Praise Adonai From The Rising Of The Sun to The Ending Of The Day by Paul Wilbur

Hi and Shalom!
Today is Monday December 19, and the title of this post, is from a current song being played both on Messianic on line services and some Evangelical Christian stations here in North America, by author singer Paul Wilbur.
-You can hear the song title, Praise Adonai, Paul Wilbur, by typing it and the word Youtube, in your search engine than select to listen.

The advisement, praise Adonai which is one of God's descriptive names, coincides with these Holy Days and is a practical manner in which to express loyalty and dedication to God as His son or daughter.
We like to convey love, loyalty and praise to those we love.
Before getting consumed by "Christmas" consider the original one which was Hanukkah or Chanukkah, see pasted from Bereans on line which will conclude post.
Kevud Yehoveh, His presence accompany us today and always.

Chanukkah



This week, at sunset on December 20, we begin the eight day feast of Chanukkah. Although in is not directly mentioned in the TaNaKh, it is mentioned in the Apostolic Scriptures (John 10:21-22). The feast of Dedication is a biblical feast, and a prophetic reminder to the faithful of a future Messianic Kingdom and His holy Temple in Jerusalem. Chanukkah is not a mere replacement for "Christmas" - it is the original, and it is actually biblical.

Mellow Roc

Step By Step - Michael W Smith

Hi and shalom!
In my corner of the world it has felt much like fall this past week with temperatures between 40-60 and we have had plenty of preciptation.. April flowers here have brought May showers.
I wanted to share a recent bit of wisdom with you from a weekly called
Bereans On Line.
This will help you with your journey today or any day.
Kevud Yehoveh, His presence be with us today!
The resource from which the following is quoted, is a part of the Talmud which also contains a quote we use for this blog in the intro/welcome.

Ben Azzai would say, “Run to pursue a minor mitzvah, and flee from a transgression. For a mitzvah brings another mitzvah, and a transgression brings another transgression. For the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah, and the reward of transgression is transgression.”

m.Pirkei Avot 4:2



I am often asked how we can motivate ourselves to obedience when we don’t quite feel like it. Ben Azzai gives us the secret: take one step at a time. Each commandment that we obey, will bring more obedience. Thus, even the smallest steps are positive steps toward a life of repentance.

Mellow Roc and Bereans On Line

Amidah Blessings 15-17

Hi and shalom!
Today is Friday May 27, and for those living in the US may I express regards to you for a blessed Memorial Day weekend. We have been considering the Daily Amidah the last several posts for the most part, and blessings 10-15 are concerned with prayers for National Israel. We as believers are responsible to pray not only for the peace of Israel but our country as well and the world at large.
These are shared from the site hebrew4christians.com.
Blessing Fifteen David's Kingdom
In this blessing, appeal is made for the "branch of David" to arise and bring about Israel's salvation (Yeshua).
We believe that Yeshua of Nazareth is indeed the promised and only legitimate Jewish Messiah.

May the seed of David, Your servant, flourish speedily, and may You exalt in your salvation. For in Your salvation do we hope all the day.
Blessed are You O Lord, who brings forth the horn of Your salvation.

Blessing Sixteen Acceptance of Prayer Kabbalat Tefillah

Hear our voice O Lord our God, and have pity and mercy upon us and accept in mercy our prayer, for You are a God who hears prayers and supplications.
Do not turn us away from before you, empty, for in mercy you hear the prayer of your people Israel.
Blessed are You O Lord, who hears prayer.

Blessing Seventeen Worship Avodah

According to the Rabbis of the Talmud, the Avodah prayer was said by the priests in the Temple after they had offered the sacrifices.

Mishnah Tamid 5:1)

Accept your people O Lord our God, and receive their prayer.
Restore the most holy service of Your house and accept in love the offerings and prayers of Israel.

May it please You always to want to accept the service of your people Israel. May our eyes see You return to Zion in mercy.
Blessed are you O Lord who restores His presence to Zion.

Kevud Yehoveh, his presence be with us..
Your hellos and comments are appreciated.

Mellow Roc

The Daily Amidah

Hi and shalom!
Today is Monday May 9 and we today will feature blessings nine and ten from the Daily Amidah. See previous posts for previous blessings and such.
Blessing Nine Birkat HaShanim - blessing for prosperity
This is an appeal for a prosperous year and perhaps for us timely in llieu of the flooding ravaging home land in the southern USA.
Bless for us Adonai our God, this year and its crops. Grant us a blessing on the earth. Satisfy us from Thy bounty and our year like other good years.

