Hello scattered family and friends in Messiah! I hope you all are doing well. Hanukkah is nearly upon us! Let the countdown begin. For historical reference: The first book of Maccabees (I Maccabees 4: 52–59) describes the ceremonies as lasting for eight days: Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Kislev, [164 BCE], they [the Maccabees] rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built…There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the gentiles was removed. Then Judah and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev. This was probably intended to mirror Solomon’s dedication of the First Temple (I Kings 8:1–2), which took place during the eight-day holiday of Sukkot: Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. All the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival [of Sukkot] in the month of Ethanim (Tishrei), the seventh month. This book is about renewing the Temple cult and cleansing the Temple from defilement. The second book of the Maccabees (II Maccabees 1:1–36) describes Hanukkah as a Sukkot of the winter and as a “festival of the fire.” Shabbat Shalom scattered family in Messiah! For additional reading:
If you choose to observe, may you, have a blessed Feast of Dedication (lights/Hanukkah) in the light of Yeshua Messiah from our family to yours! “I am the light of the world. The one who follows Me will no longer walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."- Yeshua (JN 8: 12 TLV) Video resource: (5) How to Celebrate Hanukkah - David Wilber - YouTube Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 * For our Statement of Faith: Statement of Faith - Pursuing the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua- Phil 3:14 YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : (1) Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there!
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Hello scattered friends and family in Messiah! Let's just call it how it is and prepare to make adjustments accordingly. I implore the body of Messiah to stop cowering in complacency and draw the line firmly and be willing to let go of some of our cultural comforts to do what is necessary to maintain those boundaries. Small sacrifices really in the grand history of Biblical martyrs before us. Do you not know that to whatever you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to what you obey—whether to sin resulting in death, or to obedience resulting in righteousness? Rom 6:16 If I routinely follow my sinful nature (lawlessness) I am a slave to lawlessness. ( Everyone practicing sin also practices lawlessness—indeed, sin is lawlessness 1 JN 3:4) Conversely if I am obedient to YHWH I am His slave. But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life. Rom 6:22 So then... Where is your allegiance? *to lawlessness (sin) * to YHWH (keeping His commands/Torah) There is no sitting on the fence. It is high time for ambassadors of Messiah to firmly and boldly make moves to protect your children and separate your family and church from the lawless society. It is time for the adults to push back against the forces of evil at work around us. We are in a spiritual war make no mistake. The western culture and government have worked hard to make these adjustments over several decades:
American/western culture started with convincing women to be like men, and called it "liberation." Slowly breaking down the family by upheaving the YHWH given design. Men eventually by and large conceded to a lesser role in the family and society. Divorce sky rocketed and it is well documented that fatherless homes lead to upticks in violent behavior, depression, addictions, promiscuity etc among the children. Popular cartoons, and tv shows made the message one of humor: bugs bunny cross dressing, Madea, Mrs. Doubtfire etc Televison does indeed "Tell A VISION" At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the >>>ruler of the domain of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience.<<< Eph 2:2 Airwaves pl N: the medium of radio and television transmission Coincidence? The "ruler of the domain of the air--the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience-- > uses TV, music, radio to stroll right into your living room and home as if he owns it and start infiltrating your mind and that of your children through "Tell A vision" (television) and radio. Simply look at the subliminal messages going into cartoons and the in your face messages now in the half-time show, grammy awards etc. Satanic rituals in full view. The whisper of deception is now a roaring tide trying to sweep away those who will not conform. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony does Messiah have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement does God’s Temple have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God—just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says Adonai. Touch no unclean thing. Then I will take you in. I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says Adonai-Tzva’ot.” 2 Cor 6:14-18 This "agenda" is the idolatry of our age: selfish desires and pride. This is a demonic/satanic move of war. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power and love and self-discipline 2 Tim 1: 7 The time of the church being complacent is over. As we teach our children: We live in America; we are NOT OF America. We are Kingdom people, Hebrew, and our culture is HIS culture...Kingdom culture. * This is not a post of condemnation on single parents or divorced parents and there are many reasons that may have happened. This is a post on the general progression and overall breaking down of the family unit promoted by the government so they can step in and have more control over the family and children. Please understand the difference. If you cannot that is unfortunate but to remain silent due to possible offence is not an option. That silence and complacency is what got us here.* YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : (1) Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13
https://nypost.com/2022/03/30/disney-is-boasting-about-pushing-gender-theory-to-kids/
