THE RESTORATION OF GOD'S TORAH - IN THE INDIVIDUAL

The global resurgence of "Torah-observant Messianic Judaism" and the decades of "change" that led up to it, mirrors what is going on in the lives of individuals around the world today -- including gentile believers. Many of these gentiles are first attracted by the idea that "Christianity has Jewish roots," and begin to read their "Old Testaments" with a new desire to find out "what they are missing." Some progress to a point where they realize "Jesus was Jewish," and add new words to their vocabulary or show a greater respect for things Jewish. These people have begun to open their hearts and minds to more than what they are hearing from the pulpit every Sunday. They are the opposite of  the person that Maimonides alluded to (above), not being satisfied with the "basic ideas" they learned in their religion.

Others, as the writer of Hebrews wrote, go beyond even these "basics." Many of these come to a realization that Yeshua actually promoted Torah, and that there is nothing wrong with them starting to do some of these "Jewish things." Some begin to hold Passover seders and others might even visit Messianic congregations on the Sabbath when they get a chance. They may even go as far as purchasing a "Jewish New Testament" to get more insight into what they are beginning to learn.

Then there are those who believe the God of Israel is fully returning them to the faith of Israel (Ephesians 2:10-12). They read what the latest Torah-observant Messianic authors are writing. They view the "popular idea" that Paul preached against Torah in a believer's life, as untrue -- a product of centuries of the "Church's" anti-Torah bias in translation and interpretation. They see the Torah as God's revelation and instruction. Out of love for God, and desire to know more of Him, they begin a journey to incorporate Torah into their lifestyles with the goal that it will become their lifestyle.

These people believe that there has always been, and remains, one Torah for all the people of God - Jew or gentile. Hashem has not changed.

First of all, contrary to what some may think, the new covenant is not 'Grace'. There is a major lack of understanding of what the 'new' covenant is, and what it is about. For a start, Grace began in the garden of Eden, not at the 'cross'. the word 'new' is actually 'renewed' in its Hebraic context, so, it could more actually be said. as the 'covenant renewed'. Now that throws a new light eh?
For a covenant to be renewed, we need to know what it was in the first place.
This is always a good starting point, and, also to ask, who made it and with whom was it made?

Come out of her my people...who is this to? and what are we to come out of. Let me suggest to you that we are to come out of 'christendom', regardless of what banner it comes under. You see my friends, ALL of christendom, regardless if it is penticostal, baptist, lutheran, catholic etc etc, they all have their roots in Rome, not in Jerusalem (so to speak). They follow the pattern started by the polictical 'church'. not the pattern set down by Yahweh, Yahshua, Shaul, Yacob, Peter, Yohannan & Jude.

And yes, I am one of 'those' who believe that there is one Torah for all the people of Yahweh, whether native born or those grafted in, after all, why would Yahweh have two sets of standards???

I do not believe that we have to follow Judaism, but I do believe that we need to obey all that is written in the scriptures.

What is love ...Love is this, that we obey His commandments (2 Jn 6)
What is faith... to believe He is, who He says He is.

The only thing that will set true believers apart, are those who walk, live and are guided by His commandments, who keep HIS Sabbaths & HIS feast days etc (which are HIS appointments).

If we truly desire to follow the Messiah, then yes, the Torah needs to become our lifestyle, after all, The Messiah is the living TORAH.

Shalom

Yahshua (Jesus Christ) wants us to be more then a believer, Yahshua wants a disciple.

Let him who has an ear, hear.

Understand! Yahshua wants you to be more then a believer, he wants disciples.
A disciple is someone who imitates the master.

How can you imitate the master if you don't know what the master taught? If you don't know what he practices.

If we just imitate an evolution of an evolution of an evolution of an evolution of some idea, that’s not imitating the master.
That’s imitating an imitation.

Yahshua wants disciples, imitators, who see his way of life, as their way of life, who want to follow his steps, who want to become just like him.

And the only way that we can ever do that is that we have to go back to the gospels and say "what is it like, to be just like him."

We want Jesus as the saviour. That is the easy part.
Do we want him as master?

If we do, then what Shiloh commented is spot on. I urge all Christians to come out and walk in the Father's way as did the Son.

For a while now, I have been podding over the authenticity of Christianity and encouraging my brothers and sisters to take a stance on their faith. What sets us apart from others?

My wife said to me “tell people but don’t force it upon them”, so you see even in my own house it is also divided. So I said to the Lord, I will not push the subject anymore unless you tell me why.

Then today this article came out:  Scientific tests confirm St Paul's bones.
The Pope said when archaeologists opened the sarcophagus, they discovered alongside the bone fragments some grains of incense, a "precious" piece of purple linen with gold sequins and a blue fabric with linen filaments.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/831204/scientific-tests-confirm-st-pauls-bones
Then the Lord said, ‘Go tell them”.

So here is the message:
Why do people wear a cross?
Why do people wear a WWJD wrist band?
The same reason is why I wear tassels; the only difference is that YHVH commanded us in His Word to wear tassels but He mentioned nothing about a cross or the WWJD wristbands.

What sets us apart from other Christians?

People ask me ‘What's that?’

It’s a tassel! I say, my faith requires me to wear it. My God said to wear it.
Go to http://www.benngo.com/nazarene.com.au/What%20should%20I%20do%20now.htm

And learn about tassel and how to make them.
Be set apart from the world.

