Shabbat Shalom—Mount Hood Hike

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Shabbat shalom everyone wherever you are around the world!

Yesterday (Friday) I went for a ten mile day hike up onto the NW side of Oregon’s Mount Hood with some of my kids. Please enjoy some of the snapshots I took from that alpine adventure.

I invite you in joining me in praise and worship of Yehovah Elohim for giving us eyes to feast on such visual delicacies to be discovered in his glorious creation!

Mount Hood, Oregon’s tallest peak, from Lolo Pass Rd.

The Vista Ridge Trail. A few years ago, a forest fire devastated this side of the mountain. Now look at the beauty that has sprung out of the fire’s destruction as the earth is healing itself. This is our wonderful Elohim at work in his creation who gives us beauty out of the ashes (Isa 61:3)!

A blooming carpet of avalanche lilies in the midst of the burnt out trees standing like silent sentinels keeping watch over the forest. Yeshua said, “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Luke 12:27).

There is even a stark beauty to be found in the pattern of the skeletal remains of the forest fire and the trees that the wind storms have subsequently laid down. There is a beautiful blessing to be found in every adversity of life. All we need is the right mindset of a thankful heart to search for and to find that blessing in the midsts of life’s difficulties and then, once found,  to rejoice in it.

Even the holes in these ghoulish burned out tree snags are a blessing not only for their beauty, but for the wildlife habitat they create. We saw mountain blue birds nesting in some of these tree cavities.

We finally got above the forest fire area and were blessed with this specular view of Mount Hood!

Enjoying a high alpine lunch with my kids. In the front is Lucy, our oldest child and her husband Spencer. In the back are Kaleb and Jared. Hiking ten miles and gaining about 1,600 foot in elevation leaves one with a healthy appetite.

Kaleb beware! One should never drink untreated water in the mountains unless you know where it comes from…

In this case, Kaleb made a wise choice. This water is as pure as you can get on planet earth!

Tiny Dollar Lake was our final destination at just under 6,000 foot elevation. It is the highest alpine lake on Mount Hood. Kaleb stripped down to his shorts and ran down the snow bank and dove in for a quick plunge into the icy waters. It was a very quick dip! He jumped out almost as fast as he got in. It happened so fast that none of us had a chance to snap a photo of him. I’m proud of Kaleb for his adventuresome spirit.

Dollar Lake against the backdrop of majestic Mount Hood. Would have been a great spot to spend Shabbat had we been camping there.

 

Are You Cursable?

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Numbers 22:11–12, Dealing with curses from the enemy. Make no mistake about it, false prophets are neither the friends of YHVH nor his people. They are grievous wolves who hate YHVH’s people and want their total destruction.

For example, in verse 11 Balak asks Balaam to pronounce a mild curse (arah) on Israel that would result simply in their being driven away, not on their being destroyed. But then notice in verse 17 how Balak employs a much stronger Hebrew expression (kavah) to curse Israel implying their total destruction, thus indicating Balaam’s hatred for Israel (and his contempt for YHVH).

In verse 12, YHVH uses the milder term to let Balaam know that even the mildest curse would not prevail against his people (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 858).

Do you walk so closely to YHVH in relationship with Yeshua and in his righteousness that you are protected from even the mildest curse directed at you from the enemy? Do you stay under the blood of Yeshua so that no spiritual darts of Satan can pierce your spiritual armor (Eph 6:16; Rev 12:11)? Do you take refuge perpetually under the shadow of the wings of the Almighty (Ps 91:1, 4)? How does the child of YHVH do this every day?

Proverbs 26:2 states, “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” Do you have any “spiritual doors” open so that the Evil One has “legal” entrance into your life to attack you?

The solution to the problem is to repent by turning from sin and then turn to Yeshua! Obey his Word so that you do not open yourself up to the curses for disobedience as mentioned in Deuteronomy 28.

 

Two Kind of Christians: Which One Are YOU? A Balaam or a Hebrew?

