Do not be discouraged at the future but rather be encouraged about your future. The L-rd our God and Savior Yeshua has not nor will not forsake you. However we should be troubled at the pessimism found within the “resurrected body of so-called believers”. We must begin to rejoice in our identity as Judeos por Yeshua. Dancing and eating is not a sin but we don’t rejoice as the bride at her wedding. It is like we are the cynical bride who says , “I do, but I bet we don’t make it.” I feel sad for Yeshua that His bride has allowed her vision to be stolen by the milk man and the mail man named Lucifer and Satan. Our Creator, Owner and Savior is good, just, mighty and trustworthy. We have scales upon our eyes. The scales of pessimism are as sin in our eyes. We must celebrate our salvation as in Simchat Torah. The Word, The Torah, The Lord Jesus, the Incarnate Word, Salvation, are all contained within the Spirit of the Redeemer Who is the Ha Torah. I watched the Holocaust videos and saw an entire group of people being exterminated because they choose to live for Hashem. Why can’t we also be half as fervent about our culture as those beautiful people were. We must get involved and teach our children leadership and vision. WE have had our inheritance stolen for so long and we also have forsaken the identity for so long that we are unwilling to receive restoration without reservations. Our guilt and years of training in the art of self flagellation has crippled our ability to walk out the restoration, salvation and deliverance that we teach is in Yeshua. Be strong! Do not be discouraged, you are such an encouragement to those who are watching. Those outside the camp are looking for hope and miracles. But if we sing a dirge and weep and gnash our teeth we won’t be able to sell ourselves umbrellas in the rain. We are the hope of nations and looking upon our raggedy Ann selves the future seems bleak at times. We must breath in the Ruach and be made strong. Lead we shall, I want to see young children fervent for Torah happy to grow Payot and wear tzitzit and the like.

SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your Father Loves You! The Story in the Torah says we win! Remember???

The Kingdom of Heaven is ‘Korba at hand

How is your vision?
How are your eyes?
How is your heart?
How is your lungs?
How is your life?
The Word says, Without a vision my people perish.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Jesus says, I came to give sight to the blind.
Isaiah 35:5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
To mend the broken hearted;
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
To breathe My Spirit into them;
Ezekiel 36:26-28 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them. 28 You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
You see you have been adopted into the seed of Abraham who through faith was counted righteous. It is through your faith and not by your works that you are counted righteous.
It is said that your faith is only as good and strong as the object or person in whom you place it in. When you trust the finished work of Yeshua/ Jesus and place your faith and trust in Him, you are trusting in The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… you are trusting in the God of the Bible, you are trusting in the Messiah your Savior. He had and has rules to live by that secure the blessings for us and for our children.
Is Healing for today? Yes! Undoubtedly. However, if you look back on the Scriptures it clearly states a prerequisite;
Deuteronomy 7:12-15 (if or because you listen to the words and obey them the Lord our God will bless you and heal your body and your land.
The KING of kings has a constitution to His kingdom. That constitution is our blessing, it is our inheritance that we rejoice at receiving. Most of us have essentially moved to the land but have not received our full citizenship in the Kingdom. The reason is because we are waiting to be taken up to Heaven in order to receive the full manifold destiny of salvation. However the KING has claimed you as His own and its time you received your identity. You are a citizen, end of story.
How many have received a traffic citation and never doubted their citizenship in the community they live in? How many walk around thinking that they still have more work to do before they can claim “full” citizen rights? True you may not be walking in authority of the KING but you still have rights and privileges.
Adonai has restored to us the dominion over the earth and over the fallen one. But, because we do not know the full character of Jesus we do not know His nature. We fear that we aren’t really His ‘am segulah’ His special treasure. Jesus/ Yeshua loves you with an everlasting love and pours out His mercy and His grace all up over you. When you receive your identity as a child of the Living God, saved by the blood/covenant/ marriage to the Lamb then by the Holy Spirit you will desire to walk in a manner that reflects your Savior’s lifestyle and no longer will we adhere to the lifestyle of our past. In essence you will be born again, AGAIN!
To adhere to the thoughts and mindset of your past is like bringing ‘soul ties’ into bed with you and your spouse. It is unacceptable.
The old is gone and the new has come. You are a new creation. Say it! “I am a new creation, the old is gone. I am made new through Christ Jesus, Yeshua Ha Moshiach. I am being made new each and every day, I will possess the land that was promised to my forefathers. That land is the Written Word of God/ The HaTorah. It is the very word that Jesus quoted time and time again. It is the bible that Peter, Paul, Timothy, Titus and Matthew, Mark and all of the Talmudim, Disciples read, studied and were confirmed in.
Within the Torah is the prophecy of our rebellion and our redemption. We are indeed in the Last Days and the Spirit of Yeshua; the Spirit of God is being poured out upon all men (and women). That Spirit will move you to return to the hearts of your fathers; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Luke 1:17)
By faith we receive our inheritance, and inheritance of eternal salvation through Jesus/ Yeshua. But we need to have faith tied to instruction. That instruction is not found in gurus and magic potions or new age belief systems. It is found in the precepts, principles and attributes of our LORD and Savior Yeshua.
Real men love Jesus, but not enough of us know Him well enough to look like Him and we most certainly aren’t walking like Jesus. Won’t you join in the most important movement in our community today? It is the movement toward walking and talking and behaving in a manner that would be pleasing to our God.
How’s your relationship with Jesus?
Is it strong enough? For who?
Is it all you want, do you have enough? Are you sure? What would Jesus say?
Men your are the leaders of your homes, the providers for your family and the protector to your wife and children. Through He that lives in you, you can do all things. Can you show up for Shabbat?
I am looking forward to seeing you.

