THE MYSTERIOUS OBITUARIES OF ELUL

A few years ago, I encountered a Jewish medical doctor who told a most intriguing story.  He said that in his many travels, he would often occupy himself with reading the local obituary notices of whatever city he was currently traversing.  Over a 20-year period of tracking these death announcements, he observed a mysterious, yet altogether traceable thread of predictability surrounding these occurrences. 

In the weeks preceding the Biblical observance of Yom Kippur, there is a striking increase in the number of obituaries published.  This also coincides with the month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar.  My own husband, a Messianic Rabbi, passed away half-way through the Month of Elul in 2010.  During the days following the death of a loved one, Jewish families participate in a ritual prayer, remembrance and time of rest called "Sitting Shiva." This tradition helps to heal the grieving process.

If the increase in deaths during Elul is true, it could be tied into an incumbent piece of what the Book of Ecclesiastes calls "....an appointed time to die." (Eccl. 3:2) While there is no empirical evidence that such a phenomenon visits the Planet every August, tradition needs no such proof for the avid believer.

HOUSE OF JUDAH - PHOENIX, AZ 1998



Yom Kippur is the Day of the "Covering" when Torah observers prepare for and participate in traditions to ensure their sins are "covered" and to have their names recorded in the Book of Life for another year.  It is believed that those who die preceding this event, were not recorded in the "Book" during the previous Yom Kippur.

FOR THE MESSIANIC BELIEVER, our belief is in the finished work of Passover and First Fruits.  Our names are written in the "Lamb's Book of Life," once for all time. 

WERE YOU CREATED OR WERE YOU MADE? YES!



Discovering our Hebrew Roots



Today's Hebrew lesson is on the creation of the Virtuous Woman.  Like everyone else on Planet Earth, you are "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made," according to the Psalm 139:14.  But what makes you so special and so different from all the other 7 billion inhabitants of our glorious planet? 

In the Hebrew language of Genesis, the creation story  makes quite a distinction within the six steps of our emerging existence.  The distinction is this:  When the Hebrew word Bawrah is used as in Genesis 1:1 "...God created the Heavens and the Earth," it literally means that the Universe was shaped out of nothing that existed before.  Imagine!  It just came into being.  But when the word is Asah is used as in Genesis 1:7 "...God made the firmament..." - the firmament was formed and sculpted out of already existing materials.  So, mankind was formed from the dust of the Earth--Asah, already existing materials.  But when God breathed the breath of life into that form, that breath or His Spirit was Bawrah -- just as it was in Genesis 1:1.  It was wholly new, not like anything that ever existed before.  Singular; Unique; One-of-a-Kind.  And for every child formed in the womb, this is still true.

So, while we are "made" by our parents from their already existing DNA, the life force within us--that breath from God--is "created" in us, the first of its kind....Bawrah.  And that is why you are like no one else who is, was, or ever will be in the future.

The Virtuous Woman is Fearfully and Wonderfully Created and Made (Bawrah and Asah)!

IMPART THE BLESSING

Baruch ata Adonai

SHABBAT SHALOM!  That is, Rest and Peace to you.  It is the Eve of the Sabbath for Jewish and Messianic Christian households around the world.  As women of faith, we are to be about our Father’s business, watching over the welfare of our families and our homesteads. 

The Virtuous Woman watches over the ways of her household.”  Proverbs 31:27

The very first thing to do--the most important thing--the action that will change the entire vibrational frequency of your home--is to bless it!  The Blessing is the heart and soul of Shabbat.  A woman lights the candles because it was foretold that "a woman would bring forth the Light of the World." Bless your rooms and your spaces; your doorposts and lintels; your windows and portals.  Bless the beds that are slept in and the table at which you break bread together as a family.  Bless your coming in and your going out.  Bless your husband and bless your children.  This authority is the Gift the Father has given and it can rock your world!  The power of the blessing cannot be overstated. Remember, "The Power of is life and death is in the tongue, and we shall eat of the fruit of whichever we choose to impart." ~ Proverbs 18:21   

Listen to the Teaching on the Shabbat Blessing with Janet McBride from the House of Judah, 1998:

Visit me at and request the complete Shabbat Blessing in Hebrew:  www.womanscents.com

THE WIDOW'S MITE IS REALLY THE WIDOW'S MIGHT

Where should you be giving your tithe?  Organized religion will tell you that your tithes go to them--the place where you get "fed."  Really?  Quote me chapter and verse on this and please do not drag me back under the Levitical Law of the Tithe  that applied to the ancient Temple.  My physical body is now the Temple; so with that reasoning, the tithe should go to me!  I find it totally curious that the Federal Government and organized religion have partnered together with the promise of a tax-deduction to make sure your tithe does go to them .