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Numbers 22:10ff, Crossing over. Many carnal people—especially those playing at religion—want to be like YHVH’s saints, and to be the recipients of the blessings of Israel, and to be numbered among YHVH’s chosen, but few want to walk the walk required to receive these blessings and privileges. Many will “court YHVH” by getting as close to him as possible without actually crossing over that spiritual river that divides the land of Israel from the rest of the world.

Those who actually cross over become an Ivrit or a Hebrew, which means “to cross over.” Abraham was one who crossed over. He forsook Babylon and crossed over the Euphrates and Jordan Rivers in his journey westward en route to the Promised Land as he followed YHVH’s leading. He was the first Hebrew (Ivrit) or “one who crossed over.”

Crossing over means going from being a worldly Babylonian to becoming the Israel of Elohim (Gal 6:16; Eph 2:11–13) and a child of Abraham (Gal 3:29) It also means surrendering one’s life totally to the Elohim of the Hebrews who is YHVH. The sacrifice of crossing over is too great for most people to make—too great of a price to pay. To leave the world or spiritual Babylon and to cross over the Jordan River to YHVH’s side and come into the land of Israel as a spiritual Hebrew means that the fame and fortune that this world has to offer must be laid aside and one must become a servant-slave of YHVH. Moreover, it means embracing YHVH’s Torah as the law of life—Elohim’s instructions in righteousness.

Balaam couldn’t cross over all the way. He still preferred the riches, fame and sinful “delights” that Babylon had to offer. He was willful, carnal and greedy (Jude 11).

Many religious game-players or cultural Christians in the mainstream church are like Balaam. They want the Savior part of Yeshua, but not the Lord or Master part. How serious are you about serving YHVH? The Scriptures say of the end-times saints that they loved not their lives unto death (Rev 12:11). Paul declares that followers of Yeshua must become “living sacrifices” in the service of YHVH (Rom 12:1).

Yeshua gave his very life for you. Are you holding back some of your life for him? Do the cares of this world, the desire for pleasures, material goods, money, entertainments or acclaim still have a grip on your heart? Are they preventing you from moving into your spiritual calling and destiny—to truly walk by faith in obedience to YHVH?

 

The “Gospel of the Kingdom” Vs. the “Gospel of the Person of Jesus”

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Are mainstream Christian Bible teachers and pastors really teaching what Yeshua and his apostles preached?

Recently, I received a letter where the writer asked the following question: Is the  gospel of the kingdom is different than that of the death, burial and resurrection or are the two connected?
Here is my answer to this excellent question:
The phrase, “gospel of the kingdom” is found in Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14, 15. We also find that the Gospels record that John the Baptist preached the message of repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 3:2). The same words were used to describe the message that Yeshua preached (Matt 4:17). At the same time, both Yeshua and John preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven as well (Mark 1:14, 14 and Matt 4:23; 9:35). Yeshua’s disciples were to preach the same message to the world (Matt 24:14). Therefore, it is logical to conclude that the message the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection as the apostles taught and the gospel of the kingdom are one in the same. Succinctly, they taught that one cannot enter the the kingdom of Elohim without placing one’s faith in Messiah. Therefore, these two messages are linked, indivisible and two sides of the same coin.
The problem is that the message of the kingdom is foreign to many Christians. They know about Yeshua, but little is taught or known about the kingdom of Elohim, even though this was a core component of the gospel message. This is because, in the minds of most Christians, when you die, your immortal soul “goes back to heaven” period. So what is the relevance of talking about the kingdom of Elohim in this paradigm? Little if any. Yet the kingdom of heaven/Elohim was one of the subjects that Yeshua talked about the most—certainly more than heaven or hell!
Let’s let the data speak for itself. Years ago I cataloged by topic the subjects Yeshua talked about the most in the synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mark and Luke). This is what I discovered:

