Was listening to a radio program this morning called "The Times of Israel" where the host of the show was talking about the Blood Moon craze and he very flatly said there was no Biblical basis for it, while seeming to give examples of scripture indicating that there WAS basis for it. Okay, now, I've decided I'm not going to give scriptural examples here, because, believe it or not...I don't wish to start a theological debate. That's not the purpose of this entry.
The theme of this blog, is of course me discovering Hebreic roots...the Hebreic roots of Yeshua, which believers in Him should have as common ground, whether they are Hebrew by their biological blood, or they've been grafted into the olive tree by Yeshua's shed blood. I've come to believe that while we cannot know the day or the hour that Yeshua will come to take his bride home, we CAN know the season in which this particular event will occur...as foreshadowed by all sorts of other events leading up to it...for example, wars and rumors of wars. Two pastors come to mind, relating to Blood moons; one was mentioned this morning, and the other I was led to find online. Pastor John Hagee, and Pastor Mark Biltz.
It is my personal belief that when someone reads the scriptures for all they're worth, they are often led to investigate certain things that are between the lines in Scripture, but maybe not specifically stated. For example, in the Jewish culture, the new day actually begins at sundown and is half way through at sun up (or so I've heard). To my knowledge, there is not a specific Bible verse that says this...it's a part of Hebrew culture that is either learned through practice or known about from some other source. In the Bible, "feast days" are divine appointments with God. I am sure there always was eating involved as well, but more importantly, they were..."stop and reflect" times with God. Remember Me. Celebrate Me. Spend the day in Self examination. In biblical days the times of the year were determined by the seasons, which were determined by the sun and the moon. The calendar, was simply not divided into weeks and months, and years, with Sunday being the first day of the week. Now, today, the widely accepted view is that Monday is the first day of the week, and Sunday is the last...at least, this is what I thought as a kid :) (This is why those two days are called a week (end), right?
Anyway, my point is, our calendar is much different today than it was in Jesus's time. Holidays, or "holy" days, were also quite different in Jesus's day, in the Hebrew culture. These occasions were not celebrated on the same day each year (as they usually are in our culture) because the cycle of the moon marked their timing each year. This "revolving" change signified when to plant and harvest and plant again. I'm going to exclude the men here for a moment, because, another example is a woman's menstrual cycle...every 28 days, yes? But because not all of our months have the same number of days anyway, the time of the cycle is never exactly the same. I suppose this is a bit ironic because now I'm going back to the idea of blood moons. Just how long IS a year on a Jewish calendar? I don't know, but in any case, it does not equal 365 days, as our years of 52 weeks.
So, being that God created the sun and moon to signify seasons, somehow, I doubt that he has ever followed the same calendar that we do. That being said, why could there (or should there) NOT be blood moons that have "signified" or "marked" certain events in history...as pertaining to God's people? For example, the radio host pointed out John Hagee's observation that there was a blood moon very very near the time Israel became a state in 1948. I say "very very near" because the radio host felt it necessary to point out that the supposed blood moon did not occur right in 1948 when Israel actually became a state. My response would be, "And?...your point is what?". The Father is not obligated to align his time table directly with ours. The fact that there was a blood moon at all is an incredible thing, don't ya think??
I've heard rabbi Mark Biltz teach a lot on blood moons, and when he does, he's able to go backwards, through history and point out approximately when blood moons have occurred (according to the Hebrew calendar), show how these have correlated with certain events. He goes back through the past, comes up to the present and then puts the past and present together to show a "completed circle" of events and the blood moons that seemed to "mark" or signify their coming. A person seeing a blood moon once in life, let's say, probably would be a memorable thing, I don't know. But to try to get a bigger picture, documenting when many have happened, and looking at events surrounding them...just might not be a coincidence.
We are in a love relationship with our creator, and he is making it no mystery that he wants to "woo" us to himself. The scripture tells the beautiful story of the lost coin. A bride, preparing for her wedding loses one of the coins that are sewn into, or attached to her veil. These coins that adorn her are quite valuable, so she shines a light, and sweeps the house searching for it...till she finds it. In the same way, I think Yeshua "sweeps" the earth, searching for the missing "treasures" that are that remnant of the bride he is soon coming to collect. Perhaps blood moons simply represent the "cycles" of preparation leading up to the "coming" of our bridegroom and the wedding feast. We are in a continual "dance" with our Heavenly Father, a divine romance that is cultivated through a love relationship while our savior "keeps time" until the day he can come and get us to be with him. Perhaps blood moons are just one "light" the savior shines to let us know that he's "looking" for us. This is beautiful, and romantic and wonderful, is it not?.
I truly believe that God (Elohim) wants us to continually pursue him with wonderment. He wants us to be "tickled pink" by him as he is by us. The Biblical tales of the Old Covenant, paint a rich picture of the redemption Yeshua made possible with the new covenant. It is amazing to be able to embrace tradition with a childlike faith and let it open our eyes to the fact that God has made us participants in his plans. We are the apple of his eye, we are holy spirit sealed. This takes simple belief that comes from exploring who God is through his word. So, even if there have never been "blood moons" that have shone in a charcoal sky signifying certain events, this idea can sorta...make us believe in magic again, and help us return (Teshuvah) to our creator, if we may have become estranged from him. This, to me, is worth far more than arguing that the dates of the blood moons through history do not add up, or wondering why there apparently, was not one during the Holocaust, for example, or dismissing the phenomenon completely because the moons that shone, did not appear directly WHEN these milestones took place...translation: It took a while. Perhaps this is because God was creating a little "suspense" so we'd keep watching. "Remember me," he says. "Celebrate me."
All of this, helps me to embrace my savior, and rest in his love, rather than forcing myself to understand that I am a mindless speck, who is not allowed to. Am I just one who is waiting to have her "ears tickled"? In this case, if it works, why not? I'd rather hear a story about God sending "signs" to say that something important is happening...than argumentative reasons as to why it just isn't possible. We are being numbed to death with what we should NOT believe or think...and we have it shoved down our throats that there is absolutely NOTHING we can do for God because he paid all. So, where does this leave me? This leaves me in the "desert" of the world, sifting through sand in search of water while I keep telling people "Jesus saves.". Once again...Hebrew roots to the rescue! The stories and traditions and celebrations and feast days provide the evidence of a faith worth dying for, when a Christian cannot take their heart out and put it on the table so others can tell that it's a "saved" heart. By themselves, these things do not provide salvation to anyone... and this seems to be the preverbal "Chokehold" we keep Jewish folks in, feeling that we must show them their "error"... while THEY have all the evidence.
What I'm finding out is that most Christians have no "roots" planted showing where our faith originated from. We literally think they are not necessary. Christ paid it all on the cross, and this is all we believe to be important. We believe that ultimately our deeds do not affect us, because our eternal security only rests on one thing. We have no knowledge of the brutal treatment Jews have faced throughout history, in the name of people who said they were Christians. Were these people telling the truth? I want to say: of course not!! But we need to consider that the contemporary Evangelical "Christian" message of salvation takes thousands of years of history and seems to say that it's nothing but legalism. We seem to "throw out" over half a Bible that we say we live by, and believe...while we expect others to believe in Jesus. How is anyone supposed to do that, when we've discredited all the evidence? Not only that... this Old covenant "legalism"... and belief that no Jewish tradition or feast day is necessary to Christianity, creates an insulting sort of anti-Semitism, that we believe Jewish folks need to accept, because it is simply the "correct view.". Isn't this basically a "repeat" of what the Jewish people have endured all through history?
No thank you. Not interested. I will never deny Jesus...but in order to make this true, I must not deny his story either. Anyway...isn't that what "history" is?...the stories of those who've come before us? So many seem to love to talk about what Jesus (Yeshua) died for...but they treat the way he lived, as though it were irrelevant. For the time being, I've not witnessed to anyone in a while. This is because I know I need the witness of others more experienced than I am. I think it's better for me to ask the Father's forgiveness, because, I've known not what I've been doing. I then want to sit and listen to the tradition of lifting a bride's veil to confirm her identity...because of the story of Jacob, who worked seven years for Rachael only to find out he'd been tricked into marrying her older sister instead. I'd like to listen to the story of what blood moons are...because the sun and moon were the original clocks people lived by. This is magic (or at least if feels like it) because the reasons this is real are bigger than I am. Maybe magic is not for unreal things...maybe it's for real things that seem to have surreal causes or origins. When we trust, when we believe...when we become as little children so we can grow up...maybe this is when reality begins to happen.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Just your Average Joe?
I follow a lot of Israel pages on Facebook, so I see a lot of posts and news stories about celebrities going to Israel and all the fanfare they receive. Just yesterday, I saw a story about Michael Douglass and his family arriving there. Apparently, Jon Bon Jovi now has a concert scheduled there for October. I remember when Madonna said that she "considers" herself Jewish...that was also newsworthy, apparently. When Kim Kardashian and Kanye got there, of course, it was the same scenario. Even the latest Duggar baby...wonderfully named Israel, was EVERYWHERE. Every Israel page I follow seemed to post about that little guy continuously for a week (at least) :)
Congratulations to them on a healthy baby boy, and love to Israel!! Hey, why not? I get that. But lets get back to Michael Douglass for a minute. From what I understand, his family is now in Israel for his son's Bar Mitzvah. This is WONDERFUL!! Amazing! Mazel Tov! Now, if I recall correctly, an article came out about a month ago in which Michael Douglass said that he is Jewish, but he had never really celebrated his Jewish roots or heritage. Douglass said that he now wanted to change this...and he wanted his children to also know their Jewish roots. So, very soon after that, another story came out, saying that Douglass's son was given a bad time (bullied) for wearing a star of David. This story also went all over social media and, understandably, gleaned a lot of support. Now, the Douglass family is celebrating his son's Bar Mitzvah in Israel, and apparently, Michael Douglass has sustained an injury (at the Bar Mitzvah). So this...is also newsworthy...I guess.
Okay, it's not hard, I would think, for famous individuals who can afford what they like to do things like visit Israel. I would imagine that this gives them A LOT of exposure that sometimes, even THEY would rather not have Like MJ said in the song..."Just leave me alone." Right? Anyway, this is ISRAEL. This is The Holy Land; this is the Promised Land, this is THE place where so many Biblical things happened. This is where Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach walked and talked and performed his miracles. (!!!). People all over the globe...myself included, dream about making it someday to this tiny country. In my case, my desire to go, has flourished pretty recently. But many people have wished and hoped and dreamt and prayed about getting to Israel for decades. I'm sure, the reasons for this vary greatly... but no doubt, many times it's a financial issue. Many of us simply can't afford it. So is the case with me, and many others. My own mom used to describe Israel tours, and how much they cost to people everyday because that was her job. But she was behind a desk everyday, with a headset on. Anyway, she never actually WENT..and so I've not been either.
