Tanakh of the Week

This is what God wants of You

2011-07-27T00:20:00.001-05:00

While we believe all the Bible (in my case the LXX) is divinely inspired, there are several places, such as the Ten Commandments and John 3:16 which focus on key truths.

Today we would like to look at Micah 6:8, "Has it not been told to you, O man, what is good? or what
the Yahweh requires of you, but to do justice, and love mercy, and be ready
to walk humbly with your God?

First, we need to look at "what is Good." If we want to think Hebraically, then we will realise that only God can really define what is good. Indeed in Genesis, when Havah and Adam eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the point is being made that mankind wants to decide these questions instead of letting God settle them. We also see that Yahweh sees the creation of the first five days is good and the sixth day is very good. In other words, creation before the fall was good. In addition, Yeshua tells us that God alone is good. So to determine what is truly good, we must seek God's revelation, the Bible to discern what good is. We are given direct examples (marriage between one man and one women), the 10 commandments, and we are given historical stories that illustrate points that are not always explicitly stated. While polygamy is no ware specifically prohibited in the Old Testament, the life stories of the Patriarchs, of David and Shlomo (Solomon) make it obvious it is not a good idea, and David shows what can happen to a family if a father does not fulfil his role. So to be good is to follow fully the precepts of the Kingdom, as laid out in the Old and New Testaments.

"To do justice." The Torah lays out what justice is. The prophets' main complaint through many of the prophetic books is that justice is not done. To look at justice, we can look at some specific things stated. No-one was to have two measures or two weights, in other words, we begin with a sense of fairness and honesty. We are not to move the boundary mark, again honesty. We are not to set stumbling blocks in front of the blind, i.e. we do not take unfair advantage. We are not to treat the rich better because they are rich, and we are not to favour the poor because they are poor. This is where we as a country originally got equal rights under the law, it is a Biblical principle.

To do justice also goes back to crime and punishment. Gaol was not listed as one of the punishments commanded in the Torah. In fact there were only two penalties, death or restitution. The death penalty was for a fairly short number of crimes, murder, adultery, homosexuality, blasphemy, and rape. Everything else was covered by restitution. In restitution, if something was stolen, it had to be repaid, often with a fine as well. If the person could not pay it back, then they were sold into slavery (but note that slavery would never last more than 49 years) The point was to restore right relationship between people and between the criminal and God.

Of course society today is much too merciful than this. A child rapist might be back on the street in 20 years. In Honduras and Mexico, long gaol sentences are considered cruel and unusual, so twenty years is the max. Of course if we followed the Old Testament there were would be no gaol except to hold people in preparation for trial.

The question arises then, are we a just society? The Bible emphasises, a fair wage for a day's work. Today many people cannot support their family on what they are being paid. In addition by forcing many to work on Sunday, the poor are robbed of being able to spend time with their families or at worship. There are many employees who are very unfair with their workers. It is not a new problem, and not one that will disappear, but we need to push for true fairness in the workplace and every place. If all employers treated their workers fairly, there would never be call for unions.

Hesed, translated mercy here can refer to kindness, but more refers in this context to relationships, especially covenant relationships, between man and man and between man and God. Mercy in this context would be being faithful to ones wife, and to God. But it also has the characteristic of showing kindness to others. Remember in the Gospels, in almost every healing, Yeshua had compassion on the person who needed healing first. Are we so kind to others that we feel their pain with them? If not, we should.

"To walk humbly with God" sounds easy, but is hard for us. To do this, we need to remember where we come from. Humble comes from the Latin word "humus," dirt. To be humble is to remember that we came from the dirt, that is from the earth, and we receive a brief reminder, Man, or "Adam" is made from earth or dust, "Adamah." To be humble is to know where you come from, or to know your place. God has blessed me with skills in language. I can take credit for studying, but it is only God's gift that allows me to pick up a language in six months. Can I be proud of my green eyes? No! They too are a gift from God. To walk humbly with God, we need to know who we are (sinners, saved by grace) and who God is (our merciful and just king.) We need to quit trying to save ourselves, and we must learn to submit to Yeshua.

6 March 2011: Transfiguration Sunday

2011-03-05T10:34:00.002-06:00

As part of my Lenten Discipline, I am endeavouring to write more and respond less, which means this blog, as well as several others.

Instead of looking at the Tanach directly, we are going to look briefly at the New Testament, and the next few weeks, we will be centering on what it means to be a Christian.

