Month: June 2016

Preparing to Return to Israel!

As if the last few months haven’t been busy enough, we have begun the process of planning a return trip to Israel.  Along with friends, we have booked plane reservations and have IMG_20150518_143948445 (1)rented a house just outside Jerusalem for Sukkot and will stay in Israel for the Second Bney Yosef Congress.

When we returned from our first trip last May, our boys met us at the door and said we could not go back without taking them.  As it stands, it looks like we are taking most of them with us this Fall, so now we begin to figure out what we want to see, where we all want to go and what events in the Old City that we want to attend.

At the top of our list is participating in the Parade of Nations in Jerusalem.  What makes this special event so exciting to look forward to is that dozens of friends will be there! I. CAN’T. WAIT!

We will be Continue reading “Preparing to Return to Israel!”

Zealous? For what?

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Acts 21:20 relates that a mark of the apostolic kahal/ekklesia/congregation was being zealous for the Law.

How does the Church today view those ‘zealous for the Law?’. How does God view those ‘zealous for the Law?’

If the Law, the Torah, defines sin and righteousness, how should we view those who denigrate or teach against lawFULL behavior?  Is it just possible that Christendom is wrong and walking contrary to God’s ways?  Is it possible that for the last 1800+ years Christian pastors and theologians commit the same error of the religious leaders Yeshua chastised for elevating their traditions above the simple written Word?

God’s Word says that the Torah brings life, righteousness, blessings and sanctification.  Are you keeping the Sabbath, His Feasts, a clean diet, etc?  Pete Rambo doesn’t say that is ‘the Way,’ God does.

Shema!!  Yeshua died to redeem you from lawLESSness so that you might walk lawfully.

… Messiah Yeshua… gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Titus 2 NASB
http://bible.com/100/tit.2.14.NASB

Finally!! Exodus Road’s first album!!

Yesterday, as I sat at my desk, my cell phone rang and Tony Boyatt’s number came up.  I answered and he jumped right in, “Its finally finished.  The album you’ve been waiting for, Exodus Roadcan I send you a copy?”

After a little chit chat and getting details he mentioned it was on the web and gave me the web address.  Before our five minute conversation was over I had purchased and downloaded the album!

I’ve said it before, I just love their sound and their focus!  Hailing from North Georgia, this talented group of musicians and vocalist have a sound that brings serious mountain influence to the Messianic/Hebraic scene.  Gospel with a hint of bluegrass, heavy on the strings, I believe they have a very unique sound to offer.

This album opens with Song of Glory, the first tune I ever heard Exodus Road play.  This is a Hebraic mountain sound that will pleasantly get stuck in your head!  Continue reading “Finally!! Exodus Road’s first album!!”

Living in ‘no man’s land’ … but, there is hope!!

no mans landGrowing up in the Christian church, it was hard for me to understand why a Jew was utterly rejected by his family, friends and culture if he professed Jesus as his Messiah.  Essentially, the Jew who dared to breath the name of Jesus in anything other than an epithet or curse was cast out of the family and community as a pariah and treated as dead.  Understanding the complicated and multifaceted issues, not the least of which is a Torah-less Egyptian/Gentile looking Jesus who bears no real resemblance or connection to Yeshua, the Jewish Rabbi of Scripture, began to help me understand why Jews so violently and radically reject Jesus, a false Messiah.

Christendom generally expects and historically has required any Jew who believes Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah to reject the Torah, a radical ‘no-no’ according to much Scripture.  I could not relate to how ‘out of place’ this forced the Jew to be until the Holy Spirit began to awaken me to the everlasting unchanging Torah that is the Way of Righteousness, even today!  It was at this point that I could not only understand the plight of the Jew cast out of his community, but could empathize.  I had committed the ‘unpardonable sin’ Continue reading “Living in ‘no man’s land’ … but, there is hope!!”

Modern inquisitions and being burned at the stake…

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a volume every believer shouldburned-at-the-stake read.  It is at once sad, amazing and instructive to read the accounts of those who stood in the face of the religious establishment, even going to the flame.  Convinced of Scripture over the religious traditions and self appointed authorities of their day, men and women refused to back down from the crush of an all-powerful establishment preferring death to compromise.

Protestantism reveres the many martyrs who paved the way not only for the Reformation, but the spread of the ideas of the Reformation that broke the choke hold a few religious elites had on the Word of God.  Ironically, those self-same elites would burn others at the stake who do not agree with their narrow understanding of Scripture, even when clearly shown Scripture that contradicts their assertions.  More in a minute.

The Torah awakening that has been and continues to sweep the globe is not without many warriors who have paid a serious price to face off against the establishment.  Anyone who has been on this walk for any period of time will receive serious confrontation by religious elites who don’t like their little boats rocked.  This movement that began nearly thirty years ago, and now numbers in the millions, has battle hardened – and weary – leaders who have the wounds and scars of persecution from the establishment.

At the BYNA Summit several months ago I had the rare opportunity to enjoy dinner with Continue reading “Modern inquisitions and being burned at the stake…”