Welcome to Home Shalom!

Welcome to Home Shalom and Shalom Farm. We pray your visit here be blessed. We are learning to walk in the Ways (Torah) of our Father YHWH and follow Y'shua, His Messiah until He returns to "set things straight". We call it a "Messi-Life". Our walk is neither tidy nor perfect, but it is filled with passion, devotion and desire to serve our King. We are learning to be humble servants, and to be good stewards of the things that He has entrusted to us: His Word, our marriage, our children, our family, our community, our health, and our farm. Hitch your horse and stay a while--our door is always open!

Tuesday, December 11, 2018



Shalom Everyone!

I pray that all is well with you and yours.  Miss me?  We've moved off of Shalom Farm and now live at New Song Ranch.  The kids are getting so big!  I have 3 graduated from school at the time of this update and 2 that are married.  As of Jan 2023 I am grandma (Savta) to a sweat baby girl and with another baby on the way!

You might consider visiting us over at at our other ministery website that we started developing a couple years ago.  www.Messilife.com (Messiah Life).  We would love to see you there!

Much Love!  Pamela



Friday, September 29, 2017

Forgiveness: A Salvation Issue (Ha Yom Kippuriem)

Image result for forgiveness - salvation issue

This Ha Yom Kippuriem, as I reflect and seek Yah's face, I am reminded of something that I learned many years ago.  It was an " ah ha" moment; a real truth was seeded in my heart and mind that I will never forget and I aspire to embody.  It was about the very weighty matter of forgiveness.  It was the moment that I realized forgiveness is IN FACT - A SALVATION ISSUE.  It is by the words of our Savior, a requirement for Salvation!

Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Mark 11:25
And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well."




Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.g 24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.h25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servanti fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,j and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,k until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Matthew 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

You see, forgiveness  if a Kingdom pricipal that does not mearly seem to be a "good idea".  It appears to be a Kingdom pricipal (law) that is REQUIRED of Yah's Children.  Its not optional. So family, we need to be very good and proficient at this.  We must search ourselvs honestly and see if unforgiveness resides in us and if it does, we need to repent (turn around) and choose to forgive. Then walk in that forgiveness!!  It is a choice that is fully within our ability, authority and power to do.


Need more encourgement on the "how to" of forgiveness?

https://homeshalom.blogspot.com/2016/04/forgiveness.html

https://homeshalom.blogspot.com/2010/06/practicing-restoration-and-forgiveness.html

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Prayer and Support


Blake and Rachel Cothron and their new (first born) son, Gideon of Crab Orchard, KY  need prayer and support.  They are a young family who is new to understanding all of Scriptures (Yeshua, Torah, Shabbat, etc).  Blake and Rachel's son was born on October 13.  He was born with a lethal heart defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries.  The sweet little fella has undergone a couple surgeries in his first week of life and his recovery will take some time.  He is doing pretty well considering all that he has been through.(PRAISE YAH!)  This family has been praying and praising and trusting Yah though this whole thing.  This sweet couple is standing fast in hope and faithfulness for their son's full healing and recovery.

Will you please pray for Little Gideon and his parents and everything that Yah may put on your heart surrounding them?  Wendy Pecci has established a webpage for them at You Caring, so people can remain updated as to  Gideon's progress.   They have extensive medical bills and other associated costs during the treatment of their son. There is an opportunity to help fill the practical needs (as the BODY) for the financial burden on the webpage too.


In Him,
Pamela

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Hebraic (Davidic) Dance

I have had requests for Hebraic Dance Resources. There are some great instructions dance DVD's available  as well as live dance camps that can be found at Messianic Dance Camps which put out the Teach Your Feet Dance DVD Series. Instructors are a married couple,  Ralph and Mindy Seta.  They also host live dance camps and trips to worship in Israel.

Here is a wonderful overview of Biblical Hebraic Dance History, by a lady who's name I do not know. She has a few videos I will be featuring here from her You Tube Channel Rejoice in Dance.


