 1000 year period versus a 7 year stint...Which one requires a greater preparation? Think about it!

Shalom

2007 letter

2008-01-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

The following is a letter we put out to our regular supporters. I thought it might help answer some questions, etc. Thanks for understanding!

2007 was a year of reflection and determination for Church on the Highway Ministries. We spent much time and prayer reflecting on the past in order to better determine the future. As we examined our vision and scope of ministry we have determined that changes are in order to more accurately reflect the direction that we feel the Holy Spirit would have us go.

The first and most significant change is a change in the name of the ministry. From this time forward Church on the Highway Ministries will be known as House to Life Ministries. House to Life describes the thrust of the ministry in establishing homes to be the primary focus for the maturing of the body of Messiah. We are committed to the priesthood of the believer being primarily carried out in the home.

A word of explanation is in order here: We considered changing the name of Church on the Highway Ministries to Beit L’ Chiam Ministries. Beit L’Chiam is the Hebrew rendition of House to Life. We decided against the Hebrew name solely to ward off confusion.

We have started a ministry blog entitled Reformation Now. The web address for this blog is www.beitlchiam.blogspot.com. The articles on this blog are intended to be mildly controversial. They are short in length and thought provoking. The blog is updated 2-3 times each week. A website is under construction for the ministry. It’s address is www.house2life.org. Eventually the blog will be hosted here as well as video streaming of The Living Room, our weekly television broadcast. A sister site is also being built for the purpose of Commerce for the Kingdom. We are researching books and products that promote the believers lifestyle. These resources and products will be available at www.house2life.com. There will be links to sites of ministries committed to the same purposes.

As always, DVDs and other ministry resources are provided free of charge. We so appreciate those of you who help monthly with our ongoing expenses. House to Life Ministries will NOT be a 501(c)3 non-profit corp. According to the IRS, your contributions ARE tax deductible when given to a recognized religious organization. You must use your cancelled check as a receipt.

Blessings,

Bill & Carol Sperry
House to Life Ministries

The Baby is Comin'!!

2008-01-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

1Thessalonians 5:1-6 says,"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

Our daughter just gave birth to her second son (Grandchild #7 for my bride and myself!). She had a difficult labor as the baby wanted out approx. 6 wks. early. The medical team did everything in their power to stop the labor, but the baby was comin'! She was in the hospital, confined to bed rest, and on powerful drugs, all to no avail...The baby was comin'! Once the labor starts, the blessed event is about to happen!

This text gives an incredible parallel to the start of the birth process. "When they say, 'Peace and Safety'" is analogous to "My water just broke, time to go to the hospital." President Bush is just completing a Middle East tour of which the entire purpose is "Peace and Safety' for the region. My friends, we can now 'take it to the bank'; sudden destruction will be unleashed! The fulfilment of biblical prophecy will once again be read in our newspapers and broadcast across our airwaves.

For those of us who anxiously await the return of Messiah, these days are full of anticipation and promise. We know our time of reigning with Him is just around the corner. For those who are not expecting His return, our text passage addresses their state of mind as well, They will be caught unaware, overtaken as by a thief in the night. The challenge to us, as believers is to be prepared for the events about to be unleashed upon the world. It is wise parents who spend time in 'making the nursery ready' for the arrival of the new baby. Is your home ready for the intense labor period that is coming upon the earth. No matter where you stand in the scheme of eschatological events, we must realize that our Father only has ONE plan and that means a whole lot of somebodies are going to be wrong! We are not talking about our salvation here. We are speaking of prudent preparation and Yeshua Himself gave many warnings to be prepared for this time.

Shalom

Back to the Basics

2008-01-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

It is time to re-establish some ground rules for understanding/interpreting Scripture. Before we do that, however, we must determine by whose rules do we play? While the answer may seem obvious to some, I will attempt to state my case clearly, nonetheless.

If we believe that Scripture is inspired of the Almighty, and that Scripture is a road map for all mankind, does it not stand to reason that our Father would make His love letter to His people easy for them to understand and apply?

