tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6828950718246562372024-03-20T21:16:52.219-07:00K D ElizabethK D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-51559464873884698472019-06-12T16:38:00.006-07:002019-06-19T04:25:07.642-07:00Two SticksI have a parable!<br />
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Please allow me to share the background and details of this photo . . .<br />
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The cow in the photo is Esther. She is a full-sized cow and that patch of green with white blossoms spanning about 300 square feet is the elderberry patch here in the Land of Goshen. When I moved here, there was no elderberry patch, but I knew of 5 wild patches that have sadly disappeared through the years. In 2012, I realized I was down to one wild patch. Elderberries are terribly valuable for the immune system and the last wild patch looked to be in the same danger as the others that have disappeared. Actually, they have died away from spraying by the power company and state roadway mowing. So, in my last picking, rather than make juice of all of them, I froze a few berries. I figured freezing would simulate winter and I'd plant them in late winter in the greenhouse.<br />
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Only two sprouted, but they grew and when the possibility of frost has passed, I planted those two "sticks" in April of 2013. The "sticks" were about 18" tall with just a couple of leaves, and what I hoped to be, a healthy root system. I don't remember any blossoms or berries in 2014, and 2015 was Shemitah, so since I'd planted them, I didn't cultivate or harvest the berries. By 2016, the two plants had expanded and the harvest was nice. The plants had expanded so dramatically by 2017, I could no longer distinguish the two original plants. In the past two years, this elderberry patch has provided elderberry syrup, tincture, and juice for several households, as well as producing slips for new patches on other homesteads.<br />
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As I viewed this massive expansion this year, Ezekiel 37 came to mind. There were two sticks that just did what they were created to do. They grew toward the light and the sun, they drank in the rain from heaven and produced deep roots in good soil. Of course, they didn't tell each other how to produce fruit, but the bees and butterflies hovered between the two plants in the late spring as the blossoms appeared, doing what they were created to do. The plants themselves didn't seem to organize a plan for unity, and this has certainly become abundantly more than I had imagined. I'm even hopeful a bird or two might carry some berries to another location where another wild patch could begin.<br />
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It's absolutely amazing what happens when creation simply does what our Creator ordained to be done. They didn't have meetings, conferences, aim for unity or common ground, those two sticks just did what Father created them to do. This is not intended to discourage meetings, fellowship, or conferences, but just a reminder that our best intentions are not always divinely inspired. We cannot make growth or unity happen unless and until it is Father's plan and timing.<br />
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The two sticks have become one . . .<br />
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<b><i>And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine
hand.</i></b><br />
<b><i>And say unto them, Thus saith Adonai YHUH; Behold, I will take the children of
Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on
every side, and bring them into their own land: Ezekiel 37: 17, 21</i></b><br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-50310955579672197362019-03-28T16:33:00.003-07:002019-03-29T09:40:53.315-07:00We Could Take a Lesson from a Former TeacherThe subject of my blog is not usually an individual, but today I'm making an exception. Actually, I'm going to talk about a couple, a humble power couple who have balanced humility with power, wealth, and fame, outside of Washington DC or Hollywood. Bill and Gloria Gaither have been an amazing team for over 1/2 a century and today Bill is 83 years old. Although I don't know them personally, their track record is public and that's what I want to share.<br />
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They began as school teachers in a small town in Indiana and even after composing "He Touched Me," they continued teaching school for a few more years. The first point I'd like to make, is they have an amazing work ethic, and continue to work all these years later. I don't know their net worth, although I'm sure it's nothing to sneeze at, they live in the same home they bought in the 60s while teaching school. Without a doubt, they could have retired in the comfort of continuing royalties many years ago, and certainly at 65, but they didn't. I honestly do not believe this 83 year old man is still doing what he's doing "for the money!"</div>
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Some of their songs are printed in hymnals. Who remembers hymnals? They are among the few songwriters whose songs are in hymnals while still living! Not to discount Gloria in this, but today is not her birthday.</div>
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They continued to teach school while they wrote, introducing their work to their own church choir, as well as family singing groups and quartets that Bill admired as a teen. "He Touched Me" was written in 1963, but it would be nearly a decade before that song changed their lives. When Elvis and a few other well-known singers of the day recorded "He Touched Me," they quit their day job. To this day, when he speaks to young music majors, he is very clear in telling them, "Don't quit your day job!" Young people are still very much a priority, and our Heavenly Father graciously brought both of them out from careers in the Public Education System to use their<br />
G-d given talent to bring Him glory.</div>
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As the name, Gaither, became a household word in Christian churches and homes, the number of Gaithers in their own home increased. They have three children and I'm not sure how many grandchildren, some of whom are adults, themselves. Out of respect for the older servants in song ministries, Bill and Gloria hosted a "reunion" of many of the long recognized and well-known names in gospel music, such as Goodman and Speer. The "reunion" that was intended as a single event became another part of their legacy in "The Homecoming Videos."</div>
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Bill Gaither has given dozens of young singers a wonderful platform to begin their ministries and/or careers, as well as keeping memories of George Younce, Rex Nelon, and Jake Hess alive for these next generations. He's shared his stage with many other groups, who would not be so well known without the Gaither spotlight. Beyond his talents in music and songwriting, he is gifted to recognize and spotlight the talents of others. </div>
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Although some Christian vocalists have had some reported personal problems, there is no record or report of anyone leaving under discord. A few have said, however; trying to keep up with Bill Gaither wears them out . . . but they keep getting on that bus and stage with him. Many have launched into their own solo careers, but return for the reunions, or can be seen in the crowds. The relationships come across as very genuine. To work together daily, travel like family and continue to get along, is an amazing feat, not accomplished by just everyone.</div>
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The number of different denominations under the same roof for concerts, homecoming videos and cross country bus tours is mind-boggling. Unlike social media, these folks just love the opportunity to praise our Heavenly Father and enjoy fellowship! Truth be told, as my life took this crazy change and need for adjustment, the old southern gospel and Gaither Vocal Band have been a real blessing. </div>
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Mark Allen Powell described Mr. William James Gaither in the following manner.<br />
He's a curious hybrid</div>
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of poet and industrialist</div>
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of bumpkin and guru,</div>
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of living legend</div>
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and modest disciple.<br />
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Bill Gaither has worked with a group and certainly spotlighted this group, taking them from the small churches of Appalachia to the national stage. Since this is the blog for Psalm 133 ministries, I'd like to share this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35MB9pRLmmY" target="_blank">video by the Isaacs</a>. </div>
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<b>Hinei Ma Tov </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity</b> </span></span></div>
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<i>from Psalm 133</i></div>
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K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-9441158741841646262019-03-14T06:50:00.001-07:002019-03-14T06:50:17.595-07:00Finding Our Creator in His WordI entered Covenant with our Heavenly Father through His Son in 1994. That was 25 years ago, long before many translations of Scripture were available. By that time, there was, of course, more than just the King James Version, but the Complete Jewish Bible was not yet published, and neither was the Cepher. The ISR was published in 1993, but I'd never heard of it. I had a KJV, Scofield, no less and bought a Strong's Concordance the next day, along with an Evangelical Study Bible (KJV) and an NIV Rainbow Study Bible. (That was when the rainbow just stood for covenant and color!) Within days, I discovered The Name of our Creator and that of His Son. Within a month, I was hearing the Voice of our Creator. It wasn't daily, but it was distinct!<br />
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The reason for my personal history on this matter is simple. As more people are coming to understand Torah obedience in following Messiah, King James and James Strong are being discounted. I'm not a KJV only believer, but I'm certainly not going to discount it. The internet has as many "teachers" as TBN has televangelists and everyone seems to have their special understanding . . . often translated by yours truly as "a tangent."<br />
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We all know there are errors in KJV. Aside from poor translations of the Father and Son's Name, since we know names do not translate, the greatest offense I have found is an intentional mistranslation in Acts. Throughout the accounts of the Gospel the word "pascha" was translated to Passover, but in Acts 12:4, that same term "pascha" was written as easter. Constantine was dead set on keeping his empire united while separating from Judaism. I cannot judge how many intentional mistranslations the Nicene Council contributed as they determined the content of the New Testament, but Strong's Concordance offers a simple way to decode the KJV translation from Hebrew and Greek to English. Many choose to interpret Paul's epistles to render the Hebrew Scriptures obsolete, except as history, but if Paul taught against the only Scripture at that time, that would make him a false teacher . . .<br />
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I've grown weary hearing how much of the Bible was mistranslated . . . Our Heavenly Father promises to be found by those who seek Him with a whole heart. Isaiah and Jeremiah both include words about seeking, as do many other books contained within Holy Scripture, but as of yet, I've found no Scripture to specify the translation we are to use. Even as an author, I can state unequivocally, there is no extraneous book needed to find Him. I pray some of the books, mine included, are helpful in areas of question or doubt, but spiritual growth only comes from time with our Heavenly Father and in His Word. Anything we read must be measured against the standard of The Word.<br />
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I realize this is not the intentions of most, but in the continual discussion of mistranslation and cultural context, Scripture seems to actually be discounted as an inaccurate history book, and that is simply not the case! Perhaps it's just my perspective and maybe I need an attitude adjustment, but far too many people are falling away from the Truth in what they believe to be revelation knowledge.<br />
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Not that I am comparing a president to our Creator, but rather using the situation to make a point. Biographies are my favorite reading material and in school, I read every book about JFK that I could get my hands on. Each book contained much of the same basic information, but emphasized various details and aspects of his life. I, also do not choose to believe the "official report" regarding his assassination. In all of this reading and years of discussing the official report, there is one overwhelming fact . . . I never met President Kennedy. I can recite all sorts of facts, but I never knew the man. This is the same thing I'm seeing in some of these discussions and teaching posts. We can discuss our knowledge of Biblical history and our perspective of various translations until Messiah returns, but that doesn't mean we have an actual relationship with our Heavenly Father or His Son.<br />
