Taking God for Granted?

How crisp, how fresh, how invigorating, is your relationship with God these days?  On the other hand, how often have we treated our relationship with Him with a yawn? 

There is a story in Genesis about a man who was just that indifferent.  He treated his heritage and his responsibility to his family with a yawn.  His name was Esau.  We first read about Esau in Genesis 25, starting in verse 21 (Genesis 25:21-34).  Esau is the twin brother of Jacob.  He is born first, with Jacob literally on his heels.  Jacob comes out of the womb grasping Esau’s heel!  We read that they “struggled” in the womb, but the Hebrew word here is more forceful.  The Hebrew word, rah-tsahts, literally says, they “crushed, they thrust, they jostled one another,” foretelling what their lives, and the lives of their descendants, would be like.

As the story continues, we see how different each brother is: Esau is a hunter, and Jacob, a tent dweller who most likely tends sheep and goats.  The two could hardly have more incompatible vocations.  One day, when Esau comes back from hunting, exhausted and famished, he begs Jacob for some of the stew that Jacob is cooking.  As they probably have been continuing the struggle (jostling) that started in the womb, Jacob seizes the opportunity to gain the upper hand:  He barters the stew for Esau’s birthright.  And the bartered agreement is sealed with an oath!  Now in those days, that birthright was the right of the first-born son to succeed his father in authority and responsibility for the entire family, the entire clan.

This begs questions!  Is Esau really so hungry, so exhausted, that he is not thinking clearly?  That’s possible!  But, what happens next?  After Esau is satisfied, after he is revived and nourished, he just walks away!  Why doesn’t he pause and reflect; “What have I just done to myself?  Is there any way to regain my birthright?”  No!  He just goes on his way.  Esau shows no remorse, no guilt, no shame. He sells his birthright for a bowl of lentils.  He takes his inheritance so lightly that it becomes something to barter.  The Bible, the Text, as the sages would say, says that Esau “despised” his birthright.  He didn’t honor his family.  He didn’t honor God.

Later, in the life of the people of Israel, the prophet Malachi hints to the Esau story as he admonishes Israel.  The Israelites are taking God’s Instructions so lightly that they substitute flawed, blemished animals for ones without blemish in their sacrifices.  And, the priests are allowing it!  The people are treating God’s Commandments, His Instructions concerning redemption and showing Him thankfulness, with such callousness that it’s described as “despising” the altar and “profaning” the offerings. (Malachi 1:1-2:8)   The Israelites are worshipping God with a yawn.  In today’s terms, that kind of indifference is the same as “blowing Him off!”

So how does that relate to us, today?  The writer of Hebrews recalls the Esau incident as a way of reminding us how we are to live, and, the results of callousness, carelessness and indifference. (Hebrews 12:14-17)  After walking through the “Hall of Faithfulness” in Hebrews 11, we are brought to Hebrews 12, “How now shall we live?”  What a journey!  What a target!

Take God for granted?  Serve Him with a yawn?  Blow Him off?  Not a very promising future.  Instead: “Since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; . . ,” Hebrews 12:28.

What’s acceptable?  Nothing less than our best!  Sh’ma!  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might! (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Shalom Uvrakhah*¹ (Peace and Blessing)

*Shah-lohm Oov-rah-khah

¹“kh” is a distinct sound.  Imagine the sound of forcing phlegm from your throat.

Satisfied?

Have you ever asked: Am I satisfied?  Am I satisfied with life?  Am I satisfied with my life?   In the Book of Genesis, we find a narrative about a man who is satisfied with his life.  That man is Abraham.  The narrative tells us, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age; an old man and satisfied with life,” Genesis 25:8.  This begs questions:  Why was he satisfied?  How was he satisfied?  To help answer these questions, we must start a little earlier, in Genesis 23:1, the account of the death of Sarah, Abraham's wife.  We must also look at the account of the last years of King David, in 1 Kings 1:1-31.  There's a connection.  We must also dig into a little Hebrew, starting with the Hebrew words for “old age” and “satisfied.”

