Walk as He walked!

Sorry for late- based on emails, I think I overlooked my first group!

Shabbat Shalom Loved One!

This past week was a wrestling week for many of us as we each had to determine when was the beginning of the year to us according to our understandings of Scripture. Most of us have determined (for now anyway) that the month of the barley Abiv and the next New Moon starts the year and therefore Passover and the Feast Week of Unleavened Bread. Others have determined it must be according to the Equinox as the barley Abiv this early would mean Feast of Trumpets and Atonement Day would come in the winter before the September 21st equinox. Others believe that Judah was given the right to sit in the seat of Moses and therefore, they alone – not the many Scripture interpretations -determine when the New Year starts. These discussions make for interesting Midrash, at the very least. Following are a few observations from Scripture that I want to make about these points of sharpening one another as iron sharpens iron; we should remember we are all growing and need mercy so we would do better to extend mercy and walk in love and turn away from bitterness (in our actions and tones toward one another) as it will and must produce bitter fruit! Remember, above all, NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH WE KNOW UNTIL THEY SEE HOW MUCH WE CARE! We must walk like Yahshua walked! (Heb 12:14) Pursue peace with all, and pursue apartness without which no one shall see the Master. (Heb 12:15) See to it that no one falls short of the favor of Elohim, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, by which many become defiled, (Heb 12:16) lest there be anyone who whores, or profane one, like Ěsaw, who for a single meal sold his birthright. (Heb 12:17) For you know that afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.



We must make changes and walk in love in our own lives- who are we to judge another man’s servant?



(Deu 10:12) “And now, Yisra’ĕl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being,(Deu 10:13) to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good? (Deu 10:14) “See, the heavens and the heaven of heavens belong to יהוה your Elohim, also the earth with all that is in it. (Deu 10:15) “יהוה delighted only in your fathers, to love them. And He chose their seed after them, you above all peoples1, as it is today. Footnote: 1See also 7:6, 14:2, 26:18, Ps. 135:4 and Amos 3:2. (Deu 10:16) “And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and harden your neck no more. (Deu 10:17) “For יהוה your Elohim is Elohim of mighty ones and Master of masters, the great Ěl, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.



(1Jn 2:1) My little children, I write this to you, so that you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Intercessor with the Father, יהושע Messiah, a righteous One. (1Jn 2:2) And He Himself is an atoning offering for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the entire world. (1Jn 2:3) And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands.1 Footnote: 1See 3:6. (1Jn 2:4) The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1Jn 2:5) But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected1 in him. By this we know that we are in Him.2 Footnotes: 1Gen. 17:1, Ps. 119:1, Mt. 5:48. 2See 3:24. (1Jn 2:6) The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked. (1Jn 2:7) Beloved, I write no fresh command to you, but an old command which you have had from the beginning. The old command is the Word which you heard from the beginning.1 Footnote: 1See v. 24. (1Jn 2:8) Again I write you a fresh command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light now shines. (1Jn 2:9) The one who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. (1Jn 2:10) The one who loves his brother stays in the light, and there is no stumbling-block in him. (1Jn 2:11) But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.



(Isa 58:9) “Then, when you call, יהוה would answer; when you cry, He would say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and the speaking of unrighteousness, (Isa 58:10) if you extend your being to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted being, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness be as noon. (Isa 58:11) “Then יהוה would guide you continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. (Isa 58:12) “And those from among you shall build the old waste places. You shall rise up the foundations of many generations. And you would be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.



We should become part of what YHWH is doing in the Earth- RESTORING ALL THINGS- REPAIRING THE BREACH! We should carefully remember that no one will listen to anyone who does not walk in love and gentleness toward YHWH’s people. With those thoughts of our need to walk humbly in place, let’s turn our hearts and minds to this week’s Torah Scriptures Loved One!





