A Call to Leave in Haste

Shalom Kol Yisrael,

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for us. We have moved from our previous location to a small apartment (previously, master bedroom in a private home). While having our own private place to call home definitely was involved in our move, there was something more, something deeper that Abba Father was doing. The Spirit instructed us to move quickly and decisively.  Initially we didn't understand it and we did not respond well to His instructions. This was not about trying to make sense of what was happening, but it was all about obedience. In the end, Abba Father found an apartment exactly according to the parameters that He specified (small, affordable, and with space to park cars). He has called us to rid ourselves of more “things” and live more simply. The Spirit moved on our hearts that this was practice for the Greater Exodus. It was an object lesson to learn to leave in haste.

Are you ready to make sacrifices for Abba's greater purpose? Are you prepared mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to leave everything behind when you leave Egypt? Is your heart ready to rid yourself of houses and lands for His Kingdom Yisrael? Our brother Yehudah has endured numerous expulsions and persecutions throughout the centuries, but are you as Ephrayim prepared to endure?

Tehillim (Psalm) 9: 7 But YHWH is seated forever; He has established His throne for judgment. 8 And He shall judge the world in righteousness; He shall judge the peoples in uprightness. 9 YHWH also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of distress. 10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, YHWH, have not forsaken those who seek You.
(emphases added)

The epistle of Yaacov (James) speaks to us of endurance as well. Yaacov makes clear as to who the audience of his epistle is. The following is an appropriate exhortation to the circumstances facing each of us today.

Yaacov 1:1 Yaacov̱, a servant of Elohim and of the Master Y'shua Messiah, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the proving of your belief works endurance. 4 And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him
ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him. 6 But he should ask in belief, not doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man should not think that he shall receive whatever from the Master – 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (emphases added)

Let us be faithful watchman for the coming days ahead. Abba is calling each of us to discern the times in which we live.

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 23: 7 Therefore behold, the days come, says YHWH, that they shall no more say, As YHWH lives, who brought up the children of Yisrael out of the land of Egypt; 8 but, As YHWH lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Yisrael out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them. They shall dwell in their own land. (emphases added)

Though our way to Yisrael will be filled with many obstacles, a Way will be there, the ransomed of YHWH will return and enter Tzion with singing, joy, and gladness. (see Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 35:8-10).   Despite the descending darkness, be not downcast.  Seek and listen for redemption is near.

Shavua tov,

Tzefanyah Pappas

Chazak Chazak v'nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

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Thoughts on Faith Training, Running the Race

Shalom Kol Yisrael,

Lately, I have been walking for exercise. During these times Abba has spoken to me some spiritual truths which I would like to share with you.

Several passages in Scripture speak of training or running a race:

1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. " 25 Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. " 26 I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air, " 27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

Here, the Ruach has been speaking to me that if we ever allow ourselves to be deceived to believe that we have received the prize, then we are in serious trouble. We will stop running the race. We would no longer train our bodies to submit to the rigors to reach our prize.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, " 2 looking to Y'shua, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim. " 3 For consider Him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls. "

Whenever I read these verses, I have a vision of all these witnesses lining up on a road way encouraging me to continue the race. Weights of the devil that entangle us can frustrate our progress, but if we look to the Author and Perfecter of our faith, we will endure because Y'shua endured. For we died and our life is hid in Messiah our Elohim (see Coloss. 3:3).

Training involves exercise if you have been a “couch potato” in this walk, you may still be a baby on milk. Exercise brings about a need for “good protein”.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Have you been training? Has the devil been blind-siding you? Are you blind to sin in your life? It is time to exercise and grow up to discern the wiles of our adversary.

Shavua tov,

Tzefanyah Pappas
Chazak Chazak v’nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

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A Prophetic Friendship

Shalom Kol Yisrael,

I want to share with you a prophetic friendship that has developed over the years with a sabra (native born Israeli). His name is Yisrael and he owns a Kosher market in the Miami area. I worked as an educational consultant around the corner from Yisrael's market. During this time of my life, the Spirit lead me to wear a kippah and a katan (4 corned garment with tassels). My boss who was a Reformed Jew turned Orthodox hired me and stated that it would be a mitsvah (good deed) to hire someone brave enough to wear a kippah since 9/11. This is how I ended up working right around the corner from Yisrael's market. As our friendship developed, whenever I would walk in the store he would express with joy in Hebrew, “Shevet achim gam yachad!” This translates into English as, “Brothers dwelling together in unity.” I explained to Yisrael that I was a non-Jew returning to Torah, but nothing more. Yet, still Yisrael would proclaim to me, “Shevet achim gam yachad.” Abba made it clear to me that I was to let my “light shine forth before men.” I was to allow the glimmer of light within me to testify of Y'shua, our King. I was to speak with my life and not my mouth.