Luke, Chapter 9 beginning at the 28th verse:
+About eight days after these sayings, Yeshuah took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up to the mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and
dazzling. And behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moshe
and Eliayahu. They appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,
which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Now, Kefas and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who
stood with him. As Moshe and Eliyahu were departing from him, Kefas said to Yeshuah, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moshe, and one for Eliayahu.” He did not know what he was saying. While Kephas was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” And after the voice had spoken, Yeshuah was found alone. They kept silent and told no one in those days of what they had seen.

The key verse is here: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

What does a Father mean, when he tells his children to listen to him. Is it not a way of saying, pay attention, because you need to do what I am about to tell you.

The essence then of being a Christian is to listen to God and to obey him. This is how we can test whether or not we are Christian. Do people know we are Christians by our love for one another? Those are Messiah's words, not mine. Many times, in the Gospels, Yeshuah tells us, "If you love me, you will obey me." Do we believe this today? It seems today that there are increasingly flaws in the church, a church which is divided, a church which lacks love. To find the source of these problems, we need to go back to the beginning.

The essence of our faith, is that God is a holy, just loving Father, who created us to be in fellowship with him. Repeatedly we reject him and place our wants before him. He sent Yeshua into the world to take the death penalty for our sins upon himself. To receive the benefit of that sacrifice, we need to accept him as Lord and Saviour. To accept him only as Saviour is to mock him and to place ourselves more firmly in the pit of perdition. Yeshuah, when we accept him as Lord, not only reconciles us to God, one to another, and to nature, gives us the power to conquer sin in our own lives. If we allow that sin to continue in our lives, then we will be weak pitiful Christains, instead of being champions of the faith.

If you are not a champion of the faith, the first question you need to ask, "Have I truly accepted Yeshuah as my Lord and Saviour?" If you haven't, then you need to take this important first step. Next week, we examine Lordship.

Anskar, Apostle to the North: 3 February 2011

2011-02-02T23:32:00.002-06:00

http://www.christianhistorytimeline.com/DAILYF/2003/02/daily-02-03-2003.shtml

Anskar, a Saxon, was born in 801, in what would be Picardy today.In 826, when King Harald of Denmark asked for missionaries, Anskar, a Benedictine monk, was one of those who was sent out. Sadly, he was ridiculed by his peers for his missionary fervor. Later he also led a group to Sweden. He built school, and had dealings with the Vikings, who were a tough lot to evangelise, because they thought the breaking of oaths to be honourable. Because of the precariousness of the political situation, he returned to Hamburg, of which he became the first Archbishop. He helped consecrate Gotbert, the first Bishop of Sweden and is held to be the Apostle to the Swedish people. We remember Anskar most for being Apostle to the North, (Denmark, Sweden and Iceland) and because despite the fact he did not see the fruit of his works, he continued his labour. May we do likewise.

Collect: Lord Yeshua, your servant Anskar was called to Denmark and Sweden to proclaim the Gospel, and you gave him strength to continue despite disparagement and deterrence from those around him. Grant to us and our clergy like steadfastness of mind to obey your call, and trust in you for the seed planted to grow. This we ask through Yeshua haMoshiach, who lives and reins with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting.

Psalm 69:13-16
Zephaniah 3:9-12
Acts 1:1-9
Mark 6:7-13

I Advent: 28 November 2010

2010-11-22T23:19:00.002-06:00

Torah: Deuteronomy 30:10-20
Prophet: Isaiah 40:1-11
Writing: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Psalm: 139
Epistle: I Tim 3: 1-16
Gospel: Luke 3:1-20
Collect: El Shadai, you raised up your prophet, John the Baptist to preach repentance and to prepare the path for Yeshua and the kingdom. So prepare our hearts and minds that our Adonai Yeshua may find a home from where through us he may reign and prepare the world for his future return. This we ask through our Adonai Yeshua who lives and reigns with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in shekina glory everlasting. Amen.

22 November: Dear Lord, you gave your servant Clive S. Lewis wonderful ability to proclaim your kingdom, love of you, and spiritual truths through the written and spoken word. Raise up in this and every generation authors who truly love you and proclaim you through word and action. This we ask through Yeshuah haMoshiach who himself used parables to proclaim the truth of the kingdom. Amen. (white)

23 November: Heavenly Father, you raised up your servant Clement to be Bishop of Rome and to reestablish the ecclesiastical authority in Corinth. Help our Bishops to remember that to be bishops apart we must be Bishops together, conforming our lives and doctrine to your most holy scriptures. This we ask through Yeshuah who resisted Satan by using the words of the Old Testament. Amen. (white)

24 November: Your name, O Lord, is great and above every name! You are the head over all things. In you the fullness of God is pleased to dwell and makes peace by the blood of your cross. Fall before him for he is Lord of lords and King of kings! Amen.