However there are many instructional worship videos that can be accessed for free on You Tube or God Tube.  They will teach specific song or specific steps.  If you like their style, after viewing them here, go to their source location and subscribe to their channel so you can go back to use them again and again.  It is good to first learn the steps with their names.  This will help you greatly when the "names" are called out for the song instructional on other videos or in person at Shabbat or feast gathering.  So lets start there:

This is Shannon Compo she has a You Tube Channel called Shay4Dance


Another great resource is the Key Of David International channel on Your Tube which has a wonderful series of videos that teach one step at a time in each video.  This is done in a very clean and concise way and they give a little traditional history to origin of the steps as well.

There are a few levels of difficulty (Davidic or) Hebraic Dance.  I would encourage you to start with songs with simple step combinations to get the hang of it.  There are dances for everyone though, so I want to show you some of the beginner level low impact dances to start with.  Some songs can become a serious aerobic workouts and get you huffing or make you feel like you have two left feet, if you re not conditioned to dance.  If you jump in with too much to fast, you become discouraged and think you can;t do it - so please know that there are different levels.  Sit out on those more advanced ones and study them - you will get there if you choose too increase your skills and physical endurance - stick to it.  

Now, lets talk about choreography.  There are traditional hebrew songs that have very universal steps, that have been handed down and most places will do them the same.  However, you may run into variations.  Especially in newer songs or in Messianic circles.  The reason being is because there are different folks choreographing and different communities will learn dances from different choreographers.  So don't be surprised if you run into this.  You can share differences with friends and once you learn the foundation steps and get comfortable with them, you will get to the point where you can hop into a circle on dances you have never danced or ones that have slightly different choreography and join right in, because the foundation is the same it just the combinations that change.  Most Hebraic dances are done to a 4 count.  Most dances are done in s a circle formation, but there are a few exceptions that are choreographed in lines.  Hebraic dance if doe both men and women.  However some communities have different customs regarding whether men and women dance together in the same circles.  It is wise to take note of what those customs are, if you are joining a new group, before you hop into a circle. :)


Here are a few sample of some beginner dances that came to mind:

This video is one of the first songs I learned by my former dance team, about 10 years ago.  It is still one of my favorites.  This video was taken from Mindy Seta's You Tube Channel and is one of the videos in her DVD series mentioned above.   Unlike the videos I share below by Rejoice in The Dance, she shows the dance first than teaches you how to do it.



Last but no least, here is a great You Tube Channel by some friends of ours.  This was started by a young man in our community.  Sometime you see an imbalance of  more women than men in hebraic dance in our Messianic Circles which is a shame.  Because in our circles, when the men get together it is so powerful and so beautiful - especially when it is all men alone.  They often choose more dances of spiritual warfare and when they do - man, get out of their way and it can get serious - it will make your skin tingle!! We have been blessed to be able to dance together before.  he has lots of good stuff on here- Enjoy!

I will leave you with the last dance video, its one of my all time favorites.  It takes place at some friends' wedding.  This wedding party is dancing in celebration and is comprised of the two families being joined together through this marriage.  All are walking in The Way together. 
Ya gotta love love love it!!


I pray this post blesses, equips and encourages you to pursue 
this beautiful expression of community worship.

Shalom,

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Selling the Farm!

We are selling the farm!  This is such a bitter sweet decision.  Yah has granted so many memories and adventures here.  He has granted us so many learning experiences and times for growth.  He has granted us the sweetness of friends and family.  We have ministered too and been ministered too.

We have poured ourselves out in this place.  Blood, sweat and tears have gone into our land, our buildings, our animals and community.  We have feasted here and gathered here on Shabbats and every day of the week! We have loved it all and we are so very thankful for this time here on Shalom Farm.

