The Big Ten

If we believe the Ten Commandments are still in effect today, but deny the same about the other laws found within the Old Testament, we have a fundamental issue to deal with - why would "the law be fulfilled with Christ" but still leave the Ten Commandments intact if fulfillment meant abolition?

If Christ's "law of love" (the "love God, love your neighbor" law) is our argument against the Old Testament law, then what do we do with the Ten Commandments? Nullify them? By the way - the law of love is found explicitly in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18... yet another part of the Old Testament law that Jesus testified as still standing.

At this point, we'd say, "of course not!" - okay, well then we need to provide a scripturally-backed support that shows that when God supposedly abolished the OT law, He excluded the Ten Commandments and they remain in effect today. Do we see the fundamental error in this manner of thought?

Let's say we can't find scripture that abolishes the OT law, yet keeps the Ten Commandments. Then by logic, we would need to conclude that the Ten Commandments no longer remain in effect. And my guess is that we could all agree that God does not condone adultery or covetousness... see the dilemma here, folks?

Food for thought - our federal, state and local laws exist to protect us. The law restrains to protect. It's why we have laws against fraud, laws against murder, laws against speeding, laws to wear a seatbelt. God did the very same thing! He gave us the law to protect us - from disease, from exhaustion, from heartache, from the effects that sin can have in our lives! We as Christians can agree that sin brings strife. God gave us the law to keep us from sinning, so that we would be free of strife.

David tells us in Psalm 119 that the law is good and perfect and holy. So is the One who gave it to us, and it is through this law that we can truly see just how good and perfect and holy He truly is.

Abomination of Desolation

The prophets speak of an "abomination of desolation" that will be set up in the Temple in a future time. If you are a student of Biblical prophecy, you are aware that many prophecies have dual fulfillment. Today, that usually translates to a prophecy being partially fulfilled in the past, and then completely fulfilled in the future. When Daniel the prophet speaks of the abomination that causes desolation in Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11, almost every single Bible scholar agrees that this abomination was PARTIALLY fulfilled in the days of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, where he erected a statue of Zeus in the temple and then sacrificed a pig on the altar (which was unclean according to God's law given to the Israelites).

So my question to you today - are our bodies today not God's temple?

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Cor. 6:19-20

If you agree that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit... don't you think that God would consider it a similar "abomination that causes desolation" if we consume the exact same unclean meat that Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificed?

We were purchased at the cost of the blood of our Savior. Is giving up the things He calls unclean really too much of a sacrifice for us? Food for thought.

What is Holiness?

Do we really understand what holiness entails? What does it actually mean "to be holy?" The Hebrew word for holy is "kodesh" - it means in its most basic sense - set apart. The holy things, the holy people, are set apart from the unholy things and people. This is why we see so much emphasis on God separating light from dark, wheat from tares, sheep from goats, wool from linen, the Sabbath from the other days. He places emphasis on the practice of literally setting things apart from other things so that His people learn how to differentiate the holy from the unholy.

There is so much emphasis today on emotion and feeling. Here's how the holiness of our Creator feels: so pure and bright that your eyes can't look upon His face, so incredibly pure that if you entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple, you would be struck dead by the purity and power of His presence, so powerful that when in His Son's presence, you cannot stand and are moved to fall at His feet.

So my question is - what about our lives points us to becoming more like that second paragraph? God tells us in Leviticus 11:44:

"For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy..."

and Peter reminds us again in 1 Peter 1:14-16: 

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.""

From God's perspective (because His is all that matters), are the things we're doing, eating, refraining from, making us more holy? Or are they just giving us instant gratification? For instance, God tells us that pork is a "detestable meat" in both Isaiah 66:17 and Deuteronomy 14:3-8:

"Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens, Following one in the center, Who eat swine's flesh, detestable things and mice, Will come to an end altogether," declares the LORD." Isaiah 66:17

"You shall not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these among those which chew the cud, or among those that divide the hoof in two: the camel and the rabbit and the shaphan, for though they chew the cud, they do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. The pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses." Deuteronomy 14:3-8

...and that consuming it will make us unclean. Being unclean takes us further from holiness. Not closer to it. Every single thing we do, every. single. thing. matters. It either draws us closer to our Creator's holy presence, or it takes us away from His holy presence. Every choice we make matters. Every word we say matters. Every thing we eat matters. Every activity we do matters. Every refrain from activity matters.

This is my call to the church body - let's stop pretending that God is interested in our happiness. He's interested in our holiness. Can happiness still exist - absolutely. But He's not going to look upon us in the End and measure our joy. He's going to pass us under His iron rod and separate us based on our dedication to Him.

The Importance of Repentance

Back in the OT days, sacrifices for sin were brought to the temple, and the person bringing the sacrifice would repent from whatever sin they had committed, so that their sacrifice wasn't made in vain.

If Jesus was our perfect sin sacrifice, why would our actions after His sacrifice be any different than those back then?

If anything, shouldn't our actions be MORE repentant, since His cost was so great?

There's a reason Jesus said to the adulterous woman,

"...Go and sin no more." John 8:11

Because repentance after the sacrifice brings forgiveness.

"... and that REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." Luke 24:47

If we accept the covering of His sacrifice, but then continue sinning, we have made His sacrifice in vain.

"FOR IF WE GO ON SINNING willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, THERE NO LONGER REMAINS A SACRIFICE FOR SINS, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:26-29

Mythbusting!

MYTH: The Law alone saves you.
TRUTH:

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." Romans 3:20

MYTH: If the Law alone doesn't save you, you don't have to keep it.
TRUTH:

"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." Romans 2:13

Why the contradiction? Because faith without works is a dead/nonexistent faith:

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."James 2:14-26

It is also the fruit of salvation:

"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments."
1 John 5:2

MYTH: The Law was only given to the Jewish people.
TRUTH: The Law was given to both the native-born, the foreigner, and the sojourner at the base of Mt. Sinai. God even explicitly gave commands for those parties to ALL keep these statutes forever, throughout their generations. You can see this repeated throughout Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

MYTH: The church replaces Israel.
TRUTH: The church is grafted IN to Israel, therefore becoming a PART of Israel:

"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree." Romans 11:7-24

MYTH: I'd know if I was being misled by not following the Law.
TRUTH: Scripture says otherwise. It even prophesies that His Law will be forgotten by His people:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." Hosea 4:6

Israel was more than just the Jewish people (the Jews were of the tribe of Judah - there were 11 other tribes that were NOT Jewish), and we can see here that Israel was dispersed among the nations:

"Israel is swallowed up; They are now among the nations Like a vessel in which no one delights." Hosea 8:8

But God will gather us back:

"“In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance." Jeremiah 3:18

And my favorite passage, which shows Ephraim (representative of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the non-Jewish tribes) uniting us with our Jewish brother Judah:

"“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.” Thus says the LORD, “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when it went to find its rest.” The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers. “Again you will plant vineyards On the hills of Samaria; The planters will plant And will enjoy them. “For there will be a day when watchmen On the hills of Ephraim call out, ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To the LORD our God.’” For thus says the LORD, “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise and say, ‘O LORD, save Your people, The remnant of Israel.’ “Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return here. “With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.” Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, And declare in the coastlands afar off, And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.” For the LORD has ransomed Jacob And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he. “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD— Over the grain and the new wine and the oil,And over the young of the flock and the herd; And their life will be like a watered garden,And they will never languish again. “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow. “I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the LORD. Thus says the LORD, “A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” Thus says the LORD, “Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. “There is hope for your future,” declares the LORD, “And your children will return to their own territory. “I have surely heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an untrained calf; Bring me back that I may be restored, For You are the LORD my God. ‘For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’ “Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a delightful child? Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the LORD. “Set up for yourself roadmarks, Place for yourself guideposts; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities. “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.” Jeremiah 31:1-22

Day 30 - #obediencechallenge - Welcome to the Whole Word

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today may be the last day of the challenge, but I hope it's not the last day of your obedience. I hope this past month has shown you many blessings, and that you have discovered that obedience isn't a yoke of bondage as many believe. One of my favorite Torah Portions is Ki Tavo - "when you come in" - and is directed at the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land. We too are on our journey into the Promised Land, and we can learn much from this portion. Here is Ruach International's teaching on Ki Tavo. I hope it blesses you.

If you're thinking, "What do I do now that I am done with this challenge?" - 119 Ministries has an excellent capstone called "Welcome to the Whole Word." I encourage you to watch it and pray about your next steps. Shalom!

Day 29 - #obediencechallenge - Opening Your Mind

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

I was reading Luke 24, and came across this gem, straight from Jesus AFTER his resurrection. This is Jesus, preaching that one must REPENT (turn away) SO THAT they may have their sins forgiven.

A few things here. First, sin still exists. This means there's a law that defines sin.

Second, He is telling them that they don't just automatically have their sins forgiven because of the cross. They must also REPENT. This is contrary to some mainstream teachings within Christianity that teach that no matter what you're doing, you're forgiven. We can see that's not the case. Homosexuality, as an example? Still a sin. Still requires one to turn from it to receive forgiveness.

Third, this message of REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS will be proclaimed in HIS name. A doctrine from the Father, preached through the Son. John 7:16 states that Jesus didn't come with a new doctrine, it was His Father's.

"Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me."
John 7:16

It never changed.

Lastly, I love the opening statement to this passage:

"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures..."

These were His DISCIPLES! They knew the scriptures! But clearly there were things that they didn't understand. Yes, even these people who ministered with the living Son of God lacked understanding... Until they were given it. Do you think it's possible that we as the church may be too haughty in assuming that we DO have all the understanding? Food for thought.

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:45-47

Day 28 - #obediencechallenge - Grafted In

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

What does "grafted in" mean? Are we grafted in to the church or Israel? What does the olive tree mean? Is this replacement theology?

All of those questions can be answered in this great teaching from TorahFamily.org.

Day 27 - #obediencechallenge - Emor / "Say"

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

This week's Torah portion (Parsha) is Emor, which means "say." Here is a great study on it from Ruach International Ministries.

Day 26 - #obediencechallenge - The Holy Spirit

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

The Holy Spirit always confused me a little bit growing up in the church... like, how do I KNOW if it's the HOLY Spirit guiding me, or a "familiar" (unholy) spirit leading me astray? Thankfully, scripture tells us exactly how the Holy Spirit operates, and exactly where it will guide us.

Watch this short 4 minute video on the Holy Spirit.

P.S. Fun fact - you may see some people (not in this video) refer to the Holy Spirit as the Ruach Ha'Kodesh (Hebrew). Ruach = Spirit, Ha'Kodesh = the Holy... so Ruach Ha'Kodesh translates to "the Holy Spirit."

Day 25 - #obediencechallenge - Flesh and Spirit

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

We all have our "fatal flaws." Mine are impatience and anger. Unfortunately, yesterday, they reared their ugly head yet again. I have really been working on being patient with my little kids, trying not to get annoyed when they ask the same question for the umpteenth time, in a span of five minutes. Or when I tell them, for the umpteenth time, to do or not do something, in a span of five minutes. And most of the time, I succeed. I can usually suppress the part of my flesh that WANTS to get impatient and angry, and instead respond out of the Spirit.

But yesterday, I failed. Miserably. It was all going well until their naptime. I hadn't been feeling well... my throat was on fire, and I was tired. So, at naptime, I laid down with my youngest daughter in our room for a nap. I had juuuuust got my throat to stop feeling like I needed to cough all the time, and had just nodded off, when I hear, "Mommy, I need to go potty."

My first reaction was to be annoyed that I had been woken up. However, I didn't act like it bothered me, took her potty and laid us both back down, and she actually fell back asleep. But I was wide awake.

After naps were over, things just kind of devolved from there. I decided I wanted to watch a show on TV, which never happens, and was interrupted countless times. My impatience got the best of me, and I just started yelling. And that only made things worse for their behavior (and mine, if I'm being honest). By the time my husband was done working in the yard, I told him I was done... I was at my wit's end. The night ended with me practically dragging my youngest son to an early bedtime because he wasn't listening, and I was fed up.

I took a bath, which was cold, and that just amped me up even more. And then I got to thinking about how Mothers' Day was this coming weekend... and how I was a terrible mom and didn't deserve the day at all. The whole bath, I just kept replaying how awful I had been with the kids, and how I was probably going to get a card talking about how wonderful I was, and that it was basically going to be a lie... because I suck as a mom.

I got out of the bath and went and apologized to both the kids for being so hateful, and snuggled with them for a little bit. As I laid down last night, I started thinking about the fruits of the Spirit, given in Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

None of my behavior in the latter part of yesterday was a fruit of the Spirit - I was the opposite of forbearing... I was impatient. I was the opposite of loving and gentle and self-controlling... I was angry and hateful.

In fact, I fit the description for the works of the flesh given in scripture in Galatians 5:19-21:

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."

Hatred? Discord? Jealousy? Fits of rage? Selfish ambition? Dissensions? Envy? Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.... Check.... Check. Heart check.

I was completely void of the Holy Spirit yesterday. It did not reside in my heart. I chose to instead act once in my flesh, denying the Spirit, and it snowballed into all those other awful rotten fruits of the flesh above. And the Enemy whispered in my ear, taking full advantage of that yesterday. Telling me that I don't deserve to be celebrated, because all my kids and husband are going to see is how terrible of a mom I am, and why would they want to honor THAT?? And that's so close to the truth, that I would almost believe it.