1 Yeshua Speaking About Himself (316 references)

2 Yeshua Speaking About His Father (184 references)

3 Yeshua Interacting With the Disobedient/Hypocritical Religionists (177 references)

4 Yeshua Speaking About the Kingdom of Elohim (144 references)

5 Yeshua  Talking About the Torah (96 references)

So where does the gospel message that the mainstream church preaches fit into this paradigmatic scenario? Is it really preaching what Yeshua himself preached? Well, from the data above, it seems that that they’ve got the first subject covered quite well, thank you very much. But anyone with any church experience will see that that they’ve missed it big time on subjects two through five! This, in my opinion, is why the gospel of the kingdom, not to mention the subject Torah are such foreign concepts to the average Christian.
After that, Yeshua talked most about these topics:

6 Yeshua Speaking About the  Path of Righteousness (71 references)

7 Yeshua Teaching on Judgment (58 references)

8 Yeshua Speaking About His Death, Burial and Resurrection (54 references)

9 Yeshua Teaching About Obedience/Faithfulness (45 references)

10 Yeshua Speaking About Spiritual Rewards (43 references)

Sadly, the church doesn’t have much to say about most of these subjects as well.
By comparison, some of the things about which many churches teach the most frequently are are near the bottom of the list of what Yeshua preached about if even on the list at all. These include:
  • Money: 3 references (although “the perils of materialism” had 19 references)
  • Blessings: 4 references
  • Miracles and signs: 25 references
  • Physical needs: 2 references
  • Love (brotherly): 10 references
  • Love (of Elohim for man and vice versa): 19 references
The following subjects are not on the list of topics Yeshua discussed despite the fact that they are popular subjects within Christian circles (go to any Christian book store and see what the subjects of the best selling Christian books are!).
  • Financial security
  • Pleasure and entertainment
  • Retirement
  • Sexual pleasure and fulfillment
  • Self esteem
  • Psychology
So when John and Yeshua preached the gospel of the kingdom, and when Yeshua commanded his disciples to do the same (Matt 10:7), while at the same time preaching the basic message of the good news of Yeshua the Messiah (Matt 28:18–20; Mark 16:16; etc.), this is what they did, even though the church, by in large, doesn’t preach half of the gospel message, that is, the kingdom of Elohim and repentance.
Suffice it to say, briefly, the Scriptures teach us that the kingdom of heaven/Elohim was brought to this earth by Yeshua, is currently in force among his people, and will be made universal when Yeshua returns to this earth as King of kings and establishes his millennial kingdom here. Belief and faith in Yeshua along with repentance of sin (violation of the Torah) and obedience to his Torah commands will be requisite to being a part of that kingdom.
 

Blog Scripture Readings for 6-24 Through 6-30-18

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Balak — Numbers 22:2 – 25:9
Haftarah — Micah 5:6 – 6:8
Prophets — Ezekiel 7:1 – 15:8
Writings — Daniel 7:1 – 12:13
Testimony — 1 Corinthians 14:1 – 16:24; 2 Corinthians 1:1–24

Our annual Scripture Reading Schedule for 2017-2018 is available to download and print.

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 6/24/18 through 6/30/18.

 

Spiritual Gifts from Heaven

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1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual Gifts

How do we bring glory to Elohim, live in his river of life and help to advance his kingdom initiatives on earth? By receiving his spiritual gifts and then learning to exercise them.

The spiritual gifts Elohim gives to his children are essential in all aspect of our lives from the time we receive the gift of salvation, but beyond that as well. They establish us in him as a fully functioning and important part of his kingdom being advanced on earth. They help us to be his hands, feet and mouth to reach many people for him.

We must know what our spiritual gifts are so that instead of being a side-lined pew warmer, we are a fully functioning member of the body of Yeshua. Knowing our gift and then functioning in most importantly brings glory to Elohim, and as a by-product gives our life meaning, purpose and direction.