Here are our Torah Scriptures this week: Shemeni “Eighth”

Leviticus 9:1-11:47; 2 Samuel 6:1-7:17; Acts 10:9-22, Acts 10:34-5;

1 Samuel Chapters 29, 30 and 31



(Lev 9:1) And on the eighth day it came to be that Mosheh called Aharon and his sons and the elders of Yisra’ĕl. (Lev 9:2) And he said to Aharon, “Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, a perfect one, and bring them before יהוה. (Lev 9:3) “And speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Take a male goat as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, perfect ones, as a burnt offering, (Lev 9:4) and a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to slaughter before יהוה, and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today יהוה shall appear to you.’ ” (Lev 9:5) And they took what Mosheh commanded before the Tent of Meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before יהוה. (Lev 9:6) And Mosheh said, “This is the word which יהוה commanded you to do, so that the esteem of יהוה appears to you.” (Lev 9:7) And Mosheh said to Aharon, “Go to the altar, and prepare your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. And make the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as יהוה has commanded.” (Lev 9:8) So Aharon came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. (Lev 9:9) And the sons of Aharon brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar. (Lev 9:10) And the fat, and the kidneys, and the appendage on the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. (Lev 9:11) And the flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp. (Lev 9:12) And he slaughtered the burnt offering, and the sons of Aharon presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar all around. (Lev 9:13) And they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar. (Lev 9:14) And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar. (Lev 9:15) And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slaughtered it and made it a sin offering, like the first one. (Lev 9:16) And he brought the burnt offering and made it, according to the right-ruling. (Lev 9:17) He also brought the grain offering, and filled his hand with it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. (Lev 9:18) And he slaughtered the bull and the ram as peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aharon’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar all around, (Lev 9:19) and the fat from the bull and the ram, the fat tail, and the covering, and the kidneys, and the appendage and the liver, (Lev 9:20) and they placed the fat on the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar. (Lev 9:21) But the breasts and the right thigh Aharon waved as a wave offering before יהוה, as Mosheh had commanded. (Lev 9:22) Aharon then lifted up his hand toward the people and blessed them, and came down from making the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. (Lev 9:23) And Mosheh and Aharon went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out and blessed the people. And the esteem of יהוה appeared to all the people, (Lev 9:24) and fire came out from before יהוה and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. And all the people saw and cried aloud and fell on their faces.



Follow His commands- let’s not make up our own protocol for approaching YHWH!



(Lev 10:1) And Naḏaḇ and Aḇihu, the sons of Aharon, each took his fire holder and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and brought strange fire before יהוה, which He had not commanded them. (Lev 10:2) And fire came out from יהוה and consumed them, and they died before יהוה. (Lev 10:3) Then Mosheh said to Aharon, “This is what יהוה spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near me let me be set-apart! And before all the people let me be esteemed!’ ” And Aharon was silent. (Lev 10:4) And Mosheh called to Misha’ĕl and to Eltsaphan, the sons of Uzzi’ĕl the uncle of Aharon, and said to them, “Come near; take your brothers from before the set-apart place out of the camp.” (Lev 10:5) So they came near and took them by their long shirts out of the camp, as Mosheh had said. (Lev 10:6) And Mosheh said to Aharon, and to Elʽazar and to Ithamar, his sons “Do not unbind your heads nor tear your garments, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brothers, all the house of Yisra’ĕl, bewail the burning which יהוה has kindled. (Lev 10:7) “And do not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of יהוה is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Mosheh.



Set Apart Behavior!



(Lev 10:8) And יהוה spoke to Aharon, saying, (Lev 10:9) “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, or your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, lest you die – a law forever throughout your generations, (Lev 10:10) so as to make a distinction between the set-apart and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, (Lev 10:11) and to teach the children of Yisra’ĕl all the laws which יהוה has spoken to them by the hand of Mosheh.” (Lev 10:12) And Mosheh spoke to Aharon, and to Elʽazar and Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that is left over from the offerings made by fire to יהוה, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is most set-apart. (Lev 10:13) “And you shall eat it in a set-apart place, because it is yours by law and your sons’ by law, of the offerings made by fire to יהוה, for so I have been commanded. (Lev 10:14) “And the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution you eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you. They are yours by law and your sons’ by law, which are given from the slaughterings of peace offerings of the children of Yisra’ĕl. (Lev 10:15) “The thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering they bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to bring as a wave offering before יהוה. And it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a law forever, as יהוה has commanded.” (Lev 10:16) And Mosheh diligently looked for the goat of the sin offering and saw it was burned up. And he was wroth with Elʽazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aharon who were left, saying, (Lev 10:17) “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a set-apart place, since it is most set-apart, and Elohim has given it to you to bear the crookedness of the congregation, to make atonement for them before יהוה? (Lev 10:18) “See, its blood was not brought inside the set-apart place. You should have eaten it without fail in a set-apart place, as I have commanded.” (Lev 10:19) And Aharon said to Mosheh, “See, today they have brought their sin offering and their burnt offering before יהוה, and matters like these have come to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been right in the eyes of יהוה?” (Lev 10:20) And when Mosheh heard that, it was good in his eyes.



