You can be in Jerusalem for Sukkot this year and experience the feast in a whole new way while being obedient to the command to ‘go up.’ Price of just $945 USD includes lodging and two meals per day as well as community and fellowship opportunities unavailable anywhere else. Space only available for 70 participants and about 30 are already spoken for.
October 7-22, 2019. Details at Ani Yosef!
As we continue our headship study we need to keep in mind that the Scriptures are almost completely opposed to our modern cultural understanding of family structure, morals and responsibility. One major aspect of this is the role of a husband in this thing we call marriage.
While we generally assume that ‘husband’ means ‘male spouse in a marriage,’ the older definitions, and especially the verb forms are quite instructive:
From Dictionary.com,
noun
a married man, especially when considered in relation to his partner in marriage.
British. a manager.
Archaic. a prudent or frugal manager.
Archaic.
Husband, in its purest form is a manager of resources or cultivator. One might specifically call to mind a vinedresser, or one who guards, prunes, trains and harvests from a vine.
Continue reading
Why are you alive? Fifty years after you die, what will have been the value of your life? How will people remember you? Will they remember you?
While ultimately, life is not so self centered as to be about my or your existence, few of us think deeply enough about our reason for being or living.
Recently, my wife and I, along with our eldest, attended a retreat focused on Biblical headship and patriarchy, our third such with this group. It was a refreshing gathering of believers from a number of different Christian/Hebraic backgrounds with the common passion for understanding marriage and headship from a decidedly Biblical perspective. Besides the interesting fact that is was fun to rub shoulders with Christians who don’t see or understand Torah as necessary while decidedly rejecting feminism and matriarchy based on the ‘old Testament Law,’ it was cathartic to hear from others who have experienced rejection from friends and family because they choose truth over tradition in this area. But, I digress.
Continue reading
Headship and the Biblical order in both family and nation has been a recurring theme in our fellowship. Over the last few months we have been intensely challenged by the Father to consider HIS model for how men/women/family/clan/tribe/nation are supposed to function and operate. Yesterday was no different. While we had a ‘double portion’ in Mattot and Massei, we never actually got out of the first two chapters.
I thought I’d share a few thoughts that came out of our discussion as it directly relates to the ongoing series on this blog regarding the restoration of kol Israel and the roles of men and women. Consider them food for thought or discussion as we did not fully develop them, nor am I attempting to share every detail of our conversation…
Numbers 30:
Continue reading
On several occasions I have shared the amazing beauty and depth of the Stu Lowndes’ videos. This morning I was again drawn to search them out and spend some time pondering the cavernous depths he opens with Scripture connections, imagery and music. ~ Masterful, leading to worship!
Enjoy this video and then go to his YouTube channel and drink the rich depth of other topics explored in verse and music.
For most, the transition to Torah from typical Christian doctrine requires a major retooling or correcting of understanding regarding basic terms and ideas. As an example, most have been taught that the ‘Law’ is bad and therefore needs to be removed or in some way minimized so that we are freed from it. The revelation, early in the Torah walk, that ‘Torah’ means ‘instructions’ and not ‘law’ begins to reform, or re-form, our understanding of God’s loving expectations and desires. As we pursue this, we learn that the Father has specific ways that bring blessings when we understand them properly and apply them in our lives in the way He intended them.
In the beginning parts of this series considering headship and patriarchy, we have seen that God’s Word clearly reveals a particular plan for how families are supposed to operate in order to rightly reflect Him and His glory as well as the particular relationship between Him and His people. To paraphrase Paul in Ephesians 5, ‘the covenant relationship between man and woman should be a reflection of the Messiah and the Qahal/ekklesia/congregation.’
In other words, this thing we call marriage should be an exact representation of Yeshua and His people. The challenge is that so much false teaching and understanding at the hand of the enemy has led most Christians who claim to have ‘Biblical marriages’ to an understanding that is decidedly UNbiblical. We hear terms like ‘partnership,’ ‘egalitarian,’ ‘co-equal,’ and ‘mutual submission’ which are all radically contrary to Scripture from beginning to end. Rather, these are the very essence of the influence of feminism in the church, tendrils which trace to the Garden of Eden.
This morning, as I commuted to my job for the day, I was listening to YouVersion read me the book of Job. I’m part of a small group listening through the Chronological Bible plan with some light discussion as we go. (If you care to join us in that plan, drop me an email and we can connect on YouVersion then I’ll add you.)