Ready to Give a Defence By *** Innes*

"But in your hearts set apart Yeshua as Sovereign.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect."1

Alan Smith tells the story about a carpenter who was giving evidence about an accident he had witnessed.  The judge asked him how far away he was from the accident.

The carpenter replied, "Twenty-seven feet, six-and-one-half inches."
"How can you be so sure of that distance?" asked the judge.
"Well, I knew some idiot would ask me. So I measured it!" replied the carpenter.
Oops … not a good way to answer a judge!

As Nazarenes we need to be prepared to give a reasonable answer to everyone who asks about our Nazarene faith and lifestyle—and to do this in a spirit of "gentleness and respect."

Remember too, that our life speaks much louder than any words we ever say.  Furthermore, people who know we are Nazarenes will be constantly reading and hearing the messages our life broadcasts.  May we, like the early Believers, be known by our love for one another and for our gentle spirit and respectful, courteous manner.

Suggested prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father, help me always to be prepared to give an answer to all who ask about my Nazarene faith—and help me always to answer in a gentle and respectful manner.  And help me to so live that my life will always be communicating your love to every life I touch. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Yeshua' precious Name, Amein."

thank you for the email Rabbi Johann.

Shalom Mishpochah (family),

The following One Minute Torah was sent to me by my friend Jason Jordan of Agudat Bris Fellowship in Camden:

Psalms 5:4: "YHWH, at dawn hear my voice, at dawn I will prepare myself for You, and I anticipate.”  The dawn is a special time of mercy.  Psalms 92:3: “…to tell of Your acts of kindness in the morning…”  At this time one should pray and invoke the Almighty's mercy name, YHWH (Yahweh).  Don't accentuate the "w."  It is merely the sound that is made from the "Yah" to the "heh."

Dawn is also the time when YHWH metes out justice to the wicked.  Psalms 101:8: “Morning by morning I shall destroy all of the wicked of the land...”

It's back to work for me.
Jason

Religion in the Valley: Cult or calling?
Messianic Christianity growing rapidly, leader says

By Tricia Pursell
The Daily Item

Thousands of little-known home groups and congregations across the globe are in the midst of observing Rosh Hashanah — the “Jewish New Year,” which began at sundown Friday.

But these observers are not necessarily of Jewish descent. They call themselves Messianic Israelites. Others call them Messianic Christians.

“We believe the Scriptures teach we should believe in Jesus, or Yahshua, and keep the commandments, too,” said Miles Wilson, of Watsontown. He and his wife, Dina, have been facilitating a Messianic group at their home since 2000, and three years ago came under the umbrella of the Messianic Israel Alliance, of Tennessee, founded in 1999.

On a recent Saturday, approximately 30 observers from across Central Pennsylvania gathered under a tent in his yard, as Wilson blew a ram’s horn to begin the service. They named the 12 tribes of Israel as they faced the south, north, east and the west.

“Shama tshuba,” they said as they turned in each direction.

The words mean “Hear, repent and return.”

They then began to sing. Several left the tent to gather in a circle for a Davidic dance, jumping and clapping to the beat. Later, they broke out tambourines and danced again.

The group meets regularly to celebrate the commanded feasts as found in the Old Testament — Passover, Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles and Yom Kippur, to name a few.

These Christians’ Sabbath falls on Saturdays.

And they eat kosher foods.

“You can learn about it, but the best way is through keeping it,” said Wilson, a former Baptist.

However, they do not keep such practices out of obligation for salvation. Grace through Jesus Christ alone is what gives them the promise of eternal life, they believe.

“We see the danger in people trying to earn their salvation,” Wilson said.

“I do it out of love,” said his wife, Dina.

Just like parents set rules to protect their children, so God, or Yahweh, has laws for a reason.

“I don’t have to do them,” she said, “but I do them because I love Him.”

Following the Law — the first five books of the Old Testament — is a part of meeting with the heavenly Father and being obedient to His word, she said.

Jesus, or Yahshua, came to fulfill the Law, they say, not to end it.

“He (God) couldn’t possibly have been cherry-picking,” Wilson said. “He couldn’t possibly have meant the Law was to come to an end at the cross.”

Since 2001, Bob and Cheryl Schechterly, of Bloomsburg — who lead a Messianic teaching group called Honoring Israel in Solidarity (HIS Ministry) — have been to Israel five times.

“When we were there for the first time, the Holy Spirit just started speaking to our hearts to go back to the basics, to the root of who Jesus is,” said Cheryl, raised a Catholic and associated with the Assemblies of God for 20 years. “Once we started praying about that, He just revealed so much in the Scriptures.”

The Schechterlys also meet regularly with about five families to study the Bible and worship Yahweh.

The average age of the attendees is about 50, with all coming to the faith later in life — an unusual concept in most religions.

A “grassroots movement”

Messianic Christianity is a “grassroots movement,” said Scott Diffenderfer, executive director of Messianic Israel Alliance, which supports 10 congregations in Pennsylvania and 130 congregations nationwide. It is one of the large organizations associated with the faith.

“It’s springing up all over,” he said. “At this point, it is fairly exponential in its growth.”

Messianic Israel Alliance is not a denomination, he explained, but rather an organization that helps to facilitate individual Messianic groups seeking direction.

“They are coming in every denomination, every tongue, all nations,” Diffenderfer said. “We’re not threatened by diversity. It actually gives us strength.”

Earlier this month, 1,200 people gathered in Orlando, Fla., for the Messianic Israel Alliance’s annual conference.