Author: Tekoa

Why do you Speak to Him? (Doctrines of Demons #1)

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Chapter 9

I remember the power that rang through the voice that was speaking to me and commanding Satan to turn me loose.  The large hand was placed on­­­ my forehead and the prayer continued with more screaming at the enemy.  “Satan wants to take you out! He wants to literally destroy you, but he must bow!”

 

Sadly, I was suddenly feeling a little prideful that Satan wanted to obliterate me. Was I so anointed that he was on a mission to take me out?  No, I was just your ordinary follower of Jesus/Yeshua trying to live a holy (set apart) life.  I prayed. I read His Word, and I tried to live a life worthy of His commandments. This is hard enough to do in this day and time. But this Shepherd was telling my enemy to bow.  I wondered why I had never read of any great men of G-d in the Bible praying such a prayer.  Did they?  I began to study this and wore my small concordance out looking up every verse on the “father of lies.” Although I studied every scripture concerning him, in no place did I find that type of prayer. I hear so many today praying to Satan.  I know that I have mentioned this in an earlier chapter, but the need for truth on this matter, especially in the charismatic church today is greatly needed.

 

I have heard many pray prayers that contain dialogue like this, “We bind you Satan, you must bow, and you cannot cross this blood line.  Satan you are a liar and the father of lies.  Satan you are under my feet.”  Is he?  If he is, why does Paul warn that he roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour?  Again, If You bind him, how long is he bound?  What is he doing while you yell at him?

So back to the man praying over me, he continued with a great swelling boast: “I take authority over the powers of the airways and I command you to take your filthy hands off of my sister…” Again, this didn’t set well with me. If we had power over the airways we could stop the missiles from hitting Israel. We could stop wars. Well, you get the picture.

I was raised in a church with this particular teaching, but I have to tell you, I just don’t agree with it, and I don’t find it biblical.  Now once again I want to show you in the word of God, precept upon precept, and line upon line.  When we study the Bible both the Older and Newer portions, we have a complete picture of how the Godliest men and women fought their battles and nowhere did they converse with or curse Satan during those times.  Job didn’t. King David didn’t.  Moses didn’t, and neither did the mighty men and women of Jesus/Yeshua’s day.

 

After Paul and Silas are thrown in prison and beaten unmercifully they didn’t curse Satan. They praised Adonai by lifting their voices and singing praises. Let’s read that account:  “A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!” Acts 16:22-26 NLT.  No yells or threats made to Satan, but they do go on to lead the jailer to salvation.

Once when Paul was speaking to the church in Thessalonica he had this to say, “We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 NLT.  Let the scripture speak for itself. There is no record of him talking to Satan, he just says he was delayed. We also have to remember Satan means adversary or enemy.

Peter, chapter two, discusses false teachers and prophets that would be among us. Then the passage describes some of their characteristics: …  “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality.  And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.  But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.”  2nd Peter 2:2-3 NLT.

Peter went on to explain just how corrupt these men are. “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;…” 2nd Peter 2:10-12 NLT.

Jude had this to say: “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion and speak evil of dignities.  Yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” Jude 1:8-11 KJV.

 

Jude uses three different people in the Bible to describe them. Cain who murdered his brother over the jealousy of Abel’s righteousness.  Next, he uses Balaam who would have cursed Israel for his greed if G-d had not stopped him and Korah who rose up against Moses and Aaron and tried to exalt himself in the camp. However, instead, the earth opened her mouth and swallowed him.

 

Now if angels don’t speak evil to Satan but say, “The Lord rebuke you.”  Should we not tread where we are ignorant?  And why should so much time be spent talking to the enemy? Wouldn’t it be better to cast out the demon and let the person who comes for deliverance get into G-d’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit? What power is there in repeating repetitious prayers to the enemy?  None. According to Peter, Jude, and many others, we don’t have any business doing that anyway. We just learned that men who do this are filthy dreamers–brute beast even. They are corrupt, filled with pride, arrogance, and ignorance.

Now in the Older Testament (Tanakh), there is a story about Daniel and his prayers getting through.  Daniel says a prayer during a twenty-one day fast and an angel appears to him. Let’s look at that closely.

“Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven.  I have come in answer to your prayer.  But for twenty-one days, the spirit prince[c] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way.  Then Michael, one of the archangels,[d] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.[e]  Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14 NLT.  Now Daniel didn’t know there was a war in heaven for his words.  Daniel wasn’t commanding the Prince of Persia to bow. HaShem sent Michael the archangel to help this angel battle a General and ruler over Persia. The rulers at that time were fierce! Remember they threw Daniel into a den full of hungry lions. Think about world leaders for a bit and remove the focus from how it was explained to you by your pastor or priest.

Daniel pours his heart and soul out to G-d in chapter nine and ten. He humbles himself through prayer and repents for his nation and the people. He knew G-d had made a specific link between these seventy years in captivity and the number of Sabbaths they had missed. Just like the famous verse we quote so often in times of need, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV. However, when we read verse ten we understand the secret Daniel knew about this Prince of Persia.

Jeremiah 29:10, “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place”. Daniel knew that the time was getting close to being fulfilled. However, the Prince of Persia knew that as well. Earlier, in Daniel chapter five, we read about a feast put on by Belshazzar for thousands. Who was Belshazzar? He was a sixth century BC Prince of Persia.

“Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them”. Daniel 5:1-2. ASV.  He must have had a reason for drinking from those vessels at this time. And I am betting that he thought the seventy-year prophecy had passed and that he had been triumphant over Israel’s G-d.  Then the finger of Yahweh wrote upon the wall of his palace, Belshazzar died, and Babylon was taken over by the Persians. You can yell at Satan and Princes over territories, but ultimately G-d is in control and what moves God’s heart is prayer, fasting, and repentance like Daniel did.

I honor the ministers who are gifted and take on the foulest demons from hell, but at the same time, I think a lot of this doctrine needs light.  Conversing with Satan is not one of the ingredients for victory. Getting puffed up and shouting at a being G-d controls, created even, and uses for His purposes is not wise.

 

How do these ministers think that they have a right to make Satan bow when G-d has sent him? The pride of it all is baffling to me.  Paul had this to say about the wicked in the church who wouldn’t repent, “Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.” 1 Corinthians 5:5 NLT.  Do you knock on Satan’s door and say, “Hey buddy, I got a live one for ya!”   No, we have got to start thinking clearer about verses.

 

Satan shows up in the New Testament when the Spirit leads Jesus/Yeshua into the wilderness to be tempted by him.  Ironic?  I think not.  Hopefully, you are getting a better understanding of your adversary.  Praying prayers where men and women of G-d shout at Satan is not mentioned in the Bible.  Jesus gave us an example of how to pray.  He said to pray after this manner, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8 KJV. Jesus/Yeshua said to pray to be delivered from evil and for us not to be led into temptation.

 

In the New Testament, we hear about Satan or the Devil our adversary, but not once do we hear anyone conversing or shouting at him.  Even when Yeshua was warning Peter about Satan, he didn’t say anything but the fact that Satan desired to have him.  Let’s read to get more understanding. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 NLT.  Notice Satan had to ask Jesus/Yeshua if he could get permission to sift Peter.  Also, we notice by reading this that Jesus doesn’t say anywhere that He told Satan to flee or bow, but that He instead was praying for Simon Peter’s faith to be strengthened. He was praying for him to pass the test. Shouldn’t we follow the examples set before us in the scriptures? Talking to Satan is a waste of time and energy.  Just think you could be praising the King of Kings!   The book of James says this, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 KJV.

 

How did the Son of Yahweh converse with the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness?  Did He curse him and tell him to bow?  Did he tell him that one day he would be shut up in a pit and laugh at him? Again, no. He said, “It is written…” Matt 4:4 KJV. Again, he said, “It is written….” Matt 4:7 KJV.  “Get thee hence, Satan: For it is written….” Matt 4:10 KJV.  In Luke, He says, “It is written...”, “It is said…”, “Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written” Luke 4:4, 12, 8 KJV. Jesus fought his own wilderness temptation with the Word.  The enemy will come to tempt us all, and the Holy Spirit will help us overcome, but it seems we do that by using the word of Adonai. “…for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”  Revelation 12:11 KJV.

 

This is the scripture G-d gives us to follow. He said we overcome by the blood and the word of our testimony.  If you keep talking to Satan and incorporating him into your day when things don’t go right, aren’t you really giving him attention and more credit than he deserves?  If we resist the devil he will flee. Don’t be like the men Peter and Jude warned us about.

 

In the next chapter, we will look at how Satan has evolved over time and through literature.

demon book cover

 

 

Who We Honor–A blog on relationships & Marriage

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As I was listening to a man named Frank give an analogy– I suddenly had a very vivid image. He said, “Picture a baseball being hit and landing in an outhouse full of waste or a sewage tank. What do you do? Do you get it out?” No, but what if it was a diamond that large? (Paraphrasing) He proceeds with example after example, of who and what we honor and why. Frank Seekins zooms in on the issues, and his wisdom and understanding of relationships are undeniably some of the greatest teachings out there. If you get a chance watch. Dr. Frank Seekins ‘A Mighty Warrior’

Dr. Frank Seekins: Hebrew and Your Relationships

And if you’re married, I suggest watching them both with your spouse. Grab the popcorn.

I’ve stumbled across several amazing teachings on marriage and the roles of men and women by googling. Yes, right out there in internet land where you never know what you are going to get; I landed on a couple of diamonds. So, to further your appetite, I want to add two more links before I get into this blog post. If your marriage is falling apart, empty, and less than desirable, and in the words of the Righteous Brothers,

“You lost that lovin’ feelin’ Whoa, that lovin’ feelin,” then you need help!

