The Torah that Gives Freedom

05/08/2011- FFOZ Weekly eDrash The Torah that Gives Freedom

Parasha: Behar
Tags: creation, freedom, Land of Israel, mirror, Mount Sinai, new creation, perfect Torah

Behar : בהר - "On Mount Sinai"
Torah : Leviticus 25:1-26:2
Haftarah : Jeremiah 32:6-27
Gospel : Luke 13:1-33/John 10:22-42
Thought for the Week

The Torah says, "You shall then sound a ram's horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family." (Leviticus 25:9-10) The Jubilee trumpet is an eternal call to freedom and an enduring hope for the future. We long to hear the Jubilee trumpet of Messiah.

Commentary

Just as at Mt. Sinai the trumpet blast called the redeemed community to the mountain and to the Torah which was given there, so the trumpet of the Jubilee Year also calls us back to our roots of freedom. In the Jubilee, slaves are released. The slave is free to be who he really is--a man who serves only His God. The land is also free to be identified with its rightful owner, the Lord God of Israel.
This helps us to understand the words of James. He encourages us to remember to follow the Torah. He compares the Torah to a mirror. If a person reads the Torah and does not do what it says it is like one who looks into a mirror, walks away and forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-25)
The Torah is actually a description of what the righteousness of God looks like on planet earth. We also know that we who are a New Creation in Messiah have been made the righteousness of God in Him. Therefore, the Torah is said to be a mirror in which we can see what the new "me" looks like. I need to know what I look like in order to know how to behave in order to be consistent with who I now am.
In this analogy, James refers to the Torah as the "perfect Torah that gives freedom," freedom to be who we are now. Why does he refer to the Torah as that which gives "freedom?" Many people teach that anyone who follows the Torah is in bondage! If we import our knowledge of Leviticus 25 and its teaching about the Jubilee Year into James chapter one, the answer is clear. If Torah is followed with the proper motives and in the power of the Spirit of God, it enables us to walk a walk of freedom! It gives us the freedom to be who we now are as new creations, as redeemed people, as servants of the Holy One of Israel! (See also Galatians 2:20 and II Corinthians 5:17.)
Shall we take this even one step further? James does. He says in James 2:12, "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Torah that gives freedom."
He is exhorting us to follow the Torah, as he and his followers all did. He tells us that the Torah may function like a judge for us. It will ask us, "Did you believe the Good News of the Living Torah, Yeshua the Messiah, and therefore live it out?" Did you believe the "mirror?" Did you remember what you looked like in the mirror, or forget and live like something other than what you really are--a new creation child of God?

"Homeward Bound"

Today, I had to let my cat Jazz be put down. It was one of the hardest things I had to do. 14 years ago, I rescued him from an abusive neighbor. I don't know exactly how old he really is but I guess he is around 16 to 18 years old.
He was the protector of my other cat Chance. He would protect him when other cats from the neighborhood would attack Chance. He always reminded me of Shadow from the Disney movie "Homeward Bound" ironically the other two cats are called Chance & Sassy and they act just like the animals in the movie. Chance is now the leader and he still acts like a kitten waking me up 4:30am every day. He will never be able to fill Jazz's paws but I really wouldn't want him to. I love you Jazz, miss you always.

Whom shall I fear?

Part of a song kept going thru my head this morning "whom shall I fear" but i couldn't remember the name. I then finished the rest of the movie that I fell asleep to watching the night before. In the movie, I saw Heb 13:5 on back of a truck and wondered what it said. I then went upstairs to my room and grabbed my iPod. I started to look for that song. I keep on coming up with two singers who's song didn't match. I finally asked my mom and she thought it was Chris Tomlin. He wasn't the one but it led me to the right singer, Matt Redman "You never let go" was the song. I watched it on YouTube and after the song the owner had Heb 13:5 in the info. I looked it up and not only in Heb 13:5 but in Deuteronomy 31:6; Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5 also. Abba says "He will not fail you or forsake you." I smiled when I saw that because about a week ago, Abba wanted me to read Joshua 1. I read it but didn't know why at the time.
Three weeks ago they called me back to work. The next day, I received a call from another company wanting a interview. This company was only a couple of miles away instead of 20 and it designed pools. Me and swimming. I went to the interview but still had no leading or peace to join. I would have started 8,000 less but still ok. I felt I was betraying my work and the pool company could easily let me go anyway if it gets slow again because i'm the probie. Then Monday I called them back and said no. I hope that was a good decision. Even if the decision I made was a mistake and I failed, Abba is still with me. Joshua 1:5 "He will not fail you or forsake you."



