On several occasions I have shared the amazing beauty and depth of the Stu Lowndes’ videos. This morning I was again drawn to search them out and spend some time pondering the cavernous depths he opens with Scripture connections, imagery and music. ~ Masterful, leading to worship!
Enjoy this video and then go to his YouTube channel and drink the rich depth of other topics explored in verse and music.
I woke with a jolt, realizing that I did not know where I was. The sheets and pillow felt different in the darkened room. The sounds were all wrong. I lay motionless, frozen, waiting for the fog to lift from my mind as my eyes glanced around the room in an attempt to orient myself.
At the same time, strangely, the story of Solomon, the two harlots and the baby was playing in the corners of my awareness. Slowly, I began to recall my surroundings. Kelly and I had fallen into bed exhausted the night before from hours of travel and late arrival at Tzemach’s guest house in Giv’at Ye’arim, Israel. It was Shabbat morning and we were again in the Land of the Patriarchs!
But, why Solomon? I pondered before slowly getting out of bed to stand on the outer porch with a cup of hot tea to listen to the birds as the sun climbed higher in the sky. I had been considering the whole division of the baby a week earlier, but it seemed an odd thing to wake thinking about. I pushed it to the back of my mind with the excitement of the day. Continue reading “Solomon and the baby… today!”
In recent weeks I have had several run-ins with anti-missionaries. While I prefer not having such encounters as only rarely does anything good come of them, when they come 
to me, I have to respond as clearly and firmly as I can in humility and gentleness. Because many anti-missionaries are professional deprogrammers, they can be particularly dangerous to have extended conversations with. So, I’d like to share a few tools to defend yourself, should you or one you know have a similar encounter. But, before I do, I would like to share a few reasons why denying Yeshua and converting to Judaism is counter-productive toward reconciliation and damaging to the restoration of the Kingdom.
Because most who know and have relationship with Yeshua were reared in Christianity, most know the seriousness of denying the Messiah. I’ll not delve into His credentials or the reasons we need to maintain our faith in Him from the perspective of personal salvation. Rather, we need to take a look at the importance of maintaining our identity for corporate salvation.
The restoration of the Kingdom requires the fulfillment of prophecy. Any seeming restoration that bypasses prophecy is a false hope and works against the Word of God. Many, many prophecies can be pointed to that demonstrate the restored Kingdom has two parts that walk together. Those two parts are spelled out for us in Ezekiel 37:15-23, the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph. Verse 22 tells us these are two nations or two kingdoms. Hosea 1:11 confirms this. Two nations, two kingdoms come together under one head. Simply, prophecy cannot be fulfilled if Ephraim becomes Judah, nor can it be fulfilled if Judah becomes Ephraim!! Continue reading “Answering the Anti-missionaries”
Indeed, prophecy is unfolding before our eyes and many are a part of the single greatest event in history taking g place. Read this article and note the several ways you can participate!
For the times they are a changin’ – UNITED 2 RESTORE – http://wp.me/p4cMjG-1kW
Hey guys, I am excited to announce that registration is open for the 2017 B’ney Yosef North America Summit. Planned for February 12-14, 2017 in Mesa, Arizona at the Phoenix Marriott Mesa, this event will help to chart the course for the coming year as we see what the next steps are that the Father has for this continent. We will have many good discussion, build bridges, and receive messages from several dynamic speakers, details being finalized.
Last year’s Summit was an incredible time with the Ruach having awesome worship and dance as well as major steps toward bringing Ephraim in North America together to begin functioning as one people. I expect this year that the Father will continue to give direction and leadership as we explore what He would have us do between now and the next B’ney Yosef Congress in early 2018. EVERY fellowship and congregation needs representation! YOU need to be there!
To read more and register, go here! I really look forward to meeting many of you there!!
There are still so many stories bubbling up from our recent trip to Israel. It was such an incredible trip that I am still processing the many events. Even our flight home was ‘off the chain…’
During our 21 days in the Land, we were blessed to have many close and personal encounters with Brother Judah. It is what we had prayed for, but the Father’s answers far exceeded our expectations. I prayed for more on the flight home knowing there would be many Orthodox on the plane.
