No Words to Describe the Way I feel

A tremendous week. This week has brought forward so many chapters and verses of the Holy Word that I cannot even begin to bring them all into thought. My mind is running rampant with all kinds of stuff. For one, I think much about “‘do I really have great faith in my Father? How trusting am I to let go and “let God”? ‘

So, in the midst of all this going on in the world (I will not speak about the atrocities in Connecticut or China), we have Worship Week. What a fantastic time for all to come together and focus only on our Father, YHVH Elohim. Yes, I was reluctant. For those who do not know: we gave the keys to the sanctuary over to those whom we do not know and entrusted them to be worthy of praising His name in our tent of meeting; The Peregrinnatti. They will facilitate for one full week. We accepted their credentials based upon the word of some who know us and we believe know them. It was a meeting of the Spirit. It turns out to be Divine Appointment!

This week, we, my wife and I, did as we were told to do. We asked how can we help bring this week of worship to fruition and we were told , “Nothing. Just come and worship”. My faith and my trust are being tested. I am very protective of the flock. Yet, I somehow kept being told, let it be. It will all work out. I let it go…with much consternation. So, I did as told, and it is as said! I am so thankful the Father held me in check to experience worship from days of my old school brought into the new school. My eyes are still wet.

Please permit me to just say a few words about “us”. “Us”, that is you and me. We are so very similar. If we were dissimilar, we would not be here at this moment.

You know and I know that the problem with this country, the United States of America, comes from turning our back on YHVH (G-d). The greater problem is; we, the believers in the peace and sanctity of the Almighty, are too reserved and hesitant to stand up, shout up and declare the strength and majesty of our Creator.

I had a discussion this evening with someone who is very intelligent; well educated and very rational at most times. I have known this person for more than thirty years. One of those who just knows so much about everything you wonder how he has the time to be so informed. But He Is! I respect this.

This educated person firmly believes that we, you and I, do not deserve to be here because of how this country came into being. He does not want to hear that we learned early on and repented for the way we came on board. And that became the foundation for our Constitution.

In fact, he does not accept that this country was founded on Judeo-Christian philosophy as an outreach for repentance for how we came about. He fails to accept that the founders were “not running from” but were “running to”. This is how the Constitution came into being.

This is what bothers me. I hate to see, hear or even think about any form of suffering in this world. It is not that I have not known suffering, (been around the world four times, visited most free countries and some not so free, career military, and not to mention my childhood, etc. ) What dismays me is the insistence of the people of this free world to be so quick to find excuses for every type of antisocial behavior. 

How did I get on this topic? That’s easy – the Spirit within me wants me to focus on Him and so I focus on the children. The children have been called. He has the power to take them away from any further harm. When will I learn that YHVH, Elohim, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will have His way? When will we all learn that our El is a loving El; it is we, who stand in the way of the relationship! Yes, I mourn for children taken so early. I also relish in the thought that our Father has spared them for the trials and tribulations of the end of times. Elohim, YHVH, please bless their souls and comfort them as they gather to be called unto You. Thank You Father; thank You for permitting me to be called unto You.

And please forgive me for digressing and bringing up the Connecticut and China atrocities. Let me now get back to the “lost in worship” feeling with the Peregrinnatti, and this week of nothing but worship. Oh how easy it is to be distracted. Father, is that why you brought these traveling worshippers in to our lives? Thank You for the tremendous blessing. Thank You for placing Your arms around us one and all.

Time to head back to Shul and more spiritual growth.

B’shem Y’shua haMashiach, Amein and Amein!

Pinchas, 

aka Frankly speaking all the time.

It's A Family Matter

L to R, Trisha, Yocheved with Gila, Heather and Pinchas

Something is happening within me that I cannot explain. Things are taking place that keep me baffled. No matter how I try to decipher the phenomenon, and for me it is a true phenomenon, I just am not able to put rational explanation to the thoughts or the events. Yes, most will say that the Father is working overtime on me. He knows full well that I could use a good overhaul. Sidebar: There is always room for looking into the deep and pulling out more “see” weed. 