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod Touch

Heaven's Ark

I have always been fascinated with events in the Bible that have deeper meaning. The Pesach meal was a foreshadowing of Yeshua’s sacrifice on the cross. I believe Abba has written the bible this way for a reason. I started to think about Noah’s Ark and what kind of foreshadowing that event will have. Then several months later, I started noticing different things and Abba talking to me about them. He was showing me that Heaven right now is like Noah’s Ark and believers and animals are being stored there until the start of the first resurrection. “What the heck?” I thought “How can that be?” Then He showed me the wolf with the lamb in Isaiah 11. They will be eating straw like an ox. He took me back to the beginning and started to show me things thru the bible. The foreshadowing of Noah’s Ark was just a small part in what’s going to happen. The earth will be in its third phase. We are in the second phase now. The best way I can explain what the phases are, is to call them by this, the first phase was “The fall”, the second phase is “The atonement” and the third phase is “The restoration”.
   In the first phase, God made a covenant with mankind. They were to populate the earth, have dominion over the animals, and only eat vegetation. (Gen 1:28-30) Everything was theirs to have, accept for the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good & evil. In Gen 3, Eve stole some fruit from the forbidden tree and ate it. She then gave some to Adam. Both of their nefeshs became corrupted and spiritually dead. They now know good and evil. They broke the covenant with their Creator bringing the severe and inescapable curses. Now Abba makes another covenant but this time, because of their disobedience, the earth and mankind is now cursed, death has entered. Sin will have it's rule. We will struggle to survive because death is now possible. The earth cannot produce food like before; they will need to work the ground for it. There now will be strife in the marriage because the woman will desire to be above man and she will also have pain with her cycles. In all this sorrow, Abba promises a seed from a woman that will restore the earth and rescue them. The earth begins to populate but also people’s nefesh was becoming more and more evil. Eventually all of mankind; their thoughts, actions, and deeds were continually evil. Abba was sorry he created man but He had a relationship with Noah. In Gen 6:9, says “Noah walked with God” Noah found favor with Abba and He was ready to bless him. The ancient world was highly advanced. Artifacts are being found around the earth showing a highly advanced civilization. In Luke 17:26, Yeshua says “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” In 2 Peter 2:5 “And spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” People then were not ignorant they knew who Abba was and chose not to follow him. (Matt12:40) There was a great gulf between Sheol and Paradise. True believers went to Paradise before Yeshua died on the cross. They needed God’s spirit in them to be in His presence in Heaven.
   In the second phase, God makes another covenant. None of His covenants can wipe out another covenant or be taken back, changed, or stopped. They are eternal and a continuation of the previous covenant. This next covenant was also for all mankind. In the terms of this covenant, Noah and his family is to repopulate the earth. After the fall, mankind lost authority over the earth. Satan now has authority over all the kingdoms of the earth only and will offer it to the antichrist, his seed, who will accept it (Rev. 13v4). Mankind still has authority over animal kingdom and his diet now includes animals. Abba also separated the animals as clean and unclean to eat. No killing of mankind or eating of blood, because there is life in the blood. If a person was killed, the murderer was to be killed. Abba also promised not to flood the earth again (Gen. 9v13) giving us a rainbow as a sign of the everlasting covenant. After the flood, the earth was no longer the same. The land and its atmosphere are different. The animal kingdom is now only what was on the ark, the plant species is not in the same abundance as before, and the greatest change is man’s ability to think. The DNA in a human is now corrupted, death has entered. This is very important. Abba uses this to dramatically slow the growth of knowledge in humans. At the tower of Babel, He furthered slowed man’s communication making it harder to grow in knowledge. Why would Abba do that? For people to be born to have a choice, either now or in the earth’s 3rd phase. He knows how many people will choose Him and is giving them