Food of the beasts of the Earth!



(Lev 11:1) And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying to them, (Lev 11:2) “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘these are the living creatures which you do eat among all the beasts that are on the earth: (Lev 11:3) ‘Whatever has a split hoof completely divided, chewing the cud, among the beasts, that you do eat. (Lev 11:4) ‘Only, these you do not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have a split hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you; (Lev 11:5) and the rabbit, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you; (Lev 11:6) and the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you; (Lev 11:7) and the pig, though it has a split hoof, completely divided, yet does not chew the cud, it is unclean to you. (Lev 11:8) ‘Their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you do not touch. They are unclean to you.



What is considered food by YHWH from the waters



(Lev 11:9) ‘These you do eat of all that are in the waters: any one that has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas or in the rivers that you do eat. (Lev 11:10) ‘But all that have not fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers all that move in the waters or any living creature which is in the waters; they are an abomination to you. (Lev 11:11) ‘They are an abomination to you – of their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you abominate. (Lev 11:12) ‘All that have not fins or scales in the waters are an abomination to you.



What YHWH considers food that is flying



(Lev 11:13) ‘And these you do abominate among the birds, they are not eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture, (Lev 11:14) and the hawk, and the falcon after its kind, (Lev 11:15) every raven after its kind, (Lev 11:16) and the ostrich, and the nighthawk, and the seagull, and the hawk after its kind, (Lev 11:17) and the little owl, and the fisher owl, and the great owl, (Lev 11:18) and the white owl, and the pelican, and the carrion vulture, (Lev 11:19) and the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat. (Lev 11:20) ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours is an abomination to you. (Lev 11:21) ‘Only, these you do eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. (Lev 11:22) ‘These of them you do eat: the locust after its kind and the destroying locust after its kind and the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. (Lev 11:23) ‘But all other flying insects which have four feet is an abomination to you. (Lev 11:24) ‘And by these you are made unclean, anyone touching the carcass of any of them is unclean until evening, (Lev 11:25) and anyone picking up part of the carcass of any of them has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. (Lev 11:26) ‘Every beast that has a split hoof not completely divided, or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean. (Lev 11:27) ‘And whatever goes on its paws, among all the creatures that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean until evening, (Lev 11:28) and he who picks up their carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. They are unclean to you.



“Creeps” YHWH declares unclean!



(Lev 11:29) ‘And these are unclean to you among the creeping creatures that creep on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the tortoise after its kind, (Lev 11:30) and the gecko, and the land crocodile, and the sand reptile, and the sand lizard, and the chameleon. (Lev 11:31) ‘These are unclean to you among all that creep. Anyone who touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening. (Lev 11:32) ‘And whatever any of them in its dead state falls upon, becomes unclean, whether it is any wooden object or garment or skin or sack, any object in which work is done, it is put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening, and then it shall be clean. (Lev 11:33) ‘Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls, whatever is in it becomes unclean, and you break it. (Lev 11:34) ‘Any of the food which might be eaten, on which water comes, becomes unclean, and any drink which might be drunk from it becomes unclean. (Lev 11:35) ‘And on whatever any of their carcass falls becomes unclean – an oven or cooking range – it is broken down. They are unclean, and are unclean to you. (Lev 11:36) ‘But a fountain or a well, a collection of water, is clean, but whatever touches their carcass is unclean. (Lev 11:37) ‘And when any of their carcasses falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it is clean. (Lev 11:38) ‘But when any water is put on the seed and any part of any such carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you. (Lev 11:39) ‘And when any of the beasts which are yours for food dies, he who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening. (Lev 11:40) ‘And he who eats of its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. And he who picks up its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. (Lev 11:41) ‘And every creeping creature that creeps on the earth is an abomination, it is not eaten. (Lev 11:42) ‘Whatever crawls on its stomach, and whatever goes on all fours, and whatever has many feet among all creeping creatures that creep on the earth, these you do not eat, for they are an abomination. (Lev 11:43) ‘Do not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and do not make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. (Lev 11:44) ‘For I am יהוה your Elohim and you shall set yourselves apart. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. And do not defile yourselves with any creeping creature that creeps on the earth. (Lev 11:45) ‘I am יהוה who is bringing you up out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. (Lev 11:46) ‘This is the Torah of the beasts and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, (Lev 11:47) to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creature that is eaten and the living creature that is not eaten.’ ”





Bringing the Presence of YHWH home!