Use Scripture to interpret Scripture. It is vital in determining courses of action concerning our own lives to allow the Bible to interpret itself. It is my contention that every question we may pose having to do with our relationship with the Almighty, will be answered within the pages of Holy Writ. I also contend that these answers are well within the grasp of the average Biblical student. 2 Timothy 2:15 states, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to Yehuweh, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Other versions say "Study to show yourselves approved." One of the problems that has permeated the church is the belief that Scripture is too difficult to understand, therefore leave its interpretations to the experts. This is a lie that continues to wreak havoc for the body of Messiah.
Every word of Scripture is appropriate for today's born-again believer. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of Yehuweh, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Yehuweh may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16,17) The attempt by various groups and/or denominations to discount portions of scripture by deeming them out dated, for a specific people group/race, under a different dispensation, etc., is faulty, at best. In many cases it becomes downright heretical because our refusal to accept certain passages changes the message of the Gospel. We must build our lives on the concept that every word from Genesis through Revelation is inspired of the Almighty and is for me! (It is ironic that many denominations state this concept in their belief statements, and then circumvent it by their actions).
Every doctrine (including the blood atonement of Messiah) is found in the writings of Moses (Torah). 85% of the New Testament is direct quotation with commentary on the Old Testament. I challenge anyone to find a single doctrine of Scripture that can be found in the New Testament alone. If our Heavenly Father does not change, why would we think He would give conflicting ideas concerning His plan for mankind. Ephesians 4:4-8 says. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Messiah's gift. Therefore He says:
"When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men."

One of the gifts He has given to you is the ability to PROPERLY understand His word!

Shalom

What Idenity Crisis?

2008-01-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", a short story by Washington Irving, the tale speaks of a revolutionary war soldier who lost his head due to a cannonball shot. The soldier spends his nights on his horse searching the countryside, for his head. If there is an identity crisis in the body of Messiah, it is because we, like this poor soldier, have lost our head. Our decapitation, however, did not come as the result of warfare, its cause is our own lethargy. We fell into a drunken stupor because of our comfort. We began demanding our "rights" because of the royal blood of Messiah coursing through our veins. Prosperity and ease of living became our goals. We fell into traps of building personal memorials instead of building the Kingdom. If there is no repentance, we will be subject to eternity without our Head! (Matthew 25)

As I was writing yesterday's post, I had an epiphany of sorts. It finally got through my thick skull that doing Kingdom business keeps us from this identity crisis. We get caught up in memorial building, even in our personal expressions of worship. If my place and method of worship supersedes Kingdom business, then my worship is in vain. We must not let principles of Kingdom etiquette (what we wear, prayer posture & times etc.) keep us from Kingdom purpose. In other words, even things that are commanded can be a distraction if we lose sight of our purpose. I am not telling anyone to disobey the commandments. Yeshua Himself, taught "the ox in the ditch" principle. Kingdom purpose is about people! Commands are the guidelines to help us win the people. Far too often we have used the commands to keep us from reaching people.

Galatians 6:7-10 says, "Do not be deceived, Yehuweh is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (emphasis mine)

Kingdom business is people business. Let's get busy!

Shalom

The One New Man

2008-01-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)

As the times of the Gentiles draws to a close, is the "One New Man" ready to take his place? Ephesians 2:11-18 says, "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without Yehuweh in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

There is a fulfilment of this Scripture that is happening in front of our eyes and, I might add, largely unnoticed by the church world. A few weeks ago a petition was started to encourage our president NOT to give land for peace in Israel. The goal was 100,000 signatures before the President leaves for the Holy Land. Two days ago an addendum was forwarded, a portion from which is quoted here:

"Because of the marvelous response of over 100,000 appealing to President Bush to not divide Jerusalem, Rabbis in Jerusalem have contacted me, have humbly appealed that the Jerusalem Prayer Team would not stop this campaign but would continue it until a million lovers of Jerusalem signed the Petition to President Bush.We have pledged that they will pray at the Kotel, the Western Wall. One of the Rabbis came from the Soviet Union and said that many years ago one million Americans united in a petition called "Let My People Go" to the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, to appeal to Gorbachev to let one million Russian Jews go home to Israel. A television special and book by the same name were also written.I appealed to President Reagan if he would ask Mikhail Gorbachev to release the Russian dissidents - specifically Natan Sharansky - and open the doors for Russian Jews to go back to Israel. Ronald Reagan did just that. Since those days, one million Russian Jews have returned to the Land of Israel as the prayer of their lips "Next year in Jerusalem," came true. Sharansky left his cold prison cell with a small book of Psalms and a Yarmulke. The skull cap, Yarmulke, was made from the rags around the feet of a Pentecostal pastor who shared his cell with him one evening when he slept. The pastor gave it to him so that he could celebrate the Passover. To this very day Natan Sharansky wears that Yarmulke on Yom Kippur and during the Passover."

As a voice, crying for reformation, is is very encouraging to see tangible evidence of the "one new man" doing what he is supposed to do. As we discussed in our last post, it is time for the body to begin 'doing' because of who we are. We have a tremendous responsibility to the grace that has been given to us (See Romans 6:1). Let us be students of Scripture to see what believers do...Lay your traditional thoughts aside here...Much of what we have been taught is simply more man-made religion. The voice of the prophet is being heard among the dry bones, and there is definitely a wind stirring. Is LIFE on the way?