25 November: Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

26 November: O Lord, your ways are not our ways. We most often hold grudges against our opponents and seek our own revenge for every offense. Forgive us, O merciful Savior, for withholding forgiveness. Help us to love those who
do not love us so they may find your grace irresistible. This we ask through our Lord and Saviour Yeshua haMoshiach, who lives and reins with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting. Amen.

27 November: Forgive your church, O Lord, when she does not proclaim the word which you have called her to do. We most often sing about The Great Commission and overlook the needy and suffering. May our righteous sounding words match our deeds for the sake of HaMoshiach and those in need of hope. Amen.

Ezequiel 16:1-63: October 31, 2010

2010-11-01T00:34:00.002-05:00

This lesson was written as a powerful warning to the nation of Israel. As such it shows that only God cares for Jerusalem. It was God who clothed Israel (remember, clothing is often a symbol of deeds, and clean luxurious clothing stands for good deeds, showing that even our good deeds come from God, and that only God can cover our evil nature, as Messiah's blood covers our evil nature and saves us.

Instead of thanking God, Israel turns to other gods (this is the symbol of prostitution). She even uses the things God gave her to worship false gods. Even worse, she sacrifices her children to those false gods!Even the Phillistines are shocked at her behaviour!

Brothers and sisters, does this description make you think. As well as describing Jerusalem, does it not describe the country we live in? God has blessed this country greatly, and we take those blessings and build houses and buy cars, but we forget the orphan and widow. Children are sacrificed on the altar of convenience by abortion. Other children are sacrificed because no-one has time to take care of them. Sports, money, drugs, exercise, leisure, have these not become the drugs upon which we squander what God has given us. God promised judgment to Jerusalem. Do we think that we shall avoid it. I think not.

The good news in this is twofold. God will not forget the covenant he made with Israel. There is still a role for the Jews to play, and they will come to know Yeshua as Messiah, Lord and Saviour. There is also hope for us, but we must repent and change our ways. Why do we give our enthusiasm and cash to entertainers? Why do we have time to party, but not have time to tell people that Yeshua came into the world to save sinners. Where are you? Are you wasting God's gifts on the idols of this world, or are you working to save sinners and build up other Christians.

10 October 2010: 19th Sunday of Gracetid

2010-10-10T00:28:00.001-05:00

Torah: Exodus 21:1-22:15
Prophet: Ezekiel 12:1-28
Writing: Proverbs 25:1-28
Psalm: Psalm 19:1-14
Epistle: I Thessalonians 4:1-18
Gospel: Mark 12:35-37
Collect: Gracious Father, who caused Zacheus to repent and make restitution for his sins, open our eyes to our own sins that we may repent, make good our errors, and be reconciled with those whom we have hurt;that the world may see that we truly serving the risen Lord. This we ask in the name of Yeshuah haMoshiach who lives and reigns with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting.

19 September 2010: 16th Sunday of Gracetide

2010-09-14T23:32:00.002-05:00

Torah: Lev. 23:33-43
Prophet: Zachariah 14:1-21
Writing: Proverbs 22:1-29
Psalm: 119:169-176
For the Epistle: Rev. 17:1-18
Gospel: Mark 7:24-37
Collect: Gracious Father, who through your son, Yeshua cleansed the lepers and healed the sick. Guide us not to be obstacles to others, but to have that true faith in you that we too could say to the mountain, be removed and cast into the sea and have it done. This we ask in the name of Yeshua haMoshiach who lives and reigns with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting.

15 September: : We confess Lord, that sometimes our own witness is dimmed by our pride and stubbornness. Forgive us, we pray, and remind us that the journey is not yet over. Give us grace to persevere under your guidance. For Yeshua's sake. Amen.

