Passover

Passover is fast approaching! We've made it through the feast-less lull of winter and have finally arrived at Yahweh's Spring feasts - Hip, hip, hooray!!\0/

Now the fun begins! Maybe you've read through the Passover scriptures and your mind's wheels have been turning and churning up ways to make this celebration as fun as it is Spiritually fulfilling... 

Well, here are a few things I've done in the past that have been a real hit in our home:

A Matzo house by the river:

The house can be a little tricky considering Matzo is a bit brittle, but with the help of super strength glue and double layers of Matzo for the walls... you'll be able to pull it off for sure! I found it helpful to build this house on a piece of cardboard for added strength and movability. I put a wall in the middle of this house to support the ceiling and made the inside layer of Matzo wall short enough to hold up the ceiling as well. Then I put frosting on the seams for added color. The "river" is made from oven-bake clay. Just a quick flattening out of the clay and then drawing up the sides to create a form that will hold water. I put this whole creation on a cheap cookie sheet so I made my "river" to fit where I wanted it on the sheet. *When we got to the "river turning to blood" of the telling of the 10 plagues, we added a drop of red food coloring for dramatic effect!:)* For extra fun, we added bushes of parsley, and rosemary trees (just Superglued on)... The little pebbles you see are made of broken up clay, but any tiny pebbles would do! I apologize for not having more photos to show... Blogging about it was an afterthought.;)

So for your

Supply list:  

scene stage (cookie sheet, board, etc...)

Piece of cardboard

A couple boxes of Matzo bread

Super glue

frosting (colored)

Oven-bake clay

pebbles (optional)

Herbs (optional)

red food coloring

water

                                                                                                                                                                           

Next up is our Tomb with the rolled away rock!!\0/

I used terracotta oven-bake clay... again nothing too crafty - just a simple rolling out of the clay, placing it over an oven safe dish (I used a kitchen bowl), cut out the door, flatten the edges to a cookie sheet so that when it's baked it will hold itself up, *if you go too big it may break under it's own weight, but it can be easily Superglued back together.  I wanted my "tomb" to have a floor that I could place a solar light into from the bottom on the "third day", so after I formed and baked the "tomb" I shaped the "floor" taking into consideration how thick the solar light would be once in place and giving the necessary lift to the clay floor during baking. Before baking make sure to make a hole for your light to poke through.  Then the door - it's just a flat piece of clay, big enough to block the entrance. Once all the different pieces were baked and in place I surrounded the tomb with dirt and pebbles(made of broken white oven bake clay, but you could use real pebbles if desired), but I also mixed in every imaginable spice from my spice cabinet, adding in an aromatic element to the display. Next came the parsley bushes, rosemary trees, and a couple of asparagus tops for good measure. If you are going to place your solar light in on the third day, be sure when placing your "trees" that lifting up the tomb for the solar light placement won't be a horribly aggravating chore... You may be able to find a light that is in two different parts so the solar panel could stay separate from the actual light while you decorate... I just used a small, inexpensive solar light from our walkway. The dark picture is showing the solar light in action!!;)

Supply list:     

Terracotta oven-bake clay (depending on how large your display will be you may need quite a few boxes of clay)

Solar light

dirt or sand

Pebbles (white oven bake clay is shown)

Parsley "bushes"

rosemary "trees"

Spices (to fragrance and color the dirt and clay)

If you do end up making either of these, I'd LOVE to hear how it goes!! 

Praying you and yours have a very blessed Passover!! Shalom! 

Go into the water as a slave but come out as a free child of the LIVING KING

Your struggle is BIG, bigger than I probably could ever imagine. And although my imagination could not comprehend it, my Spirit knows all about it... And right now I want to wash your feet with my tears - tears that are falling because of your hurt. And I want to testify to you - I've experienced the release of that struggle; and how the door to those floodgates were opened for me... 

Almost right at a year to this date, I was getting ready to go to our Sabbath meeting... had just gotten out of the shower and was drying my hair... I was so excited about this Sabbath because one of my dear friends/prayer partner was coming and we had been given permission to pray over some one that day... and His joy was bubbling up inside me...excitement was making my heart race... 