Shalom

Our Nation in Peril

2008-01-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

As I write, our president is preparing for a trip that will put a nail in the coffin of the United States of America, if not seal her doom. Matthew 25:31-46 describes what we refer to as "The Judgement Seat of Messiah." There are some very specific things that are mentioned that we, as Americans, should be concerned. This scene describes the judgement of the nations. It says all nations are gathered before the Messiah. It speaks of judgement of those who do not take care of "the brethren." The obvious context is the Jewish people. By our president participating (and in some cases orchestrating) in a process that will divide the city of Jerusalem, he is going against the written Word and the will of Yehuweh, our Heavenly Father. Please read the entirety of the text:

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
"Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

There are several things that stand out and are worthy of note:

This is a judgement of the nations.
There are nations that are found righteous.
Those who are found righteous are surprised.
Those who are found unrighteous are surprised.
Righteousness has to do with doing as opposed to being.

I understand it goes against what we have been taught that righteousness could have anything to do with our performance. "After all, we are saved by grace and works has nothing to do with it." Once again, we find ourselves at odds with the whole of Scripture. We are certainly saved by grace, grace, and nothing but grace. But with grace, just as with freedom, comes responsibility. As born again believers, we have a responsibility to take care of the brethren. Our eyes must be opened to view the people of the Almighty, both the 'grafted in ones' and the 'natural branches', the way He does. When we pay attention to His laws that He has written on our hearts (Jer. 31:33) we find ourselves doing, simply because it is the right thing to do.

Shalom

Reformation vs. Restoration

2008-01-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

As we examine this topic, I want to state at the outset that I don't believe reformation and restoration are opposed to each other. Neither do I believe that they are synonymous terms. As far as our discussion is concerned, reformation will be defined as what we as human beings can do, whereas restoration will be defined as the areas that only Yehuweh can accomplish.

Acts 3:19-21 says,"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of Yehuweh, and that He may send Messiah Yeshua, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which Yehuweh has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Notice the phrase 'until the times of restoration of all things'. I believe there is incontrovertible evidence that we are living in those times. As our Heavenly Father puts into motion the times of restoration, it becomes the responsibility of His children to bring about the reformation. Example: Yehuweh has restored to us an understanding of His way of reckoning time. We are living in the day when, for the first time in history, we can determine with absolute certainty the dates of events in Scripture. This is accomplished through calculators that NASA has developed that map lunar and solar cycles for the past 6000 years. Yehuweh has placed in the hearts of leaders across the globe to search the Scriptures and apply His reckoning of time to modern events. It is no coincidence that believers from around the world find their hearts turning toward Israel. (For more information see Michael Rood's work on the Creator's calendar). Now the reformation side: Our responsibility is to examine Scripture and make application. Leviticus 23 tells us about the Feasts of Yehuweh and when they are to be observed. Notice these feasts are to be observed perpetually. These annual celebrations are Divine Appointments! Yehuweh restores and we must reform!

The calendar is just one example of restoration that is taking place. In Matthew 4:17 we see another restoration/reformation principle, "From that time Yeshua began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand' is the restoration statement. The reason this requires reformation thought is because the church has adopted a "repent for the kingdom will come after the rapture" mentality. I want remind believers that the time lapse between the last day of the Great Tribulation and the first day of the Millennial Reign is one second. Matthew 25 speaks of the time when the nations will be gathered to be judged and separated by Messiah. The purpose of the separation is so the righteous can reign with Him throughout the earth. Reformation Question: Are you prepared to reign with the Messiah? Don't be deceived into thinking that He will put your house in order for you. He has restored...we must reform. If your business practices are not 'up to snuff' today, don't think they will somehow be okay when Messiah returns. Remember this passage speaks of judgement. The kingdom of heaven is at hand!

Shalom

Attitudes Concerning Reformation

2008-01-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Philippians 2:5-11 says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah Yeshua, who, being in the form of Elohim, did not consider it robbery to be equal with Elohim, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore Yehuweh also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yeshua Messiah is Lord, to the glory of Elohim the Father.

This is probably one of the most challenging passages in the whole of Scripture. It is a dissertation on how the believer should approach life. The challenge is to apply its encouragements to every aspect of our lives. In this article, we will look at how to apply its concepts to our relationship with the Almighty and His creation. (Not polar bears....people).