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I am not discounting education in any way, but in all the endeavor to discover truth and enlighten others, we must not miss the actual point of the purpose of the Bible, and that is that we might know our Creator through His Son and to walk with Him. Time is of the essence and a relationship in covenant obedience with our Creator is the point. Messiah said it so simply.<br />
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<b><i>But seek ye first the kingdom of G-d, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33</i></b><br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-30020352401695029252019-02-27T18:11:00.000-08:002019-02-27T18:18:11.818-08:00There is A War on HumanityHaving ourselves so polarized isn't helping anyone see the bigger picture! The war on masculinity, the feminist movement, and all these horrific laws against protecting children are all part of the bigger spiritual war against humanity. The division amongst ourselves only leaves us more vulnerable.<br />
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Men were created to be masculine; strong, protectors and providers.<br />
1971 Webster's definition of masculine: strong, vigorous, manly.<br />
Although it is a matter of conscience and integrity, testosterone fuels that drive and motivation. Our food supply is counter to maintaining proper levels of testosterone, thus weakening muscles and with that comes a reduction of motivation. Whether weakened by the food supply, societal pressures, or absent; when masculinity is diminished or absent, a vulnerability exists in the American household.<br />
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Women were created to be nurturers and nesters. The feminist movement has caused many to be distracted. Although feminism became noted and named in the late 60s when bras were burned, after women won the right to vote in the 20s, many of the Silent Generation grew up with both parents working away from home and the number of family farms had already seriously declined. WWII brought us Rosie the Riveter and without major fanfare "stay at home motherhood" became some sort of default existence! Once women became distracted, the children of the American household were left vulnerable.<br />
Definition of feminine, same reference as above: having qualities characteristic of or suitable to women: gentle, delicate, etc.<br />
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Feminism, on the other hand is defined as: the movement to win political, economic, and social equality for women. Certainly not the first time a bad idea was introduced to a woman. The ERA never passed, but the subversive purpose of this movement has gained momentum in nearly half a century and altered our society significantly! After 50 years, where is American politics, economy, and society in general? The most divided and divisive it has very been on every level and in every faction! All this division has left our most helpless to be the most vulnerable.<br />
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The targeted group is the children! So much in our society comes against them. Through abortion, the value of life has been obviously diminished in our society. Sadly, I have not always been anti-vax, and I deeply regret my cowardice programming. With so many women, now in the workforce, daycare and preschool have taken over for the distracted nurturers . . . The indoctrination begins early, and vaccines are fiercely encouraged if not outrightly mandated for preschool. With so many single parent households, the food supply is greatly influenced by government subsiding and affordability. Many women give birth and go back to work in 3 months or less. The children are subjected to social indoctrination quite young in daycare, pre-school and of course, public education.<br />
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<b><i>And YHUH said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered YHUH, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down
in it. Job 2:2</i></b></div>
<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-43613434350205361662018-01-30T06:04:00.002-08:002018-02-04T11:16:38.370-08:00The Here and NowLike most folks, I love a good discussion on Scriptural prophecy and I've offered a perspective or two regarding eschatology; but what I truly long for, is a discussion for the practical app of Scripture in our lives now! As for Biblical history, definitely valuable; to a point . . . but Biblical history has become so mainstream, I fear we are on the verge of treating the Bible as a history book, rather than the Living Word of The Eternal Creator!<br />
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When studying cultural history in Scripture, I believe there are two very valuable points, and beyond that, we can become obsessive or make excuses and even become complacent. The two points, valuable to me, are as follows. First, we can see the absolute faith in which the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles walked . . . regardless of the cost. Whether their surrounding culture was similar to ours or not, is irrelevant, when the real point in my understanding is, our lives are to align with the Word. And more than likely, we'll stand well apart from mainstream culture, regardless of the century. I want to repeat that history! The second point, I try to understand in ancient cultures, including Israel, is what became acceptable in their cultures that brought about judgment, even destruction. I'd rather not repeat those. The old adage, "if we don't learn from history, we're doomed to repeat it" applies to the historical accounts in Scripture, also, I believe.<br />
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On the other hand, the Word, including the promises of our Creator, stands forever! HalleluYah! I truly want His presence so fully in my life, that His power is all I need to get through this world. There are some serious and threatening changes coming and we must be prepared. It doesn't matter what the pagan customs of 3000 years ago were; if we can't recognize pagan customs and misplaced faith, now! What I see developing is not a victim mentality, per se, but the latest greatest "gnostic" understanding of Scripture that removes personal accountability. If all one is doing is studying and there is no manifestation of the presence of our Father's spirit in their life, what is the "bearing" witness? When times truly become difficult, there won't be time to ooh and aww over how much knowledge one has of ancient customs and cultures . . . unless that includes processing a fatted calf from pasture to table . . . or healing the sick without a trip to the ER!<br />
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As a culture, we love our titles, degrees, and certification. Father, on the other hand has made it clear, our identity is to be in Him; His covenant child, through His Son. When times become more difficult, and they will . . . folks are going to have to bring more to the table than a fork and a stack of books!<br />
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<b><i>Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were
unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them,
that they had been with Y'hshuah. Acts 4:13</i></b><br />
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Come judgment day, I won't have to give an account for the customs of any historic culture, right or wrong. What I will give an account for, is where I stood regarding the Word, and if I trusted and acted upon the wisdom of man or The Word.<br />
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<b><i>So then every one of us shall give account of himself to Elohim. Romans 14:12</i></b><br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-88759385761985339562017-12-04T08:01:00.000-08:002017-12-04T08:01:15.850-08:00The Judgment By the TolerantI recently spoke with a middle-aged woman and it would seem her greatest claim to fame is her amazing tolerance, including much that is sexual . . . i.e., the discarding of her moral compass. I've noticed for some time now, the secular tolerant seem to be the most glaring example of their own lack of tolerance and outstanding racism. Then there is the vocalization of condescending judgment against those who have actually worked to acquire what they have gained, with a definitive lean toward socialism in their apparent perspective. But their socialism is a one way street. Those who have acquired should share, but their personal income is to be spent according to their wishes, which seem to be primarily on instant gratification for themselves. So, at least they aren't saving and amassing . . . When it comes to sex, however; their tolerance for everything, except privacy and decorum is vocalized ad nauseam.<br />
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Interestingly, this individual handed a couple of left-handed compliments my way, while also including her judgment that I am not living up to my potential . . . I spent a great deal of that conversation just praying I wouldn't say the wrong thing or anything that could be misconstrued . . . Fortunately, she's the type who monopolizes the conversation, so to get a word in edgewise is a feat unto itself.<br />
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The drifting away from G-d's standard began years ago, here, but it's no longer drifting. We are now running full steam ahead toward moral poverty, and the culture including the economy will follow . . . Ultimately we'll have socialism which will be nothing more than shared impoverishment for the masses. Yet, I digress. Back to my rant . . .<br />
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The judgment against Bible believers by the tolerant is becoming blatantly obvious. By referring to Scriptural obedience as legalism, Christianity has slipped, and sadly the "tolerant" are choosing to redefine everything, including the words of Scripture, they do not choose to believe. <br />
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The days of doing what is right in one's own eyes, while judging anyone who actually does attempt to live by The Word of our Creator, or even a generalized moral compass; have arrived.<br />
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<b><i> . . . every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25b</i></b>K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-72793557637660105852017-10-24T12:18:00.001-07:002017-10-24T12:18:11.065-07:00Lessons in GraceWe Bible folk use the term "grace," pretty casually and loosely. Oh, we speak of it's value and importance, yet many use it as an excuse to "do what is right in their own eyes." Then there's the other camp who seek strict Torah observance and seem to place "grace" on a back burner, or worse, never mention it. Amazing Grace is a long time favorite for many, and it truly is only by the grace of our Creator, through His Son, that we can be forgiven and have a relationship with Him. But I'm not talking about our Heavenly Father's grace toward His people, I'm talking about His people having grace toward each other and those who do not yet know our Heavenly Father. I'm talking about born again Torah observant children of the Most High, walking in grace . . .<br />
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Messiah said we'd be forgiven as we forgive. With that being true . . . Shouldn't we be extending the same grace we've been shown? As this came to my heart, I became astonished at the number of times in any given day, we are called to extend grace and be gracious. I double checked the list of the fruit of the Spirit, and graciousness is not included. Even in the meanings of the words in the list, gracious is not a synonym for any of the fruits of the Spirit. I'm not going to argue with Scripture, nor am I adding to, but . . . those of us who have received grace, should be extending and sharing grace! Perhaps it's not in the list of fruit of the Spirit, because it supposed to be a "given." Torah obedient followers of Messiah should be gracious! As I've sought to understand grace, I've found myself in several situations for which grace is called. Often we are called to show grace or be gracious when we'd truly rather offer a piece of our mind . . .<br />
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As Sukkot was approaching, I found myself being bombarded by situations of aggravation. Many of us feel the extra stress and chaos as the High Holy Days approach. It seems, many on social media actually include stress, argument, and discord as a part of their celebratory ritual. So many folks talk more about what they don't believe, than what they do believe. It's easy to become distracted, and then to find ourselves in need of more repentance than when we began the days of introspection and repentance. I learned grace is an atmosphere that protects the children of YaH from distractions and discord, if we walk in grace. In a conversation about grace, with one of my granddaughters some years back, she looked at me with light in her eyes and said, "G-ma, grace is like living in a bubble!" Grace allows us to be in the presence of a Holy G-d; and grace empowers us to walk through an unholy world, set apart.<br />