Except... my kids reminded me about forgiveness. My daughter asked me to sit with her for a few minutes, despite all the hatred I had exhibited to her not even an hour before. To her, it didn't matter. It was forgotten. She no longer remembers my hatefulness, she has accepted that I am trying to move in the right direction, and sees me for my potential. Man, how powerful is that?

"For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."
Hebrews 8:12

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:12

This walk isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's about TRYING. It's about realizing when we're not walking in Spirit AND Truth, and repenting. Our Father is merciful and gracious, abounding in compassion and lovingkindness. He removes our transgressions from us. He sees us for our potential. We just need to believe it, and walk in that direction. <3

Day 24 - #obediencechallenge - Law and Grace

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

I've shared this video before, but it's always a great visual of how law and grace work in tandem with one another. It's only 3 minutes long. Take a look.

Day 23 - #obediencechallenge - Hard Choices

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

I've stated this repeatedly, but it's worth mentioning again. If you are a Christian and profess that Jesus is your Savior and God is your Heavenly Father, each and EVERY choice you make either leads you closer to Him or further away from Him (and therefore closer to the enemy). We often hear analogies of there being a "war for our soul" - and that can't be underscored enough. There are two entities fighting for your soul - YHWH your God and Satan your enemy.

This means that there is a spectrum. On one end is God, the other is Satan. Anywhere in the middle is lukewarmness. You have hundreds of choices each day that take you closer to God's end, or closer to Satan's end. Your free will enables you to choose. But you ARE choosing, make no mistake. Revelation 3:15-17 says:

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth."

If God gives us His Word which tells us explicitly how to live our lives, and sent His Son to show us how to perfectly WALK OUT that Word, why on earth would we ever believe that we are do to the exact opposite of the ONLY living example the Father sent for us to model?! Jesus ate clean, kept a 7th day Sabbath, kept the holy days His Father ordained, and instructed His discliples in the same manner. He even told us that His doctrine was NOT His own, it was His Father's... which was laid out in the OT explicitly. You either believe that every. single. word. in the Bible is true, or you believe God is a liar.

If that last part makes you angry, it should. It should make you angry that someone is questioning your faith. It should make you want to defend yourself. WITH SCRIPTURE. Are you sure that your beliefs are fireproof? Are you sure that every single thing you do, that your church says you "can" do, is backed by scripture? Today, make a list of everything you believe to be true and find 2-3 scriptures (from 2-3 different witnesses - not just Paul) that explicitly support your beliefs.

One of these days soon, our faith will be challenged more than we ever thought possible. Maybe we won't have our Bibles to search out the scriptures to stand on our beliefs. You should be able to easily give supporting scripture for ALL of your beliefs without pause. Romans 3:4 says:

"Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, "That you might be justified in your words, And might prevail when you come into judgment."

Back to the choices we make... the shows we watch, the music we listen to, the things we say, the activities we participate in, the foods we eat, the clothes we wear... they all either glorify God, or they don't. They either bring us CLOSER to Him, or closer to His enemy, Satan. His Word assures us of this. Matthew 12:30 says:

"Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me."

So the question is - do you believe what He says is true? Are you truly working WITH God, or AGAINST Him? Before you answer that question, make sure your answer is supported by scripture. Much love to you all. <3

Day 22 - #obediencechallenge - Perspective

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Have you ever seen those pictures where perspective makes all the difference? Up close, on a superficial level, something looks like one thing, but when you step away and look at the larger picture, it turns out to be something entirely different. Something deeper, with more meaning.

Let's look at some pictures. This one - it's just a picture of some screws.

If I showed you this first picture and said, "This is a picture of a man's face," you would tell me, "No... it's quite OBVIOUSLY a picture of screws." Because you're looking at it from your current experience, your current understanding of it, and also on a zoomed-in, narrowed, perspective.

But, let's say that I then show you this second picture.

NOW it's pretty obvious that this IS a picture of a man's face. You had only seen a portion of it, up close and narrowed in focus, but it was still a man's face the entire time you stared at it. No matter how long you stared at that first picture - without me showing you the second picture, you would never have understood what it ACTUALLY was, right?

I know you're trying to figure out where I am going with this... so here we go...

Let's take the Apostle Paul, and his letters in the New Testament of the Bible.

Hands down, if anyone asked you if the law of God was for us today, 99% of the time the answer would be, "No. It was done away with at the cross." If someone asked you for proof of that, I can almost guarantee the scriptures you would cite to support your stance would come from Paul's writings.

Do you know why I believe this? Because on the surface, and from our experience within the church today, we SEE it that way.

But what if I told you that all you're seeing is that first picture above?

Paul must be read in the context of the WHOLE of scripture (all of the Bible) because Paul was highly educated in the scriptures. And the scriptures at that time were ONLY the Old Testament. The book of James is believed to be the oldest book in the NT, and it was written around 50 AD... almost two decades after Jesus' death. So Paul (and his contemporaries that also wrote the other books of the NT) only had the OT as their scriptures. Paul was a student of Gamaliel, and part of his scholarly requirement was that he memorize the entire Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy, which was the law of God give to the Israelites). He knew it like the back of his hand. What if I told you that the trial held against Paul was because he was FALSELY accused of teaching against the law of God?

See Acts 21:20-24 (caps for emphasis):

"Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU TEACH THE JEWS WHO LIVE AMONG THE GENTILES TO TURN AWAY FROM THE LAW OF MOSES, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. THEN EVERYONE WILL KNOW THERE IS NO TRUTH IN THESE REPORTS ABOUT YOU, BUT THAT YOU YOURSELF ARE LIVING IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW."

Paul not only lived according to the law (AFTER THE CROSS), he also TAUGHT people to follow the law (AFTER THE CROSS). He was held on false accusations that he had told people to turn from the law.

Now, I know at this point, you're saying, "But what about this verse, and this verse, and this verse?" - I know, because I did the same thing. Post them below and I will happily explain them for you, so that you can research for yourself.

Because Paul was so well-read and educated, his writings were hard to understand. We know this, because Peter himself told us. See 2 Peter 3:16-17, speaking of Paul's letters, caps for emphasis:

"He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters.HIS LETTERS CONTAIN SOME THINGS THAT ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND, WHICH IGNORANT AND UNSTABLE PEOPLE DISTORT, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, BE ON YOUR GUARD SO THAT YOU MAY NOT BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE ERROR OF THE LAWLESS and fall from your secure position."

We learn a few things from the passage above:

1. Paul writes some things that are hard to understand.

2. That if you are ignorant (this doesn't mean in a bad way, just that you aren't aware of it) and unstable (do not have a firm footing in scripture, as Paul did), things WILL be distorted.

3. Peter tells us that we must be careful (on guard) so that we don't fall into the ERROR of the LAWLESS <--this means that being without the law (lawLESS) was an ERROR.