And then the adversary came... 

He said "what about this...?" He showed me the things I had been struggling with recently.
"I'm over that. I let it go. I claimed Yahweh's power in that matter and it has no hold on me!"
"Really? Sure looks like it's pretty weighty to me.."

And sure enough I felt that weight - it had been there all along, but I was trying to skip over it... "I've claimed Yahweh's forgiveness in that... I no longer blame anyone for that... I've no longer made any justification for that... I've looked it straight in the eye and told it to leave. It's gone. It's done."

And I started to focus again on the joy that was in me, and praise songs were coming to my mind... And then Yahweh brought the thought of being immersed or Mikvahed or baptized to my mind again... My good friend who was coming that day, had weeks earlier mentioned to me that she felt she needed to ask me if I had been immersed/Mikvahed... studying the Torah we learn all about how the women were to Mikvah every month and how whenever the people went into the temple they went through a Mikvah... Jesus gave testimony to it when he was "baptized" by John... I had been "baptized" when I was younger in a baptismal at church... but through our studies we had been learning that this immersion could be done as often as Yahweh led one to be... I had told her that I felt I should, had felt so for a long while, but just hadn't acted on it yet, but would definitely make a point to do it this summer, etc. 

So there I am getting ready, already showered, my hair is almost done... and Yahweh brings the Mikvah(a gathering of water... for me it's our pond) to my mind... I said, "surely you don't want me to do that now... this is just emotion from all the excitement, right?" Yahweh brought to my mind the instance I first felt that I should be Mikvahed or baptized in the muddy water and then said, "Nothing has changed from that time til now." 

Nope, guess not... so I set down the hair dryer, slipped on my swimming suit, and flip flops and headed for the pond... *And just in case you're thinking it was just whimsical emotion or guilt leading me there - let me assure you that there's 1,001 reasons about being immersed in a pond in the beginning of April in South Dakota after I had just showered and dried my hair that would've dried up any emotion or guilt I may have been feeling...* It's a little ways but not too far from the front door of the house to the pond, and all I heard while I was walking down there was that encouraging small voice saying "Just keep going, don't stop." And honestly I didn't want to stop... I felt the experience drawing me in - I probably would've ran there if my flip flops would've allowed. I got to the edge of the water and never broke stride... finally I was a little over waist deep in the cold, muddy water...
...up popped my flip flop... I was struggling to put it back on and Yahweh said, "This isn't a performance".
You're right. So I tossed my shoe onto the shore and bent my knees, plunging myself underwater... the dark, cold water was all around me... then I burst through the surface - flooded with sunlight and breath... As I made my way to the shore and up the path back to the house, the smile on my face that could not be wiped away, the feeling that I could fly if only I had wings, made me realize I had left something in the water that day... I had left that weight. It was gone. That joy I had been feeling, was no longer being filtered through that pain - it was pure, and abundant and saturating - NOW I was free! 

See Yahweh had forgiven me before the foundations of the earth were laid, but my flesh had been hanging on to the guilt and pain of that circumstance, and not letting that floodgate open... Maybe before I had cracked the door, to let a little seep in, but now the struggle was over!

Sometimes we can't forgive ourselves or other people or circumstances... we let ourselves get trapped in that bondage... the trappings come from justifying ones actions, from blaming someone else, from wallowing for a while on that hurt, letting it become our personna... pretty soon someone comes along and says "Just let it go!"
~Yeah, right - I'm in a prison cell without a key! 