16 September: Father, as you raised up Ninian as Bishop of Galloway and to preach the Gospel to the Picts. Raise us in this and every land evangelists who are willing to suffer for the faith by preaching no matter what the circumstances. We ask this through the same Yeshuah who gives us joy in all circumstances. Amen. (white)

17 September: Teach us, O Lord, to see our neighbors with new eyes so that by your grace we may become more useful to them for your sake. In the name of Yeshua, we pray. Amen

Yom Kippur: Heavenly Father, as we remember the day of atonement which prefigured Messiah’s death on the cross. Separate our sins as far from us as the east is from the west, and grant that we may enter into the holy place where you now rein, one God, in glory everlasting. (Lenten array or violet)
Eve: Lev 16:1-34
Morning:
Psalm 16
Jonah 1:1-4:11
Luke 43:44-46

11th Sunday of Gracetide

2010-08-15T23:07:00.005-05:00

Proverbs 17:1-28

Short but sweet:
Often we are all too convinced of our own holiness and lack of sinfulness because we compare ourselves to other historical figures. We must remember that God's standards are not ours, and that the standard we must measure up to is Yeshua. None of us are good, no, not one, and our righteousness in his sight is as filthy rags. Only Yeshua can give us the power to go and sin no more.

OUR VIEW

Myself

Hitler

GOD'S VIEW
God

Myself
Hitler

Thomas Sunday: 11 April 2010

2010-04-10T00:22:00.003-05:00

Torah: Genesis 38:1-30
Prophet: Jeremiah 34:1-22
Writing: Proverbs 1:1-33
Psalm: 119:1-8
For the Epistle: Acts 6:1-15
Gospel: John 20:24-31
Collect of the Day: Dear Lord, when Thomas could not believe without seeing, you came to release his faith so he would recognise you as his Lord and God: release our faith, that we would recognise you as saviour of the world, and follow you as Lord, wherever you may lead. This we ask through Yeshua haMoshiach, who lives and reign with you and the Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting. Amen. (gold)

2nd Sunday of Lent

2010-03-03T22:39:00.004-06:00

Jeremiah 30:1-24

Last week, we heard the Lord tell us to be happy where he has put us. This week, we are told to trust in God. The Jewish people are told that God will give them freedom and return them to the land of Israel. Even though no-one cares for Israel, God will save them, although he will not allow them to go unpunished. But the time will come again when the people of Israel learn that God will be their God and that they will be his people.

Suffering, isolation, exile, are all strong force which can build or break a people. Just as God spent 40 years in the desert teaching the sons of Israel to remove Egypt from their midst, so did he have them in captivity for 70 years to truly turn them to a true people of God. It appears that during the Babylonian captivity, the Jews became truly God's people. They learned in captivity to take the Sabbath seriously and learned to keep the festivals in spirit and truth, and learned that God was truly with them, and wanted to be their God and protect them.

Likewise, as we look at Jakob, he has spent years being tricked by his cousin, and learning to totally trust in God. It is a lesson which is difficult for us to learn, which is one of the reasons we keep Lent. During this time we read God's word, hopefully go to church a little more, and allow God to speak to us through his word and to transform us into the image of his Son. After all, it is better to practice self-discipline that to have the Lord teach us through discipline and correction.

I note sadly in passing, that in the world I hear people say many sad things. No church is necessary to be a Christian, baptism is not necessary, moral laws don't apply to us. Saddest of all, the belief that we are all going to heaven. If we the Church do not convey the truth to those around us, then God's judgment will come upon us, just as it came upon Israel. We are called to sound the trumpet. We are the ones who are here.

25 February 2010

2010-02-25T09:18:00.004-06:00

Jeremiah 29:1-32

This is a favourite. This scripture is basically, a bloom where you are planted scripture.

Society in the USA particularly needs to hear this scripture. To set it in context, Babylon has conquered Jerusalem, taken the King captive and brought many of the Jews to Babylon. Jeremiah writes this letter telling them to pray for the king, and to get on with their lives, that in God's time (70 years) they will be restored to Jerusalem.

Today, one of the most insidious sins is covetousness. Oh, if I had a better job, I would be happy. If I had a Cadillac, I would be happy, etc, etc. ad nauseum. In this time of Lent, when we are all hopefully fasting, we should be looking at what truly makes us happy. I have seen people eating, who were miserable, because they were not eating what they wanted. I have also seen people whose appetite is spoiled because there is too much food on the table. C.S. Lewis describes the first problem in a wonderful manner in his novel, Perelandra,

So what is covetousness? Is it wrong to want a better house, or car, etc? Clearly no. The secret though is not to make these things our goal in life. When we were house hunting, there were just a couple of details I was interested in. It had to be above the flood line, and it had to be set up with a room we could use as a chapel, and a decent dining room. Did I have to have these things to be happy? No, but we needed them if we were to use our house as a home church, which it still is, though still small. Will we want such a house later. Probably not, I'll be happy with a small two bedroom house with a large dining room for children, grandchildren, and guests. My house is not my goal, but a means to working for the kingdom.