Hello scattered friends and family in Messiah! Biblical femininity is beautiful (walking in: purpose, wisdom, self-control, dignity, kindness generosity, meekness, patience, & modesty are values to be admired and character traits that build others up ) our society is determined to create confusion and tell women you are 'liberated' by trying to take over the responsibilities of men. While at the same time aiming to erase women altogether now by allowing men to claim women's roles in: life, sports etc. Diminishing the role of both men and women in the family structure, and public life. This ideology has created a vacuum of women in bondage to the expectations of a society and culture that will never be satisfied. A vacuum that always wants "more" and consistently: takes, takes, takes from those who try to conform so as not to "ruffle feathers," or offend. The message to women that you are never enough is a false narrative (ie: the social ideology that you must be everything a man is and then more is a false narrative.) We are designed to be women. We are different than men. I am a woman, I am valuable, I am a helper to my husband, I am a daughter of the King and I will walk in that femininity with: purpose, strength, and dignity that is my own. I need not run over a man and prove myself to society or anyone else. I am going to walk in my blessing AS A WOMAN . Comparison between the sexes creates an atmosphere of: strife, envy, jealousy thus causing division, conflict and divorce which has worked well at tearing down the family structure. This cultural battle of the sexes has worked well to create the bondage and confusion we see around us today where more then 50% of households have broken homes, children growing up fatherless. While government (public) schools do their best to cause confusion among children -replacing the father in many cases- while one or both parents are busy treading the tide of ever changing demands in the work place to survive financially. As a woman of Yahweh (YHWH) . I AM ENOUGH Culture doesn't dictate my value. Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord---" II Corinthians 6:17 Ladies let us walk it out : surrender everything to Adonai, your King and Master Yeshua. It doesn't have to be this way. We can distinctly choose to walk in His ways. We can reclaim our femininity and choose to commit to decent courtship with the aim of marriage. Instead of casual dating with no end goals. We can choose to honor the YHWH given and inspired roles of men and women in marriage and family. We can choose to support our husbands in the role of : protector, and leader of the home. We can choose to come out from among them and walk as HIS people, set apart, and distinct from the mess of confusion and genderless society around us. We can choose to ensure that the next generation knows His ways, is raised in the home, educated by their parents, and knows the difference between godly and worldly. We are women. It is high time to turn the tide back to our: husband, home, and children. That will look different in each home, in each family. It is not one size fits all. That doesn't mean you cannot work. I work, I homeschool, I take online classes for medical coding as well to further my education and future job prospects. It is possible to work full-time, part-time, etc and still home educate your most valuable "mission field" (your children). You can still support a family structure where the government doesn't invade your life and dictate the roles of your household, and undermine your parental authority. It is possible to still maintain a family structure with my husband as the head of this house, I as his helpmeet, and our children flourishing under our guidance while maintaining a professional career. Likewise, you don't have to have a career at all if it does not suit you. YHWH is creative and for Him nothing is impossible. So, if you take your concerns to Him in prayer and genuinely seek His guidance. He will lead you, He will make a way. His ways are not what women need "liberation," from, contrary to what feminists claim. Liberation is needed from the American/western culture that the enemy has used to whisper lies to women.... Time for the liberation of women back to YHWH. For His ways are: just, and there is freedom in Him. Freedom from the expectations of a confused and demanding society that is never satisfied. It is beautiful on THIS side. It is whole. It is soothing, and there is rest for His people, in His ways and under His guidance. AMEN Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony does Messiah have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement does God’s Temple have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God—just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says Adonai. Touch no unclean thing. Then I will take you in. I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says Adonai-Tzva’ot.” 2 Cor 5: 16-18 TLV As we teach our children: We live in America; we are NOT OF America. We are Kingdom people, Hebrew, and our culture is HIS culture...Kingdom culture. YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : (1) Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and scattered family in Messiah! Well I have seen this issue circulating in social media and it is a grave misunderstanding. What is Biblically incorrect here? "When you die. God isn't going to ask you about someone else. He won’t ask you about the two men down the street who got married. He won’t ask you about the girl who had an abortion. He won’t ask you about the atheist that lives on the corner. He won’t ask you about the woman who feels more comfortable as a man. He WILL ask you how you loved those people as he called you to do. And some of you didn’t." The world cannot define "love" for believers. According to the world, "love is love." That is not Biblically factual. Nor is it something that set-apart, followers of Messiah can compromise on. 1) God is love. 1 JN 4:8 2) For Adonai loves those He reproves (disciplines), even as a father, the son in whom he delights Prov 3:12 Yah defines love, NOT mankind. This here is where western culture has went off the rails. Western culture aims to redefine everything as though humans are god. Western culture has fallen into a depraved form of idolatry. Western culture's idolatry problem is the worship of SELF, PRIDE, DESIRE, SEX, etc. to the point that the strict adherents to this "religion" of self are now infiltrating schools and aiming directly to lead children astray. This idolatry demands to be accepted by the idolaters. There is a whole month to celebrate the idolatry of "pride." Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then ‘He will repay everyone according to his deeds." MT 16:24-27
It boils down to the definition of "love" what the world calls love and what YHWH defines as love are not the same. He gives us direct instructions to "warn the people" to repent, and return to Him. This is love- being obedient 1st to YHWH. Commandment #1, Love Yah, and the 2nd is like it- loving your neighbor. Which includes obeying YHWH by: sharing the Gospel- sharing the truth loving your neighbor both spiritually and with physical provisions. YHWH'S love must be understood within the rest of what Scripture teaches about his divine attributes.