We need to understand that change, in any form, is uncomfortable. Human beings are comfort driven. It is a characteristic of human nature to not accept change until we perceive that the change will make us more comfortable than the situation in which we currently find ourselves. This applies to every thing from rolling down a window or turning on the air conditioner in a car to remodeling our homes. It is especially true of our belief system. We don't want to even examine a different belief system because it causes great discomfort. We don't want to face the possibility of being wrong. Not only is this an affront to our pride, it makes us uncomfortable.

Agents of change, by their nature, make us uncomfortable! This is why Yeshua was always in trouble with the Pharisees. He made the religious establishment uncomfortable. This is why the prophets of old were persecuted and killed by those to whom their messages applied. And, my friends, this is why you are misunderstood by your friends and family. As hard as it is to accept, we were warned about this in Scripture and told to rejoice because of it. (See Matthew 5:10-12).

Now that we know why people are uncomfortable because of us, how should we respond? I am going to assume that none of us responds with 'heaping on of new found knowledge' when our loved ones are uncomfortable with our statements concerning paganism and Christianity. I am also assuming that we don't have to prove our points by raising our voice, posturing anger because of their ignorance, or any other condescending attitude. After all, because of our new knowledge, all of the principles of love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, meekness, etc. no longer apply. We have come under a Messianic covenant (of our own making) that does away with the old Christian covenant. The problem is...This is NOT scriptural!

In examining the passage above, we see that Yeshua set forth for us an attitude that we must implement. The phrase 'did not consider it robbery to be equal with Elohim' can be translated "did not cling to the fact that He was Elohim." If He could let go of the fact that He is Almighty, we must be willing to be misunderstood while the Holy Spirit works on our loved ones. Yehuweh is using you as an agent of change! Let's make sure our attitudes are up to the task.

Shalom

The Sin of Anthropomorphism

2007-12-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

anthropomorphism
(an-thruh-puh-mawr-fiz-uhm) The attributing of human characteristics and purposes to inanimate objects, animals, plants, or other natural phenomena, or to God. To describe a rushing river as “angry” is to anthropomorphize it.

Have I dazzled you with my vocabularic prowess? Oh well! I'll keep trying.

In a convoluted manner of trying to understand Yehuweh, we tend to anthropomorphize Him. Believe it or not, the Almighty gave some specific commands regarding this. Exodus 20:4-6 says, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

To imagine our Heavenly Father as anything less than He is, is to break this command. In other words, "Let Yehuweh be Yehuweh!" There are several reasons why one might fall into the sin of anthropomorphism. We will examine them individually.

Ignorance. If we have not taken the time, or do not have the experience, we may develop a habit of relating to the Almighty as some kind of a Divine Wish Granter. Although Scripture teaches that our Heavenly Father wants to give us 'the desire if our heart, it also counterbalances that concept with "you have not because you ask amiss." (see James 4:3). If we put Yehuweh on either side of that equation,we are guilty of anthropomorphism.
Refusing to bring all related Scriptural concepts to build our theology. Example: If our Heavenly Father loves us so much, why is there suffering in the world? This question shows a lack of study into the principles of Yehuweh's love. Because He loves us he disciplines us (Proverbs 3:11,12). If we refuse to submit to the discipline process, we will be partakers of His judgement. It is because of His love that free choice comes in, and because of our choices, we see suffering.
Man-made religious practice. This is probably the most grievous and subtle way we slide into anthropomorphism. Our worship degrades into something less than true 'heart ' expression. We find ourselves relating to Yehuweh according to denominational structure simply because the box created for Him is defined by human experience and does not transcend to its rightful place.

It is time for the Body of Messiah to take her rightful place by giving back to Yehuweh His rightful place. May it be said of our worship, "If they keep silent, these rocks and stones will cry out!"

Shalom

Hezekiah's Reformation

2007-12-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

2 Chronicles 29:1-5 says, "Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, and said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.

Notice that the first order of business for Hezekiah was to repair the doors of the house of Yehuweh. Even though the reasons for repairing the doors may seem to be obvious, I believe it requires a deeper look. A door has two separate and distinct purposes; 1. To allow access, and 2. To deny access.

Today, as in the days of King Hezekiah, the doors of the house of Yehuweh are in dire need of repair. According to scripture our bodies are His temple (1 Cor. 6:19,20). It seems that the doors to our bodies are similar to what WalMart installs at the front of their Super Centers. The slightest movement around the entrance causes the doors to open wide allowing access. Unlike WalMart, we don't have a 'greeter' in place to watch over things. In this day of extreme information overload, there are virtually no safeguards in place to determine the validity of what passes through the doors to the temple. IT IS TIME TO UNPLUG THE ELECTRONIC EYE!! My friends, the safeguards of consecration and sanctification, based on the Word of the Almighty, must be put into place. When Yehuweh gave instructions to Moses concerning the erection of the Tabernacle, every article of worship not only had to be constructed according to a particular design...it had to be consecrated as well. There is a profound lack of alarm at what has been allowed to become articles of worship in the Temple today. What are you allowing to access the interior of the Temple?