every opportunity, including to be born. After this Abba will make several more covenants but only with the house of Israel. He focuses in on one group and reveals himself to them. Abba uses Israel to show us who He is. Out of the 12 tribes, one tribe “The Levites” was chosen to take care of the holy things of God. Israel was also chosen by Abba to take care of the holy things of God for all mankind. This doesn’t mean Israel is better than the Gentiles, it just means they have a lot more responsibility, incredibility more “To whom much is given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) Yeshua came and fulfilled the covenant by becoming the sacrificial lamb making a final atonement for all of creation thru the house of Israel. All who accept Him will receive the Ruach HaKodesh. (Ephesians1:13) The people of God are now equipped to be a blessing and help His creation to be over comers; to do battle against the spiritual kingdoms, rulers of darkness, stopping them in their tracks. (Matt.10:1) Satan will use spiritual counterfeits and deceptions to draw away God’s creation from knowing the truth. (Rev.16:14) All authority over the earth is the Lord’s but satan is still is the prince over the kingdoms. (Ephesians6:12) Yeshua says “As in the days of Noah so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” There was great technology at that time with demonic activity. Our brain was operating in full capacity before the flood. Now there are experiments today where chips are placed in the brain to help with function and deficiencies. The technology is changing the way of life on how we function. Today, people are more and more involved with the occult. There is manipulation in the spiritual realm from raping women to being involved with demons, manipulating the mind, and going into the spirit realm to hurt people. The nefesh is becoming continually corrupt. We are becoming more and more like Noah’s time very quickly. Before the final phase begins, I believe the true believers will be taken out before the judgment begins.(Rev. 3:10) Just like when Noah and his family when into the ark. The tribulation period will come. Abba will destroy all those who still will not repent and call upon His name. (Rev.9:20-21, 16:9,11) The earth will be judged and destroyed by fire. Satan and the fallen angels will be bound for 1000 years. (Rev.20:2)
   In the third and final phase, the earth is restored and back to the pre-flood conditions but not to when they were in the Garden of Eden. The restoration will first start with believers from the tribulation period and the believers who already are in Heaven; with new resurrected bodies. The second death will have no power and then we will be at the great white throne ready for the new earth. “Blessed is he who takes part in the first resurrection.” (Revelation 20:6) I believe that the mentally ill, babies and anyone that could not choose before will live on earth and have that chance during the 1000 year reign; to be able to go before the Great White Throne. All knowledge is also restored. No more debating about Yeshua. Either you obey Him or not. When the children are born during this time, they will need to choose. The sin nature will still be active and death is still possible for those who are born during this time. The animals will be restored and they will be vegetarian. Children will be able to play with them without fear. Mankind will probably be vegetarian also. Jerusalem is now the religious and political center where Yeshua rules as king and all the kingdoms come and worship Him. The 12 tribes will be reinstated and the 144,000 thousand will take their rightful place in the kingdom.(Isaiah11:10) The governments or kingdoms will be first established by the Sons of God (kings and priests) Then after the 1000 years are finished, satan will be loosed and people will gather with him against God. They are defeated and satan is thrown in the lake of fire. Heaven and earth are gone. The Great white throne judges all of mankind. Paul says in Romans 14:12 ”So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Revelation 20:15 “And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”
A new heaven and earth are created. The new Jerusalem will come down from Heaven. We will live forever and death is impossible. No more sin and we will be like the angles in heaven. The new earth will be just like the Garden of Eden. In Luke 20: 34-36, there is no more giving to marriage or having kids. This is the second age, the age to come. (Matt. 12:32)
Rev 21:1-7 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new "And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. ”He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."