4. Based on the above, we can understand that misinterpreting Paul's letters can lead us into thinking that Paul promotes lawlessness, but we see this is an error.

There is so much richness and goodness to get out of Paul, and once you see it from the larger, wide-angle, perspective, and in the context of the whole of scripture, it's actually quite easy to see that Paul fully SUPPORTS obedience to the law, before and after the cross.

I hope this (lengthy) explanation helps you to understand a little more about how important perspective is, and that it challenges you to ask questions about Paul. I am happy to discuss them with you, either below or in PM. <3

Day 21 - #obediencechallenge - Effective Prayer

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

One of the wonderful blessings of obedience to the Father's instructions for our lives is that we are able to partake in His authority for certain things, like healing, provision, protection, etc. As we begin to walk in obedience, we begin to see our prayers actually coming to fruition, something that seemed rare before. Or at least, that was the case with my journey. Why is that, though? Why aren't our prayers answered as often as we had hoped? I hope to answer that below, and provide you with some specific scriptures to give you both confidence in your prayers, and also something to verbalize as you pray for a situation.

I know many people pray for other people to be healed, and I believe that the following scriptures can be prayed over someone and claimed as promises.

I must first add a caveat... if you are not right before the Father, He may not answer your prayers. He still MAY, but He is under no obligation to do so, according to His Word. So repent (confess sin and TURN FROM IT) and get right with Him before approaching Him with your petitions, otherwise, don't be surprised if He doesn't answer. I know that sounds harsh, but I just want to be real with you. It's important.

Claim that you know He hears you based on the following verses:

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

James 5:16

"The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous."

Proverbs 15:29

Claim that you know He WILL answer them based on the following:

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."

John 14:13-14

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

John 15:7

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 18:19

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

1 John 5:14

According to James 5:14-15, claim this:

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven."

Claim the authority to cast out demons and heal as according to Matthew 10:8:

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

Claim Psalm 118:17 over them:

"I will not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD."

Claim Isaiah 54:17 over them:

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord."

Day 20 - #obediencechallenge - One, Two, Ten, 613, or the Spirit?

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

This is a great article on all the "commandment confusion": One, Two, Ten, 613, or the Spirit?

How many commandments are there? How many are we obligated to observe? Please read through, and study out these scriptures on your own. <3

Day 19 - #obediencechallenge - Tzitzits

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Do you remember those fancy WWJD bracelets?

Well, did you know that the Bible actually already had a form of this? The original "WWJD bracelet" were tzitzits (ZEET-ZEETS).

See Numbers 15:38-39:

"Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner. These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord’s commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes."

Pretty cool, huh?

Here's a short (4min) video discussing tzitzits:
And concerning whether women should wear them, or just men:
Tzitzits come in all types of colors and patterns. The only requirement is that they have some blue in them.

Want to make your own? Here's a video to show you how:

Day 18 - #obediencechallenge - Blue

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

We're in the home stretch!

Today, I'd like to ask those of you following along to take a leap of faith and courage and step out and acknowledge that you've become obedient in things you have not been obedient in previously. Tell us about how this way of life has changed your faith. Have you encountered any difficulties? Struggles? What are the positive changes you've noticed? Speak up! It can be a lonely walk without fellowship, and there are plenty of us around to support one another.

Here is a great short teaching (2 minutes) on the color blue and its relationship to reminding us to remain obedient to God's ways:

Day 17 - #obediencechallenge - Teaching the Kids

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

So, how do we do that on a practical level?

With older kids, engaging them in the things you are studying and asking them questions truly helps. For younger children, there are several resources available.

One of my new favorite resources, as I posted in yesterday's challenge, is the "Torah Explorers" guide from Hoshana Rabbah ministries. I get a lot out of it, even as an adult! The entire year's worth of guides, as well as study guides for adults, can be found here: Study Guides.

Messianic Torah Observant Israel has a wonderful ministry called YMTOI, which stands for Young Messianic Torah Observant Israel. Their page can be found here: YMTOI

Also, there is a brand new resource called K.I.D. (Kingdom Intelligence Agency), which provides your kids (called "Jr. Agents") the opportunity to go on top secret missions for the Father's Kingdom! Check them out here: K.I.D.

For video teachings for the younger kids, here are some sites with trusted teachings:

Torah Town

Torah Puppets

For Children by Children

For the older kids, these are great video resources:

Context for Kids

Let's Go!

May these be a blessing to you and your family!

Day 16 - #obediencechallenge - Acharei Mot/Kedoshim

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Here is a great resource for this week's Torah Portion (Acharei Mot/Kedoshim). It is geared towards kids, but honestly I get a lot out of it as an adult!

Acharei Mot: Torah Explorers - Acharei Mot

Kedoshim: Torah Explorers - Kedoshim

Day 15 - #obediencechallenge - The Heart

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

I really want to touch on the heart today. Many of you may be reading these daily posts and (besides thinking I'm nuts) believe that as long as your heart is "in the right place," that it doesn't matter to God what you eat, what holidays you observe, or what other things you may do or don't do.

God is ALLLLL about the heart. He desires a "circumcision" of the heart most of all. What is that? Scripture tells us that a physical circumcision was a sign of the covenant between Israel and God. So, we can infer that circumcision of the heart (a spiritual circumcision) is also a sign of our covenant.

Deuteronomy 30:6 tells us:

"Moreover YHWH your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live."

If you read the surrounding verses, before and after, you will see the emphasis that the circumcised heart will also be one of obedience. Let's look at the entire passage with context. Read it all. I've CAPPED for emphasis:

"So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and YOU CALL THEM TO MIND IN ALL NATIONS where YHWH your God has banished you, AND YOU RETURN to YHWH your God AND OBEY HIM WITH ALL YOU HEART and soul, ACCORDING TO ALL I COMMAND YOU TODAY, YOU AND YOUR SONS, then YHWH your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where YHWH your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there YHWH your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.

YHWH your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Moreover YHWH your God will CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART AND THE HEART OF YOUR DESCENDANTS, to love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. YHWH your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again OBEY YHWH, and OBSERVE ALL THE COMMANDMENTS which I command you today. Then YHWH your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for YHWH will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; IF YOU OBEY YHWH your God TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES which are written in this book of the law, IF YOU TURN TO YHWH your God WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL.

For this commandment which I command you today IS NOT TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' But THE WORD IS VERY NEAR YOU, in your mouth and IN YOUR HEART, THAT YOU MAY OBSERVE IT.

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I COMMAND YOU TODAY TO LOVE YHWH your God, TO WALK IN HIS WAYS, to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS STATUTES AND HIS JUDGMENTS, THAT YOU MAY LIVE and multiply, and that YHWH your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.

