Light In Torah

Good morning! Many are familiar with the Hebraic concept, "It must be 'feast season', look how the enemy is attacking! Whether it's the appointed time/moed of shabbat (Lev. 23:3), any of the 7 prophetic appointed times/moedim on God's calendar (Lev. 23:4-44), the appointed time/moed of a child's birth (Gen. 17:21; 18:14; 21:2; etc), the appointed time/moedim of a plague (Ex. 9:5), the appointed time/moedim of bird migration (Jer. 8:7), an appointed time/moedim of vision (Hab. 2:3), or the appointed time/moedim of the last days (Dan. 8:19) or in the case of the King of Ai, it was an appointed time of battle against Joshua and God's people (Josh 8:14). There always seems to be an appointed time of decision...which way will I go at that time/moed?   The question that plagues all of our minds, with every moedim of our lives is: "who's responsible for these appointed times/moedim? Is it a time set by the Lord? Is it an individual choice? or is it just a...

Good morning! As we head into the final days of the 10 days of awe, let me encourage you to remember a few victorious thoughts: "it's not how you start, but how you finish (2 Tim. 4:7,8).  Always do your best and remember what you plant now you'll harvest later (Gal. 6:7-9)! Never accept defeat! It's not over until you win (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Before you can start a project you need to finish it (Isa. 46:10; Deut. 6:23-25). Truly, it’s all about the latter end. In this week's Torah portion of Moses' song, Ha'azinu, we find sad reality for those who don't consider the latter end (Deut. 32:29). O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end/laharitam! (Deut. 32:29) Moses' instructions never stop on this side of the earthly horizon; but, as many of us can testify, maintaining that disciplined focus is the most difficult part about living.  Can you imagine the difference between the individual who thinks and act...

Good morning! After 7 weeks of consolation (Isa. 40-54), we have now come to the 10 days of awe where every believer within God's people has the privilege of experiencing His mercy to the highest degree (Deut. 30:1-16). In yesterday's zoom call, we examined 3 different prophetic passages urging us to come back, to return/shuv, to our covenant partner (Hos. 14; Mic. 7; Joel 2). This season leading up to Yom Kippur is all about returning, so that we may be in a position to receive mercy from the Most Merciful! Are you returning or just drawing near with your lips (Matt. 15:8; Isa. 29:13)? ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments/mitzvah of men.’  (Matt. 15:8) Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, ...

Good morning! Last night's zoom call : I want you to imagine...(Deut. 29-31)  Imagine for a moment that the entire theme of the Bible is returning everything to as Father. What would that look like? (Acts 3:21). “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:21) That certainly seems to be the starting place of Scripture. The Lord God  brings Man into the world to share its wonder with Him, to participate in its development and to enjoy His company (Gen. 2). Of course, things change, and when they do our Creator seems to constantly act in ways that are designed to return His people to His love and care for them (Deut. 30:1-11). Even when captivity faces them, He doesn’t seem to act as the stern Judge, jury and executioner.; unlike His creation. While Israel requires chastisement, even severe discipline, it is not for the purpose of revenge. It is intended to awaken...

  Good morning! There is an expression, "in the city of the blind, the one eyed man is king." It was no different in Yeshua's day. The people were blind, they were desperate for leadership; longing to be led out of their captivity. In this week's Torah portion, Vayelech/he went, we find God's upright people in a dilemma: "Jeshurun/upright people have become fat and have rejected the covenant of their God (Deut. 32:15-18). Consequently, they have been forsaken (Deut. 32:20-43). Yeshua taught the parable of the two shepherds in John 10:1-21. What a contrast and a reality check for the people of His day and ours! His parable revealed the condition of the lost sheep of the house of Israel and how they got into the condition as sheep without a shepherd (1 Kings 22:17; Eze. 34:5; Jer. 13:20; Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34). And if that wasn’t bad enough, none of those shepherds went searching for the sheep they scattered. Consequently, those sheep became easy prey to the pr...