(2Sa 6:1) Now Dawiḏ again gathered all the chosen men of Yisra’ĕl, thirty thousand. (2Sa 6:2) And Dawiḏ rose up and went with all the people who were with him from Baʽalĕ Yehuḏah, to bring up from there the ark of Elohim, that is called by the Name, the Name יהוה of Hosts, who dwells between the keruḇim. (2Sa 6:3) And they placed the ark of Elohim on a new wagon, and brought it from the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Aḥyo, sons of Aḇinaḏaḇ, were leading the new wagon. (2Sa 6:4) And they brought it from the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ, which was on the hill, with the ark of Elohim. And Aḥyo was walking before the ark. (2Sa 6:5) And Dawiḏ and all the house of Yisra’ĕl were dancing before יהוה, with all instruments of fir wood, and with lyres, and with harps, and with tambourines, and with sistrums, and with cymbals. (2Sa 6:6) And when they came to the threshing-floor of Naḵon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of Elohim and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. (2Sa 6:7) And the wrath of יהוה burned against Uzzah, and Elohim smote him there for the fault. And he died there by the ark of Elohim. (2Sa 6:8) And Dawiḏ was displeased because יהוה had broken out against Uzzah. And he called the name of the place Perets Uzzah, until this day. (2Sa 6:9) And Dawiḏ was afraid of יהוה on that day, and said, “How shall the ark of יהוה come to me?” (2Sa 6:10) And Dawiḏ would not move the ark of יהוה with him into the City of Dawiḏ, but Dawiḏ turned it aside to the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom the Gittite.



Where the presence of YHWH is there is blessing and abundance!



(2Sa 6:11) And the ark of יהוה remained in the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom the Gittite three months, and יהוה blessed Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom and his entire house. (2Sa 6:12) And it was reported to Sovereign Dawiḏ, saying, “יהוה has blessed the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom and all that he has, because of the ark of Elohim.” Dawiḏ then went and brought up the ark of Elohim from the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom to the City of Dawiḏ with rejoicing. (2Sa 6:13) And it came to be, when those bearing the ark of יהוה had gone six steps, that he slaughtered bulls and fat sheep. (2Sa 6:14) And Dawiḏ danced before יהוה with all his might. And Dawiḏ was wearing a linen shoulder garment. (2Sa 6:15) Thus Dawiḏ and all the house of Yisra’ĕl brought up the ark of יהוה with shouting and with the sound of the ram’s horn.



Let’s be careful to never despise worship: dance and joyful sounds to YHWH!



(2Sa 6:16) And it came to be, when the ark of יהוה came into the City of Dawiḏ, that Miḵal, daughter of Sha’ul, looked through a window and saw Sovereign Dawiḏ leaping and dancing before יהוה, and she despised him in her heart. (2Sa 6:17) So they brought the ark of יהוה in, and set it in its place in the midst of the Tent that Dawiḏ had pitched for it. And Dawiḏ brought burnt offerings before יהוה, and peace offerings. (2Sa 6:18) And when Dawiḏ had finished bringing burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the Name of יהוה of hosts. (2Sa 6:19) And he apportioned to all the people, to all the crowd of Yisra’ĕl, from man even to women, to each one a loaf of bread, and a measure, and a cake of raisins. And all the people left, each one to his house. (2Sa 6:20) And Dawiḏ returned to bless his household, and Miḵal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet Dawiḏ, and said, “How esteemed was the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the female servants of his servants, as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” (2Sa 6:21) So Dawiḏ said to Miḵal, “Before יהוה, who chose me instead of your father and his entire house, to appoint me ruler over the people of יהוה, over Yisra’ĕl, so I danced before יהוה. (2Sa 6:22) “And I shall be even slighter than this, and shall be humble in my own eyes. But as for the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I am esteemed.” (2Sa 6:23) And Miḵal the daughter of Sha’ul had no children to the day of her death. (Comment: who wants a helpmate-partner- who despises worship of YHWH?)