Abraham is described as dying at a good “old age,”say-vah, and “satisfied,” sah-vay-ah.  The Hebrew word say-vah really means someone with a head of gray hair.  In modern Hebrew there is a word for the feeling that “life is good”, “everything is cool”, “it's awesome”; the word is, sah-bah-bah!  In Abraham's case, “satisfied” is much deeper - much, much deeper than sah-bah-bah.

Contained in the Genesis and 1 Kings narratives is the mention of both Abraham and David coming to a similar point in life – they were both “old, advanced in years,” Genesis 24:1 & 1 Kings 1:1; but, they were each having very different experiences.

Abraham is seeing to it that his family has a permanent place for burial: First Sarah, later, himself and all the patriarchal family.  He is also securing a future as he instructs his chief steward about a wife for his son, Isaac.  He is active in fulfilling God's words about His covenant between Himself and Abraham.  Part of God's covenant was all about Abraham's descendants.

David's experience as he is “old, advanced in years” is more tumultuous. He is facing physical disability and shortly before his death, there is contention for his throne.  His oldest living son, Adonijah (ah-doh-nee-yah), declared himself king.  David must be prompted to immediately have his choice for successor, Solomon, anointed king.  1 Kings 1 continues the narrative of the ensuing turmoil.

It's not said of David that he died sah-vay-ah, “satisfied” like Abraham.  Am I saying David wasn't righteous?  May it never be!  He was a man, “after God's Own Heart,” 1 Samuel 13:14 The sages, the wise men, say they both achieved “old age,” an endearing term, telling us of a life worthy of a crown.  But only Abraham was “satisfied” at the end.  Why?

Did you notice the harmony in the Hebrew in the description of Abraham? - Dying say-vah, at a good “old age”, and sah-vay-ah, “satisfied?”  The play on the two words in Hebrew suggests a deeper meaning than just being “old” and “satisfied”.  The sages suggest say-vah and sah-vay-ah as balance between your physical being and your very soul.  Your life and how you live it.  Or better – Your life and Who you live it for.  

The sages remember Proverbs 16:31, “A gray head (of old age), say-vah, is a crown of glory.”  And how is that obtained, they ask?  “It is achieved by the way of righteousness.”  And from whom can you learn this?  From Abraham; for it is written of him; “ . . . that his descendants keep the way of the LORD, doing righteousness and justice, . . ,” Genesis 18:19.  It was through Abraham, and his life, that his descendants learned the way of righteousness.

We need to look at one more Hebrew word, the Hebrew for path or “way”.  The Hebrew has several words for path or “way.”  But it is ha-deh-rekh¹, the Path, the Way that leads to righteousness: The Path, “The Way,” that leads to Salvation.  The sages say to us, “If you are on “The Path” – If you are on “The Way,” HaDerekh, your place in the world to come (Heaven) will be there!  Keep to HaDerekh!”

The first Believers inJesus, were known as followers of “The Way,” HaDerekh (Acts 22:4, 24:14).  Do you know why?  Jesus, tells us, “I am HaDerekh . . . ,” John 14:6.

So . . . What about you?  What path are you on?  Which “way” do you keep?  There are many paths to follow; there are many ways to go through life.  But, there is only One Path that leads to righteousness.  There is only One Way, that in the end, makes you satisfied with life.

We pray that you are keeping to HaDerekh - The Way of Righteousness – The Way that leads to a Good Place in the World To Come – The Way that leads to Salvation!

Shalom Uvrakhah* (Peace and Blessing)

*Shah-lom Oov-rah-khah

¹“kh” is a distinct sound.  Imagine the sound of forcing phlegm from your throat.

Prayer of Dedication - for Chanukah, Christmas, New Year - Always!

The symbolism and meaning of Chanukah is strong.  Marty Goetz, a Jew who knows Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, intimately, wrote and sings a beautiful Chanukah Song.  It's a Prayer of Dedication from his heart to his Messiah Yeshua's.  His plea speaks to us all. 

How?  First, some background.  God gave a small group of passionate Jewish citizens miraculous victory against an oppressive, superior, enemy force who tried to force them to abandon God.  The Jewish people were prohibited, under penalty of death, from fulfilling the covenant God made with them to circumcise their sons (cf., Genesis 17:9-14), from keeping Shabbat (the Sabbath) and from obeying God's instruction to celebrate His Feasts, His appointed times (cf., Leviticus 23).