The second thing that King Hezekiah did was to get the rubbish out of the Temple. The interior of the Temple must be different from the outside.

I recently asked a question of my home fellowship. "What is the number one problem in the church world today?" The response was immediate and unanimous. "There is no difference between the church and the world!" In other words, "The inside of the temple looks just like the outside." There is just as much rubbish on the inside as the outside. The problem is, the inside was not designed for the rubbish and because it is there, the temple cannot be used for adequate worship! The rubbish pile that has imposed itself upon the spaces of the temple stinks and is maggot infested. It is not fit for recycling. It must be carried out and disposed of properly. This rubbish is called MAN MADE RELIGION! It does not matter how good the rubbish looked when we brought it in...it is still rubbish. We are warned several times throughout Scripture not to add to or take away from its principles. ANY addition or detraction simply contributes to the rubbish.

I challenge you to examine the doors of your heart. I remind you that your body is THE Temple that is in place today. Guard the doors. Clean out the rubbish.

Shalom

The Born Again "Experience"

2007-12-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Let's begin our journey today by examining the origin of the phrase "Born Again".

Contrary to popular belief, the phrase 'born again', did NOT originate in the New Testament. It was in use for decades, if not centuries, before our Messiah's conversation with Nicodemus recorded in John 3. Understanding its historical perspective gives great insight into Yeshua's and Nicodemus' dialogue. Being a Pharisee, it would have been impossible for Nicodemus not to have a religious perspective on the phrase in question. As we will discover, Nicodemus most likely had that phrase spoken over him many times.

It was very important, for any religious Jew, to enter the Mik-vah (baptismal) pool on many occasions. There are no less than 5 types of baptism mentioned in Scripture. There were certain requirements that must have been in place in order for the Mik-vah to be valid. We will talk about two of those requirements here.

There had to be an observer. It is not clear what authoritative position the observer had to hold, but he had to verify that the water, in the Mik-vah pool, was free flowing and that the participant (baptismal candidate) was totally immersed. As the participant came out of the Mik-vah pool a declaration was made. "Born Again" was shouted, and it simply meant "status changed". Thus , in the minds of the religious Jews, 'born again' had to do with ritual cleansing and would allow them to fulfill their worship requirements.

Now we see that Yeshua was not introducing this concept to Nicodemus. On the contrary, He was explaining to this religious leader what he was missing by following man's rules without allowing the Spirit of Yahuweh to guide him. He was showing him how his rituals led to spiritual blindness, but that our Heavenly Father was offering a way to have his "status changed" apart from his personal efforts.

Now let's examine the word experience:
noun, verb, -enced, -enc·ing.
–noun
1.
a particular instance of personally encountering or undergoing something: My encounter with the bear in the woods was a frightening experience.
2.
the process or fact of personally observing, encountering, or undergoing something: business experience.
3.
the observing, encountering, or undergoing of things generally as they occur in the course of time: to learn from experience; the range of human experience.
4.
knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone: a man of experience.
5.
Philosophy. the totality of the cognitions given by perception; all that is perceived, understood, and remembered. –verb (used with object)
6.
to have experience of; meet with; undergo; feel: to experience nausea.
7.
to learn by experience. —Idiom
8.
experience religion, to undergo a spiritual conversion by which one gains or regains faith in God.

As with everything for the believer in Messiah, our definition of the Born Again Experience must be grounded in Scripture. We must not base our definition on any emotion, physical manifestation, or other extra-scriptural happening. When we, as human beings, add our own experiences to the biblical definition, we are guilty of putting man-made requirements on scriptural principles. We must be diligent to let Spiritual laws stand on their own merit! This is exactly what Yeshua was teaching when He said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17) The word 'fulfill' here means 'to give it backbone' or 'to make it stand up.' Remember the Word of Yahuweh does not need your defence...it IS your defence!

When there is a 'born again experience' it will always be accompanied by fruit. The fruit of a born again experience is a changed life. If there is not a changed life, there was no born again experience. Being born again is more than reciting a prayer. That may be a starting point but there must be change. That change will be different for every believer, nevertheless, it must be present. For some, that change comes easily and with great exuberance. For others it will be slow, deliberate and even methodical. Is one type of change any more valid than the other? Absolutely not! Both are fruit of being born again.