It’s possible that you don’t know how you were designed by The Creator—the One who designed Adam and Chavah (Eve). You may not know your role in the relationship or how to make the most of your marriage. Dr. Skip Moen was one of the first teachers Abba led me to during my journey. His book Guardian Angel is a life-changing read. If you haven’t discovered his blog post or heard of him, here is a short blurb.

“Skip Moen is the founder of At God’s Table, a worldwide cyber community that explores and applies the Hebraic worldview of Scripture. Skip has five earned degrees and travels to the far reaches of the globe visiting readers, teaching and encouraging people to be distinctively different in their thinking and living.”

Click here to order Guardian Angel. Dr. Skip Moen or you can look for his video series on YouTube.

Author and teacher, Kisha Gallagher has an amazing series called Role of Women on her blog site Grace in Torah. You can read her series on the daughters of the Most High here.

According to Jewish history, the Rambam counts four steps to repentance which they call Teshuva. This word literally means to return. Teshuva is a time of self-evaluation and trying to work on coming up higher. This is the season of doing just that and also in our marriages. I have listed the four steps below along with a scripture for each.

  1. Recognize and then discontinue. (Escape from all lusts of youth and run after righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on our Lord with a pure heart.) 2nd Timothy 2:22 AB.
  1. Verbally confess the action (Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.) James 5:16 NASB.
  2. Regret the action. (Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.) Psalms 51:4 NASB.
  3. Determine to never repeat the actions. (Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Adonai,) Hebrews 12:14 BLB.

 

This blog will have mercy sprinkled throughout. I need mercy.

It will be a blog of pondering traits we see in ourselves. I need to meditate.

It will contain a bit of psychology mixed with Teshuva. I need to return.

 

Marriage is a funny union of opposition and struggle, laughter and unity. It’s a mixed-up mess of good and bad and at times an incredible masterpiece. It’s both parties coming together as one, but without Him in the center of a marriage, it is fire–a consuming fire.

Time and gravity change us. Our spouses may not look exactly like they did the day we married them, but hopefully, we see them more beautiful or more honorable now than then.

The word for fire in Hebrew is “esh.” Click the link to listen to the word and see it written in the Hebrew. Fire in Hebrew

The word for man in Hebrew is ‘ee-sh’ and woman is ‘eesha.’ Both words have fire in them and when you place them together and the two become one, you have Fire-(Yah-or God) Fire. He is in the center. When both parties are prideful, stubborn, and self-seeking—placing themselves above Abba, above their spouses, then you have a whole bunch of hot tempers and fiery flames, fighting to be right and in control. Or perhaps one spouse is a believer and the other one isn’t much on board? One wants a spiritual life, the other not so much. This too is causing one of the parties involved to not be able to fulfill their destiny as they should. Sadly, we can devour each other with our fire, instead of Abba’s fire. All this fire can turn our relationships icy cold.

Most the time we want things in this life that never bring us joy, peace, fulfillment, or anything worth fighting for.

Used to, when a couple met, and they began to desire one another, they came to a conclusion that it was going to be a good union and they married. Now days not so much. Most people just live together or have bedroom mates. They miss the whole opportunity of standing before family and friends and saying, “This is my bride! This is my husband!” This is the one I am going to become one with—die with—and make a covenant vow with. They miss being set apart from the world.

My husband waited months to hold my hand and even longer to kiss me. He was not going to lead my heart to believe that he had made his mind up about marrying me, or that I was ‘the one,’ until he was certain. He wasn’t going to try and use me for sex and then discard me. When he kissed me it had been 12 years since he had kissed a woman. Not because he is unattractive or didn’t have women pursuing him, because he is a man of valor. They still exist ladies.

 

Nowadays we go to great elaborate exhausting, expensive wedding plans, but we often are met with divorce and unhappy endings. We are met with fire pus fire. I’ve been there! The person we thought we would grow old with, raise children, and grandchildren with, now is a shattered, broken family. Children, from previous unions that failed, now thrown into a hodgepodge of trying to mix and blend. This was never The Father’s plan. I could list a ton of reasons for divorce and unhappiness in the home, but I just want to showcase some things that affect all of us whether we are married or single. Remember the videos and blogs I posted above are for the deeper healing and revelation.

Many marriages and relationships struggle due to passive-aggressiveness, control, manipulation, the martyr complex, and many other behaviors connected to our past. It’s a common problem today, but becoming aware of some of these sneaky characteristics helps. I wanted to start with a behavior that is common—passive-aggressiveness.

Here are eight features of passive aggressive people taken from Daily Worth.

  1. Asking Threat-Based Questions
  2. Making Wistful Statements
  3. Doling Out Backhanded Compliments
  4. Ignoring or Saying Nothing
  5. Procrastinating
  6. Leaving Someone Out
  7. Sabotaging Someone
  8. Keeping Score

For more info, click the link here 8 Signs You’re Being Passive Aggressive | DailyWorth

Many times our hearts do things that are so subtle it gets overlooked, even by us. . . “If our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God.” 1st John 3:21. What Our Hearts Know? – Obadiah’s Cave

  1. יְהוָה YHWH our Father is compassionate before a person sins.

So let’s review a couple characteristics of passive aggressiveness and see if we need to come up higher in an area. I’ll start with wistful statements.

Example: Family member explains that they are going to Australia on vacation. Our response is–“Boy, I wish I could go on a vacation like you, but “I’m too broke—it must be nice.” I wish I could relax and watch a movie but I have to do all the dishes.” Etc.

A friend calls to tell you about a fabulous book he/she read—a new sushi restaurant tried, and we say, “I wish I had free time to lounge around and read or go out to eat, but I have to take care of my mother who has Alzheimer’s.” The wistful list is unending. It may be true, but it just makes the other person feel bad.

  1. YHWH our Abba is compassionate after a person has sinned.

Backhanded compliments can be traced to jealousy. The compliments seem more like jabs or smirks—congrats with a twisted remark that takes away from the person’s accomplishments or even their worth. One example would be a friend writes a book or starts up a business and is excited to tell us, but instead, we say “not my type of business, genre or writing style—I only read murder mysteries, but good luck with that. Or perhaps we add on something unneeded. “Nice dress, but you would look better in red than the blue. “You made some good points, but you need to learn __”

  1. אֵל El: mighty in compassion to give all creatures according to their need.
  2. רַחוּם Rachum (compassionate): merciful, that humankind may not be distressed.

Many times people can cause us to become distressed. Many times we can cause them to be distressed. Unknowingly, at times our own need for recognition snuffs out others lights.

The silent treatment is one of the most heartbreaking traits. This is when a person acts as if we are unworthy of reconciling or talking through things. The person is clearly unhappy with our behavior or is jealous or suspicious, so he or she is going to punish us by not speaking—or ignoring us. Then we are supposed to try and figure out what we said or did that was wrong or deserving of guilt–silence. Sometimes it’s more subtle. We ask a question, perhaps it’s about a party we heard about and the person ignores it leaving us feeling unwanted on the guest list.

The Martyr image is one rooted in child abuse or strict religious upbringings. Most martyrs have a poor self-image, low self-esteem, and can be moody and judgmental. They often exaggerate their level of suffering and use it for attention. They can be critics to a fault and they may have difficulty with the word ‘no’ or needing to be right.

Can you see yourself in any of these? I’m sure we all can see something.

Other areas of change may involve looking deeper into our hearts for healing.

Are we know it all’s?

Must we get the last word?

“When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.” Proverbs 29:9.

Can we learn from others regardless if they have Ph.D. after their name? Humility.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13.

Do we have a cure for everything?

Do we drive better, cook better, and look better than everyone?

Do we offer advice continuously but never take it.

“If I were you…” Is our way best?

“Are we wiser in our own eyes?

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7.

Are we certain our son/daughter is not the problem in the failing marriage, or our child would never have gotten in trouble if he/she hadn’t been hanging out with so and so?

So often we find ourselves angry and hurt over what others have done to us, but what did we do to them?

Are we as merciful with others as Abba is with us?

  1. וְחַנּוּן VeChanun (Gracious): He shows mercy to us when we don’t deserve it and is gracious when we are already in distress.
  2. אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם Erech appayim: slow to anger. He gives us time to repent and think about our sins.
  3. וְרַב–חֶסֶד VeRav chesed: and abundant in kindness. He is giving and loving and showering blessings that we do not deserve.
  4. וֶאֱמֶת VeEmet: and truth. He is not a man that He would break a vow or lie to us.

All of the items on this list are just to ponder and search out. They are not directed at anyone, and if we all were honest, we all are hopefully seeing something we need to change.

9.Notzer chesed laalafim: keeping kindness unto thousands;

     10.נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן Noseh avon: forgiving iniquity;

11.וָפֶשַׁע VaFeshah: and transgression;

12.וְחַטָּאָה VeChata’ah: and sin;

  1. וְנַקֵּה VeNakeh: and pardoning.

Who is a God like HaShem?

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NASB.

I want to leave you with the answer to the whole issue. It all stems from love. Loving ourselves, our spouses and others, with a pure love. Allowing Him to increase while we decrease. That means all our knowledge, which isn’t much, all our looks, ambitions and titles become very small in our eyes. You know how small they are compared to Him? Teensy-weensy.

“So we have come to know and trust in the love that God has for us. God is love. Now whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

In this way, love is made perfect among us, so that we should have boldness on the Day of Judgment. For just as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and the one who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: that the one who loves God should also love his brother.” 1st John 4:16-20 Tree of Life Bible.

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Crème de la Crème

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mccalllss

Let’s get real for a minute.

