Light In Torah

Good morning! Commercial: Last night's zoom call: Hanukkah: What is it?! Is it more than: stories, pastries, a pious form of winter worship? More than an attempt to be Jewish, like Jesus? Exploring how to live a dedicated/hanukkah lifestyle and rebuild the altar of your life during the winter months. When Judah Maccabees had the temple altar, which had been desecrated, just as Daniel the prophet spoke, the stones were removed and placed in what is known as the outer court of the Gentiles, or the portico of Solomon's Temple; which is not the Temple, but is on the temple mount. This was a common or unclean place (1 Maccabees 4:44). The altar, because it had been desecrated with 'porky pig' would be destroyed and never used again. Then, according to the protocol of Torah, they rebuilt the altar (1 Maccabees 4:45-47). At that time there was not a Prophet alive, so they waited for His arrival to determine what would be done with these stones (Deut. 18:9-22). The text tells u...

Good morning! Let's continue to unfold some more information about Hanukkah. Some of you have heard me say 'a hundred times', or read it at least a 'dozen times', and at least once this week, that without knowing the context of a statement or an action, it's impossible to be accurate with your assessment of whatever you're assessing. Or, as my father said, 'never judge an Indian until you've walked a mile in his moccasins.' Hence, we give God the glory that Yeshua doesn't judge by what He sees or hears (Isa. 11:3,4), but He is capable of judging righteous judgment (Jn. 7:24), because He knows what is in our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7; Lk. 16:15).  Many have debated and others accused the Jews of adding to the word with the 9-branched menorah; aka hanukkiah. Why would they do that knowing they are not supposed to add or take away from the word (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18,19)? Could there be a reason why they use a 9-branched lampstand i...

Good morning! Yesterday, we went a little deeper into the topic of Hanukkah. What if there is more to it than the current modern Jewish celebration? I introduced you to Micah 5:4, with the 7 shepherds (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David) and the 8 princes (Jesse, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephaniah, Zedekiah, the Messiah, and Elijah). Who are these individuals? They are Patriarchs and Prophets who were instrumental in shepherding God's people with timeless words and actions. They are called the “seven shepherds,” for they shepherd Israel as a shepherd leads his flock.  These leaders are above history because they have continued to lead God's people to this day.  Just as there are 7 days of Sukkot and the 8th great day, each day of Hanukkah has an opportunity to connect with these 'beyond history' figures. The “seven shepherds” are leaders of God's People, who guide the people and show them the way they are to go; they nourish our lives with God's i...

Good morning! What comes to your mind when you think of Hanukkah? Judaism? Fiddler on the roof? A middle eastern tradition to replace Christmas? A 9 branched menorah that stays lit for 8 days? The zealous Maccabean revolt? The Lord as your Shepherd? Desecration of the Temple? Anti-Christ? Another tradition of men? A godly nation that assimilated into pagan culture? Confusion? Nothing? What if there are hints to this holiday throughout the Old Testament (aka TaNaKh) long before the Maccabean revolt of zealotry began? Could there be a prophetic significance to the date associated with this year's December 25? What if Hanukkah isn't only a Jewish celebration, but one that is connected prophetically with all the nations on the earth? Ah, so many questions and so many answers :-)! If we examine the ministry of our coming Messiah, Yeshua/Jesus, very few individuals would doubt that He has the role of a shepherd in 3 different phases (Good, Great and Chief Shepherd). His final role as...

Good morning! In this week's Torah portion, Vayeshev/and he dwelt, we get introduced to dreams on a deeper level and we find out that those who don't have dreams misunderstand and hate those who do (Gen.37:4,5,11, 19,20). Is it possible for us to be more than we are? More than work, eat, sleep and play? Within the story of Joseph the master dreamer, we see a portrait of Jesus/Yeshua in every scenario. Back in the Gospel of John, Jesus/Yeshua, while speaking to a very diverse group of individuals, prior to Hanukkah (Jn. 10:22), expressed to them the same truth. He said, I Am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Yeshua was testifying who He is and what He does. He knew who He was. At least 18 times, He tells us Who He is. He knows that He is the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth and the life, etc. Knowing who He was allowed Him to live that destiny unimpeded. If we are unsure of our identity...

Good morning! The day of Thanksgiving is officially over (Thanks Master of the obvious :-),but the opportunity to give thanks is not (1 Thess. 5:18)! During this season of Thanksgiving, the hearts of many turn towards Christmas. As I was sharing with a pastor before his morning service yesterday, with everything in life, context is the key to good understanding. Commercial: All in one spot...the last couple months of studies, blog, audio studies and videos Because we live in the hear (Rom. 10:17) and now, too often we don't consider the context, the origin of something; but only what it means to me now. Why should we, right? After all, the past is the past and I live in the 'hear' and now. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10;17) Currently, the upcoming celebration of Christmas is no longer the Roman, pagan, violent, inhumane, celebration it once was. It no longer calls forth images of the birth of pagan deities. It’s just a Christian tradition now...