If you would like more information on being born again, you can contact me privately at beitlchiam@q.com

Shalom

Moderation or Compromise?

2007-12-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

For many of us during this Holiday Season, the question is not, "Do we celebrate?" It is "How do I share my new found convictions with my friends and family?" Because we are learning the importance of the whole of Scripture, and the desires of our Creator as we worship, we struggle not to offend those closest to us who may not yet share our convictions. We wrestle with how to respond to those who innocuously wish us a "Merry Christmas," especially when they are Christians. Should we challenge them by reminding that Dec. 25th was designated as the birthday of pagan deities and is not the birthday of our Messiah? Should we point out that they are following lies and traditions that have nothing to do with Christianity?

I believe there is an eternal principle in play here, that we are warned against numerous times in Scripture, and that is the mixing of the holy with the profane. Aaron's own sons were killed for violating this principle. Ezekiel warns against it as well; "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." (Ezek. 22:26).

The conviction is to return to following Yehuweh of Scripture with all the purity that is humanly possible. How do we live out this conviction?

First of all, remember where you have come from. It took the Holy Spirit to remove blinders from your eyes to see all the pagan influence in the first place. Your relationship with Messiah will guide you here, if you are willing to listen. (A word of warning: The Holy Spirit will NEVER give you a thought or instruction that is outside of the confines of His Word. Yehuweh has chosen to govern Himself by His Word...Scripture must become our governing force as well.) As we study the life of our Messiah, we see His attack was on the religious establishment, not the people that were enslaved by it. His response to those who were looking for freedom was to confront the sin issues, but with great compassion for the individual (See Mark 10:17-27).

Let me share with you a couple of counselling principles that have proven themselves many times over through the years in my own practice.

Present your conviction only after being asked about it. When you share your convictions before being asked, your words are harsh and unpalatable. You will be accused of "trying to 'cram' it down their throat."
Do not use Scripture against those to whom you are trying to minister. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." In other words, the Word is a weapon that cuts,,,we must learn to be skilled in its use. It is always appropriate to use Scripture to explain your position, but it is NOT up to you to bring conviction to those around you. That responsibility belongs to the Holy Spirit alone.
Try to tackle the subject when the pressure is off. It is much better to talk about Christmas issues at other seasons of the year, if possible. You can say to your loved one, "I would love to discuss my views with you, but lets wait until after the season is over." You are then allowing the individual to see that you are not attacking them personally.

Our Messiah told us to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) One way to let your light shine is when you are wished a "Merry Christmas" smile and say "Thank You"!

Shalom

Peddling the Gospel for Profit

2007-12-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

For this post, I will stand on a soapbox. Not to fear, it is a very short soapbox, as I am afraid of heights!

1 Peter 5:1-4 states; The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

This passage is an encouragement to those in leadership to examine how they lead. The current state of the body of Messiah has caused her to be extremely vulnerable to unscrupulous wolves practicing extortion. Virtually any "Christian" TV program you watch devotes as much time to self promotion and fund raising as to the so called 'proclamation of the Gospel'. "For your generous contribution and/or regular support, you can buy anything from special anointing oil, to Holy Land gifts, to Bibles with your favorite profiteers' commentary. You can purchase clothing, books, and CD's/DVD's to help 'support the cause. It is obvious that these hucksters do not even believe their own message because they don't think their cause will float on its own merit without offering some great prize for your contribution. Does this not sound dangerously close to the system of indulgences implemented by the Catholic church to build the Vatican during the dark ages? "For your contribution you can commit the sin of your choice (including murder and rape) without fear of judgement."

We are encouraged, in the book of Malachi, to bring tithes into the storehouse for the purpose of provision of food (Mal. 3:10). We have fallen into a trap. If there is food in the house, it is stale or spoiled. We have changed venues from a storehouse of food to a place of general merchandise. Because there is more profit in merchandise than food, it was not a difficult switch to make since our focus has become the bottom line. Our situation went from bad to worse when we moved from merchandise to entertainment. Every one knows the greatest profit is in the entertainment arena. We have gone from providing food to settling for dessert menus and spiritual cocktail parties! Is it any surprise that there is an analogy set forth in the Book of Revelation that the Harlot (representative of a man-made religious system) is drunk on the blood of the saints? (Rev. 17:6) What is the answer? REFORMATION NOW!

It is time for preachers to become prophets of the Most High instead of competing for the profits through the wallets of the saints. If you are called to proclaim the message of the Gospel, nothing will keep you from that calling, especially lack of funds. If Yehuweh owns the "cattle on a thousand hills" can't He provide a way to get His Word out. I speak from personal experience as I declare "It is tremendously more fulfilling to preach the Gospel without fear of offending someone that may withhold their tithes. Yeshua Himself said He had become a block of offence to the religious establishment. May we be more like Him!