And my car? Well, I have two, a 1995 Olds Sierra, which will get its windows fixed this afternoon. Is it beautiful or elegant? Not really, but it gets me where I want to go. If someone gave me a million tomorrow, would I sell it and buy another? Probably not (although I would like an Aptera), I'd probably just finish a few more minor repairs. My other car, sadly doesn't get me where I want to go, and God willing, it will be repaired some day, but the car is not important. The getting there that is.

God wants us to learn to be thankful for what we have. The Word Eucharist, which we use for the Holy Communion comes from the Greek, Ευχαριστο, which means thanks or thanksgiving. Are you thankful for your spouse, your car, your house, your food, your job? God wants us to learn to be thankful for what we have. People in Haiti are happy just to be alive. Most of you who will read this live a standard of living that most Haitians could only dream about even before the earthquake.

Could our circumstances be better? Maybe yes, maybe no. Can we learn from them. Many would say it was the circumstances of the captivity in Babylon which was the crucible which formed the Jews. In fact I would say that myself. It was in Babylon that the Jews realised that they must depend on God and learned to obey him. In fact during the 70 years of captivity in Babyolon, it seems they learned more than in the prior 600 or so years of being the Kingdom of Judah.

Are your circumstances tough? Don't focus on them, focus on the relationships, especially with God. Allow those circumstances to guide you in developing a relaationship with God, and your family. Be thankful, and learn to have joy in Jesus. Your circumstances may not change, but your perception of them will.

15 Februart 2010

2010-02-17T20:12:00.003-06:00

I am just getting more and more behind. Three doctor's appointments today, two yesterday. Too many sick people in the house.

Sunday's lesson from Jeremiah is most important to the modern church. It is a warning about false prophets. False prophets are dangerous, because they lead us astray. In the time of the lesson from Jeremiah, the false prophets are telling the people not to worry, that God will deliver them in two years. Jeremiah counteracts these prophecies and warns the people this will be a long captivity, and Babylon will prevail.

The danger and mark of false prophets is that they do not call us to repent. The people of Israel didn't need to repent, because God was going to deliver them. They didn't need to worry. God doesn't ever punish his people and they will always come out ahead. Do you know false prophets who speak this way?

Jeremiah and all true prophets for that matter spend a lot of time condemning sin, and calling people to repent.

Are you being told how wonderful it all is, and that you are welcomed by God just as you are, or are you being called to repent and allow God to transform your life. While it is true, God loves you as you are, the point of salavation is that we repent of what we were, and allow God to transform us into the image of Jesus his soon. This is an excellent thought to hold to as we begin this first week of Lent.

25 January 2010

2010-01-25T23:01:00.002-06:00

Psalms of Solomon 10

Sadly, I am ubable to copy the Psalm, but you can see it at:http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/31-pssal-nets.pdf

It starts out, "Blesed is th eman whom the Lord remembers with reproving, who is fenced from the evil road by a whip."

This is not the way we think of God. We think of God as love, but we often do not consider what that love truly means. Do you love your children? Sure, everyone does. Do our actions with them always look loving. Not always. When we are slapping their hand or telling them no, it does not always look loving, but it is something that needs to be done. A child who never learned the words "no" or "stop" can be in danger. He or she might be about to put their hands on the hot stove, and we can holler at them to stop, but if they never learned to obey, they will burn their hand. Better to have been swatted a couple of times than to have third degree burns. The same with us. We do not really know what the life to come is going to be like, but one can be sure that being strong and being self disciplined will be part of it. God wants us to grow in knowledge and strength. Just as we learn things from being punished, so do we build up our spiritual muscles by using them to resist that which is evil. Those who never had to resist, often have no power to resist when put in spiritual danger.

We also have to develop our hearts. Again, "Fr the Lord is kind to those who endure discipline." When David sinned, did he blame the devil, or his friends?" No, he admitted his wrong doing and repented to the Lord. An attitude of submission. I fear for some people and some groups. When they are corrected, they get angry instead of accepting the correction. We need to be like David. When we sin, we need to say, "I am the man who sinned against God" and repent, just as David told us.

God is continually with those who accept correction. Their hearts have changed, and God will give that change an opportunity to grow and transform lives. When we do this, we will find the everlasing joy.

17 January 2009

2010-01-17T23:53:00.002-06:00

Jeremiah 24: 1-10

So I will regard those exiled from Judah, those whom I have sent away from this place, to the land of the Chaldeans for good.