To anyone fortunate enough to have gone on one or many Israel tours, congratulations to you...how amazing! To anyone who wants to get to Israel so bad they can (almost) taste it...I so empathize with you. My mom used to describe to me that the water in the Dead Sea is so dense, people can just sit on top. She used to tell me how sometimes she would get calls from people asking if she had been to Israel herself, and what could she tell them about it? (??). How different it must be when you've been to a place and seen it firsthand...especially Israel!! :) But whatever the particular reason for wanting to go, I'm sure many of us have our heartstrings tugged, if we read or hear of a story where another celebrity has arrived there, and they receive all the notoriety that comes with it. Anyway, because my mom's job was telling folks how wonderful and amazing Israel is, I learned quickly not to soak up all of the negative news reports that are EVERYWHERE surrounding this tiny little paradise. Mom would often get calls from people concerned about whether it was safe to visit. The only special instruction given was that everyone just stay with the tour...which of course is just par for the course, no matter where one travels.
I think if I had one wish (one wish of many) but one wish, I would set up a fund for everyday people (more specifically, low income people) who would like to go to Israel, but can't afford it. Not a college scholarship, and not a Kickstarter Campaign. I have no idea right now what the criteria would be: Would there be special incentives for someone who was born in Israel and want's to go visit, for example? What about a college student? No idea, so I should think about this more. I'm just thinking about all the average folks out there who love Israel, and want to go see it...no fanfare, no publicity, no celebrity welcome. Just someone who gets to stare at the Sea Of Galilee and feel as though they hear angels singing... (HALLLL-lelujah). Wow!! I would love to this myself...but would also love to help someone else find their dream. PS...an absolute must, would be spending money, because things are expensive in Israel, so this would be included in the total amount. Yes...I think that would be great! I would also encourage each person granted the fund to keep a travel blog while there...and if you see any famous faces while visiting the Holy Land...let me know! :))
Congratulations to them on a healthy baby boy, and love to Israel!! Hey, why not? I get that. But lets get back to Michael Douglass for a minute. From what I understand, his family is now in Israel for his son's Bar Mitzvah. This is WONDERFUL!! Amazing! Mazel Tov! Now, if I recall correctly, an article came out about a month ago in which Michael Douglass said that he is Jewish, but he had never really celebrated his Jewish roots or heritage. Douglass said that he now wanted to change this...and he wanted his children to also know their Jewish roots. So, very soon after that, another story came out, saying that Douglass's son was given a bad time (bullied) for wearing a star of David. This story also went all over social media and, understandably, gleaned a lot of support. Now, the Douglass family is celebrating his son's Bar Mitzvah in Israel, and apparently, Michael Douglass has sustained an injury (at the Bar Mitzvah). So this...is also newsworthy...I guess.
Okay, it's not hard, I would think, for famous individuals who can afford what they like to do things like visit Israel. I would imagine that this gives them A LOT of exposure that sometimes, even THEY would rather not have Like MJ said in the song..."Just leave me alone." Right? Anyway, this is ISRAEL. This is The Holy Land; this is the Promised Land, this is THE place where so many Biblical things happened. This is where Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach walked and talked and performed his miracles. (!!!). People all over the globe...myself included, dream about making it someday to this tiny country. In my case, my desire to go, has flourished pretty recently. But many people have wished and hoped and dreamt and prayed about getting to Israel for decades. I'm sure, the reasons for this vary greatly... but no doubt, many times it's a financial issue. Many of us simply can't afford it. So is the case with me, and many others. My own mom used to describe Israel tours, and how much they cost to people everyday because that was her job. But she was behind a desk everyday, with a headset on. Anyway, she never actually WENT..and so I've not been either.
To anyone fortunate enough to have gone on one or many Israel tours, congratulations to you...how amazing! To anyone who wants to get to Israel so bad they can (almost) taste it...I so empathize with you. My mom used to describe to me that the water in the Dead Sea is so dense, people can just sit on top. She used to tell me how sometimes she would get calls from people asking if she had been to Israel herself, and what could she tell them about it? (??). How different it must be when you've been to a place and seen it firsthand...especially Israel!! :) But whatever the particular reason for wanting to go, I'm sure many of us have our heartstrings tugged, if we read or hear of a story where another celebrity has arrived there, and they receive all the notoriety that comes with it. Anyway, because my mom's job was telling folks how wonderful and amazing Israel is, I learned quickly not to soak up all of the negative news reports that are EVERYWHERE surrounding this tiny little paradise. Mom would often get calls from people concerned about whether it was safe to visit. The only special instruction given was that everyone just stay with the tour...which of course is just par for the course, no matter where one travels.
I think if I had one wish (one wish of many) but one wish, I would set up a fund for everyday people (more specifically, low income people) who would like to go to Israel, but can't afford it. Not a college scholarship, and not a Kickstarter Campaign. I have no idea right now what the criteria would be: Would there be special incentives for someone who was born in Israel and want's to go visit, for example? What about a college student? No idea, so I should think about this more. I'm just thinking about all the average folks out there who love Israel, and want to go see it...no fanfare, no publicity, no celebrity welcome. Just someone who gets to stare at the Sea Of Galilee and feel as though they hear angels singing... (HALLLL-lelujah). Wow!! I would love to this myself...but would also love to help someone else find their dream. PS...an absolute must, would be spending money, because things are expensive in Israel, so this would be included in the total amount. Yes...I think that would be great! I would also encourage each person granted the fund to keep a travel blog while there...and if you see any famous faces while visiting the Holy Land...let me know! :))
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Israel's Memorial Day (Thank you for your Example)
Listening to "Voice of Israel" online. Today is Memorial day in Israel. Yom Hazikaron. Never have I seen anything like the sirens sounding in Israel, and seeing everyone...stop. I mean, cars come to a stop on the freeway. People walking in public places stop and bow their heads. If people are out eating, they will put down their utensils and stop talking. And all of this...is only from me watching it on FB. I am now listening to the stories of family members of victims online...A special broadcast of Voice of Israel, dedicated to those who gave their lives.
So, on MEMORIAL DAY in Israel, everybody stops and...remembers. Wow. This is what this day is for, correct? So, the entire occasion is taken quite seriously by, the whole country. This fills me with a somber humility, that I have been pretty unaccustomed to. I think this is sad. I think it's sad that Americans (as a whole) are not sad on our Memorial Day. I'm not saying that no one here feels anything on our Memorial Day...but in honesty, that's what it feels like. Our country is huge, and I think the very fact that we are divided into states might suggest the walls we put up signifying our general "personal space" mentality.
What do typical Americans do on Memorial Day Weekend? In my experience, we rejoice over the fact that WE have a long weekend and a shorter work week. We plan picnics and barbecues, and trips to the lake...trips out of town because we'll have an extra day to have fun. We are encouraged through TV commercials to do a lot of extra shopping because stores have Memorial Day sales. We do have many parades, which are largely happy traditions where folks bring lawn chairs, and watch people clad in uniforms riding in old war vehicles, and I bet that most of us wonder who had the job of restoring these old "classics" rather commemorating those who lost their lives defending us. If we're home to see the evening news, we'll see highlights of, say rows of American flags at Arlington Cemetery, for example. The President might go there to commemorate soldiers. We DO have actual remembrances of those who've died, yes. But they seem few and far between, separated, individual, spaced out...and to most of us, they are impersonal because we are "removed" from what's going on. There seems to be very little recognition or appreciation of the millions of lives lost...the blood shed so that we could have our freedom. There might be a radio program somewhere, with sound bytes from times past. But most of us might watch war movies on TCM, while ordering take out food because it's summer time, and we love the excuse not to cook. After a while, we'll change...say..."Saving Private Ryan," if we watch it at all. We must watch "something happy" now because this is too depressing.
I've never been to Israel before, but I am now jealous because of a very defined sense of family that seems to be universally shared throughout the whole country. Now, Israel is tiny...it's a small country. But you know what? Who cares, because I want to know how this sense of everyone being connected to everyone else is achieved. Americans simply do not experience this. We are all broken off into little clusters, which can and do extend beyond our own families, yes. But even so, we are taught so much to value our own space, mind our own business, and live for the "now.". We are largely uninterested in history. We think it's pretty pointless because it's already happened.
Besides, we will do anything to keep from being depressed, or being aware of profound sadness or grief. We do not want to look death or aging in the eye (Heaven forbid). So most of us talk and analyze everything to death: We hate our government, or we don't care, because we hardly know anything about it. We watch the news for five or ten minutes, we shake our heads and say, "Oh God, how awful," while many of us are probably pretty glad that it does not affect us personally. We turn our TV's off, and seem to get offended because this sadness is ruining our pleasure.
Israeli's seem to be grateful (in a way) to remember the suffering...simply because this reminds them of immense joy. They gather together with quiet respect, showing their loved ones who've gone before, that they LOVE them. They take time. They bow their heads. They PACK cemeteries to recognize a connection, now broken...but NOT...because Israeli's keep it alive! They remember. They appreciate...and they teach their children to do the same. When I was a child, America's Memorial day, was mostly just a chance to get out of school for a day. Israel is so tiny, that whenever anyone dies in war, or terror attacks, it is always someone that everybody knows, and there is great sadness. Now as I said, geographically, things are quite different here; but what I think is tragic about the US, is the way we are so incredibly desensitized to violence and war in general, through our mass media, largely. Translation: we watch too many war "movies" and then we glorify the violence with things like academy awards, and 90% of what we see on our news has to do with some kind of violence. We shut it off, if you will...we separate ourselves from it...and we seem to forget to "feel " that it's even happened.
Now, there's nothing wrong with celebrating in general. There's nothing wrong with parades, there's nothing wrong with academy awards, I just think it's so tragic that culturally, where I come from, we keep trying to think of ways to avoid taking the bitter with the sweet. We avoid most of the bitter, rather than embracing it, and in many ways, things like Memorial Day take on a rather saccharin, detached, disrespectful tone. Remorse gives way to arguments over things people have said on Facebook. I'm unsure about anyone else, but I personally have grown weary of a deep sense of being a wanderer without an anchor. I see the deep sense of unity going on in Israel now, and seem to hunger for the "equality" and sense of agreement with each other that is flowing through the veins of her people. This is like a refreshing drink of "living" water to me. It's life, in the middle of so much death. I, from a country known for the "equality" of everyone, am asking how this is accomplished, and suddenly longing to be a part of it.