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Another wonderful lesson I've learned and it's been coming gradually. When dealing with folks who need a lot of attention and seem to make every situation about them . . . I just pray for them and listen. In this high stress, fast paced culture, many people feel overlooked and neglected. Then there are others who just truly seem to need the spotlight, while some find themselves to actually be the center of a very difficult situation they never wanted. Those are needs, I can meet graciously. I don't want anyone to feel overlooked in my presence, and the spotlight is simply not my cup of tea. Father has pulled these natural traits together to expand the ministry to which He's called me. It's not a big showy outreach, at all; but it speaks to hearts with very few words.<br />
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Every single High Holy Day this year was preceded by someone's rant out of the blue. Then every High Holy Day actually had an unavoidable problem as well as interruption that could have been avoided! In these situations, although I still had to repent for a few thoughts, my words were chosen carefully. As a matter of fact, that's one of the biggest lessons in grace I learned. There are going to be conversations with some people in which we must watch every word. Our job isn't to change the other person, but rather take the opportunity to learn to mete and monitor our own words. I came to realize very quickly that Father blessed me in that discovery. The folks I feel the most guarded in a conversation do most of the talking in all conversations! We really can't "out give" our Heavenly Father. The less we say in times of stress, the less can be misquoted and the fewer regrets.<br />
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<b><i>But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHUH. Genesis 6:8</i></b><br />
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<b><i>For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of Elohim: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Y'hshuah unto good works, which Elohim hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10</i></b><br />
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Grace is not the end of the journey. We do not receive the grace of our Heavenly Father to then sit back on our "blessed assurance" of our own idea of "righteous." Grace is given to begin the relationship with our Father and we are to walk in His grace to accomplish His purpose.<br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-34071146081745374092017-09-06T08:09:00.000-07:002017-09-06T08:10:17.908-07:00The Almighty of IsraelLast Friday afternoon, I received a phone call from the young man's mother, asking me if I'd be willing to step in, speak with a caseworker, and if possible, have her son come stay with me. I said to go ahead and give the caseworker my phone number and I'd keep the phone close. She stated . . . she had already given him my number. It wasn't fifteen minutes later, he called. The tossing of hoops for me to jump through, began immediately, and there was a check in my spirit. Between the call from the mother and the call from the state, I sensed a "showdown" between Elijah and the prophets of Ba'al. <br />
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I am certainly not claiming the spiritual stature of Elijah, but I do serve the same Mighty G-d. There was what I would call an Elijah moment with this individual that seemed very similar to the one described in I Kings 18, as Elijah was dealing with the prophets of Ba'al. Since this situation involves a minor, I will not use names. A true miracle took place in the next three days, and she along with her family rejoiced in that miracle! The happy mother then matter of factly stated to me, "I know you think this happened as a result of prayer to your G-d, but I know it's a result of prayers to my gods." Her statement made me physically ill, and then I considered the facts . . . Spiritual blindness is causing horrendous audacity in America.<br />
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A very contentious situation had revolved around this particular child for 12 years, from the time his parents divorced. Although I never had any power or clout in the situation, I did pray that the child would have some peace and not have to endure the strife, nor come to feed on the tension . . . and that Father's will would be done. Five years ago, the situation erupted with a change of primary custody, in favor of the father. The father then became even more controlling and ruthless than he had been, but the young man became active in his church and sports. In some of the photos posted in social media, seeing places his sisters and mother were going and some things the mother had said to me, I do believe sports and church were much preferred in Father's will through that time, but . . . there was more to Father's plan. <br />
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As I considered the statement this woman made about her god(s), I knew it was the G-d of Israel that had moved and brought this about. Her god hadn't manage to do anything for five years. It was she, herself, who had contacted me on Friday afternoon, asking for help. When the caseworker called me that same afternoon, I listened to his schpeel of state authority and simply stated, "The young man should be with his mother, I'll think about what you have said and will pray on the matter." I had a client, so the prayer wasn't immediate, but I already knew I would not be jumping through state hoops to become a foster mother to a child who'd had both parents fighting over him for most of his life.<br />
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When I was alone, I did pray and immediately heard, "Call his mother and tell her to get to Missouri, this is her opportunity." I called her and delivered Father's message. Five long years her god piddled, while she endured mountains of heartbreak, rivers of tears, and spent thousands of dollars. When she sought a servant of the Most High G-d of Israel, the matter was resolved in three days! Within 72 hours from the call for help from his mother, he was with her, Monday afternoon. Also amazing to note, this involved no litigation, no lawyer fees, only airfare and hotel accommodations; which were gifted to the woman. That's the way the G-d of the Bible answers prayer!<br />
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<b><i>And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two
opinions? if YHUH be G-d, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the
people answered him not a word. . . And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called
on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But
there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which
was made.And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for
he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or
peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. . . And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that
Elijah the prophet came near, and said, YHUH G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and of
Israel, let it be known this day That thou art G-d in Israel, and that I am thy
servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O YHUH, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art YHUH G-d,
and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of YHUH fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood,
and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. I Kings 18:21, 26-27, 36-38 .</i></b>K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-12034558303095477762017-08-22T08:39:00.001-07:002017-08-22T08:39:34.643-07:00Smack DownAbout an hour before Shabbat, Mavis brought twins into this world. Mavis is my Toggenburg goat and she arrived in Goshen right about 5 months ago. All day, I could tell by her behavior, she was getting close, but since she was such a recent newcomer, I wasn't sure how close . . . As I walked out of the milking parlor with Lily, I thought I saw something small and moving in the south east pasture. I took the milk into the house, then for the first time in nearly two weeks, put on shoes to walk down to see what was going on. By the time I got there, a second baby was on the scene. Mavis wasn't "tending" to them as I thought she should be, so I stepped in with a couple of the "goat towels" and dried the babies' faces and rubbed them up a bit . . .<br />
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The next thing that happened truly upset Mavis, as the babies were nudging at my legs, rather than hers. I tried to unite mama and babies, but that only made everyone more stressed. In the midst of my intrusion, Mr. B decided to join the mess and got behind Mavis to pick up hay wrapping or something, and having someone behind her only irritated her further. I suggested we back up and stop intruding in this bonding period. Let me share just a bit. Once I realized she was getting close, and it's nice weather, I didn't pen her up, but there were nice clean goat huts for her to give birth. Rather than use the nice, clean, private huts, she opted for the RV carport where all the goats have been lounging through this rainy August! So, the babies were born in that mess . . . <br />
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As I headed for the gate, I asked Father to raise up the maternal instinct He'd placed in Mavis. I looked back toward her. She was absolutely refusing to let the kids get close to her and she wasn't licking them at all! At this point, I began to formulate a plan to obtain the colostrum and feed it to the kids. A short quote from the prayer book at shul came to mind. "Pray as though everything depends upon G-d, then work as though everything depends upon you." I'm sure the dissection of the soundness of this theology could take many tangents, but I do believe in putting feet to my faith. James tells us "faith without works is dead." <br />
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So, there was one important factor, I was really doing wrong, and sadly Father had to tell me about it. The plan I hatched seemed brilliant. I would lure Mavis with grain, to the milk parlor, break in a goat that had never been milked, then bottle feed the kids, but since it's August, I could leave them outdoors. All these years the kids arrive in late winter and early spring. This is my first year of having both spring and fall kids. So, I'm not fully sure what I'm doing, but I never let that stop me. Back to my plan. I took the milk bucket to the milk parlor, got grain in the feed box on the stanchion, put some grain in a bucket, grabbed the lead and was heading out the door, when I heard the Voice of our Creator.<br />
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It was a simple question that stopped me in my tracks. "Why are you preparing for the opposite of what you asked of Me?" I had asked Him to raise up her maternal instinct, even acknowledged that He was the One who created that in her, and then . . . I had already realized my "help" initially had been an intrusion to her, so, here I am preparing to commit further intrusion . . . All I could do, was hang my head in shame, ask forgiveness, and STOP. I had actually been working against what I'd prayed. That's not feet to faith! <br />
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Thankfully, in spite of my demonstration of lack of faith, He honored my request. Within moments, I could hear Mavis "cooing" to them. Then just as Father ordained at creation, those babies were latched on and tails were flagging.K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-65026760770964798912017-08-06T16:38:00.000-07:002017-08-06T16:38:31.560-07:00An Unexpected Answer When I fell, last winter, the injuries were pretty severe. I prayed and asked for prayer. Actually, I fell twice. The first time was painful, but I kept going, the second fall . . . was a show stopper! Some nearby friends reached out to help me do some things around here, that I was simply too injured to do. Even Mr. B stepped up to the plate. I was really in a bad way. Half of my face was black and blue, but it wasn't as painful, swollen, or discolored as my back, hip and leg. Several folks were praying for me. Giving all glory to A<span style="font-size: x-small;">DONAI, </span>He has healed me instantaneously, and used me in healing others, but this time, as I prayed and cried and wailed, and prayed some more, NOTHING. Although He didn't speak it, there was a knowing in my spirit that there would be no sudden or even quick healing. There were a couple of times, it was so severe, I was tempted to seek medical relief.<br />
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Moving was so very painful, but then, so was sitting as well as laying . . . In this, Father did bless me to make a wonderful new pain relief formula, and He did deal with me about other matters . . . For a time, life just felt very, very bleak. Thankfully, I never spoke it aloud, but there were a few times, the thought crossed my mind that I would never recover . . . As I was struggling to get some seeds in the garden, while still on crutches, I heard The Voice of Father! It was a short and very direct statement, "Finish the Book." Immediately, I knew the book to which He referred. I'd had the title for awhile, and started it four different times. The fourth attempt was in the works, but still wasn't gelling as I'd hoped. What does one do, when hearing a specific instruction? Just DO IT!<br />
