Teenage Affluenza

Is there any-thing to praise YHVH for today???

Those stubborn facts

The Oxford School Dictionary states that a fact is 'Something that is certainly true'.
Does this not define the Torah of YHVH?.....TRUTH.
If the Torah is the truth....and we know it is then... we can conclude that it is also fact.
The problem with fact is that it won't budge, it won't disappear just because we don't like it. Fact makes us uncomfortable. Fact (if we are honest) will always force us to change the way we that we think, because no matter how hard one may believe that the sky is green, the fact/truth remains that it is not. The sad truth however, is that many prefer to continue on in their fantasy than allow the truth/fact, to set them free. We find it very hard now-days to distinguish between fact and opinion.
The Torah is NOT YHVH's opinion, it is NOT open for debate and it is NOT an invitation.
The Torah IS YHVH'S truth, it IS what YHVH commands and we ARE covenantly obligated to keep His commandments. We do not keep His commandments for salvation but because we are saved....are we not called the sons and daughters of YHVH? Is it not our deepest desire to please Him and to bring honour to His name....it should be.
I believe that the greatest tool the enemy uses with which to deceive us is our emotions. We are governed by our emotions, they fuel our desires and influence our decision making. YHVH knows that our heart/emotions will lead us atray if they are not brought under the authority of His word....our hearts have the greatest potential to deceive and become our number one enemy . This is why He has given us the clear boundaries of His Torah, if we remain within these boundaries we are kept safe. He has given us beautiful reminders, physical reminders (tzitzi mezuzah to name just two),to remind us daily that His Torah must govern and lead our emotions ....our lives. To remind us that we are set apart people, called out from this world to be seperate unto Him.

Just this week I have had two conversations with two dear christian friends, in which, they both commented that the path I am on (Torah observant) is not necessarily for them...they do not FEEL 'led' to walk  along the same path. They feel that YHVH has asked these things specifically of me...and not of them (sounds very much like opinion to me). The one commented and said 'as long as I am true to my heart'......really?? Can ones heart really be 'true' outside of the guidelines of truth/Torah? Does YHVH have different standards for His children.....different household rules that only apply to some?

I believe the FACTS speak for themselves.

Blessings

A Cup of Tea with Beautiful Sophia

Meet my beautiful friend and sister Sophia, in the ten years that I have known and loved her she has been such an inspiration to me. Without her knowing she has taught me much about love, prayer and forgiveness. Thank you Sophia for being a woman of YHVH, and for teaching precious lessons to me on this journey that we are on to becoming.....Our Fathers Daughters!!


The Power of Forgiveness

It was October 1978, I had just met the love and Lord of my life......Jesus, and I was born again!! My life would never be the same.....
I was married to a wonderful, hard-working, gentle man, a man of character. I was a baby in my faith. My idea of being a godly wife was far from being what God wanted it to be. Whenever my husband was at home I was singing, praying and listening to praise music. My priorities were so wrong!!
During this time, he started coming home late at night. It became so bad, three or four o'clock in the morning was the usual time. He eventually left me for his best friends wife.
My divorce was the most devastating experience I could ever have imagined. Unforgiveness and bitterness made its way right into the centre of my broken heart. A wonderful and dear friend of mine told me that I must forgive them....but....I was angry and I ignored her words of wisdom for a while.
But then the Holy Spirit started dealing with me, gently showing me all the sin in my heart. He showed me that I was 'religious' and very far from being as 'holy' as I though I was. What a process I went through as God started changing my heart and my attitude. I trusted, and started the process of forgiving them. At first it was only from my lips, but after four years of letting go on a daily basis, crying and wrestling with God....I finally felt that the forgiveness was starting to come from my soul....my heart.
Then one day, God's plan for me to meet this lady, to stand before her face to face, came about unexpectedly. I can still clearly hear God's voice saying to me..."Have you forgiven her?" I replied "Yes, Lord, I have". With my arms around her, embracing her, I told her that I forgive her...that I set her free from blame. If she would love him and be good to him...then...I would stand back.
That day God showed me that not only she was set free but I was now also free...victoriously! Free from all bitterness and unforgivenss. 2 Corinthians 2:10 gave me hope "To whom ye forgive any-thing, I forgive also...".
It is not always easy to forgive some-one, but God helps and strengthens us and as we make the choice...daily, it does become easier.
I learned a valuable life (heart) lesson.....never ever allow bitterness or unforgivenss to harden your heart, it prevents the Holy Spirit from working inside of you.
David wrote a Psalm, Ps 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a right spirit within me..."
My loss was great. Eventhough I live a life of victory...I cannot turn back the hands of time.

Forgive and be blessed!!

Mrs Sophia C

Shannah Tova!!

Yom Teruah!! This feast marks the beginning of the moedim (appointed times), that lasts through the twenty-second day of the seventh month, ending after the eighth day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles/Booths). This is a joyous time of celebration and worship of our Father...our King!!

Generally speaking, Yon Teruah comes at the time of the last harvest of the year, so in Exodus 34:22 this season is referred to as the end of the year. Yom Teruah is also called Rosh Hashannah, meaning the New (civil) Year. However we must remember that the Lord specifically states that the year begins in Nisan (or Aviv), the month of Passover.

