I am still here, albeit without electric or frequent computer access. We are trying very hard to get both so as soon as we do I will be back posting. Thinking of you (and everyone I used to connect with here) and looking forward to that (hopefully) soon day when I can again share my heart.
Amy (motherofmany)
Does this look familiar? Click on the comment link in any posting and leave us some feedback- we'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Friday, November 19, 2010
Believe it or Not....
I'm still here! Not in Ohio here, but on the planet here. It has been quite a trying year, but we are blessedly settled in our new home. I have many stories and pictures to share as soon as we can get our phone installed so as to have internet access. As it turns out, I will not get the long-hoped-for sattelite connection due to availability, but after everything else we have endured it seems trivial.
I don't want to give too much away because there are too many details that need to be provided with each story, but sufice it to say we have been carried by the Father to a land of milk and honey. We did spend the first night in our new home October 1st, so for those of you holding your breath about my dream of being in a tent for the first snow, you can relax! As excited as I was, there was still an adjustment period. I am closer to the road than I've been before and it was quite loud at first, even with minimal traffic. We are also the proud owners of the highest point in the area, though for a while it seemed we were perched on the edge of a cliff! But more about all that later. Thanks so much for your prayers and I look forward to sharing all that the L-rd has done for us!
Shalom B'Shem Yeshua,
Amy
I don't want to give too much away because there are too many details that need to be provided with each story, but sufice it to say we have been carried by the Father to a land of milk and honey. We did spend the first night in our new home October 1st, so for those of you holding your breath about my dream of being in a tent for the first snow, you can relax! As excited as I was, there was still an adjustment period. I am closer to the road than I've been before and it was quite loud at first, even with minimal traffic. We are also the proud owners of the highest point in the area, though for a while it seemed we were perched on the edge of a cliff! But more about all that later. Thanks so much for your prayers and I look forward to sharing all that the L-rd has done for us!
Shalom B'Shem Yeshua,
Amy
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Heed the Warning
On this day of remembrance, I think it timely that I share a letter with you about coming judgments. We have turned our backs on Israel and we will pay for it. We cannot fix the country, but we can cover our own families. If you would like a copy of his 2012 video (or any of his videos) but cannot afford it, leave me a comment with your address and I will get it to you. I feel it is that important.
Next Major Shaking Is At Hand
A Prophetic Warning From Norm Franz
Received: August 7, 2010
Published: September 7, 2010
Greetings in the Name of Yeshua (Jesus) our Messiah. I hope this message finds you all well and blessed in the Lord (Yahweh).
Those of you who know me and have heard the prophetic words and teachings the Lord has given me over the past 20 years, know that I’m a straightforward end time voice, who generally interprets current events and spiritual phenomenon in the light of God’s prophetic word. This approach has kept our ministry from conjuring up soulish prophecies and high-minded declarations that sound good (tickle the ears), but have a poor track record of fulfillment.
The accuracy at which our ministry’s prophetic words and teachings have come to pass is not because I am anything special, but because of the biblical model God has shown me for prophesying truth in the last days. Many years ago, the Lord told me that I was to always bring HIS WRITTEN WORD (the Torah, the Prophets and the New Covenant) to the table, because His Word could speak for itself. All I had to do was prophetically connect the dots in a way that allowed His whole Word to flow in unity with itself, and He would do the rest.
He made it clear that I was not to embellish on His Word or make up stuff from my own guesswork like so many prophetic ministries are doing today. He told me that, if I would yield to His written Word and let it establish my doctrine rather that twisting His Word to fit my own doctrine, His Holy Spirit would show me a clear picture of the last days. As I have been faithful to follow this model to the best of my ability (not perfectly I’m sure), God has been faithful to give me what most consider a clear vision of where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going in the future.
I point this out only for the purpose of giving those who do not know me or the work of Ascension Ministries a basic understanding of our approach to end time prophetic ministry and to our highly accurate track record of prophetic words and teachings. Both, of which, I am truly grateful to God for and give Him all the glory.