 

It all goes back to “family”. For the last few weeks “family” has been constantly on my mind. There are many reasons, I suppose, but with the constant thoughts of family I become overwhelmed with the thoughts of those who are biological and those who are “grafted in”. Over time, I have become more in tune with those grafted in than those who are biological. Don’t misunderstand; I love my Yah-given family very much. The problem for me is the lack of communications. There is some credence to the rumor that you can pick your friends but not your family. 

This past Shabbat, a portion of our prayer for mishp’kha (family) read: “ We thank You Abba for giving us family. The gift of a family comes only from You. We want to please You by loving and pleasing all those within our family. There are times Most Holy One, when members within our own bloodline do not enjoy the freedom that we have to express ourselves to You. This saddens us. They seem unwilling to take hold of the garment”. I might add that most are unwilling to even talk about it. Yes, there are those who attend church and read their Bibles, but for some reason there is no calm, sensible, open discussion concerning Your Word. I thank You for holding me blameless in this situation.

This past month I was very blessed to be with members of my family whom I have not met until Thanksgiving Day. Ah yes, thanksgiving day. Not a Leviticus 23 feast, and not by history a pagan feast. A feast inferred by Scripture (agricultural) and somehow declared in this country a national holiday. (Unlike Christmas I might add…Christmas, first banned in this country because of paganism then embraced because the people wanted it and it is good for the economy and happiness of the population.) But, thanksgiving with family from the marriage side, not true blood line to me, but very much family. It was a great gathering. Full of joy and happiness. The prayer verse infers that there is more than bloodline family. There is the family that You, our Father, have gathered. You, YHVH, brought us all together; You introduced me to my wife which enabled me to have expanded family.

This past ‘turkey day’ I did something I have refrained from doing for many, many years. I spent a week with others and stayed in their house and they seemed okay that my puppies were included. For most of my adult life, I generally find residence at some commercial establishment rather than disrupt the household of those I am visiting. Now, wasn’t that a nice way to say I like my privacy? (You can laugh now.  LOL)

The week was fantastic. Met many that I had not met, and renewed acquaintance with many that I have. There were about 20 or 23 of us gathered and I am so grateful that the host and hostess (bro’ and sis’ in law) have a very large and welcoming home. During the course of the week we learned of the passing of two members in our congregational family. This is where the baffling thoughts come into play.

Don and Jo DeRocher were taken during a plane crash while on their way to his father’s funeral. Father, I am so grateful that I was able to speak with Don before he took off. He and his wife were doing what they love; not loving funerals, but loving being together as he pilots his plane and they joyfully explore Your beautiful earth. Don reminded me of our weekly prayers when we express a desire to see Your face. He told me, “…isn’t that what we all want? What could be better?”

With all this so current, I then started reflecting all who have gone before me. All who are gathering to be taken up. Oh YHVH Elohim. You are a most wonderful and merciful El. You can take life and restore life. You can put us where You want us to be and we most often have no upfront knowledge that You are the One directing all things. Sure, we say it is all about You, but most often, we tend to forget until something occurs that causes us to reflect back. You are the explanation for the unexplainable. You are the reason for the events that don’t make sense as they occur, but come back with memories of being an awesome experience.

Heavenly Father, again, I thank You for the blessings You give. The blessing of a family, both biological and grafted in is more than I can express. Thank You for creating Love. Thank You for demanding that we all love one another; not just our known family, but for the family we haven’t met yet. Father, thank You for being with me these past couple of weeks; actually, thank You for being with me my whole life; even when I had turned my back, You waited patiently. I am truly blessed Abba. The gift of family is a gift I cannot repay. Thank You for having me in Your family. Amein!

Shalom and shalom, 

Pinchas, 

a/k/a Frankly speaking all the time.

Standing in the Gap

There is a whole lot of shaking going on in this world today. So, I won’t even try to go there and make any kind of sense of it. Let’s just say, it is written! And so, let’s look at Noach and Avraham. Noach and Avraham? Yes! That should direct your attention.