Shalom

What is your Name?

2007-12-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is essentially the question that Moses asked of the Creator when he was commissioned to be the agent of deliverance for the Children of Israel. See Exodus 3:13-22. This was a question that had to do with the authority in which Moses would walk and minister. Moses was asking the Almighty for a credential that he could carry with him. The response from our Heavenly Father was intended to change the very course of mankind! He said, "Tell them THE ETERNALLY EXISTENT ONE has sent you." In the Hebrew, this explanation is very descriptive of the Proper Name of our God. {Note: This blog does not support True Type Fonts, so I can't show actual Hebrew.} The four-letter proper name of the Almighty is used no less than 6,528 times in the Old Testament alone!

The third commandment reads: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:7) This is possibly the most misunderstood command of the ten. (The fourth command is not misunderstood, it is simply disobeyed.) A literal rendition of verse 7 could read: "You shall not let the name of Yehuweh your Elohim come to worthlessness, for Yehuweh will not hold him innocent who allows this to happen."

Pronunciation: The Oxford English Dictionary states that the Name is best transliterated as IaHUeH. The first three letters in the Hebrew represent YAHU and the final letter represents EH or WEH.

It is no accident that Judah or Yehudah has the same four letters as Yehuweh with a Dalet (D-sound) right in the middle. Every Hebrew letter has a picture or symbol associated with it and the letter Dalet's picture or symbol is a door. We know Yehudah means "Praise". This concept puts together a word picture that states: 'The doorway to Yehuweh is praise.'

There are obviously differing opinions on how the Name should be pronounced. If we are sidetracked at this juncture, we will again be guilty of neglect of the Command by arguing over it. There is a reformation principle at stake here. If this name is used over 6000 times in the Old Testament alone, how is it that modern Christians are not taught His name? King Solomon penned, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10). In the original Hebrew, this verse uses the Name, "Yehuweh" i.e. The name Yehuweh is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Question: How can the righteous run to the Name if they don't know the Name?

I have taken the following Scriptures from the New King James Version and inserted the Proper Name where it appears in the original:

Jeremiah 16:19-21 ; O Yehuweh, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things." Will a man make gods for himself, Which are not gods? "Therefore behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know My hand and My might; And they shall know that My name is Yehuweh.

Isaiah 52:6 Therefore My people shall know My name;

Zephaniah 3:9 "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of Yehuweh, To serve Him with one accord.

Zechariah 13:2 "It shall be in that day," says the Yehuweh of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered.

Zechariah 13:9 They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘Yehuweh is my Elohim.’"

Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name Yehuweh Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As Yehuweh has said, Among the remnant whom Yehuweh calls.

Ezekiel 39:7 So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore.

Psalm 44:20,21 If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, Would not Elohim search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

Psalm 83:16-18 Fill their faces with shame, That they may seek Your name, Yehuweh. Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, That they may know that You, whose name alone is Yehuweh, Are the Most High over all the earth.

And finally look at our Messiah's prayer in John 17 : "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (emphasis mine).

Shalom

The Creator's Calendar

2007-12-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

Although a change in calendar may be a practical impossibility, a cursory understanding of the Creator's calendar is vital to realization of the Almighty's schedule for the events of mankind. A major factor in the misunderstanding of biblical prophecy is lack of knowledge of the Creator's calendar. At this point it is important to interject that the modern Hebrew calendar is NOT the Creator's calendar. The modern Hebrew calendar is a calendar of convenience that has implemented averages in order to set holidays and festivals years in advance that, according to the biblical model, are impossible to do.

Example: According to Exodus 13, Passover is to be celebrated in the month of the Abib. This means that Passover cannot be celebrated until the new moon after the ripening of the barley crop. In other words, the yearly calendar could not be set in motion until the barley was ripe! That is why, in the modern Hebrew calendar there is an extra month (Adar Bet) on an average every 2-3 years.

I believe the main reason understanding of the biblical calendar is important is in the area of eschatology (the study of the end times). In Isaiah 46 :10 we read,
"Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’"

This verse literally means, 'If you want to understand the end, study the beginning.' This is why the Almighty gave us clues through the prophets of old as to the return of the Messiah. I don't believe it is any stretch at all to say that our Heavenly Father is revealing Himself to us through our study of what He will do in the days ahead! Our Messiah gave many warnings and INSTRUCTIONS to discern the times of the end. We have, at our disposal, tools never before available to help understand biblical prophecy. There is no excuse for the body of Messiah to be uninformed of the events that are unfolding in our day and how they relate to His soon return.