This is a message that we don't always find. It is good to be exiles? This is kind of a reverse to our way of thinking. Of course part of the reason that it is good is the kings and rulers of Judah are going to be destroyed, but there is more implied here. In the New Testament, we are told that all things work together for the benefit of those who love the Lord, we just do not always see it that way.

For example, in our first lesson today, Jacob runs away from this brother, but comes back with 11 sons, and wives and concubines and sheep. His exile was a blessing for him.

The exile in Babylon was a blessing in another way. The dispersal of the Jews meant that their ideas spread. Would the Magi have known about the coming Messiah if Daniel had not trained the wise men of Babylon? The love of God, righteousness, and the belief in one God were spread by the Jewish diaspora.

We are told in the Psalms of Solomon, Chapter 9, that the dispersion of Israel among every nation was according to the word of God. And we note, after the final dispersion of the Jews in 70 AD, that the Christians (who were Jews) went with the Jews to various Jewish colonies of the world. In Acts, we see the Apostles and others going to Samaria, and Damascus. Paul everywhere he visits, visits the Jews first. Peter visits the Jews in Babylon, St. Thomas started his trips to India at Jewish colonies, as did St. Joseph of Arimathea in his visit to Britain. In other words, these dispersions, while apparently bad things were not. They worked to the spread of the Kingdom.

Likewise, we can look at the disaster in Haiti as an opportunity. An opportunity to spread God's word, and opportunity to rebuild. We need to not only be helping Port-au-Prince with donations, but with our prayers,and sending Godly people there. Haiti had been bound for spiritual chains for many a year because of the massive massacres that occurred during independence, and the Voodoo which pervades the society.

We need to be praying for the spiritual rebirth of the nation.

28 Deceber 2009

2009-12-28T00:33:00.000-06:00

Jeremiah 22:1-30

As we see in much of the prophets and other areas of the Tanach, God emphasises the need to do justice. He tells us: “Practice justice in this place, let rectitude be found here. Free the oppressed from exploitation, don’t humiliate nor mistreat the alien in the land, nor orphans, nor widows. Don’t kill the innocent. If in truth you do all I commanded, then there will always be kings to occupy the throne of David.

But they didn’t. Justice is emphasized over and over again, do justice. Fair weights, fair measures. Do not pervert justice in favour of the rich nor the poor. Treat people as they deserve. And if not the destruction of God will come upon the people of Israel and Jerusalem.

Why do we think we are so special? I hear people saying over and over again, “God does not judge, he will not punish us because ‘God is Love.’” How is it that we think that God will treat us better than his own chosen people who have been exiled three times. God is really serious about justice. Look once again. Do justice, Practice uprightness. Free the oppressed. Do not humiliate the foreigner, nor widow nor orphan. Do not kill the innocent, yet we do all these things. Do we truly practice justice? I fear not. Are we upright? Why we cannot even obey the speed limit nor the stop signs. Are foreigners mistreated? Yes they are. (And of course some is their own fault, for when we ignore the nation’s laws, we open ourselves up to mistreatment.) Don’t mistreat orphans nor widows, yet divorced men do not pay child support, childless couples spend $80,000.00 to have a kid, when they could adopt sixteen for the same amount. Innocent are gaoled or killed instead of taking time to get it right. People are kicked out of their homes by banks which were loaned big bucks to keep them solvent.

Should we be surprised when the judgment comes? The problems with the economy, 9/11 are all signs of worse things to come.

But the worst injustices are: Christians are not living Christian lives. We do not follow the Biblical precepts relating to marriage and sex and divorce any better than the world. We are becoming worldly with prosperity gospel. Tithe and God will make your rich. The Bible promises blessings, not money, it promises peace, not without hardships. Our lives are a disgrace in the sight of God.

The other great injustice practiced by Christians, is we do not share the faith. No volunteers tonight to go caroling. We just want to sit ant home or work. We are glad to proclaim our favourtite football, basketball, hockey, cricket or soccer team, but when it comes time to tell others what Christ has done for us, we are silent. Maybe they don’t really know God. Maybe he hasn’t changed their lives. I praise God, he has delivered me from alcoholism, tobacco, and pornography and worse. If not for him I would be dead, not only in sin, but in body. God transforms us, and we need to tell the world.

Go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ is born, to save sinners and transform them into saints.