So, on MEMORIAL DAY in Israel, everybody stops and...remembers. Wow. This is what this day is for, correct? So, the entire occasion is taken quite seriously by, the whole country. This fills me with a somber humility, that I have been pretty unaccustomed to. I think this is sad. I think it's sad that Americans (as a whole) are not sad on our Memorial Day. I'm not saying that no one here feels anything on our Memorial Day...but in honesty, that's what it feels like. Our country is huge, and I think the very fact that we are divided into states might suggest the walls we put up signifying our general "personal space" mentality.
What do typical Americans do on Memorial Day Weekend? In my experience, we rejoice over the fact that WE have a long weekend and a shorter work week. We plan picnics and barbecues, and trips to the lake...trips out of town because we'll have an extra day to have fun. We are encouraged through TV commercials to do a lot of extra shopping because stores have Memorial Day sales. We do have many parades, which are largely happy traditions where folks bring lawn chairs, and watch people clad in uniforms riding in old war vehicles, and I bet that most of us wonder who had the job of restoring these old "classics" rather commemorating those who lost their lives defending us. If we're home to see the evening news, we'll see highlights of, say rows of American flags at Arlington Cemetery, for example. The President might go there to commemorate soldiers. We DO have actual remembrances of those who've died, yes. But they seem few and far between, separated, individual, spaced out...and to most of us, they are impersonal because we are "removed" from what's going on. There seems to be very little recognition or appreciation of the millions of lives lost...the blood shed so that we could have our freedom. There might be a radio program somewhere, with sound bytes from times past. But most of us might watch war movies on TCM, while ordering take out food because it's summer time, and we love the excuse not to cook. After a while, we'll change...say..."Saving Private Ryan," if we watch it at all. We must watch "something happy" now because this is too depressing.
I've never been to Israel before, but I am now jealous because of a very defined sense of family that seems to be universally shared throughout the whole country. Now, Israel is tiny...it's a small country. But you know what? Who cares, because I want to know how this sense of everyone being connected to everyone else is achieved. Americans simply do not experience this. We are all broken off into little clusters, which can and do extend beyond our own families, yes. But even so, we are taught so much to value our own space, mind our own business, and live for the "now.". We are largely uninterested in history. We think it's pretty pointless because it's already happened.
Besides, we will do anything to keep from being depressed, or being aware of profound sadness or grief. We do not want to look death or aging in the eye (Heaven forbid). So most of us talk and analyze everything to death: We hate our government, or we don't care, because we hardly know anything about it. We watch the news for five or ten minutes, we shake our heads and say, "Oh God, how awful," while many of us are probably pretty glad that it does not affect us personally. We turn our TV's off, and seem to get offended because this sadness is ruining our pleasure.
Israeli's seem to be grateful (in a way) to remember the suffering...simply because this reminds them of immense joy. They gather together with quiet respect, showing their loved ones who've gone before, that they LOVE them. They take time. They bow their heads. They PACK cemeteries to recognize a connection, now broken...but NOT...because Israeli's keep it alive! They remember. They appreciate...and they teach their children to do the same. When I was a child, America's Memorial day, was mostly just a chance to get out of school for a day. Israel is so tiny, that whenever anyone dies in war, or terror attacks, it is always someone that everybody knows, and there is great sadness. Now as I said, geographically, things are quite different here; but what I think is tragic about the US, is the way we are so incredibly desensitized to violence and war in general, through our mass media, largely. Translation: we watch too many war "movies" and then we glorify the violence with things like academy awards, and 90% of what we see on our news has to do with some kind of violence. We shut it off, if you will...we separate ourselves from it...and we seem to forget to "feel " that it's even happened.
Now, there's nothing wrong with celebrating in general. There's nothing wrong with parades, there's nothing wrong with academy awards, I just think it's so tragic that culturally, where I come from, we keep trying to think of ways to avoid taking the bitter with the sweet. We avoid most of the bitter, rather than embracing it, and in many ways, things like Memorial Day take on a rather saccharin, detached, disrespectful tone. Remorse gives way to arguments over things people have said on Facebook. I'm unsure about anyone else, but I personally have grown weary of a deep sense of being a wanderer without an anchor. I see the deep sense of unity going on in Israel now, and seem to hunger for the "equality" and sense of agreement with each other that is flowing through the veins of her people. This is like a refreshing drink of "living" water to me. It's life, in the middle of so much death. I, from a country known for the "equality" of everyone, am asking how this is accomplished, and suddenly longing to be a part of it.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Dedication and Devotion...
I just heard something that made my blood boil. Surprise, surprise, it was on Christian radio coming from a "Christian" pastor. The message was all about "not being under the law.". Unfortunately, I did not hear the very beginning, so I'm unsure what scriptures he used...but I DO know, it was Paul's letter to the Colossians. Anyway...the exact quote he used (and I'm not naming him) was:
"This law (Old covenant) does not mean anything to us today, unless you're a Jew living in Israel."
Gee, yes...AND?? Your point is WHAT?? What if someone IS a Jew living in Israel today? What then? What if someone is a Jew NOT living in Israel? What if someone claims to have given their heart over a JEWISH Messiah?? What then? Does this pastor realize how many people he has just deemed "exempt" from the freedom of Yeshua in that one sentence? Was this man trying to say that only Non-Jewish believers have the truth because we KNOW that we're not under the law?? Was he trying to say that Jewish folks are "stupid" because they ARE under the law ( He said it only means something if your a Jew living in Israel). What if you're NOT a Jew, living in Israel? So, YOU got it goin' on, while all the Jewish folks in Israel are BOUND by the law, but Christians are not?? What in HELL is going on here?? Listen, those who are Jewish have enough trouble with anti-Semitic finger pointing as it is, don't you think? They do not need more from the CHRISTIAN church of all places, who TEACH that we need to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Does anyone else find anything WRONG with this? Listen, I don't intend to go on for days here, I wanna make this short and sweet; but what about those Jewish folks living in Israel? Could it be that they know something about dedication and devotion that we in the western world don't because we're too busy calling it legalism??
That's exactly what this pastor kept calling it too. Legalism. It is true that all the religious tradition in the world, in and of itself can never cleanse a man of his sins, because God's standard is perfect. None of us are perfect so we've missed the mark, and Yeshua Hammashiach has paid for where we've missed the mark...but do we not have a greater problem when we do not understand that God is really not interested in us picking and choosing what we can and can't "get away with?". Do we not see that Christians claim to worship a JEWISH Messiah? Do we not see that tradition, and the DESIRE to follow God's law, should be what shows Him that we love him? Again, I liken it to being deeply in love with someone, and wanting to do everything you can to please them: Will we do it perfectly? No; but the desire to TRY runs through our veins like blood because we are on FIRE for that person! :) Right? A minister can stand at his pulpit and say that these are matters of the heart all he wants. It is not about what we eat and drink. Okay, but...are you SURE? Don't actions show people that we love them even more than words? Usually. Don't we say that all the time? Don't we seem to chant it like a mantra, even? "Love is a verb"... Remember DC Talk?
I am not telling ANYONE what not to eat, or drink, or ware. (Gosh, I feel like I'm quoting Matthew all the sudden); but is it just possible that this is why God gave us the mandate in the first place? Isn't he saying to us: "Be holy, for I am holy"? Is it possible that the law is instructions for actually carrying out matters of the heart BECAUSE we know we are no longer bound by it? We've been saved, so now we are covered when we fall short AS we're following his instructions...not as we're sifting through them and ridding ourselves of them because we're taking the freedom, but not the responsibility. And anyway, doesn't this argument about "to drink alcohol or not drink alcohol" CREATE the very sort of legalism that the pastor was accusing Jewish folks of having? Is it just possible that the Jews in the book of Colossians were flaunting themselves as being too perfect...and this is NOT what God requires? But we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater, and behave like we are exempt from the law (instruction) of the Original Covenant.
Now this pastor said that we should stay away from certain things as a means of making sure our brother does not stumble. This should be our desire. Sure. Perhaps it's more simplified to do this with a "set of rules" then not. Will we break them? Sure... we broke our parents rules, didn't we? Did our parents not love us anymore? Of course not. Why would we think God would not love us, then? Is it possible that because of Yeshua's death on the cross, we are now SAFE to follow God's law...and screw up? (Because the grace covers that)? I don't mean, on purpose...I mean, even when we do our BEST we make mistakes, right? Of course. But God says, you won't be "burned" for any imperfections now, because Yeshua's death paid for it all. We are SAFE now, to follow the law as best we can. Ladies and gentlemen, may I suggest that we are supposed to run TO that safety and live within His mandate...not away from it. Instead, pastors are preaching this message with an empty beer can sitting on their pulpit, saying it's not about what we eat or drink...these are matters of the heart. Really? Well then, with all due respect sir, I'd get rid of the beer can, and pay more attention to the Jews living in Israel.
"This law (Old covenant) does not mean anything to us today, unless you're a Jew living in Israel."
Gee, yes...AND?? Your point is WHAT?? What if someone IS a Jew living in Israel today? What then? What if someone is a Jew NOT living in Israel? What if someone claims to have given their heart over a JEWISH Messiah?? What then? Does this pastor realize how many people he has just deemed "exempt" from the freedom of Yeshua in that one sentence? Was this man trying to say that only Non-Jewish believers have the truth because we KNOW that we're not under the law?? Was he trying to say that Jewish folks are "stupid" because they ARE under the law ( He said it only means something if your a Jew living in Israel). What if you're NOT a Jew, living in Israel? So, YOU got it goin' on, while all the Jewish folks in Israel are BOUND by the law, but Christians are not?? What in HELL is going on here?? Listen, those who are Jewish have enough trouble with anti-Semitic finger pointing as it is, don't you think? They do not need more from the CHRISTIAN church of all places, who TEACH that we need to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Does anyone else find anything WRONG with this? Listen, I don't intend to go on for days here, I wanna make this short and sweet; but what about those Jewish folks living in Israel? Could it be that they know something about dedication and devotion that we in the western world don't because we're too busy calling it legalism??
That's exactly what this pastor kept calling it too. Legalism. It is true that all the religious tradition in the world, in and of itself can never cleanse a man of his sins, because God's standard is perfect. None of us are perfect so we've missed the mark, and Yeshua Hammashiach has paid for where we've missed the mark...but do we not have a greater problem when we do not understand that God is really not interested in us picking and choosing what we can and can't "get away with?". Do we not see that Christians claim to worship a JEWISH Messiah? Do we not see that tradition, and the DESIRE to follow God's law, should be what shows Him that we love him? Again, I liken it to being deeply in love with someone, and wanting to do everything you can to please them: Will we do it perfectly? No; but the desire to TRY runs through our veins like blood because we are on FIRE for that person! :) Right? A minister can stand at his pulpit and say that these are matters of the heart all he wants. It is not about what we eat and drink. Okay, but...are you SURE? Don't actions show people that we love them even more than words? Usually. Don't we say that all the time? Don't we seem to chant it like a mantra, even? "Love is a verb"... Remember DC Talk?