Later, I moved to another job. It had been over a year since I had spoken to Yisrael. During a day off from work, my wife and I decided to visit the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach. Being prompted by the Ruach we decided to drive down to Yisrael's market and have lunch. Since Yisrael catered our wedding, my wife, Reyyna, has had the opportunity to come with me to his market and visit on numerous occasions. I asked Yisrael, “When was the last time we'd spoken? It's been too long.” Yisrael thought that it had only been a few weeks. Actually, I believe to him it seemed like we'd never been away! As we were talking he asked us if we'd ever visited a certain Messianic congregation. Stunned by the question we only answered, “No.” After that question he continued to call us mishpokah (family) and declared as we left, “Shevet achim gam yachad!” After leaving the market my wife and I left with great joy. We were praising the Father that an Orthodox Jewish man knew we were believers in Y'shua without us uttering a word! Truly the light of Y'shua shined forth!! In addition, we weren't treated as cast-offs, but family!

This past Pesach I purchased lamb from Yisrael. I paid for it in advance and he agreed to deliver it to our home. I needed to call him later and make final arrangements. I called one evening and before discussing lamb, Yisrael spoke with me and said, “Tzefanyah, people don't understand that “shevet achim gam yachad” is everything! If we only knew this, the whole world would be transformed.”

Within a few days, Yisrael delivered the lamb to our home. We are renting a room from a brother named Obed. He wanted to meet Yisrael and, therefore, came outside the house with me to greet him. When Yisrael was about to leave, Obed reached to give him a hug. Yisrael responded, “Yes, I like hugs.” I then gave him a hug too. We left that evening in the warm embrace of “shevet achim gam yachad.”

I pray that all of the children of Yisrael will discern and understand the message in this prophetic friendship.

Tehillim (Psalm) 133: 1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity –2 Like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aharon, running down on the collar of his robes – 3 Like the dew of Hermon, That comes down on the mountains of Tsiyon.  For there YHWH commanded the blessing, Life forever!

Shavua tov,

Tzefanyah Pappas
Chazak Chazak v’nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

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Trumpet Sounding for the Firstborn

Shalom Kol Yisrael,

A few weeks ago we traveled to the northwest part of Florida to visit our son. It was a visit ordained of the Father. He shared with us about his struggles to walk the narrow way. As I started writing this letter a verse came to mind, Mishle (Proverbs) 24:16 for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity. I really believe Abba is making our son a righteous man.

During our visit, our son shared with us an incident that deeply impacted him. He was watching TV with 2 friends on the second floor of a townhouse. Above the noise of the the TV they heard a loud sound of a heavenly trumpet overcoming the TV noise. They all rushed outside to look around finding other neighbors doing the same. One of his friends turned to him and said, “Could this be the 1st trumpet?” Needless to say it put a holy fear into each one of them. Now, our son has an ear for music and is an excellent trombonist and very good on the french horn as well. He described the sound as a low sounding trumpet that no human could reproduce. We asked him when this occurred and it turned out to be around Aviv 1; the beginning of the Biblical New Year. This was the same time that other faithful Yisraelites were sounding their shofarot (plural for shofar) in their assemblies or homes marking the beginning of the month, and this month was a very significant one at that!! Just as it says in the Torah, Shemot (Exodus)12: 1 YHWH spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Yisrael, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household is too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Yisrael shall kill it at evening. (emphases added).

What I found significant was that this Pesach Seder, Abba put on my heart the importance of the firstborn. I asked if any in attendance were firstborn and I said a special prayer for them. I explained that this feast was for them. For Abba is very specific, Shemot 13:2 “Set apart to Me all the first-born, the one opening the womb among the children of Yisra’ĕl, among man and among beast, it is Mine.” But, the Pesach is not only for individual firstborn, but a nation as well, Shemot 4:22 You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the YHWH, Yisrael is my son, my firstborn, 23 and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me”; and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.’”