God's House, His Holy Temple, the place where He lived, was desecrated and defiled, as their conquerors erected a statue of one of their gods and sacrificed a pig, an unclean animal, on the altar.   

God's people reclaimed God's House and religious freedom. They purified the entire Tabernacle.  Tradition has it, that when it came time to relight the Menorah, there was only enough pure oil to keep the Menorah lit for one day.  They relit the Menorah anyway - the supply of oil lasted EIGHT days!  The brilliance of the lighted Tabernacle radiated for miles!

Chanukah is a time of Dedication (cf., John 10:22).  Let's pray, with Marty, to dedicate our life - our Temple - to God.  Let's make our mortal bodies, God's House, worthy of His Name. Let's rid them of everything ungodly and every hidden thing of shame. Let's ask God to take the idols we've raised up in our heart. Let's surrender our defiled altar to God to cleanse and repair, so that - each time we falter, we we are pure - holy and able to RUN to meet Holy God there - in His Holy Place. Let's asks that our supply of oil, meager as that supply in Temple long ago - burns - so that we rejoice and exclaim,  "A great miracle happened here!" 

Let's pray, with Marty Goetz, that "with every candle on the Menorah, that illuminates the night; comes a prayer that Yeshua, Jesus, kindles in each of us, a desire for His Fire, for His light!"  Let's dedicate ourselves to Yeshua.

"My Yeshua . . . .I dedicate myself to you."  Hear Marty's prayer:

From You Tube:

In a Word: Lessons from the Language of the Wilderness - A Great New Study!

Want to draw closer to God?  Here is a powerful study that speaks to challenges we all experience as believers today.  It's called "In a Word: Lessons from the Language of the Wilderness" by George DeJong.  Drawing from the experience of God's People in the wilderness, Pastor George uses the Hebrew and Greek of the original Text to bring fresh insight to the realities that confront us all.  You can preview and order it at:

Under the Fig Tree Ministries: http://www.underthefigtree.org/fruit.html

Places to Purchase "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus"

A fabulous resource to get started "Thinking Hebrew" is a very readable book by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg, called, "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus."  Be sure to check out the Bibliograpy for other great resources!  It can be purchased at:

En Gedi Resources:  http://www.egrc.net/
Christian Book Distributors:  http://www.christianbook.com/sitting-rabbi-jesus-jewishness-transform-faith/ann-spangler/9780310284222/pd/284222

What kind of Clothes are You Wearing?

Rabbis would often use parables to teach a Biblical Truth and Yeshua, Jesus, the Rabbi with all Authority, is a Master at this. 

Yeshua again used parables in speaking to them:  "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son, but when he sent his slaves to summon the invited guests to the wedding, they refused to come.  So he sent some more slaves, instructing them to tell the guests, `Look, I've prepared my banquet, I've slaughtered my bulls and my fattened cattle, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding!'  But they weren't interested and went off, one to his farm, another to his business; and the rest grabbed his slaves, mistreated them and killed them.  The king was furious and sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city.  "Then he said to his slaves, `Well, the wedding feast is ready; but the ones who were invited didn't deserve it.  So go out to the street-corners and invite to the banquet as many as you find.'  The slaves went out into the streets, gathered all the people they could find, the bad along with the good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.  "Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who wasn't dressed for a wedding; so he asked him,  `Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.  Then the king said to the servants, `Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!' In that place people will wail and grind their teeth, for many are invited, but few are chosen."  Matthew 22:1-14, Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

In parables the King is always God, the Kingdom of Heaven –- God's Kingdom, and in this case those invited are children of Israel.  The Kingdom of Heaven starts now as we walk arm-in-arm with God and following after Yeshua the Messiah.  (While Yeshua talks about all those who were invited and did not come, we should remember that many Jews did follow Him and believed in Him - By the thousands!)