Blessing Ten Kibbutz galuyot Ingathering of the exiles
Appeal is made to the Lord to return the Jews from the afflictions of Galut.
Sound the great shofar for our freedom and raise a banner to gather our exiles and unite us together from the four corners of the earth.
Blessed are You O Lord who gathers the scattered of His people Ysrael.

Misapplied Terminology
The main line church this time of year ignores the 50-day passage of time from Passover to Pentecost as a time from moving from slavery to revelation. It instead prefers to use the adjective "Easter people" to describe believers who profess faith in the Messiah and His accomplished rescue mission for all of us. This is a rather blatent error on the part of the main line liberal replacement theologists to deny its Jewish roots and fosters to a degree a subtle anti-semitism.
I never want to be identified as an Easter people, Easter believer, but rather a Resurrection people or child of the first fruits which are more befitting to the time and season. Easter is a transliterated form of the Roman sun Goddess and is a term that would best be served as banned and deleted from the annals of church record, worship, and hymnedy.
Kevud Yehoveh, His Presence accompany us today.

Mellow Roc

The Daily Amidah

Hi and shalom!
Today we are returning to the prayers which make up the Daily Amidah,
see previous posts.
I am taking these from the web site Hebrew4christians.com
Amidah Blessing Five teshuvah (repentance
This functions as a prayer to return to the Lord and His Torah.
Return us Our Father to your Torah; draw us near our King to serve You.
Restore us to Your presence in complete repentance.
Blessed are you O Lord who desires repentance.

Amidah Blessing Six selichah (forgiveness)
Forgive us Our Father for we have sinned;
Pardon us Our King for we have rebelled; for You are a pardoner and a forgiver.
Blessed are You, Lord the Gracious one who abundantly forgives.

Kevud Yehoveh, His presence accompany you today.

Mellow Roc

Four Stages of Love by Bernard of Clarivaux 12th Century

Hi and shalom,
Today is March 30 and I first need to correct word usage in my last post.
I was describing the Biblical book of Hebrews course I am taking and meant it is not for the nebbish, I had neffish. Oops, still make mistakes at age ...
This next item, Four Stages of Love, I heard referenced on the radio show,
New Life Live, show date March 29, 2011 can be accessed at
www.oneplace.com, go to link, all ministries.
Stage 4 is something to strive for, but the commentator felt most of us are at stages 1 or 2. Here is a concise descriptive.
Christianity's ancient writers often described how people mature in faith. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote about this in "Four Degrees of Love," as he described the stages of Christian love: Love of Self for Self's Sake; Love of God for Self's Sake; Love of God for God's Sake, and Love of Self for God's Sake.

The other day someone named Arlein sent this and thank her for the reminder.
Two things are hard on the heart: running up stairs, and running down people.

Next post will return to the Amidah and the third prayer in the first section known as praise.
Kevud Yehoveh, His presence accompany you today.

Mellow Roc

Article Highest Form of Worship

Hi and shalom!
Today is Tuesday February 8.
I received word this morning that Bible teacher Dwight A Pryor went into eternity this past Shabbat after suffering some time from physical illness.
He leaves the body of believers a legacy of teaching, family who follow in his teaching career, and am posting this rather lengthy article by him to encourage our journey of teaching, learning and obedience.
You may learn more of his ministry by visiting
www.jcstudies.com
Highly recommend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His Presence accompany us today. May you glean from the article presented here.

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP
By Dwight A. Pryor


"Thirty minutes on your knees in prayer is time better spent
than three hours of study in a book."


Maybe you have heard Christians make a statement like this. Or worse, perhaps you have said it to yourself, or at least thought it! Fear not, you are surrounded by a "multitude of witnesses." This is a sentiment widely shared by Christians today.


Two years ago, Brad Young was interviewing for a teaching position at a major Christian graduate school in the U.S. (not Oral Roberts School of Theology where he presently teaches). At the time, he was completing some seven years of study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, culminating in his doctoral dissertation on rabbinic parallels to the parables of Jesus. A vice-president of this prestigious, Charismatic institution said to Brad that he believed learning Greek and Hebrew was detrimental to true spirituality.


This statement, though extreme, reflects a deep-seated prejudice pervasive in Christendom, especially in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles. Like the first statement, regarding prayer and study, it also reflects so clearly how alienated the Church has become from its Hebrew origins. We have strayed far from our Jewish roots.


The roots from which our faith sprang are to be found deep in the fertile soil of first-century Judaism. To a Jew of that day, the statement "Thirty minutes of prayer is superior to three hours of study" would seem peculiar and odd, to say the least. Studying Torah was the chief duty and greatest privilege of every Jew. A fundamental tenet of Judaism was that a knowledge of Torah was the highest good in life, and therefore every effort should be expended toward that objective. "An ignorant man cannot be pious," said Hillel. "Whoever acquires knowledge of the Torah acquires life in the world to come" (Avot 2:7).


