New page added: Recovering Pastors

In the wake of yesterday’s posting of Scott Hillman’s testimony and the extremely high number of hits it has received, I thought I should add a page to the blog that simply lists names and ministries of pastors who left the pulpit to pursue the truth of Torah.  Here it is: Recovering Pastors

As a recovering pastor myself, I know the transition from Church to Messianic faith, though Spirit led, can be a challenging trip.  This new page is meant to be a listing of many who have made the switch to a) lend credibility and b) act as a resource for others, pastors and non- who are being led into this deeper walk.

Please check it out and submit info to add to it.  I want it to be a looonnnggg page…  I know there are many, many pastors who have made this switch.

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7 Scriptural Proofs For Two House (Theology), following up on Zac Bauer

One of the large theological stumbling blocks in Hebrew roots and Messianic circles today is a doctrinal position termed ‘Two House theology.’  It is a topic I have covered on this blog before, but recent conversation has led me to understand that we need to go over it again.  I firmly believe that Scripture, and especially prophecy, cannot be rightly understood until one fully grasps and embraces the Two House position.  That is not to say one cannot be saved, but I do not believe one will understand what is happening and how prophecy is being fulfilled until they fully understand and embrace Two House.

Here is an opening video that will begin our discussion.  Please watch, then read on…

Zac begins with seven verses that clearly demonstrate that the idea of two houses, and the meaning of the phrase, is not only entirely Scriptural, but connected to multiple significant future prophecies and many doctrines.  What Zac didn’t mention, and he should have, is Continue reading

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AoG Pastor Changes to Sabbath and Feast Observance. Why?

Following is a terrific video of Assemblies of God Pastor Scott Hillman humbly and compassionately giving testimony of why and how he and most of his congregation began keeping Shabbat and the Feasts of the Lord.  Interestingly, after many questions and deep discussion, his denomination allowed him to stay and Hillman reveals that he is not alone.  Apparently, there are a number of AoG congregations that have begun to take all of God’s Word seriously.

He is not alone.  I have recently heard that there are more than 100 Southern Baptist Missionaries who self identify as Messianic and walk as the Messiah did, keeping Sabbath, eating clean and keeping Feasts.  I personally know several pastors, one Southern Baptist, who have made the switch in the last year.

Our Father is doing something amazing in our day.  He is bringing His people back to the fullness of Truth and causing them to question doctrines that are not rooted in Scripture, only justified with logic.  May He be praised!!

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The Messiah from Assyria??

Prophecy is almost always fulfilled in a very literal manner.  Just read the couple hundred messianic prophecies fulfilled by Yeshua and, though many are couched in idiomatic

broken pottery

Psalm 2…

language, the clear literal nature is unavoidable.  Psalm 22 describes His execution in vivid detail, confirmed in the Gospels.

What is particularly fascinating is how most Christian denominations have their own varied interpretations of future prophecies with evident blind spots caused by centuries of layered anti-Semitic doctrine.  The result is that even when literal avenues of fulfillment manifest, they only ‘see’ their own interpretation.  Today, we are marching toward a very literal fulfillment of numerous end times prophecies and, because they don’t fit the Christian expectation, they are flying under the radar.

Two recent Breaking Israel News articles in close succession highlighted the rapidly increasing Jewish expectation of the Messiah while simultaneously raising red flags.  Interestingly, my good friend, Al McCarn, caught and was impacted by the exact same articles.  See his insightful comments here.

The two articles are Continue reading

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News About the Second B’ney Yosef National Congress

The First B’ney Yosef National Congress convened nearly a year and a half ago, at the end of May 2015.  That means it is about time that we should hear news of the Second Congress.  Since the begin…

Source: News About the Second B’ney Yosef National Congress

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‘Done away with,’ or merely suspended?

Central to Christendom’s argument that the Torah or Law is ‘done away with’ is the obvious fact that there is no Temple and therefore, significant chunks of instruction cannot be carried out.  But, does the absence of a Temple mean God did away with that part of the Law as Christendom believes?  Or, does it simply mean that for the time being part of the Law cannot be obeyed?

What does Scripture say?  jot tittle

Yeshua, when talking about the Torah and the Prophets, said,

…truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not [a]the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

With heaven and earth still clearly here, are there passages in the Law and the Prophets that have not been fulfilled?

To even the most ill informed reader of Scripture, it is clear there are hundreds, maybe a thousand verses/passages that are unfulfilled.  The most perplexing would be the passages promising future Continue reading

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Previewed! The Way Documentary

We have been anxiously awaiting the release of The Way, a documentary about the global movement away from Christian tradition and toward a lifestyle that more accurately reflects Scripture and Yeshua!  Well, yesterday, The Way DVD1-copyour home fellowship opened with worship, prayer and the Shema, then instead of our normal Scripture/Torah midrash, we watched the doco via a pre-release streaming link.

LOVED IT!!

Everybody in the room loved the film.  Our main complaint might be that there was not enough of it, but at an hour and 27 minutes, it does a terrific job of covering a very broad and detailed topic with balanced exposure that is both compassionate, sensitive and at times screaming funny.  (There was some debate as to whether the clip with the gentleman telling about circumcising himself should have been in there or not…  😲 But, that was rolling on the floor funny!  Nobody Continue reading

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Hermeneutics and Theological Cockelburs

cockelbur

Cockelbur. Not fun, especially once dry and stuck in your clothes!!