My Last Major Prophecy
In April 2006, I did a prophetic teaching entitled “Mercy and Judgment: God’s Love and Discipline of America”. In that teaching, I explained the specific details of why 9/11 and hurricane Katrina were judgments on America for its transgression of God’s laws. I used Scripture verse after Scripture verse to explain the type of judgment it was and why it would continue until America repented. I also gave specific details about how the next judgment coming on America would be a financial judgment of Wall Street, and how that judgment would spread throughout our economy, as well as many other economies around the world.
Consequently, 16 months later (August 2007) the subprime mortgage crisis hit Wall Street and all but collapsed America’s financial system. Since then, this financial crisis has crushed America’s economy and dominoed throughout numerous other economies worldwide just as the Lord revealed it would.
Another Major Shaking Is At Hand
About a month ago (August 7, 2010) during Shabbat service, the Lord gave me a prophetic word that I will share in a minute. For me, this word just reiterated some prophetic teachings that I had given in the past. The reason I waited to share this with the church at large is because I wanted to make sure I was hearing a fresh word (or a real time reiteration of a previous word) from the Lord. In other words, I did not want to give a prophetic word that was simply a soulish regurgitation of past prophetic teachings with a “Thus says the Lord” in front of it. This is the path that often leads to giving prophecies from our own spirit and/or soul realm like the false prophets of ancient Israel did (Jer. 14:14; 23:26; Ez. 13:2-6, 17). The Apostle Peter pointed out that this same phenomenon would repeat itself within the New Covenant Church, and I just want to make sure that I do not go there (2 Pet. 2:1-3). In fact, I think we should let this serve as a serious warning to the many prophetic ministries that have fallen into this trap today.
With this preface, I feel compelled to share the prophetic word and subsequent understanding that I believe God implanted within me on Saturday, August 7, 2010:
“All order is about to be lost. Financial order, civil/political order, family order, and religious order. Society is about to be thrown into financial chaos and war. So Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare in spirit, prepare in soul and prepare in body. Prepare mentally, prepare emotional and prepare physically, for the next great shaking is about to come upon this world’s order of things. Repent and prepare your hearts for yet another shaking is about to remove more of what can be shaken, so that more of what can not be shaken may remain. So Return! Return! Return! Return to Me” says the Lord, “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might, and walk in My ways and not your own. Return to me and I will return to you, and I will save you and deliver you, and you will not be shaken in the troubling days ahead.”
First I want to say that, as I received this word and have meditated on it over the past month, I sensed that it was the same type of word that God gave Israel just before Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon rose up and took them captive. It’s important to note that Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon was the New World Order (world government) of its day, and God used it to bring judgment upon Israel for turning away from His Commandments. In the same manner, I believe that God is allowing the end time New World Order of Globalism (Mystery Babylon) to rise up as a tool of judgment on the West (including Judeo-Christian America), because it has turned away from God’s laws just like Israel did.
Ultimately, Globalism (Mystery Babylon) will subdue the whole world, but right now it is leveling out the West and redistributing power, wealth, military strength, etc. to the East. This is the geopolitical shift from West to East that a number of geopolitical analysts have spoken of over the past couple of years. Prophetically, it is just like the time Israel’s power, wealth and military strength transferred to the East when it came under Babylon’s rule for transgressing God’s Law and refusing to repent.
It is also important to note that, like ancient Israel, nothing is going to stop this judgment from coming, because we are past the point of no return with regards to the world system. Yes, there are times when God postpones or even reverses a judgment when the people repent and pray like with Nineveh and the principles of Jeremiah 18:7-9. However, there are also times when, no matter what the people do, God still returns the consequences of their sin back upon them in the form of a judgment (Jer. 2:17; 4:18; 7:16; 11:14; 15:1).
Therefore, let me be clear about what God is saying in this regard. “Judgment is coming on the current financial, political and religious world order and everything else that has rejected God’s laws, and nothing is going to stop it. True repentance (returning to God’s ways) and prayer can postpone it, so that we can continue to sound the alarm and prepare ourselves for when it does come, but nothing is going to stop it.”