"My Cat Chance"

This is just like my cat Chance. Instead of flies, it's moths and he eats them.


"What is yours is mine and mine's me own" Me cleaning my room with Chance's help.

My favorite book

"When God Whispers Your Name"
By Max Lucado

excerpt; Chapter 11

IT’S QUIET. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.
I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy . . .
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience . . .
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

"Songs of the Heart"

Growing up in the 70's, my mom always had the Christian radio stations on and the songs always fill me with happiness. Now that digital age has come it is a lot easier to find these old songs. These old songs take me back and refocus me to Him. They are like a stained glass picture of who I am in Him and day by day I am becoming more complete. The shards of glass once broken now coming together making a new picture.


"Spirit Song"

O let the Son of God enfold You
With His Spirit and His love
Let Him fill your heart and satisfy your soul
O let Him have those things that hold You
And His Spirit like a dove
Will descend upon your life
And make you whole

(chorus)
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your Lambs
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your Lambs

O come and sing this song with gladness
As your hearts are filled with joy
Lift your hands in sweet surrender
To His name
O give Him all your tears and sadness
Give Him all your years of pain
And you'll enter into life
In Jesus' name

My King

Last weekend during my bible time, I was reading 1 Samuel. When I got to ch 8v6, the people of Israel says ”Give us a king to judge us.” I’m thinking “why do they do that every time and why do they need a king?” I continued reading and in verse 7&8 ^“And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. ⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.” When Abba says “They have forsaken me and served other gods.” that bothered me a lot and I started talking to Abba about it. Yeshua says to me “People are still doing that to me now.” I’m thinking “How? There is no king.” Yeshua says ”When they exalt their pastors over me.””Wow” I thought. Yeshua was showing me how people are afraid of intimacy with him. Just like the Israelites were afraid of God’s presence. In Deuteronomy 5v25 "Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die.” The Israelites wanted Moses to be their intercessor, just like the people today want their pastor to be their intercessors telling them what to do and depending on how close that pastor is with Abba, they will blindly follow instead of having their own personal intimacy and growth with Abba. Also they don’t want to be held accountable to Him. They want to do what they want on their own terms instead of Abba guiding their life. I am very blessed of the pastors I listen to. They know that Abba is King and we are to have a personal relationship with Him. They know they are on the same walk that we are on with Abba and they are only being used by Abba to strengthen and equip His kids. Not to be their king. Unfortunately some Christian religions do that and cause people to be in bondage. We need to have a one on one intimacy with Abba and only He is to be our King. Deuteronomy 5:29 Abba says, “Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!”

"rest & worship"

Last week I received an email from Beth Israel - Robin Mark in concert. I was so excited. I gave myself a three day rest. Thursday night I ordered the hotel room for only 70 dollars thru price line, packed that night and headed straight to New Jersey right after work on Friday. The last time I tried to go to Beth Israel, there was a flood (see Tisa’s blog – Rescued 3/16/10). The concert was on Friday night and I left after Sunday service @ 1:30pm. I love Robin Mark’s worship music. The first time I heard his songs was on the Sound of Life station. The DJ had his “Revival In Belfast” cd and played “Days of Elijah” He is the original writer of the song. I love the Irish music with it. I’m half Irish/ quarter Sicilian, & quarter Italian so it is nice to hear some of my heritage in music and at the same time it being Christian worship also. The “Revival in Belfast” cd is one of the few cd’s I have that I can listen to every song on the album. Here are a few of the songs I could get from the album. Enjoy! :O)

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

     For about a week now, Abba has been bugging me to write about this. Every time I write in the blog about my life, it brings back the memories good & bad. Reliving the episodes all over again especially the ones I don’t want to ever think about again. Why would Abba want that? Didn’t Paul say in Phil. 3:13 “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” Paul is speaking to not stay in that bondage but to move on. Don’t set up camp. But if you are going to ignore the issues then that’s a whole different story. Abba wants to dig up the weeds in our garden (our nefesh) and weed it out. Abba will allow the weeds to pop up so they can be dug out. Unfortunately they come out of us at times when we wish it would never have happened. Even Peter, thought he would never deny Yeshua but did. About 3 years ago I did something really stupid at work, really, really, really stupid! It totally wrecked my testimony at work and people were starting to change there too. Someone in a position of authority did something very wrong and I said a judgmental off the cuff remark about their situation. It came back around and I did something wrong. You never know what is going to come out of our nefesh. Only Abba knows what is truly in there. People may think they don’t have a problem in this or that area of bondage but it is by the grace of God that we don’t see it until it is time for Abba to start weeding out that area in our nefesh. People need to be very careful what they say about other people making a mistake. In Mathew 7:1-2 it says"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” It just may be the next weed Abba is going to allow you to face. So when I see people struggling in an area even walking away from Abba who you thought would never have a struggle in that area, I know Abba is working on their garden cleaning out the nefesh to make room for His truth. When we are in the spirit our nefesh takes over. It is like our brain is shut off. Everything comes out of our heart(nefesh) the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s why we are to seek God in spirit and truth. To fill our nefesh with His truth. We hear Abba thru the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our helper. How can we hear Him if we feed the flesh? Also in Mathew, Yeshua says “the pure in heart(nefsh) shall see God” It is so important that we guard our hearts and not let anything else bad get in there. People are always asking for a closer walk with Abba. We need to let Him weed our garden and fill up our nefesh so much with His Spirit that only His love, His truth, His mercy, His Spirit will come out.