Not long ago, an old friend from seminary visited.  Unlike most friends in ministry who jettisoned us after we began this Messianic journey, they have remained close, though we rarely have a Scriptural discussion of real substance.  This visit was different as we enjoyed a spirited discussion that they closed with the simple statement, “Well, you’ve given me a lot to think about.”

During that discussion, we talked briefly about the Sabbath and upon reflection, I noticed something fascinating that will prove beneficial in future conversations.

When we attended seminary at Columbia International University (class of ’02), one of the annual requirements was signing and submitting to the policies of the Standards Handbook.  Because the Christian college and seminary are Biblically very conservative, one of the standards we were required to agree to was Continue reading

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“Times, Times and Half a Time.” Decoded?

This morning I received an interesting paper from Ray Gardner concerning some of his current thoughts on eschatology, current events and most especially, the phrase oft used in prophetic writing, ‘time, times and half a time.’  Most readers will recall that Ray is the author of the Torah Portion Study Guides hosted on this blog.

Readers that have been with me a while will also remember that we have discussed a couple interesting recent studies by Steve Moutria of Torah Family .org.  His most interesting paper, linked in the prophecy wrap up article has a fascinating discussion on how the times are shortened at the end.

Here, for your perusal, is Ray’s short paper that presents a few interesting thoughts on ‘time, times and half a time.’

Times time and half a time

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Regular readers in South America, Africa, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, please contact me!

I would like readers from Central and South America, Africa, the far East (Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, etc), Australia and New Zealand to please contact me.  The Second B’ney Yosef Congress is coming up and we want to hear from you!  Please send me an email!

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Terrific Video of Ephraim and Rimona Frank!

The B’ney Yosef North America website is finally starting to release a number of videos and articles as there is a web team in place to oversee and manage upkeep.  Here is a link to the newest offer, Two Sticks Pioneers.

Ty Towriss, award winning videographer, was at the Summit and took all of the interview footage as well as some of the footage in the conference room.  This was filmed the first night when we had much tighter quarters due to the hotel having another event in the main ballroom.  The interview footage is a really neat piece assembled from an hour+ of interview that I was privileged to help with. (I sat on a tiny stool between the cameras and asked questions to keep conversation going!)  Ephraim and Rimona, bless them, were SO tired.  They had been without sleep, having flown in from Israel earlier in the day, then this interview took place about midnight EST.

Enjoy both Ephraim and Rimona’s Friday evening message as well as parts of their joint interview with Batya Wooten.

Blessings

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Angel of the Lord, Pt. 4

The Angel of the Lord, in Scripture, is a conundrum for Christendom.  Most Bible scholars agree that all ‘Angel of the Lord’ appearances are pre-incarnate interactions of Jesus.

Problem, Hebrews 13:8 says,

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Why is this a problem?  Well, we have seen up to this point in the series that the Angel of the Lord speaks with the full authority of God.  Now, we see that His expectations at Sinai are the same!  Yep, Jesus was at Mt. Sinai and He is the Lawgiver!  But, that is running ahead a bit.

When I first began studying the Angel of the Lord, I found something blindingly obvious, and amazing.  Moses spoke with the Angel of the Lord at Mt. Sinai.  Continue reading

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Forty Days of Repentance, Reconciliation, and Restoration

This Fall is shaping up to be a doozy.  It is clear that we are not living in times that are ‘business as usual.’  Rather, the nations rage and they are wildly straining against the Lord’s Anointed.  Following is our best response and preparation for this fast coming season of uproar.


Forty Days of Repentance, Reconciliation, and Restoration

Kentucky_Shofar

Originally posted here.

(From the Evening of Sept 3, 2016 to the evening of October 12, 2016)

Repentance, reconciliation, and restoration are all elements of the journey of the bride. It is at this time, starting with the first of Elul, that BYNA has chosen to focus on this part of the journey of the bride that began at Passover and continues through the cycle of Festivals. In ancient times, the bride had to make herself ready for the arrival of her husband. The betrothal period was the time that she would begin to look within to see how she could present herself as an acceptable bride to her husband. She knew that she would no longer be living in her father’s house, but she would be leaving all to be with her husband. These forty days from Elul 1 to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) are part of that betrothal period Continue reading

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Interview and Presentation by Batya Wooten

While outwardly, B’ney Yosef North America (BYNA) has been pretty quiet, I can tell you from first hand participation, there has been MUCH going on.  I am very encouraged at the happenings in spite of many challenges we have faced in our first few months of existence.  Truly, Abba is doing something very special.

The BYNA website finally has a dedicated team that will be making regular updates and postings with news, articles, videos, etc…  Keep an eye on it for information.  Also, the National Shabbat website is growing as are the number of places participating!!  This has been an incredibly blessed step in the direction of reconciliation and restoration.  Register and participate!!  Lastly, look for information on an initiative we are taking this Elul for the 40 days of repentance…

Now, here is an excellent interview and presentation by Batya Wooten assembled from a couple pieces of footage at the 2016 Summit in St. Petersburg, FL.  Watch this and be blessed!!

Shalom!

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Something to really think about…

wp-1470099422917.jpeg

Yesterday, Kelly and I took several teens, including three of our boys to Camp Mashiach.  Long day driving about 11 hours round trip.

In the latter stages of our return home, I was pondering the following thought:

‘If Yeshua was righteous by keeping the Torah, what makes us think we can be righteous while breaking the Torah?’

I know, someone one will say, ‘but we have the righteousness of Christ.’

I say, ‘if you really think that argument holds water, then why don’t you commit murder, or steal, or lie?’

Truth: The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Marinate.

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