“For those who turn back to God’s ways and pray in line with His Word, He will raise them up above the nations and bless them even during His judgment of the nations (Deut. 28:1-14). For those who pray, yet fail to keep God’s laws, their prayers will produce very little, and they run the risk of being judged along with the nations (Pr. 28:9; Is. 1:15; 1 Cor. 11:32). In other words, if we pray and return to walk in loving obedience to God’s Commandments, He will protect and shield us from the full impact of this judgment and keep us until the day of Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). If not, our house will collapse under the weight of the shaking along with the nations”.
Timeline of this Judgment
It is important to note that the Lord gave me this word three days before the biblical month of Elul which began on August 10, 2010. The month of Elul is the month of teshuvah (repentance) before the biblical New Year of Rosh Hashanah starts on Tishri 1 or September 9th of this year. Tishri 1 also begins the Fall Feasts starting with the Feats of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), followed by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).
Just as the Spring Feasts celebrate Messiah first coming as Savior, the Fall Feasts celebrate His second coming as Judge and reigning King. Consequently, as we prepare for our annual observance of the Fall Feasts, Elul represents a special season of reflection and repentance, where we allow God to search our hearts and see if there is any wicked way within us. Traditionally, the way in which we respond during Elul determines what the year ahead will bring regarding blessings and cursings.
With regard to the global scale of this particular prophetic word, since there has been little or no repentance in the world, I believe God has impressed upon me that this year’s Feast of Trumpets marks a new season of judgment. That is not to say that something catastrophic is going to happen on Tishri 1 (September 9, 2010), but that it is a time when God is going to release a new season of consequences/judgments on an unrepentant world.
I also believe the Lord has show me that this shaking/judgment will be poured out over the course of the next two to three years much along the timeline I gave in the “2012 And Beyond” teaching. In that teaching, I clearly explained why 2012 is not the end of the world like so many are predicting it is. However, I also point out that the later part of 2012 could easily be a critical period when various financial, social, political and military crises crescendo at the same time, causing events that might look like the end of the world. I also point out how a series of global crises hitting in quick succession could provide the perfect atmosphere for establishing a New World Order that gives rise to the antichrist . No one knows the exact timing of this, but I believe the timeline in “2012 And Beyond” is pretty sound.
I am humbly seeking the Lord for more details regarding specific events within this coming judgment as well as the timing of those events. If, and when, the Lord gives that to me, I will share it with the body of Messiah as He leads. In the mean time, please pray that I hear the Lord clearly and keep a right spirit within me.
Return to the Lord
In all of the confusion about what is happening in the world, and whose prophetic word said what, and whose word is right, and what we should do about it, there is one mandate which is clear throughout all of it, and that is to “Return to the Lord.” I believe the best example of what this is supposed to look like is when King Josiah returned to serve Yahweh with all his heart, soul and might. He did this by restoring God’s commandments in his personal life and reestablishing the Torah throughout the nation of Israel. As a result, God declared that Josiah became the greatest King to have ever lived (2 Kgs. 23:1-25).
In the same manner, Yeshua (Jesus) reestablishes this principle of keeping God’s commandments in the New Covenant Church as a sign of greatness in His kingdom:
18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law [Torah] until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:18-19)
In this regard, Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah is calling His people (the church) to be great in the kingdom of heaven by returning to Him and His ways, so that He might return to us... Amen!
In God’s Love,
Norm Franz
A Messenger of the Covenant
Next Major Shaking Is At Hand
A Prophetic Warning From Norm Franz
Received: August 7, 2010
Published: September 7, 2010
Greetings in the Name of Yeshua (Jesus) our Messiah. I hope this message finds you all well and blessed in the Lord (Yahweh).
Those of you who know me and have heard the prophetic words and teachings the Lord has given me over the past 20 years, know that I’m a straightforward end time voice, who generally interprets current events and spiritual phenomenon in the light of God’s prophetic word. This approach has kept our ministry from conjuring up soulish prophecies and high-minded declarations that sound good (tickle the ears), but have a poor track record of fulfillment.