I once had a friend who was prophetically talented in the gift of music. One day she called in tears and was being uprooted from her home. I already had two extra people living with my son and me. We were also in the process of digging out to relocate, but I told her to come and stay until she figured things out. Meanwhile, I had a young son who was depressed, and a dog who had become way over protective of me due to my sickness. My beloved Rex had begun to bite just about everyone– except—well, me and my son.

A few weeks later. . .

With so many in the small quarters, I was juggling my dog from my bedroom to the backyard. Rex, in Houdini fashion, had learned to escape by jumping the fence. I had not acquired such skills yet.

Rex was my second dog there. The first was a beagle named Gary, who my ex-husband had dropped off unannounced while I was at work. The dog was a sniffer and he cried and howled continuously no matter what you did for him. One day after a long shift, I mouthed under my breath audibly, “I wish that dog would die.” Of course, I didn’t mean it, but the next day Gary died. Yes… a lawn mowing accident perhaps. I wasn’t mowing, but I am certain, I killed Gary just the same. I rock flung up and hit him in the temples at just the right spot.

Words.

Back to my house guest.

A few weeks in and multiple piles of laundry in front of my washer–I felt spent. I decided one night to have dinner with a friend, leaving my dog locked in my bedroom for a short duration. During dinner, my newest guest called to tell me her daughter was coming for the weekend. Her husband had full custody of her daughter due to her health issues, but she got her on weekends. It had been weeks since she had seen her. She was excited. She was already sleeping on my couch. Where would her daughter sleep?

I couldn’t breathe.

I remember praying under my breath for Abba to stop the insanity. I couldn’t handle another person, and I was still quite sick from MS. I said, “Abba send her away!”

I arrived home after dinner to find more bags and another guest. I tried to smile and be friendly, but inside I was screaming, “release me Abba.” Rex was growling from behind the door and he was a good 100 pounds. I was so fatigued, and now I had to get the leash and take him outside, making sure he did not weasel his way into the neighbor’s yard and bite them or one of my houseguest.

Within minutes of taking the dog out, her daughter felt sick at her stomach. She wanted to leave. She began to cry. She was around fourteen. I tried to console her. I offered food—a Ginger-ale—Tums. Her father picked her up shortly afterward. I was relieved. I made my way outside for fresh air. A few minutes later my friend came outside on the porch where I sat, and she looked at me teary eyed and said, “Someone prayed for my daughter to leave.” Someone has caused this because they didn’t want my daughter here!” They made her sick and oh how BADLY I HAVE MISSED HER. Tears and anger rolled gently off her cheeks.”

Have you ever not wanted someone in your clique —house—family–assembly?

I will never forget that moment– along with many other splatters of shame that have wedged in my brain. Don’t pretend you have never had these thoughts. Don’t pretend you have never prayed these prayers or thought these thoughts about a person or a dog for that matter– or perhaps you haven’t?

The heart—who can know it? The mouth eventually gives it away unless the person has jaws of steel and the silent treatment is their MO, but ask their spouses—yes, they know and so does our Heavenly Husband. He knows our hearts. “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” 2nd Chronicles 16:9 NASB.

Years ago I was asked to share at an assembly with hubby while we were dating or newly married. I was sharing a testimony—no doctrine—no teaching that anyone could inspect with a microscope, but suddenly I couldn’t think right—I couldn’t speak, I had no words. Fumbling. I felt–unwanted.

AND just like my friend on the porch that night with her antennas out screaming, “SOMEONE PRAYED FOR MY DAUGHTER TO LEAVE!” I FELT IT. I knew who it was that was commanding under their breath for my mouth to be shut. I quickly apologized for my loss of memory and turned things over to the one in charge. About a week later this person sat on my couch in my living room and told me he cringed when my husband handed me the microphone. This person was a straight shooter. What I already knew was now coming up out of his heart and speaking. How could I not forgive him? I was no better. Straight shooters. I find them at times more refreshing than the ones who hide behind layers of perfection and never pull their heart out and show people the cuts, bruises, insecurities, rejections, and weaknesses. They appear perfectly put together.

Have you ever listened to someone pray a wet noodle– pitiful mossy flavored prayer that would make a better Nyquil commercial? Ever think while they’re praying it—“Won’t you please get DONE!!@#?”

Oh, I have.

I’ve sat and judged and thought, “if I was praying and proclaiming this scripture and that scripture and summoning powerful words that are led by His Ruach Holy Spirit. . .

blah—

Filthy rags–

Soiled—

Stained—

Most of us are good at this. We survey fruit like a cantaloupe or an avocado that we need to check for ripeness and walk past a mirror and glance at it and never even notice we have spinach in our teeth and a roll of toilet tissue stuck in our underwear draping down our smelly back sides.

Most of us have never seen ourselves on television or in real time. We have watched the freshly groomed, cleaned shaven, makeup intact, well-rehearsed versions of ourselves, but grab a camera in the middle of a fight with a spouse or a hot day in traffic with a screaming toddler or eight house guest. Well, go on, let’s post our youtube channels. No, we don’t capture those moments. We don’t see ourselves as others do. If I had to guess it’s probably one way or the other. We see ourselves a little too good, prideful even or not good at all, and even that has pity and pride in it–but then there is the other issue that’s far worse.

My mother used to wear very nice maxi dresses which she hand stitched using McCall’s patterns and added adornments. My mother was very attractive and always looked much younger than her years. So one day a lady who lived in the neighborhood had been watching my mother leave for church and other engagements in her long maxis and came over and inquired about borrowing one of my mother’s gowns for a special occasion. My mother weighed about a hundred and thirty pounds and the woman who stood before her weighed at least three hundred, but she thought she could borrow one of my mom’s dresses because she, like us, kept passing by the mirror and seeing what she wanted to see reflecting back at her.

There is another story about my mother that I will never forget. One day she was invited to a Tupperware party. Yes, I’ve told this one before. The party was hosted by a lady whose husband worked with my dad. My mother and his wife were good friends. They were Pentecostals. I don’t think they wore headscarves or Tzitzit’s, but they had their own attire. Long hair, no makeup, and a strict unspoken rule book. My mother showed up to the party with her thick eyeliner, mascara, bleach blonde hair, and a pair of jeans. The women soon gathered in the kitchen away from my mother. They whispered. They snickered. They made remarks my mother overheard. Jezebel.

Finally, my mother stood in front of them as the Tupper ware presentation was coming to a close and she said, “If you really think I’m a Jezebel headed for hell, shouldn’t you have shown me love and told me about your God—my God—our God? Isn’t love the greatest gift? Won’t the world know us by our love?”

You could have heard a pin drop in the room. It was a Harper Valley P.T. A- moment. My mother in tears made her way home.

Let’s go further.

One night before a conference with a pastor I traveled to churches with ministering, a small group of us in ministry had gathered outside the sanctuary and we were all talking on couches when several others came and sat with us. Some of them had issues with mental health. One was convinced he was the anti-Christ. They were coming to these meetings for prayer– demons that needed to be dealt with. One night, a woman who most did not want around them due to her beady eyes, a strange sense of humor, and continuous mirth at all the wrong moments, sat across the way from me and began to talk, tease, and chatter to the persons next to her. The woman road a public transit bus there and had some form of disability. I glanced at her backpack on wheels with its Jesus stickers and hearts and pondered her idiosyncrasies.

She had never married or had children. One by one, I watched people scurry away. Suddenly, they were in need of using the restroom or began to gather into another area by the coffee machine, but Abba sort of whispered to me in that moment—see her. Do you want to be with the elite? Go love my sheep with all the love and even more that you have for these you are looking up to—these who are impressed by your Biblical knowledge—these who have asked you to speak on Thursday night… because, Tekoa, I am not impressed.

Heart conditions…

Me, out of everyone there, should have understood. I was the child who was drug, literally, while crying, down the hallway by my sister and principal the first year of my schooling. I was the last one picked for sporting events in PE. I was the shy pigeon toed girl who sat at lunch in elementary school alone at times. Children holding their noses at my smelly paper sack lunch with hard boiled eggs that stunk. Children making fun of me. I learned to throw my food away on the way to school. Then I was ganged in Middle school and beaten up. I learned to disappear in a room. Now I was watching adults do what was done to me.

I walked over by this woman created by my Father and began to make small talk. I eased into the chair next to her. I began to ask her personal things and smile—look deeper into her small eyes and imagine His eyes shining back at me. I tried to ignore that it was summer and she was wearing thick tights the color of a 1990’s hunter green kitchen counter top or that her paisley mauve dress looked dated from 1940, or how she cracked 3rd-grade jokes, laughing hysterically. And then I began to ask her about her life—dreams—aspirations. Mostly what I remember next is this woman in her 40’s crying buckets of tears and her telling me about her pain—her heavenly Father (personal,) her earthly father who passed away and her tragic upbringing.

My mother, misunderstood, attired in lipstick and eyeliner could have been sitting next to me in a room full of religious spirits, and if you think it doesn’t exist in your new found Torah fellowship, your smiling Joel stadium, your small rural congregation, your shul, your synagogue–find a mirror.

Just go look…

Where was I?

Yes, hunter green stockings lady.

I listened as she unfolded the sad details of her life in an articulate manner and how much love she had for Abba. I felt smaller than small. I tried to imagine all the ones He created and shaped on his Potter’s wheel that we ignore—angels unaware—

We hurt—we judge—or we think we know what could come forth out of their heart and parted lips. The ones we pray to stop talking—stop speaking—stop praying–fade into the background of our lives or die like a dog who howls too loudly.

The lepers are crying out in this season.

CAN YOU HEAR THEM?

They scream, “Son of David have mercy on me!” While the crowd tries to shut their mouths. Have mercy they roar– as we scoot to the other side of the street—the room–we pretend we don’t hear them or see them.