With five of us traveling and the 777 having three seats across the center section, Kelly and I chose to sit in the center section and leave the boys in the three seats that were on the window side of the aisle. I selected the aisle seat for a little more leg room and put Kelly in the center. Initially a lady was trying to get situated in the seat to Kelly’s left. I helped her put away luggage, etc… Then, just before we pushed back from the concourse in Tel Aviv, an Orthodox gentleman in black hat and coat stepped up and through very broken English asked if Kelly and I could change places. At first, I was confused by his sudden appearance, then, understanding that he was related to the woman and did not want to rub elbows with Kelly, I quickly made the switch. I wanted to protect him.
Quietly, I thanked Abba for putting him next to me.
We settled in for a 12 hour flight and I Continue reading “Davening in the rear galley of a 777”
While outwardly, B’ney Yosef North America (BYNA) has been pretty quiet, I can tell you from first hand participation, there has been MUCH going on. I am very encouraged at the happenings in spite of many challenges we have faced in our first few months of existence. Truly, Abba is doing something very special.
The BYNA website finally has a dedicated team that will be making regular updates and postings with news, articles, videos, etc… Keep an eye on it for information. Also, the National Shabbat website is growing as are the number of places participating!! This has been an incredibly blessed step in the direction of reconciliation and restoration. Register and participate!! Lastly, look for information on an initiative we are taking this Elul for the 40 days of repentance…
Now, here is an excellent interview and presentation by Batya Wooten assembled from a couple pieces of footage at the 2016 Summit in St. Petersburg, FL. Watch this and be blessed!!
Shalom!
Colonel David Stirling, founder of the British SAS, pioneered the modern military understanding and employment of special forces personnel. His mix of highly trained very small units operating audaciously in an unconventional manner led to very high success rates in facing off the Germans in WWII. Stirling is credited with the SAS motto, ‘Who Dares, Wins!’
Well readers, lately I (and others near me) have taken flak from a couple quarters for being willing to associate myself (ourselves) with individuals some would regard as the enemy. So, as a note of reassurance and as a warning that there will be rock throwers on this journey, I want to tell you, ‘Who dares, wins!!’ (Another, and more dear way to say this is ‘Rangers Lead The Way!!)
Christendom has a long history of throwing Judah under the bus and trying to force them to minimally see things ‘our way,’ or worse, convert to Christianity, leaving the ‘antiquated Torah’ behind. Even today, there are many in the Messianic that haven’t figured out that 1800+ years of failed Christian mission to the Jews has NOT produced good fruit. Maybe, just maybe, it is time to rethink our approach. And, for acting on that conviction, I/we dodge eggs and rocks.
One of the recent egg throwing episodes was shared with me this morning and honestly, my reaction was to laugh. Considering the host of one show had only to Google ‘Pete Rambo’ and have my name come up as the top five hits, it is instructive to note that he prefers throwing stones to doing simple research. He gives himself away in the first twenty seconds of this clip Continue reading “Who dares, wins!!”
Twice in the last couple days I have run into well-meaning individuals who denigrated the ‘Two House’ understanding of Scripture.
I realize, God has to open eyes and bring understanding, but at the same time, it is frustrating to deal with people who haven’t even taken the time to do something very simple:
-take a sheet of paper
-divide it into two columns
-label one column Continue reading “Two House… Unavoidable conclusion.”
In my last post I promised more about the recent B’ney Yosef Plenary Session in central TN. Honestly, I am still processing and incredibly busy with some of the work that came out of it in planning the upcoming B’ney Yosey North America Summit, info to be released as soon as I have it!!
Mike Clayton has just sent out his weekly newsletter that has his Torah Life teaching. The first 20 minutes, or so, he talks about his thoughts on the Plenary Session and what he sees going forward. Here is the video:
