Tag: Torah

The Smashing Rock and COVID-19

Can a pestilence like COVID-19 help destroy kingdoms like the Rock in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream?

I teach a weekly Shabbat service online in addition to posts I write for different outlets, including this one. From my Shabbat group as well as news broadcasts and online articles, the Wuhan virus, aka COVID-19, as a pestilence is troubling a great many people, and some, to our sorrow, have died. Some are looking to the heavens and expecting a rapture because of this pestilence. I do not believe, nor teach, that the rapture will happen anytime before Yeshua physically returns. We have to go through the refining process here on earth with all our peoples, all Israel and the many Gentile nations. As part of the refining process, Yeshua is going to destroy human governments that are opposed to Him and His rule. He with, and through, the Holy Spirit, is preparing a people ready for him. That includes being ready to be ruled by the terms of the Mosaic Covenant made at Mount Sinai, and reaffirmed several times since, and made into a New Covenant in our hearts. Let’s consider part of the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and interpreted by Daniel, servant of YHVH.

Continue reading “The Smashing Rock and COVID-19”

I’m Rethinking the Apostle Paul…

“Paul is hard to understand.” Like me, you probably hear this all of the time. I finally had to start rethinking Paul.  Whatever position I arrived at, I knew that it had to agree with the Apostle Peter.

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. [15] And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, [16] as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2 Peter 3:14-18

Peter clearly admits Paul is ‘hard to understand’, but also admits that his writings fit with ‘the other Scriptures.’ I decided that I must be missing something or not seeing Paul correctly.  I had to rethink or re frame him.

Recently we had a comment here on the blog and a portion of that comment expresses exactly what has me concerned. And they are not alone in this difficulty.

“Since we know that Paul’s teachings/letters have done huge damage in getting people off track, as they are truly stumbling blocks, then why do so many messianic pastors try to ok his teaching against Torah and try to ok it? Yeshua warned us that the false tare words would remain till the end! And they sure have. Our Abba didn’t allow mixture then and He doesn’t allow it now. We had better be careful when we use Paul’s mixed teachings. I want nothing to do with stumbling blocks!.” 

Part of my concern is that many in the Torah walk have minimized or even outright rejected Paul’s letters! This is a very dangerous thing to do! Supposedly, Paul upheld and taught the Torah. Is it possible we misunderstand Paul because we are looking through the wrong lens? 

One thing that I think we often forget when we read Paul is one of the most basic rules of Bible study. CONTEXT IS KING. We often consider the surrounding context of Scripture, but we fail to understand the circumstantial or cultural context of his audience.  So let’s consider the context of Paul and his writings. 

Continue reading “I’m Rethinking the Apostle Paul…”

Do we REALLY accept Torah?

2 Now it will come about that
In the last days
The mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established as the chief of the mountains,
And will be raised above the hills;
And all the nations will stream to it.
3 And many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
That He may teach us concerning His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For the law (Torah) will go forth from Zion
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:2-3

Do we really accept Torah?

This awakening to Torah that is happening across the planet is amazing, messy, crazy and fascinating. Clearly, Abba is up to something, because there is no other explanation that fits this phenomenon.

Still, do we really accept Torah?

No doubt, this is a process. We are learning and the understandings are varied. There is no monolithic opinion or system, though many try to control or direct it… I myself am guilty as I share what the Father and His Word teach me. But, do we really accept Torah?

Continue reading “Do we REALLY accept Torah?”

From generation to generation….


Numerous passages of Scripture declare, not only that God doesn’t change, but that His Torah, His instructions for righteousness, remain in effect.

Theological contortionist and doctrinal gymnastics aside, the seventh day Sabbath has not been changed (Ex. 20:8-11).   The feasts of the Lord remain in effect (Lev. 23), and eating unclean still brings curses (Is. 66:16-17).  

Please.  Read what your Bible actually says, not what man made church doctrines say it says.

Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord , because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
Hosea 8:1 KJV

http://bible.com/1/hos.8.1.KJV

Musing: The angst inducing chains of tradition…

Lately, I have been pondering the chains of tradition and why they cause us such angst when we make a break from the accepted warped norms.  I recall the first six months of our transition to Torah and remember multiple times, waking in a cold sweat and running to the kitchen table where my books were often laid out to be reassured once again that the Scriptures indeed say the Torah is forever and THE way of life.  The Christian traditions of my fathers and the doctrines I learned in seminary and then parroted from the pulpit had indeed become chains upon my soul.

Now, don’t misjudge what I just said, because Christendom contains much, MUCH, truth, but mixed with that truth are pillar doctrines that are demonstrably false.  The angst comes when we finally know, undeniably, that the pillar is wrong, yet we want to still cling to it even though we know we must remove it.   Let me give you a practical example, then a real life theological example.

Tearing down walls…

Over the summer my school schedule lightened a bit, so I decided to do a little remodeling in the house.  Central to the remodeling was the decision to open up the pantry/kitchen/living room area.  To do so, I needed to remove two load bearing walls, something I have never done before.

I thought about the process for weeks.  I would look at the walls, tap on them, picture how to do it. Continue reading “Musing: The angst inducing chains of tradition…”

A truth Chistendom MUST consider.


The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
Isaiah 24:5‭-‬6 NASB

http://bible.com/100/isa.24.5-6.NASB

The “perfect” Torah…

The Torah has never been done away with or even diminished.  It stands in perfect fullness today as the revealed path of righteousness that preceeded Creation.  Selah.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalms 19:7 NASB

http://bible.com/100/psa.19.7.NASB

Under Construction. Home Fellowships.

Abba is doing amazing things as He awakens His people to the roots of their faith and what it means to walk as Yeshua walked.  

We have been doing some remodeling to update and improve the interior of this 80+ year old home.  Still, Shabbat comes and we were hosting this week.  So, Friday afternoon we frantically removed tools, lumber, drywall, etc and

cleaned/vacuumed in anticipation of facilitating fellowship here.

Here are a couple pics from our home Shabbat gathering.  It is not always this big, but we are happy to host whoever He brings and yesterday was an amazing day of fellowship, midrash and worship.

Here we are gathering and getting situated…

Then, worship and dance.  (Yes, we managed to squeeze a dance circle in!!)  Boys seated on the scaffold used to drywall the 10′ ceilings… projector taped to boxes on top of the scaffold aimed at a sheet hastily tacked on the wall…

Notice the biggest blessing in the room??  Teenagers outnumbered adults almost 2:1!!!  Total numbers were about 50 Heebs.

We spent about two hours in worship and discussion of the Torah portion before breaking to eat and the fellowship spilled outside into the cooling evening until about 10 pm when families packed up to head home.

Abba is doing something amazing in our day.  We need only be willing to be used and be bridge builders among His people, facilitating and letting Him guide and direct.

I encourage you out there, find and get in fellowship. Then, as it grows and the Father leads, be willing to facilitate a group.  You do not need special degrees or training.  The Holy Spirit brought you this far…  read, study and let Abba lead!!  Seek peace and unity in all love and humility.  This is where you will find the Father’s blessing!  

Do you study the Scriptures Paul studied?

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Ever pondered what he considered to be Scripture?  Funny that most of Christendom majors on Paul instead of going to his source: Genesis to Malachi. 

Maybe, we need to spend more time in that which he calls Scripture so that we can rightly understand what he says…