There was a Canaanite woman whose daughter was vexed with demons and she was in great need, but what did his chosen men say at that time?

“Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”

She keeps laughing too loudly.

She has dirty laundry.

She’s embarrassing.

I’m too tired.

The healthy, chosen disciples, who one day would ponder which side—the right or the left– they could sit on in His kingdom, had no compassion or empathy for a Canaanite woman with a daughter who was demon possessed.

Wasn’t their problem. Who cares if her daughter screams all night—hisses—puts holes in the walls—wears green stockings–not our problem.

SEND HER AWAY!

I don’t need another houseguest Abba.

Can you hear my voice echoing from amongst His talmidim (disciples?)

Can you hear yours?

We, like them, wait to do what’s right—what we know is right.

We wait like Noah until the rain covers our ankles before we get on the Ark. . .

We wait like Moses until our wife has to circumcise our sons.

We wait until it’s dark to get an appointment with the King of All Kings.

We wait until it’s the Day of Atonement to get on our face and weep.

 

Sometimes people with titles who are well known get better treatment, and we make sure to respond to them quickly. Sometimes cliques happen and the people in them don’t even know that they have formed a group of elites—big dogs. We can walk in a room and feel loved, cherished, and wanted, or we can walk in a room and feel like a square peg amongst a group of round circles.

I wrote a chapter called Chickens and Pecking Orders in my book Thirsting for Water— I’m telling you they are more real than you know.

I’m almost finished.

I once was asked to drive to Bardstown, KY, and pray for a woman who was sick. She had a tumor that covered half her face and it came from her eyeball that looked like a cyclops. The first time I saw her and laid hands on her, I thought I might throw up from the feeling of inadequacy to do anything for her as I cried out for Abba to heal her and also by the appearance of her face. Have mercy—I wept for her—but. . . One afternoon as they were having a woman of valor type conference with food and fun, I, on the other hand, had to go pray and clean this woman’s home and her body—our body. The title of the conference was how to be a servant. Of course, we are talking a good 8 to 10 years ago, so I was still quite immature. I couldn’t just do my hidden offerings. I had to announce it, and I couldn’t just do it and feel honored that He had chosen me, nope, not without pointing fingers at all the women who were having fun and who was the real servant? Well, it was me, of course! (Sarcasm) With my chest pumped out and my pride in hand, I judged them–and weren’t they healthy? I mean I was too sick to drive to the sick woman’s house I was going to. They were just all about themselves.

MIRRORS.

I must find one!

Here’s the dilemma: You and I have been selected to host a banquet or a Feast among the most prestigious men/women of the day. They are the crème de la crème! The most wonderful food, drinks, furnishings, are being prepared. It’s a Joyful Celebration! The list of invites is Sports stars, movie stars, Musicians, doctors, authors, philanthropist, Rabbi’s, and men/women of renown. They know the president, the prophet, the baker, the candlestick maker, and the ones who can move us up a notch. They know the Torah and the hidden secrets of His Word. They can interpret dreams and they have large followings. We will get to meet those in leadership afterward and drink up their knowledge. We have our guest list made out. It’s exciting!

But then. . . He speaks.

“ “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” The resurrection of the righteous…Luke 14:12-14.

Righteous.

One night you decide to venture away from the crème de la crème.

Yes, take a boat ride to a cemetery where two men are naked, deranged, cutting themselves and crying out. Their veins are shot. They’ve sold their bodies for one more fix. They have abscesses oozing, burn marks and scabs on their skin. Dark circled eyes that lack emotion. Hollowness. They’ve robbed their grandmother and stolen their family’s possessions in order to get high— just one more fix. You’ve heard they were molested—some tragedy befell them–No one in the town dares to try and help them, for chains won’t even hold them. Their children have given up on them. Matter a fact, if someone took a 9 milometer to their heads, and threw them in an unmarked grave, the whole city would probably feel better.

But suddenly, yes, and then suddenly the true Ruach HaKodesh shows up. You pray and He shows up with great power. When you leave two men are clothed and in their right mind, and you tell them to go minister to their family, and that they don’t need to follow your ministry. Go make disciples!

We have a choice every day to touch people. We have a choice to make a difference in someone’s life. We can do it with bitterness, pride, going through the motions, and so forth, or we can do it in love.

Feed my sheep.

Love my sheep.

Correct my sheep.

Rebuke my sheep.

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” 2nd Timothy 4:2.

Yeshua was the Son of man, who took the time to see one woman at a well. I’ve preached this before but it seems time to do it again. One woman who didn’t even have the facts right. She didn’t have the whole book down pat with all the truth! Many of us would have screamed, “False prophet” Shun her!

“Woman,” Yeshua replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” Yes, salvation is of the Jews—we don’t need to worry about their salvation–they’ll be just fine.

Yeshua went on to say that he was looking for a certain type of person who would worship Him in spirit and in truth, and this woman grabbed on to His Words and went and preached the gospel to her whole city.

During this time of introspection, let’s not just look in the mirror, but let’s get on the scales and see if we can fit into our wedding garments. Let’s all find the people no one deems important and go sit by them.

Invite them to our Feast!!!

Listen.

Love.

Pray.

Let us have a guest list that may even get us a spot in THE FIRST resurrection. Paul said he hoped he was found worthy of making that one.

Forgive me, but I need to go find a mirror!

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mirror-1006

Strong Drink

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wineee

 

“And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder?” Revelation 17:6-7 NASB.
She is drunk with the blood of the saints, and later we find that the saints have been going into her and drinking her intoxicating beverage. If you’ve never been drunk before, you’ve probably at least been around someone who has drunk too much and is stumbling into things or is not quite all the way with it. Many times the drunk person laughs and laughs and is high on life in that moment. They also forget at times that they have a wife or a husband and become led into bed with strangers. Sometimes they throw all their money on a crap die roll and place their bets until they don’t have the rent money. They fall into gutters and are left to sleep off their drunken state. Sadly, the “Church” has been drinking from this cup for a long spell—pun intended. They’re deceived by their Shepherds/leaders and intoxicated by their potions.
This ancient book we read called the Bible was written long ago in a land most are not familiar with. The dusty sandals of our Messiah and his chosen ones have been followed by many through the letters of the Newer Testament but sadly without the understanding of the Older portion.
We open the Bible and read a passage and we forget what year it was written in and what year it is now. We forget who was in control of the government, the Sanhedrin, and the temple. We quote sound bites and make doctrines out of them. Here are a couple very popular ones.
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. (What was lacking?)
“Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also reject you as my priests;
Because you have ignored the law/ Torah of your God,” Hosea 4:6 NASB.
Another popular one:
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NASB.
We read verse eleven, but what does verse ten say?
““For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have. . .”He was sending them to Babylon.
They were being punished for not keeping His Sabbaths, but many say God changed that day, although Sunday is always called the 1st day of the week and Sabbath is always called Sabbath even until the end of the book. Sabbath is the day of delight—the first day called holy and set apart was always Saturday and has never been changed by Our Father. The Catholic Church and Constantine may have changed it, but our Abba did not.
We act as if Christianity replaced His people Israel. We create our own holidays and rituals and go to a Greek theatre weekly and pat ourselves on the back and call it a church.
Many know little about the Torah in Christianity . There is unquestionably a different Jesus being taught today, and Paul writes about this with tears. So does Peter. James, Yeshua’s brother certainly does, and he speaks of it loudly. By the time we get to Revelations, John sees a picture of a harlot riding a beast and totally drunk and intoxicated by its false wonder. He is shocked!
Is the way narrow if the whole world is following its calendar and its holidays? Does the world hate you? It should.
This harlot system has its own headship, rules, food, entertainment, months, days, clothing, and medicine. It has Greek schools of learning, Greek gymnasiums, lust, and ease. The people lay on ivory couches and gorge themselves on food and wine. They are full, drowsy, and intoxicated. Not by literal wine but by this harlot’s spirit. Not by literal food although Americans are obese, I’m talking about itching ear words and sweet treats of prosperity. She promises signs and wonders and miracles and a Holy Ghost that’s loud and vulgar. All eyes are on her teachers and no eyes are on the Father. She lulls them to sleep with entertainment, pride, and rich foods while causing them to slave away working for the harlot system. . . Storing up wealth.
Abba’s days sound a shofar Blast. They wake people up! They want people to rest on His Sabbath, meditate, eat foods with life, and spend time with family away from the system and close to His creation. The true Bride is searching His Word and Commandments. His Word is a lamp and a light to direct their paths for good.
Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and He says few find it. How are we in tune with this ancient book and His Seasons? Not our seasons but the Creator of all who made the seasons—HIS DAYS. The God of Abraham called them His appointments with us or our appointed times with Him.
“And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,…” Genesis 1:14 NASB. Sacred times do not have bunnies and eggs.

His people became intoxicated with this harlot and he reproved them in Jeremiah.
“Yea, the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of the LORD.” Jeremiah 8:7 KJV.
That’s why He wrote Israel a certificate of divorce and sent her away, but Yeshua/ Jesus was coming for these lost sheep of the house of Israel.
I started this blog with a verse about knowledge. How can we get this knowledge? What is it? What does it look like? The book of Proverbs describes the Harlot and the Bride and goes into great detail. While reading these passages many have only seen them as a description for sleeping around with women who are not modest and drinking too much wine. They read about drunkards and forget that the harlot church system had made the saints drunk. The book of Hosea also discusses this.
“Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the LORD.” Hosea 5:4.
Let’s get back to Revelations and the shock on John’s face when he sees this whore and cries for God’s people to come out of her. How could they be so blind and drunk to not even be aware they were a part of Babylon?
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a [c]prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;  for her sins have [h]piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Revelations 18:1-5 NASB.
Jeremiah Chapter 51 talks about this. “”Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD.”
By the time we get to Proverbs Chapter two we see this harlot and she is described as someone who threw away the Torah/ the covenant she made in her youth. This covenant is the very one Yeshua said he did not come to do away with. He said they were rehearsals. Shadows of things to come. A shadow comes around a corner before the person is seen. Let’s look at that closely.
In verse eleven it is explained that the true Bride will be given the discretion to guard her and understanding. Let’s read further.