The accuracy at which our ministry’s prophetic words and teachings have come to pass is not because I am anything special, but because of the biblical model God has shown me for prophesying truth in the last days. Many years ago, the Lord told me that I was to always bring HIS WRITTEN WORD (the Torah, the Prophets and the New Covenant) to the table, because His Word could speak for itself. All I had to do was prophetically connect the dots in a way that allowed His whole Word to flow in unity with itself, and He would do the rest.
He made it clear that I was not to embellish on His Word or make up stuff from my own guesswork like so many prophetic ministries are doing today. He told me that, if I would yield to His written Word and let it establish my doctrine rather that twisting His Word to fit my own doctrine, His Holy Spirit would show me a clear picture of the last days. As I have been faithful to follow this model to the best of my ability (not perfectly I’m sure), God has been faithful to give me what most consider a clear vision of where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going in the future.
I point this out only for the purpose of giving those who do not know me or the work of Ascension Ministries a basic understanding of our approach to end time prophetic ministry and to our highly accurate track record of prophetic words and teachings. Both, of which, I am truly grateful to God for and give Him all the glory.
My Last Major Prophecy
In April 2006, I did a prophetic teaching entitled “Mercy and Judgment: God’s Love and Discipline of America”. In that teaching, I explained the specific details of why 9/11 and hurricane Katrina were judgments on America for its transgression of God’s laws. I used Scripture verse after Scripture verse to explain the type of judgment it was and why it would continue until America repented. I also gave specific details about how the next judgment coming on America would be a financial judgment of Wall Street, and how that judgment would spread throughout our economy, as well as many other economies around the world.
Consequently, 16 months later (August 2007) the subprime mortgage crisis hit Wall Street and all but collapsed America’s financial system. Since then, this financial crisis has crushed America’s economy and dominoed throughout numerous other economies worldwide just as the Lord revealed it would.
Another Major Shaking Is At Hand
About a month ago (August 7, 2010) during Shabbat service, the Lord gave me a prophetic word that I will share in a minute. For me, this word just reiterated some prophetic teachings that I had given in the past. The reason I waited to share this with the church at large is because I wanted to make sure I was hearing a fresh word (or a real time reiteration of a previous word) from the Lord. In other words, I did not want to give a prophetic word that was simply a soulish regurgitation of past prophetic teachings with a “Thus says the Lord” in front of it. This is the path that often leads to giving prophecies from our own spirit and/or soul realm like the false prophets of ancient Israel did (Jer. 14:14; 23:26; Ez. 13:2-6, 17). The Apostle Peter pointed out that this same phenomenon would repeat itself within the New Covenant Church, and I just want to make sure that I do not go there (2 Pet. 2:1-3). In fact, I think we should let this serve as a serious warning to the many prophetic ministries that have fallen into this trap today.
With this preface, I feel compelled to share the prophetic word and subsequent understanding that I believe God implanted within me on Saturday, August 7, 2010:
“All order is about to be lost. Financial order, civil/political order, family order, and religious order. Society is about to be thrown into financial chaos and war. So Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare in spirit, prepare in soul and prepare in body. Prepare mentally, prepare emotional and prepare physically, for the next great shaking is about to come upon this world’s order of things. Repent and prepare your hearts for yet another shaking is about to remove more of what can be shaken, so that more of what can not be shaken may remain. So Return! Return! Return! Return to Me” says the Lord, “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might, and walk in My ways and not your own. Return to me and I will return to you, and I will save you and deliver you, and you will not be shaken in the troubling days ahead.”
First I want to say that, as I received this word and have meditated on it over the past month, I sensed that it was the same type of word that God gave Israel just before Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon rose up and took them captive. It’s important to note that Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon was the New World Order (world government) of its day, and God used it to bring judgment upon Israel for turning away from His Commandments. In the same manner, I believe that God is allowing the end time New World Order of Globalism (Mystery Babylon) to rise up as a tool of judgment on the West (including Judeo-Christian America), because it has turned away from God’s laws just like Israel did.
Ultimately, Globalism (Mystery Babylon) will subdue the whole world, but right now it is leveling out the West and redistributing power, wealth, military strength, etc. to the East. This is the geopolitical shift from West to East that a number of geopolitical analysts have spoken of over the past couple of years. Prophetically, it is just like the time Israel’s power, wealth and military strength transferred to the East when it came under Babylon’s rule for transgressing God’s Law and refusing to repent.