The Kingdom of Heaven is ‘Korba at hand. Make straight your path!
And all these blessings shall overtake you… because you listened and do the Mitzvot.

Shalom!

Pastor Donald and Annette Maher

Rejection of His Own

Recently with the growth that the Lord has provoked in our lives we have seen certain folks that we would normally think of as dear friends act like we were leppers.
This is troubling to say the least, however it is not fatal... for us anyway.
Rejection comes in many flavors but most painfully from the ones you love.
Since answering the calling of the Lord Jesus: Yeshua Ha Moshiach and listening to the Spirit that Adonai placed with in me, I have seen my "family and friends" reject the move of G-d as though it were a plague.
Ezekiel the Prophet states that the Kol Voice of Hashem came to him and spoke this;
that Hashem would place His Spirit with in us and that He would move us to desire to know His spirit. Yeshua/Jesus said that a man cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven lest he be "born again".
What direction would the Spirit of Adonai move us? Toward or away from the Hebrew roots of our faith. Would the Spirit of G-d desire us to move away from the Jewish People or to move toward them with love and admiration. To move toward our brethren and to unite the family of Elohim throught the Spirit of Christ Jesus/ Yeshua Ha Moshiach.
To be "born again" means to be made new and to allow yourself to be taught. For what child is born with attitude that prevents them from learning. On the contrary, the innocent and pure heart is an easel for us to paint upon. We defile the innocent mind through de-sensitization and blatant assaults on the virtue of our young.
But what about us?
Can we trust again?
can we be born again so that we not only trust but are willing to learn the attributes and the character of Jesus Christ/ Yeshua the Messiah?
The other day my wife and friend were walking down the street in our little town when they were passed by an old friend. This was someone we spend much time around a long time ago. They too are "Christians" but i guess they must think that we are different "Christians" and not the same caliber as they are. Subsequently the driver ignore the two ladies and drove on past as though they never saw. Very well.
Later the same day, the driver and her husband were driving through town and it was made quite plain that they both saw my wife and children in the car we have had for some time and chose to look forward as though they were tremedously busy.
Does the Church of Jesus Christ see others that don't attent their congregation as less than whole, as less saved? WWJD?
Ask yourself what would the early church in Corinth or Galatia do?
Did Peter and Paul only go to the Synagogue or did they go and love on the ones who weren't in the temple?
The answer is they reached out and met the people where they were.
This last weeks Parsha states in the Chumash that Yitro/Jethro has 7 different names.
No he didn't have split personalities but it should be noted that under certain circumstances or in different territories he may have been know by different names.
Likewise Yeshua/Jesus may be referred to by different pronunciations yet the scriptures state that you will know them by their fruit and by their walk.
WWJD?
How did he teach? Was it with arrogance?
Of course not!
So why does the body of so called "Christians" beat each other up so often?
Isn't this the same reason that Yeshua took the blessing of the
Torah and gave it to the Multitudes? Ie: the lost 10 tribes?
The Religious Jews would not share the blessings of the Torah with those whom they saw as dirty ritualisticly unclean. This was the old addage, "don't cast your pearls amongst the swine."
With that attitude they held tightly to the greatest gift that had been given to them freely.
Freely I give it unto you, freely you shall give it away.
So now we see the same false piety in the church of today looking down on others because they don't belong to our congregation or den0mination. how are we different?
If indeed we are saved by the blood of Christ through faith then aren't the Jews who held tighlty to the Torah just as saved as the christians who are now holding firmly and tightly to the deliverence that was given them?
We are to walk out the lifestyle and characteristics of Yeshua so that the love of the Spirit is seen and witnessed in us.
What message are we sending in our daily walk?

If you love me, you would keep my commands and do them.
You don't have to do a thing, however if the HOLY Spirit really dwelled in us would'nt it be leading us toward yearning to do Torah out of our freedoms?
Pray about it and ask the LORD what He would have you to do.
I love you and pray that you see that legalism will do nothing for you. Legalism also comes in many different forms such as the form that tells you, "you can't study the Torah because that's legalism".
Matthew 5:17 on says Jesus told the disciples, "Do not think that I came to do away with the Torah and the prophets, but rather I came to fulfill (make fuller, completely clear and understandable) it. truly i say unto you that not the least letter or stroke of the pen will be abollished from the Torah till all heaven and earth pass away.
Shalom, and Rejoice!
He Came to Deliver not Condemn.

