ISSUE: #45

MEM

Message

We do hope you have had an enjoyable fall festival. If you do not understand about the Festivals of YHVH go to our web site and read about His plan of salvation for mankind. [Click here for our article on the Festivals]

We should all be refreshed, filled with joy and spiritual food. Through the long season until the spring Holy days we need to digest what we have heard, seen, and experienced. Are we now better equipped to stand against the enemy? We know the time is short and we should be listening for the leading of the Spirit.

For those of us who are on the yearly Torah cycle (first five books of Scripture), we have begun a new cycle. I am still amazed with the new understanding I gain at each cycle. If you can find a good commentary on the Torah cycle it can be very helpful in causing one to think, to challenge one to apply what is read; to both our physical and spiritual life. This is a weekly reading that disciplines us to stay on track. In no way should this reading replace regular study and reading of all Scripture.

Understanding why we need a Savior and the reason for our calling, will bring peace and comfort to our lives and spill over into the lives of those around us. One of the greatest lessons we gain from Torah reading is our need for redemption. The Creator, desiring to make man in His image, made him with choice. He desires we choose to trust Him, to obey Him, to love Him with all our heart, with all our strength. Yet from the beginning we have chosen to go our own way. We have been given over to another spirit being that caters to our flesh and his selfish desires - we are in bondage to this selfish, prideful being that is interested in our destruction. Because we are like him, we cannot change on our own, we need to be bought back, to be washed, cleansed, regenerated; literally, born of the Spirit of the Almighty.

John 3:5 5 Yeshua answered, "Yes, indeed, I tell you that unless a person is born from water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. (Complete Jewish Bible CJB, unless specified)

We still have our flesh, it wants us to return to the bondage of our Adversary: Galatians 5: 17 For the old nature wants what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. These oppose each other, so that you find yourselves unable to carry out your good intentions.

Romans 8:7 For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God’s Torah- indeed, it cannot.

Not to worry: Romans 8: 10-12 However, if the Messiah is in you, then, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin; but, on the other hand, the Spirit is giving life because God considers you righteous. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you. So then, brothers, we don’t owe a thing to our old nature that would require us to live according to our old nature.

Are there any other reasons to read the Torah?

1 Corinthians 10: 1-5 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

6 -13 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY." Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (NAS)

We encourage you join in the weekly Torah reading. Ask YHVH to help you understand how this reading can cause your walk before Him to be more pleasing.

Proverb

Proverbs 6:23 For the mitzvah (commandment) is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs that discipline are the way to life.

Proverbs 1:1-4 The proverbs of Shlomo the son of David, king of Isra’el, are for learning about wisdom and discipline; for understanding words expressing deep insight; for gaining an intelligently disciplined life, doing what is right, just and fair; for endowing with caution those who don’t think and the young person with knowledge and discretion.

So it is that without the whole of Scripture we would not know the mind or our Creator.

Saying (s)

"What I do today is important because I am paying a day of my life for it. What I accomplish must be worth while because the price is high."

Psalm 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. (NAS)

Bible Quiz

1. What were the disciples doing while Yeshua was praying shortly before His death?
2. Which book tells about a man who went to Nineveh to preach?
3. John wrote the seven churches in what province?
4. What sin caused 23,000 to die in one day?
5. Who else besides Moses and Aaron made their staffs become snakes in front of Pharaoh?
6. About which of his sons did Jacob say, " The scepter will not depart"?
7. Who said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Humility

"Let us at the very outset of our meditations, then admit that there is nothing so natural to man, nothing so insidious and hidden from our sight, nothing so difficult and dangerous as pride." Andrew Murray

It is my contention that without a spiritual revelation we will never understand the depth of our pride which is opposed to the humility of our Savior. When we read Scripture, especially Torah, we might ask; "Why does mankind not turn to his Creator?" It is because we have this nature of pride that is opposed to the nature of YHVH.

Job 35:12 They may cry out, but no one answers, because of evil men’s pride.

Job 36:9 he shows them the results of their doings, the crimes caused by their pride.

Did you know:

• It takes about 550 peanuts to make a regular sized 12-ounze jar of creamy peanut butter.
• Americans eat about 7 pounds of the sticky peanut butter per person per year.
• Chocolate contains small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA), which is a mild mood elevator. It’s the same chemical that our brain produces when we feel happy or "in love."
• Held in March of each year in Montpelier, VT, the odor eaters rotten sneaker contest rewards the person with the stinkiest sneakers. PEEEHEW!
• Siberian huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are two types of dogs that are trained to pull sleds across the snow.
• In 2005 the Six Flags Theme Park Company says their roller coaster "Kingda Ka" was the tallest and fastest on earth: towering 456 feet and launching at 128 miles per hour!

