Newsletter 7

Issue Number 08/12/06

            Well, once again it has been far too long since I have sent out a letter. Isn’t a shame how every day life can seem to get such a hold on us. Ever think that this is exactly why things are thrown at us constantly? To keep us from the things of HaShem? I do, and unfortunately I fall for it way too often. But I am working on it.

            By the way, when I use the word/name “HaShem”, I am using a familiar Hebrew term for G_d. It means “The Name”. You see, the Hebrews hold such a high respect for the Name of God that they rarely use anything else. It is also pretty apparent in The Bible that Jesus/Yeshua also used terms such as these, holding the same level of respect for the title of G_d. If we are His disciples, then we should try to do the same as He did.

Sometime I will get into a teaching on what it meant to “be a Disciple” and what the term and phrase meant in the times of Yeshua.

            I am afraid that I will lose some of you this week. I am afraid that I am going to go too far for some of you. But, I had a good friend in Christ come to my house last week. He said that he needed to talk to someone in my family about something, that he did not want to offend, but that he felt that The Lord had told him to, and that he was going to be true to His Lord. Well, this week’s letter is similar to that. I can not talk about last weeks readings without telling the truth that HaShem has lain upon my heart. So, just as my good friend did, I too am going to say what The Lord has told me to.

Last weeks Torah Reading was Eikev. It covers Deuteronomy 7:12 through 11:25.

Let me tell you something special about it…..kind of a secret……something most Christians are never told…..something that has been hidden from them….something that The Lord wants you to know….

IT’S TRUE!

That’s right! It’s true! Now, you may tell me that you are well aware that the whole Bible is true! And I am sure that you believe that. But, if you are like I was, I didn’t really believe it. I am talking about after I was saved, after I had given my life to Yeshua, after I was going to Church. After I knew in my heart, mind and spirit that Yeshua of Nazareth crawled up on the cross and died for my salvation, Hallelujah! I still didn’t believe it. I fell into the same traps that everyone else has. Even though I was not raised up in the Church, even though I started fresh with The Lord at the age of 42, even though I started reading the Bible for what it said, and not what someone told me it said. I didn’t believe it. Not this part. Not this truth. I thought that the Words were just there. Not talking to me, not talking to any Christian. These words were not meant for me. They were meant for the Jews. They were meant for those people back then. They were meant for people living under the OLD COVENANT. Not for me. Not for us.

But friends, they ARE meant for us. They are meant for all time. They are the Words of HaShem. The Word of G_d.

Now, what are these words? Well, let me tell you. They are about “how to be blessed”. We talk a lot about blessings. We all talk a lot about people that are blessed. But if you want to know for sure, pretty much a roadmap and step by step directions about how to be blessed, how to bring blessings upon you, how to be sure that your children will be blessed…then read this reading in The Holy Word. It is pretty clear and direct.

It starts with “This shall be the reward when you hearken to these ordinances, and you observe and perform them”. And then it takes off from there. I was so excited reading through this section. It was like a breath of fresh air. When Jesus/Yeshua was being tempted by Satan, he quoted Deut. 8:3 “that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”  The Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of The Lord. We don’t live by our means, or, might I say that we shouldn’t live by "our" means. We should live by HaShem taking care of us. By his provision, by His “Blessings”. But how do we get these blessings? How do we get HaShem to provide for us? Well, this teaching tells us EXACTLY how! By hearkening to these ordinances! By doing what The Word of The Lord says!

You see, our G_d, our provider is a Covenant G_d. He always had been, and always will be. That is how he relates to us; it is how he interacts with us, through Covenants, through contracts. In this reading, He is making a contract with us. Live by these rules and I will Bless you. I will do all these things for you. I will provide for you, I will take care of your children, I will trample your enemies, if, IF you hearken to these ordinances.

I know, a lot of you will be thinking “legalism, legalism!!!!” But that is not the case. Legalism, in my opinion, is a term relating to a list of things that you have to do to be saved. More a list of MANMADE rules that must be followed. Well, let me tell you what I am learning. There is a difference between Salvation and Blessings. I won’t get into the Salvation part, we are all pretty well aware of our Salvation through the Sacrifice of Yeshua/Jesus. We CANNOT do anything to deserve that! But, we CAN do things that make us deserve blessings. We can do just as the Word of The Lord tells. You see, HaShem is true to His Word, He is not a liar, He is faithful to His Promises unto forever. Or, that’s what the Word tells me. So, based on that, He WILL be true to His promise to Bless us “if” we hearken to his ordinances. This isn’t legalism, it is OBEDIENCE. And, obedience is rewarded, over and over again in The Word.

I am not concerned about my Salvation. I know I have that. Praise Him that Saves us! But I am concerned about walking through this world. I do struggle with the things I have to face, to deal with, to conquer. Friends, I am sure that you have read this over and over again, it shows up on refrigerator magnets, on bumper stickers, on various assorted materials that we all have……”BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!” Well, me and my house are starting to turn around. We are learning to Serve The Lord, we are trying to learn how to “hearken to these ordinances”. I am tired of walking in the same muck as the rest of the world. I am tired of dealing with the same foes, over and over again. I am tired of being sick. I am tired of being tired. I want the blessings HaShem speaks of here. I want Him to provide for me, I want Him to bless my children, I want him to bless my house, my business, and all of my family. How do I ensure these things? His word is pretty plain on this. I don’t have to wonder how to bring this about. I just have to hearken to these ordinances. Take a look at this reading, and see if you want these blessings also!

Blessings in HaShem,

Tony and Robin