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Any one position for very long, was painful, but soon there were writing stations for sitting, reclining, and standing. As I progressed in the book, my body was improving . . . I'm not a patient patient, actually I'm a horrible patient! So, I maintained a certain level of my activities, like seeing clients and maintaining orders. I did slack on housework and the garden . . . just hitting the high spots in the house, and facing the fact, the garden just wasn't going to be large. As it turns out, now through canning season, I didn't need to plant much, as there aren't that many empty jars. In my slacking due to the injury, I hadn't done as much cooking through the winter. Mr. B's idea of helping in the kitchen is going to the deli in town, so I didn't have to cook for him. Even with the small garden, there is abundance to share produce with others. Back to the book . . .<br />
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This book was built, and built in pieces, by faith. As I wrote, I literally had no clue how it would be assembled. When the time came to type it, Father again spoke. "Arrange in recorded order, not historical order, and use recognized dates." Now, I had the plan. As I typed, it just flowed so easily. Adding the dates was a bit tricky, but once I established a pattern, it flowed as well. As the book came together, I realized I was able to physically do more, as well as a dramatic decrease in my pain level. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGFglJHYOfPHLnSv50Iab0_8ioBO7ZqXxYLE-cMyhj0XyCoCMBhcWpFUm4se8o40pSwJHp2zjd4mushFQ1Q0AHx7KWq4cTxvtv5m0m0c9AUGAUxBQDyHcTaRXJMDlZf2rt6hqlh8sGvah/s1600/coffee+with+paul+and+moses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="144" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGFglJHYOfPHLnSv50Iab0_8ioBO7ZqXxYLE-cMyhj0XyCoCMBhcWpFUm4se8o40pSwJHp2zjd4mushFQ1Q0AHx7KWq4cTxvtv5m0m0c9AUGAUxBQDyHcTaRXJMDlZf2rt6hqlh8sGvah/s320/coffee+with+paul+and+moses.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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By the time <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Paul-Moses-Elizabeth-Beisinger/dp/154710919X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502037140&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+with+paul+and+moses" target="_blank">"Coffee with Paul and Moses"</a> went to the publisher, I was back to my regular activities, and I got up from my desk walking like I had before the two accidents. Although I can now accurately forecast rain coming, I'm healed, stronger, and more flexible than before. I've also learned some great stretches and exercises through this recovery time. What did "finish the book" have to do with my healing? Nothing and Everything! It wasn't the book, it was Father's blessing of obedience! In the nearly 20 years that I have completely trusted my health to our Creator, this was a real test of my faith. More than once, I spoke aloud that Messiah Y'hshuah is my High Priest, and the High Priest intercedes in the health care of Israel. <br />
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YHUH Raphah b'shem Y'hshuah HaMoshiach. Amein K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-20367707302549858562017-07-23T13:02:00.002-07:002017-07-23T13:02:21.868-07:00Talked Out of the PlanI was blessed sometime back to launch into a project that I had been prepared for, and yet was uncertain in some of the foundation work . . . So I prayed. YHWH gave me a perfect plan, a complete drawing of the project, but . . . I let men who claimed to know more about it, lay aside what I'd been given, do it their way, and it left me with a bigger price to pay. Now, here's the kicker. It didn't seem spiritually significant at the time, but in retrospect, who are any of us to say, we know better than YaH? And where was my faith to not stand up to those men, who ultimately laid the responsibility on me anyway. It won't be cheap to clean up the mess, and sadly, it's costing time. That's the biggest concern, is the time.<br />
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I've really not even been able to think straight since I let it happen, until I began to write this. I've been so disgusted with myself for allowing what took place! And what is so frustrating is, it's far from the first time, I have fallen into this sort of trap. It's truly changed my perspective of dealing with these individuals and at first I was struggling to know if it's wisdom or a grudge. Realistically this dilemma is aimed at the woman in the mirror, so perhaps it is true introspection and I will simply know better next time, which would be wisdom. The individuals simply didn't know any better, so it's not really about them at all, they just serve as a reminder, a difficult sad reminder of my lack of confidence in walking out the plan of YaH. That lack of confidence translates to lack of faith. <br />
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I cowered and walked away when what I knew was overridden by the plan of man. Funny how I gave man's plan priority over YaH's plan, just because He gave it to me . . . a woman. I have to get over the religious brainwashing, that I've entertained far too long. Unlike Eve, I was not trying to lead any man away from what YaH had said and I truly try to direct everyone toward His Word!<br />
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Life is more spiritual than we realize. Our purpose is 100% spiritual and we need to realize that fact, for the plan to manifest properly in the natural.<br />
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Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey <b>A<span style="font-size: x-small;">DONAI</span></b> rather
than men. Acts 5:29K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-40823117212910740722017-06-21T15:49:00.000-07:002017-06-21T15:49:42.418-07:00SamsonWhile so many are discussing a Jezebel spirit, and rightfully so, in that narcissism is quite widespread. The church at Thyatira was named in the Revelation and warned about entertaining a Jezebel posing as a prophetess. This "lover of self" in the last days is not just a secular problem fostered in humanism. Most can draw some clear parallels to that warning in what we are seeing in some of the big religious movements of the day.<br />
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So much info out there about the Jezebel spirit and recovering from a narcissist, and basically a Delilah presence is the same, but . . . we tend to view Samson as some sort of dumb victim of Delilah without fully understanding the spiritual truth in the relationship. I believe it may be, because it just brings too much conviction, as we ask in our own minds, "Samson, what in the world were you thinking?"<br />
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Dealing with a spirit of Jezebel or Delilah, and they come in both genders, is of course painful, and the full recovery sometimes just doesn't happen, and may be a thorn in the flesh for the rest of our days. We do, however; have to take responsibility for our Ahab or Samson mentality or . . . even a moment of that weakness . . . The consequences can be quite far reaching, but YaH is greater than our mistakes. In reading the articles about narcissism, I'm seeing a real trend toward manufacturing a new victim mentality for the "strong" individuals that fell to the wiles of these manipulators. We have to "own" the fact, that at some point in the relationship, we <u>chose</u> to be deceived. Even with read flags and neon signs, we made ourselves vulnerable to someone who had other than loving, intent. <br />
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I don't hold to the "traditional image" of Samson, as a Mr. Universe, type. I envision him to be a scrawny guy, awkward in his masculinity, with long hair. I fully believe his immense power and strength was inexplicable by his size and presence. To further support my idea of his awkwardness, a well built strong man really wouldn't have a need for a prostitute . . . Since there's nothing new under the sun, it would seem a well built, handsome strong man would have quite a bevy of beauties surrounding him, yet Samson did not. <br />
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I didn't realize how much I relate to Samson, but with the opposite sex issues. I'm the exact opposite of a petite feminine flower which has also left me awkward in my femininity and feeling like I'd have to settle . . . So strong was this thinking, I refused to ever even date a man who had not been married before, as I didn't want to be "the woman" that let him down and ruined his life. I've since changed that view, but it was far too late and I just had too many years on me, by that time. It was the grace of G-d that caused me to change that perspective, but I still struggled with my self-image, which blinded my discernment. And yet, I judged Samson! How foolish, I was.<br />
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It was so easy to read the account of Samson, and judge him, as in: "Samson, what in the world were you thinking?" Everything you told her, she did to you? Why would you trust her with your weakness?" And then, I did the same thing . . . I even spent a couple of years, blindly going in a circle, unable to see . . . or unwilling to look at the reality of what I had done. Oh, I could have just kept on blaming the one who deceived me, but that wouldn't have changed my heart or my circumstances. As for further comparison to Samson's later circumstances, it could be the very captivity we find ourselves in, is at least preventing us from making the same mistake, again! <br />
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I can't say that certain things didn't cross Samson's mind after he wrongly trusted Delilah and found himself blindly going in circles, but we do know, he seized the moment of opportunity when it became presented. Too much time is spent on regrets, past hurts, and being wronged . . . That is not to say people haven't suffered, but focusing on the past doesn't change what happened and it can cause us to miss our present opportunity. <br />
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Samson, was still blind and held captive, even being made a mockery when he destroyed the temple of the Philistines. <br />
We don't have to recover according to worldly standards or even religious teaching, to be used of YaH; we just have to let Him use us!K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-42116465472550816022016-09-26T09:25:00.001-07:002016-09-26T09:25:55.941-07:00Prophets and Apostles in 21st Century America?How would Jeremiah, the"Weeping Prophet" be labeled in today's America? First, I would guess, many of those "in the religious know" would say he's a "doom and gloomer," a "fear-monger," or even "lacking faith." Considering how much of the Hebrew Scripture was already written and recorded before Jeremiah, he could have been facing exactly what we are today, with the "positive attitude" motivational, prosperity preachers. Those "prophets" telling the children of Israel, prosperity was coming, may have actually been quoting Deuteronomy and the Psalms, out of context. Undoubtedly, someone learning a new Hebrew word, these days, would be raising an eyebrow and muttering "lashon hara." <br />
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What would "the powers that be" do to a guy who insists upon laying on one side, eating a specific bread and drinking measured water, while bound? The first thought through my mind would be some sort of forced mental evaluation . . . On the outside chance he would get through the first forced evaluation, then there would be a repeat of this same procedure, only lying on the other side for a shorter time. If he were still allowed to have sharp objects, there is the shaving and splitting the hair event. I'm guessing between Mandatory Health Care and Big Pharma, pharmakeia (sorcery) would be prescribed, so he'd stop hearing "the voice."<br />
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How would America respond to an Apostle? Not the title, as we already know the religious response to that, but someone who truly does live by the faith they claim, regardless of the circumstances. It seems the American society has so mingled holy with profane, we'd be hard pressed to even identify a true apostle, without attaching the word cult. An apostle lives by Scriptural application. An apostle's words match their lifestyle, and they will face captivity, even death based upon The Word of YHWH. I can say with complete assurance, we are not going to see the manifest glory, if we don't trust Him in the fire. <br />
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Why is it, society and social media are filled with "Pastors and Teachers," even "Rabbis," who expect respect; yet eyes are rolled if anyone mentions "Apostle or Prophet?" Here, I've been praying for the five fold ministry to gather for 20 years now, and I find those two words somewhat intimidating, myself. "Evangelist" seems much more comfortable, and I've been using the term "emissary" for years now to describe the office to which I'm called. An office in the five fold ministry is not about a title, it's about responsibility.<br />
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The one thing that stands consistent through history, is the utter disregard, even disdain for the servants of The Most High who desire to please Him. That's not to say, we humans can't incite some disdain aimed at us, due to our own flesh, but pleasing YHWH has never been popular with the majority. The first murder recorded in history is a witness to what I'm saying, and the last murders prophesied will be based on the same.<br />