“To deliver you from the strange woman,
From the adulteress who flatters with her words;
That leaves the companion of her youth
And forgets the covenant of her God;
For her house sinks down to death
And her tracks lead to the dead;
None who go to her return again,
Nor do they reach the paths of life.
So you will walk in the way of good men
And keep to the paths of the righteous.” Proverbs 2:16-20 NASB.
The harlot leads to death but the wise woman (Bride), she leads to life and the tree of life. Let’s look at Proverbs three.
“My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
For length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.” 3:1-3.
Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast. Proverbs 3:16-18.
By the time you get to Proverbs Chapter four it’s very apparent that this harlot is alive and well today, and so is the Bride who has made herself ready by keeping His Feast—His Sabbaths and being set apart from the world.
“Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction. 4:1-2
“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
“The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
“Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
“She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.” Proverbs 4:6-9.
Do not forsake her! This is not the harlot that has made the saints drunk with her intoxicating spirit of ease and wealth and prosperity doctrines. This is the Torah or instructions.
As we continue in Proverbs we learn that not only is the Word of Yah sharper than a two-edged sword but the Harlot’s word is too.
“For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
But in the end, she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.” Proverbs 5:3-4 NASB.
When the pastor tells you you are not under the law and that you do not have to keep Abba’s Feast days and holy set apart days, you are headed down a path with a harlot system that has grown into a multibillion-dollar business of men selling another Jesus. They build their own kingdoms. They sell snake oil. It looks shiny. It has the appeal like the tree Chavah/Eve ate from. They tell the people that they will never go through any tribulation. They will be air-lifted. They tell them the day of the sun is the set apart Sabbaths. They throw away His festivals which were never a “Jewish thing” and the people have no thought as to all the hidden secrets in their Bibles and revelation connected to His appointed seasons and moedims. They proclaim them bondage and they lead many astray.

“And you say, “How I have hated instruction!
And my heart spurned reproof!
“I have not listened to the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to my instructors! Proverbs 5:12-13.

During this season let’s take some time to just shut out the world and meditate on Him and His greatness. If we really trust Him and believe that He is a good Father, he will come and get His children. He will send the King to come for His Bride. The Bride has made herself ready. How? She is dressed and watching. She has oil in her lamp and extra. She knows His appointed days so that she is not unaware. “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” 1st Thessalonians 5:4-5 NIV.
There is a Feast day that is referred to as “a thief in the night.” There is a Feast day that a shofar will sound on and the dead in Messiah Yeshua will rise. Do you know about these days? Get wisdom. Get knowledge. Get understanding. Do not be led astray any longer by the harlot that comes to you as an angel of light. Come out of her my people. Can you hear the Father’s voice crying out?

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Thirsting for Water

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 This was written years ago as a blog, way before I saw the resurrection of Job’s children or the Feast they were keeping of our Father. I still believe the message has the ability to make one think of the wonder and Awe of such an amazing Elohim.

 

Part 1

One Astronomical Yah

 

I sat in the window seat peering out at the great divide. It had been nine years since I flew or had been on a vacation. Twenty-five years since I had seen the ocean or smelled its ancient infinity of sea water. It’s amazing how land markings and roads run and slice through hills and mountains–a vast decent through state after state. I looked down upon the earth and pictured the Creator and how He sees us. A scripture came to me.

“God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.” Isaiah 40:22 NLT.

I continued to look down and meditate on that verse.

When you are sitting at 35,000 feet above, things look REAL SMALL. We are not even visible. “The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is also called 1 astronomical unit (or AU). This is established as (92,955,887.6 miles).”

How great is our G-d? Do we know the magnitude of His greatness? I think no, for if we did we would surely fear HIM more. I love it when HaShem shows up at Job’s house and begins to speak. He doesn’t say, “Job I’m sorry that ha-Satan walked in and we discussed your life and I allowed Him to touch you.” He doesn’t say, “Job forgive me for taking ten of your children’s lives.”

He doesn’t say, “I’m sorry that you had to go through all that hell and lose everything you own, including your health, and that all your friends and family mocked you during that time.”

No, He doesn’t say that. He says gird up your loin’s Job and act like a man!

Or as King James put it, “Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and you answer me.” Job 38:3. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?” Job 38:5 KJB.

Do you hear the Father’s sarcasm to a man sitting in sackcloth and ashes– a man covered in boils? Do you see how He talks to a man named Job? He called out to the Adversary and said, “Have you seen my servant Job? There is none like him on the earth. He is perfect and upright.”

So back to the greatness of God . . . Can any of us truly know how GREAT He is? If the Father spoke to Job like that, a man who was honorable and righteous, what does He think of us? He continues to let Job know how powerful He is. He continues to talk about His creation.

“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” Job 38:8-11 NIV.

I stood in front of that ocean and those verses rang in my heart, and I said, “Father you are so great who can know You? Who can stand before the Voice that sounds like many waters? How can I tell the people of your greatness? How can we give you all the reverence you deserve?” A wicked generation asks for a sign. They want to see miracles. They want the glory for things. Your Glory is all around us and we forget to praise you for it. We forget that You give us our very breath. You said hey Job, “Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?” Job 38:13 NLT. “Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?”

“Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.” Job 38:17-18 NIV. Then Yahweh says this to a man named Job whose children lay dead, along with his cattle, sheep, oxen, and servants, “But of course you know all this JOB! For you JOB were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! Job 38:21 NLT.

I don’t think I know the greatness of this God or fear Him enough. If I truly did, I would be working out my own salvation with fear and trembling. How about you?

Oh Father, how great and mighty are you. Father let this message ring in the ears of many and change their thoughts and hearts to fear you and to not fear man or what family or friends or anyone may think about them, but to fear You and You alone.

Job ended up repenting and praying over his friends, and the Father restored everything that was taken from him twofold.”

If this devotional blessed you please share this with friends and on Facebook.

Blessings and Shalom!

Tekoa Manning

 

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Off the Grid

/ Tekoa / 1 Comment

grid

I want to go off the grid.
My mouth and fingers away from the eyes of a button marked click like, love, unlike.
A thumbs up.
An emoji that cannot equate the feelings in the heart created by Our King.
I want to go off the grid.
Away from the scrolls and scowls of the minds of men.
A million eyes stare back at me–
And I at them . . .
Go to a place—a space–
Where I am more than the Clichés and quotes I post or link.
A place where I am me.
Free.
Learning.
Leaping.
Where my words are not shuffled and played like an accordion.
Where I am not judging selfies or scholars, or blue collars.
Where politics cease to exist.
Where religion is mute.
And the horns of the greatest are no more than a toot compared to HaShem and His shofar rebuke.
I want to hide away.
Go off the grid.
We are all just broken men.
I must go off the grid.
Where a paint brush sings in my hand.
Not to be applauded by man but by Him who gave me the gift.
Where I learn from the bread I don’t eat.
The water I don’t drink.
To lower my camel and water the sheep.
To rise up as Gimel and still be small.
Like a dish with a chip–
Like soap dried suds–
Like waves of grain and sands of shores.
Like Dalet to an open door.
I must leave the grid and hold up my arms.
Like Moshe and rocks’
Oh, send me friends like Aharon and Chur.
Friends that bend an ear and whisper a prayer from a heart filled with doves.
I must fling–
Off of the screen!
When the cup overflows and it’s not due to holes.
A sieve in a heart.
A snuff of dark or gilded thread to uncover the dead.
Casting a pole into the water.
Catching fish without dollars–
or signs,
or a title,
or tale.
The sound of the birds and the trees that clap their hands.
The rocks cry out and the mountains sing,
but I can’t even hear the buzz of a bee while sitting here looking at you from the face of a button–
A television.
A computer screen.
I need to go off the grid and write for my soul.
Touch the grass barefoot- the freshly fallen snow.
Drink the honey and eat the comb.
Samson leaves a Lion dead on the side of the road and the old prophet requests to dine—stay and eat he says, but I think I’ll pass.
On the side of the road lies the dead next to a donkeys ass
And a lion guards the way.
No, I’ll not eat with you today.
I must go off the grid.

“He went and found his body thrown on the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside the body; the lion had not eaten the body nor torn the donkey. So the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back, and he came to the city of the old prophet to mourn and to bury him. He laid his body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. “For the thing shall surely come to pass which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria.” 1st Kings 13:28-32 NASB.

Photo by me 🙂

Sap Sucker’s

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buggy

I was talking to a friend on the phone the other day and her cat had found a giant bug. It was large and had wings and the cat was playing ping pong with it and smacking it back and forth. Eventually, the large cicada was dead. My friend took a picture of it lying next to a quarter to show me its size. I noticed the dead bug and also the quarter. One word, liberty. He who the Son sets free. . . the image seemed to speak to me. It was as if Abba was saying look at that picture closer.

What are cicadas? These large bugs look like they are wearing combat gear—camouflage.

“Cicadas begin life as a rice-shaped egg, which the female deposits in a groove she makes in a tree limb, using her ovipositor. The groove provides shelter and exposes the tree fluids, which the young cicadas feed on. These grooves can kill small branches. When the branches die and leaves turn brown, it is called flagging.