I am not telling ANYONE what not to eat, or drink, or ware. (Gosh, I feel like I'm quoting Matthew all the sudden); but is it just possible that this is why God gave us the mandate in the first place? Isn't he saying to us: "Be holy, for I am holy"? Is it possible that the law is instructions for actually carrying out matters of the heart BECAUSE we know we are no longer bound by it? We've been saved, so now we are covered when we fall short AS we're following his instructions...not as we're sifting through them and ridding ourselves of them because we're taking the freedom, but not the responsibility. And anyway, doesn't this argument about "to drink alcohol or not drink alcohol" CREATE the very sort of legalism that the pastor was accusing Jewish folks of having? Is it just possible that the Jews in the book of Colossians were flaunting themselves as being too perfect...and this is NOT what God requires? But we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater, and behave like we are exempt from the law (instruction) of the Original Covenant.
Now this pastor said that we should stay away from certain things as a means of making sure our brother does not stumble. This should be our desire. Sure. Perhaps it's more simplified to do this with a "set of rules" then not. Will we break them? Sure... we broke our parents rules, didn't we? Did our parents not love us anymore? Of course not. Why would we think God would not love us, then? Is it possible that because of Yeshua's death on the cross, we are now SAFE to follow God's law...and screw up? (Because the grace covers that)? I don't mean, on purpose...I mean, even when we do our BEST we make mistakes, right? Of course. But God says, you won't be "burned" for any imperfections now, because Yeshua's death paid for it all. We are SAFE now, to follow the law as best we can. Ladies and gentlemen, may I suggest that we are supposed to run TO that safety and live within His mandate...not away from it. Instead, pastors are preaching this message with an empty beer can sitting on their pulpit, saying it's not about what we eat or drink...these are matters of the heart. Really? Well then, with all due respect sir, I'd get rid of the beer can, and pay more attention to the Jews living in Israel.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
No Foolin' Around
On April Fool's Day, actress Mayam Bialik put an April Fool's post on her blog dealing with incorporating "pot" into the sader meal. One of the jokes involved putting joints into the menorah rather then candles, and just taking a hit whenever you needed one. There were many other things in the post that involved getting high and singing and other things of that nature. I read the post and busted up laughing...I must admit. I was imagining everybody laughing while they were getting high. I debated for a minute, and then I posted her post on my FB page. But in reality, I thought, "You know, that's terrible. They should not be making fun of the Passover meal, that is very sacred and represents a cleansing and a purifying process." Now Mayam Bialik is Jewish herself and she has written about her roots in Israel. She was where I came across this April Fool's entry, and I figured, if she laughed at it, and found it funny, then I could too (even though I'm not Jewish). So later that evening, I saw a post from one of my Facebook friends, which said, basically, that they did not understand all this April Fool's stuff, because it was anti-Semitic.
I paused a moment. Oh dear. Had this person read the post I'd put on my page? I was not sure, and I did not ask...but I felt bad. I would NEVER want to give any impression that I were being disrespectful to those who are Jewish, those who are from Israel, or for any Jewish holiday/feast day. For the record, I LOVE Passover, because I love the idea of cleaning out the leaven. Spending deliberate, planed time with God and beginning again...making a fresh start. Because I'm not Jewish, I've not been raised celebrating these traditions or knowing what they mean...It's only been recently that I've been finding out that our western holiday, Easter, is actually based on the spring equinox, and fertility and other traditions that have little or nothing to do with Jehovah Jire, the God who provides... The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is the God that I presumably worship. Do I know who I'm worshipping? Not if I'm celebrating Easter. (At least in my opinion).
My goal, in all of this, is to be as close as I can to my savior and Lord: Yeshua Hammashiach. I know, as soon as I write this that I need to be who I am without apology because many folks who are Jewish, do not believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, and I suppose, this is because the Tanak speaks of Yahweh, the Father. All I can say, is that I do. I made the decision to be converted (as a Christian) when I was 15. We call it "getting saved" of course...and that's what happened to me. I have read the Old AND the New Covenant's, and am convicted in my heart that Yeshua's undeserved death, hung on a tree, is what paid for our sins. When I say I've read them...that's not cover to cover. I mean that his Holy Spirit has come alive for me through the scripture that I have absorbed. Anyway, I believe the faith that I have is missing a tremendous amount of depth...and on that note, there are many scriptures that I do not understand that I believed I did, because I've not been taught to look at the scriptures with a Hebrew perspective. In short, I think that through history, we have changed the Jewish calendar and replaced the original feast days with what are largely pagan holidays. I can tell you, I have celebrated Easter and Christmas all my life, and won't be offended if anyone gives me best wishes on these days. I just want a deep connection to things like Passover and Palm Sunday (because of the donkey and palm branches), Sukkot, Yom Kippor... These are Biblical feast days that were part of the savior's life, and for most of my short "Christian" life, I believed these did not apply to me.
Anyway, talk about mixed messages! I claim to want to "embrace" the Jewish faith so much (and let's face it...April Fools Day is probably the worst day of the whole year for BAD Jewish humor) and then I post something on FB that was totally mocking one of the Old Covenant feast days. Now, don't misunderstand me: this post is not to say anything negative about Mayam Bialik. She was celebrating April Fool's Day, and she said so in her post, and that's her choice, and that's cool. But being that this is only my first Passover (and I have no idea what I'm doing), being that I've never had a Menorah in my house before (although I would love to), being that I have so much to learn; AND being that I really did not agree with the article anyway, as far as whether it was funny (no), I really should not have re-posted something that took such a crass, blatant "shot" at something so sacred and holy, and wonderful. I LOVE Isreal and I LOVE Israel's people...I stand with them, not against them. I never want to give anyone reason to believe otherwise. Certainly, my intent was never in any way, to appear anti-Semitic. :)
On a final note...I have no idea who bgan Aril Fools Day, but the information I read said that pope Gregory changed our calendar from the Julius Calendar, to his own, and that New Years Day had been previously celebrated on April 1st, rather than January 1st. So, if true...that could explain a lot.
I paused a moment. Oh dear. Had this person read the post I'd put on my page? I was not sure, and I did not ask...but I felt bad. I would NEVER want to give any impression that I were being disrespectful to those who are Jewish, those who are from Israel, or for any Jewish holiday/feast day. For the record, I LOVE Passover, because I love the idea of cleaning out the leaven. Spending deliberate, planed time with God and beginning again...making a fresh start. Because I'm not Jewish, I've not been raised celebrating these traditions or knowing what they mean...It's only been recently that I've been finding out that our western holiday, Easter, is actually based on the spring equinox, and fertility and other traditions that have little or nothing to do with Jehovah Jire, the God who provides... The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is the God that I presumably worship. Do I know who I'm worshipping? Not if I'm celebrating Easter. (At least in my opinion).
My goal, in all of this, is to be as close as I can to my savior and Lord: Yeshua Hammashiach. I know, as soon as I write this that I need to be who I am without apology because many folks who are Jewish, do not believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, and I suppose, this is because the Tanak speaks of Yahweh, the Father. All I can say, is that I do. I made the decision to be converted (as a Christian) when I was 15. We call it "getting saved" of course...and that's what happened to me. I have read the Old AND the New Covenant's, and am convicted in my heart that Yeshua's undeserved death, hung on a tree, is what paid for our sins. When I say I've read them...that's not cover to cover. I mean that his Holy Spirit has come alive for me through the scripture that I have absorbed. Anyway, I believe the faith that I have is missing a tremendous amount of depth...and on that note, there are many scriptures that I do not understand that I believed I did, because I've not been taught to look at the scriptures with a Hebrew perspective. In short, I think that through history, we have changed the Jewish calendar and replaced the original feast days with what are largely pagan holidays. I can tell you, I have celebrated Easter and Christmas all my life, and won't be offended if anyone gives me best wishes on these days. I just want a deep connection to things like Passover and Palm Sunday (because of the donkey and palm branches), Sukkot, Yom Kippor... These are Biblical feast days that were part of the savior's life, and for most of my short "Christian" life, I believed these did not apply to me.
Anyway, talk about mixed messages! I claim to want to "embrace" the Jewish faith so much (and let's face it...April Fools Day is probably the worst day of the whole year for BAD Jewish humor) and then I post something on FB that was totally mocking one of the Old Covenant feast days. Now, don't misunderstand me: this post is not to say anything negative about Mayam Bialik. She was celebrating April Fool's Day, and she said so in her post, and that's her choice, and that's cool. But being that this is only my first Passover (and I have no idea what I'm doing), being that I've never had a Menorah in my house before (although I would love to), being that I have so much to learn; AND being that I really did not agree with the article anyway, as far as whether it was funny (no), I really should not have re-posted something that took such a crass, blatant "shot" at something so sacred and holy, and wonderful. I LOVE Isreal and I LOVE Israel's people...I stand with them, not against them. I never want to give anyone reason to believe otherwise. Certainly, my intent was never in any way, to appear anti-Semitic. :)
On a final note...I have no idea who bgan Aril Fools Day, but the information I read said that pope Gregory changed our calendar from the Julius Calendar, to his own, and that New Years Day had been previously celebrated on April 1st, rather than January 1st. So, if true...that could explain a lot.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Beautiful, the Mess We Are
Often our unfaithful "mess" is the evidence in our lives that God is breaking us down (piece by piece) in order to build something better.
"Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a hallelujah."
Of course, this is a song sung by Amy Grant. I've played this many, many (many) times while walking through things I could not understand. In some cases, I would want the hurt to stop so bad, that I would attempt to go around the suffering to avoid it, rather than walking through it.
This is never a good idea, is it? I mean, the Israelites did this and they ended up wandering in the wilderness on a "detour" that took forty years! They could've had a lot of time "spending the day in self examination and commemorating the atonement...thus being cleansed of their sins." However, I do not know whether they decided to use the time in that way. I once heard Joni Ereckson Tada talk about making sure that our suffering is not wasted. A light went on, because I had not known that we could WASTE suffering. My objective, as far as being honoring to Christ, became to remove suffering...because if I did not, then God's TIME was being wasted. Lately, I've been wondering why so many preachers/teachers give examples of "God" that have to do instead with willpower. I was listening to a message today where the (evangelical Christian) teacher said that once we are saved, we will become faithful to the things God is wanting us to do. He then gave an example of a guy waiting in line all day and night to get tickets to the Superbowl, but then, becoming very hungry in the middle of the night, he sees the Golden Arches of McDonalds, and though he's very close to getting his prize, he gets out of line to go get some food. Now, you see where I'm going: He loses what he's waited for all that time because his senses took over. The teacher (minister) said that this guy was not a very faithful Superbowl fan, and that when we become Christians, we don't step out of the line...we wait, and stick it out.