We are not moving far.  Because our community is scattered all over the Middle TN area, we will still stay connected.  We will look for place closer to Nashville, another farm, hopefully; So that we can be closer to my husband's new work territory.  We are excited for the next season and what Yah has for us in it.  He rained on us and reigned in us all that is set apart and good.  He is faithful and He teaches us to be as well.  I firmly believe that we should leave a place better than we found it.  This is our father's way and it is good - oh so good!  So we'll see what He has in store for us next.  We'll keep you posted when it unfolds!

Here are photos from our Realtor (and sister in Messiah and The Word).  Spread the word if you know anyone who is looking for an (uncertified) organic farm in the Middle TN region.  (Summertown, TN)

http://view.paradym.com/applets/flashviewer2/viewer.asp?t=3830146&sk=22&prt=10003

In Him,

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Forgiveness


Image result for forgiveness

As Believers, in order for us to function effectively in Yah's Kingdom, it is essential - required even, that we understand and live out lifestyle of forgiveness.  This very thing is what has brought us into the Kingdom and i believe it is also what "keeps us there".  It is core of Who Yah is and what His plan is for us in relation to Him and each other.  It is the core to Biblical love, which covers a multitude of sins.  It will keep us in line with His will and position us to be true ambassadors for Him.  If we can't 'get this', the feasts, the commandments, and even our profession of faith is fruitless. I have been talking with a dear sister out of state on this topic and have been sharing the things Yah has taught me in this. These are things that we (Ben and Pamela) believe and choose to live. What I am about to share is my laymen's terms -from one heart to another - as Yah has taught me consistently over the last 30 years of my walk with him. These are core things of our faith, that I want to make sure my children understand and practice well. There is a law of forgiveness, it is built into Yah's design and crucial for us to GET if we are to walk in the fullness of His Way. This coupled with love and obedience are the core principals that set us apart.  We should be master lovers, forgivers, and "cooperators" (obedience) with Yah. Test this sweet family.  If anything needs clarity, please ask.  If anyone has trouble walking this out, please ask (publicly or privately).
 There are many misconceptions and lies around forgiving that we might need to chip away.  Lets start there:

  1. I can’t forgive.   - This is not true.  Forgiveness is a choice.  If you are coherent enough to make any choice – you are able to forgive.
  2. What they did was too vicious, wicked or deep to forgive.  – This is not true.  The transgression may be absolutely heinous but Yah has designed forgiveness as the ultimate act of love.  Forgiveness does not release them from judgement, but it does release the FORGIVER/victim from it in a way.  We are judged on the matter of the heart as well as our actions.  The act of forgiving disconnects us from the incident.  Before we forgive, we are “married” to the tragedy.  We have burned it onto out brain through thought connected to heightened emotions and that bad situation has branded us.  We have taken it into our identity.  Into who we are.  This is highly destructive!   Our emotions (the heart is deceptively wicked) trick us into thinking that doing this protects us, but the opposite takes place.  It kills us like drips of slow poison!!  Forgiveness is Yah’s precious design to create the door fromvictimization/pain/anger/powerlessness/fear/vengefulness/trauma loops/sickness/pride (all things bad and destructive) to allow us to enter into embracing ourselves honestly/ others/ trust/love/Yah/ freedom (all things good in Yah!)!   This is required of the transgressor as well to process whatever it is who brought him to His place of transgression. 
  3. They do not deserve forgiveness.  Yah is just – justice will be done according to each of our hearts! No matter who we are – victim or transgressor.  If our hearts are hardened (and they are when we do not forgive) We face the same judgement as the one who did the awful thing.  We do not want to join them in the place by hardening our own hearts – because then we will be judged for that!
  4. I missed my chance to forgive them, because they are dead or gone.  Not True.  Forgiveness is something we do internally.  It is ideal to be communicated to transgressor because forgiveness has the power to save everyone it touches.  However, forgiveness is really between us and Yah above all.  It is complete surrender of the incident and trusting Yah that His justice will be sufficient.  We disconnect ourselves from ‘it’.  We have no claim to it and more.  We give up that control as a result – we are set free.
  5. Forgiving them won’t change anything.  This is not true.  It changes the most important thing.  Our internal wellness.  I agree that it may not change consequences or results of the damage (for instance a rape victim that might contract a disease or baby – for instance- those things are still there.)  However, it does change our hearts and our ability to live life there after in a healthy way!  This no small thing! I also agree that it may not change THEM.  But again – that is not for us to do.  We are way out of line if that is our focus. Yah has given us dominion over ourselves on internal matters - Not others.  That person is accountable to Yah himself – the same as us.  Forgiveness allows us to release the heart of vengeance that requires anything from that person to complete your healing. (Note:  It is true and wise however to remove ourselves (and family) from a toxic or dangerous situation.  These are two different topics.) 
  6. If I forgive them, it is like I am saying what happened was OK.  This is not true.  If you forgive them – you are deciding not to torture yourself over it anymore!  Holding unforgiveness damages the victim the most!  When we refuse to forgive, negative emotions cement themselves into our being and cause us further heart break in life.  We carry this incident with us consciously or unconsciously.  Our unforgiveness traps us and yokes us to that painful situation and that person. The transgression should have its own identity separate from us.  That transgression should not be embedded into who we are, but that is what we do when we refuse to forgive.  If we refuse to let it go,  it eventually becomes apart whowe are and how we operate. Then we essentially become a part of the problem.  But it we can separate ourselves from it and "rise above it" by keeping the Spiritual Law of Forgiveness - something supernatural happens.  It does not condone it - in fact it allows light to shin into the situation!
  7. They need to do something first, before I forgive them.  This is also untrue.  Yah has built in the ability for us to be set free from any transgression – ours or someone elses through our act of surrender TO HIM.  This is not conditional upon anyone else’s actions or heart conditions.  Forgiveness is between you and Yah.  No one can stop that process but you.  This thought is one that demands control over another.  We need to realize that this spirit transferred over to us during the transgression and we accepted it (consciously or unconsciously).  When we do that, we actually welcome that same spirit into us that drove the other person to do what they did to us.  Ironic right?!  But true.  We fell into satan’s trap (so to speak).  We took the bait –now we are hooked into the controlling spirit of ‘conditional love’ and unforgiveness too and the enemy is reeling us into himself and his ways out or the safety of the living waters of Yah. However, it is at that time that we need to choose whether we are mere animals being lead to the frying pan to be cooked on the alter of a false god OR if we are children of the living El, who will employ the tools ALREADY given to us to break the line! 

The TRUTH and power of forgiveness.