Yeshua is telling His audience that God will destroy those who refused to come to the wedding, and if fact, killed the messengers -- the prophets who have called God's People to repentance and foretold the coming of the Messiah.  Since those who were originally invited would not come, God now has expanded the invitation to the rest of the world, the Gentiles - Guess what, we're all invited! 

Now the King comes to be the guests and finds someone not dressed in his wedding clothes, and has him cast into the darkness where there is wailing and grinding of teeth.  But we say; "Wait a minute!  They were just brought in from the street.  How would they have time to go and dress?  Maybe they didn't even have wedding garments! 

In ancient times, when a king would have a grand feast, a wedding or some grand celebration, he would often give gifts to the guests -- garments suitable to wear to the feast.  Who would not put on the wedding clothes?  When God invites us into His Kingdom, to His Wedding Feast -- And we accept the invitation -- He gives us wedding clothes!

 I am so joyful in ADONAI! My soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in salvation, dressed me with a robe of triumph, like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban, like a bride adorned with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:10, CJB  

And, He gives us other fine garments as well -- Gifts of the spirit!   

Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good.  To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; to another, faith, by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing, by the one Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to judge between spirits; to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues; and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, CJB.

Now when our King sees us at His Wedding Feast -- What kind of clothes will He see us wearing?  The ones He gives us or the same clothes we came in with?  How can He tell?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.  Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake.  Galatians 5:22-24, CJB   Everyone will know that you are my talmidim (my disciples) by the fact that you have love for each other.  John 13:35, CJB

So . . . If we say that Yeshua is LORD but the King sees us and asks; "Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?";  What does that mean?  Have we only given mental acknowledgment that Jesus, Yeshua, is LORD and Savior (but not really LORD and Savior of my life)?  Are we living as someone who belongs to the Kingdom of Heaven?  Did we really put on the Wedding Clothes?  What kind of clothes are you wearing?   

Keep silent before Adonai ELOHIM, for the Day of ADONAI is near. ADONAI has prepared a sacrifice; he has set apart those he invited.  When the time comes for ADONAI's sacrifice - "I will punish the leaders and the sons of the king, also those who dress in foreign clothes."  Zephaniah 1:7-8, CJB  

We pray you have your Wedding Clothes on!  

The Miracle of Chanukah and The Manhattan Declaration

Hebrews, our ancestors in the Faith, celebrate the tradition of Chanukah for eight days during December. Today, the focus of Chanukah is that there was only enough pure, holy, oil to light the seven lamps of the Tabernacle Menorah for one day; the oil lasted eight days.  Menorahs with nine lamps, called Chanukiah, are lit during Chanukah.

In our opinion, the focus is that God gave a small group of passionate citizens miraculous victory against an oppressive, superior, enemy force who seized, desecrated, and defiled the Tabernacle and tried to force them to abandon Him. They would not, under any circumstance, stand idly by as their religious freedom was assaulted.

They were prohibited, under penalty of death, from fulfilling the covenant God made with them to circumcise their sons (cf., Genesis 17:9-14), keep Shabbat, the Sabbath, and from obeying God's instruction to celebrate His Feasts, His appointed times (cf., Leviticus 23).

They reclaimed the Tabernacle and religious freedom.  They purified the entire Tabernacle and relit the Menorah. The brilliance of the lighted Tabernacle radiated for miles!  God’s people once again kept Shabbat and dwelled with Him again as they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. Chanukah is a time of Dedication (cf., John 10:22).

In America, religious freedom is being constantly assaulted.   A growing number of Americans, like our Ancestors in the Faith, are committed to not stand idly by as religious liberties are assaulted.  They are taking action by signing a document called the Manhattan Declaration.  Read it.  We urge you sign it as a declaration of your commitment to obeying God no matter what the cost.  If your Pastor hasn't brought it to the attention of the Congregation; ask him to!  Make it a time of Dedication: http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/ .

May we honor God by obeying His instructions, standing firm in faith, and purifying our personal Tabernacle (cf., 1 Cor:16-17). May the brilliance of our Saviour’s light in us flood a dark world! May we dwell with Him with great joy in preparation for the time when we ALL tabernacle with Him in Jerusalem (cf., Zechariah 14)!