'Teruah' is traditionally understood as the blowing of the shofar, specifically the ram's horn, but it is also translated as joyful noise. In the English Bible it is referred to as the Feast of Trumpets and comes at the end of the fruit harvest in Israel. - Pastor Mark Biltz (El Shaddai ministries)

We are still learning and growing in our knowledge of the feasts. This is the first year that we are actually celebrating them! The actual 'doing' and keeping of them has helped to take us into a deeper  relationship with YHVH. I feel like a little one taking her first steps at times....and stumbling seems to be very much a part of this learning process. But we have the most wonderful teacher, who is right beside us ....guiding and teaching us at all times, upholding us with His strong right hand!

We received our very first Shofar yesterday, and look forward to making some noise. Although this seems like quite a task in itself (I don't know if any of you find blowing the Shofar an easy thing to do), let's just say that I don't think our blowing would've brought the walls of Jericho down!! :o)

I wish all of you a wonderful Yom Teruah and a very very sweet New Year!!

Blessings and Shalom

What's Cooking in your Kitchen?!

Rachel and I found this really lovely book while out and about this week. It was on sale in one of our local bookstores.....and of course I couldn't resist!!
It has some really lovely new recipes (well, new to me!), and it has some lovely suggestions for the menu over the Feast Days.
For this Shabbat we will be trying the 'Friday night rosemary and lemon roast chicken' and the 'chocolate marble cake'. Rachel has been in charge of all the preparations in the kitchen up to now, as I have not had a chance to get to the two baskets of ironing that just seem to be growing ever higher this week so far. Well....ironing done.....and now I can turn my attention to joining her in the kitchen and hopefully getting things done smoothly and in good time.
I send Shabbat blessings to all my Torah observant sisters and your families.......
May the Shabbat lights bring into your home the beauty of truth and the radiance of YHVH's love
May YHVH bless you with Shabbat Joy
May YHVH bless you with Shabbat Holiness
May YHVH bless you with Shabbat Peace

Blessings

Beautiful Reminders

It is so easy to lose our way in this world that is diametrically opposed to YHVH and His Torah. Our days are often filled with frenetic activity that keep us occupied both physically and mentally....it is easy for us to lose our way, we are constantly bombarded by the 'sounds' of this world. Every day we are exposed to images and behaviours that can overwhelm us, from billboards to magazine covers to tv programmes and commercials. Without our consent our souls are flooded with images of immorality and materialism and every where we look we are being sold the philosphy of this world very neatly packaged and dangerously disguised.
But praise Yah, our gracious Abba and King, who knows each one of us intimately!! He knows we need objects that will remind us daily of who we are and what we should be doing. We are constantly urged throughout the Torah (Genesis to Revelation) to 'remember' and to stay 'alert'.


Deut 4:9 'Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, LEST THOU FORGET.....

Deut 4: 23 'Take heed unto yourselves, LEST YE FORGET the covenant of the Lord your God.......

Deut 5:15 'And REMEMBER that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt......

Deut 8:2 ' And thou shall REMEMBER all the way which the Lord they God led thee......

Deut 9:7 'REMEMBER, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord they God......

Deut 24:9 'REMEMBER what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam by the way.....

Deut 32:7,8 'REMEMBER the days of old, and consider the years of many generations.....

Mal 4:4,5 ' REMEMBER ye the law of Moses my servant.......

'It is like a man who went away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning - in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, "Be on the alert!" (Mark 13:34-37)


'This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring yp your sincere mind by way of REMINDER, that you should REMEMBER the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour spoken by your apostles - 2 Peter 3: 1,2

YHVH has/is not only writing His Torah upon our hearts, but He has ensured that we have physical reminders to help us to remember to always walk in His ways and to obey His commands. The tzittzit is one of these reminders.....

Numbers 15:39 ' It shall be a tassel for you to look at and REMEMBER all the commandments fo the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot'

And the mezuzah is another....

Deut 6:9 and 11:20 both passages read ' You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates'

From the earliest times, this commandment was kept both literally and with understanding that the Torah was to be taught in all of Israel's homes and cities. It was not only the Jews that applied this commandment literally, but the Samaritans did as well. They inscribed the Ten Commandments on stone and attached them to or placed them near their doorposts.
The mezuzah and tzittzit are not stricly  Jewish symbols, they were given by God to all who are part of the commonwealth of Israel as REMINDERS  to not only 'hear' but to 'do' the commandments. They also REMIND us that we who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Meshiach belong to Him, we are a 'set apart' people for His pleasure and glory!! Wow, what amazing grace!!
We are not 'masters of our own destiny'. Our calling is to walk in humble submission to YHVH. These physical REMINDERS help us to REMEMBER our calling as members of the Kingdom that is not of this world.
The tzittzit helps to REMIND us of this while we are away from our homes, and the mezuzah helps to REMIND us each time we enter or leave our homes. The home is central to a Torah lifestyle. Each time we enter or leave our homes, we need to be reminded of the awesome responsiblity that is ours, whether it's when we leave and are witnesses to a watching world  or when we return home to raise up our families in Torah righteousness.
May we truly walk in the words of Deut 28:6 ' Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.'

Shalom to all!!