29 November 2009

2009-11-30T23:24:00.002-06:00

Deuteronomy 30: 10-20

As we enter the season of Advent, we reflect on the lessons. The 3rd lesson from Ecclesiastes, reminds us that there is a set time for everything. For us now in the western church, it is the time of Advent. Advent comes from a Latin word which means to come. Advent has the double sense of preparing for the coming of Christ, his first coming when he was born into the world as a little child to save the world, and for his second coming, when he will come to judge the world.

The question is, are we ready. Deuteronomy tells us that if we listen to the law and obey it, then we shall live and multiply. While of course in its initial sense, this reading is for the Jews getting ready to enter the promised land, it is also for Christians. God has set before us the way of life and of death. Jesus, who is the Law has come down for us, so we do not need to seek in heaven for him, nor anywhere else. He is as close as our heart, if we truly seek him, and he has given us his word, and his word can be obeyed.

Do we love Jesus then? Love is what gives us the power to obey. Love gave me the power to give up tobacco because I loved the kids in the church enough to know I didn't want to be a bad example. Love for family allows us to sacrifice for them, and to live according to the spirit. Love for Jesus allows us to obey his laws. Are his laws tough? Without love they are. If we are having trouble following God's word, we need to ask ourselves, "Have I really accepted Jesus?" What does this mean? In the new Testament, we are told, "if you believe in your heart and confess with your lips you shall be saved." In Mark, we are told, if you believe and are baptised, you will be saved." We are also told , "Those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Are these mutually exclusive? NO they describe a process. We must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with our hearts. We must call upon his name, and we must confess our belief before witnesses, the church, and we must be baptised. All of these ingredients are necessary. Baptism shows we are obedient to him and is a sign we have passed into new life, and is a sacrament by which we are joined to the church. Does this mean if you accept Jesus, and die before you have a chance to be baptised, that you will be condemned? Clearly not, but I would wonder about your salvation if you put off being baptised.

Salvation is not about fire insurance. Many say they have accepted Christ as Saviour, but their lives do not show it. When we are saved, (made whole), we are truly made whole, maybe not all at once, but Jesus will be moving in our hearts and minds so that he will be our Lord indeed. Often we fall away, sometimes because there was no true faith to begin with, and sometimes because we never achieved the discipline we need to be true disciples.

Ask yourself, "Do I truly love Jesus move than anything? Do I love him more than _______________(wife, kids, money, tennis, football, soccer, whatever)? Where do I spend my time? How do I spend my money? Do I need to make a change? Am I ready for Jesus to come back?

What would you do different, if you knew that Jesus would return tomorrow? That is the point of Advent. To figure out what we would do different if he was coming back tomorrow and to do it. I myself have cut back my time with the TV and increased time with the Bible. Our love relationship with Jesus is only strengthened by studying his work, and through prayer.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

Third Sunday of Kingdomtide: 15 November 2009

2009-11-16T17:54:00.001-06:00

Genesis 19:1-38

This week’s Tanakh gives a powerful message of the love and mercy of God. As you may recall, God states that there is a great outcry against Sodom and Gomorra. He has also told Abram that he will not destroy the city if he finds ten righteous men in the city.

The angels proceed into the city, where Lot finds them. It is important that we look at Lot. When we last saw Lot, he had decided to live in the area around Sodom and Gomorra and indeed had been captured when these cities were attacked. This weeks reading, we find Lot living in the city, with his daughters promised to men of the city. Such is the power of evil. When we choose to stay close to it, it slowly drags us in.

Lot, though, is still imbued with the values of Abram. Hospitality is very important to him, and he insists that the angels stay with him. The angels, after some resistance agree. The men of the city come to Lot, insisting that he turn the men over to them for the purposes of sex. Lot refuses, and showing the importance of hospitality offers his daughters instead. The men refuse this offer, and try to take Lot, but the angels strike them blind.

Now a quick aside. Sadly the heresiarch, John Spong and others tell us that the main sin of Sodom and Gomorra was the lack of hospitality, and that homosexuality was not the problem. They tell us that the only reason that the Bible condemns homosexuals is because the Jewish culture was anti-homosexual. We should point out that it was God’s commandment which shaped the Jews, not some prior bias. God is Lord of all, and he could have chosen any homosexual culture he wanted to be the ancestors of Messiah. There were plenty to choose from in Canaan.