Good Morning! What a wonderful Sabbath! It started with a dynamic question on how to use money for God's glory (Lk. 16), which led into the morning study: The 3 Questions that Esau would Ask the messengers and their three responses. These 3 questions are purposeful and calculated and are given to us so we can know how to respond to the questions from the enemy within. In this week's Torah portion, Vayishlach/and he sent Rachel dies on the way to Bethlehem. For this amazing couple of Rachel and Jacob, they have enjoyed profound kinship (BFF). Jacob worked laboriously seven years for her father, Laban, to obtain Rachel’s hand in marriage. After being cheated and receiving Leah as his wife, he reluctantly agreed to give Laban another seven years of labor so he could marry Rachel. 14 years. No pay, no out of the ordinary benefits but, a roof over their head and the roots of a nation. For years Rachel was childless. When she finally mothered a child, she named him Joseph/may God ad...

Good morning! Commercial: Last night's zoom call: Vayishelach/and he left: What shoul d I do? What should I do? Is it time to change course? I'm alone. Or am I? I have done everything I can. If I'm doing the right thing, why am I wrestling like this? For 14 years of labor, Jacob had nothing to show for his labor, monetarily, but the roof over his head, the clothes on his back, and most of all the family he had grown (Gen. 30:25-35). Jacob was walking with integrity. He served well. His wages had been changed 10 times, by his evil father-in-law, and he was empty from the journey (Gen. 31:7; 41). Was he going to be stuck in this situation forever? What was God's will? Am "I" going to be stuck in this situation forever? What's God's will for my life? Last night's zoom call reminds me of Proverbs 16:4: “The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.” Huh? If you are like me, you don't like to think that the L...

Good Morning! The Torah portions each week reveal to us real life drama through the lives of the Patriarchs. Fortunately, as we see in their lives, seasons do change and 'this' too will pass. Exiles end and freedom begins. Just as Jacob left his imprisoned life under Laban, many who were once content to be slaves to strangers awaken to their true identity, break free, and embark on the long journey ‘home’ and their life goes on. Pages turn. Familiar chapters conclude and fresh ones begin. Seasons of life really do come and go. Childhood turns to adolescents. Adolescents to adulthood. Adulthood to mid-life then off to the golden years. Fall harvest leads to winter.  Stanton Michigan and abroad, winters will become beautiful spring times, followed by heat-filled summers, which will fade into beautiful fall colors. Sunshine yields to sunset, and nighttime yields to day break. Slavery gives way to freedom. Challenges arise. Emotions flare. Identity issues resurface. Battles unfold....

Good Morning! Winter has really settled in here in Stanton, MI. Chilly willy!!! While the temps drop the hunger for the Lord/Yahweh continues to increase. There's a longing for more intimacy and face to face encounters with His reality. David penned words similar to the desires of many here and throughout the U.S. and the world. In Psalm 24:6 he says, "This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face - even Jacob." No matter how you look at this verse, intimacy and close proximity are a prerequisite for those who seek Him. Seeking someone's face is the longing to see them more clearly and closer than ever before. One thing is clear. When David wrote this poem, he knew that he wanted to have the same relationship that Jacob had with Yahweh Elohim (Gen. 28, 32). He wanted to be face to face. David, the man after God's own heart, knew that his life depended on this face-to-face relationship. Throughout the Psalms, we find David’s deep desire to draw a...

Good morning! I was asked a question  a couple times yesterday, how are you enjoying your move to Michigan. My response in both conversations was the same and it surprised them a little...in my 29 years of life with 33 years of experience, I've learned whatever you are looking for that is what you'll find. If you are merciful, mercy and kindness will come your way. If you are walking upright and mature, those who walk towards you will do the same. If you are pure, then purity will be your main course for life. These truths are consistent with mankind, because they originated with God's response to us (Psa. 18:25,26). With the merciful You show Yourself merciful; with the mature You show Yourself mature; with the pure You show Yourself pure, and with the crooked/iqqesh (false, twisted) You show Yourself shrewd/titpattal According to Psalm 18, my false and twisted behavior will bring the same. When I'm twisted or perverse, those actions come from my life not in alignment ...

Good morning! We live in a world governed by crooked politicians, social media, high tech, and Hollywood that promotes a two-faced society. It's a world where the left act as though they are right. And they are persistent in pressing their agenda until the resistance becomes exhausted and throws in the towel or raises the white flag. However there is a group of people rising up, spiritually and physically that want to take the two-faced reality of all our lives and make them unified as one face; one that is the same inside as it is outside. Commercial: Last night's zoom call: The death of Rebecca's nurse (Gen. 35:8). "Seeing life from behind the scenes through the eyes of the woman who sets the tone for all women, standing by their man" In a world where people are desperately looking for answers, we don't have to look any further than the foundational truths from the Patriarchs, our forefathers who went before us (1 Cor. 10:1). Through Abraham we learn mercy a...