But IF YOUR HEART TURNS AWAY AND YOU WILL NOT OBEY, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I DECLARE TO YOU TODAY THAT YOU WILL SURELY PERISH. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.

So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving YHWH your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

So, we see that a circumcised heart is one that is obedient. One who desires to love God and obey Him.

We see that loving God IS defined as obeying Him, and that this obedience rises out of the state of your heart. If your heart is circumcised, you will feel the need to do what He asks of you. If you choose not to obey, you can see from the scriptures above, that that requires your heart to turn away.

We also see that this isn't some vague obedience, like waiting on God to tell us our calling in life and then obeying. While that is important, God is very specific here that He is speaking as to obedience to the commands Moses was giving to the Israelites. We've covered before that YOU and I are Israelites, grafted in through the blood shed by Jesus on the cross. That sacrifice granted us to be part of the covenant. That covenant requires circumcision of the heart as a sign, and circumcision of the heart requires obedience to God's commands. He tells us they are not too difficult for us and they are written on our hearts (by the Holy Spirit, which causes us to walk in them. See Ezekiel 36:27:

"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."

and Jeremiah 31:33:

"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

When we get proud and refuse to obey what is very clearly laid out in scripture, we are not allowing our hearts to be circumcised. We are what the scriptures refer to as being "stiff-necked," desiring our will, not His. I encourage you to please allow the Spirit to work on you and test these things to be true. As children of God, we no doubt want to make sure we are doing His will, and not our own. I pray that you seek His face earnestly on these matters. <3

Day 14 - #obediencechallenge - Halloween and Trunk or Treats

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today, let's tackle Halloween since...why not? Does participating in it go against the Word? Do "trunk or treats" at church hold any more value? Let's dig into these topics.

First, let's take a look at Halloween's origins. Halloween was first celebrated as Samhain, which was a Celtic pagan holiday, on which they believed that it was easier for remnant spirits of their pagan gods to "cross over" into our world. Feasts were held to invite the souls of their beloved dead ones to eat with them. They dressed in costume and went door to door seeking food. They also held divination rituals and games like bobbing for apples.

At some point in the 9th century, the Roman Catholic Church moved their All Saints' Day to November 1st, and over time Samhain and All Saints' Day conglomerated into what we know today as Halloween. Today, Wiccans and other pagans see Samhain as a religious holiday and celebrate it as such. In fact, Wiccans see Samhain as their MOST important religious day.

Anton LaVey, the founder of the Satanist church, once said he was glad that Christian parents let their kids worship Satan one night a year!

Let's now look at what scripture tells us about being involved in celebrations of pagan origin (CAPS for emphasis):

Ephesians 5:11-17

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore DO NOT BE PARTAKERS with them; for you were formerly darkness, but NOW YOU ARE LIGHT in the Lord; WALK AS CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. DO NOT PARTICIPATE in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but INSTEAD even EXPOSE them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “AWAKE, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” Therefore BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK, not as unwise men but as wise, MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME, because the days are evil. So then DO NOT BE FOOLISH, but UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WILL OF THE LORD IS."

Proverbs 1:10

"My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent."

John 3:19-20

"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

Romans 3:12

"The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So LET US LAY ASIDE THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS and put on the armor of light."

2 Corinthians 6:14

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For WHAT PARTNERSHIP CAN RIGHTEOUSNESS HAVE WITH WICKEDNESS? Or WHAT FELLOWSHIP DOES LIGHT HAVE WITH DARKNESS?"

Psalm 1:1-2

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night."

Now, you may be thinking - "but we don't worship Satan, it's all about God for us. We're called to be the light in the dark. We can use this time to show God's love and light."

That's all great, but... are we actually doing that? I mean, how many of us are actually handing out scripture with candy, or talking about the gospel with people on Halloween night? If you are one who does, that's great! I used to think it was no big deal to "let the kids have some fun," I mean, "it's only one night... it's not like they're out there sacrificing a cat or anything."

But here's the deal. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. We are parents are planting seeds. They can be good seeds or bad seeds. Is it any wonder kids are dropping out of their faith when they hit college (or even before)? Halloween sends a mixed message to our kids. That it's okay to participate in pagan things as long as "that's not what it's about to you." Scripture would disagree with you. God tells us multiple times (see scripture above, there are many more references, I was trying to keep it short-ish) that we are to have NO fellowship with darkness. NONE. ZIP. ZERO. Not even a smidgen. We are to be SET APART. HOLY. DIFFERENT. WEIRD. THAT is how you turn people onto the faith. By looking different, so that they want that. So that they ask you questions about that. So that they one day can learn about the God who loves them SO MUCH, He wanted THEM to be set apart too.

Look, I am NOT JUDGING you and your family. If Halloween rolls around and you're posting pics of your kids, I am not sitting here proclaiming that your kid is a Satanist. Not even. All I am trying to do is to get you to think about the message we are sending to our kids. If we want them to be ALL IN for the Father, we need to plant the right seeds. The Bible tells us exactly HOW to do that - by not fellowshipping with darkness. The question is, do we continue to make excuses "because we want our kids to have some fun" or do we say, "NOPE. Not on my watch." and do EVERYTHING we can do to ensure our kids are rooted in a firm foundation? Love you all. <3

Day 13 - #obediencechallenge - Shavuot

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Continuing on with the holy days (mo'edim), here is a short PDF on Pentecost, also known as Shavuot, or Feast of Weeks. This is the next holy day that is coming up this year, and the reason we "count the omer."

Here is a PDF that explains Shavuot/Pentecost, why it's important to us, and is geared towards families, so feel free to talk about it with your kids: What is Shavuot?

Day 12 - #obediencechallenge - Passover and Unleavened Bread

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today, check out this teaching on Passover and Unleavened Bread, which are the first of the Spring feasts, which we recently celebrated:

Day 11 - #obediencechallenge - Day of Atonement

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

The next holy day that follows Feast of Trumpets is the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur.

Please take the time to study up on this day by watching this 16 minute video:

Day 10 - #obediencechallenge - Feast of Trumpets

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today, do a study on the Moedim (the Holy Days) given to us to observe.

I really like 119 Ministries' teachings because they break the scripture down and explain it very well. It's not opinion, it's the Word. Here's the first fall Feast to be observed, the Feast of Trumpets (aka Yom Teruah), discussed in a 23 minute teaching:

Day 9 - #obediencechallenge - Resources for the Journey

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today, I want to give you some resources as you are on this journey. As with anything, Acts 17:11 admonishes us that we must be good Bereans and test everything to see if it is true.

"Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true."

Here is a list of teachers that I have found to have a solid scriptural understanding. Now, this does NOT mean that I do not disagree with them on some of their interpretations (with regards to non-salvific issues, that is), but on major issues, I believe them to have done their proper study of the scriptures.