Shalom

The Christian's Priority System

2007-12-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is a subject that, I'm sure, there will be much discussion in the days ahead. I want to tackle it from the start to examine just how far we have deviated from Biblical principle. I have taught for many years, that when you put God first in your life, every thing else will fall into place. Sounds good, doesn't it? WRONG!! Acts 17:28 says "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ " In Him...In Him...In Him!! If we are in Him, there is no way to put Him first or second, or any other place...HE IS MY LIFE! By putting Him in a priority system, even if it is first place, I am denigrating His power and authority in my life. Our Messiah is to big for a human priority system. Yeshua (His Hebrew name...more writing later on the names we use!) taught us "
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:7,8)" Abiding in Him is not about priority...it is about life.

Let's look at the practical application of this principle: Because He is my life, I am free to give my wife, and then my family, the highest possible priority. I am free to be in a passionate earthly relationship that is Divinely designed to teach me the principles of the Kingdom of the Almighty. I am free to pursue my lover of 30 years with abandon. I do not worry if I spend too much time or effort on this relationship because it is the one relationship given for just that purpose. Ephesians 5:32 says concerning this relationship, "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." In other words, it is IMPOSSIBLE to devote too much to my marriage because it is all about being "in Him"!

I realize that what I have just shared flies in the face of conventional Christian thinking. I challenge you to ponder this message in your heart. A major reason Christian marriages fail is because of the priority system and the guilt and confusion it brings! You are free to pursue your spouse with ALL of your heart. Your Heavenly Father is NOT displaced by you doing so. On the contrary, He is glorified and blessed because He has given you that relationship to explore the depths of His love for you! PERSUE PASSIONATE LOVE!!

God Knows My Heart???

2007-12-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

It is a sad commentary indeed, that we have come to use the statement "God knows my heart" as an excuse to deliberately walk in disobedience to His Word. When truth is presented, rather than be inconvenienced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we dismiss our behavior with, "God knows my heart." In reality, that should not even enter into the mix as it relates to our obedience.

In our local area, hearts are heavy at the recent news of two young children (separate accidents) who were hit and killed by motorists. The question naturally arises "What were children that young doing walking unsupervised along busy thoroughfares?' Did the parents forget their responsibilities because "they knew their children's hearts"? Are we really asking our Heavenly Father to change His mind concerning our behavior because "He knows our heart"? We must not forget who is the Father and who are the children in this relationship.

The statement "God knows my heart" must be replaced with the question, "Do I know His heart?" The Bible teaches that David was a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Is it not far more important for us to be seeking God's heart than to excuse our behavior with unwillingness to change our ours? Romans 6:1-4 exhorts, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Walking in newness of life equals obedience to the Word!

Back to Our Roots

2007-12-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

I believe one of the most crucial reforms that the Church must take on is a move back to the Hebrew roots of Christianity. We have become like a house that has been moved off of its foundation. Once in a while, as we examine our "home" we trip over parts of the foundation sticking out of the ground, totally oblivious to the danger we have put ourselves into. We have bought into the lie that the Hebrew Foundation is no longer important. (See Jeremiah 16:19). Because the building we now occupy is beautiful to look at and it fits well into the neighborhood, we gladly overlook the fact that this building may collapse, because after all, "we're gonna be outta here when the trouble starts."

I would like to pose one question that will hopefully get us on track to at least examine this precarious building situation. This question was alluded to by the Messiah himself in the Sermon on the Mount. He challenged, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)" The question is this: What commands was our Messiah referring to?

Shalom Alechem

Original Post

2007-12-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

I believe it is time for a total reformation of the way the Body of Messiah carries out its business in the earth. There is very little, if any difference between the way the Church operates and its commercial counterparts. We have bought into lies concerning profit from the gospel. We do not take the Word of God seriously, nor do we believe in it, in its entirety. We selectively twist Scripture into our own interpretations instead of allowing the Bible to interpret itself. We give our individual worship preferences higher priorities than Holy Writ. Christians have lost the ability to think critically for themselves in spiritual matters. It seems their Pastor's opinion is more important than the Almighty's. Much of our traditional practice has declined into borderline heresy.

I would love to dialog about these and other topics as they relate to our subject matter. I believe in the Body of Messiah. Scripture says that He (the Messiah) is returning for a bride "without spot or wrinkle" (Eph. 5:27). I realize that although we can never be righteous in and of ourselves before our Heavenly Father, we certainly have a responsibility to live according to the grace that has been given to us.

Looking forward to hearing from you!