"I will go where you go"

PIC - Song of Solomon 8:5" "Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?"
     I love the song “Dance With Me” by Chris Dupree. The song reminds me of the first time I was with Bob and I ran to him on the hill. The song is about a bride and her groom. Bob will be back again and we will finally be together but I need to wait for him. We, the bride, are also waiting for Yeshua our groom. In an old Hebrew wedding, the father of the bride invites the future groom to the dinner with his daughter. After eating the meal the father asked his daughter if she accepts. They drink a cup of wine together symbolizing the beginning of their marriage - a betrothal period when the woman is considered legally married, although she still remained in her father's house. The groom leaves to go prepare a place for his wife to come back again and receive her as his wife.
      As the bride of Yeshua we too are waiting for Him to come back but what people don’t realize we are married to Him now. This concept wigs guys out a bit but it is good news. In a marriage relationship the husband is head of the family just as Yeshua is the head of us. He makes the final decisions. In Numbers 30v 10-13 it says” 10However, if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound herself by an obligation with an oath, 11and her husband heard it, but said nothing to her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she bound herself shall stand. 12"But if her husband indeed annuls them on the day he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the obligation of herself shall not stand; her husband has annulled them, and the LORD will forgive her. 13"Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it.” Wow, what a powerful statement. The husband has the power to allow it or stop it and it also says the Lord will forgive her. In our walk with Abba we are going to make some real stupid decisions but Yeshua has the override button. He will either allow it or stop it. What a comfort knowing that Yeshua is our husband and makes the final decision to protect, love, & help us. “I will go where you go, I will run where you run, and I will dance… I will dance with you.”

"Dance With Me"
by Chris Dupre

Dance with me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs
Romance me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all song

Behold You have come
Over the hills
Upon the mountain
To me You have run
My beloved
You've captured my heart

Dance with me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs
Romance me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs

With You I will go ( I will go)
You are my love (my love)
You are my fair one ( my fair one)
Winter is past ( winter is past)
And the springtime has come

Dance with me,
Dance with me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs
Romance me,
Romance me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs

Dance with me, O Dance with me
O lover of my soul ( lover of my soul)
To that song
Romance me, Romance me
O lover of my soul
To the song of all songs
Come and dance with me

I will go where you go,
I will run where you run,
and I will dance...I will dance with you

Close call

About 15 min ago, I was working on my XR80 resetting my air and fuel screws, when a skunk starts to walk by my bike. Half watching and reading my book I thought it was my cat. I started putting down the book to pet my cat, when I saw the skunk. I was spooked out so was Mr. Skunk. It backs up into the lawn chair and stops. At this point my stomach is in my throat. The skunk is about 3 feet away and makes its scared squeaky grunting noise and waddles off down the hill. I am so happy Abba did not let that skunk spray me. WHEW!

First Day

My first class for Hayesod was on Wednesday 23rd. It was suppose to start last Wednesday 16th but there were so many hiccups for everyone on Sunday & Monday, they skipped a week to work out the bugs. Fuse also monitored the session to make sure everything went ok. I loved it. The videos were so cool and jammed with info. I went thru a lot pages in the workbook and I still had a lot to do after the class. In the intro of the workbook, FFOZ tells you that this is not a typical bible study but a real class and expect it to be challenging. Wow, I grinned from ear to ear when I read that. When the class was over about 25% of the class didn’t understand what to do, has computer issues and some of them came late disrupting the class. At the beginning FFOZ gave clear instructions on what to do. There shouldn’t have been any problems. So why did people have problems? This whole first day sounded like people and their understanding of the word and their walk with Abba. Some get it immediately, others will follow but still learn, then some have too many problems and leave, and the last of them are just totally clueless, disrupting everyone. Our walk with Abba is not going to be handed to us. We need to study, grow, learn, and be one with Him. The diligent will seek Him. Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.”