Good morning! We are in the 10 days of awe. The time period between trumpets and Atonement(s), heading into Tabernacles. The celebration of Yom Teruah is complete. What are we supposed to do during these 10 days?  Enquiring minds want to know :-) Back in the book of Exodus, God promised the Israelites that He would go before them and drive out the inhabitants of the land (Exodus 33:1-2). Then the LORD said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ “And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. (Ex. 33:1,2) The Israelites needed to trust in Him and fight with His help.  Yet, they were warned against failure.  In this week's Torah portion, Vayelech, we will see that od told them, “But if ye will not d...

Good morning! A couple of weeks ago I had share with you some thoughts about four concepts in scripture that are too wonderful. With Yom Teruah/shouting-trumpets, Having finished we found ourselves in what I called the 10 days of awe. 10 days of deep introspection, like the days of unleavened bread, research our lives for any areas that are left undone so that when the sealing takes place at Yom Kippur we can launch into the feast of tabernacles and beyond pure and white. From Passover toShavuot, There is a wonderful focuson the book of Ruth. In times past, we haveexamined the importance of the faith-filled, grafted-in Gentile who would restore the heart of the ‘bitter’ Jewish woman Naomi and be the means of redemption through the birth of Obed. We followed that up by walking with the ‘King in the field’ during the Sixth month on God‘s prophetic calendarand we prepared our hearts for Yom Teruah and the sign of Revelation 12. Last night, I had the opportunity to celebrate with beautiful...

Good morning! Life is not like a deck of cards where you’re stuck with the hand that you’ve been dealt. We’re not victims of circumstances. We are the controllers of our destiny or is God? Yes. Last night's zoom call: Strong and courageous/rak chazak amats, living in the fear of God not the fear of the enemy or living on the see-saw of life with God (Deut. 31) It's the time of the fall feast season: Yom Teruah, the 10 days of awe, Yom Kippur, the five days in preparation for the Feast of Tabernacle (an eight day celebration). All of this has been proceeded with 30 days of preparation during the sixth month on God‘s prophetic calendar and prior to that was the 50 days of counting towards the first fruits of the oil; and prior of that was 50 days of counting towards the first fruit of the wine; and prior to that was counting towards the 50 days of the first fruits of the wheat; and prior to that was counting the 50 days from the first fruits of the barley; and prior to that was ...

Good morning! You know the battle is on when the Spirit’s intentions and the enemy’s intentions collide. As we head into the 7th month of God's prophetic calendar, we remind ourselves of what was revealed to us in the previous 30 days, which was all about intimacy, unity, forgiveness, mercy, cohesiveness within the body, giving and receiving forgiveness, and bringing honor to the King. Spiritually speaking if you are experiencing opposition in these aforementioned areas it’s an honor and a privilege! Huh? That doesn't sound much like a privilege to me!? Conflict only takes place on battle grounds that are worthy of obtaining victory. One way that the enemy brings a counter against preparation for the Fall Moedim/appointed times is keeping us ignorant of the prophetic and authentic work of the Spirit at this time of year. We are at the time of year where we celebrate Yom Teruah/day of trumpets, one of the appointed times/Moedim that is oftentimes neglected because there isn’t a ...

Good morning! I'm two weeks behind on this thought, it's pretty simple and straightforward, and for me atleast, the timing is perfect :-) You may remember in our study titled "imagination" (9/14) I shared with you some thoughts about "hamas/violence" and the priests of Israel that were teaching and profaning God's Sabbaths, while not making any distinction between the holy, profane, clean and unclean. I ask myself, "How could they do that"? Their priests for heaven's sake! Yet, they hid their eyes from their responsibility and profaned God's Sabbaths causing Him to be profaned.  “Her priests have violated/hamas My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden/alam their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. (Eze. 22:26)  The "ones" most responsible for teaching the diffe...