"The Virtuous Woman opens her arms and

extends her hands to the needy" ~ Proverbs 31:20

However, the Scriptures do say,  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep yourself from being polluted by the world."  (James 1:27) 

So from a Biblical perspective, my mandate is to apportion much of my tithe to widows and orphans.  I get no tax-deduction, but the return blessing has been exponential, turning the gift of a Widow's Mite into my own gift of a Widow's Might.    Now, as a widow myself, I am stronger, healthier and more prosperous.  What about you?

  

Sharing the joy of sustainable lifestyles for Virtuous Women: www.womanscents.com

So You Think You've Been to Heaven? Part 2

In the Biblical command to "Test the Spirit to see if they are of God," I find that most of the claims of going to the "Third Heaven" can be tested with a little Scriptural detective work on our part.  After all, we are called to be Bereans from time to time. A little scrutiny didn't offend the Apostle Paul, so it shouldn't bother those who make heavenly claims either.

The phrase "Third Heaven" is considered by ancient scholars to be an idiom for another dimension.  The Hebrew Old Testament speaks of Shamayim, and Jewish scholars put forth there are seven heavens.  But again, these are idioms that the finite mind of man must use to explain an infinite concept.  It's important to remember that each iteration of the "writings" from the original scrolls, to the Greek Septuigent, to the Latin Vulgate (the first to be compiled into an actual book); to the various and ever-changing English translations over the centuries have altered these idioms to relate to contemporary cultures.  Beware of the bias of the translators!

The usual justification for personal visits to the "third heaven" comes from 2nd Corinthians chapter 12.  Apostle Paul refers to a man whom he knew was got caught up to the "third heaven."  Although the passage never says that Paul is this man, the prevailing belief  is that it is indeed Paul. Beware of the bias of the Seminarians!  But the passage has been altered from its original form in that the suggestion of an out-of-body experience (usually enclosed in brackets) was added in later translations. And thus the reader is then "influenced" to believe that astral travel is God-ordained and only adds fuel to the idea that we can all go to the "third heaven." 

But the real test lies in how Paul handles this whole event.  He says the one caught up to this "third heaven" heard "unspeakable words, which are not permissible for man to utter."  He goes on to emphasize that he would be a fool to glory in the matter and relate what was seen.  If all of these reports of going to the "glory realm" and visiting the "third heaven" or the "throne room" were viable, then all of these are bringing glory to themselves by uttering that which was not to be uttered.  If true, these experiences are not to be broadcast, reprinted, televised and sold to the highest bidder at the bookstores.

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies ...  and in their greed, they will exploit you with false words ..."   ~ 2nd Peter 2



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So You Think You've Been To Heaven? (Part I)

Have you considered the ever-increasing claims of personal visits to Heaven that abound in the marketplace?  From near-death experiences, to children seeing visions from operating rooms, to the most recent excitement surrounding a book called "Heaven Awaits the Bride."  This is actually a reprint of two earlier works by author, Anna Rountree.  And it would appear that in spite of the repeated admonitions from Scripture to "Test the Spirit, because not every spirit is from God," avid devotees either ignore the warnings or are unlearned in what the Scriptures actually say.  In either case, this is a "Prescription for Deception."

  

Excerpts from Heaven Awaits the Bride, et al:

"While staying at a cabin in the mountains, Anna Rountree was caught up in a tremendous vision of heaven. While there, she was met and taught by the angels around her ..."  "I've come to take Ann to a training session," Clara (Angel) continued. "What kind of training?" I asked. "Of the healing angels," she smiled. ... "Azar the Angel said, "I'm the one who answers when you call for help."                                                

TESTING THE SPRITS: "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, HE will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come" ~ John 16:13
"You need not that anyone teach you: but that same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him." ~ 1st John 2:27  "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." ~ 2nd Cor. 11:14    "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." ~ Galatians 1:18     "Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;  you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." ~ Isaiah 58:9

These are just a few testing Scriptures... Test yourself to see if you can find more!

(Stay Tuned for Part 2)

THE BETROTHAL - FEAST OF SHAVUOT

     While the Bride of Messiah keeps her lamp trimmed and fills her jar with oil, TODAY we celebrate the Season of our Betrothal to the Bridegroom.  It is the Festival of the Ingathering--Shavuot, which is Hebrew for "Weeks."  Israel was to count the omer of wheat for 49 days following the Feast of Firstfruits (Resurrection) and on the 50th Day (Pentecost), the celebration would begin.

(Acts 2:1-4)

     This is the day Yashua, the Risen Messiah betrothed Himself to His New Covenant Bride. It is the fulfillment of the betrothal of the Jew (Boaz) and the Gentile (Ruth) as the One New Man.  We celebrate with two leavened Challah Loaves of Bread according to Torah ~ Leviticus 23:17

"You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord."

~ Leviticus 23:17