Lighter Side

In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark.

Fearful and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark. "Remember," said the Lord, "you must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year.."

Exactly one year later, a fierce storm cloud covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. "Noah." He shouted, "Where is the Ark?" "Lord please forgive me!" cried Noah. "I did my best, but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices. Then my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission.

I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl. I finally convinced the U.S. Forest Service that I needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me catch any owls. So, no owls.

The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union.. Now I Have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls.

When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard. Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the universe. Then the Army Corps of Engineer demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe.

Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard!

The IRS has seized all my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes.

I just got a notice from the state that I owe some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a recreational water craft."

Finally the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore unconstitutional. I really don't think I can finish the Ark for another 5 or 6 years!" Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully. "You mean you are not going to destroy the earth, Lord?" "No," said the Lord sadly. "The system already has."

AMEN

The Story of Harry

Harry had now proved for himself that the seventh day Sabbath was still a command of the Creator and the Savior. The whole world seemed to take on a new look for Harry. He had a joy and inward peace which was difficult to put into words. His study of Scripture seemed more alive than ever; more meaning and newer understanding seem to flow from the sacred Word. It seemed the words were speaking to his inner being.

Harry desired to share his understanding and fellowship with others. It did not take long for Harry to realize others did not share his enthusiasm. They were not interested in the ‘Law’ of an old testament God that was replaced by a loving ‘Jesus’.

Some were polite and let Harry talk for a while about the whole Scripture. Soon they would excuse themselves when they could not convince Harry there was no need for the Old Testament except for some nice stories about David, Daniel, maybe Abraham or the story of Moses. Stories that did not have much of a connection with the sweet ‘Jesus’.

The more Harry tried to get friends and neighbors to see the consistency of all Scripture and how all is tied to the whole story of redemption and our salvation, the more he seemed to alienate them. Soon they would avoid him, they would cross the street when they saw him coming or turn around and make a fast exit.

Harry wondered, "What do I need to do?" He prayed and looked to the Word for understanding. The stories of Paul and the early Apostles indicated there were some that would not accept the Gospel and there were a minority that did. Where is that minority? Harry looked in the phone book for seventh day keeping churches. He then looked these up on the Internet. He studied their doctrine. After a time he realized he could not find a local congregation that fit his complete understanding of Scripture.

"What should I do?" Harry pondered this until he read Matthew 5: 15 Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lamp stand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. Why not attend a local seventh day keeping church and live the example he was learning from the Word? This would allow him to have the fellowship he desired and have the opportunity to be a light despite the evident doctrinal differences.

Harry prayed and mid week he drove past three different seventh day keeping churches in a 10 mile radius. One was large and expensive looking, one was meeting in an old building and did not seem inviting, the third had a small white building that looked like an old style schoolhouse. When he had pulled into the parking lot of each he noted the meeting times and wrote his impressions of each in a note book. Back home he researched each group again on the internet, with the intent of making a decision by start of the Sabbath.

Does their doctrine matter? Would the large expensive well kept church building be best as he could be un-noticed among a large group? Should the small one serve him best as there would be fewer to meet and remember? Maybe the ones that meet in that old building, are struggling and have needs, could he help them?

This was a big step for Harry. He had only attended the same church and denomination since childhood. He had all the excess baggage of those years he needed to remove so it would not act as a hindrance when he takes this new step. Not sensing any leading from the Spirit he decided to get up early Sabbath morning to care for his mother’s needs before going to the earliest service. Arriving early at the large church building he drove to the far corner of the parking lot to sit and observe the arriving members. One car was already there, probably the minister, thought Harry. Half an hour before services a couple of cars arrived. Men in suits and ties parked near an entrance and went in followed by their wives and children dressed neat as a pin.

Harry was glad he brought along a suit jacket just in case. He waited, and waited. About six minutes before starting time it appeared like a traffic jam as cars hustled in from every direction. The rush was on as people flocked into the building. Harry quickly gathered his suit jacket and Bible and headed in. I will be un-noticed, he thought.

Next time: Harry experiences a large Seventh Day keeping congregation.

Quiz Answers

1. Sleeping - Luke 22:45

2. Jonah - Jonah 3:1-3

3. Asia - Revelation 1:4

4. Sexual immorality - 1 Corinthians 10:8

5. The Egyptian magicians - Exodus 7:11

6. Judah - Genesis 49:10

7. Philippian jailer - Acts 16:29-30