A contemporary of Hillel expressed similar sentiments. "To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to [abide in, continue in] my teachings, you really are my disciples, and you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free'" (John 8:31-32). And when asked what was the greatest of all the mitzvot or commandments, the rabbi from Nazareth answered as any pious Jew would have. He cited the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27, Mark 12:28-31).

CONSISTENT WITNESS


The biblical witness to the priority of study and learning is evident in both the Hebrew and the Christian Scriptures. Consider the following examples:

1 The Shema, or "Hear, O Israel..." (Deuteronomy 6:4), is the supreme theological declaration of Judaism and all biblical faith. The God of Israel, YHWH, is God alone. He is the creator of heaven and earth; He is the one true God, and He has covenanted with His people. Our appropriate response, then, is twofold: first to "hear" Him (v. 4), then to "teach" His ways (v. 7).

"Hear," in contemporary parlance, might be translated, "Listen up! --i.e., obey! "Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey..." (v. 3). God's revelation and our recognition of who He really is compels obedience. If knowledge of God is our greatest good, then obedience is our highest virtue, and teaching/study is our essential task. Why? Because as the famous rabbi Akiva noted, "Study leads to practice [the doing of a thing]" (Kid. 40b).

2 We are to impress the Lord's revelation upon our own hearts/minds (synonymous in Hebrew) (Deuteronomy 6:6). Further, we are commanded to "Teach these things diligently to your children..." (v.7). Apparently, this capacity to teach others the ways of YHWH endeared Abraham to the Lord. "I have chosen [or known] him that he will instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is just and right..." (Genesis 18:19).

3 The Psalms speak eloquently of the great love the Jewish people had for the Torah, the Word of God. "Happy is the man...whose delight is in the teaching of the Lord, and he studies that teaching day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2 JPS). "The teaching of the Lord is perfect, renewing life" (Psalm 19:7 JPS).

Unlike us, the Jews did not think of Torah as "Law." YHWH was not the big I.R.S. agent in the sky, capriciously issuing harsh legalistic dictates from above. Rather, YHWH was the teacher and Torah was His revelation. It was God's gracious gift of guidance, direction, and instruction--pointing us ever toward life and away from death. It is in this sense, also, by the way, that Jesus (e.g., Luke 16:17) and Paul (e.g., Romans 7:12,14) speak so highly of God's revelation at Sinai.

4 "But," you protest, "we are a 'New Testament' church and therefore the Shema is not our greatest commandment. Our great commission is not to study, but to evangelize!" (Matthew 28:19). Whoops! Back to square one. Never forget: Jesus was himself a Jew, a rabbi, who taught Jewish people in the Hebrew language using well-known rabbinic teaching techniques. And his followers, including the Apostles, were all Jews and were all Jewish. They did not forsake their Judaism to follow Him; they forsook themselves to embrace Him as the promised Messiah and to follow Him as their Lord.

Considering all this, as well as the fact that much of the New Testament was written by these men, we must always be alert to the Hebrew text and context of our Christian Scriptures. In Matthew 28:19-20, for instance, Jesus' emphasis is actually upon learning. "In your going," He says, here is what's important, here's what I really want you to do: "Make disciples...baptize them...and teach them." In Greek (mathetes), as well as in the Hebrew (talmidim) behind the Greek, the meaning of disciple is clear: a learner, a student, one who is taught. Paul's early rabbi, the great Gamaliel, was noted for having 500 talmidim. He, like the rabbi Jesus, was heeding the longstanding slogan of the Great Synagogue: "Raise up many disciples" (Avot 1:1).

As the Church, we are to be witnesses of the risen Lord, to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God. But in our going, what matters to Jesus is that we make students or learners of all the pagans (goyim), i.e., all the other nations in the world. He emphasizes this in Jewish fashion, by repetition: "Teach them to obey all that I have taught" (v. 20). Teaching and obedience, once again, are inseparable priorities, just like in the Shema.

5 The early Church understood Jesus' charge to them. When they gathered, as Jewish believers, at the conclusion of Shabbat, teaching was the first priority (Acts 2:42). The Apostles would give ongoing guidance, direction, and instruction (not mere "doctrine" [KJV]) to those in the community of the faithful.

6 Paul exhorts a cherished disciple, Timothy, to remember that inspired Scripture "makes us wise for salvation," and therefore its first priority is to be "useful for teaching" (II Timothy 3:15-16). Timothy's own gift of teaching is not to be neglected, but is an important element of his ministry, encourages Paul (I Timothy 4:13).