HaYesod! "The Foundation"

Last week I recieved a email from FFOZ starting a 10 week summer school course of hebraic biblical roots. HaYesod courses use to be for home groups and bible studies but thanks to technology I can join the school group online. It starts June 13th. I chose Wednesday nights - safest night for me. Todah Abba!

Here is the web site to learn more about the programs they offer if you want to www.hayesod.org

Victory In Jesus

Today in prayer, Abba reminded me of this song I made over 12 years ago when I was young in the Lord. I had rededicated my life to Him in 1994, Wow I can't believe it has been that long. I wrote this song down in my journal. I am not going to forget it again. Then later in the day I started working on my motorcycle and when I opened up the manual a piece of paper fell out. I had forgotten when one of the times last year, I cleaned my room, I found the song and stuck it in my manual. Todah Abba!

Victory In Jesus
For days and day on end,
This trial has come to me.
I asked “Lord will this ever end?"
He said to me, “My child listen, for your trials will come and go but you have victory! and that is the only thing you need to know. I was crucified on the cross, your sins are gone! So trust in me and you'll have victory....”
I have victory in Jesus, satan's chains can't hold me now. The words of my savior come to me now, to me now....
I have victory in Jesus, satan's chains can't hold me now. The words of my savior come to me now, to me now.

Reunion

This Sunday I'll be going to my Aunt Shirley's house to meet with the rest of my family and all my Aunts on my mother's side. Everyone on my father's side is gone except my cousins and I never knew my grandparents. This will be a great chance to meet the rest of my family. I don't know if I be able to see them again in heaven.

left to right Aunt Joan, Aunt Shirley, Mom, Aunt Agnes

The test

   Writing these blogs has been fun. Abba has me writing things down what is on his heart and what he does in my life. When I did “Come now let us reason” a few weeks ago, It was 2:30am in the morning when I started it. He was bugging me to write that for a couple of weeks. I was sitting on the couch just finished watching a movie that ended up being really stupid and I regretted wasting my time watching it. Then Yeshua says "I have been asking you to write that blog and you waste your time on this!" I said “ok,ok,I’ll start right now.” I went upstairs to my bed and wrote straight for an hour, no stopping. He was downloading it to me over and over so I would get it all. He dictated to me every word. I finished at 3:30am and went to sleep. I woke up at 9:00am Sunday morning, came down stairs, turned on the computer, and started typing what I wrote. He had me add a few things and I finished it after lunch at 1:30pm. I never had done that before. When He wants you to write something you do it. What has also been really cool, after I write something He gives me, a week or two later my pastor will talk about the same things I’ve written. A month ago, I finally had enough courage to ask him if he knew what TISA’s blogs was and he just looked at me funny and said “I don’t read any blogs.” Abba is funny, using my pastor to confirm what He wants me to write. 

   So lately, I have been so busy I haven’t had the time to write. Abba has been impressing on me to write about one of my tests I had while I was in college. I look back at this test He gave me and think how much I’ve changed. In college I had no car so I took a bus every day. Troy, NY started to do road construction that semester and it was ok at first but then the CDTA bus was getting to the college later and later. I was getting to class 5 to 10 min late a few times in a row. Then the next week I came in a half an hour late. After class I apologized to the teacher an explained why. He was very upset and made a nasty comment. I got the point real quick; I need to take an earlier bus. Problem was the earlier bus was 8am and my class started 11am. Even though the CDTA bus route I took was made for HVCC students, it still took me 1 ½ hours to get there. 5am wakeup calls were not fun especially when you got to get up at 8am before. I got up early and was at the bus stop on time. I see the bus coming and it passes me. Sometimes when a bus is late they pass you if the other bus was behind them. Problem this time was the next bus was so close to the first bus it didn’t see me and passed me too. I stood there in disbelief. I thought how could Abba let that happen? I started getting upset but I prayed Abba please let me get down town on time. I had missed the normal bus and the back up one as well but Abba, during my time at HVCC, has held the other bus when I was late. I got to down town and the bus was already gone. There are three stops downtown before it leaves for Troy. I always get on the first because by the time it gets to the third, you will be standing. I jumped on another bus to get to the last bus stop before it leaves Albany. I was hoping I still could catch it. I didn’t get there fast enough, the bus was gone. I walked back to the second bus stop, the first was too far away. I was so upset, I didn’t want to face my teacher again late. I was so angry, pacing back and forth, crying. I felt God had let me down and didn’t care. The Holy Spirit said something to me but all I can remember was saying to Him angrily ”Yea, right!” I waited for the next HVCC bus to arrive. It came on time. It was such a beautiful day I knew there would be construction. Yeshua was also talking to me but I was so upset, I can’t remember what he said also. The bus started to approach the construction area. I had my head buried in my hands, crying. Then Abba said to me “Dry your eyes my child!...it will be ok.” I pick up my head and there was no construction. The bus pulls in the “Park and Ride” picks up some more kids and a car stops and lets the bus get out. The bus always gets stuck there also. When we got to the college the bus was 10 minutes earlier than normal. I get off the bus in shock. I get to the class room and the door is locked. The whole class is standing outside the door when the teacher shows up almost 10 minutes late. Obviously, I failed the test Abba gave me miserably. He wanted me to trust him. It seems we still get the same tests but just at different levels. Abba can be trusted, we just need to believe He will finish what He has started. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”