Interesting. Interesting and SAD, I think...because it's NOT TRUE. The first thing I thought of, hearing his story was Esau and Jacob in Genesis. Esau's birthright was at stake, and he "stepped out of line" if you will (as in his birth order, his family line,) in order to have a bowl of soup. Now, as an American, evangelical Christian, the idea of a birthright means nothing to me because it simply is not part of my culture. But in the Hebrew culture, birthrights are quite a big deal. There is certain inheritance and certain blessings designed specifically for the firstborn son, but once these blessings are bestowed, they cannot be taken back...a father can't "reneg" on the blessings and then "reverse" the order or give them to another son. It's sort of like when Jacob worked seven years to win Rachael, only to find that he'd been "tricked" into marrying her older sister Leah first! (Same family, next generation) :).
Anyway, when did Laban, Rachel's father plan on telling Jacob this? I suppose it was after he'd toiled those first seven years, believing that the "terms" of what he was getting were specifically laid out. Were they written out, or did Jacob trust and assume? Anyway, how many times are we "set up" to do the wrong thing? So many times, there are hidden motives from someone behind the scenes as well. In the case of Esau, and Jacob, it was their mother Rebekah. (Remember?). She wanted her favorite son Jacob to HAVE Esau's birthright, and she knew exactly what weakness to take advantage of. she had Jacob prepare that food right when Esau came in, tired, sweaty, hungry, and the trade was the birthright for the soup. Meanwhile Rebekah prepared her own food for her favorite son to take in to daddy, and even had him cover his hands with goat hair (Esau means hairy). What happened was not Jacob's fault, is was not Esau's fault, and it certainly was not Isaac's fault. Isaac was on his DEATHBED, for crying out loud! And here's his faithful wife, just re-arranging things for her OWN benefit (and using her twin sons to do it) even when she knows he doesn't have long to live.
But when I hear this story taught, the teacher always seems to make the focal point, how stupid Esau was for not having enough self-control. He didn't think, he let his senses take over. Exactly! Of course he did...and any one of US would've done the same because we're weak, temporal people who live in the moment. This goes against the holy, wonderful idea of having enough self control to NOT walk away, but it's true. This does not even take into account that Rebekah was being a scurvy little spider who had plans of her own. She even tells Jacob to just do what she tells him and let the consequences be on her head (because she knows that what she's doing is wrong.). So Jacob obeys because that's what he's asked to do. He's now become an accomplice to the whole thing, and even if he ISN'T completely innocent, which he probably wasn't... his mother sorta had him by the throat, if you will, and who knows how much grief he would've gotten if he had not done what his momma said. So, poor Isaac is basically hoodwinked because he's too weak to do anything about it (and so is Esau). Esau had only done the right thing by obeying his father, and then, when he comes home, he unknowingly steps right into a trap!
I believe that knowing God personally means sweetly learning that He is faithful when we are IN the mess. He loves us, he walks us through, and the "redemption" (though it's often a long time coming) is the proof that he "holds" us steady through the hard (sometimes impossible circumstances). This redemption often cannot show itself until we walk through some things that we are not ABLE to manage on our own. But I believe most of the examples we are given in Evangelical Christianity, appeal more to our sense of self control, rather than allowing God control over our lives. The folks who lived in the time of the Old Covenant went through circumstances that seem so... out of reach to us today, that many of us probably believe they are irrelevant. At least, this is what I thought. I'm not Jewish, and I'm under the Blood...under the Cross...under the New Covenant. Right?
Whew! I can heave a sigh of relief and go on with my shallow little life, right? Now, I'm not saying that anyone else's life is shallow... I just know that mine became that way...and I've found that no memorizing Bible verses or using "Christian cliche's" can help. Esau was human...so was Joseph, so was Hannah, so was Noah, so were Adam and Eve...and yet I've sat in church for years, and heard their stories told from the "platform" of making no mistakes (If they'd only TRUSTED God)!! If THEY had only listened. If THEY had only waited. "See, this is what happens when WE don't obey God." Well, wait a minute? Doesn't this sorta "shift" the focus over to US as people?? I mean, think about it: How many times have you heard the entire Bible taught through the "lens" of our pathetic failures, rather than God's SUCCESSES?? Oh sure: Jesus went to the cross. We chant it like morons all the time because we think this is all that's NECESSARY to say. This is the ULTIMATE victory, right? Sure it is...and we can love and adore our savior based on this truth...the truth of what his DEATH did for US. (Besides that, we'll burn in Hell, if we don't, right?). But what about what his LIFE teaches us about who he IS? What about what our lives can and SHOULD do for HIM? Is it possible that Yahweh, the one true God "sets us up" to fail in order that he could WALK us through those difficulties(sometimes impossibilities) so we can SEE him give us the victory?? Is it possible that he PLANS on NOT giving us the victory (as we expect it) because this teaches us to ENDURE more like Old Covenant believers?...
So, what about the example given by the minister I heard? Well, first of all, without mincing words...it's a crappy example. Superbowl tickets and McDonalds?? So incredibly materialistic. To use these two things to try and represent how we become faithful once we come to God is, to me, rather strange. The example might work, figuratively speaking...but this example seems to convey that when we desire to gratify ourselves with materialistic things, we lose! God is not going to HELP us appeal to our flesh so that we can be glad we stayed in the line, and claimed a prize that is strictly to satisfy us. Now there's nothing wrong with Superbowl tickets and there's nothing wrong with McDonalds...but this example seems to have more to do with our own sense of self control, or perhaps a lack thereof, rather than trusting God to help us wade through rough waters.
So, while I don't care for the division of old and new, I see it like this: Old Covenant believers. Went through the process of suffering understanding that it was inevitable, and knowing also that it was necessary to the process. Biblical believers under the New Covenant believed this as well...but today, especially in our western culture...we have a sense of entitlement. We want things instantaneously. We believe suffering for Christ is getting in a argument with someone at church, and we often put our heavenly Father on time limit: we think that a certain "process" designed to help us mature should not take more than a month, at most. And when it does take more than a month, we plead with God that he remove it change it, make it better, make it different, and we live in fear that the Enemy is messing with our lives, or that God is angry with something we've done. At least I know, this is what happens to me. So, I also offer this: our works alone will do nothing for us as far as being close to Yeshua, as long as we remain a non-believer; but...(deep breath), salvation ALONE is NOT enough for one to CULTIVATE a RELATIONSHIP with our Heavenly Father.
Oh boy... I can hear the gasps and feel the tension...as though I've just committed the worst sort of blasphemy. What I'm saying is, becoming "saved" only OPENS the door between us and God. But will we walk through? Will we draw near to him? Will we SEEK his face day by day?. I think the "undercurrent" of most evangelical Christianity is that we CAN'T do this because it's by God's grace alone. So we "back off" almost as if God will be offended if we presume TO trust him. We think we're not "letting him have the reins," so to speak, and slowly, the emphasis becomes on what WE are doing or not doing, rather than what God is up to. The "angle" of God's grace or nothing that so many of us hear pastors chanting like parrots (God bless them!) can cause many us to be scared to death of the Old Covenant LAW, because we think of hundreds of commandments in addition to the original ten, we think of blood sacrifices (so far removed from us), we think of mandates for worship impossible to keep. Now, granted, who would want to go through all that? Who could go through all that?
A couple days ago I came across an article that's about 12 years old now. It was about Dr. Laura Schlessenger having denounced Judaism. This shocked me because, for a while...a LONG while...she was so heavily into it. She taught a series on The Ten Commandments that I will never forget because she addressed the importance of things like choosing to be committed to (the Sabbath) for example because that's an act of discipline that helps us connect with God (or something to that affect). I remember thinking, "This would be way too hard for me to do, but I have so much respect for her, having the guts to do that." Well, apparently, it was too much work for her as well. Dr. Laura said she did not feel a connection with God. Wow. She's right ya know... It is too much work: that is, following all the commandments and doing it perfectly. No one can, and no one knows that better than someone who's tried! But I'd imagine, it would NOT give one a closer connection with God...if they'd never MET him to begin with. To me, this is what the initial ACT of "getting saved" means. You hear of God's plan of salvation, you pray and ask him into your heart, and the door has now been opened: You meet with God (so to speak) and there is an awareness that your sins are forgiven. Yes!! As many Christians will tell you, there is now a "party" in Heaven because your sins have been forgiven. But this does not mean hat we KNOW God (certainly not on any intimate level) and it doesn't mean that we've allowed God to get to know US either.
I know, for a long time, I'd never even heard that second part. Never did I think it was necessary for God to "know" me, because God KNOWS everything, right? So, right under my nose, all my "effort" went into knowing HIM. again, the focus was actually on ME rather than God, but I did not realize this. In my head, it was based on Christ's original "death on the cross.". Which is what I was taught, and this is correct...But what did God getting to know ME have to with it? Oh dear oh dear...I've been walking right over the very thing that I was telling other people they needed to have with Jesus...a relationship! Think about it: I NEED to know Jesus because if I don't I'll burn in Hell for all eternity.". Does this sound like a relationship to you?? It sounds like a scare tactic to me! Yet, isn't this what we tell people in church (basically)? We say this WHILLE we're also telling people that salvation is a CHOICE they make. I'm sorry...come again?? So, it's a choice, but I have no choice?? Okay, which one sounds easier?: Swallowing that or attempting to follow the Ten Commandments?? Yikes!
But in our culture, we are made to believe that anything outside of accepting Christ's death on the cross is legalism, and right away, we think "Old Testament"... "Old Covenant.". Not necessary anymore because Jesus's death "cancelled it out," right? I've heard pastors say this, haven't you? But consider this: Jesus Christ was Jewish, so was Paul, so were all of his disciples. All these men followed the "savior" or the Messiah, right? I mean, that's WHY they followed him...they believed he was who he said he was...well, he said, he was the Son of God. We (Christians) tell people that Jesus is the Savior, right? That's the whole point to them becoming believers, right? Abraham was known as a "friend" of God and Enoch was known as a "righteous" man because he "walked" with God. Do you think either of these men had such a description because they merely walked an isle and prayed a prayer? Do you think walking an isle and praying a prayer was enough when Jesus told his disciples to abandon everything they had and follow him? I don't think so! So what did they have? For one thing they had the stories of the Old Covenant saints handed down. Now scripture was "in process" as far as being recorded at this time... They could not just pick up their Bible, as we can today, but the stories of "old" were handed down. As the woman at the well said: "Our forefather(Jacob) worshipped here.". She was at Jacob's Well, remember? So what does Jesus tell her: "You worship you know not what; for salvation is of the Jews.". There it is. See it? I mean, how can the Old Covenant be irrelevant when it's connected to the New? How can the New Covenant be irrelevant when it's connected to the Old? Now, I would guess that if you asked any Evangelical pastor today, they would tell you that the Old Covenant is not irrelevant, it's part of God's word. Agreed. But the Old Covenant should not (in my opinion) be something that we just "skim" over because it really does not apply to us today.
