ISSUE: #16

MEM

Message

So they were to wait until this special Feast Day when the Father poured out the Holy spirit upon them so they may be effective witnesses of the risen Yeshua (Jesus) to the whole world. Even though these disciples were with the Master day and night for His earthly ministry; they could not begin their ministry until this special event. We likewise must be empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to be an effective witness.

A careful reading of the book of Acts will reveal how the Spirit empowered the Apostles' witness to nations. We should pray that our Father will be gracious and pour out His Spirit upon us as it says in Acts 2:17-21

Should we also be observing the Feast of YHVH? (See Leviticus 23) When He ordained the Feast was there a great plan? Was not Yeshua our Passover Lamb? What lies ahead for the Feast of the seventh month? Be thankful for Pentecost.

Proverb

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens.

Saying

Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bible Quiz

1. In what city did Yeshua (Jesus) drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple area?
2. What Old Testament writer is called the "weeping prophet"?
3. Where did Paul go after leaving Philippi?
4. Who fulfilled God’s promise that Abraham’s seed would bless the whole earth?
5. During the plague of flies in Egypt, what area had no flies? Exodus 8:22
6. What Gentile girl decided to serve God because of her love for her mother-in-law, Naomi?
7. Who said, "I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means"?

Hebraic Lesson

THE FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST (SHAVUOT)

Last month we talked about counting the omer. On May 30^th this year we reach the 50^th day, which is Pentecost. Pentecost does not have a fixed calendar date in the Bible, but rather falls on the day after the completion of the omer count. In the 3^rd month after Israel left Egypt they arrived in the Sinai desert and camped opposite Mount Sinai. Moses was told by YHVH to gather the Israelites together to receive YHVH’s instructions. (Exodus 19:1-8) It was here at Mount Sinai that YHVH gave Israel His Torah (instructions) including the Ten Commandments. These Commandments were spoken by YHVH on Pentecost, and written by the finger of YHVH on tablets of stone. (Exodus 24:12)

The New Covenant spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet, we find the commandments of YHVH were to be written on our hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33) For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Israel after those days declares YHVH. I shall put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts.

Fifty days after Yeshua (Jesus) was resurrected, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the hearts and lives of all the believers in Yeshua. (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-18) This occurred on Pentecost. It is through the Holy Spirit that YHVH’s laws are written on our hearts. So Pentecost is the anniversary of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai and the writing of His law on our hearts by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

A Father’s Instructions for Life
H. Jackson Brown, JR.

• Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
• Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all he or she has.
• Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.
• Never take action when you’re angry.
• Have good posture. Enter a room with purpose and confidence.
• Don’t discuss business on elevators. You never know who may overhear you.

Did you know:

• The average human brain weighs about 3 pounds and is roughly the size of two fists held together. It composes only 2 percent of your total body weight
• The brain holds more than 100 billion neutrons, which need a constant supply of glucose and oxygen to survive. Each one of the nerve cells bonds to hundreds of other nerve cells, creating a complex circuit through which messages travel.
• The brain can send and receive messages to and from other nerve cells at up to 250 miles per hour – the fastest speed that occurs in your body.
• Humans have the largest brain in proportion to their body size.
• Men often have larger brains than women, but research shows that the brain works differently for each gender.
• Size doesn’t matter. A larger brain doesn’t necessarily mean you’re destined to be a genius. Intelligence often comes from how many brain cell connections you form. Each time you learn something new or exercise your memory, a new connection is formed.
• The brain has two sides that work together to develop your distinct personality. The left side is academic in nature, controlling our ability to think logically comprehend math and science, and conquer language skills. The right side is more creative, allowing abstract thought, emotions and risk taking.
• For thousands of years, humans were clueless about the shape of the brain’s inner ventricles. It wasn’t until Leonardo da Vinci poured hot wax into the ventricles of a dead ox that people stopped drawing them as spheres.
• By the time children are 3 years old, they have made 1,000 trillion brain cell connections – nearly twice that of an adult. After roughly a decade, the brain gets rid of extra connections making sense out of the tangled circuit nerve cells.

Humor

Found in the newspaper:

• Have several very old dresses from grandmother in beautiful condition.
• Vacation Special: have your home exterminated.
• Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated. Come here first.
• Homemade gifts for the hard to find person.
• Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.
• And now, the Superstore-unequaled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivaled inconvenience.

Children’s Story

Chapter Thirteen – Settling In

Father Jeremiah noted the three southern tribes were now in place, the tabernacle was completely assembled and the fiery presence of YHVH in the form of a pillar was over the most holy place. The end of the cloud could be seen in the distance as the tribe of Ephraim was just arriving. The natural light of the day was now lighting the area. The process of getting over 100,000 people from the tribe of Ephraim settled into new campsites was going smoothly. Each clan could easily find their banners. The leaders directed each family to their respective area. The column of people seemed to flow into their camp area and spread out like honey being poured from a jar on to a large flat pan. Thousands of brightly colored tents were being erected and people, like ants, were scurrying about getting things back into livable conditions.

Manasseh was now entering the area just north of Ephraim and the banners of Benjamin were seen in the distance coming from the east of the tabernacle to take up their staked out area on the south side of Ephraim. These three tribes always settled on the west side of the tabernacle. The tribe of Dan with Asher and Naphtali could be seen coming over the far eastern ridge and heading to the north where they would settle until the next moving of YHVH.

Despite all the activity each family had to gather their share of manna before the day would become too hot and the manna would melt away. YHVH is a merciful God and looked at the heart of the people. When they were obedient and set out to gather the manna, there was always enough in their jars when they returned.

Jeremiah was there to greet those of the clan of Tahan. He had already staked out the camp boundaries and put markers dividing the clan into sub groups. As each of the heads of families arrived, Jeremiah directed them to their area. Of course Jeremiah was not alone as the captains over 50’s were assisting him. The area of his clan would occupy an area of approximately 1000 acres. It was usually the oldest son who was responsible for getting the tent and supplies in place. Other able bodied sons were assigned to help widows or the elderly. And when these were settled in, they would send a representative group to the next tribe to assist in clearing or staking out before they arrived.

Because so many young men had helped from the earlier arriving tribes, most of the helpers from the west side were sent out to help prepare protective pastures for the flocks and herds. The slower moving flocks and herds would arrive after the people were settled in. Jeremiah assigned a group of about 150 young men from his clan to help work on the night pastures. Their job would be to cut small trees and brush. Then they would stack, weave, and interlock them into long fence rows. This would act as a barrier to hold the animals in and the predators out during the night hours. These night pastures were very large and again separated by tribe and clan so each could be assigned for ease of locating ones animals.

Quiz Answers

1. Jerusalem Mark 11:15-17

2. Jeremiah

3. Thessalonica Acts 17:1

4. Messiah (Christ) Galatians 3:16

5. The land of Goshen, where God’s people lived. Exodus 8:22

6. Ruth Ruth 1:14-19

7. Daniel Daniel 5:17