Come Seek With Me

  Greetings Dear Friends and Readers! I am currently in preparation mode for this year's Passover and spending time contemplating why it is so important to remember The Passover each year.   I think we can look to what scripture tells us about Israel as "Exhibit A," as they fell into a pattern of forgetfulness and consequences before they ever reached The Promised Land.   I think it is also critical for Christians to realize that Passover is not "just a Jewish holiday."  It is a STORY that transcends.... If we claim to have been saved by "the blood of Jesus Christ," how do we know what that means?  That's Passover verbiage my friends!  Let us not reject learning about and leaning into the depth of our salvation. With that said, may we also not fall into the pattern of forgetfulness, disobedience, and consequences that we read about throughout scripture. We have been released from bondage, Friends.   That's Our Exodus!!  We are meant...

Firstfruit WAVE OFFERING Theory, by Brenda Wilson. I don’t know how I got on this particular trail (other than it being Holy Spirit led), but on January 26, 2024 I happened upon the account in Matthew 27:50-53 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. NLT My thoughts started racing to Jesus being the firstfruit of the resurrected in 1 Cor 15:20-23 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam...

I had been there once before, so my reaction was a bit unexpected.  As I bowed in prayer, surrounded by a landscape of arid mountains and caves, my head suddenly jerked upward...eyes wide open.... I scrambled through my bag to find a pen and page to write these words: Two Witnesses Two Witnesses -I had been on that trail before.  What did it mean now in this context? This was my experience at Qumran.  You may recall hearing of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Well this is where they were found.  It's a vast desert area south of Jerusalem, where The Essenes, a sect of religious Jewish men, meticulously copied the Bible and carefully stored it away in a system of caves.   Why? I am not able to answer that question, but I do believe that The Holy Spirit must have been involved.  You see, those Dead Sea Scrolls, buried in the caves of Qumran, authenticate the very scriptures we read today.    They are a witness. Did the Essenes know that they had been...

In the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem, on the Via Dolorosa, stands a Roman Catholic church bearing the above tiled work of art.   The work is called the 'Mother of Hope' in English and depicts Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  While aesthetically pleasing, I get the distinct feeling that Mary's friends and neighbors in Nazareth would have a hard time recognizing her.  I think in the Christian world, it can be much the same with Jesus.  As a Christian, do I represent Jesus in a way that His friends and neighbors would have recognized Him?   I found myself thinking about that during my time in Israel.   Paul speaks of provoking his Jewish brothers to jealousy for their salvation  in  Romans 11 . But how can that happen, if our Jewish brothers do not recognize the way we represent Jesus...Yeshua? What changes are we willing to make to better represent Jesus...Yeshua to His own kinsmen? What changes am I willing to make in order to more authenti...

the desert beyond Be'er Sheva It was a hot June afternoon as I looked out into the desert near Be'er-Sheva.   Though the ruins of the ancient town were before me, I was more inclined to turn my back to them in order to take in the land outside the town walls.   I had something on my mind...   I was thinking of a history from Genesis chapter 21 .  You know the story, I bet.  Isaac is weaned, and Sarah sees Ishmael making fun of Isaac during his celebration.  Sarah demands that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. Scripture tells us that, "the matter was very displeasing in Abraham's eyes on account of his son." ( Genesis 21:11 )  --I know many often think of Abraham as having only one son, Isaac, but the truth is that Ishmael was his first born.  Abraham loved Ishmael, and the demand from Sarah to send him away must have cut like a knife to his very core. But we are told that Abraham did send both Hagar and Ishmael away... Why? Because "God sa...

Stock photo used to protect privacy - not an actual location photo The location is only known by word-of-mouth.   The building, nondescript. There is no signage.  But a quiet stream of people find their way to it. And the sound of singing can be heard echoing in the alley... It is a Messianic congregation of believers in Yeshua in modern-day Israel. During my recent visit to Israel, I had the great privilege of visiting a Messianic congregation for a portion of their Sabbath worship service.  Of all the places our team visited in the land, this was by far my favorite experience.   The building was not beautiful.  The context was not historical.  Our time there was incredibly limited.  Yet, it impacted me more than almost any other aspect of the land. If you care to know why, give me a few more lines of your time... The music was authentic...Hebrew worship, straight from the Psalms.  

   Dear Friends and Readers, I was recently asked to share how I study. Well, I find myself studying right now, and I thought I might invite you along.  Today I am collecting thoughts and scriptures…much like strings.  I hope that once they have been arranged a beautiful tapestry will come into focus.  We shall see.  If you care to look over the raw materials as I study it out, feel free to come seek with me… Thoughts:  Isaiah chapter 35: Wilderness and dry land will be glad Desert will rejoice and blossom They will see the glory of YHVH Then He will save you Eyes of the blind will be opened - Matt 20:34 Ears of the deaf unstopped - Mark 7:32-35 Lame will leap like deer - John 5:1-8 Mute will sing - Luke 11:14 Water will burst forth in the desert - John 7:37-39 A highway will be there –a roadway – The Way of Holiness It is for the one who walks the way - John 14:6 / several verses in Acts as well:  Acts 9:1-2 is a good starting place The redeem...