Once the egg hatches it begins to feed on that tree like a vampire sucking all the life out of it. Once the cicada gets bigger it falls to the ground and tunnels underneath, hidden and feasting on the root of the tree.

Hopefully, you are getting a vision now of what I am trying to express. The Bible often compares people to trees.

“The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” Mark 8:24 BSB.

Even Daniel interpreted a dream for a King that used a tree to represent him. “Your Majesty, you are that tree!” Daniel 4:22 NIV.

The Tree is also Israel.

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.” Romans 11:17-18 NASB.

We need the root and the rich sap of the olive tree. We need it to survive in our gatherings.

So these cicadas live under the ground anywhere from two to seventeen years, and while they are underneath, they are actively feeding like a termite on the tree’s roots. The book of Jude warns of those who are hidden among us too.

“These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;” Jude 1:12 ASV.

After 2 to 17 years the adult Cicada comes up out of the ground as a nymph. These nymphs suck the sap from the roots of trees with piercing sucking mouthparts. They even drink the xylem from the stem of the tree. What is Xylem? Xylem transports water from the roots to the branches, leaves, and shoots of the tree. It also transports nutrients. The very word xylem in Greek means wood. If we are like trees and we are being eaten by a type of pest and they are busy sucking us dry of our nutrients and water source which is His Holy Ruach Spirit and His Word then we need to be made aware of who is doing it. “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,. . .” Ephesians 5:26.

What else does Jude say about them?

“Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil (Adversary) and argued about the body of Moses (Israel,) did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. Woe to them!”

These men are dreamers. They are puffed up with themselves. They reject authority. They talk about angels (Messengers) Abba created perfectly and say they slept with women. “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey His Word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do His will. Psalm 103: 19-21 NIV.   Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” Hebrews 1:14 NIV. Or Young’s words it this way. “are they not all spirits of service — for ministration being sent forth because of those about to inherit salvation?” YLT. Remember that we are told those who preach the gospel will be judged more harshly. Messengers were also Kings, Prophets, and leaders. Let’s look at an example, “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?” James 2:25 KJV. This scripture calls the spies Joshua sent to spy out the land Messengers. John the Baptist was a messenger.

“Strong’s 4397: malak: a messenger

Original Word: מַלְאָך Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: malak Phonetic Spelling: (mal-awk’) Short Definition: angel ambassadors (2), angel (101), angels (9), envoys (1), messenger (24), messengers (76).’

In Numbers chapter 16 we read about these men who were princes, leaders over the Tabernacle of the Lord Adonai. Over 250 of these men rose up against Moses and Aaron and wanted to be in the spotlight and in control. If you read the entire chapter of Jude, which is only one chapter, it brings forth the topic of Moses death and these men that defile and despise angels. This chapter also goes hand in hand with 2nd Peter. I believe the subject is about the earth swallowing up these wicked men. These men were loud and hidden underneath. They came forth like these cicadas and made a loud noise and then went to their death.

“Males sing by flexing their tymbals, which are drum-like organs found in their abdomens. Small muscles rapidly pull the tymbals in and out of shape — like the cap of a Snapple bottle. The sound is intensified by the cicada’s mostly hollow abdomen.” Cicada News, Facts, Lifecycle & Sounds | Cicada Mania.

Paul warns that we can be as empty as a drum or a clanging cymbal. An empty hollow belly that’s empty of water and love.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” 1st Cor. 13:1-3 NASB.

 

The Hebrew/ Torah Observant community has a lot of Indians but not many Chiefs. Not many Apostles like Paul visiting and writing letters to the assemblies. Not many prophetic voices that cause men and women to look deeper at their walk and obedience and less at the trite conflicts that divide us.

When these cicadas come forth they have the loudest voice. Their sound is louder than all the insect kingdom. This should not be the way it is in the Spirit. The Body of Yeshua should not be flocking after the loudest voice but the most humble—those who are upright and upright doesn’t mean living in a community with fellow believers who have separated from the rest of the Body due to them thinking other parts have things wrong or are usurping jezebels who can’t get their calendar, beard, sacred name, attire, the shape of the earth, the size of a Giants butt or the proper Torah portion in order to be a part of the group. I digress.

“For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.” 1 Corinthians 1:11 NASB.

Are we sucking each other’s sap? Are we stealing nutrients and water, fresh living water from our own BODY? People, it’s time for us to wake-up and be filled with His love and let perfect love cast out fear.

Can the Body come together and stop acting like Peter did right before Little Paul had to address him in front of everyone and rebuke him?

“But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in public, because he was clearly wrong.” Galatians 2:11 GNT. This wasn’t about whether the earth was flat or round, it was over hurting sheep.

Does anyone rebuke anymore? “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” 2nd Timothy 4:2 NASB.

I guess I am. Who am I to rebuke? No one. A filthy rag. But I am grieved over My Body. My Body and Your Body and His Body. Let’s stop being like these sapsuckers and instead of destroying each other let’s sing a new song. A song that is loud in Abba’s ears and exalt Him who created it all and encompasses it all and let His Holy Ruach Set Apart Spirit knock this cicada out—yes, like my friend’s cat who happens to be named Shadow. His Feast days are a Shadow of things to come and the sound of His shofar blowing should wake us up soon for the coming year. Let’s become more unified. More loving. More kind. More at liberty.

Stay in the Light as Shadow below. Even a cool cat like Shadow knows how to keep Shabbat.

 

cat

Sources:

http://www.cicadamania.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

http://biblehub.com/hebrew/4397.htm

Strong’s.

Photo rights given by Kisha Gallagher.

 

A bit of Jade

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diner red

 

 

“Where you off to, Jade?” He looked past me kind of shy-like.

I had no idea what made me spill out my next words, except for a fear of being alone and the urge to know him better. “Oh, I was just thinking about going down by Jupiter Lake and taking a stroll.   It has been so humid and hot out today.” I stuck the side of my thumb in my mouth and chewed all the skin around my cuticle, a nervous habit of mine.

“I guess it’s a nice night ta go down by Jupita.” He scratched his head, “Thang is, see, I was thinkin’ more ‘bout gettin’ a cheeseburger. You houngry?”

“Well, I can always eat somethin’,” I said and laughed nervously. I was seventeen years old, never had a boyfriend or even been on a date. I felt about as gawky and ungraceful as a girl could be.

Dillon looked down the road and then back at his car. “I don’t want you to get into no trouble now, Jade. You knows how folks are in this town.” Tiny beads of sweat were forming just above his lip. He seemed as awkward and nervous as I felt.

“I can take us down to my territory, Nathan’s bowling alley. It’s colored, though. You might feel uncomfortable, Jade? How old is you now anyways?” His eyes scanned me kind of discreetly. I was wearing a cream-colored sundress with a pale blue short jacket. I had my hair in a ponytail to show off my newly pierced ears, another gift from Verdi.

“I’m eighteen.” I lied once more and then immediately started looking for more skin to chew, this time on my index finger. I didn’t want to lie to him but knew what he was thinking. If my daddy went to the sheriff, he would go to jail just for having me in his car. I had never really been alone with him. We just always talked at the store. He opened the passenger door and motioned for me to get in. It seemed like he had weighed the possible penalty against the chance to spend more time with me and made his decision. I slid across the mahogany seat cushion and bounced on the springs. He told me of his plans to go away to college and showed me his class ring. There was a real sense of pride in his voice.

“How’s your daddy been, Jade? I saw him with that Veronica woman last week. Is that goin’ okay?”

I must have rolled my eyes or made a face because Dillon let out a laugh that was hearty and knowing. “She’s something else, and Daddy’s drinking again. I try to stay away from them and their parties they throw every weekend.”   My head filled with images of Conner and my throat constricted at the thought. I changed the subject quickly. “I miss Johnny so much, but I guess everything happens for a reason.” No sooner than the thought escaped my mouth, I wondered the reason for Conner and his advances.

“Oh, girl, you is somethin’ else. I had my stepfather Leroy, in my life for some time now. He been good to my mama, a little strict with me at times, but, all in all, a good man. Course he ain’t never been one for the booze, nope, but he do like the ladies, the ladies be his downfall.”

“I was thinkin’ ‘bout findin’ my real father. I think every chile need ta know who his parents is. I looks at every white man I meet. I looks into his eyes and I say to myself, ‘Dillon that could be your ol’ man, right there.’ The Negro man don’t accept me half the time ‘cause I ain’t dark enough, and, course I ain’t light enough for the white folks neither. I did hear though in places like New York, Michigan, and California that theys more acceptin’. They says that the bigger states and the Northern states is not as racist like they is here in the South. I’s even heard tell all kinds of relationships occurs.”

There was a silence in the car now. I didn’t know what to say. I could picture kissing his lips. I wanted him to know that I had feelings for him before I knew it I blurted out, “Well, I’d date anyone outside my race if I liked them.” My voice sounded strained, and I gave Dillon a matter of fact look, but inside I was scared.

Dillon looked at me with eyes that seemed sad and wiser than before.   “Jade, you would have to put up with a lot of racism. You ever been called a ‘nigga lovah’?   Ever had people stare you down, try to make you feels dirty inside over the color of your outside? Did you know children of a mixed race are badgered and treated like trash? They git it comin’ from both sides. They ain’t black, they ain’t white, so they is nuthin.’ I was lucky to be dark enough to be okay, so to speak. But some folks have children and the babies are almost white, kinda yella looking with a light brownish color hair, but always nappy. People is cruel today. If any of the white boys in this town seen you with me, they wouldn’t want nothin’ to do with you and they’d beat me and maybe kill me, before they’d let a nigger have ya.”

I thought about what he’d said and it seemed an answer to my prayers, “No man would want you if they seen you with me.” But it was the last part I didn’t like. I didn’t want Dillon to get into trouble, but I wanted to make sure that Conner never wanted to touch me again.