As set-apart believers in Messiah we must STAND FIRM and REFUSE to be moved. If necessary, re-arrange your life as much as you are able to withdraw your children from government indoctrination schools to either Christian school or homeschool. Before anyone complains about the inability to homeschool let me remind you: For nothing is impossible for God. - MT 19:26 This is how WE have been able to homeschool, only by Yah's answer to our prayers. It is high time to be pro-active in response to the outside culture and follow Messiah boldly. We know that we love God’s children by this—when we love God and OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS. For this is the LOVE of God—that we KEEP His COMMANDMENTS. And His COMMANDMENTS are NOT burdensome. 1 John 5:2-3 TLV Now a certain Torah lawyer stood up to entrap Yeshua, saying, “Teacher, what should I do to gain eternal life?” Then Yeshua said to him, “What has been written in the Torah? How do you read it?” And he replied, “You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Yeshua said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28 TLV
Believers that belong to Messiah: " They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." John 17:16 TLV We, who belong to Messiah, must rise up above our culture in allegiance to our KING. We do not belong to this world or this country. "if indeed you have heard Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Yeshua. With respect to your former lifestyle, you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.< Ephesians 4:21-24 TLV FOR ADDITIONAL READING: Come out from among them in boldness : Pursuing the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua- Phil 3:14 - Pursuing the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua- Phil 3:14 #kingdomculture #AmbassadorofMessiah YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : (1) Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and scattered family in Messiah! I pray your Shabbat and weekend was blessed. Well, you know what is beginning to weigh heavily on my mind... Passover and Unleavened Bread (ULB) I have been verbally preparing our children for the upcoming lack of: waffles, pastries, bread, cereal etc. This is probably one of the more challenging things for me with 3 younger kids. So I thought, I am probably not the only one.... maybe a blog post on the topic and some food/meal ideas may be helpful! Well let's back up: “These are the appointed feasts of Adonai, holy convocations which you are to proclaim in their appointed season. During the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Adonai’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Matzot to Adonai. For seven days you are to eat matzah. On the first day you are to have a holy convocation and you should do no regular work. Instead you are to present an offering made by fire to Adonai for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation, when you are to do no regular work.” Lev 23:4-8 TLV It is actually reported that among you there is sexual immorality, and such immorality as is not even among the pagans—that someone has his father’s wife. And you are puffed up! Shouldn’t you have mourned instead, so that the one who did this deed might be removed from among you? For even though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit—I have already passed judgment on the one who has done this thing, as though I were present. When you are gathered together in the name of our Lord Yeshua, I am with you in spirit. With the power of our Lord Yeshua, you are to turn such a fellow over to satan for the destruction of his fleshly nature, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua. Your boasting is no good. Don’t you know that a little hametz leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old hametz,so you may be a new batch, just as you are unleavened—for Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast not with old hametz, the hametz of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread—the matzah of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5:1-8 TLV We are to remove the physical leaven from our: lives, homes, kitchens, and diet as we examine ourselves for the "leaven" of sin (lawlessness) in our: lives, actions etc. This is a great opportunity to go through your house and kitchen with your children to find and get rid of the hidden yeast (hametz), but don’t spend more time analyzing the food than the sin (lawlessness) in your own hearts. The main point will always be to get the sin (lawlessness) out of your heart. Still, this is an opportunity to really let this lesson sink in. Let’s teach this to the children and let them help you as a reminder to seek out the hidden sin (lawlessness) in their own hearts as well.