7 Finally, Paul's own commitment to teaching and discipling is abundantly attested to in Scripture. His skills in "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" reflect his rabbinic training and Jewish orientation. The vignette in Acts 20:7-12 is a personal favorite of mine because it reveals much about the attitude toward study and teaching in the early Church.

Paul joins the saints at Troas shortly after sundown on Saturday evening (the first day of the week by Jewish reckoning). Because of their intense desire for teaching, he speaks until midnight (v.7)--a six-hour sermon! Young Eutychus, despite his exposure to the night air, falls asleep in the window and slips to his death three stories below (v. 9). The impressive thing to me, however, is not that at Paul's hand his life is renewed (v. 10); but that Paul and the saints immediately return upstairs to get back to business--study. Paul instructs them for another six hours, until daylight! (v. 11)


O that the Church today had that kind of intensity for learning, where study and teaching would take precedence even over miracles! But the greater truth is that the teaching of the Lord renews life (Psalm 19:7). It is accompanied by signs and wonders because the Word of God is powerful; properly understood and obeyed, it will never return void but always yields a bountiful harvest.

Jewish Thought of the Day

Hi and shalom,
There is some wisdom to be considered from Jewish Thought of the Day
www.simpletoremember.com
I agree with the author, comments welcomed by and from you!
How did we get transparent cells in our eyeballs but nowhere else?
What’s on the other side of the end of the Universe?
If you have to keep off the grass, how do the “Keep off the Grass” signs get there?
What’s in a name?
How does an aspirin know if you have a headache or you banged your knee?
Why do fools fall in love?
How do you “get an idea”?
What’s the difference between rigorous and vigorous?
What’s the difference between flammable and inflammable?
Which REALLY tastes better – Alpo or Purina (and what’s the difference)?
To be or not to be?
Why aren’t babies born with a full set of teeth that come as standard equipment like fingers and toes?
What’s the margin of error of a margin of error?
After we reach the end of days, who’s gonna know?
Where’s the beef?

There are so many things I don’t know, I don’t even know what they are. If YOU know any of the answers, I’d love to hear from you. But please don’t tell my wife, I would hate to spoil her impression of me.

His presence accompany you today.
Mellow Roc

I Won't Give Up if You Don't Give Up - 2010 song

Hi and shalom!
Today is February 1, happy month to all reading!
I think my inner eyes are going to be opened to a few realities this month which are going by faith in our Messiah, to call for me to exercise the title of our post which is from the song, Calling All Angels.
Within my family there are a couple issues that are going to need a lot of love, tough love maybe, and in the work place cooperation through times of changing technology which to my thinking aint broke so why tweak it..
On the faith front, I was recently challenged to perhaps broaden my view of the middle East a bit, and was made aware of an organization that seeks reconciliation of Israeli/Palestinian peoples through faith first and foremost in the Messiah, and practically works with the day to day issues between those peoples. I will say the main-line church tends to have it bacward, efforts plus a little faith equals co-existence.
How about faith resulting in effort equals coexistence, dear church leaders?

Here is an excerpt from their website
www.musalaha.org
Two Peoples, One Voice in worship

At the end of 2010, more than 150 people assembled, stood up, and boldly made a controversial statement in the middle of Jerusalem. But in this rally hands were raised in surrender rather than grasping picket signs, voices singing in exaltation rather than shouting in anger, and a message of love, unity, and hope rather than of a political agenda. Last week we did what should be one of the most natural and obvious activities for believers, but is unfortunately an unfathomable concept for many. We simply joined together, as Israeli and Palestinian believers, and praised our Father. The Messianic Jewish Congregation Shemen Sasson of West Jerusalem and the Palestinian Christian Alliance Church of East Jerusalem teamed up along with Musalaha to host a worship event featuring not only songs in Arabic and songs in Hebrew, but also songs in both Arabic and Hebrew. With just this act, we rattled the foundations of the barriers between us.

Out of a conversation between Musalaha Director Salim Munayer and Messianic Worship Leader Sheli Meyers came the idea for the event when they agreed that the believers of the Land simply need to come together and worship. This night defied our expectations with what Sheli later expressed as “the Lord anointing us, and all who came, with a Spirit of joy and unity,” and was attended by Palestinian Christians, Palestinian-Israeli Christians, Messianic Jewish Israelis, and some international believers living in the area. This was a daunting challenge, not because of the question of the will of the people, but because of the logistical issues special to this area. While Palestinian-Israelis are permitted by Israel to travel to the Palestinian Territories, Jewish-Israelis are prohibited, and likewise Palestinians of the PA are barred from entering Israel. However, during the Christmas season, many Palestinian Christians receive permission for one month to enter Jerusalem. Musalaha, Shemen Sasson and the Alliance Church decided that the event would take place during that window of opportunity, at the end of 2010, in order that we may use the worship to look forward to oneness in the New Year.