Interestingly, our son Aharon is a firstborn and so were the other 2 young men with him. I was talking to a brother in South Carolina and it occurred to me that this could be the trumpet sound for the firstborn. What does Abba say about those who truly hear the sound of the shofar? Tehillim (Psalm) 89:15 Blessed are the people Who know the festal trumpet-call (the Hebrew word here is Teruah which is one of the shofar calls during Yom Teruah [Feast of Trumpets]. They walk, O YHWH, in the light of Your face.

A Trumpet Call to the Firstborn Nation?

Isaiah 18: 1 Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;  2 that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, “Go, you swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide!”  3 All you inhabitants of the world, and you dwellers on the earth, when a banner is lifted up on the mountains, look! When the shofar is blown, listen!  (emphases added)

Could this also be a trumpet call to those who have not listened? Is YHWH sending out one of His final messages to the earth that He is indeed calling forth the seed of Yisrael to arise out of obscurity in the nations?

Closing Remarks

Prophetic events are unfolding before our eyes. It is time to be obedient watchmen. We need to call upon the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to anoint our spiritual senses. I believe the blowing of the shofar has been appointed to us as watchmen over Kol Yisrael (in and outside of the Land). Every Rosh Kodesh (New Moon), and every festival when the shofar is blown could be a prophetic call to the nations. Is redemption to the land of our inheritance near? It may be time to warn the nations and awaken the seed of Yisrael.

Yeheskel (Ezekiel) 33: 1 The word of the YHWH came to me, saying,  2 Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;  3 if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blows the shofar, and warns the people;  4 then whoever hears the sound of the shofar, and doesn’t take warning, if the sword comes, and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.  5 He heard the sound of the shofar, and didn’t take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.  6 But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn’t blow the shofar, and the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes, and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.  7 So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. (emphases added)
–
Shavua tov,

Tzefanyah Pappas
Chazak Chazak v’nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

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A Look In The Mirror

Shalom Kol Yisrael,

First, I pray that this Biblical New Year will be a time of growth in Him you never thought possible. Already I am experiencing new growth as the Father has been doing some pruning in my life. Only the Spirit has a way of confronting us to show us what we've been doing. If you're married, your partner can see things before you can, but we may or may not hear or be able to change our behavior. We are prisoners of the flesh until Abba holds a mirror in front of our faces to show us a marred image short of what He desires for us to be. The book of Yaacov/James speaks of a mirror why some forget what they see.

Yaacov/James 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and overflow of evil, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives. 22 And become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, 24 for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what he was like. 25 But he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah. (emphases added)

Looking in the Mirror before Pesach

During Pesach we revisit the story of our freedom. This is a perfect time to ask Abba for an exodus out of sins/unclean spirits that have ensnared us. In fact, Shaul provides a diagnosis of origins of some illnesses by how we approach Pesach.

1 Corinthians 11: 20 So when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Master’s supper. 21 For, when you eat, each one takes his own supper first, and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 Have you not houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the assembly of Elohim and shame those who have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise! 23 For I received from the Master that which I also delivered to you: that the Master Y'shua in the night in which He was delivered up took bread, 24 and having given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Master until He comes. 27 So that whoever should eat this bread or drink this cup of the Master unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 29 For the one who is eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Master. 30 Because of this many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (Note: A polite way to say you're dead.) 31 For if we were to examine ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Master, that we should not be condemned with the world. (emphases added)

Many are weak, ill, and die because they have failed to examine themselves in a worthy manner before the beginning of partaking of the matzah and wine? Were they coming to the Seder without seeing that this appointed time (moed) is also our own personal exodus from unclean spirits? Was Y'shua a prophet like unto Moshe in that he was declaring to our personal Pharoah's (unclean spirits) and asking for our release so that we could worship Him in Spirit and in Truth?

Discerning the Body?

What is discerning the body of Y'shua? I have heard and read explanations, but did not comprehend what commentators were saying. Recently, Abba revealed an understanding to me through 2 verses.

Romans 5:8 But Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us.

1 Yochanon/John 1:8 If we say that we have not sin, we are misleading ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (emphases added)

I believe we discern His body correctly by confessing our sins to Him thru self examination. This should be done before Pesach. If we fail to do this and do it honestly, we have confessed that Messiah never died for us and that we are not sinners. It is amazing how these unclean spirits think they can “pull the wool over” Y'shua's eyes! If we are not honest with Him thru self examination, he sees us as liars like the world! Therefore, we put ourselves in jeopardy of being then judged with the world. With this attitude we have approached Pesach unworthily. So if you believe you are without sin you would be better off refraining from partaking of the matzah and wine. (see 1 Corith. 11).