Know this, never ever, ever forget this - Yahweh wants you to be free!! He is not weighing you down - NOTHING is separating you from the love of Yahweh. It is right there! Don't let it be filtered through un-forgiveness, or pride, or shame, or guilt, or anger, or animosity, or pain - RUN to that muddy water!! Leave that weight in the grave!! Be free!! Experience that joy that is not produced by circumstance - WHATEVER you are going through Yahweh will flood you with what you need to get through it! Peace, joy, love, forgiveness, compassion, strength... it's there for the taking! He never wants you to hurt in your spirit! He wants to give you unstoppable life without any limitations! He wants you to praise as David praised! Dance as David danced! He wants you to feel the compassion that Jesus felt! He wants you to feel the LOVE that Yahweh feels towards you!
If you are feeling as I did, where my guilt and pain had been dealt with, but it was still a weight - PLEASE, please run to the Mikvah and leave it there. I don't know why muddy water makes us clean, or why the blood makes us white as snow - but Yahweh does! This isn't a baptism of salvation, this is a surrender of the old to walk only in the new! If you are feeling Him drawing you to be immersed, remember this - it is not a performance, it's not a ceremony... Do as Moses and the Israelite's did - go into the water as a slave but come out as a free child of the LIVING KING!

His love is worth giving up the control or power others lording over you have....

Have you ever had one of those "friends" that seems to come across as having those super high standards of "coolness"... Making fun of those different than they are, getting others to join in on the belittling of someone else, setting themselves high on that pedestal, you feel yourself walking on eggshells around them so as to get their public affirmation, because their defamation would seemingly kill your soul... That type of friend doesn't deserve the power you are giving them... The creator, God of the universe, is madly in love with you - not because of what you've done or will do, or who you are or who you will be, not even because He created you...but because you are - you! No one else has ever lived the life you are living, endured the struggles you've endured, enjoyed the joys you've experienced, loved the way you have... You are perfectly unique in every way!! When you really experience the absolute fulfillment from receiving the love your Creator is pouring into you - you won't need anyone else's affirmation... You'll know how unconditionally loved you are... Sometimes in order to feel that love, we have to release the control that those whom I above mentioned, have over us... How can you feel Him loving you if you are so afraid to be who you really are? How will you feel Him love you and all your imperfections if you don't accept that those imperfections are a part of who you are... He doesn't love your pain or where you are hurting, He loves loving you through it... Similarly to a mother who loves her child in the womb, through the birthing process, and then as a child to be nurtured on the outside... Never once was that being unlovable, undesirable, unwanted to that loving mother - how much more so must the One who knew you before you ever entered that womb love you?! His love is worth giving up the control or power others lording over you have. Turning the other cheek is definitely an attribute of our Abba Father, but unless He is calling you to be in the boxing match - get out of the ring... It is ok to stop making mean people popular, because then it stops making it popular to be mean... I have been cruel and unkind on many occasions - smacking people with a popular opinion in my circle so to bring them low, beneath my standards... If you've ever been the recipient of my cruelty, I want to say now how very sorry I am, and ask your forgiveness. Because I know that the Creator God came to earth and lovingly humbled Himself to wash His loved ones feet, I know who I am supposed to esteem myself over, and the answer to that is - no one, ever. That doesn't mean that I have to berate myself in order to show myself lower than others (a form of false humility). But be truly humbled by His love, because true humility comes from knowing He loves all the way to the deepest and darkest parts of me, and He loves to the highest extent of my possibilities - and even though I'm different from anyone else the amount in which He loves is exactly the same - He loved Peter and He loved Judas and He loved them exactly the same. Can you see how purposeless it is to be lorded over or to lord over? He loves you abundantly above what you could ever ask for or even ever think possible... Relinquish that control, He has set the captives free!

A Real Human Rights Violation

When history is written, decades possibly centuries from now, the human rights violation that is abortion will seem just as outrageous and horrifying as the human rights violation that was slavery seems to us today. Comparing the two propaganda campaigns, you’ll notice the eerie similarities:

“They have no rights. They’re slaves… some if not most were sold by their own people.”

vs.

“It’s the mother’s right to choose. It’s her body.”

“If we don’t have free labor, infrastructure will suffer.”

vs.

“A woman cannot be chained down with the shackles of motherhood simply because she becomes pregnant.”

“We cannot free homeless, jobless, ill-educated slaves into society - it will bankrupt our country.”

vs.