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This is real. We are living in what Messiah said would be "as in the days of Noah." The passengers on the ark were obviously a small percentage of the population of that time. Just as ancient Israel refused to heed the warning and the call to repentance, America has done the same. We need to see this, truly see it, for what it is. Sounding the warning to repent and prepare spiritually and physically is not fear mongering. The true apostles and prophets of our day, just as the ones who have gone before, are more than likely, going to be falsely accused and disregarded.<br />
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<b><i>The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is
that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9</i></b> K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-28207280980161647092016-05-08T16:34:00.000-07:002016-05-08T16:34:45.175-07:00Falling AwayA sad falling away that has probably been going on for years, but wasn't so noticeable before the advent of social media. A group of folk are migrating out of the church in "righteous indignation" only to be going nowhere . . . else. It's as if there is a new group of Christians who have gone rogue. Most of these folks bill themselves as preachers and teachers, but following their posts and comments, the lifestyle is hard to identify. They have apparently convinced themselves that they know too much Scripture to go along with the church, but they carry their religious tradition of picking and choosing when it comes to their new "independent walk."<br />
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Many claim to have left the church over the error of Constantine and the commingling of the Gospel with the pagan traditions of Roman and Greek mythology. It's been heart wrenching to see and hear folks very sincere in their stand against Sunday worship or Christmas and Easter, while they fail to embrace and observe Sabbath, Passover, and the rest of the Holy Days of YHWH. Messiah never called anyone to preach against what they don't believe, He called His chosen ones to follow Him. That means we're supposed to do what He did, which is live by The Word, and The only Word written at the time He walked this earth, was the Hebrew Scriptures a.k.a. Old Testament.<br />
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Although the Talmud has complicated things for Judaism, the simple Torah in Hebrew Scriptures is pretty direct and straight across the board for all with eyes to see and ears to hear. Messiah gave us the example of what it is to live by the Instructions and He called us to do it with a good attitude. Judging others and then doing our own thing is not following Him, nor is it living in humble service bringing glory to our Heavenly Father. Here are two simple "givens." Judaism without Messiah is incomplete and Christianity without Torah has no foundation. The absence of a foundation is spiritually dangerous when Christians take it upon themselves to leave the commingling of church ritual, but do not embrace obedience to Torah.<br />
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The sad fact of the matter is, what Paul warned about in his writings about the last days. There would be a falling away, the rise of lawlessness, and a strong delusion because people choose to believe a lie. Messiah is the perfect sin sacrifice. Unlike the blood of bulls and rams that only "covered" sin, His perfect blood washes away sin. Messiah was also the perfect example of what it is to live, pleasing to YHWH, and that is to follow the Commandments of YHWH. We cannot disregard the commandments of YHWH and still be following Messiah! It is impossible. The Holy Spirit absolutely does not lead one, anyone, away from The Word. The Word of YHWH stands forever.<br />
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I realize our society is on the fast track away from YHWH, but the church has been teaching against the Word for years, while excusing work on Sabbath. In the man-made confusion of Sabbath being transferred to Sunday, the excuse and moving away from holiness on the first day of the week was done by the church, not society! Now there are many claiming to be preachers and teachers who literally avoid the church on Sunday in their own self described "holiness," yet work and buy and sell on Sabbath. They have erred in the faith. <br />
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When Paul warned of the "falling away" and Messiah's parable of the foolish virgins, we have chosen to overlook something . . . The foolish virgins knew enough to watch and wait, they were simply unprepared. As for Paul's words, one cannot fall away unless one had once stood. <br />
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If you have a Bible and can read, here is a simple truth. The Temple is not standing, so all instruction regarding the Temple does not apply to you at this time. When Messiah said the end of days would be "as in the days of Noah," He was referring to the disregard of YaH and the rampant evil . . . The world wide flood was a one time deal, so do not build an ark, but prepare for the Second Coming of Messiah. As for the rest of Scripture, obedience to The Word is two fold. It is the way we show our love to YHWH and it is how we follow Messiah. Many of us are without flesh and blood fellowship at this time, but to remain true to Messiah, we must obey The Word. Sunday is not Sabbath, but to disregard Sunday worship while working on Sabbath is what many Americans are doing, without calling themselves teachers or preachers.<br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-75817953582760955882016-04-12T14:43:00.001-07:002016-04-12T14:43:27.914-07:00Is Psychology Spiritually Dangerous?My answer to that question is a resounding, YES! Psychology is focus on self and the past, which is in exact opposition to Scripture. <br />
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I firmly believe psychology, psychiatry, and the "mental health field" in general will be used against the remnant in the end of days to falsely accuse, medicate, and attempt to bring into submission. The courts and health care system have been using this for years, destroying lives, and keeping individuals bound in the system, literally for life.<br />
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<a href="https://adiakrisis.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/a-biblical-perspective-on-psychology-and-psychiatry/">https://adiakrisis.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/a-biblical-perspective-on-psychology-and-psychiatry/</a><br />
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To be honest, James Dobson has always put a check in my spirit, but the quotes from the blog site, linked below, really caused me to shudder. Men and woman have enough going against them now from society, without religious elitists suggesting manipulation and control tactics. I watched a woman ruin her life, thinking she was following good advice from James Dobson. I don't have all the details, but according to those close to her, she believed she was following sound counsel found in his books.<br />
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<a href="https://homeschoolersanonymous.wordpress.com/2015/05/06/james-dobson-on-domestic-violence-women-deliberately-bait-their-husbands">https://homeschoolersanonymous.wordpress.com/2015/05/06/james-dobson-on-domestic-violence-women-deliberately-bait-their-husbands</a>/ <br />
<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-68452385380116697122016-03-13T12:45:00.000-07:002016-03-13T12:45:22.511-07:00The Care of This WorldThe past few months, I've found myself crying out in prayer, that YHWH keep me from letting the care of this world "choke me out." In researching for and writing the Goshen Gazette, as well as facilitating a discipleship class, and building Bethesda Wellness Centre, life has been just a tad busy. None of my other responsibilities have diminished, as the homestead is still operating full swing and the natural products business is continuing to expand. By nature, I'm a workaholic, who always enjoyed "too many irons in the fire" as my Daddy would call it, but this past couple of weeks, I actually said aloud, "I have all I can do." Also, in these past few weeks and months, I've found myself saying aloud, frequently, "I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. Of course that passage is true, but He strengthens us to do the work in which He is leading, and not the numerous distractions that can often weigh us down and choke us out!<br />
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I can honestly say, I haven't spent my time leisurely or on entertainment, which is also a point unto itself. How many of the "so called" servants of YHWH spend a significant amount of time on sports and entertainment? I'm not claiming spiritual superiority in that fact that I don't, but rather raising the concern and observation of just how easy it is to be distracted. I openly confess, too many irons in the fire for a workaholic is no more holy than Monday Night Football, video games, or movies. As a matter of fact, in researching for articles, I am exposed to just as much secularism or more; and sadly in this sad state of our society, the ongoing continuation seems endless. Unlike football, there is no two minute warning to announce the end. Research is also quite different from entertainment, in that, again, there is no "end of game or end of movie." It's been quite harrowing. I believe I'm getting a handle on this, but it can happen so subtly . . . I certainly do not lean to my own understanding in this, but literally cling to YHWH and His Word.<br />
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The Goshen Gazette has moved from weekly to semimonthly, and that will eventually change, but for now, it is what it is. Watching Isaiah 5:20-21 come to pass is heart breaking. The warning, as our society is literally inverted to redefine good and evil, seems to be virtually unheeded as we plunge headlong into an abyss of chaos. Intercessory prayer must sound so redundant to Our Father, by now.<br />
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As I looked at the interpretation of the parable that has been coming to my spirit, I noticed once again, that seed among thorns represented both "the care of the world" and the deceitfulness of riches. While I've not been one drawn or attracted to the prosperity teachings, and my desires in this world are not of great material value, the headlines that I research definitely fall into the category of "the care of this world." It became pretty tense and quiet for a time in my life. I delight in the Voice of our Creator, and I have indeed experienced now, just how the care of this world feels strangely dark, quiet, and suffocating. <br />
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I will continue to sound the warning of the redefinition being done in our society, but I will not be joining discussions on where the Jews got it wrong with Talmud or where the Christians are misinterpreting the New Testament. Nor am I particularly interested in the history of ancient cultures or pagan rituals. I am interested in Living Scripture and following Messiah who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. I don't need to have the most information about a Biblical topic, I need to know the Author and His Son, more. I've been noticing, not only is our society calling good evil and evil good, but those in the "religious know" are doing some horrendous redefinition and re-prioritizing, as well. Many of the religious debates can be found in this parable as well. Stony places and no deepness is often displayed and voiced in discussions and social media comments.<br />
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<b><i>3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear </i></b><br />
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<b><i>18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. :22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23</i></b><br />
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Time is short. Even if Messiah's return is not as soon as many of us hope, our days are not promised and none of us are getting any younger. Meanwhile, Scripture very clearly tells us we will give an account . . .K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-36267090358184852772016-02-14T16:24:00.000-08:002016-02-15T10:19:38.329-08:00Like a Roaring LionThe counterfeit of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah . . . Peter prophesied it, and the Revelation appears to confirm it. To be perfectly honest, I'm truly tired of hearing how powerful the devil is . . . It seems Christianity has deified him and that is simply wrong! I've yet to attend a church service that someone doesn't testify about how much they've been under attack by the enemy . . . I've spoken against that theology and mindset, but seemingly; to no avail. <br />
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The enemy has been defeated! Yes, he's still irritating and annoying, but he is only a fallen angel, not a god! He is not omniscient, he is not omnipotent, and he is no match for YHWH and His Son. I have stumbled across a serious issue, however; and I'd like to share not only the problem, but the solution. II Thessalonians 2, describes the problem.<br />
<b><i>3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that
he is God. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let,
until he be taken out of the way. KJV</i></b><br />
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Iniquity is translated from the Greek word "anomia" meaning: <br />