Good morning! In last night's zoom call we. reached beyond our imagination (climbing a ladder) and we chose to stand together/nitzavim as we entered into His covenant; which is not too difficult for any of us! But is mandatory if we want to live life to the fullest, experience His profound protection and much more. Are you in covenant with Him? “Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. “All of you stand/nitzavim today before the LORD your God: your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones and your wives—also the stranger who is in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water—“that you may enter into covenant with the LORD your God, and into His oath, which the LORD your God makes with you today, “that He may establish you today as a people for Himself, and that He may be God to you, just as He has spoken to you, and just as He has sworn to...

Good morning! I recently had a very special conversation with a friend. It was a life lesson conversation with all types of wonderful wisdom being ping-ponged back and forth. Love! Relationship! Business! Encouragement! Offenses! Overcoming! And how to move on from the past..just to highlight a few. Needless to say, the conversation lasted more than 'five' minutes :-) And with the traditional date of Yom Teruah/Day of Trumpets and the initiation of the fall feast season, I thought I'd share with you some of these highlights...in less than five minutes :-) Life feels contradictory at times and at times, confusing at best. Scripture, in its real way of portraying life, can manifest itself the same way. A classic example is Joseph's contradictory statement of naming his first son, Manasseh (He has caused me to forget (Gen. 41:51). Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh:“For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”  (Gen. 41:51) Will naming a...

Good morning! Sometimes reading your own press clippings can be a detriment to standing/netzavim strong (Jam. 5:17; 1 Cor. 10:12). If you are reading this study, thoughts from the Torah portion Netzavim/you are standing, looking up the verses, praying over the weekly Torah portion insights, chances are you are head and shoulders above the average believer out there. How do I know? Statistically speaking, those who seek to learn, to gain insights, and open themselves up to new ideas, typically are already successful in their faith; because they have consistently been pursuing higher ground. Just as most gyms are filled with muscle bound people, God's gym is no different. Chances are, If you're disciplined and diligently seek growth daily (Heb. 6:3), most likely you're at the top of your spiritual peer group  (Gal. 6:1; Rom. 14:1; 15:1; Heb. 12:13; Jam. 5:19,20;  1 Cor. 3:1; Isa. 35:4; Eze. 34:16; Matt. 18:12-15; Jude 1:22,23; etc.) and this morning I want to say congratulati...

Good morning!! We are a week from Yom Teruah. A time of new beginnings. A time for a fresh start. A time to take the lessons from the past and use them to springboard into the future. It's the beginning of the Fall Feast Season (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles). It's Prophetic and empowering. It really is the most wonderful time of the year! With every new beginning we make new resolutions. It’s very easy to make New Year resolutions! It’s easy to get swept away with emotions and make commitments not ready to keep. It’s easy to wish to be someone you’re not and wish that you were like someone else. There are a lot of things in life that are very easy! It’s easy to volunteer for something that you want to become, but aren’t quite equipped to make it happen. It’s easy to open your mouth and insert your foot! What isn’t easy in life is sticking with something to the very end without deviating off the perfect path. We are currently in the 6th month of God's reckoning of an...

Good morning! Last night's zoom call : 0-65 in 3.5 seconds or work out your salvation with fear and trembling through diligently obeying His voice and all that He's commanded (Phil. 2:12-16; Ex. 19, 24; Deut. 26:16; 28:1; 30:1-10) We are just a week away from the Fall Feast season  2025 (Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and the 8 day feast of Tabernacles) all dealing with the restoration of our covenant relationship with Yahweh Elohim.  Yahsome days ahead! These are days of restoration, days of love and days of judgment. Huh? One of the realities that keep us from experiencing the purest judgment of love and restoration during this time of the year is 'shame'. This feeling destroys lives beyond the crippling pain of guilt. Guilt can be repented of. You can repay someone to alleviate guilt. One can recover from guilt. Shame, on the other hand...not soooo easy! Shame isn't about what you've done, it's about who you are and from that vantage point there isn't any re...