Look what I got the honor of doing.
This Torah scroll was found somewhere along the railroad tracks near Auschwitz.
It is estimated to be 200 years old or maybe more. The family that it belonged to most likely knew their fate but rather than to see the Word of God wind up in the hands of the Germans only to be defiled and destroyed they opted to throw it out of the train.
This scroll went from Germany to France and later came to America. It wound up in San Antonio by way of Oklahoma.


I have been invited to partake in the service again this Friday (erev Shabbat; Shabbat Evening).
Baruch Hashem has a great Cantor and Worship team, not to mention a fantastic Rabbi/Pastor/Teacher Roi Garcia, who is very Good.
We have been attending there for the last Year!
What a tremendous blessing.
As many of you may know already know, that we have begun a Messianic congregation in Lockhart where we live with the hope and vision of restoring the love of God’s Teaching and Instruction. Our Congregation is called Beit Tikveh U'Nesim (House of Hope and Miracles) and is located at 401 N. Commerce in Historic Lockhart, Texas.
We meet on Shabbat at 3pm.
We have been under the tutaledge of Rabbi Ralph Messer of Simchat Torah Beit Midrash (The Joy of Torah, House of Study) for over 4 years. Rabbi Ralph and Mrs. Messer have been a great inspiration for Annette; my wife and I.
The LORD has surrounded us with great teachers of His Word.
Matthew 5:17 tells us that anyone who abolishes the Law; breaking one of the least of the commandments and teaches other to do the same will be called "least in the kingdom", however, great in the kingdom will be the one who practices the commands of and teaches the Word/Torah. I believe that as the prophets prophecy, (paraphrase) “in the last days He would send the Spirit of Ellijah, and return the hearts of the children back to their fathers and the hearts of the Fathers back to their children.” Malachi 4: 4-6
WE are soooo there. Without the return of the love of the Torah/Word we will never see the return of the Messiah.
It is time to seek the face of Adonai Elohim our God; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. There is but One/Echad God.
As John Chapter 1 states that the Word/Torah was with God, and the Word/Torah was God and that the Word/Torah became flesh and dwelt amongst us.
He has indeed planted His eternal life with our midst.

I am so blessed! Whood’a thunk?

Those that believe in the coming of the Messiah are permitted to reach out and touch the Word/ representative of Yeshua/Jesus as a sign of their belief in the Salvation of the Messiah.
The Torah is made up of Lamb skins hence the term “Lamb’s Book of Life”
The Torah is written in Hebrew as it has been since the beginning of history and the Hebrew letters look like Chromosomes.
There are 22 Chromosomes in the human body and 22 letters in the Hebrew alefbet. It is also fitting that the letters and the chromosomes look strikingly similar.




In Psalms 22 the prophet prophecies of the Jesus’ crucifixion.
How great is our God?



So is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life/ The Etz Chaim? Yes!
Maybe We just don’t know it or we behave like we don’t know it.
Yeshua is the author of life, the author of creation and the author of the Torah.
I love Yeshua/Jesus and I love what He has written.
It guides us all on how to behave as human beings verses the beasts of the field.
Jeremiah and Hebrews but state that the LORD wrote His Law upon our hearts and upon our minds.
That He shall be our God and we shall be His people.
The prophet Ezekiel states that the LORD our God will put His spirit in us and move us to desire to know His ways.

Shalom, and may that Ruach HaChodesh/Holy Spirit move in you today and forever.

Pastor Donald J. Maher
Beit Tikveh U'Nesim
House of Hope and Miracles
401 N. Commerce Street
Lockahrt, Texas 78644

Torah Portion-December 18, 2010
vayechi
And He Lived
Genesis 47.28 – 50.26
1 Kings 2.1-12; Acts 1-4
OVERVIEW
The excitement dies down, the music takes on a somber tone, and we find Joseph promising Jacob that he will bury him in ‘The Land’ with his ancestors…not in Egypt.
With the last of his strength, Jacob tells Joseph that El Shaddai appeared to him to reveal that M’nasheh and Efrayim are to be counted as his sons and receive a sons’ inheritance.
Jacob sees the boys (surprise!), and reaches out to bless them. Jacob prays that he and his forefathers may be perpetuated in them; and that they remember who Jacob is, and what he stand for.
In the blessing, Jacob (intentionally) crosses his hands to bless the younger first. Joseph attempts to bring Jacob into correction, but Jacob says “I know that, my son, I know it. While he (M’nasheh) will be a great people, nevertheless, the younger(Efrayim) will be greater and grow into many nations.” (48.19)
So, Jacob puts Efrayim ahead of M’nasheh.
Jacob then blesses all his own sons individually, … and breathes his last.

It took 40 days to embalm Jacob (in Israel), and the Egyptians and all Pharaohs officials and dignitaries of his court, mourned Jacob 70 days!
Then the whole House of Israel (excepting children, flocks and herds) leave Goshen to return to the Cave of Makhpelah to mourn Jacob and bury him there in the cave Abraham bought

Joseph lived in Egypt and saw the 3rd generations of Efrayim’s children. It is mentioned twice that Joseph lived for 110 years.

This portion ends as it begins: with a promise and a passing. Joe’s bro’s promise to carry his bones back to Israel upon his death. Joe prophesies, of God’s visit to the bro’s… and… breathes his last.
Where are you in this story?