<ol type="1">
<li>the condition of without law
<ol type="a">
<li>because ignorant of it
</li>
<li>because of violating it </li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
When Rome abandoned Torah, the enemy took a foothold, then gained prominence. Through the years of Rome's separation from Judaism, many traditions became intertwined with New Testament passages. When the Protestant reformation took place, there really wasn't much of a protest, other than to translate Scripture out of Latin into the common languages. There is no "J" in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin, therefore the name "Jesus" evolved through the various translations and printings. Hardly fitting for the Name above all Names!<br />
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Humanity has used the term "Jesus" as an expletive, so it's no stretch of the imagination to see that the enemy could actually use the same term and mimic our precious Messiah.<br />
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<b><i>Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12</i></b><br />
<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-44285676696853151492016-01-25T10:45:00.000-08:002016-01-25T10:45:02.509-08:00The Samson SyndromeAs a woman, I didn't recognize it in myself right away, but I finally recognized it and learned a few years back. Now, by the grace of YHWH, I do not choose to be blind to it, have received His power to avoid it, and been given discernment to recognize it and sound the warning.<br />
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Basically, the short explanation is being distracted by trying to make up for a perceived shortcoming or self-diagnosed lack by trusting your own plan or worse, the wrong person; in an attempt to achieve YHWH's plan. Sadly, I've done it more than once, but I'll use my most outstanding situation because it affects several of us. The reality is, church is really no place to be single, if you want to feel comfortable. Oh, I know there are singles groups, "friend fellowship" for divorcees, and support meetings for those who are widowed, but there is an underlying reality. I can't speak for the widowed groups as often the departed was also a member of the church, but most church singles groups are established to "meet" like minded and like spirited individuals. Most of the divorce fellowship is clearly offered to avoid making the same mistake again; although some denominations forbid remarriage after divorce. Now, on to my confession . . .<br />
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My marriage was already falling apart, when I entered covenant with YHWH in Moshiach. My husband was a good man, we were simply not joined. As far as I know, we were both faithful and he was more than fair in the divorce. He has since married his high school sweet heart and they appear to have a wonderful relationship. Here's where my Sampson Syndrome took me down. It seemed everyplace I attempted to fellowship, women didn't really like me. I was sure if I was married, that would change their perspective. By that same token, although I wasn't after anyone's man, I'm guessing, since I thought marriage was the key, I gave the appearance of looking. On top of being single, I was also Torah observant, which was not always warmly received, either. So, here I am thinking I need to be married so everyone will quit looking at me like I'm on the prowl . . . I was so sure, something completely out of my grasp would solve my problem and I was also sure another human being would provide the inroad for me to accomplish the purpose YHWH had for me. See the problem? Well, I didn't at the time.<br />
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Meanwhile, I was completely immersed in ministry outside of the "mainstream mega-rejection" called church. I facilitated a mission, fed the neighborhood kids on the week-end when they came for a Bible study. I served as a community chaplain to the state mental health facility, not on their payroll, so I could actually talk about Scripture. I served as chaplain for both the fire and police departments, and even did some traveling abroad in ministry. I also attended a traditional synagogue, with the congregants acknowledging I was different as a believer that Messiah had already come, but was still welcome to attend. I was single and ministering every day somewhere, everywhere, except the church . . . I knew I was called to bring Torah to the church, so like Sampson eyeing the Philistines, I was sure the inroad to church was marriage to a Christian. You'd think I'd have guarded my heart, knowing how it turned out for Samson, but I was still quite blinded by the pseudo-religious, societal idea of marriage. <br />
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As a Sabbath keeper, I was available to play the keyboard for various small churches on Sundays. As it turns out, there was a death in the family in one of those "family churches" meaning the music department and pastor would all be gone. When the pastor called to ask if I could do the music, I agreed without hesitation . . . It was that evening that would ultimately lead me to a place I just wasn't expecting to land. The guest pastor informed me that the piano player in his church had recently passed away, and invited me to come out and play. I wrote down the name and the directions, but didn't go the next Sunday, or the next . . . Finally, one Sunday morning I set out for this little country church called "Way of Life." I enjoyed it, went back the next week, and since they only had church on Sunday morning, responded with a "yes" when they asked for a 3 month commitment. <br />
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The next Sunday morning, I sat in the usual place for a the piano player . . . Second row, piano side. Also in the pew was a man whom I'd never seen there. Through the course of the service, it was announced that "Brother Bob" had a new job and was working Sundays. After the service, I handed him one of my cards and told him about the Sabbath gathering at the mission on Friday evenings. My parting words were, "Don't lose fellowship." Within weeks he visited the mission, but there was one big red flag I was overlooking. He was consistently late, I mean disruptively late, but his church folk were also coming for Sabbath fellowship and we were all enjoying a pretty fine oneg, as well. The church gals were just precious, in bringing "extra" for the children who would be there the next day. Life seemed good and I invited "Brother Bob" for dinner one night that wasn't a Sabbath. There were a couple of weeks of miscommunication, etc, but basically, we began dating . . .<br />
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Through the course of the courtship, I had a couple of misgivings, but I talked myself out of them . . . It's so easy to judge Samson's decision to trust, time and again; then never even consider the reflection in the mirror. I moved right along and got married, just sure this was the inroad to ministering to the church. In less than a month after the marriage, the church where I'd met this man, made it clear I was no longer welcome . . . Suffice it to say, a Christian marriage was not the inroad into the church, nor did it give me the married respectability I'd hoped. As a matter of fact, the results were quite the opposite.<br />
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This is not to say the person or distraction of itself is evil or nefarious, but rather the danger in trusting one's own idea of an inroad, especially in ministry, could be a very costly and blinding distraction.<br />
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<b><i>Trust in YHWH with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. Proverbs 3:5</i></b>K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-3570672168356596082016-01-01T13:04:00.003-08:002016-01-01T13:04:51.180-08:00In Modern TimesWhat if Paul or John the Baptist were alive today, doing what they did 2000 years ago? What do today's prophets and apostles look like and sound like? Does it seem Pastors and Teachers/Rabbis are as abundant as Evangelists were in the previous generation of America? I mean where would Christian television have been without televangelists? We have an abundance of internet Teachers, and a generation of "Pastors" between the evangelists and teachers. It seems there has been much name dropping or title claiming of the five fold ministry, but there's been so little power with minimal to no repentance. The believers don't seem to be fairing any better in society than the unbelievers. Why is this? What are we missing? In my search for The Way, The Truth and The Life, I've come across the information that we simply have a preconceived plan to protect our traditions and often truth just will not fit in that picture.<br />
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Paul's writings are generally interpreted or have been interpreted to render Torah, null and void. There are many modern preachers teaching that very thing, but why? If 137 pages of a 2000 page book render the rest of the book obsolete, why claim to believe any of it? And even more thought provoking. If the author of the 137 pages has defined and set the standard for nearly 2000 years, just what it is to please a Deity that changed His mind? Who are we really serving? How can we possibly know He won't change His mind again? <br />
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We also have to consider Paul's original claim of authority, after Messiah said, don't follow those who would claim to see Him in various places . . . So, Paul is on the road to Damascus, gets knocked off his donkey, sees a bright light and hears a voice . . . No doubt, this account would be readily received by the thinking crowd of today, am I right? If the modern day Christians are correct in their interpretation of his letters, and he did teach against Torah, then by definition in Deuteronomy, that would make him a false apostle. I do not believe Paul is a fake. I believe folks have misinterpreted his writings, and he never intended to present Torah to be obsolete, but rather make obedience a matter of the heart, rather than outward appearance. All of his references to Messiah . . . following Messiah is to walk as He walked, live as He lived and that is obedience to Torah.<br />
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John the Baptist would more than likely be grouped with any number of preppers or modern wanna be cult leaders. I mean, I've been called some pretty horrendous names, myself; and I'm relatively obscure. Fortunately for John, he did have the support of his family. His parents may have been deceased by then, but there is documentation that he had full support from his cousin, who is Y'hshuwah Messiah. In all likelihood, just as is recorded, the "vipers" would be gathering to offer their judgment, but . . . he wouldn't align himself with such religiosity and hatred. John the Baptist would tell it like it is, regardless of where he was. He'd speak just as boldly at his family gatherings as he would on social media.<br />
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Throughout Scripture we see that those who received a message from YHWH often found themselves "detained," imprisoned, or completely shunned by society. Joseph was thrown in a well, then later, in prison. Jezebel hated Elijah. Obadiah hid prophets in caves. Jeremiah was thrown into a well, then a dungeon. The three Hebrew boys were cast into the fiery furnace, and Daniel into the lion's den. We know John the Baptist was imprisoned for telling Herod the truth about his adulterous relationship. <br />
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It could be comedienne Joy Behar gave a truthful reason, although wrapped in mockery, as to the way our society would deal with a modern Paul or John the Baptist. <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I have a theory that you can't find any saints anymore because of psychotropic medication. I think that [in] the old days, the saints were hearing voices and they didn't have any Thorazine to calm them down. Now that we have all of this medication available to us, you can't find a saint anymore.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Be ready, saints, they will call us crazy!</span></span><br />
<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-25180215224301274882015-12-14T13:39:00.002-08:002015-12-14T13:39:37.750-08:00Sex Has Been Sensationalized To Both ExtremesThis thought has been bouncing between my spirit and brain for a few weeks, now, maybe longer, but I didn't have the words for it. In the beginning of this understanding, I saw a continuum in which the word "sensational" was misspelled at each end. On one end was "sexsational" and the other end, "sinsational." With each word was a famous family. On the "sexsational" end was the image of the Kardashians with Bruce, of course. On the other end, with "sinsational" were the Duggars.<br />
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Obviously, the Kardashians are a sex crazed mess, from teenagers posing for Victoria Secrets, to one of them with a huge silicone rear-end, posing for Playboy. Well I guess it's not naturally that large, but I could be wrong . . . Adding to the craze is a 60 year old woman who is pretty and could be aging gracefully, but doesn't seem to have the class to do so. Class can't be bought or added by the plastic surgeon, you have it or you don't . . . Then there is Bruce, poor confused Bruce. He was once quoted to have said the hardest thing about being a woman is deciding what to wear. Clearly, he's clueless when it comes to the difficulties real women face. Their obvious obsession with sexuality is really beyond over the top and extreme, while they set some bizarre standard of entertainment, calling it a "reality show."<br />
