We’ve been examining Yeshua’s “big sermon,” the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5, verses 3-9, we have 7 verses of Scripture, each with one character trait. I’m calling these character traits, leading indicators. We take on the personality of our Lord. As we yield ourselves to these character traits of His, we become more…
Read more
Good news has to be good. We’ve all heard of some of these: “I got accepted to college!” “I just got engaged!” “I’m pregnant!” “I got the job!” These are “good news” because they are things we wanted—really, really wanted—and receiving them brought us great joy to receive them. It also brings us joy to…
Read more
You will not grow by reading this magazine. What? Stay with me. A year or so ago, God put it on my heart to launch a magazine that would represent the unique combination of values and Kingdom principles we aim to reproduce within our Tikkun America family of congregations and ministries. When I shared the…
Read more
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Yeshua spoke these words as part of His Sermon on the Mount. Have you been following what He has been saying? Yeshua’s words are turning the world upside down. First, each of the Beatitudes begins with the Greek word,…
Read more
As followers of Yeshua the Messiah we are called to testify to the grace and mercy of the Lord in every sphere of life,to give ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) and to lead lives that are worthy of the calling which we have been called (Ephesians 4:1). Yet in this, what does it truly…
Read more
Summer is here again! The kids are once more finishing school and getting ready for the “Big Vacation” as it is called. My granddaughter, Lia, graduated from high school (Didn’t we just pick her up from first grade last week?) and she is looking forward to entering the army towards the end of August. High…
Read more
Thursday is known in Hebrew as “Yom HaChamishi,” meaning “the fifth day.” Every day has a “Psalm of the Day” and the one for Thursday is Psalm 81. Psalm 81 has 17 verses. Let’s not rush when we take opportunities to read through them. Psalm 81 starts with a series of five sudden commands to…
Read more
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. In several commentaries on this verse, I found the concept that these “meek” people are those who have abandoned bitterness, and have no revenge motivation. There is even the idea that these people are self-controlled, but that needs some modification. I like the…
Read more
Our congregation’s current policy is to ordain only men to the office of shamash (Hebrew for deacon). It is based upon biblical evidence and longstanding tradition within much of the Body of Messiah. Our elders eventually began to think however, about ordaining shammashot (Hebrew for deaconess). This discussion became one that included the opinion of…
Read more
Last month, with the first part of this articles I began discussing our calling according to the Torah and New Covenant Scriptures to love YHVH with all our heart, soul, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Luke 10:27) and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31). From this foundation as a biblical definition of love and…
Read more