  1. Forgiveness is a choice.  It really is that simple.  We choose it (or not)!  We decide to release a transgression or not.
  2. Forgiveness transforms people from the inside out. It changes our hearts and minds.  It positions us to walk/live in love, mercy, grace, kindness and wisdom.  It equips and empowers us to avoid future situations and deal with the ones that arise in honor and power – without regret.   It sharpens our discernment and strengthens our resolve.   It allows us to see others more compassionately. It suites us up in the armor of Yah.  Which causes offence to slip right off our surface like eggs on Teflon – it never gets a chance to stick!!
  3. Forgiveness breaks chains that bind us to trauma.    Where there is light – there can not be darkness.  Where there is forgiveness, there can not be offence or any of its trappings.  Where there is love, there can not hate.  Where there is peace their can not be anger. Where there is faith their can not be doubt.
  4. Forgiveness heals.  Because love is activated and the ties to wickedness are broken – the mind and body respond positively!  Instead of producing and reinforcing negative stress chemicals, new thoughts and chemicals are produced, which also result in positive feelings and so the cycle goes in the right direction now.  Instead of break down,  repair and restoration happens in the mind, in the physical body, in the emotions and in the spirit. This extends into our relationships and changed our whole life.
 Recognizing unforgiveness:
  1. Unforgiveness destroys people from the inside out.  Our negative thoughts can be conscious or unconscious.  This really important to understand.  Negative thoughts and feelings can turn us into “bad people”.  Basically we choose, consciously or unconsciously, to believe a lie and then that lie festers and grows and branches out to feed a myriad of other lies.  The fruits of this are offense, bitterness, anger/violence, fear/anxiety, controlling/ obsessive/impatient behaviors, instability, dysfunctional relationships, sickness/disease, addictions of every kind and it is also the core to depression and insanity.  These things can be a challenge to over come.  However, Yah has given us the ability to take domination over this!  
  1. Unforgiveness is often the default.  It is our flesh’s response to pain. If one is not in the habit of choosing and practicing forgiveness than the human nature is to automatically inclined for offence which leads to unforgiveness, which leads to hardened hearts (a.k.a. bitterness).
  2. Unforgiveness is bondage.  The cycle of unforgiveness is a snare.  The more we thrash around in it (by indulging it or repeating it) the tighter it gets and the more entangled in it we become.
  3. Identify Unforgiveness.  Our thoughts, words and feelings give us away. Are you thinking, speaking and feeling negatively toward a person?  Does the mention, or sight or association of that person bring about a negative thought or feeling?  You may notice that you are antsy, anxious, vengeful thoughts or impatience with others.  You may notice your hands sweat, you get a knot in your stomach, a head (or body) aches surfaces, or you may get tired or your heart may start racing, you teeth clench, etc..  You may suspect the involvement, guilt or integrity of others who interact with that person.  The list goes on – these are sure signs that there is unforgiveness present.  If any one of these things, or a combination of them or similar things surface at the thought, sight or mention of person – you are carrying unforgiveness. 
  1. Projecting doom.  Have you ever found yourself projecting doom in relation to another?  You can run scenarios in your head about how awful something is going be regarding them.  You just “know” what will happen – and its not going to be good.  You predict the worse – and you may even be right.  This is a sure sign of unforgiveness in you – even if you are right.  This is evidence that you have run this unforgiveness record in your brain several times – you have it memorized. It has become apart of you – you know it like the back of your hand.  This reality also shows itself when you find yourself arranging your choices and actions in a way that avoids a person or instigate a person (depending your personality)around the projection of impending doom. This is a result of fear of coping, which can also be symptom of unforgiveness.

Practical Application and Understanding:

1. Here is the physical mechanics or spiritual truth:   This physical and spirit connection is a recent discovering for me as Yah has led me to understand a little more about how He has created our bodies.  Now we are going to touch on the understanding and application of mind of matter in Yah’s design. This applies to both conscious and unconscious thoughts/feelings. This is  dealing with the thoughts, feelings  and experiences we encounter or generate that need to be processed by our brain.  Our brains have to decide what to do with them and where to put them.  Our brain is constantly organizing information. 
We can basically break down our brain into three major parts.  For simplicity, I am going to call them thinking, feeling and being.  They all work together to process and store our environment’s information.  When we encounter a thought or experience – this thought or experience generates a chemical (or series of chemicals) in our body, that in turn creates heightened emotions and feelings.  These heightened emotions and feelings generate more thoughts in that direction, which create more (stress or healing) hormones/chemicals, which create more feelings and then this process loops and loops and loops.  This looping creates synapses in our brain.  (A synopsis is a when two or more neurons connect to each another to form a larger bond in the form of a molecules, these molecules cling together manifesting into a judgement, association, or memory.  These judgements, associations and memories create our understanding of our environment, life and the world.  This forms the lense of which we see.  This creates our belief system which ultimately shapes our actions.)  The more synapses are reinforced the stronger they get in conviction.  The stronger it gets the bigger influence it has on our entire perception of our existence.  Does this make sense?  If we are on a negative feed loop – those will be our results.  If we are on a positive, holy, righteous, godly loop those will be our results.  It is how Yah designed these glorious machines we live in!  That is why He has given us so many guidelines and precautions of how to maintain it in good health through His Torah.  That is why Y’shua ‘s sacrifice and teachings are so very crucial to our salvation!  Does this make sense? Forgiveness sets us free to be in Yah’s Creative will – plugged into his creative spirit, if you will.  We are free to design our lives for the better within His framework of truth.  We do this while embracing, producing and basking in true  love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy and grace in our lives. This is His Way! He requires that we CHOOSE LIFE.  (He has placed before us blessings and curses – right?!)