Rest from your enemies!



(2Sa 7:1) And it came to be when the sovereign was dwelling in his house, and יהוה had given him rest from all his enemies all around, (2Sa 7:2) that the sovereign said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of Elohim dwells within curtains.” (2Sa 7:3) And Nathan said to the sovereign, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for יהוה is with you.” (2Sa 7:4) And it came to be that night that the word of יהוה came to Nathan, saying, (2Sa 7:5) “Go and say to my servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Would you build a house for me to dwell in? (2Sa 7:6) “For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Yisra’ĕl up from Mitsrayim, even to this day, but have moved about in a Tent and in a Dwelling Place. (2Sa 7:7) “Wherever I have walked with all the children of Yisra’ĕl, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ (2Sa 7:8) “And now, say to my servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler over My people, over Yisra’ĕl. (2Sa 7:9) “And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth. (2Sa 7:10) “And I shall appoint a place for my people Yisra’ĕl, and shall plant them, and they shall dwell in a place of their own and no longer be afraid, neither shall the children of wickedness oppress them again, as at the first, (2Sa 7:11) even from the day I appointed rulers over My people Yisra’ĕl, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. And יהוה has declared to you that He would make you a house.



King David’s son, Solomon, will build the Temple of YHWH!



(2Sa 7:12) “When your days are filled and you rest with your fathers, I shall raise up your seed after you, who comes from your inward parts, and shall establish his reign. (2Sa 7:13) “He does build a house for My Name, and I shall establish the throne of his reign forever. (2Sa 7:14) “I am to be his Father, and he is my son. If he does perversely, I shall reprove him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. (2Sa 7:15) “But My kindness does not turn aside from him, as I turned it aside from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you. (2Sa 7:16) “And your house and your reign are to be steadfast forever before you – your throne is established forever.” (2Sa 7:17) According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to Dawiḏ.



Note the sixth hour prayer.



(Act 10:9) And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Kĕpha went up on the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour. (Act 10:10) And he became hungry and wished to eat. But while they were preparing, he fell into a trance, (Act 10:11) and he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth, (Act 10:12) in which were all kinds of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping creatures, and the birds of the heaven. (Act 10:13) And a voice came to him, “Rise up, Kĕpha, slay and eat.” (Act 10:14) But Kĕpha said, “Not at all, Master! Because I have never eaten whatever is common or unclean.” (Act 10:15) And a voice came to him again the second time, “What Elohim has cleansed you do not consider common.” (Comment: Some would have us believe that this vision shows that YHWH says all food is now clean. This is not the teaching and emphasis here. This was to demonstrate or illustrate the most drastic change necessary. Kefa was hungry and YHWH showed Him unclean things and then immediately sent men who Kefa would naturally consider unclean! Remember what YHWH calls food is sanctified by the word by Him calling it food and our prayer agrees – or should-with His declaration- it does not become food by our praying and saying it is food- it is sanctified by HIS Word alone and then our prayer of agreement!) (Act 10:16) And this took place three times, and the vessel was taken back to the heaven. (Act 10:17) And while Kĕpha was doubting within himself about what the vision might mean, look, the men who had been sent from Cornelius, having asked for the house of Shimʽon, stood at the gate, (Act 10:18) and calling out, they enquired whether Shimʽon, also known as Kĕpha, was staying there. (Act 10:19) And as Kĕpha was thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “See, three men seek you. (Act 10:20) “But rise up, go down and go with them, not doubting at all, for I have sent them.” (Act 10:21) So Kĕpha went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Look, I am the one you seek. Why have you come?” (Act 10:22) And they said, “Cornelius the captain, a righteous man and one who fears Elohim and well spoken of by the entire nation of the Yehuḏim, was instructed by a set-apart messenger to send for you to his house, and to hear words from you.” (Act 10:34) And opening his mouth, Kĕpha said, “Truly I see that Elohim shows no partiality, (Act 10:35) but in every nation, he who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.