A Torah of Freedom

If Abba has held His mirror in front of you, then you will never forget the image that you have seen. When I looked I saw unclean spirits having their way with me even when I knew the authority that I had in Messiah. Wretched man that I am, who will free me from this body of death?! Praise be to Elohim for Y'shua!! (Romans 7) This Torah of Freedom shows me an image that I will not forget and releases the Spirit of Y'shua in me to set me free from a body of death! For behind that marred image in the mirror I see the perfect Spirit of Y'shua ready to express itself in me. I must now confess that the marred image is a lie and the beautiful Spirit of Y'shua is my true image!! If all you see is your natural face in the mirror, you will quickly forget what you saw.

Closing Words

I pray that this Pesach will be unlike any other Pesach for you. May it be a time to grow closer to your husband Y'shua. May the spirit of Laodicea stay far from you, and you never forget your First Love. May you hear Y'shua's clarion call to your Pharoahs, “Let my people go so that they may worship me!”

--
Tzefanyah Pappas
Chazak Chazak v’nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

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Preparing for the Exodus

You have not heard from Chazak for awhile since we have been busy throwing off our physical weights that have been ensnaring us. Our first start was our physical location. We have made a decision to rent a master bedroom from a brother instead of renewing the lease at our previous location (a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home). I believe that our decisions have been a preparation for the Exodus. He is teaching us Hinei Ma Tov (behold how good ) dwelling in unity is. I do believe the day is soon approaching for a second Exodus to Yisrael. The non-Jewish and Jewish sides of family of Yisrael will return. That day is talked about in Scripture,

"Therefore behold, the days are coming," says YHWH, "that it shall no more be said, 'YHWH lives who brought up the children of Yisrael from the land of Egypt,' but, 'YHWH lives who brought up the children of Yisrael from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.' For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers." (Yirmeyahu 16:14-15; see also 23:7-8)

In Yeshayahu 11:11-12 . we have another prophecy,

“YHWH shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left. He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Yisrael, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

A Spiritual Preparation

But if shedding off these physical weights is part of our journey home to Yisrael, could the writer of Hebrews be referring to another preparation for the Exodus?

Ibrim/Hebrews 12: 1 "Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, " 2 "looking to Y'shua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim. " (emphases added)

I can see Caleb and Yehoshua among these witnesses. Full of faith, they believed Elohim's promises to their father Avraham. They were the only Yisraelites of their generation to see the land of Yisrael. They learned to cast off the weight and entanglement of sin, and they learned to shed a slave mentality to the Pharoahs of Egypt. They saw Redemption in the wilderness and Redemption was the author and perfecter of their faith. They understood what we all need to understand that there are not just giants in the Land, but there are giants in each of us.

The Land Shall Lay Aside Every Weight

A week ago I had a conversation with a brother who mentioned Messianic Judaism in Yisrael as an obstacle to Yisrael's restoration. Most Yisraeli believers in Y'shua refuse to accept the non-Jewish side of the family (Ephrayim). As an example, an Yisraeli who had been involved in rabbic study for years, now a believer in Y'shua, went to a Messianic conference in Yisrael for the first time, and was surprised at what he was hearing. The speakers were teaching against the Torah! These misrepresentations of Y'shua are not only standing in the way of the reunion of Ephrayim and Yehudah, but also continue to perpetuate the myth that Y'shua started another religion.
Abba has made it clear in His Word that He cannot tolerate for long those that stand against His purposes in the Land. If you do not repent and continue to stand against His Torah, you will eventually be removed.

Vayikra/Leviticus 18: 25 The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you; 27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land became defiled); 28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. (emphases added)

The Land is then also preparing for the Exodus just like in the first Exodus where Abba Father was waiting for the wickedness of the Amorites to be completed.

Bereshit/Genesis 15: 16 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

I believe it is not a stretch to state that one definition of iniquity could include the hindering of Abba's purposes. Therefore, Abba will cause the Land to vomit these opponents out if they do not turn from their wicked ways.

Final Words

The Final Exodus will take place whether we participate in it or not. This process of casting off everything that ensnares us, must be met with patience (see again Hebrews 12:1). He has suffered long with us. And He will see to it that we are prepared for our final journey home to Yisrael if we allow Him to lead us.
--
Tzefanyah Pappas
Chazak Chazak v’nitchazek
Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us
strengthen (encourage) one another!

Blogged with the Flock Browser