2.  To Forgive:  We make a choice to honestly and whole heartedly forgive someone/something.  What does that look like? 

  • We lay down that thing/person and disassociate ourselves from it.  We no longer own that painful event – we give it Yah and step away from it.  It has not hold on us. 
  • IN doing so – we let go of all the crutches, all the excuses, all the jusfications connected to it.  All the behaviors, feelings and thought patterns that have been associated to it in the past, get surrendered with it. 
  • We give up the right to hold it over them or to make them suffer/pay for what they did. 
  • We surrender our negative thoughts and feelings. 
  • We surrender trying to control the matter or influence others in regards to it.
  • We disconnect and disassociate with it.  You owe it nothing and it owes you nothing.
  • You have surrendered it to Yah to handle and you trust Him fully in it. 
  • You do not need to check in on Yah’s progress or see if he needs your help in the matter.  It is surrendered – you are surrendered – permanently, no backsies. 

That is forgiveness. 

If that is not complete and your conditions or definition leaves a few of those things to remain, it is not honestsurrender/forgiveness.  There is still an element of deceit remaining in you in the form of self preservation, control or self defense that you will not trust to Yah.  In this case, I would go back to prayer and offer those idols up that were hidden under your robes, “just in case you need them” later.  Yah is no fool- you are not hiding anything from him – you are just deceiving yourself or others when you do that.  This is a perversion. True forgiveness requires honesty and transparency between you and The Father.  Deceit will lead to a hardened heart. 

How do you know when forgiveness is complete?  You will know that you have arrived at true and complete forgiveness when the thought, sight, feelings of that person or event can arise and you are not emotionally or physically effected by it, and when thoughts of compassion for that person arise.  When you think and feel disconnected from the negative aspects of that person or event and it is replaced with love. This CAN in an instant – but if it doesn’t this is evidence of limited surrender on the “forgiver’s” part.  In other words the “forgiver” is holding something back and is not entering into the process with full trust in Yah and for justice.  This is a result of a hardened heart on the “forgiver’s” part.  I would encourage being deliberate to pressing into the process until the forgiveness is complete.  If not – you will be bound to unforgiveness and it sill still control you and be toxic to your health and your other relationships.

3. Learn to forgive – before it is deserved. When an offense occurs – it is wise to choose forgiveness even before it is requested, or suggested.  It may never be “asked for”.  The person who assaulted you may never repent or believe he did anything wrong. He might even justify what was done and brag about it!  That has nothing to do with your choice to forgive him.  Forgiveness is not based on someone deserving it or requesting it. It is based on your willingness to release it and disconnect yourself from it!  It is a spiritual mind matter.  The world would teach you differently.  The world would say that forgiveness come when someone deserves it.  It would say you make ‘m grovel for it.  You make sure you see that they have changed before you even think about forgiving something.  That – is a lie.  That is no Yah’s design. Yah forgives us to give us first, which gives us the opportunity to change!  (Whether we take that or not – is all on us.  But the forgiveness give us that choice.) Y’shua offered forgiveness in the MIDST of being beaten.  Y’shua did not postpone healing after people “proved it to him”.  No-  he healed them or prophesied over them, declared them forgiven and said – go forth and sin no more.  They were forgiven first.  We see this pattern again and again in Scripture – THIS is Yah’s way.  His way is higher than mans.