I looked at Dillon as he pulled into the parking lot of Nathan’s. It was very busy from the looks of things. He turned to me and said, “Jade, I brought you here because they’s good people and you won’t be humiliated here. I won’t let anyone harm you, even if it were to cost me my life.” He reached his hand under my chin and pulled my face up, looked into my eyes with a look that made me feel safe.

We grabbed a booth in the back and Dillon went to the counter and ordered. There was a jukebox in the corner playing Aretha Franklin and bright red-checkered curtains in the windows. I loved soul music because it seemed to carry so much emotion. Dillon set down two Coke-a-Colas and a bottle of ketchup. “Two double cheeseburgers and fries is on the way! Miss Jade, I hopes you got an appetite because Lenny makes the best around.”

He smiled and his teeth looked like a parade of polished pearls. Dillon was something foreign to me, and I loved to hear him talk and tell stories. Before I knew it, darkness had fallen outside the red covered window. I wished I could stay with him forever, but I knew Miss Rita would be worried about me, and I didn’t need her calling my daddy. “I best get goin’ Dillon, it’s gettin’ late and I don’t want to upset Miss Rita.”   Dillon reached in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled mess of dollars to pay the tab.

We didn’t talk much on the ride back to the Taylor’s store. I guess I was busy trying to figure out how to deal with the emotions I was feeling. I was terrified of Conner and not very sure of what would happen if he caught wind of me being with Dillon. I wanted more than anything for Dillon to somehow wash all the pain away. I wanted to know what his soft lips felt like. I wanted to make love with him and let him replace every fingerprint of Conner’s and every piece of skin that he had brushed upon me. More than that, I wanted his spirit to cover all the evil Conner’s had placed over my soul.

“Jade, I’m just gonna drop you off a little ways from the store. Don’t want no static from the Taylors or with your pa. I’m not doin’ you no disrespect. I’ve had a fine evening with you, Jade. Just don’t want no worries.”

I knew the concern was genuine. I knew we were treading on dangerous ground, but I welcomed the opportunity no matter what. I felt alive and more normal again. We got out of the car, and I could see the porch light of the store glowing down the way.

“Good night, Jade,” he took my hand and kissed it. I reached up on my tiptoes and let my small thin lips brush across his warm full mouth. I felt a ripple of electricity and then a warmth that I never wanted to forget. He hungrily kissed me back with such intensity that I ran, ran like the wind and never looked back at Dillon. I carried the kiss all the way to the twin iron bed Miss Rita had fixed up for me. I replayed it over and over in my mind until I drifted off to sleep. My first real kiss.

“Dear God, it’s me again, Jade. Thank you for making Dillon’s lips so soft, and please help me to disappear. I still don’t like the Earth you created and I’m sorry for that.”

 

Photo:

Vintage Diner Interior

 

The Two Witnesses

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Free Chapter from Doctrines of Demons #2

 

Salvation Part #5

 

In the last chapter we discovered some hidden mysteries about salvation and now we are going to dig in deeper. “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them MOSES and ELIJAH, talking with Jesus/ Yeshua” Matthew 17: 1-3 NIV.

Many times when we read verses they seem quite simple and easy to follow. I can assure you that most of the time there is more to them than meets the eye. Moses and Elijah were two men who were often called by names to describe what they did. Moses was referred to as the lawgiver (Torah) and Elijah was the prophet that came to restore the Law (Torah) and the righteousness of G-d’s Word. Both men show up on this high mountain after six days. Think about the creation week and then the day of rest.

We have two prophets here that I believe will stand as a witness against our own righteousness and salvation, add Yeshua and we have three. The bible says a three strand cord is not easily broken. How, you may be asking? Deuteronomy 19:15 says, “One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” This teaching from the Torah did not pass away. Paul said this, “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses” 1 Timothy 5:19 NIV. Jesus/Yeshua said this, “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Matthew 18:16 NIV. One of the most terrifying things I’ve read about grace and salvation comes from the book of Hebrews, “Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of GRACE”? Hebrews 10:28-29. We have insulted His grace today to a level I fear even deems worse than the pagan gods Israel worshiped. Let’s look at this closer.

“And I will appoint my two witnesses and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” Revelation 11:3-4. This is not a new verse but an old one; if you read all of Zechariah chapter four you will have more understanding. Zechariah has an angel come to him and show him mighty things, mysteries even. Let’s look at that now.

“What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps (The Seven Churches—The seven Spirits of Yah) thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof”. Zechariah asked the angel a question and he had to ask twice for an answer. “What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, what be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, My Lord. Then said he, these are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth” Zechariah 4:2, 3, 12, 13, 14 KJB.

Yes, it is through faith that we have been saved by grace, but as you can see we must come up higher. These two witnesses are so clear once we place the scriptures together. According to the verses we just went over, there must be two witnesses to an act in order for justice to be served. 2nd Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”  When we stand before that seat, we will have the testimony of two witnesses and these two witnesses have been declaring Yahweh’s Truth from everlasting. What does Yeshua/Jesus say is everlasting? “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35 NIV. “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” Psalm 119:89 NIV.

Now, I want you to follow me here on this topic because we have been taught many different views. I believe these two witnesses are none other than the Ten Commandments (Torah) and the Prophets and I am going to show you through scripture. A man approaches Jesus/Yeshua with a question, “A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18. Does Jesus say, “Confess my name with your lips and invite me into your heart? No. He says this, “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother” 18:20… He immediately starts giving him the Commandments. He begins to name them each and yet we don’t hear much about His holy commands today in Christianity. There seems to be more focus on power, prosperity, signs, and prophetic itching ear words.

One verse many Christians use in response to other religions is this one, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. When people say, “Aren’t we all really just worshipping the same god?” Christians will retort many times with the verse above and how there is only one way to get to heaven. Jesus/Yeshua said no one can come to the Father except through Him. He did not mean we could acquire this by praying in the name of Jesus or by asking Jesus/Yeshua into our hearts, it was something deeper. He was saying if you want to get to the Father and you want to be pleasing to the Father you must come through the Word that washes you clean. Jesus was the Word made flesh. So going through him means we must have washed bridal gowns that we have ironed. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27 NASB. As I mentioned in part one, the Rabbi’s in Yeshua’s day had a saying, “Torah is the way, Torah is the truth and Torah is the life.” Getting rid of every blemish is hard work and how will we know what we need to get rid of if we don’t have the Word and sound doctrine? Paul said it best in Romans. “What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 7:7. Paul went on to say in verse twelve, “So then, The Law (instructions) is Holy, and the commandment is Holy, righteous and good.” NIV.

As we continue I hope you are getting a glimpse of what Yeshua meant when he said we must come through him in order to get to his Father. I want you to envision the Word putting on a fleshly body. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” John 1:1, 14. Have you ever asked the question, “What Word?” They only had the Older Testament when John wrote this. What Word was he talking about? Let’s investigate this further. Did you know that Moses wrote about Jesus/Yeshua?

“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5:45-47 NIV. Moses told the people, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” Deuteronomy 18:15 NIV. Jesus/Yeshua did not come to get rid of His Father’s Words but to bring mercy and grace.

When John said, “The word became flesh” he was going to a deeper place of study our western minds had not ventured to. This stems from many denominations throwing out the Old Testament. The Old is what foretold of the Messiah’s coming. I heard about a Rabbi who was reading in the book of Isaiah and he said, “How did Jesus get in my bible?” His eyes were opened to Jesus/ Yeshua due the words from what many call the old portion of scripture. I find the Tanakh (Old Testament) more detailed about the end of days then much of Revelations. The Old is what Yeshua quoted from when he defeated the devil! The Old is what Paul and Peter, and Timothy and James used to make their points. What does this have to do with Salvation? You say, “But’s not by works.” No, it’s not, but there is more to it.

So what is sin? “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4. Jesus went over the law and He made it deeper, fuller, and richer in meaning. Let’s look at that. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment” Matthew 5:21-22. Jesus moves from the topic of murder and anger, to adultery, divorce, keeping your oaths, and loving your enemies. The Ten Commandments came straight out of the Old Testament. Lawlessness is a huge problem today and not just in the world but in the church. Salvation is obeying Him, for He said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15.

How many times have you heard it preached, “We are not under the law, but under Grace?” “The law was nailed to the cross.” Let’s look more closely at what was nailed to the cross. Colossians 2:14 says, “…by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside nailing it to the cross.”  No need for any more daily animal sacrifices? (Read Dr Skip Moen’s Crossword Puzzle.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” NIV. Now many ministers will tell you He fulfilled it at the cross, but that is not the case. Jesus/Yeshua began to go over more details about this in Matthew chapter five. During the Sermon on the Mount or the beatitudes, he brought a clearer understanding to His Father’s instructions.

He said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law (Torah) or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until ALL is accomplished. “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:17-20 NASB. Yes, those same religious leaders who added so much to the law that men could not bear the weight of, we are to surpass. And we surpass them because we accept Yeshua/Jesus and His love and grace. Last time I checked heaven and earth were still here and Jesus had only fulfilled the first four Feast. We are waiting on the others to come to past. Yeshua said we will be called great or least.