Sometimes when we are attacked by the enemy (hasatan) we must strengthen ourselves in YHWH with worship, prayer, and dancing! He inhabits our praise!



(1Sa 29:1) And the Philistines gathered all their armies at Aphĕq, while Yisra’ĕl encamped by a fountain which is in Yizreʽĕl. (1Sa 29:2) And the princes of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and Dawiḏ and his men were passing on in the rear with Aḵish. (1Sa 29:3) And the princes of the Philistines said, “Who are these Heḇrews?” And Aḵish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not Dawiḏ, the servant of Sha’ul sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no evil in him since he came over.” (1Sa 29:4) But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him, and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, let him return to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he appease his master, if not with the heads of these men? (1Sa 29:5) “Is this not Dawiḏ, of whom they sang to each other in dances, saying, ‘Sha’ul smote his thousands, and Dawiḏ his ten thousands’?” (1Sa 29:6) And Aḵish called Dawiḏ and said to him, “As יהוה lives, you have been straight, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my eyes. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. But in the eyes of the princes you are not good. (1Sa 29:7) “And now, return, and go in peace, and do no evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.” (1Sa 29:8) And Dawiḏ said to Aḵish, “But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my master the sovereign?” (1Sa 29:9) But Aḵish answered and said to Dawiḏ, “I know that you are as good in my eyes as a messenger of Elohim, but the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘Let him not go up with us to the battle.’ (1Sa 29:10) “And now, rise early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, then go.” (1Sa 29:11) And Dawiḏ and his men rose up early to go in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Yizreʽĕl. (1Sa 30:1) And it came to be, when Dawiḏ and his men came to Tsiqlaḡ, on the third day, that the Amalĕqites had invaded the South and Tsiqlaḡ, and smote Tsiqlaḡ and burned it with fire. (1Sa 30:2) And they took captive the women and those who were there, from small to great. They did not kill anyone, but they led them away and went their way. (1Sa 30:3) And Dawiḏ and his men came to the city and saw it burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. (1Sa 30:4) Dawiḏ and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. (1Sa 30:5) And Dawiḏ’s two wives, Aḥinoʽam the Yizreʽĕlitess, and Aḇiḡayil the widow of Naḇal the Karmelite, had been taken captive. (1Sa 30:6) And Dawiḏ was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the being of all the people was grieved, each for his sons and his daughters.



Put on a Tallit (prayer garment) worship, be strengthened...then Shema O’ Israel- HEAR AND OBEY and get YHWH’s results!



