Back in high school, I made a poor decision. A friend of mine wanted me to smoke some “weed” with him. Being naïve, I went along with it but was not too happy with my decision the next day. My misstep could have caused me to lose my position as student body President and even…
Month: February 2024
Washed by Living Water
Ki Tisa, When You Elevate, Take up Shemot (Exodus) 30:11 – 34:35 Melekim Alef (I Kings) 18:1–39 Matthew 9:35 – 11:1; Luke 11:14-20; Acts 7:35 – 8:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18 Surveying streams in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon often made me hot and thirsty in the summer. Mapping a stream up to…
Here’s Your Sign
The word sealed in the New Testament comes from a Greek word that means “to stamp with a private mark” in the interest of keeping something secret or protected. In these last days, we are told that those who follow YHVH will be sealed. Will we know the identity of those sealed? Will we be the ones…
Who is Your Go-To Guy?
Tetzaveh, You Shall Command Shemot (Exodus) 27:20 – 30:10 Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 43:10-27 Mark 4:35 – 5:43; Philippians 4:10-20 Everybody loves a go-to guy. He comes through for you like no one else can when you’re in a pinch. He’s Mr. Clutch – always right on time with just what you need! When no one else…
The Paradox of Giving
Terumah, Free-will Offerings Shemot (Exodus) 25:1 – 27:19 Melekim Alef (I Kings) 5:12 – 6:13 MattitYahu (Matthew) 5:14-16, 33-37; 27:51; Hebrews 4:16; 8:1-6; 9:1-27 (23-24); 10:1,19-23; 13:10-12; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 8:12; 9:1-15; Ephesians 2:19-22; Revelation 1:12-20; 4:5; 11:19; 21:3 Something so cool about YHWH is how His ways are paradoxical, boggling the mind of the…
Why Give?
Have you ever had a person in your life that you would do anything for them? Maybe you feel that way because they were there for you at your most vulnerable moment. Maybe they are a person who knows you better than anyone else. Maybe they rescued you from a catastrophe. Or maybe you just…
How Can I Witness?
To this day, I still have family members and friends who say to me, “Why do you follow the laws in the Old Testament, aren’t they just meant for the Jews?” Have you ever had to wrestle with this? At times, I get tired of the question, but mostly I get super excited to share…
Like the Great Deep
Mishpatim: Ordinances, Judgments, RulingsShemot (Exodus) 21:1 – 24:18YirmeYahu (Jer) 33:25-26; 34:8-22 MattitYahu (Matt) 5:17-42; 15:1-20; 17:1-12; 26:52; Luke 6:35; 19:8; John 5:22-24; 10:30,38; Acts 1:9; 2:1; 7:38; 20:16; 23:1-11; Ya’aqov/Jacob/James 1:27; 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:2; Ivriym (Hebrews) 8:7-13; 9:15-22; 10:28-39; 2 Corinthians 6:14-15; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Revelation 4:2-6 Spiritual gifts – what do we need spiritual…
The Father’s Standards
Yitro – Jethro, His abundance, excellence Shemot (Exodus) 18:1 – 20:23 YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 6:1 – 7:6; 9:6-7 MattitYahu (Matthew) 5:8-20; 15:1-11; 19:16-30 Fathers have standards. I like to call it ‘the Torah of the house.’ When a father raises his children, he teaches them what those standards are, how to measure against them, and how…
What Does a Fellowship Look Like?
I’ve always disliked the notion of being “perfect” so that others might think I am a good person. To me, this was sort of a lie. How can I be perfect if my very nature is corrupted? Like many of you, I still have to deal with my private self, which I know is not…