The Gifts (Gr. Charismahtohn) of the Spirit

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. (Rom 12:6) 

So that ye come behind in no gift (charisma); waiting for the coming of our Lord Yeshua Messiah. (1 Cor 1:7)

For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift (charisma) of Elohim, one after this manner, and another after that. (1 Cor 7:7)

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (1 Cor 12:4)

But covet earnestly the best gifts [charisma]: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Cor 12:31)

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts (lit. spirituals), but rather that ye may prophesy. (1 Cor 14:1)

Neglect not the gift (charisma) that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.(1 Tim 4:14)

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift (charisma) of Elohim, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. (2 Tim 1:6)

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of Elohim. (1 Pet 4:10)

 Spiritual Gifts (Charisma) in a General Sense

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift (charisma) of Elohim is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah our Lord. (Rom 6:23)

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of Elohim and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Yeshua the Messiah, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. (Rom 5:15–16 NAS)

Salvation Is Elohim’s Greatest Gift to Man

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift (charisma), to the end ye may be established. (Rom 1:11)

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts 

Spiritual gifts help to establish, make firm, make stable, place firmly a person in the body of Yeshua or kingdom of Elohim. They give one a purpose and function. If you know what your gift is, you’ll better understanding your spiritual call and purpose. This will give your life meaning and direction. This glorifies Elohim, helps to advance his kingdom and keep you in his perfect will and in his river of life for you.

I thank my Elohim always concerning you for the grace of Elohim which was given to you by Messiah Yeshua, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowle.g. even as the testimony of Messiah was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Master Yeshua the Messiah. (1 Cor 1:4–7)

Spiritual gifts from Elohim enrich our lives in all that we say and think.

Misc. Spiritual Gifts (Charisma)

For the gifts and calling of Elohim are without repentance. (Rom 11:29)

Israel was YHVH’s chosen and gifted people.

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. (1 Tim 4:14)

Ministry gifts come by prophecy and the laying on of hands by the elders. 

Word Definitions

The Greek word for gifts (as in spiritual gifts, see Rom 6:23; 2 Cor 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31; 14:1; 1 Pet. 4:10) is charisma and means the following:

  • a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own
  • the gift of divine grace
  • the gift of faith, knowle.g. holiness, virtue
  • the economy of divine grace, by which the pardon of sin and eternal salvation is appointed to sinners in consideration of the merits of Messiah laid hold of by faith
  • grace or gifts denoting extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain redeemed believers and enabling them to serve the church of Messiah, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating on their souls by the Spirit of Elohim.

From the study notes found in The Spirit Filled Life Bible in an article entitled “The Holy Spirit and Power,” (by Paul Walker), we learn the following things about spiritual gifts from heaven:

Romans 12:3–8 Lists Seven Gifts from the Father

All born again or redeemed believers should have one or more of these gifts. Often they are innate character traits a person already possesses naturally, but once they are born again by the Spirit of Elohim, these traits will often be employed for ministry purposes. These gifts are basic life purpose or residential motivational gifts that a person is gifted with for the benefit of others.

  • Prophecy
  • Ministry
  • Teaching
  • Exhortation
  • Giving
  • Leadership
  • Mercy

1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28 Lists Nine Gifts from the Spirit of Elohim

These gifts are a result of receiving the baptism of the Set-Apart Spirit and are used on an as-need basis in ministry situations as the Spirit of Elohim wills them to be used and as the individual allows the Spirit to use him or her (1 Cor 12:11).

Inspirational/Fellowship Gifts ­—Power to Speak

  • Tongues
  • Interpretation of Tongues
  • Prophecy

Gifts of Power—Power to Do

  • Healing
  • Miracles
  • Faith

Gifts of Revelation—Power to Know

  • Discernment of Spirits
  • Word of Knowledge
  • Word of Wisdom

Ephesians 4:11 (also 1 Cor 12:28) Lists the Gifts from the Son

Only selected individuals are chosen by Elohim to fill these governing positions within the congregation of the saints. These gifts are to help facilitate and equip the spiritual body of believers.