“The unwanted pre-born without the option of abortion would flood our already overcrowded, understaffed foster care system…”

“We parade the slaves naked in the streets to show their best selling points. We force objects into their anus when they’re excreting waste uncontrollably to finish a sale. Their is no living condition too harsh - they're only slaves.”

vs

“We decapitate the developing fetus, sever limb from limb, and then suction out the pieces. We induce labor, and inject salt water into the amniotic sac, melting the developing fetus. There’s no method too inhumane - they're only unwanted babies." 

History is repeating itself… What side will history remember you on?

Happy Hanukkah (a few months late)

There’s been so much conversation lately about the “Justice” of God… What He allows, what He permits… What is Godly… What’s the difference between the god of the Muslims and our God if they both permit "war", etc… When we think about the flood, or the complete annihilation of the Canaanite people (man, women, and infant) or how the Levites were told to go kill there friends and brothers as sort of their initiation into the priesthood, along with other examples... our first response as believers is to excuse it somehow (CONTEXT!!), say it wasn’t actually permitted by our God, or that He was the God of the Old Testament, but now we have Jesus... They’re not at all things we as 21st century westerners like to think fit the resume for an all loving, all knowing, creator God… I’m reminded of an image from the HBO John Adams series where John Adams has gone to France and is trying to argue a just, real world cause with these people who are made up from head to toe in ridiculous outfits and makeup, sitting their all-too-fragile bums and egos on the finest puffed furniture… You can sense the irritation of the John Adams character as he’s trying to establish a thought into the minds of these colorful peacocks who seemingly have no concept of a real world struggle… Now am I suggesting that our culture/society hasn’t seen enough difficulties and trials and strife to be able to conceive in all our wisdom the image of a just God who enacts justice in ways that we would not deem appropriate? Yes. Yes, my fellow peacocks, I am suggesting just that. The argument boils down to - would an all-loving God permit violence? But then with the same brain we all scream - "justice must be served on the white bigots who permitted slavery!!” The American Civil War ring a bell to anyone? A war where the country was washed in blood, brother against brother, and then the heart of the nation was turned… "Well, God didn’t want that, He didn’t want justice served that way it’s just how our feeble brains constructed a solution", you may say. Of course He didn’t WANT war, but He DID want the abuse of a race to stop ...and mind control wasn’t an option. I know slavery was not the only issue fought over in the Civil war, but perhaps you can see my point. See, it’s not God who has an egotistical, bloodthirsty agenda, crushing the weak… it’s humans who have that problem. I can hear a great number of you yelling “YES! A conservative finally admits that the US is war hungry, clinging to guns and violence”. Um. No. There are US citizens who eerily stereotype and pledge violence on anyone who threatens them, no doubt about it. There’s people all over the world who stereotype, and pledge destruction toward persons whom they find inadequate to deserve life. It’s a human nature problem caused by greed and pride and it has plagued the human race from the beginning of time. This very problem is what brought about God’s Law in the first place. There were those that would not follow the Law… the call for humanity to be the best version of itself… many wouldn’t concede to it, they wanted what they wanted, they wanted to be their own god. They died. What an egotistical, blood thirsty monster of a deity, preserving the humble and the weak like that… Right? If God doesn’t permit the death and suffering of people all over the world, then our God is quite the weakling losing against whomever IS permitting it… OR every life who suffers and/or dies or any life who is blessed, free of conflict, both innocent and guilty, brings about the will of God. Why? Because He loves us that much. Who is guiltless? Who is holy? Who is just? Who is all-loving? Who is all-powerful? Who is all-knowing? Who is everywhere at all times? When you meet those qualifications, you can say what is permitted and what is not. So here’s the bad thing about throwing out the Law of God - you’re left to your own inclinations. Yes, God permits war and justice against those who murder, and oppress, and preform every act of evil against others… You know what that understanding does to me? It makes me not want to murder and oppress or preform any act of evil against another… because I’m so terrified of an all-powerful God? No - but because I am aware that He is just, and that He abides by a code of ethics so holy that I will not be permitted to hurt another person without reaping the consequences. And I am pretty ok with that. Therefore am I a person clinging to my guns and religion? Are you asking if I am a murderous villain who hasn’t perpetrated my offense as of yet, but feel I am justified in doing so by the will of a god? Then my answer is “No”. Do I believe in the Law and the Justice of the Creator God - Yes. Do I believe that if I in any way violate that law whereby hurting or violating another person unjustly, that I am then subject to possibly punishment to the full extent of that Law and the only Being completely in control of my sentencing is God - Yes. Do you know what identified a group of people as being "just and civilized" all throughout the scriptures? It was nations of peoples who had “the fear of God” in them. Can you see a difference between that, and a people who perpetrates violence or acts of terror in the name of a god including ALL peoples throughout the generations who fit that description? Why would the just and civilized fear God if they didn’t think justice would pertain to their actions? Does perfect love cast out fear? YES! Because I don’t have to fear anyone who fears God! And neither do you. "What of God’s laws which permit stoning of the adulterous or sexually immoral, etc" you may ask. What keeps me from throwing the stones or killing the abortionists? Let me ask you this - can you see a difference between an “honor killing (a killing enacted upon a person said to have brought disgrace to a family - the family wants retribution - to look good in society again)" and the killing of someone who is hurting someone else? Because there is a HUGE difference. Let me ask you another question - do you see people who do abide by the Torah or God’s Law killing in mass numbers adulterers or murderers? No, you don’t. There’s not stoning in the streets of Israel or in the Jewish communities throughout the US or ANYWHERE around the world. Why not? It would be fully justified by God who is the only One who in the end matters anyway… Here’s why - it only took a few generations for them to realize that their actions had consequences…. and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction… You can stone someone for their transgression of the law and then you will be stoned for your transgression of the law. So in the end we all die. A truce basically is drawn. That’s how it ends for those who don’t believe in a Savior or a Messiah. When you DO believe in a Messiah, you know He sees you no less guilty then the vilest of vile and He covers you and He covers them - no need for stoning. Ah, then we should just let terrorists kill everyone because God loves them just as much, right? Or we could realize the devastation that is caused when humans become their own self-serving god, and end their ability of further devastation and destruction in accordance to God’s law - in essence it's self-defense fully justified by the Law. We as a nation can lay down and die or we can defend ourselves… both examples given in the scriptures, both acceptable under the law. What we pray for is that God’s will be done.  
So here we are at the yearly celebration of Hanukkah, a celebration of a military victory ordained and blessed by Yahweh which brought about the reclamation and the rededication of His Temple so that He could be born into the Jewish seed proudly proclaiming the righteousness and justice of a loving God emphasizing His unbroken code of conduct. And that also is pretty ok with me. Happy Hanukkah;)