It is also important to note that, like ancient Israel, nothing is going to stop this judgment from coming, because we are past the point of no return with regards to the world system. Yes, there are times when God postpones or even reverses a judgment when the people repent and pray like with Nineveh and the principles of Jeremiah 18:7-9. However, there are also times when, no matter what the people do, God still returns the consequences of their sin back upon them in the form of a judgment (Jer. 2:17; 4:18; 7:16; 11:14; 15:1).
Therefore, let me be clear about what God is saying in this regard. “Judgment is coming on the current financial, political and religious world order and everything else that has rejected God’s laws, and nothing is going to stop it. True repentance (returning to God’s ways) and prayer can postpone it, so that we can continue to sound the alarm and prepare ourselves for when it does come, but nothing is going to stop it.”
“For those who turn back to God’s ways and pray in line with His Word, He will raise them up above the nations and bless them even during His judgment of the nations (Deut. 28:1-14). For those who pray, yet fail to keep God’s laws, their prayers will produce very little, and they run the risk of being judged along with the nations (Pr. 28:9; Is. 1:15; 1 Cor. 11:32). In other words, if we pray and return to walk in loving obedience to God’s Commandments, He will protect and shield us from the full impact of this judgment and keep us until the day of Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). If not, our house will collapse under the weight of the shaking along with the nations”.
Timeline of this Judgment
It is important to note that the Lord gave me this word three days before the biblical month of Elul which began on August 10, 2010. The month of Elul is the month of teshuvah (repentance) before the biblical New Year of Rosh Hashanah starts on Tishri 1 or September 9th of this year. Tishri 1 also begins the Fall Feasts starting with the Feats of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), followed by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).
Just as the Spring Feasts celebrate Messiah first coming as Savior, the Fall Feasts celebrate His second coming as Judge and reigning King. Consequently, as we prepare for our annual observance of the Fall Feasts, Elul represents a special season of reflection and repentance, where we allow God to search our hearts and see if there is any wicked way within us. Traditionally, the way in which we respond during Elul determines what the year ahead will bring regarding blessings and cursings.
With regard to the global scale of this particular prophetic word, since there has been little or no repentance in the world, I believe God has impressed upon me that this year’s Feast of Trumpets marks a new season of judgment. That is not to say that something catastrophic is going to happen on Tishri 1 (September 9, 2010), but that it is a time when God is going to release a new season of consequences/judgments on an unrepentant world.
I also believe the Lord has show me that this shaking/judgment will be poured out over the course of the next two to three years much along the timeline I gave in the “2012 And Beyond” teaching. In that teaching, I clearly explained why 2012 is not the end of the world like so many are predicting it is. However, I also point out that the later part of 2012 could easily be a critical period when various financial, social, political and military crises crescendo at the same time, causing events that might look like the end of the world. I also point out how a series of global crises hitting in quick succession could provide the perfect atmosphere for establishing a New World Order that gives rise to the antichrist . No one knows the exact timing of this, but I believe the timeline in “2012 And Beyond” is pretty sound.
I am humbly seeking the Lord for more details regarding specific events within this coming judgment as well as the timing of those events. If, and when, the Lord gives that to me, I will share it with the body of Messiah as He leads. In the mean time, please pray that I hear the Lord clearly and keep a right spirit within me.
Return to the Lord
In all of the confusion about what is happening in the world, and whose prophetic word said what, and whose word is right, and what we should do about it, there is one mandate which is clear throughout all of it, and that is to “Return to the Lord.” I believe the best example of what this is supposed to look like is when King Josiah returned to serve Yahweh with all his heart, soul and might. He did this by restoring God’s commandments in his personal life and reestablishing the Torah throughout the nation of Israel. As a result, God declared that Josiah became the greatest King to have ever lived (2 Kgs. 23:1-25).