But it's more than that. Only recently, have I begun to view scripture from a "Jewish" perspective. Is this odd for me? Yes, because I'm not Jewish. However, my Lord, my savior, my Messiah...the entire reason the whole Bible was WRITTEN...He was/is Jewish. The New Testament was written in the Greek. The Greek culture is largely based on thinking and head knowledge, philosophy, myths, etc. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The Hebrew culture is based on "learn by doing.". It's action oriented. In other words, "show me how.". Hmmm... so, when we Evangelicals, "evangelize" to people, we're sharing information about Christ and then using scripture (I hope) to back it up, right? Great! But then what do they do with it after that? Now granted, we cannot follow people around, and spoon feed them once we've witnessed to them. But I will quote Mr. Holland's Opus: "I don't know what you're doing with the knowledge, Mr. Holland, but as a compass, you're stuck."
I do not write this, to say that everyone should do what I do. It's a personal choice. I just know that, for me, somewhere along the way, I got stuck. I got stuck, and spiritually, I became "dried up.". I knew I was missing something but could not figure out what it was. Wasn't Jesus enough? Yes. So why was I just going through the motions with a list in my head of all the right things to do? (Go to church, read your Bible, pray)...isn't this what I'd wanted to prevent? Yes. So why had I come to a place where I was DOING all the right things and seemed to be getting nowhere? All I know is, at some point, I stopped growing. The truth I had is still true...but I wasn't moving anywhere with it. Question: Who can truly RELATE to Jesus's death on the cross? I really can't. I'm not saying that it did not happen. I'm not saying that it was not payment for our sins. It was. But when it all comes down, my finite mind cannot comprehend it. I CAN however, comprehend Martha being angry with Mary because she would not come and help her cook (why do we fault Martha for this? :)). I can comprehend David saying "Every night, my pillow is wet with tears.". I can comprehend Peter saying that he would never betray Jesus, because I used to believe this about my own life. Experience has taught me otherwise. I can comprehend Mary Magdalene being a friend of Jesus. She was an outcast, so was he...so am I.
But one way or another, all the incomprehensible things done in the Bible, were done by REAL people... The betrayal in the garden, the birth of children, the building of the ark, the Egyptians watching the river turn to blood, the grief at the death of the first born sons, the confusion of watching the magicians turn THEIR rods into serpents, crossing the Red Sea, the building and dismantling of the tabernacle, the scarlet cord that helped hide the spies, A father tying his son on the altar, as a Sacraficial Lamb, a mother hiding her baby in a basket, and sending him away so he would not be put to death, a father, packing up his wife and infant child in the middle of the night, and fleeing, so HIS baby would not be put to death, A commanding General, having one of his best men murdered so he could have his wife, a woman, married to a complete fool getting on her knees and begging for mercy, wondering if her food and wine will appease that same general and his men, a man wrestling with God himself and getting a dislocated hip, a woman getting on her knees in a temple, and weeping bitterly, crying out to God to give her a son, a rebellious man, swallowed and spit out by a whale, another man forcing his donkey down a path that would've killed them both, a coat of many colors destroyed.
A baby born in a stable in Bethlehem, a mother scorned for being pregnant out of wedlock, a man being made mute for not believing a divine visitor, a little boy with a sack lunch, a blind man with clay on his eyes, a paralyzed man at a pool, a woman saved from being stoned to death, a little girl who was only sleeping, a bride who watched a wedding guest turn water into wine, a servant girl who said "I saw you with him,". A traitor who kissed Jesus on the cheek, and whoever put up the words: King of the Jews, a revelation given on the island of Crete. All these things somehow involved people. It would take a relationship, because for all this we need a lifetime to learn. The Old Covenant mirrors the New...and no one-time prayer is sufficient for that. It's walking, everyday, watching our path become narrow and rocky...jagged...sharp. We cling to the promise that He will not let our feet slip. Without it, we're stuck. But who is HE that he can make such a promise...maybe that's the whole point. I write this because I've been trampling on the one thing I know I need...a relationship, with the Lover of My Soul. In this, I am no different than anyone in scripture...broken, bruised, crying on the floor...standing before the King to find out my fate...
What will he say to me? Right choices WILL be rewarded. Wrong ones burned up in the Refiner's Fire...because we have the ability to know. "How will they know, if they do not hear?" right? So, as an Evangelical, I've been "winning" people, telling them just to stand INSIDE the door! This is all that matters. You need go no further, because HE will do the rest. This is SO not true!! We must get into the mess of life and decide to abide in Him, which means "your people shall be my people and your God my God." I cannot take what I like and leave the rest! I must get into the "mess" of serving him because we are bound together with a seal that lasts FOREVER. Do I really want to go all that time just standing at his door!! I'm "in," but I gathered no "oil" to keep my lamp burning. Perhaps I did not want Him to see my mess. I know now, that when I face eternity...that will not do.
Scriptures:
"Wandering in the Wilderness" Numbers 14:20-24
"Self Examination" Leviticus 16:29-30
"Jacob and Esau" Genesis 25:19-34
"Leah and Rachael" Genesis, chapters 29-35
"Seeking his face" 2 Chronicles 7:14
"Abraham, friend Od God" James 2:23 Bible story: Genesis chapters 12-22
"Enoch" Genesis 5:18-24
"The Woman at the Well" John 4:5-42
"Your People Shall be..." Ruth 1:16
Things that helped me:
"Laura Schlessenger Dr. Laura Renounces Jewish Orthodoxy"
By: Lisa Keyes
Rabbi Greg Hershberg: Messianic Judaism 101 Replacement Theology (03/03/2012) YouTube
The Prophecy Club: Rebecca Park Totilo "Ancient Hebrew Wedding Customs" YouTube
"Messianic Judaism" (parts 1-3) Ian May (Nov. 6, 2012) YouTube
"Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a hallelujah."
Of course, this is a song sung by Amy Grant. I've played this many, many (many) times while walking through things I could not understand. In some cases, I would want the hurt to stop so bad, that I would attempt to go around the suffering to avoid it, rather than walking through it.
This is never a good idea, is it? I mean, the Israelites did this and they ended up wandering in the wilderness on a "detour" that took forty years! They could've had a lot of time "spending the day in self examination and commemorating the atonement...thus being cleansed of their sins." However, I do not know whether they decided to use the time in that way. I once heard Joni Ereckson Tada talk about making sure that our suffering is not wasted. A light went on, because I had not known that we could WASTE suffering. My objective, as far as being honoring to Christ, became to remove suffering...because if I did not, then God's TIME was being wasted. Lately, I've been wondering why so many preachers/teachers give examples of "God" that have to do instead with willpower. I was listening to a message today where the (evangelical Christian) teacher said that once we are saved, we will become faithful to the things God is wanting us to do. He then gave an example of a guy waiting in line all day and night to get tickets to the Superbowl, but then, becoming very hungry in the middle of the night, he sees the Golden Arches of McDonalds, and though he's very close to getting his prize, he gets out of line to go get some food. Now, you see where I'm going: He loses what he's waited for all that time because his senses took over. The teacher (minister) said that this guy was not a very faithful Superbowl fan, and that when we become Christians, we don't step out of the line...we wait, and stick it out.
Interesting. Interesting and SAD, I think...because it's NOT TRUE. The first thing I thought of, hearing his story was Esau and Jacob in Genesis. Esau's birthright was at stake, and he "stepped out of line" if you will (as in his birth order, his family line,) in order to have a bowl of soup. Now, as an American, evangelical Christian, the idea of a birthright means nothing to me because it simply is not part of my culture. But in the Hebrew culture, birthrights are quite a big deal. There is certain inheritance and certain blessings designed specifically for the firstborn son, but once these blessings are bestowed, they cannot be taken back...a father can't "reneg" on the blessings and then "reverse" the order or give them to another son. It's sort of like when Jacob worked seven years to win Rachael, only to find that he'd been "tricked" into marrying her older sister Leah first! (Same family, next generation) :).
Anyway, when did Laban, Rachel's father plan on telling Jacob this? I suppose it was after he'd toiled those first seven years, believing that the "terms" of what he was getting were specifically laid out. Were they written out, or did Jacob trust and assume? Anyway, how many times are we "set up" to do the wrong thing? So many times, there are hidden motives from someone behind the scenes as well. In the case of Esau, and Jacob, it was their mother Rebekah. (Remember?). She wanted her favorite son Jacob to HAVE Esau's birthright, and she knew exactly what weakness to take advantage of. she had Jacob prepare that food right when Esau came in, tired, sweaty, hungry, and the trade was the birthright for the soup. Meanwhile Rebekah prepared her own food for her favorite son to take in to daddy, and even had him cover his hands with goat hair (Esau means hairy). What happened was not Jacob's fault, is was not Esau's fault, and it certainly was not Isaac's fault. Isaac was on his DEATHBED, for crying out loud! And here's his faithful wife, just re-arranging things for her OWN benefit (and using her twin sons to do it) even when she knows he doesn't have long to live.
But when I hear this story taught, the teacher always seems to make the focal point, how stupid Esau was for not having enough self-control. He didn't think, he let his senses take over. Exactly! Of course he did...and any one of US would've done the same because we're weak, temporal people who live in the moment. This goes against the holy, wonderful idea of having enough self control to NOT walk away, but it's true. This does not even take into account that Rebekah was being a scurvy little spider who had plans of her own. She even tells Jacob to just do what she tells him and let the consequences be on her head (because she knows that what she's doing is wrong.). So Jacob obeys because that's what he's asked to do. He's now become an accomplice to the whole thing, and even if he ISN'T completely innocent, which he probably wasn't... his mother sorta had him by the throat, if you will, and who knows how much grief he would've gotten if he had not done what his momma said. So, poor Isaac is basically hoodwinked because he's too weak to do anything about it (and so is Esau). Esau had only done the right thing by obeying his father, and then, when he comes home, he unknowingly steps right into a trap!