But Dawiḏ strengthened himself in יהוה his Elohim. (1Sa 30:7) And Dawiḏ said to Eḇyathar the priest, son of Aḥimeleḵ, “Please bring the shoulder garment here to me.” So Eḇyathar brought the shoulder garment to Dawiḏ. (1Sa 30:8) And Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I pursue this band? Do I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall certainly overtake them, and certainly rescue.” (1Sa 30:9) So Dawiḏ went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the wadi Besor, where a halt was made by those who were left behind, (1Sa 30:10) while Dawiḏ pursued, he and four hundred men – for two hundred halted, who were too faint to pass over the wadi Besor. (1Sa 30:11) And they found a man in the field, a Mitsrite, and took him to Dawiḏ. And they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water, (1Sa 30:12) and gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his strength came back to him, for he had not eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. (1Sa 30:13) And Dawiḏ said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Mitsrayim, servant of an Amalĕqite. And my master left me behind, for I had been sick three days. (1Sa 30:14) “We attacked the south of the Kerĕthites and against that which belongs to Yehuḏah, and upon the south of Kalĕḇ, and we burned Tsiqlaḡ with fire.” (1Sa 30:15) And Dawiḏ said to him, “Could you bring me down to this marauding band?” And he said, “Swear to me by Elohim that you neither kill me nor surrender me into the hands of my master, and then I bring you down to this marauding band.” (1Sa 30:16) And he brought him down and saw they were spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Yehuḏah. (1Sa 30:17) And Dawiḏ smote them from twilight until the evening of the next day. And none of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. (1Sa 30:18) And Dawiḏ rescued all that the Amalĕqites had taken. Dawiḏ also rescued his two wives. (1Sa 30:19) And there was none missing to them, whether small or great, whether sons or daughters, or spoil or whatever they had taken from them. Dawiḏ recovered all. (1Sa 30:20) Besides, Dawiḏ captured all the flocks and herds they had driven before those livestock, and they said, “This is Dawiḏ’s spoil.” (1Sa 30:21) And Dawiḏ came to the two hundred men who were too faint to follow Dawiḏ, who had also been left at the wadi Besor. And they went out to meet Dawiḏ and to meet the people who were with him. And when Dawiḏ came near the people, he greeted them. (1Sa 30:22) And all the evil and worthless men of those who went with Dawiḏ answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we do not give them any of the spoil that we have rescued, except for every man’s wife and children, and let them take them and go.” (1Sa 30:23) But Dawiḏ said, “My brothers, do not do so with what יהוה has given us, who has protected us and gave into our hand the band that came against us. (1Sa 30:24) “And who would listen to you in this matter? For as his portion is who goes down to the battle, so is his portion who remains with the baggage, they share alike.” (1Sa 30:25) And it came to be, from that day forward, he appointed it for a law and a right-ruling for Yisra’ĕl to this day. (1Sa 30:26) And when Dawiḏ came to Tsiqlaḡ, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Yehuḏah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of יהוה,” (1Sa 30:27) to those in Bĕyth Ěl, and to those in Ramoth of the South, and to those in Yattir, (1Sa 30:28) and to those in Aroʽĕr, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa, (1Sa 30:29) and to those in Raḵal, and to those in the cities of the Yeraḥme’ĕlites, and to those in the cities of the Qĕynites, (1Sa 30:30) and to those in Ḥormah, and to those in Korashan, and to those in Athaḵ, (1Sa 30:31) and to those in Ḥeḇron, and to all the places where Dawiḏ had gone up and down, he and his men. (1Sa 31:1) And the Philistines were fighting against Yisra’ĕl, and the men of Yisra’ĕl fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. (1Sa 31:2) And the Philistines followed hard after Sha’ul and his sons. And the Philistines smote Yehonathan, and Aḇinaḏaḇ, and Malkishua, sons of Sha’ul. (1Sa 31:3) And the battle went hard against Sha’ul, and the archers hit him, so that he was severely wounded by the archers. (1Sa 31:4) And Sha’ul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and roll themselves on me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Sha’ul took the sword and fell on it. (1Sa 31:5) And when his armor-bearer saw that Sha’ul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him (1Sa 31:6) Thus Sha’ul died, and three of his sons, and his armor-bearer, also all his men, together on that day. (1Sa 31:7) And they saw – the men of Yisra’ĕl who were beyond the valley, and those who were beyond the Yardĕn – that the men of Yisra’ĕl had fled and that Sha’ul and his sons were dead. So they forsook the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. (1Sa 31:8) And the next day it came to be, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Sha’ul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. (1Sa 31:9) And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to announce it in the house of their idols and to the people. (1Sa 31:10) And they placed his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth (Comment: Easters!-sex goddess), and they fastened his body to the wall of Bĕyth Shan. (1Sa 31:11) And the inhabitants of Yaḇĕsh Gilʽaḏ heard what the Philistines had done to Sha’ul, (1Sa 31:12) and all the brave men arose and went all night, and took the body of Sha’ul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bĕyth Shan. And they came to Yaḇĕsh and burned them there. (1Sa 31:13) And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Yaḇĕsh, and fasted for seven days.



May YHWH bless you and your loved ones! May He give you wisdom and peace that you and your loved ones will gain the Kingdom citizenship! I thank you for your prayers and covering in intercession you have done for Bonnie and I as we travel and teach what YHWH has laid on our hearts in these final days before the gathering of His Bride that makes herself ready! I thank you greatly and am absolutely convinced that in so doing you are planting faith filled prayers (seed) for your own loved ones to gain the Kingdom! May YHWH command His angels about you and your seed, and may He provide and direct you and them to produce much fruit for His Kingdom! (John 15:8) "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:9) "Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love. (John 15:10) "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:11) "These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:12) "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. I pray YHWH’s best for you and that you shine brighter and brighter in the darker days approaching Planet Earth. May your light so shine before men that others give glory and praise to the Creator of the Universe! May YHWH pour down His love on you for your ministry to others!

Shalom to your home Loved One,
Thurston