I have been doing ‘investigative reading’ on Avraham and Noach, two leaders of the Word. The more I read, the less I understand. Until lately, I did not realize that Noach, a man deemed righteous by our Father, did not stop to pray for the peoples of the earth that would soon be eliminated. Whereas, Avraham prayed for the people of Sodom and some were spared. Avraham’s devotion was attributed to him as righteousness. Noach is said to be righteous all the way back to Adam. But who really knows? Avraham’s heritage indicates that he came from “the other side of the tracks”. 

So, lets stir this up a bit. Is it necessary that we pray for everyone or anyone that we think is going to get swallowed up? Where is the boundary for our responsibility? Do we even have a responsibility? What do you suppose would have happened between The Father and Noach if Noach had prostrated himself before the door of the ark was shut and prayed for the Father to change His mind? The way I read the story, the flood was the Father’s will. Are we to intervene and tell Him that we know better? 

You may be saying, Sodom’s destruction was the Father’s will also. Avraham prayed and it seemed to have made a difference in the numbers being destroyed. Does this mean that YHVH did not really want to wipe out Sodom? Couldn’t Noach have at least attempted to show compassion for his neighbors? Hang on a second. The Sodom and Gomorrah event was a direct punishment by the Father. Remember that the ‘visiting angels” said they were going to Sodom to check things out (Gen 18:20-25). The implication is that YHVH was going to go into the area to see for Himself up front and personal all that He had heard from afar. When the validation of the behaviors was without doubt, the punishment would began. At the same time, the prayers from Avraham began. 

Lets go back to Noach. We can easily see that in Avraham’s situation, the sinful people were being punished. In Noach’s case, there was no punishment. YHVH had already stated that humankind is so evil that He wished He had not created them (us). So, He would eliminate them and basically start over with the righteous man Noach. Even though there is no mention of Noach’s sons being righteous, YHVH did not eliminate them. He used them to repopulate the world. Noach had no reason to pray for the Father to change course. Noach accepted YHVH at His Word. So, he did as he was told and no prayer was indicated. He was that righteous! Then, to top it off, YHVH said He would never again do to the earth what He did in the days of Noach, and still maintains that humankind is so sinful it makes Him sick. 

On the surface, Noach does not seem to be empathic to those around him. Avraham shows great empathy from the beginning. (It took him about forty years to do as YHVH said: leave your kinsmen and follow me) Yet, Noach was deemed righteous from the beginning (Gen. 6:9); Avraham was deemed righteous through his faith (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6). In James 2:23 we read; 23 and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, "Avraham had faith in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness."He was even called God's friend".

Some say that the flood was enough to instill the fear of YHVH into the hearts and minds of the survivors. Some say the behavior of Avraham and the blessings bestowed on him was enough to solidify the fear of YHVH. Then there are those who acknowledge that Avraham was not Hebraic (Jewish) but he crossed over from an environment not worthy, and became the Father of the Present World. From this, the tribes developed, and Brother Judah came on the scene. 

So, we have a stern follower, Noach, along with an empathic follower, Avraham; and we have a man of prayer, Avraham; along with a man of devout adherence to what he is told, Noach. Both goy who answered the call. Thus the world began to follow the Creator. 

Nothing has changed. YHVH maintained that man was sinful, yet redeemable. Within our own community we find the same. Empathic and prayerful plus stern and devout. I wonder if I could be just a little bit of both. Father, I pray that I have the strength to stay the course while at the same time have the compassion to reach out to others. Please help me to not have a hardened heart while still maintaining that Your Word can never be compromised. YHVH Elohim, You spared us and provided us a means of redemption from our sins. We love you and pray that we may be worthy in Your sight. We love You and pray to see Your face. In Yeshua’s most awesome and wonderful name, Amein. 

Shalom and shalom,

Pinchas 

a/k/a Frankly speaking all the time