In the same manner, Yeshua (Jesus) reestablishes this principle of keeping God’s commandments in the New Covenant Church as a sign of greatness in His kingdom:
18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law [Torah] until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:18-19)
In this regard, Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah is calling His people (the church) to be great in the kingdom of heaven by returning to Him and His ways, so that He might return to us... Amen!
In God’s Love,
Norm Franz
A Messenger of the Covenant
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Little Things
Now that I have a little time, I want to go back and post about a topic that was on my heart 2 weeks ago. I seem to be having the same conversation with many different people and decided I had to state my case as it were, so even if you've heard it before bear with me. The topic is broadly about Torah observance, but very specifically about eating clean and unclean foods. To address this, I'll have to post the verses from Matthew 5 that I have posted so many times before...
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
I don't remember reading that verse when I was 'churched'. I certainly never heard a sermon about it. When I ran across it in my attempts to prove that the law was done away with, I was stunned silent. There it is as clear as day: it is not done away. Everything has not been fulfilled, heaven and earth have not passed away, not a jot or a tittle are gone. Yet I still hear so many arguments about how unimportant these words really are so long as our "hearts are right". But I want to know how blatant disregard of the words of the Messiah can coincide with a right heart. We are told he did so many things that the world couldn't hold the books, yet he made sure these words were canonized. Apparently they are important.
I do agree that one will not lose their salvation based on eating the wrong foods. But he doesn't say it is a salvation issue at all- it is a matter of how great a servant you are. Don't believe me? read this:
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Luke 16:10
What we eat does matter because it is one of the 'small' things. If we cannot be trusted to obey in the little things, how can we be trusted to obey in the bigger things? If someone worked for you and could not wash the dishes properly, would you then give him the job of washing your fine china? You wouldn't because he has not proved that he can be trusted.
I also quite often hear the following verse as an answer to why someone continues to eat that which is unclean:
"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4
First, I want to know why this verse only works one way. If it does imply that someone can be convicted in his own heart that pork is OK, why then does it not cover me from attack by believers who call me legalistic, a judaizer, self-righteous, and deluded? It is OK to judge the servant who obeys but not the servant who does not? Secondly, this verse is taken out of context. The discussion is about those who chose not to eat meat at all because of the issue of foods that may have been offered to idols in the marketplace. These verses in no way cleanse that which the Father called an abomination.
As to the argument that "I do not feel convicted about that issue" my question is whether they feel convicted about anything Yah says. Does the Holy Spirit really have to come down and personally invite you to obedience? If you feel in your heart that abortion is OK, does that negate the Word? Feelings and convictions can be a dangerous thing- test every spirit. Of course Satan would love to 'convict' us of our freedom from the law. Personal convictions have to line up with the Word or they are FALSE SPIRITS!!!!!!
One of the students in my homeschool co-op class came to me months after we had a debate over unclean foods with this verse and said to me that since each of us should decide what is right, he decided pork was OK. I asked him if he had the same liberty to determine if adultery and murder were OK. I pointed out that he was using a verse out of context and he had no answer for me.
Another lady pointed out 1 Timothy 4 where it states that in the latter times people will come and teach that we cannot eat some foods (meaning me) and that Paul says here that all foods are consecrated by prayer. But if we look closer at what this passage actually says, her argument falls apart.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
Firstly, the idea of some animals being clean and others not is NOT a doctrine of the devil- Yah himself determined this. Secondly it says they command others to abstain from meats- I don't command anybody to do anything, the Word does. I am just reminding. This is not some rule I made up myself. Third, the passage says that what God created to be food should be received with thanksgiving. He created things for different purposes and marks that which was clean from the beginning- Adam and Eve had to be covered by a blood sacrifice and He did NOT use a pig. Lastly, we see that the food we eat is sanctified by the Word and prayer. In other words, it is sanctified if it is in line with the Word and we pray protection against anything that might have been in contact with it that is unclean (I am speaking more of evil spirits, like the meats sacrificed to idols or animals used in witchcraft, etc.) If your food is listed as food in the Word and you pray when you eat it, thanking the Father for providing it and cleansing it from whatever you don't know, you're covered.
