11:3 Restoration

How did you get that steeple on your church?

Ki Tisa 2014. A few thoughts….

A few hours ago I sat down to pen this post when instead a post about kidding and farm life in the snow rolled out of my head… So, ‘take 2!’

I have not made it a habit of commenting on the weekly Torah portions, but for some reason, I have several random thoughts this week to share… Nothing really connected. Just a few thoughts on what many may regard a minor pieces…

The portion, Ki Tisa, meaning ‘when you elevate,’ is Exodus 30:11-34:35, and covers a lot of territory. Sabbath as a perpetual covenant sign (31:16-17)! Idolatry/golden calf as syncretism (32:5)!

I just want to point out a few other items that I found interesting…

30:34-38. Incense on the altar. As we studied the furniture of the Holy Place in the last weeks, I’m not sure why it didn’t hit me, but as I read of the incense on the altar Continue reading “Ki Tisa 2014. A few thoughts….”

…the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart…

How many of us have memorized this verse?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Many of us. In fact, I know many pastors who use this as part of their prayer before beginning a sermon.

Having memorized this verse, it lept out at me as I was doing part of my ‘Who is…’ series. There is a clear declaration of Yahweh as the Redeemer, but what grabbed my attention even more was the reference. This comes from Psalm 19!!!

Oh. You don’t know why that is so important? Continue reading “…the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart…”

Local weather calling for snow… Again!!

Local weather is calling for snow… Again!! Frankly, one good snow every two or three years is about normal for this Southeastern region. A couple weeks ago we had a moderate sleet/snow mix, so maybe a big one is in order… Still, this winter has been very cold and not very ‘nice.’

In our family Bible reading this morning we were discussing a passage that touches on the whole weather issue… In fact, daily, the weather that we concern ourselves with should serve as a continual reminder Continue reading “Local weather calling for snow… Again!!”

How to inherit eternal life, according to Yeshua…

A man once asked Yeshua what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. That is a question asked today by those who recognize the longing in their souls. Yeshua’s answer was a little different than what you will hear in most churches… Should give us something to chew on!

Here is how Luke records the exchange,

²⁵And a ^[a]lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶And He said to him, Continue reading “How to inherit eternal life, according to Yeshua…”

Messianic Pharisees. Paradigm breakers!

As we discussed yesterday, Christendom is generally not taught to have a high regard for the Pharisees. Yet, ironically, we hold several Pharisees up as models of faith!! How can that be?

If you say, ‘because they stopped being a Pharisees,’ you would be wrong!!

Walk with me as we consider a couple Messianic Pharisees!

John 3:1-21 recounts the story of a Pharisees, Nicodemus, who sought out Yeshua by night to ask a few questions. Nicodemus obviously understood something worthy of investigation was going on, he just did not understand it. It didn’t quite fit his box. Instead of discounting it, he investigated! The result is that he became a follower. Continue reading “Messianic Pharisees. Paradigm breakers!”

Prophetic attack on peace? Odd…

If I am not mistaken, this is the second time in recent months when doves, released from the Vatican, were attacked by ravens. Is this an ominous prophetic sign? Other recent strange happenings at the Vatican have included it being struck by lightning.. twice, as well as other signs.

Here are a couple pics and a link to one article about this…

Another article had the following pic: Continue reading “Prophetic attack on peace? Odd…”

Correcting Our Paradigm

The correct priority of Scripture is sequential. We should start at the beginning. Paul tells us that a later covenant cannot contradict an earlier covenant. Neither can a later scripture contradict an earlier one. If there were such a contradiction, it would mean that one of the scriptures was wrong (in which case it isn’t Holy scripture) or that God had changed His mind (in which case He is inconsistent and fallible). The correct priority of Scripture starts with the Torah.

D. Thomas Lancaster, Restoration, Pg. 52

Christendom’s opinion is precisely opposite the above quote from Lancaster. I can’t tell you how many times it has been expressed or implied that ‘we can’t understand the Old Testament without the New.’ In fact, the very structure of seminary courses, the pattern of preaching habits and the plethora of theological books reveal that Christendom spends roughly 85% of their time in the last 1/3 of the Bible with little or no understanding of the first 2/3rds apart from a few prooftexts.

Yeshua on the other hand, spoke nothing of Himself, but continually pointed to the Tanak Continue reading “Correcting Our Paradigm”