Anyway, as I’m listening to Scripture, because Jeremy and I are co-authoring a series on Biblical headship and family, I am hearing from a different perspective…. headship!
So, I’m a couple days ahead of schedule right now and was in the last section, beginning at chapter 38, wherein Elohim is dressing Job down for speaking presumptively. God begins,
Continue reading
Lately, I have been pondering the whole ‘Adam and Eve’ incident in Gan Eden and it has led me to wonder, ‘Does fencing a commandment actually open the door for the adversary’s assault?’ I would be interested in the thoughts of my readers, but first let me share some basics and why I think this is an important consideration.
The Torah of Moses clearly says,
“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.”
Deut. 12:32
On the surface, the very act of fencing, adding an additional layer to the commandment – presumably to protect the command from being broken, is sin because it is adding to the commandment. My question, however, is whether the act of fencing actually opens the door for the enemy by creating a standard that is not Yah’s standard and therefore one He does not need to provide protection from?
Continue reading
As we continue our headship study we will continue with the writings of Paul. Previously, we looked at 1 Corinthians 11:3, 7-10. Here we will consider the verses in the middle, often ignored or minimized as simply being about a cloth head covering.
Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. [5] But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. [6] For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. [7] For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
1 Corinthians 11:4-7 NASB
As pointed out in the opening post of this series Paul upheld and taught the Torah. I believe we do ourselves and this passage a disservice when we only focus on the literal cloth head covering debate and ignore the deeper truths that Paul is teaching us in this passage. Remember, foundationally, a woman was always to be under the headship/authority/covering of a man. From the beginning, when Eve stepped out from under her covering, we see that she becomes vulnerable. The headship/covering is articulated over and over in Torah through numerous examples demonstrating that a girl was to be under the covering of her father until he released her into the protection of a husband.
Health and fitness is not complicated or hard. Really good general fitness and health can be achieved fairly simply and I want to offer a simple plan as well as a few thoughts. But first… why?
A couple years ago I wrote an article with a few thoughts on how to prepare for a wilderness experience. For my regular readers, that will especially interest you as it regards the state of the world and prophecy, but from a more general perspective, it explains that overall quality of life and longevity are dependent on a three legged stool of mental, spiritual and physical health.
For our purposes, I want to offer a simple plan that should demystify basic health and fitness as one of those three legs that support ‘your stool.’ At least in the US, there is a 50+% obesity rate with a significant portion of those being medically termed, ‘morbidly obese.’ General fitness escapes more than 80% of the population by several standards, meaning in difficult times, a very high percentage will succumb to some combination of physical inability to lack of mental willpower due to the excessive shock of moving from sedentary existence to very active or even survival mode.
Continue reading
Yesterday’s Torah portion, Korach (Numbers 16-18), offered an interesting thought regarding some recent posts on my blog. We have been and will continue discussing headship and God’s instituted authority structures. The name of yesterday’s portion was ‘Korach’ after the man who led a rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
Korach means ‘bald.’ As in, ‘uncovered.’ Both of the last two week’s portions can be summed up as ‘God’s judgment against those who rebel against His appointed authority.’ The result is stepping out from under His covering.
Scary stuff! Will we be fully submitted to Him and His ways, or do we negotiate and rebel? Israel wanted to return to Egypt claiming it was the ‘Land flowing with milk and honey.’ Korach wanted to institute his own tabernacle and priesthood. The people were generally grumbling against Moses and Aaron, and by extension, the Angel of the Lord, leading them in the wilderness.
33 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 20:33-38
Will we rebel or come to total submission? Only one option will reap the reward of the Kingdom.
Selah.
“How can we be the salt of the earth, if we keep sugar coating the message?”
Gary Moore
(From Kelly’s Facebook page…)
No doubt, we need to be compassionate in our delivery, but we should not avoid the hard truths or deeper topics simply because they are unpopular or politically incorrect. Every prophet and apostle, as well as the Messiah, spoke truth to their own detriment. We should be so bold.
Selah.
It is with great peril that we negotiate with the Elohim of Avraham, Itzhaak and Ya’acov. We may come with a list of terms, however, we quickly find it best to simply hand Him a blank check.
If you consider yourself a servant of the Most High, dare to take the leap. Quit negotiating and simply sign the check. Long-term, it is much less painful.