I want to list one more verse that I think leaves the matter without further wiggle room. In Isaiah 65-66 the L-rd tells us of things to come when he creates the New Heavens and New Earth. He speaks directly of those who pretend to be holy but who are not following his commandments...
"A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day."
"They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory."
These verses are not speaking of the Muslims- even they know better than to eat the unclean thing. These are people who call themselves holy, who claim to walk after the L-rd, and who are a smoke in his nostrils because of their thoughts and actions. They believe they are working the bigger things, but the truth is that they cannot follow even in the little things. They are strong-willed and try to tell the Master what they will and will not do. It is rebellion.
So I ask you that if you do eat pork and shellfish to examine the reason why. Is it because you truly believe in spite of these verses that the L-rd has changed his mind about what is clean and unclean? Is it because of your own lack of studying on the subject? I certainly don't argue those who's husband had made a declaration that they will continue to eat those foods, but I would ask them if they are secretly relieved, or are they praying that the Father will show their husbands the truth? If your husband were convicted that pornography was OK, would you be pleading with Yah to change his mind?
Going back to the passage in Matthew 5 for a minute I want to tell you of an example of how big this little issue can be. We decided to order Chinese one night and I was looking over the menu when the lady taking orders told me that it would be cheaper to order the family pack than so many individual entrees. I said no thank you because we do not eat pork. She asked why, and I told her that the Bible gives us a list of the foods our G-d approves and pork and shrimp are not included. She had never heard such a thing. I don't know how many believers she had taken orders from, but she had never heard of a Bible-believer abstaining from foods. I'll take my life in my hands here and say that those who professed to be followers and ordered pork were teaching this woman to break the law, and Yeshua warns that anyone who leads others astray will be called least in the kingdom. You cannot be called great when you cannot be trusted with the little things.
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Boot Straps
So, regardless of my desire to curl up in a ball somewhere and feel sorry for myself, there is much to be done. Our camp is buzzing with activity. In this picture you can see several projects going on at once. We made 2 1/2 gallons of elderberry syrup for flu season, dehydrated squash and tomatoes to put in soups this winter (wherever we are), and made several batches of my green tomato salsa.
Elderberry Syrup (my version)
Wash elderberries and pluck off stems. Put in crock pot and just cover with water. Leave on "warm" and NO HOTTER overnight. Strain through cheesecloth and a strainer, then mash berries with a jar of water to get the rest of the juice out. Pour 2 cups each into quart jars and add 2 cups sugar each (I know honey is better, but I don't have that much honey right now) and then add 1/2 cup vodka. Mix vigorously. I like the plastic lids for this as they don't rust or fall of when you open it. Store in a dark, cool place. For dosage, we give the kids 1 tsp. every 4 hours. Double for adults.
Elderberry Syrup (my version)
Wash elderberries and pluck off stems. Put in crock pot and just cover with water. Leave on "warm" and NO HOTTER overnight. Strain through cheesecloth and a strainer, then mash berries with a jar of water to get the rest of the juice out. Pour 2 cups each into quart jars and add 2 cups sugar each (I know honey is better, but I don't have that much honey right now) and then add 1/2 cup vodka. Mix vigorously. I like the plastic lids for this as they don't rust or fall of when you open it. Store in a dark, cool place. For dosage, we give the kids 1 tsp. every 4 hours. Double for adults.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Best Laid Plans
This is the one part of my camp-out plan that did not work. We had moved the washer to the back porch before we moved anyway since it flooded the house twice, and we just hooked it to an appliance extension cord and the garden hose. We had cold water, but it worked out great. I planned to do the same in camp since we have electric and water, but we forgot how rusty the barn water is. So I am lugging laundry to the laundromat every 4 days and spending a fortune to wash. We do have clothes lines up when the weather cooperates. We haul water for dish washing and drinking from my folks every day, which is eating up gas, and the delay on moving makes me concerned that we will run out of the money we set aside for camping. We have money, but if we must take from the other funds we will be crossing something off the list for the new farm (like sheep or cows, which is the whole point of farming) so I am trying to come up with some more creative ways to make things work. I looked into a small water filter system, but it cost a fortune as well. Such is life!
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