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The reality of the Kardashians needs little explanation, their lifestyle and values are obvious, but the other end of the sexual spectrum is much more veiled, veiled being the operative. The "pure extreme" still makes sex the focus, as well as forbidden, causing much ignorant curiosity, much, much curiosity. I already know beyond a shadow of a doubt, being a well endowed female, sideways hugs only draws attention. Healthy recognition and acknowledgement of the sexes, with reasonable boundaries is what really leads to respectability and integrity, socially and spiritually.<br />
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I've chosen to write this in the blogsite "religiously incorrect" for a very good reason. The Duggars raised their children under what I refer to as Gothardism. Bill Gothard was the founder of "Campus Teams, which was later named "Basic Youth Conflicts" and then in 1989 became The Institute of Basic Life Principles. His direction of the nation's youth spanned decades from the 60s to the millenium, with the height in fundamental religious circles back in the 70s and early 80s with what was called "Basic Youth Conflicts seminar. I sat through a week of that seminar as a single mom, having just turned 19; left the church and didn't return til my mid 30s. There was just something disturbing about the entire ordeal that really affected me to the core. This teaching was aimed to meet the Boomer generation, and I'd say we Boomers are the proof in that pudding! <br />
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Bill Gothard has proven to be an interesting example of the point I'm making. As this man told men how to run their households, raise their children, and how women should help in that with large families and homeschooling. Mr. Gothard himself, was never married and of course, never had children . . . I've already heard the rebuttals of my perspective, in that prophets and even Messiah were not married, but still gave word as to the importance of family. If you've sat through one of the seminars and felt blessed, more power to you. All I felt was cold, hopeless, darkness. Could it have been my personal circumstances? Of course, but then in the later years, it's been discovered that the Boomers raised kids, who for the most part didn't clamor to this training, as the Institute has been losing money for the past 13 years. That would seem to indicate the boomers did not find hope in these teachings.<br />
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Mr. Gothard was also asked to resign after 60 young women came forward telling of what was perceived to be sexual impropriety. Although he claims innocence, the Board felt the complaints were believable enough, to ask for his resignation. Here is the official statement: <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">On June 17, 2014 IBLP issued a statement,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gothard#cite_note-34" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[34]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> summarizing the investigation conducted by "outside legal counsel". In that statement they made the claim that no criminal activity was uncovered, but that Bill Gothard had acted in an "inappropriate manner" so "is not permitted to serve in any counseling, leadership, or Board role within the IBLP ministry". </span><br />
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It would seem Mr. Gothard's seminars were at their height through the same time frame as the sexual revolution, skyrocketing divorce rate, and the mass exodus from the church. I'm not saying it's directly related, but the reality is the reality. This teaching was very instrumental in the Duggar's marriage and child raising. When I read about Josh, I just couldn't help but draw a parallel. In reading Michelle's comments about being "available" at any time for Jim Bob's needs, and seeing by the number of children, the man seems to have no other hobbies, what did Josh grow up hearing and over hearing? Their house wasn't this massive until they became famous for procreating. I realize Josh has made his own decisions as an adult, but without a doubt, his formative years were very influenced by a veiled, unspoken, and extreme sexuality. <br />
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Anything that is focused upon as a secret creates a curiosity. The enemy knows that, and the flesh responds to it. While the Kardashians flaunt their cleavage and outrageous dates, the Duggars insist upon side hugs and a chaperone. Both are extreme while the focus is still sex. K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-6106363107187815692015-03-08T19:03:00.000-07:002015-03-15T10:25:18.899-07:00Pray Over ItI take a pretty bold and uncompromising stand when it comes to trusting YHWH for provision and healing. I trust Him in other areas as well, but there aren't as many arguments in other areas. Although the majority is dwindling, most folks who claimed to be Bible believers have taken a stand against adultery, fornication, idolatry, etc. if not in deed, at least in word, but provision/prosperity is a big controversy and trusting YHWH for healing is really outside of mainstream, if you're talking no chemicals and no prescriptions!<br />
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The book of Galatians seems to be the book most Christians believe stands as a testament to the obsoletion of Torah. I, personally, believe most of Christendom has misinterpreted Paul's intent in writing to the new believers in Galatia, but that's not the point of this article. Many believers are beginning to see the power grab of Big Pharma when it comes to our health and they are beginning to seek outside the social tradition of mainstream medicine. While many have been taught and continue to teach that G-d has given special wisdom to those in the medical field, there really is no Scriptural reference to back up that theology.<br />
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Of course, we all know that Luke was referred to as the beloved physician by Paul, but there is absolutely no Scriptural reference that Messiah or the apostles sent anyone to him for healing, or even treatment, for that matter. To get to the point, there have been several rabbis and pastors who encourage their congregants to utilize the social mainstream of what we call modern medicine. The term "pharmakeia" was translated to witchcraft in the list of works of the flesh, found in Galatians 5. It's as easy to recognize the root word for pharmacy in the Greek term pharmakeia as it is to see the root word "porn" in the Greek word that was translated to fornication.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Galatians 5:19-21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;</i></span><br />
I've included the Greek term as well as brief definitions of each word according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance:<br />
<span style="color: red;">Adultery:</span> <b><i>Moicheia: </i></b>(unlawful intercourse of married person)<br />
*** <span style="color: red;">Fornication:</span> <b><i>Porneia:</i></b> (illicit sexual intercourse) (also includes eating what is sacrificed to idols) <br />
<span style="color: red;">Uncleanness:</span> <b><i>Akatharsia: </i></b>in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful, luxurious, profligate living<br />
<span style="color: red;">Lasciviousness:</span> <b><i>Aselgeia: </i></b> unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness,
outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence<br />
<span style="color: red;">Idolatry:</span> <b><i>Eidololatreia: </i></b>the worship of false gods<br />
*** <span style="color: red;">Witchcraft: </span> <b><i>Pharmakeia:</i></b> 1.the use or the administering of drugs 2. poisoning<br />
<span style="color: red;"> Hatred: </span> <b style="font-style: italic;">Echthra: </b>enmity<br />
<span style="color: red;">Variance:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Eris: </i>contention, strife, wrangling<br />
<span style="color: red;">Emulations: </span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Zelos: </i>excitement of mind, punitive zeal<br />
<span style="color: red;">Wrath: </span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Thumos: </i>passion, boiling anger<br />
* <span style="color: red;">Strife:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Eritheia: </i>electioneering or intriguing for office<br />
<span style="color: red;">Seditions:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Dichostasia: </i>dissention, division<br />
<span style="color: red;">Heresies: </span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Hairesis: </i>a body of men following their own tenets<br />
<span style="color: red;">Envyings: </span> <b style="font-style: italic;">Phthonos: </b>prompted by envy or jealousy<br />
<span style="color: red;">Murders:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Phonos: </i>slaughter<br />
* <span style="color: red;">Drunkenness:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Methe: </i>intoxication<br />
<span style="color: red;">Revellings:</span> <i style="font-weight: bold;">Komos: </i>carousing, nocturnal riotous procession<br />
<i><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; color: blue;">and such like: of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of G-d.</span></i><br />
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There is an odd correlation between the Greek term for intoxication and the drug slang "meth" in our society, but what has continued to stand the test of time is the teaching that pharmaceuticals are somehow blessed by G-d and these chemical poisons are for our good. I use the term poisons because that is the ancient Greek definition, as well as the current facts. The reason for such strict dosage calculation and avoidance of overdose is because pharmaceuticals are carefully measured poison. <br />
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On more than one occasion, I've had people tell me, their spiritual leader has advised them regarding this word pharmakeia, to simply pray over their prescription before taking it. My response is simple. Is "pray over it" the spiritual counsel for the rest of the list, as well?K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-77452594695231082472015-03-02T14:36:00.000-08:002015-03-02T15:29:11.205-08:00Promises of Our CreatorScripture repeats many times over that our health is to be trusted to Our Heavenly Father. I'm continually surprised, no longer shocked, but surprised; at the number of people who claim to be observing Torah with faith in Messiah who continue to place their faith in mainstream medicine. People speak to me, as if my belief regarding health is not conviction based up Scripture. Trusting Abba rather than using pharmaceuticals is not a matter of my opinion, but conviction of my understanding of Scripture It's not a matter of not liking doctors or hospitals, Scripture gives clear warning that sorcery and witchcraft are sin and forbidden. In Galatians 5:20 the term, witchcraft, was translated from the Greek word: pharmakeia. In the Revelation all four references to sorceries or sorcerers, come from the Greek root word: pharma.<br />
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When physicians actually taught health and "prescribed" herbal remedies, they were sharing their knowledge in how to better utilize what our Creator made for our wellness. Of course that was back in the days in which doctors made house calls and were paid with a chicken or milk or an exchange of service. I'm not against that at all! We have each been given talents and abilities. Hospitals used to be places of recovery and assisted care. Now doctors have become representatives for Big Pharmaceuticals and hospitals are what I now term, Sanctuaries of Sorcery. Many may take that as an over statement, but consider the number of operating rooms, the department of Xray and testing (so we can know what G-d knows,) then consider the size of the pharmacy department, and the medication rooms at each nurse's station. Consider simply, the square footage of what I described and compare it to the single obscure room known as the inter-faith chapel.<br />
For those who think our Creator is using that, it seems the chapel would be larger than the administrator's office, or at least larger than the restrooms.<br />
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I didn't realize how truly saddened I was at this mixing of holy with profane until this past year of hearing how many times someone "tried" natural remedies but they just didn't resolve the issue. First, I have a few questions. One: Is the lifestyle, including diet and rest truly in obedience to Scripture? Two: How many OTC chemicals and/or prescriptions were taken before the natural remedies were tried? Three: How many months and years does mainstream get to resolve the problem in comparison to the days or weeks natural remedies are tried? Last: If prayer and natural remedies fail, are we saying G-d's promises are invalid and creation which He called "good," is lacking? <br />
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<b><i>He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man . . . </i></b><br />
<b><i> Psalm 104:14a</i></b><br />