119 Ministries - Test Everything
Unlearn
Messianic Torah Observant Israel
TorahFamily.org

Use discernment and prayer to guide you as you listen and/or read these teachings.

Day 8 - #obediencechallenge - The Trap of the Pharisees

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today we're going to talk a little bit about the trap of man-made additions to God's law.

When my family first started on this walk, I found myself kind of lost. I think that's pretty normal. You know you're supposed to be doing certain things... but where in the world do you even start? It can be quite overwhelming. Maybe my experiences here can help you navigate some of the waters in this regard.

I remember thinking, "well, if there are 613 commandments (this is according to Jewish tradition), then maybe I should go through and see which ones apply to us and which ones don't!" And so, I found Rambam's (he's a "famous" Jewish sage) Mishneh Torah, which is basically a commentary on the 1st five books of the Bible. It would be akin to picking up Charles Spurgeon's Commentary on the Bible and using it to gain insight into the scriptures.

Anyhow, it's broken up into sections on civil laws, marriage laws, farmers' laws, etc. Some of it seemed REALLY burdensome. There's a good reason for that - most of the "rules" mentioned are not found in the scriptures. What I'm getting at is - it's completely fine to glean insight from people (dead or alive) on their interpretations of scripture. But ALWAYS test it BACK to the scripture and see if it stands. That goes for my stuff too - I WANT you to take what I say and compare it to scripture. Scripture is our ultimate measuring stick. If it doesn't add up, it should be tossed out with the bath water.

As almost everyone knows, Jesus got REALLY fed up with the Pharisees. The common understanding is that he was fed up with them because they wanted people to keep the law. That's not really accurate. Scripture tells us that the Pharisees wanted others to keep their MAN-MADE laws, and rebuked those who didn't measure up to their impossibly burdensome standards. Do you remember when Jesus yelled at them for griping about the disciples not washing their hands before a meal? That's because nowhere in the Torah is there a law mandating that people wash their hands. Now, is it good hygiene? Sure. But is it a sin in God's eyes to not wash your hands? No.

We see these same Pharisaical traditions still exist today in the Jewish community - Jewish people typically do not turn light switches on and off on Shabbat (Sabbath). They believe this is "starting a fire" because it uses electricity. They believe the same about starting a car - that the ignition sparks a fire. While in essence that may be the case, the law against starting a fire in your homes seems pretty straightforward. Don't light a fire in your house on Shabbat. See Exodus 35:3:

"You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day."

Another tradition that is not found in scripture is the welcoming of Shabbat. Jewish families typically "invite in" the Sabbath by lighting candles, saying a special blessing over them, and then blessing the bread loaves (2 loaves of challah) and the wine. According to Jewish tradition, the Shabbat candles are to be lit no later than 18 minutes before sunset. Yet, there is no commandment to do so. I admit that at one point I thought this was something I was supposed to be doing, but while this is incredibly beautiful and symbolic, and doesn't contradict scripture, it is also not explicitly commanded in scripture. In other words, feel free to adopt such traditions, but don't ever think that if you don't do these things that you are somehow breaking the law.

The bottom line: while Jesus did rebuke the Pharisees for adding to the law... which by the way is breaking God's law in and of itself - see Deuteronomy 4:2:

"Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you."

...he also instructed the people to LISTEN to the Pharisees in the synagogues (because they were the primary teachers of the Torah, and knew it well, and read from it every Shabbat), BUT He told them not to DO as they do, because they do not practice what they preach (God's law). In summary, the Pharisees taught from the Torah (the law of Moses) and had the authority to do so (they "sat in the seat of Moses"), but their practice was not in line with what they taught, for they added a burdensome yoke onto God's law. No wonder people think the law is so difficult to keep today! We've assumed that many of the traditions practiced within the Jewish community today are what the law of God looks like in practice, and that's not actually true. See Matthew 23:1-5:

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long..."

We can perhaps understand this - the Jewish people (part of Israel, but not all of Israel) is about the only tribe that really practices the law today. This is a prophetic fulfillment. See Genesis 49:10:

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."

The Jewish people have maintained the law, but their representation of it is inaccurate.

Maybe the same could be said for Christians today - we've exhorted the grace of our Father, but our representation of it is inaccurate.

Only when Israel is brought together as one in unity, when Jesus returns, will the entirety of the story be revealed to all. Amen.

Disclaimer - this is not me knocking the Jewish people in any way. They know the law (the Torah) better than anyone. Their whole desire in adding man-made regulations was to protect God's law from being broken. I admire the effort, though I disagree with the implementation.

Day 7 - #obediencechallenge - Why?

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

Here's one of the BIG "whys" as to why modeling my life in a scriptural way is SO IMPORTANT to me, and why I never shut up about it --> MY KIDS.

If I allow them to participate in things that I KNOW are rooted in ideas and traditions that God considers worshipping other gods, I am teaching them to settle. That it's okay to be mediocre, especially when it comes to God. I am teaching them that whatever fire they SHOULD have for their Creator should be quelched, in favor of society's standards. That's just not what we were created for. We were created for GOOD works.

The thing that really got me was when I saw this picture, comparing Santa and Jesus. I'd been teaching my kids that there's some dude that lives up north that never dies, knows what they're doing, has the "spirit of Christmas", keeps their names on the naughty or nice list, has similar appearances to Jesus, and operates at night, while our Savior operates in the light. I'd been telling them to "be good" so that Santa would give them freaking presents.

How... in the world... are we supposed to expect that our kids will believe ANYTHING we say about our Savior if we're setting up a lie that very closely mimics His very characteristics?

In keeping man-made traditions (that stem from sun god and fertility god worship - in other words, IDOL WORSHIP), I am teaching them that it's okay to compromise God's Word "as long as you're doing it with the right heart" - which is in COMPLETE contradiction to God's Word. Ahem, see the story about the golden calf... they totally set it up IN ORDER TO WORSHIP GOD WITH IT. And He wanted to kill them as a result. KILL. THEM.

Let's take Christ OUT of Christmas. Let's stop eating Easter ham, and start honoring the sacrifice of our Passover Lamb, who shed His blood at THE GAIN of OUR FREEDOM and the COST OF HIS LIFE.

My kids are under the spiritual authority of me and my husband. If we allow them to participate in activities that are even remotely linked to idol worship, the following scriptures will fall on their heads. Why would I risk that?

Numbers 14:18

"But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected--even children in the third and fourth generations."

Exodus 20:5

"You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected--even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me."

Matthew 18:6-7

"...but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!"

Amos 5:21

"I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies."