I believe that knowing God personally means sweetly learning that He is faithful when we are IN the mess. He loves us, he walks us through, and the "redemption" (though it's often a long time coming) is the proof that he "holds" us steady through the hard (sometimes impossible circumstances). This redemption often cannot show itself until we walk through some things that we are not ABLE to manage on our own. But I believe most of the examples we are given in Evangelical Christianity, appeal more to our sense of self control, rather than allowing God control over our lives. The folks who lived in the time of the Old Covenant went through circumstances that seem so... out of reach to us today, that many of us probably believe they are irrelevant. At least, this is what I thought. I'm not Jewish, and I'm under the Blood...under the Cross...under the New Covenant. Right?
Whew! I can heave a sigh of relief and go on with my shallow little life, right? Now, I'm not saying that anyone else's life is shallow... I just know that mine became that way...and I've found that no memorizing Bible verses or using "Christian cliche's" can help. Esau was human...so was Joseph, so was Hannah, so was Noah, so were Adam and Eve...and yet I've sat in church for years, and heard their stories told from the "platform" of making no mistakes (If they'd only TRUSTED God)!! If THEY had only listened. If THEY had only waited. "See, this is what happens when WE don't obey God." Well, wait a minute? Doesn't this sorta "shift" the focus over to US as people?? I mean, think about it: How many times have you heard the entire Bible taught through the "lens" of our pathetic failures, rather than God's SUCCESSES?? Oh sure: Jesus went to the cross. We chant it like morons all the time because we think this is all that's NECESSARY to say. This is the ULTIMATE victory, right? Sure it is...and we can love and adore our savior based on this truth...the truth of what his DEATH did for US. (Besides that, we'll burn in Hell, if we don't, right?). But what about what his LIFE teaches us about who he IS? What about what our lives can and SHOULD do for HIM? Is it possible that Yahweh, the one true God "sets us up" to fail in order that he could WALK us through those difficulties(sometimes impossibilities) so we can SEE him give us the victory?? Is it possible that he PLANS on NOT giving us the victory (as we expect it) because this teaches us to ENDURE more like Old Covenant believers?...
So, what about the example given by the minister I heard? Well, first of all, without mincing words...it's a crappy example. Superbowl tickets and McDonalds?? So incredibly materialistic. To use these two things to try and represent how we become faithful once we come to God is, to me, rather strange. The example might work, figuratively speaking...but this example seems to convey that when we desire to gratify ourselves with materialistic things, we lose! God is not going to HELP us appeal to our flesh so that we can be glad we stayed in the line, and claimed a prize that is strictly to satisfy us. Now there's nothing wrong with Superbowl tickets and there's nothing wrong with McDonalds...but this example seems to have more to do with our own sense of self control, or perhaps a lack thereof, rather than trusting God to help us wade through rough waters.
So, while I don't care for the division of old and new, I see it like this: Old Covenant believers. Went through the process of suffering understanding that it was inevitable, and knowing also that it was necessary to the process. Biblical believers under the New Covenant believed this as well...but today, especially in our western culture...we have a sense of entitlement. We want things instantaneously. We believe suffering for Christ is getting in a argument with someone at church, and we often put our heavenly Father on time limit: we think that a certain "process" designed to help us mature should not take more than a month, at most. And when it does take more than a month, we plead with God that he remove it change it, make it better, make it different, and we live in fear that the Enemy is messing with our lives, or that God is angry with something we've done. At least I know, this is what happens to me. So, I also offer this: our works alone will do nothing for us as far as being close to Yeshua, as long as we remain a non-believer; but...(deep breath), salvation ALONE is NOT enough for one to CULTIVATE a RELATIONSHIP with our Heavenly Father.
Oh boy... I can hear the gasps and feel the tension...as though I've just committed the worst sort of blasphemy. What I'm saying is, becoming "saved" only OPENS the door between us and God. But will we walk through? Will we draw near to him? Will we SEEK his face day by day?. I think the "undercurrent" of most evangelical Christianity is that we CAN'T do this because it's by God's grace alone. So we "back off" almost as if God will be offended if we presume TO trust him. We think we're not "letting him have the reins," so to speak, and slowly, the emphasis becomes on what WE are doing or not doing, rather than what God is up to. The "angle" of God's grace or nothing that so many of us hear pastors chanting like parrots (God bless them!) can cause many us to be scared to death of the Old Covenant LAW, because we think of hundreds of commandments in addition to the original ten, we think of blood sacrifices (so far removed from us), we think of mandates for worship impossible to keep. Now, granted, who would want to go through all that? Who could go through all that?
A couple days ago I came across an article that's about 12 years old now. It was about Dr. Laura Schlessenger having denounced Judaism. This shocked me because, for a while...a LONG while...she was so heavily into it. She taught a series on The Ten Commandments that I will never forget because she addressed the importance of things like choosing to be committed to (the Sabbath) for example because that's an act of discipline that helps us connect with God (or something to that affect). I remember thinking, "This would be way too hard for me to do, but I have so much respect for her, having the guts to do that." Well, apparently, it was too much work for her as well. Dr. Laura said she did not feel a connection with God. Wow. She's right ya know... It is too much work: that is, following all the commandments and doing it perfectly. No one can, and no one knows that better than someone who's tried! But I'd imagine, it would NOT give one a closer connection with God...if they'd never MET him to begin with. To me, this is what the initial ACT of "getting saved" means. You hear of God's plan of salvation, you pray and ask him into your heart, and the door has now been opened: You meet with God (so to speak) and there is an awareness that your sins are forgiven. Yes!! As many Christians will tell you, there is now a "party" in Heaven because your sins have been forgiven. But this does not mean hat we KNOW God (certainly not on any intimate level) and it doesn't mean that we've allowed God to get to know US either.
I know, for a long time, I'd never even heard that second part. Never did I think it was necessary for God to "know" me, because God KNOWS everything, right? So, right under my nose, all my "effort" went into knowing HIM. again, the focus was actually on ME rather than God, but I did not realize this. In my head, it was based on Christ's original "death on the cross.". Which is what I was taught, and this is correct...But what did God getting to know ME have to with it? Oh dear oh dear...I've been walking right over the very thing that I was telling other people they needed to have with Jesus...a relationship! Think about it: I NEED to know Jesus because if I don't I'll burn in Hell for all eternity.". Does this sound like a relationship to you?? It sounds like a scare tactic to me! Yet, isn't this what we tell people in church (basically)? We say this WHILLE we're also telling people that salvation is a CHOICE they make. I'm sorry...come again?? So, it's a choice, but I have no choice?? Okay, which one sounds easier?: Swallowing that or attempting to follow the Ten Commandments?? Yikes!
But in our culture, we are made to believe that anything outside of accepting Christ's death on the cross is legalism, and right away, we think "Old Testament"... "Old Covenant.". Not necessary anymore because Jesus's death "cancelled it out," right? I've heard pastors say this, haven't you? But consider this: Jesus Christ was Jewish, so was Paul, so were all of his disciples. All these men followed the "savior" or the Messiah, right? I mean, that's WHY they followed him...they believed he was who he said he was...well, he said, he was the Son of God. We (Christians) tell people that Jesus is the Savior, right? That's the whole point to them becoming believers, right? Abraham was known as a "friend" of God and Enoch was known as a "righteous" man because he "walked" with God. Do you think either of these men had such a description because they merely walked an isle and prayed a prayer? Do you think walking an isle and praying a prayer was enough when Jesus told his disciples to abandon everything they had and follow him? I don't think so! So what did they have? For one thing they had the stories of the Old Covenant saints handed down. Now scripture was "in process" as far as being recorded at this time... They could not just pick up their Bible, as we can today, but the stories of "old" were handed down. As the woman at the well said: "Our forefather(Jacob) worshipped here.". She was at Jacob's Well, remember? So what does Jesus tell her: "You worship you know not what; for salvation is of the Jews.". There it is. See it? I mean, how can the Old Covenant be irrelevant when it's connected to the New? How can the New Covenant be irrelevant when it's connected to the Old? Now, I would guess that if you asked any Evangelical pastor today, they would tell you that the Old Covenant is not irrelevant, it's part of God's word. Agreed. But the Old Covenant should not (in my opinion) be something that we just "skim" over because it really does not apply to us today.
But it's more than that. Only recently, have I begun to view scripture from a "Jewish" perspective. Is this odd for me? Yes, because I'm not Jewish. However, my Lord, my savior, my Messiah...the entire reason the whole Bible was WRITTEN...He was/is Jewish. The New Testament was written in the Greek. The Greek culture is largely based on thinking and head knowledge, philosophy, myths, etc. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The Hebrew culture is based on "learn by doing.". It's action oriented. In other words, "show me how.". Hmmm... so, when we Evangelicals, "evangelize" to people, we're sharing information about Christ and then using scripture (I hope) to back it up, right? Great! But then what do they do with it after that? Now granted, we cannot follow people around, and spoon feed them once we've witnessed to them. But I will quote Mr. Holland's Opus: "I don't know what you're doing with the knowledge, Mr. Holland, but as a compass, you're stuck."
I do not write this, to say that everyone should do what I do. It's a personal choice. I just know that, for me, somewhere along the way, I got stuck. I got stuck, and spiritually, I became "dried up.". I knew I was missing something but could not figure out what it was. Wasn't Jesus enough? Yes. So why was I just going through the motions with a list in my head of all the right things to do? (Go to church, read your Bible, pray)...isn't this what I'd wanted to prevent? Yes. So why had I come to a place where I was DOING all the right things and seemed to be getting nowhere? All I know is, at some point, I stopped growing. The truth I had is still true...but I wasn't moving anywhere with it. Question: Who can truly RELATE to Jesus's death on the cross? I really can't. I'm not saying that it did not happen. I'm not saying that it was not payment for our sins. It was. But when it all comes down, my finite mind cannot comprehend it. I CAN however, comprehend Martha being angry with Mary because she would not come and help her cook (why do we fault Martha for this? :)). I can comprehend David saying "Every night, my pillow is wet with tears.". I can comprehend Peter saying that he would never betray Jesus, because I used to believe this about my own life. Experience has taught me otherwise. I can comprehend Mary Magdalene being a friend of Jesus. She was an outcast, so was he...so am I.