Up-Side Down week

This whole week has been an up-side down week. Wednesday last week, I met with my former coworkers for a reunion get together. Scott, my boss, asks if I would like to pick up a project as outsource and stay as per diem. I said ok but when I got home I needed to think about it. I was unsure about going back. I wanted to do what Abba wanted. I prayed and the next day I got a call from Scott asking if I would like to start Monday. I said yes before I could say no. I felt peaceful about the decision but anxious about going back. The day I was let go, I was sick to my stomach the whole time until I came home. Monday I woke up at 3am and couldn’t fall back to sleep. I got to work around 11am. I had a fire house physical and blood work at 9am. It is required every year for Haz-Mat techs. They poked me 8 times and couldn’t get anything. They told me come back Friday morning when their main phlebotomist comes it. Couldn’t they tell me that 5 sticks ago? Anyway, at work I was given a building with many angular walls. The more angles on a job, the higher the difficulty to draw and design. Scott told me the first two floors were due in two weeks but wanted engineering to have it Monday. They had a lot of problems Monday trying to get my computer to load AutoCad. I couldn’t start the project. I had to be at the firehouse after work. I was there until 10pm. Tuesday the computer at work still wasn't working so I worked on the project at home. A storm came around 2:50pm and the power went out. I was starting to wonder if I should have gone back. I was seriously behind and was not allowed to work overtime. Wednesday came and I put a major dent in what I had to get done. Abba gave me peace and helped me. I stayed late Thursday to make up time I lost on Monday & Friday morning. Friday afternoon I finished the two floors and by the time I left, I finished the typical floor as well. I know now Abba wants me there again. This has been a crazy week but I know whatever happens next, Abba will help me thru it.

"The Judgment Seat"

Last night I took my mom to see “The Judgment Seat” play for her mother’s day gift. It was at The Egg, a performing arts center in Albany, NY. I haven’t been there since 2nd grade. I’m the type that would never go to the ballet or opera. I cringe even at the thought of it. So when my mom asked me to take her to the play, you can guess what my reaction was. Then she said she would like it to be her Mother’s Day present….Doh! The Egg is only 10 minutes away from my house. Living in Albany, it is extremely liberal. From the politics to the news, it is all liberal. So hearing about a Christian play, I thought “how Christian is it and will its owners voice their own agendas?” To my surprise it was very good and they didn’t add their agendas. Each aspect of the play showed God’s mercy and judgment of accepting and rejection of His son Jesus. It also had serious and comedic times in the play and was simplistic enough for a person to really understand why God does what He does and gave His son Jesus. A lady from the Loudonville community church prayed for five years to bring this director/ writer to Albany to do one of his plays. He has been all over the world doing plays and stuff. He never thought Albany would be a place they would accept him. He now wants to bring more performances to Albany. In all his plays he uses only volunteers to act and make the set designs. The quality was unbelievable. At the end of the play, a pastor goes up and talks to everyone about Jesus and gives an alter call. The place was packed and close to fifty people pack around the small stage. I know some still stayed in their seats. Two ladies in front of me raised their hands but never went up. I have seen on tv large alter calls but never was in the same place. It was truly a blessing to be there and to see that. Other people were blessed too that night. The lady next to my mom came in at the last minute. Her husband was in the play and she saw it the day before. She wanted to see it again but couldn’t afford it. Then someone gave her an extra ticket they had. My mom gave her the money to buy a DVD of that performance and she cried because she wanted one but couldn’t afford it. All in all it was a good night even if it was just a play...Doh!