One of the issues with these types of verses is the word curse. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole (Torture Stake).” Galatians 3:13 NIV. The Torah is instructions that have a list of blessings and a list of curses. It’s duel. There is something called the curse of the law but that doesn’t make the law a curse. Let’s look at some verses for a clearer understanding. We will start with how God described “the law” or instructions and how it would affect His people. “If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time” NLT Deuteronomy 4:40. He said this law would bring a long prosperous life. Now let’s look at some more verses. Paul said that the law was spiritual, “We know that the law is spiritual” Romans 7:14 NIV. He also said that the law was holy and good. “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good” Romans 7:12. Paul went on to say in verse 22 of that same chapter that he delighted in the law. “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law (Torah)…” Therefore, we must be missing something? Yes, there were six hundred thirteen laws. Much of these no longer pertain to us today because we do not have a temple with High priest making atonement for our sins. Many of these laws showed us something I call “cause and effect.” If you do this, then this is the consequence you will face. By saying we are no longer under the law, we must then decide why the Christian church still keeps the portions they like such as tithing. To say one is no longer under the law without adding “the curse of,” it takes on a whole new meaning. Are we throwing out the commands or the curses for disobedience? Surely, saying we are no longer under the law doesn’t mean we can kill, steal, lie, and commit adultery. Paul was often teaching about how one could not earn their salvation through works of legalistic means. Yet, he never taught against G-d’s instructions. He never said they were not to be a part of a believer’s life. Let me get even simpler. If you committed adultery before Jesus/Yeshua came, you may have been stoned to death. In order for this to have happened, there would have to be the testimony of two or three witnesses who came up against you. This sounds like a horrific act, but that was the “curse” of the law. The law taught us adultery was wrong. I do not have to tell you myself that the Law is something incredibly amazing because David beat me to it. You may argue with me that we are no longer under the law but don’t try and tell me its evil or no good. The bible says it is more precious than gold. Read David’s words below.

“Oh, how I love your law!

I meditate on it all day long.

Your commands are always with me

and make me wiser than my enemies.

I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your statutes.

I have more understanding than the elders,

for I obey your precepts.

I have kept my feet from every evil path

so that I might obey your word.

I have not departed from your laws,

for you yourself have taught me.

How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

I gain understanding from your precepts;

therefore I hate every wrong path.” Psalms 119:97-104 NIV.

 

The book of Revelations 22:14 tells us who will be worthy to enter and wearing white robes and it’s those who keep HIS Commandments. After Jesus/Yeshua ends his passage on the Torah from Matthew chapter five, He says something very profound. He says a future time will come when people will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Does He say it is because they don’t call him their Messiah? No, these people call Him Lord. Is it because they have not said the sinner’s prayer and invited Him inside their hearts? No, it’s more than that.

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:22-23 ESV.

Lawlessness was a word the people of Paul’s day would understand, for it referred to people who were living outside of the law. The purpose of the Torah was to give us life and success, health and wisdom. Jesus/Yeshua said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He also referred to himself as the living manna. The whole matter concerning salvation is not just one prayer. The whole matter is not just taking vows and getting a marriage certificate, but walking and living intimately and spotless with our husband. If you have a spouse and you place them under your parents, children, occupation, idols and so forth that marriage will not be healthy or intimate. It will be a marriage built on rituals you do together. You may say you love them and so forth but as God said about His own people, it will be honoring with lip service only, and your heart will be far from them. I am not trying to tie a heavy load for you to carry because we all fall and make mistakes. Also, we have understanding that many of the 613 laws do not pertain to today due to no longer having a temple to offer animal sacrifices. We are all right there with Paul when he said he was “the worst of sinners.”

Yeshua/Jesus said “I am the bread of life. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh. John 6:48-49” KJV.

Now before we go further let’s dissect this. John said the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Yeshua/Jesus said He is living bread and if we eat of His flesh we can live forever. This passage goes on and sounds quite like flesh-eating cannibalism but it’s not, there is a deeper meaning I want you to get. First, I must ask you to erase the teachings you have been taught about the Eucharist, communion, and so forth and look at Jesus’s flesh. The first Passover was taken with bitter herbs and the bread of affliction. “Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste–so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.” Deuteronomy 16:3 NIV.

Passover happens each year right around Easter. While some children hunt for Easter eggs, others hunt for any bread made with yeast in their homes. Why? Because yeast represents sin and we must get rid of sin from our lives. Yes, we must suffer and crucify our flesh and rid our temples of it. Egypt always represents sin. Leave it in haste and remember the bondage of sin you left there. Remember where The Lord Adonai brought you from.

Jesus-Yeshua said some difficult words when He said he was the bread that came down from heaven. The men just shook their heads at Joseph’s son the carpenter. They could not comprehend how His flesh was His Father’s Word.

“Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us HIS FLESH to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves” John 6:52-54 KJV. They could not grasp that the Word made flesh was Him. God used words to create the world and when they were spoken they carried with them a vibration. He used words to heal; He sent His Word and healed them. Of what? Sin. He heals not just our illnesses, but our wretched sins. The Word of Yah makes us recognize our sin nature and to try and do better.

Salvation through Yeshua/Jesus is keeping the Word of Adonai and when we keep His Word we are washed. Jesus/Yeshua had not gone to the cross yet when he said this, “Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” John 13:10 NLT. He confirms it again in John 15:3. “You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.” NIV.

I leave you with this, if you haven’t made a journey down to an altar or said a prayer in private or with your Teacher, now is the time, now is the hour, you may not get another chance. Make Him King in your life. Get baptized or immersed in the Mikvah. We must continue to work out our salvation and the scripture even adds with trembling, and fear. Obeying our Father requires knowing what pleases Him. This is going to be a personal situation when you stand before Him. This is not going to be about what the men of your community think about you or what your mother or father believe to be true about your character, no, this is going to be individual. This isn’t about a sawdust trail and a handshake with your local pastor. You may even be a pastor reading this that needs an overhaul, we all need our feet washed as Jesus said. Salvation is about a relationship. Either He is going to say, “Well done my good and faithful servant or away from me you workers of lawlessness, I never knew you.” I pray it’s the former.

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Pink Cotton Candy

/ Tekoa / 2 Comments

“There’s always a time to shine,” she said, curling her bottom lip.

“You need to let the light shoot out of your hair like cracked eggshells covered in white glistening yolks.”

 

Sparkles.

 

I pictured her hair standing up all over her head illuminated and glistening like the moon draped over an armchair or a starfish on fire.

She looked up at me compellingly.

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

But before I can answer her, she continues . . .

 

“I like to take out my pastel pink shirts on these occasions when I feel shiny. Reminds me of cotton candy and the summer of 1972— or a breezy blouse that’s indigo blue.

 

“Whatta ya think?’

 

She twirled around showing me her new outfit.

 

I frown and reflect on the dozen black shirts hanging in a row on one side of my closet. Even the hangers look tired and exhausted from holding them up. The other side has a smaller colorful section that used to hang off my thinner more active body.

 

She looks up again with a glazed expression.

“Sometimes on rare occasions, I braid my hair like a fishtail and sit on a rock by the river.”

 

“Over there . . .”

 

She points down the hill. Past the briars and the thorns and the medicine.

“It’s best to go just before the Sun begins to bursts forth like Samson stretching and yawning his head full of fire.

The fish move their mouths above the glassy waters.

Do you like water?”

She said it as if I might be thirsty.

 

I’m always thirsty.

 

I try and answer her.

 

“Yes, sometimes the sea calls my name and the ocean crashes into my bed and pulls me upstream.”

I look down at my black shirt and notice a butterfly light on my shoe–just the corner of my flip-flop.

Its vibrant blue and the palest yellow.

“Did you see it?”

“See what?”

“Never mind.”

I sigh long and hard and stare at her ginger brown hair woven into the sun.

I cut my own hair with a paring knife and a dull pair of scissors.

Choppy.

Suddenly, I feel gloomy in spite of her pink shirt and the trace of Dianthus on the wind, and I try and think of a song or something cool to say but nothing comes to me.

I force it.

“Remember when we were nineteen? And you used to walk to the corner store with me to play Pac-Man. We’d eat ice cream and go to your house and play your Grease, Zeppelin, and Meatloaf albums until dark . . .”

It was 1982.

I wait for the spark, and the engine to fire.

And then her hair lit up her smile, and the butterfly lit on my arm, just as she motioned with glee.

“I see it,” she says finally.

“You need a butterfly.”

“You need to shine.”

Suddenly I feel duller than the scissors I’d used the night before. Like a sparkler that’s went out on the 4th of July.

Her perfect white teeth look like choir boys rehearsing for an audition. She was forever telling me what “I needed.” As if she held all the answers.

“You need a black shirt,” I say rather curt with my nose crinkled up.”

“Just a hint of sorrow would be refreshing.”

Now the light coming from her had sizzled.

Her hair turned mossy brown and her eyes faded.

Was I to blame?

I fold up my lips and plainly tell her that the earth has eaten the trees and we’ve killed the honeybees and the oil has spilled into the Sea.

“Aren’t you starving for something tangible?”

 

She laughs hysterically.

 

“Darling you’ve always been gloomy and extreme.”

 

I cup my hands that are now suddenly full of oil and swath my hair in it. I pick up my shoes and then barefoot run through the thorns licking up the straw like grass, and throw myself into the river. It’s alive and suddenly I can breathe.

 

I am the sea.

 

“Oh Abba, Mikvah me!”

The moon gleams from the now darkened heavens.

The waters tremble and then the fish light up like lightbulbs in the dark.

They’re as green as a cucumber salad.

I come shooting up out of the river like a sea creature. I’m covered in golden dust and the waters turn pastel pink like cotton candy.

It tastes good on my skin.

I drink it in like pomegranate juice.

 

She yells something incoherent and then runs down the hill past the briars and the weeds. Her pastel shirt snagging on a shrub. Out of breath, she dips her foot in the pink waters that match her blouse.

“Are you thirsty?” I ask.

Her fishtail braid falls to one side of her shoulders, and with a just hint of candidness she whispers

“Parched”

And then she jumped into the deep.”

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