As explained in the introduction to this series, the most basic building block for the restoration of all Israel is the family. To begin understanding how this basic building block is supposed to work, we need to begin to understand the creation order, and for that, we begin in the writings of Paul.
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. [7] For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. [8] For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; [9] for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. [10] Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
1 Corinthians 11:3,7-10 NASB
We know that Paul upheld Torah so have you ever wondered where Paul is getting this from? I think we do this passage and ourselves a disservice when we only focus on the literal head covering debate. Paul is using a physical example to teach some very important spiritual truths. He is clearly teaching headship and authority structure and he references creation so we should be able to pick up on what he is talking about if we go back to Genesis.
If we set our course out of consideration for what others may think or concern for how this group or that group will accept us, then we are guaranteed to fail. If, however, we base our course on the unassailable truths of Scripture, then our Guardian will overwatch and protect with a shield known only to those who enter complete submission to the will of the Almighty and His Word. May we be so bold, so daring, as to cast off the moors of western culture and tradition in favor of returning to the tribal lifestyle of a Biblically Hebraic people. No other course will return us to the Land.
Selah.
The restoration of Israel, all Israel: it occupies my every thought and is prominent in every prayer. It is a factor in every major decision I make, and most minor decisions. I continually ask the Father, ‘What does it look like? How will it function? What is my part?’
Over the last couple years He has repeatedly brought me back to the basic building block for any society: Family. And, as I have studied. He has again and again taught me lessons regarding the many parts, but the most foundational, Biblical manhood and headship, keeps coming to the fore. He has also brought or connected me with other men who have various parts of the answers and together we have discussed and emailed/texted/phoned hundreds of hours. We have read and processed books and teachings as we’ve dug deeper into what a true Biblical family looks like, how it functions, the roles of each member, etc.
I count it a special blessing to share one of these resources over the next few weeks or months as together we assemble some lengthy posts covering aspects of this topic. Truly, many books, can and have been written on the topic, but so many, maybe most, have a significant amount of tradition and inherited falsehoods that do not lead us to correct conclusions or results. Our desire is to spark a conversation within the Messianic/Hebrew roots community about what Scripture really says about the family, headship, patriarchy, man’s role, woman’s role and marriage.
Order here, $12.95.
Now available. Click image to order directly from Create Space. Use discount code FX5KDVSC on orders of 6 or more to save $2.50 each. Give copies away!!
The Journey as a Nurse from RN to Nurse Practitioner and Holistic Healthcare
The Torah became flesh (Yeshua) and dwelt among us!
American Homeschooling Family Exploring the Land of the Bible
Find God's Purpose For Your Life In Your Gender
Putting a Servant's Face on Ephraim
Welcome to my blog!
God's Word
The Prophesied Reconciliation of God's Two Witnesses
it must be TRUE LOVE when you hold the camera and let her shoot!
Here I stand.
A place of safety
A topnotch WordPress.com site
by Cathy Helms
"The Restoration and Reconstitution of the People of Northern Israel - House of Yosef/Ephraim." Ezekiel 37:19
a home for Torah-observant followers of Messiah Yeshua
Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Faith, Family, Farm
Teach Me Thy Way
Just another WordPress.com site
News From a Prophetic Perspective
Judah and Ephraim coming together
Making Calming Harp Music Available for Listening
"That is my major preoccupation... memory, the kingdom of memory. I want to protect and enrich that kingdom, glorify that kingdom and serve it." ~ Elie Weisel
Examining Scripture from a Hebraic perspective.
Studies from the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Apostolic Writings (New Testament)
A Pilgrim's Progress
A Yankee grows in the South ~ Homesteading, gardening, & harvest recipes
Tracking events and trends in Israel, the U.S., Russia and throughout the Epicenter (the Middle East & North Africa)
Word of Life Congregation
A Hebrew Stuck in Modern Babylon
Keeping the commandments of God and holding the testimony of Jesus. "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey" (Deut. 1.6-7).
Discovering Truth that Builds
a place for the peculiar...
Discovering and living the Truth
Leaving Egypt is only the beginning of our journey...
This site is dedicated to the Truth of the Messiah Yeshua and defending against the falsities of the World.
A candid look behind the veil
Hope of Bright Joy, after a Night of Distress
Thoughts and insights about my journey with Yahweh