There is a plethora of ULB recipes out there in internet world and while we do use boxed ULB on occasion...our fellowship and our children really enjoy this recipe with just a hint of sweetness: 3 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons sea salt/ kosher salt 1.5 cups whole milk 3 eggs 2 TBLSP olive oil 4 TBLSP honey, or 2 TBLSP sugar Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fully combined and blended. Spray an 11 x 15 baking pan with cooking spray, and spread dough into pan. Bake at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : (1) Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and scattered family in Messiah! The 7th day Sabbath is a sign or seal of Yah revealing His authority as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. By keeping or setting apart the Sabbath, we are proclaiming Adonai the One True God. It is not a Jewish thing as it was instituted by Adonai at creation; 2300 years before there was a Jew: God completed--on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing. Genesis 2:2-3 TLV
So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a >>perpetual covenant. << It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave the two tablets of the Testimony to Moses—tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. Exo. 31: 16-18
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their false step salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy. Now if their transgression leads to riches for the world, and their loss riches for the Gentiles, then how much more their fullness! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Insofar as I am an emissary to the Gentiles, I spotlight my ministry if somehow I might provoke to jealousy my own flesh and blood and save some of them. For if their rejection leads to the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the firstfruit is holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off and you--being a wild olive—were grafted in among them and became a partaker of the root of the olive tree with its richness, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you who support the root but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” True enough. They were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Romans 11: 11-20 TLV
Shabbat was a gift given to believing Israel as a perpetual covenant, forever. To which, as believers in Yeshua we have been grafted in and "become a partaker of the root." There are natural born descendants of Israel that have been broken off because of unbelief and refused Messiah. "You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” True enough. They were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. " Rom 11:20 Not all of the descendants were "broken off" but some and gentiles were by faith permitted to be grafted in. This is not a new thing though as we see from Isaiah 56:6-7 TLV Also the foreigners who join themselves to Adonai, to minister to Him, and to love the Name of Adonai, and to be His servants— all who keep from profaning Shabbat, and hold fast to My covenant— these I will bring to My holy mountain, and let them rejoice in My House of Prayer..... The door to relationship with Abba Yah (God) has always been open to anyone (stranger and foreigner)willing to: repent, join to Him, love Him, serve Him, and keep His commands, holding fast to His covenant. Shabbat was made for man as an opportunity to rest and set aside dedicated time for: God, family, friends, and rest. Shabbat arrives at sunset every 6th day (taking us into the 7th day), week after week, month after month, year after year. That sunset-to-sunset timeframe set apart by the King of the Universe happens whether we choose to step into it or not. Where and how we choose to spend that time is up to us. And our choice will bear fruit: life or death. YHWH does give instructions for the Day with the ultimate goal of having us choose to abide with Him, our families, and other believers in a restful manner. This can look different week by week for every household. Only He and you - as parents, grandparents, husbands, and wives - truly understand the ins & outs of how your family functions and what your household needs on each Sabbath. So what are YHWH's boundaries?
Candles, Challah bread, and wine or juice Having a fancy meal every Friday night Dressing up in your finest clothing and jewels Blessing the spouses and children by a pastor or parents Spending the entire Sabbath in congregational meetings Assigned Torah and other Bible portions These things are not forbidden or bad practices. They are worthy traditions that have developed over the centuries to help us understand, honor, and step into the importance and essence of the Day. You CAN do any of the above if they help you to step into Shabbat with YHWH & each other to the best of your ability. Using them is not wrong.... but it is also not required. (As in, do not judge others if they fail to meet your expectation of what Shabbat should look like, outside of what is explicitly in Scripture) In our home, we do light a "Shabbat candle" which for us is a white candle from the dollar store. We light it and say some prayers to begin, and pray over the children, followed by a time of praise, and intercessory prayer. (As seen in the picture above) The candle stays lit from sunset to sunset (we do put it out overnight and re-light in the following morning, fire safety friends.) The children know that as long as it is lit Shabbat is in progress. The menorah is lit for church service. We need to be careful with YHWH's Sabbath -- not redefining it or twisting it with legalism and religious form -- and definitely not ignoring it or casting it aside. No matter where you are or in what circumstances you find yourself on any given Shabbat, you can honor the Day with obedience by doing your best to follow HIS instructions, with or without the traditions we have come to cherish. Honoring Shabbat as a set apart covenant time unto Yah (God) for: rest, study, worship and fellowship in the body of believers, has been a blessing 100x over within our family/ and fellowship {The Narrow Way Torah Observant Fellowship.} I hope you too discover the blessing in keeping Adonai's set apart Shabbat and Feasts! Shabbat is our favorite time of the week!! For a deeper dive into Faith & Works click here: Pursuing the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua- Phil 3:14 - Pursuing the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua- Phil 3:14 HalleluYah! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and scattered family in Messiah! Adults and children alike need "training in righteousness." Discipline, training, and instruction can take various forms. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, my husband and I, like to put training into application & practice for the kids. Our children are a blessing given to us by Yah and it is our commanded opportunity to: train them, teach them, & disciple them in His ways.