But one way or another, all the incomprehensible things done in the Bible, were done by REAL people... The betrayal in the garden, the birth of children, the building of the ark, the Egyptians watching the river turn to blood, the grief at the death of the first born sons, the confusion of watching the magicians turn THEIR rods into serpents, crossing the Red Sea, the building and dismantling of the tabernacle, the scarlet cord that helped hide the spies, A father tying his son on the altar, as a Sacraficial Lamb, a mother hiding her baby in a basket, and sending him away so he would not be put to death, a father, packing up his wife and infant child in the middle of the night, and fleeing, so HIS baby would not be put to death, A commanding General, having one of his best men murdered so he could have his wife, a woman, married to a complete fool getting on her knees and begging for mercy, wondering if her food and wine will appease that same general and his men, a man wrestling with God himself and getting a dislocated hip, a woman getting on her knees in a temple, and weeping bitterly, crying out to God to give her a son, a rebellious man, swallowed and spit out by a whale, another man forcing his donkey down a path that would've killed them both, a coat of many colors destroyed.
A baby born in a stable in Bethlehem, a mother scorned for being pregnant out of wedlock, a man being made mute for not believing a divine visitor, a little boy with a sack lunch, a blind man with clay on his eyes, a paralyzed man at a pool, a woman saved from being stoned to death, a little girl who was only sleeping, a bride who watched a wedding guest turn water into wine, a servant girl who said "I saw you with him,". A traitor who kissed Jesus on the cheek, and whoever put up the words: King of the Jews, a revelation given on the island of Crete. All these things somehow involved people. It would take a relationship, because for all this we need a lifetime to learn. The Old Covenant mirrors the New...and no one-time prayer is sufficient for that. It's walking, everyday, watching our path become narrow and rocky...jagged...sharp. We cling to the promise that He will not let our feet slip. Without it, we're stuck. But who is HE that he can make such a promise...maybe that's the whole point. I write this because I've been trampling on the one thing I know I need...a relationship, with the Lover of My Soul. In this, I am no different than anyone in scripture...broken, bruised, crying on the floor...standing before the King to find out my fate...
What will he say to me? Right choices WILL be rewarded. Wrong ones burned up in the Refiner's Fire...because we have the ability to know. "How will they know, if they do not hear?" right? So, as an Evangelical, I've been "winning" people, telling them just to stand INSIDE the door! This is all that matters. You need go no further, because HE will do the rest. This is SO not true!! We must get into the mess of life and decide to abide in Him, which means "your people shall be my people and your God my God." I cannot take what I like and leave the rest! I must get into the "mess" of serving him because we are bound together with a seal that lasts FOREVER. Do I really want to go all that time just standing at his door!! I'm "in," but I gathered no "oil" to keep my lamp burning. Perhaps I did not want Him to see my mess. I know now, that when I face eternity...that will not do.
Scriptures:
"Wandering in the Wilderness" Numbers 14:20-24
"Self Examination" Leviticus 16:29-30
"Jacob and Esau" Genesis 25:19-34
"Leah and Rachael" Genesis, chapters 29-35
"Seeking his face" 2 Chronicles 7:14
"Abraham, friend Od God" James 2:23 Bible story: Genesis chapters 12-22
"Enoch" Genesis 5:18-24
"The Woman at the Well" John 4:5-42
"Your People Shall be..." Ruth 1:16
Things that helped me:
"Laura Schlessenger Dr. Laura Renounces Jewish Orthodoxy"
By: Lisa Keyes
Rabbi Greg Hershberg: Messianic Judaism 101 Replacement Theology (03/03/2012) YouTube
The Prophecy Club: Rebecca Park Totilo "Ancient Hebrew Wedding Customs" YouTube
"Messianic Judaism" (parts 1-3) Ian May (Nov. 6, 2012) YouTube
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Backwards/Forwards
As a kid, I had to be told all the time, "You always start on the RIGHT in math." This is because I would want to do math problems in the same direction I wrote sentences. I would start on the left and add or subtract in the wrong direction. Now, I am not dyslexic...I never have been. But my hand eye coordination needed a lot of help, and my sense of direction, and space... well, I remember, cursive handwriting was very challenging for me because my fine motor skills... were not so "fine tuned.". Sometimes when I would write sentences, I would want to start on the right, instead of the left...and even after I would correct this, many of my letters were backwards...spaced very far apart. They were giant... Like I was attempting to make a BANNER...while I was really drunk. Sometimes, my teacher would take my hand in hers and help me structure the letters...precise strokes...within the lines... I remember those handwriting exercises:
The same letter, in a straight line across the page...all the way to the end.
I needed them, because my writing was usually at a slant, with my letters looking more like puzzle pieces, or giant chicken scratches. It was almost as if my brain wanted to work the other way, and I had to train it not to. Weird. But, so I am. A learning disability made it take a bit longer to stay on the straight and narrow, you could say. But, happily, I've overcome well. My handwriting today is pretty and straight and thankfully, very legible!
Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Hebrew language is written, and read, from right to left! On this crazy faith journey, I've been learning so much about the Jewish roots of the man Yeshua, whom I claim to believe is my Messiah. But what have I really known about his actual life, or the way he lived? Not much...considering I've been too busy focussing on his DEATH and what that's done for ME. Ironic. Talk about the writing being on the wall!! What's more...I could not read a word of it. I mean, why would an American, Evangelical Christian girl like me who's never been to seminary learn any Hebrew?
But my point is, that suddenly, something I'd done almost instinctively...was right. Now I can only type English words here (I'm sure there is a way to change that, but I still need to learn how to do this), but I've begun to learn several Hebrew letters now, and when I read and write them...guess what I get to do? Go. BACKWARDS! And guess what? It's not wrong...it's RIGHT! It's CORRECT!! And guess what the letters remind me of? Puzzle pieces...and giant chicken scratches! (Hey, each Hebrew letter paints a picture!). So, as a child I wrote huge, backwards letters that no one could read (except me and God). These letters needed to be corrected. Now, as an adult, I'm looking at, and learning huge, backwards letters no one (around me) can read...except God! These letters are RIGHT! These letters do not need to be corrected. God, (and other people who speak Hebrew) knows EXACTLY what they say! He just needs to teach me. As a child, this is how I felt about my own writing: I (and God) could read and understand it perfectly...I just needed to teach others what it said.
Now, let me be rightly understood. I am talking about an emotional connection with the person I claim is my savior. This is a "connection" that He was working out long before I ever...TOOK AN INTEREST IN HEBREW?? I told you: Why would an American, Evangelical, Christian girl, who's never been to seminary AND who is not JEWISH...take an interest in Hebrew?? Now, whenever I see any Hebrew letters, and I wonder what they say :), or I see my old school papers and I KNOW what they say, I'll understand! This is Jesus, showing me HIMSELF, literally on paper, in HIS language! But he BEGAN with my own...the chicken scratches that only he could read when I was a kid. He has now connected that to his own writing...and it's his way of showing me (emotionally): "I love You. You Belong to Me. We are CONNECTED to each other in life...not just in a bloody death that is nearly impossible for you to comprehend. All I can say is: Ladies and gentleman, let the evidence speak for itself: Jesus is real.
Okay; here's my "disclaimer" if you will:
I was never actually drunk as a child :) (duh) That's a metaphor.
The Hebrew language is not backwards and neither is English.
They just go in different directions. :)
Hebrew writing is not slanted...my writing as a kid was.
Hebrew writing is not chicken scratches, but many of the "jots" and other marks
of this visual language can resemble scratches or scribbles...and so did my writing as a kid.
When I say, "He began with my language". I simply mean he showed me something I was able
to understand emotionally.
I'm not saying anything lofty, as though something needed to be
"interpreted". I'm no scribe or Pharisee, just a girl talking about an experience. :)
The same letter, in a straight line across the page...all the way to the end.
I needed them, because my writing was usually at a slant, with my letters looking more like puzzle pieces, or giant chicken scratches. It was almost as if my brain wanted to work the other way, and I had to train it not to. Weird. But, so I am. A learning disability made it take a bit longer to stay on the straight and narrow, you could say. But, happily, I've overcome well. My handwriting today is pretty and straight and thankfully, very legible!
Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Hebrew language is written, and read, from right to left! On this crazy faith journey, I've been learning so much about the Jewish roots of the man Yeshua, whom I claim to believe is my Messiah. But what have I really known about his actual life, or the way he lived? Not much...considering I've been too busy focussing on his DEATH and what that's done for ME. Ironic. Talk about the writing being on the wall!! What's more...I could not read a word of it. I mean, why would an American, Evangelical Christian girl like me who's never been to seminary learn any Hebrew?
But my point is, that suddenly, something I'd done almost instinctively...was right. Now I can only type English words here (I'm sure there is a way to change that, but I still need to learn how to do this), but I've begun to learn several Hebrew letters now, and when I read and write them...guess what I get to do? Go. BACKWARDS! And guess what? It's not wrong...it's RIGHT! It's CORRECT!! And guess what the letters remind me of? Puzzle pieces...and giant chicken scratches! (Hey, each Hebrew letter paints a picture!). So, as a child I wrote huge, backwards letters that no one could read (except me and God). These letters needed to be corrected. Now, as an adult, I'm looking at, and learning huge, backwards letters no one (around me) can read...except God! These letters are RIGHT! These letters do not need to be corrected. God, (and other people who speak Hebrew) knows EXACTLY what they say! He just needs to teach me. As a child, this is how I felt about my own writing: I (and God) could read and understand it perfectly...I just needed to teach others what it said.
Now, let me be rightly understood. I am talking about an emotional connection with the person I claim is my savior. This is a "connection" that He was working out long before I ever...TOOK AN INTEREST IN HEBREW?? I told you: Why would an American, Evangelical, Christian girl, who's never been to seminary AND who is not JEWISH...take an interest in Hebrew?? Now, whenever I see any Hebrew letters, and I wonder what they say :), or I see my old school papers and I KNOW what they say, I'll understand! This is Jesus, showing me HIMSELF, literally on paper, in HIS language! But he BEGAN with my own...the chicken scratches that only he could read when I was a kid. He has now connected that to his own writing...and it's his way of showing me (emotionally): "I love You. You Belong to Me. We are CONNECTED to each other in life...not just in a bloody death that is nearly impossible for you to comprehend. All I can say is: Ladies and gentleman, let the evidence speak for itself: Jesus is real.
Okay; here's my "disclaimer" if you will:
I was never actually drunk as a child :) (duh) That's a metaphor.
The Hebrew language is not backwards and neither is English.
They just go in different directions. :)
Hebrew writing is not slanted...my writing as a kid was.
Hebrew writing is not chicken scratches, but many of the "jots" and other marks
of this visual language can resemble scratches or scribbles...and so did my writing as a kid.
When I say, "He began with my language". I simply mean he showed me something I was able
to understand emotionally.
I'm not saying anything lofty, as though something needed to be
"interpreted". I'm no scribe or Pharisee, just a girl talking about an experience. :)
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