Big Pharma is to health care what Monsanto is to agriculture. Improving on creation . . . taking up the slack for our Creator?K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-57041865982163035372015-02-22T20:03:00.002-08:002015-02-24T10:38:38.595-08:00Your Call Is Important . . .We've all heard the familiar recording when placing a call we do believe is important. The recorded voice that states, "Your call is important . . ." is not so convincing or reassuring at all, that our call is important to whomever is busy serving other customers, receiving higher than normal call volumes, or is away from their desk. As I sat on hold the other day, the question came to me: How often do we do this to our Heavenly Father? How often do we place other priorities ahead of our prayer time with Him, or worse yet allow our time of prayer to be interrupted with non-emergencies or simply being distracted?<br />
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I'm beginning to take note in my own life when a subject of prayer becomes a tangent or distracted thought. I've also considered how easily I am distracted from matters of spiritual intimacy to focus on work and projects. I do it with people, I know I've done it with Abba. Although Mr. B and I do not really share any personal time, nor have we for several years . . . I do try to at least set aside some time in the evening to go through the motions of conversation. Sadly, and admittedly, it's such a ritual, that I can do that on autopilot while I think about other matters. As our society continues to become more impersonal with random priorities, I believe our brains and hearts are following suit. I don't want my prayer life to become ritualistic, autopilot, or filled with distraction. <br />
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Personal phones, smart phones, whatever seem to intensify the situation. More and more, it seems people are not really where they are . . . I watched a couple of people out to lunch recently, and both of them were looking at their phones nearly the entire time. It seemed so odd to watch them dining at the same table, but never engaging in any conversation. Then I considered the fact, I was at the same table with Mr. B, and we weren't talking either, as I was people watching while I ate. I've gotten to the place of realizing when incoming calls and texts repeatedly control the current conversation, the current conversation is simply not as important. That's fine in some situations, but it really shouldn't be a way of life. Every call is not more important than the person in the first conversation. <br />
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My mom gave me great insight in this when she got call waiting, years ago. More than once she'd tell me to hang on, then leave me on "hold" only to come back to tell me she forgot about me. She would then proceed to explain that when she hung up from the other call, her phone rang, reminding her the first line was still tied up . . . It didn't take me long to just end our calls when she received another call, telling her to call me back when she finished, thinking it would be just fine if she forgot about me. Through the years in ministry, I'm always saddened at the number of people who are unhappy in a personal relationship and feel something is amiss in their relationship with our Heavenly Father, yet they invariably interrupt the conversation or even prayer to prioritize the very individual with whom they are having problems. <br />
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I don't want any priorities ahead of following Messiah and I certainly don't want any distractions when I've been granted the privilege to come before the Throne of Glory. How many times do we presume, the Creator of the Universe will always be available, even at the end of our distracted priorities? K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-50349550837370271412015-02-01T14:39:00.003-08:002015-02-01T14:39:58.843-08:00What's in a Name?Moses went to a great deal of trouble and effort, as did the prophets and scribes who followed; to make certain, The Name spoken in Exodus 3:15 would be known throughout all generations. The Name appears in the Hebrew Scriptures over 6,000 times. I try to make The Name of YHWH known, and that of His Son's, then try to avoid most arguments. Since I'm unsure where the line is drawn between proclaiming The Name and taking His Name in vain, arguing seems unwise. There were no vowel points in the original Hebrew, so I have no authority to argue the pronunciation, nor do I spell check the transliteration. The (Vav) can be translated to U, V, or W but the other three letters currently translate without debate. I use YHWH as the English translation for: <span style="font-family: BSTHebrew; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">hwhy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: BSTHebrew; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
Although many promote various translations of the Bible and rail against others, I am an advocate of the King James Version of the Bible. I came to know The Name of our Creator and the Name of His Son through the KJV with a Strong's Concordance. I was absolutely overjoyed to realize how many times Y'hshuwah appears throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, and His Name is spoken even in traditional synagogues, today. I did take a bit of offense at the dedication page of the KJV, but those translators were trying to "keep their heads." There are only three major issues I take with the KJV of Scripture. The title and position of "Lord" already existed in English nobility and peerage, designated by the King. I'm troubled that a King would take it upon himself to designate a title for the Creator of the universe, lower than his own.<br />
<table class="MainVerseTable">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Easter in the book of Acts appears to be an intentional attempt to mislead and separate, as the same term <span style="font-family: BSTGreek;"><b>pavsca</b> </span><b><i>Pascha,</i></b> is translated throughout the rest of the New Testament as, Passover. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The translation of Y'hshuwah HaMoshiach to Jesus Christ misses by a mile. Messiah is the obvious English translation for the Hebrew: <b style="font-family: BSTHebrew; font-size: x-large;">xyXm</b> - Moshaich and Greek: <span style="font-family: BSTGreek;"><b>Messivaß -</b></span>Messias.<br />
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Y'hshuwah/Jesus may or may not be interchangeable, since there is no need to translate a name, but rather; the message that has come along with the translation. I've been told more than once, that believing the Hebrew Name of Messiah is special, compares my faith to magic or His Name to a magic word. To believe there is power in The Name, is far from superstition. Most Christians end their prayers with "in Jesus' name," but would never consider that be using the name like a magic word. I realize those who have embraced the Name of our Messiah in Hebrew can become intense, but by the same token, I remember how casually the name of Jesus could be used in a sinner's prayer that basically appeared to change nothing about a person's life. Scripture says, there is no other name given . . . Messiah said to ask in His Name. Whosoever calls upon The Name . . . The Bible really does make the Name sound pretty important. By saying it doesn't matter or it's open to interpretation, lays a foundation of "changing the Bible to suit us," rather than the Bible changing us. <br />
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Since the interpretation of Paul's letters seem to be a major point of division, I'll use his terminology. He used the term "adoption" so I'll reference, adopted or adoption, as well. When a foreign child is adopted into a family, depending upon the age of the child, the first name may remain that of it's native country, but in an adoption, the sir name is changed and becomes, that of the parents. In the case of a newborn, the parents choose the name. I still remember an American couple who adopted a beautiful little newborn from China. Her name is Rose and her last name is theirs. <br />
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Adopted children do not change the family name, nor do they change the name of the other children in the home, certainly not the eldest son who is often named for the father. Y'hshuwah has the Name of the Father in His, "Yah is salvation." When we are born again, we become the new creatures . . . adopted newborns, if you will. Although some believers have legally changed their names to a Hebrew name, I did not. My name is a name in Scripture, but I didn't change the pronunciation when I became a believer. As I consider those two options I didn't take, either one would actually make more sense than changing Messiah's name to a poorly translated Greek or English term. Strong's Concordance clearly draws a line from the Hebrew to English translation, in the name, Joshua.<br />
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In summation, I'd like to add a footnote. I don't give much focus to the adversary, but in this particular instance, this seems worthy of mention. Here is the Hebrew word for Satan: <span style="font-family: BSTHebrew;"><b>!tX</b> </span><b><i>Satan</i></b> Here is the Greek term for Satan: <span style="font-family: BSTGreek;"><b>Satana'ß</b> </span><b><i>Satanas</i></b><br />
I find it just a little more than curious that the adversary's name wasn't rendered to just a title or a poor translation. <br />
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<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-682895071824656237.post-53474354680236308322015-01-25T15:29:00.001-08:002015-01-25T15:30:36.189-08:00Speaking OutEarly the other morning through prayer, I heard a simple question and a concise statement regarding the "great falling away." First the question. "How can a group of a few hundred people who cannot agree on a name to call themselves, a day of the week, or when the month begins even be considered a "great number?" Now the statement. "Men who speak to tens of thousands every week under a generic title of cohesiveness, while endorsing a Pope who endorses Islam could indeed lead a "great falling away." <br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igNCUw1adIw">Rick Warren "Our Pope"</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #523f7c; font-family: helvetica, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.worthynews.com/14865-joel-osteen-in-the-spirit-of-ecumenicim-meets-pope-francis" target="_blank">"I love the fact that's he's made the Church more inclusive," he said. "Not trying to make it smaller, but to try to make it larger — to take everybody in. So, that just resonates with me," Osteen added.</a></span><br />
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I never really thought of needing a religious label, although it does come up now and again. I've been a Torah observant follower of Messiah since before the turn of this century. I still remember the day I clearly heard The Name of Messiah, then the many aspects of our Creator with His Name. That also occurred before the turn of this last century. I've known my call, since I first heard our Creator speak it to me, so servant of YHWH, follower of Y'hshuwah has always been adequate for me. Our gracious Heavenly Father has let me know, He calls me His child, and we find in the Matthew 12:50, Y'hshuwah calls us siblings.<br />
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As of late, however; I've come to understand humanity has many labels, most of which can seem a bit confining. The Hebrew Roots Movement was never attached to me, although for a time I did try to generically use the term, Messianic, but as it turns out, I seem to go in the "Sacred Namer" category. Having had the "cult" word aimed at me through the years, that now tends to fall on me like water off a duck's back. The apostles were referred to as the Sect of The Way, and I've grown to love that label. Paul is quoted in Acts 24:14 to state, "<b><i>But this I confess unto thee, that after The Way which they call <u>heresy</u>, so
worship I the Elohim of my fathers, believing all things which are written in Torah and in the prophets:</i></b>" In checking the original Greek, it would appear the religious right of the day, considered the apostles to be heretics. The terms sect and heresy were both translated from the same Greek word: <b><i>Hairesis</i></b>.<br />
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In studying just how many verses Paul wrote in his epistles that can be chosen to be interpreted to be anti-Torah, a realization has come to me. There are a great many verses in Paul's writings that confirm Torah. There is also another correlation with Paul and Moses. According to Acts 17:23 Paul makes a very concise statement that the Creator of the Universe does in fact have a Name and title. There is absolutely no doubt, once Moses encountered that burning bush, he came down that mountain a "Sacred Namer." <br />
<i><b>And Elohim said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of
Israel, YHWH Elohim of your fathers, Elohim of Abraham, Elohim of Isaac, and Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is My Name for ever, and this is My Memorial unto all generations.</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
Being a "Sacred Namer" may get you thrown out of some groups, but it also lands you in pretty good company!<br />
<br />K D Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183114008882831294noreply@blogger.com0