4.  Identify triggers and false thought patterns.  After we go through the honest process of full forgiveness and surrender to Yah and you trust  His justice and do not need to employ your own.  Sometimes, long term or especially traumatic instances – unforgiveness can rear its ugly head again.  (Mat 12:43-45) We can nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand again and expresses itself by an outburst of some sort.  So after we have “cleaned house”   we are careful to guard our hearts from anything that would feed that old pattern of unforgiveness.  We are keen to audit our thoughts, feelings and physical responses  (remember these our signs that give our true spiritual condition away).  We rebuke anything in us that is inconsistent with forgiveness, love and freedom.  We pray to Yah for strength courage and faithfulness.  We replace the lies that are trying to sneak in, with the affirming promises of Yah.

5.  Establish new thought patterns, feelings and experiences.    You will have many opportunities to practice forgiveness,  I can assure you!  We are tested on all of Yah’s Kingdom skills! Choose forgiveness as a rule. Align yourself into a lifestyle of forgiveness.   It is required of us as believers. This my friends, is  a salvation issue!!!   This is very closely married to a lifestyle of gratitude.  If we are gracious (grateful) about all that which Yah has blessed us with, as a POSTURE, a way of being and we practice forgiveness as lifestyle.  Then things that used to set us off, don’t anymore, because we do not need to define ourselves by those things anymore. We use a different measuring stick. We will experience the abundance of kingdom living to its fullest and be used in ways we never imagined.  We will be like ice breakers for the Kingdom of Yah; strong, dependable, consistent and powerful in Him.  The world will suggest that walking in forgiveness is a sign of weakness…but you will find out and others will eventually also see – that is a sign of supernatural strength!
 I pray that we could all embrace a lifestyle of love, forgiveness and obedience (cooperation/surrender).  If we do, our individual lives and collective lives as families that make up a community will glorify Yah and transcend our wildest dreams!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

First Fruits to Shavuot: The Heart of His Feast Cycle



http://www.messilife.com/First%20Fruits%20to%20Shavuot.pdf

The link above will download the actual teaching.   The notes below will set the premise.

I've gotten so much positive feedback on the Pesach vs. Passover study, so I decided to share the notes from the "First Fruits to Shavuot" study we did last year too.   Although this is essentially a powerpoint turned into a PDF, I think there are enough notes in the fine-print to get the idea of where I am going here.   I promise I will put this in a more independent format that breaks down the ideas deeper and more succinctly, but for those who have had experience with the Feasts and a basic understanding of Hebraic thinking, I'm hoping the visuals and notes will speak for themselves.

The premise is this: First Fruits is not a "feast" unto itself...and neither is the day of Shavuot.   They are the beginning and ending of a 50-day-long Feast that begins with the theme of "salvation" and ends with the celebration of "perfection".   Shavuot is a plural word that means "weeks", so we need to paying attention weekly (and daily) to the lessons he has for us during all 7 weeks (49 days plus one), and not just routinely phone-in some "omer counting prayers" as we wait for the big event at the end.   

None of the feasts stand alone, all seven are stops along the roadmap of YHWH's plan...teaching us crucial principles IN THE ORDER that they occur in our lives and in prophecy.   The Feast of Weeks needs to be looked at as the heart of the feasts...as they are literally CENTRAL to his plan.   I think we've also made the error of looking at Shavuot as the "giving of the 10 commandments" when the real culmination is not that event...but the celebration of the Mosaic Covenant with all 70 elders on the top of Mt. Sinai--eating a covenant meal in the very presence of YHWH!

Towards the end of the power point, I reference 7 events that occur in the lives of our people from the moment they cross the Sea up until that collective moment on the mountain top.   The last few slides hold the briefest of sketches on notes of the "Fall Feasts", simply because it's impossible to study one feast without the context of all 7.   I'm sure many of you will notice that I have come to a less-than-traditional understanding of Yom Teruah--much of which has come through my new understanding of the Feast of Weeks.