So, recently our children have become quite argumentative and focused on *self* rather than each other. This is quite typical of the human condition= sinful.
So I thought to myself: How can I correct AND teach them? We discussed it as a family one day prior to the start of school and they contributed their ideas, as well after, reviewing scripture:
This is what we came up with together: Each child is responsible for giving 3 compliments, words of encouragement, affirmations to their other 2 siblings. (training in the power of the tongue, Prov 18:21) ALONG WITH 2 acts of kindness each day. ( But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. James 1:22 TLV) To keep track I created a Microsoft Word document. This is a real life application to help them APPLY the Word in daily life by being: thoughtful, an encouragement, kind, loving etc One of the benefits of homeschooling is the opportunity to train in character development (Fruits of the Spirit) and Biblical apologetics among others. I hope sharing this has in some way encouraged or helped one of you! This is just as easily applied to yourself as a practice exercise/application of the Word. As adults, we too, can set the goal (whatever # you prefer to use) to complete: 3 acts of kindness daily and speak 3-5 encouraging/uplifting things to those around us (be it our children, husband, co-workers, friends etc) These are Biblical applications that can always be in practice whether adult or child. YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and scattered family in Messiah! I am blessed to have a: God- loving, Bible- reading, masculine, husband who is leading our family in the Word. Godly masculinity is A BLESSING! Circumstances may vary by family but: he provides for his family, disciplines his children, and teaches them the Word and loves his wife as Yeshua loves the church-- washing her in the water of the Word. Our culture aims to feminize men in another effort to tear down the family unit. Godly masculinity is positively Biblical and needed. Men in Messiah need to #RiseUp and take their place as: leader, guardian, providers, and protectors of their family not just in the physical sense but in the ideological sense of what you're children are being taught and absorbing through media and in schools... AND in the spiritual sense as well. Pray over your children and family. Lead them to the Word and through the Word. AMEN!
YOU CAN NOW CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK HERE! : Pursuing the upward call | Facebook This is a public "personal blog" pg via Facebook to make it easier for readers to connect and share. Stop in for a visit, invite a friend. Hope to see you all there! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello friends and readers! I hope this finds you well. For the married friends out there.... So I can't speak for y'all but for us and probably the vast majority of you life is a blur of busy. Shabbat is our weekly blessing of rest... But, we do need dedicated time together. My husband and I try to set aside a few hours every Sunday evening to unwind together after the kids are in bed and watch a sermon, talk, and hang out. But we also aim to schedule "regular dates" I put that in quotes because we don't have any set schedule like, once a month, or anything but we are mindful of having dates together. Now prior to the lockdowns and such we would do the typical dinner and a movie (if we could find a movie that was remotely acceptable) or bowling....weather permitting dinner and a walk downtown on the canal etc. We are rather simple people and the simple thing keep us relatively happy. For us it is not so much the activity as the opportunity to spend time together and talk. When everything got locked down and for various reasons stress increased. These "date nights" became more important, except there was nowhere to go.... so my husband one evening ordered Outback food for dinner car side pick- up, brought it home, and we had a "date" in the living room after the kids were in bed. We really had a lot of fun and enjoyed ourselves. Ever since then "date nights @ home" has been in regular rotation for us. Picking up dinner, maybe dessert too, hanging out, playing a game, watching a movie or several episodes of something (appropriate) and just enjoying each other's company. These things don't require a lot of money. As you can see, you don't even have to leave your house. But make sure that you and your spouse do have some 1x1 time, just the two of you. However you do it for you. Just be intentional; stay connected, have fun, make memories, cuddle, laugh, talk, vent..... and just be. Slow down and just be together. Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 Hello readers and scattered family in Messiah! Welcome back. My last post was on 1 Pet 3:3-4 the character of a godly wife and a little bit about marriage. As with "unlearning the lies" we had been taught for years about Torah.... Feminism has done a lot of damage to family structure in this country and the healthy development of our children and marriages. Our view of everything is through a Biblical lense. Not an "American," "Western," "currently cool," lense etc. We are His people. Hebrew. We are called to be seperate: Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says Adonai. Touch no unclean thing. Then I will take you in. I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says Adonai-Tzva’ot.” 2 Cor 6: 17-18 TLV But as Messiah’s community is submitted(G5293 see Strong's Concordance definition in the picture above ^ ) to Messiah, so also the wives to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Messiah also loved His community and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, having cleansed her by immersion in the word. Messiah did this so that He might present to Himself His glorious community—not having stain or wrinkle or any such thing, but in order that she might be holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it—just as Messiah also does His community, because we are members of His body. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is great—but I am talking about Messiah and His community. In any case, let each of you love his own wife as himself, and let the wife respect her husband. Ephes. 5: 24-33 TLV There is a lot to unpack here. Let's start with the head of the house the husband: Scripture denotes a heavy responsibility on the husband to, "love your wives just as Messiah also loved His community and gave Himself up for her"
So what is love according to scripture? 1) God is love 1 JN 4: 16 2) Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. Love never fails— 1 Cor 13: 4-8 TLV
As for the wife:
* This give and take....ebb and flow, of love and respect --humility and kindness flowing back and forth shows forth the character of Messiah between husband and wife. The husband shows the strength and protection of Messiah in how gently he can: love, forgive, teach, instruct, or re-direct his wife when correction or growth is needed. He provides for his household and manages major issues as they arise to help carry the weight or remove some of the weight off of her. He also disciplines his children and makes sure that they are respectful and obedient to the Word but is not too harsh with them. The wife shows the character of Messiah in nurturing and loving her family be it just her and her husband or also if they have children. And by respecting her husband in relationship and in character. He can trust her with anything. He knows she will manage their: money, time, and resources well. She seeks to bless him. He knows that their personal business, stays personal. If they have children, she is able to manage them well, teach, and train them in the Word. She is able to assist other women in the Word and help with their children if needed. She is a blessing to those around her. This is counter cultural to the western-American-feminist mind set. As it should be. We are not called to blend in, but to stand out. No household will balance all of this perfectly. That being said, again, this is not a model for any type of abuse. It is a model for a household led by Messiah. If you have read abuse somewhere in these scriptures by a wife submitting to her: God-led, loving husband.... I suggest you re-read and study it in depth again. God is love. Abuse is not a part of love. I'll stand on my soap box briefly as someone who has been in an abusive relationship previously. Our western culture has taught women that it is valuable to leave your children in the care of strangers, go to work, and submit to someone (a boss) who doesn't love or care for you for 8-10 hours a day a minimum of 5 days a week..... to the point that the majority of people have to ask to go to the bathroom and some are even timed for bathroom breaks! THAT IS APPLAUDED because you are a working mom. However, the same woman, who chooses to stay home and care for her children, homeschool, cook for her husband, and maybe make some money doing a hobby/or work from home, or something on the side is given some odd ball side-eyes...... *crickets* Submitting to a boss at a job is applauded while submitting to one's own husband out of love and obedience to Yah often is not even within the church. (If you are a wife who works outside the home this post is not a condemnation of that. But that is not my point.- My point is a woman choosing to submit to her husband, out of obedience and love, should never be a point of contention and yet it is. There is a vast double standard between conforming to the prominent culture of the world vs "coming out from among them" and re-prioritizing. Can you work and still re-prioritize your: husband, home, and children? YES, I am a living example. The Proverbs 31 woman still made money for her household : see Prov 31: 13, 16, 18, 24, 27 However, pursuing a career to the forsaking of the home and family and allowing someone else to raise your children is not a Biblical model of obedience or living.) Closing out: Do nothing out of selfishness or conceit, but with humility consider others as more important than yourselves, looking out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 TLV God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them. Gen 1:27 TLV Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 TLV HalleluYah! Until next time: May Adonai bless and keep you as you: press on pursuing the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Phil 4:13 |
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