The Groom

Once upon a time... there was a fair maiden who was in love with a handsome young man and this young man was in love with this fair maiden... They were so in love with each other that he decided to ask her to marry him... So on a hillside, one spring day, as a beautiful thunderstorm was rolling in, he asked her to be his wife. She was delighted to picture herself as the wife of this courageously humble and gentle soul; so without hesitation and with overflowing joy she said, "Yes! I will marry you!" And with that, the young man knew that he was to go and prepare for them a place to grow old together... "Somewhere beautiful with green meadows, and cascading mountain sides... Sprawling trees and babbling brooks... I will build a house for you there," he promised, "I will build it with your every joy as my instructions. The promise of your love will keep me steadily on. As my journey may take some time I wish to leave with you my most faithful comrades and companions: Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. They will be your comfort as I am away." He left that same hour, for he knew the sooner he started his quest the sooner he would return for his radiant bride.
Nearly 2 months had passed, 7 weeks to be exact... The young woman was growing anxious for her betrothal's return. As she meandered about the courtyard, she started to notice the trades and skills of the
companions her husband-to-be had left with her... Suddenly as if by a rushing wind - a thought came to her - "I will study the skills and trades of these comrades and daily they will teach me...and when my love returns I will be an accomplished maiden, adorned as his bride." So early every morning as the warmth from the first ray of sunshine bathed her beautiful face, she would begin her studies of these nine skilled tradesman... Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control poured into her their seemingly endless knowledge... Until one morning just as she was crossing the threshold to the beginning of her day, a figure in the distance, shadowed by the beaming sun, caught her eye... Was it him? Had he finally returned? At full speed, the valiant creature's feature became ever clearer - he was here! He had returned for his bride! Just as a thief in the night, he whisked her away on his mighty steed for he could not wait a moment longer to have her for his bride and show her the place he had prepared for her. As they galloped over the horizon it became abundantly apparent that they were to live happily...ever... after. The end.