Last year, many in our fellowship replaced their normally scheduled Torah portion with a study of each of these 7 events during 7 Sabbaths along the path to Shavuot.   We were truly blessed, and we hope you are too!

If you are used to the Jewish reckoning of the timing of Shavuot, and to the notion of "counting the omer" as the point of this feast...I'd also recommend reading our former posts on those issues too:

http://www.homeshalom.blogspot.com/2011/04/first-fruitscounting-omer-video.html

http://www.homeshalom.blogspot.com/2011/04/counting-omerdays-revised.html

Thanks as usual for growing a sojourning with us!

Ben







Saturday, February 7, 2015

Lost in Translation: Passover VS Pesach


Last year around this time many of the families that meet with us locally for fellowship and shared the Pesach meal together, also shared this study.   As most of our "discoveries" from Scripture, things are subject to change and tweaking as we learn more, but I think you will really be blessed with what we discovered here.   Because of the length and some of the Hebrew typeset, we've put the files online as PDF's that you can read or easily print:

Part 1 is a study on the Hebrew word PESACH--and how it DOESN'T mean "Passover", and what that implies for our Feast and our lives.
www.messilife.com/Pesach%20vs%20Passover%20part%201.pdf

Part 2 dives deeper into the word "Passover" and what it REALLY means.
www.messilife.com/Pesach%20word%20study%20part%202.pdf

Part 3 looks closer at the meal itself, both the original meal with Moses and the "Last Supper" with Messiah.   Was Yeshua celebrating a "seder" or was His meal something entirely different?
www.messilife.com/Pesach%20Study%20part%203.pdf

I am hopeful these teachings really stretch you as they did us!   Chag Semach!  (Have a Joyful Feast!)


Thursday, January 15, 2015

YHWH Looks on the Heart

This video brings tears to my eyes - because I know the depth of which the family believes and walks out this concept being taught in this sweet family made video.  It is made by the Coover family.  We met the Coovers in PA early in this chapter of our faithwalk.  YHWH kept crossing our paths in special ways- that did (and continue) to reach very deeply in ministering to my personal soul.  We learned right away that we shared the many things.  One of which was Yah's heart for adoption.  (we are all adopted by Him!!)  We were both walking out the early stages of our adoptive families when we first met about 8 years ago (from the time of this writing).  The Coover Family have opened their home and committed their lives to receive children out of the American domestic foster system who would not easily placed in homes.  They are children with very special needs.  YHWH is using the willing hearts of the Coovers to fill in that gap.  This is a rich and selfless life - which focuses on service, stewardship and decispleship in Yah's ways.

Enjoy this sweet video the children made. It will give a glipse into their life.  They sent me this video in an email note, with an announcement that they were on their way to Florida (from Maine) to pick up another baby whom  was being added to their family (Little baby Samuel is not in the video, becasue it was made prior to his coming home).  Their arms, hearts, home and life is devoted to that which Yah has put on their heart to do!!!!! I am blessed to call them brothers and sister.  Blessed to call them friends.


This is Kingdom living!   I realize the body has many parts and  each part has its special place.  I do not think that everyone is called to do what the Coovers do.  However, it is very impirtant that we do the part that Yah assigns for us!  I pray you are convicted, encouraged and inspired to open your hearts fully to the way that Yah is calling YOU to walk out His Gospel in fullness and how you represent His name. (No matter if or how you may pronounce it!)  To exhort you to go above and beyond "the norm" for YHWH!  To live zealously, passionatly, wholeheartedly and without reserve or care for what it may look like by the world's standards!  By doing so - your life testimony with bring Him honor and glory and your treasures will be stored (and protected) in HIM!

To learn more about the Coovers:  You may like to visit their websites -
www.LoveTheUnbornBabies.name

In Him,