I'm #sorrynotsorry that I am so passionate about this, but I just CAN. NOT. even in the SLIGHTEST, compromise that. I will not. And my prayer is that you won't either, which is why I am so vocal about this. I truly believe that there is a reason these things have been revealed to me, and to many many others, in this time. To challenge the church to become the PURE bride it is supposed to be. Do not let your eternity be fettered away because of fleeting traditions, friends. God loves you too much to watch you from afar. COME NEAR to HIM, and HE WILL COME NEAR TO YOU.

Day 6 - #obediencechallenge - Moedim

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

To continue on with God's calendar, let's look at the holy days He gave us. These are also known as "mo'edim" which means "appointed times" - they're our appointments with the Father.

We will be discussing Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits/Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles - all of these are COMMANDED observations, in addition to the Sabbath on a weekly basis. There are two minor festivals that are observed as a tradition, but are not commanded. These are Hanukkah and Purim. We will discuss these at the end.

Let me explain one aspect of these holy days - some of them, or days within them, are often referred to as "high Sabbaths" - which means that even if they do not fall on the weekly Sabbath day (7th day), they are to be observed as if they did, so Sabbath rest is in effect.

1. Passover, also known as Pesach, is not a holy day by itself, it is simply a meal, where a lamb of certain requirements was chosen on the 10th day of the 1st month, kept until the 14th of the month, where it was then slaughtered, cooked and eaten on the 14th. The blood from the lamb was also used to mark the doorposts of the home. Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23 describe the details. We commemorate this today to not only remember how God delivered us from slavery in Egypt (He didn't just deliver the Jews, they were only one of the 12 tribes), but also to remember Jesus' sacrifice on on the cross, which occurred EXACTLY ON Passover. Passover is not considered a "high Sabbath," therefore work may be done.

2. Immediately following Passover, from the 15th - 21st of the 1st month, we are commanded to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is 7 days long, with the 1st and the 7th days being "high Sabbaths" on which Sabbath rest is in effect. To observe this festival, we are to remove all leaven from our homes (leaven is anything that causes bread to rise - I personally remove yeast, baking soda and baking powder), including any baked goods that contain these items. We also prepare (or purchase) bread that is unleavened, and as scripture tells us, we eat some every day during this festival. This festival commemorates the hastiness with which the Israelites had to leave Egypt (they had no time to let the bread rise), and leaven is often used to represent sin in the scriptures. So when we partake of the unleavened bread, and remove the leaven from our homes, we are symbolically removing sin from our lives as well. The fact that Unleavened Bread falls directly after Passover (Jesus' sacrifice), reminds us that He was without sin. We are told to keep this festival without restriction. The details of this feast are also found in Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23. Paul also describes how the church was still keeping it in NT times in 1 Corinthians 5:8:

"Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

and another example is found in Luke 22:1:

"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching."

3. Firstfruits/Pentecost - this is also known as the Feast of Weeks. It almost appears as two different celebrations, because it spans 50 days, but it's really one commanded observation. Firstfruits falls one day AFTER the (weekly) Sabbath that falls within the Feast of Unleavened Bread. So, it's always on a Sunday. This is NOT a high Sabbath. It involved taking the first of the spring barley harvest as an offering to the temple in Jerusalem. Since the temple does not currently exist, technically we can't celebrate it, but many (including us) still honor it as best we can by resting on it and talking about it. This feast commemorates the rise of the Firstfruits (Jesus) from the grave after his crucifixion, which occurred EXACTLY ON Firstfruits. This would be what most Christians would refer to as "Resurrection Sunday" - but it has nothing to do with rabbits or eggs, or the sun goddess Ishtar.

The second portion of this feast is Pentecost (or "Shavuot"), which occurs 50 days after Firstfruits, and it was another grain and bread offering. See Leviticus 23:15-21:

"From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live."

With Pentecost, we most often associate this day with the descent of the Holy Spirit, which occurred EXACTLY ON Pentecost. Only Pentecost/Shavuot is a "high Sabbath."

As you can see, Jesus came and fulfilled ALL of the Spring feasts EXACTLY ON their appointed times. Let's fast forward to the Fall feasts, which still await fulfillment.

4. On the 1st day of the 7th month (Tishrei, this falls in Sept or Oct each year), we celebrate the Feast of Trumpets. See Leviticus 23:23-25:

"The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord."

This is a "high Sabbath." This feast involves the blowing of trumpets (or shofars) and is a reminder that one day our Savior will return with a triumphant entry. As we saw in the Spring Feasts, I expect these to be fulfilled in the future on the exact day, by our Messiah.

5. On the 10th day of the 7th month, is the Day of Atonement (also known as "Yom Kippur"). It is a solemn time where we, for the 9 days between Trumpets and Atonement, focus on what we really need to correct in our walk. The Day of Atonement is the day each year that the Levitical High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make a blood atonement on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant to atone for the Nation of Israel's sins. It was the one day a year where the Israelites were considered entirely pure. Today, since Jesus has become our penultimate sacrifice for sin, we commemorate this day to remind ourselves that His blood took away the curse of the sin in our lives and we should therefore honor that sacrifice by continuously working torwards living in a manner worthy of it. Christ became our High Priest, in the heavenly order of Melchizedek. When this occurred, there was a transfer of the high priestly duties from the Levites to the Melchizedek priesthood ("For the priesthood being translated, it is necessary that a translation also be made of the law. For he, of whom these things are spoken, is of another tribe, of which no one attended on the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Judah: in which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And it is yet far more evident: if according to the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest." Hebrews 7:12-15) This is appropriately a "high Sabbath". You can read about it in Leviticus 23:26-32:

"The Lord said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath."

6. On the 15th of the 7th month begins an 8 day long feast of jubilation called the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as "Sukkot." This will eventually be our "wedding feast" when Jesus returns for His bride, which is why we are commanded to keep it, so we're prepared to celebrate it! There are 2 "high Sabbaths" during Tabernacles - on the 1st and the 8th day. This was one of the pilgrimage festivals, requiring the Israelites to go to the temple in Jerusalem for the fall harvest offerings, so while the temple doesn't exist currently, we commemorate it as best we can. The original observance was in man-made tents or tabernacles, and today many celebrate it by camping out for the 8 days, or by traveling away from their homes to gather with like-minded people for a time of joy and celebration. Since only the 1st and 8th days are "high Sabbaths," work is permitted on the 2nd - 7th days. Read more about this wonderful celebration in Leviticus 23:39-43:

"So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."

The prophet Zechariah even describes how ALL nations will go to Jerusalem each year in the millennial Kingdom to celebrate this festival in chapter 14, verses 16-21:

"Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty."

There are two "minor" festivals, which do not require observance, but that are completely in line with scripture and were celebrated by the early church - Hanukkah and Purim.

1. Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication and the Festival of Lights is a winter festival that celebrated the temple's purification and rededication after the temple was defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes. It is mentioned in scripture in John 10:22:

"Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem..."

and in extracanonical scripture in 2 Maccabees 10:1-8:

"Judas Maccabeus and his followers, under the leadership of the Lord, recaptured the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. They tore down the altars which foreigners had set up in the marketplace and destroyed the other places of worship that had been built. They purified the Temple and built a new altar. Then, with new fire started by striking flint, they offered sacrifice for the first time in two years, burned incense, lighted the lamps, and set out the sacred loaves. After they had done all this, they lay face down on the ground and prayed that the Lord would never again let such disasters strike them. They begged him to be merciful when he punished them for future sins and not hand them over any more to barbaric, pagan Gentiles. They rededicated the Temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, the same day of the same month on which the Temple had been desecrated by the Gentiles. The happy celebration lasted eight days, like the Festival of Shelters, and the people remembered how only a short time before, they had spent the Festival of Shelters wandering like wild animals in the mountains and living in caves. But now, carrying green palm branches and sticks decorated with ivy, they paraded around, singing grateful praises to him who had brought about the purification of his own Temple. Everyone agreed that the entire nation of Israel should celebrate this festival each year."

It is 8 days long, and begins on the 25th day of the 9th month (Kislev), which usually falls in December. Hanukkah is often pegged as a substitute for Christmas, but the goal is not to substitute anything. If you're looking to remove paganism from your walk, transferring the gifts, etc. to another holiday doesn't remove it. Our family celebrates Hanukkah.

2. Purim is the wonderful celebration of Esther's triumph over the evil Haman. It is told throughout the book of Esther. On this holiday that falls on the 14th day of the 12th month (usually March or April) and people dress up in costume to commemorate it. Our family does not celebrate Purim.

My challenge for you today is to research these things out and figure out what works for your family. Is there anything you could change that would bring you into a closer fellowship with your Father? If you have questions, feel free to post them below or PM me. I am happy to help. <3

Day 5 - #obediencechallenge - Lights in the Heavens

If you want to know what this is all about, see my intro post at 30 Days to Better Faith.

If you're following along, we've covered the Sabbath, the dietary commands, and what a Torah Portion is. Today, let's talk about the calendar. God gave a special calendar to the Israelites, which was much different than the calendar we use today (the Gregorian calendar).

God gave us lights in the sky, which we were to use to determine the day and month, as well as the seasons and for signs. Genesis 1:14 states:

"Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years..."

The sun tells us the day and the moon tells us the month.

Let me first say that there is a lot of argument as to exactly how God's calendar is meant to be determined, despite being laid out for us in scripture. Here, I will give you the facts according to scripture, and when I am inserting my opinion, I will let you know as well. I believe that the important thing in trying to use God's calendar is that we are TRYING to keep it, as far as we are able to tell what is correct. One day, Jesus and/or His two witnesses will set everything straight so that confusion no longer exists over exactly how to determine these things.

God's day begins at sunset, and not midnight, as in our Western world. So that means that tonight at sunset, a new day begins. When the sun goes down 24 hours later, that day is over. Sunset to sunset, not midnight to midnight. This concept is found in Genesis 1:5:

"God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."

The months begin at the new moon aka "rosh chodesh." This concept is found in Exodus 12:2:

"This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you."

Where you see it translated as "month" - the literal words are "rosh chodesh" or "new moon." Here is where a lot of confusion lies. Some will say that the month begins when the first sliver of the crescent is visible.

Others will say that it begins on the true new moon or conjunction (where the moon shows almost no light, except for very little uniform around its edge like a halo).

My opinion: I personally believe the moon begins at the true new moon/conjunction stage. I think there is some negative connotation tied to crescents, and it is a prominent symbol used in the Islamic faith, and I am not sure that it would be something that God would use to mark his times. But that is just my feeling about it.

There are 12 months in God's calendar, with this month being called Iyar.

Tomorrow, we will dig into the moedim, or God's Holy Days, which help us to understand the calendar further.

Day 4 - #obediencechallenge - Identity of Israel

See my intro here if you have no idea what this is about: 30 Days to Better Faith.

Today we're going to discuss who is a part of Israel. I've touched on this a few times throughout, but I wanted this to be a stand-alone discussion on Israel.

You've likely seen me write that if you believe that Jesus is your Savior, that you are therefore grafted into the commonwealth of Israel. Some read this and think that this is some sort of replacement theology, where the church replaces the Jewish people as Israel. I am here to lay out why that is simply not the case.

First, let's discuss the tribes of Israel. Jacob, whose name was later changed by God to Israel, had 12 sons. Each of those sons was the head of a tribe: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. There is more detail involving Joseph's sons, but to keep things simple, we'll hold off on that discussion.

A common misconception in the Western world is that ALL 12 tribes were Jewish. This is actually not the case at all. Only ONE of those tribes is Jewish - Judah. This is why Jesus was Jewish... he was "the lion from the tribe of Judah".

ALL 12 tribes were Israelites, or Hebrews, but only ONE tribe - Judah - was Jewish. "JEW-DAH" --> it's where we get the term "Jew" or "Jewish."

The other 11 tribes were NON-Jewish tribes. So, here we see that the nation of Israel was made up of both Jews AND NON-Jews.

When Moses gave the law at Mt. Sinai, he gave it to ALL 12 tribes, not just to the tribe of Judah. Jews AND NON-Jews that were Israelites were governed by this law. So it is a misnomer to say that God's law was only given and/or kept by the Jewish people. You can see in Numbers 1:1-16, where Moses takes a census of Israel at Sinai, that all the tribes are included:

"The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you. These are the names of the men who are to assist you:

from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

from the sons of Joseph:

from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;

from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;

from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”

These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel."

Further, Exodus 19-24 discusses how ALL of the people of Israel (Jews and NON-Jews) agreed to keep these things that the Lord had commanded them at the base of Mt. Sinai.

We also see this concept elaborated on when we read about non-Israelite Gentiles (for instance, Egyptians or any other nationality) being "grafted into" the nation of Israel. Once they were grafted in, they were then heirs to the promises of the covenants made to Israel, as well as responsible for keeping the laws of the nation. See Romans 11. These folks then became a part of the nation of Israel, irrespoective of their nationality at birth. This is the same for us today. Regardless of where we were born, one we accept that God is our Father, and Jesus is our Messiah - we become a part of the nation of Israel.

This is similar to how a naturalized citizen of the USA comes from another country, but once they accept citizenship, they then are eligible to receive benefits for USA citizens, and are responsible for following our laws. I challenge you today to read through (at least) Exodus 19-24 and Romans 11. If you're feeling adventurous, start reading through the entire book of Exodus. When you do, anytime you see the word "Israel," place your name there instead. This will help you to better understand how God is STILL speaking to you today, because yes, you ARE Israel. Therefore, you are heirs to those same covenants and promises, and in so doing are held to the same standards as the early Israelites. <3