Let's talk - Porn

Porn is one of those topics that people’s beliefs differ from one end of the spectrum to the other… On one side – everybody uses it, it’s a natural need, if you want your partner to abstain from it you’re being completely ridiculous and unfair… On the other side – It’s destructive, it’s an addiction, it’s cheating. Porn use is normal in secular society, and is sin in Christian society. Something to remember as Christians is that when we call 'sin' sin and are absolutely repulsed by something we isolate and discriminate against someone who is an addict of whatever it is especially someone who is a Christian. Stand your ground, be unmovable, but always and only be motivated by GRACE. Sin is sin. Your whitest sin is equal to the blackest of sins… There’s no differentiation between any sins, they’re all equally deadly.  

A common misconception made is that only a few people are addicted to porn. I wouldn’t hesitate to guess that 97%(or higher) of EVERYONE I know is effected by porn one way or another, either addicted themselves or someone very close to them is addicted.  And yet it’s rarely discussed, understandably so, it is an embarrassing topic, but an undeniably important one -  

If you are affected by porn (you’re addicted, someone close to you is addicted)-

You’re not alone.

It IS destructive. If you are a young single person using porn, know this – you won’t be able to simply stop once in a relationship or married. Single or married, you are in the process of killing your ability to have a real sexual experience with your future or current mate. A recent study shows that porn use is one of the leading causes for E.D. Your porn use is not only affecting one aspect of your life but the ENTIRE thing… You won’t be able to know how much it is affecting you until you accept the challenge to abstain from it.    

You need to find someone to talk to, remember the truth will set you free… this is the most difficult step to be sure -it’s painful and embarrassing to talk about… who can you trust…  Don’t let this stop you, more than likely ANYONE you talk to has had a similar experience and wouldn’t mind a confidant themselves. Be careful though, if the person you confide in tells you pornography doesn’t hurt anything or anyone… run, RUN from their counsel, they are severely mistaking. If you are addicted to porn you CAN NOT SKIP this step^, the empowerment you will receive by confiding in someone is not only helpful, but your ONLY way out.  

If you use porn, you are an addict, and should treat this ‘need’ as an addiction. You will not be able to avoid pornography on your own EVER. There will never be a time you are ‘cured’ from this addiction, you will ALWAYS be tempted.  If you would like to stop your use, you will ALWAYS need the support of a confidant. You need to be accountable to your confidant daily. When you’ve gone a few days without struggle beware, this is your most vulnerable time…  you may think you’ve gotten stronger, but in actuality it has only gotten 1000 times more difficult to tell someone the next time you are struggling. Know your limitations as an addict. An alcoholic cannot go into a bar and be expected not to struggle. Unfortunately, porn is EVERYWHERE, but you can make it easier on yourself by avoiding movies, websites, stores, books… with erotic images. Avoid the friends who by what they wear and/or do make you struggle as well.

Don’t beat yourself up, simply MOVE FORWARD. Don’t allow Satan the satisfaction of keeping you down. You are in Christ, Christ is in you, you are one with Christ - nonnegotiable - everything else is Satan’s lies. MOVE FORWARD.   

Porn – it’s everywhere, hurting everyone, killing relationships and marriages, and weakening the souls of those affected – let’s talk about it.