His Presence "kevod Yehovah" accompany us today.
Mellow Roc

Still Crazy After All These Years - Paul Simon 1970s

Hi and shalom!
Today is Wednesday January 26 and this date holds special significance for me.
Over a decade ago, my wife and I adopted our son and daughter who are now embarking on young adulthood having graduated from high school last Spring.
Today too is the birthday of my mom. She went to eternity late November after short-term illness but her memory lives on in her husband and 5 children.
This week the devotion I subscribe to, Praying the Names of God, is talking about Yeshua being the great physician. MD, psychiatrist, therapist, Rabbi all rolled into His character.
As I consider my journey today and possibly yours too, these words by the author may offer a nudge to both of us.
May the Kevod of Yehovah be with us today. (presence of God).
The next time you pray for healing, why not go out on a limb? Admit to yourself and to Christ just how desperate you are for him to touch you, body and soul. Then tell Jesus you believe in his power to heal you. Stop hedging your bets and qualifying your prayers. Ask him to glorify himself by making you a spectacle of his healing power and his great compassion. If in response you sense him asking you to do something to effect your healing, like asking others to pray for you, repenting of sin, changing your lifestyle, or seeking out the care of a specialist, do that as well. Don't limit the ways God can answer your prayer for healing grace.

-Your comments are always warmly welcomed!

Cool Clear Water - song from 1950s

Hi and shalom!
Today is Sunday January 23, or if you like, 01-23..
Temperatures are very wintery in my part of blog land, low teens but feels more like 0 or slightly below.
Before we get to our Hebraic roots nugget this time, I would like to ask those who have chosen to follow my blog to consider leaving a comment, or sending a short note.
I cannot communicate with you directly, but want you to know your choice to follow is truly appreciated and encouraging.
This year,as personal study, I am going through the chapter by chapter commentary from torah class.com on the books Genesis through Deuteronomy in the Bible.
Here is a nugget from the lesson discussing Exodus chapter 17, where the wilderness sojourners are complaining for lack of water. Reference is made to a similar complaint posed 2 chapters previously.
His presence (kevod Yehovah) accompany us today.
Back in chapter 15, we see Israel grumbling and in need of water. Moses brings them to a spring, an oasis that, in its natural state had water that was quite bitter to the taste. But, when some special, unnamed wood (obviously something that was available locally) is immersed into that bitter water at God’s command, the water is cleansed of its bad taste, and it became useful to save their lives.
This is such a beautiful picture of what Christ would do for us 1400 years into the future. Here we are, mankind, our corrupt natural state being full of bitterness. Bitterness, in our Western way of thinking, generally is an emotion or an attitude or a mental state; it means that we are hanging on to hurts and offenses; we have developed a sense that life has been unfair to us, and as a result, we view the world around us cynically and reject joy. But, that typically is NOT what the Bible means by bitterness. Rather, scripturally, bitterness means the opposite of sweet, both in a real and in a poetic sense. Bitter means unbearable pain usually at the hands of another, suffering with no hope of escape, oppression….the root word for bitter, mara, is even associated with poison. The Jews of Nazi Germany were bitter; they were in a hopeless state of oppression beyond their own control.
Bitter, as a negative state of existence, is often used to describe the Israelites condition in Egypt. And, bitter is also the natural condition of all mankind; unable to save ourselves, unable to change ourselves, unable to shuck off our bitter existence, even if we don’t recognize it as bitter.
And, now comes Christ, who is hung onto a piece of wood, His precious blood spilled all over it. But, what miraculous qualities that wood, that cross, has; for when that Divine wood, the Cross, is immersed into our lives and our bitterness, our oppression, is taken away. Often when something is immersed into a liquid that object takes on a different character. In point of fact the Greek word baptizmo, from which we get our English word baptize, means to immerse. And, the word baptizmo is a word that was borrowed from the cloth dying trade of the biblical era; that is, a natural cloth was baptizmo into a vat of dye, where the cloth took on the characteristics of that which it was immersed into. And so it is with those who are crucified with Yeshua; His wooden cross, immersed into our bitter lives, transforms our lives and makes them sweet and free from the oppression of the power of sin. This is the picture intended at the spring of Mara, out in the wilderness.
Well, lets return to Chapter 17 and Israel’s newest need for water.

Mellow Roc