  • Apostle brings governmental and spiritual order into the body of Yeshua.
  • Prophet brings divine guidance to the body of Yeshua.
  • Evangelist brings people into the kingdom of Elohim.
  • Shepherd or Pastor brings love and nurturing to the body.
  • Teacher brings stability by grounding believers in Elohim’s word and truth.
 

“Under the law to Christ…” ???

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What did Paul mean when he said,

1 Corinthians 9:20

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to Elohim, but under the law to Messiah,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Explanation: It is evident that when Paul uses the phrase, “under the law” in his writings, he at times infuses different connotations into this phrase. Only by studying the context of the surrounding passages in which this phrase is imbedded can we understand the exact connotation that Paul is attaching to the term “under the law.”

In this passage, the phrase “under the law” is found four times, and doesn’t connote “under the penalty of the law,” (as is the case with Paul’s usage of the term in Romans). The first three times this phrase is found here it means “in subjection to a legalistic perversion of the Torah” (as David Stern translates it in his Complete Jewish Bible and then explains reasons behind this translation in his Jewish New Testament Commentary). Here Paul identifies several groups of people, each of which had its own view of the Torah. These groups were (a) ethnic Jews, (b) those (ethnic Jews or otherwise) who had come under a legalistic view of the Torah in that they believed, for example, that circumcision was a precondition for salvation (certain Pharisees believed this [see Acts 15:1], and Paul was dealing with this doctrinal perversion in the first several chapters of Romans), (c) those (presumably Gentiles) who had no knowledge of the Torah, and (d) those new believers who were still weak and unstable in their faith.

In Paul’s final usage of this phrase in this passage he adds to the phrase under the law” [Gr. ennomos meaning “in the law”] the two words “in Christ.” This changes the whole meaning of the term under the law. As we have noted above, “under the law,” as Paul uses it can mean “under the [penalty of] the Torah,” or “under a legalistic perversion of the Torah,” but here Paul is referring to Torah obedience in the context of a faith in Yeshua. Is Paul referring here to Christians who keep the Torah? Yes! This is what the first century redeemed believers were, and what Paul confesses here about himself (1 Cor 9:21). Paul’s pro-Torah stance is totally consistent with other apologetic statements he makes concerning the Torah along with his confession to being totally Torah-obedient himself (e.g. Rom 3:31; 7:12, 22, 25; 1 Cor 7:19; Acts 21:24; 24:14; 25:8). Torah obedience was also to be a normative attribute of the life of the redeemed believer then and now (e.g. Acts 21:20; 22:12; Rev 12:17; 14:12; 22:14).

So what specifically does the phrase “not being without the Torah toward Elohim, but “under or in the law toward Messiah” mean? Simply this. There is a keeping of the Torah that is done through men’s legalistic efforts that is devoid of trusting faith toward Elohim, whereby one hopes to earn Elohim’s grace or merciful kindness through human effort. This approach Paul proves in Romans 3 and 4 was never how Elohim intended men to come into a spiritual relationship with him, since it is impossible for men to keep the righteous requirements of the Torah perfectly without sinning. Thankfully, salvation is by the grace of Elohim through faith in Yeshua (Eph 2:8–10). It is through Elohim working through his Holy Spirit through our relationship with Yeshua that we can do the good works (Eph 2:10) of loving Yeshua by keeping his Torah commandments (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6; 3:24; 5:2–3). When Yeshua and his apostles use the term commandments in their writings, how do we know that they’re referring to the Torah-commandments? In Luke 18:19–20, Yeshua answers this question when he connects the word commandments (Gr. entole) with the laws of Torah (in this case, the Ten Commandments, which is the cornerstone of or the basis for all the other 600 plus commandments in the Torah).

Therefore, when Paul says “not being without the Torah toward Elohim, but under [or, in] the law toward Messiah,” he is referring to Torah obedience within the paradigmatic context of Elohim’s grace toward us (which covers our past sins and delivers us from the penalty for violating the law, which is death), and to Yeshua living in the redeemed believer’s life through his Set-Apart Spirit, which enables one to love Yeshua by obeying his Torah (John 14:15).