Happy camper in the wilderness

About three weeks ago, I was in my room thinking about still not having a job and my unemployment insurance running out in a month. I started getting upset again thinking “Am I doing something wrong? What do I need to do?” Then Yeshua says to me “What is it to you that I wait to give you a job?” I said “Your right it is none of my business.”He then says “Are your bills getting paid? Do you have enough food? Do you have a roof over your head?” After saying “Yes” to Him after every question, He says “Then why are you upset?” Yeshua was right, I really had no reason to be upset. Abba was taking care of me. The main problem was the fear I really am doing something wrong and he won’t take care of me. No matter what I’m thinking, Abba is still in control and He will take care of me not by my standards but His. I know he loves me but He still needs to change my perspective of Him. If He’s a loving father would He really want me to have this fear of Him? He loves me and He wants me to trust and love Him and get rid of this fear. I need to change my attitude and be a happy camper in the wilderness.

Come now let us reason together

    In the next couple of weeks, people from my congregation will be going to Israel for about 10 days. Rabbi Steve made it clear they will not just be visiting the sites but also to breathe life back into God’s chosen people and witness to them. My nefesh was happy to hear that. I was going to go with them but I had to back out because I lost my job. I guess Abba doesn’t want me there this year. I then started to think “Why hasn’t The Church risen up and helped Israel?” I guess I can go all the way back to Genesis 4v6, when Cain has murder in his heart (nefesh) for Abel and it lead to killing him. Abel was the second born. Israel is also the second born. We look at Abraham and his sons Ishmael and Isaac. The covenant went thru Isaac. Isaac’s sons Esau and Jacob, the covenant stayed with the second born Jacob. So is the church trying to kill Israel? Replacement theology is mixed in with most churches today even the ones that say they love Israel. When Constantine, not the apostle Peter, started the catholic church, division between the Jews and Gentile grew rapidly dividing the church from its Hebraic roots creating a false religion that worshiped its leaders and quench the Ruach Hakodesh.
     Martin Luther brought some reform to the church but kept his anti-Semitism toward the Jews. Replacement theology flourished. Abba used this hatred to spread the gospel. This is found only in Luke 21:24 “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” That is what’s been happening with most of the churches today. They truly are against Israel. You would think that statement was wrong but it isn’t. In the bible, we see at times it was the second born that carried the torch (no pun intended). Even with Yeshua redeeming us, sin was represented in the first Adam and Yeshua, our salvation, in the second Adam. We see this pattern repeated in the New Testament. In the book of Luke, we are given the story of the prodigal son. The second son was the one that returned to his father while the first born despised him. This parable is only in the book of Luke. The book of Luke was written for the gentile believers in Yeshua. So what is Yeshua trying to tell us in this story? The first born is against the second born and is close to judgment of hell fire, just like Cain and Abel. The judgment will first start with the house of God.
In the parable, the first thing the first born son does is get angry at his brother and does not celebrate his return. 15:28 “But he was angry and would not go in.” Second the first born doesn’t acknowledge that he is his brother. 15:30 “But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.“ Finally His father has to reassure his son all that he has was his and to come in and join with his younger brother. 15:31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.” Why couldn’t the brother go out and try to get his little brother back in the first place? Why does the older brother hate him so much? Yeshua stops the parable at this point, which I think that is very good for us. What are we going to do next? We have a choice to either to be bitter and not acknowledge them or embrace them. “But they need to follow our rules and regulations!” this statment is not going to win them over but showing Abba’s mercy and intimacy with us will. So are we going to rise up and join with our brothers and acknowledge them or are we going to keep shunning our Hebraic roots, forcing our laws on them to “convert them” and handing them easter baskets. Is this what we call provoking them to jealousy?
We need to rise up and breathe life back into our brothers and not to wait for Abba to bring them home. We need to tell them it was your God that helped me, it was your God that gave me hope, it was your God that gave me eternal life, it was your God that gave me a new spirit, it was your God that gave me Yeshua. Isaiah 1:18 “ Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “ Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”