Back to the story. Remember, that God told Abram there was a great cry against these people. God, when we refuse to obey him, lets us stew in our own juices so to speak. We are told in the New Testament, that homosexuality is the result of idolatry. We also know they left off hospitality. There were probably many other sins against Sodom and Gomorra, and when a people or person refuses to turn to God, then God allows that sin to reign over those people. This is exactly what happened to Sodom and Gomorra, and in time is what happened to the Canaanites. These are the only two societies so completely condemned in the Torah. Societies so evil, that they had to be destroyed lest they contaminate other peoples, and as we recall, the Canaanites were not completely destroyed and led the people of Israel astray!

The Angels warn Lot of what is to happen, and tell him to gather his family. He goes to his sons-in-Laws, and they think he is joking. Evil has no comprehension of judgment. Wicked men turn things into a joke and reap the consequences. Giving up on his sons-in- laws, Lot returns to the house, and appears befuddled. This is the only place in the Bible in which I can recall that God forces someone to be saved. The angels take Lot and his wife and daughters by the hands and lead them out of the city, and command them to run for the mountains, so as to be safe. Lot again pleads with the angels, the mountain is too far, could he not go to Segot, and God in his mercy permits it. But our story is not done. The angels command him and his family to run, and not turn back, but Lot’s wife cannot resist. She looks back and is transformed into a column of salt. God requires obedience. He covers us with the blood of Jesus for our salvation, but Jesus must be our Lord as well as our saviour, or all bets are off. Lot and the daughters are safe, but his wife is gone. They arrive safely at the village, but Lot seemingly has learned his lesson. He realizes how evil these people are and leaves for a mountain. His daughters in a fit of desperation ply him with wine to get him drunk so they can have children, showing their desperation (it was the sons who took care of the mothers) and their contaminating. In the congregation, it was asked yesterday, why Lot didn’t go back to Abram. I had never thought about it. I suppose that maybe Lot was ashamed to go back. It is certain that Abram would have taken him back in and probably found husbands for the daughters.

We have then the story of Sodom and Gomorra. God judged them and found them wanting. He remembered Abram and his promises, and for Abram’s sake rescued Lot from the destruction to come. He virtually forces Lot to leave the city, for the sake of Abram. What a gracious God. He wants each of us to be saved as well. Are we willing? If you are ready to accept Jesus, send me an email and we will talk, or give me a call.

Mar Michael Abportus, O.S.L.
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

27 September: 17 Gracetide

2009-09-28T11:40:00.004-05:00

Isaiah 57:14-58:14

I am actually writing this on Monday, sadly to say, but our Tanach of the week is interesting and is taken from one of the lessons appointed for Yom Kippur.

First of all, God expresses his love. He wants the road cleared of obstacles, he promises his people he will not give up on them. If they can repent of their greed, then God will heal them. He also gives a promise, that needs to be taken into account: "I have promised that none who are evil will live in peace."

God instructs Isaiah to shout: Tell the people they have sinned. They worship and claim to seek justice, but God does not answer them. Why does God treat them this way when they are fasting (This lesson takes place in the context of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement). Because their minds are not truly on God. The people are being greedy and selfish, thinking only of themselves and taking advantage of their workers.

Is fasting and and dressing in sackcloth what God truly wants? No, to worship God in truth is to free the prisoners, to share food with those who are hungry, to share your home with the homeless, to clothe those in need and not turn away our relatives!! (note: he doesn't say it is to have soup kitchens, build orphanages and shelters, but to take care of it ourselves). So often, we let the institutional church do the work of the body of Christ. Shame on us! When WE do these things, then our light will shine for all to see, and God's glory will defend us. Jesus didn't say build orphanages and shelters, but for us to go out, just as the church did in its first centuries, when it grew by leaps and bounds because people served the Lord by serving the poor, weak and helpless.

Do we serve the poor today? No in fact we are becoming greedy as the Israelites in the time of Isaiah. I note today that a certain rather radical union is rather proud because its members get $7.20 per hour, but at least they have insurance! Seven twenty an hour? Seven twenty an hour? That is fine for a college or high school student, but for a man to work all day at $7.20 per hour. How can he do this? He cannot. He either has to get food stamps to survive, medicaid for his kids, etc. Is it really the job of the United States government to subsidize employers who make their employees work hard and underpay them? Shame on us. What about all the illegals who are hired because they will work without insurance (and end up in the emergency room). Are we called to subsidize these industries as well? Are we called to subsidise doctors too, whose offices are filled with young women (and men) who are paid a pittance to work hard all day? What about fifty plus million children aborted since Roe vs. Wade? Shame, shame upon this nation. A man needs to be paid a fair wage so as to support his family without being subsidised by the government. Greed greed everywhere. We want it cheap without thinking of those who work for that money. God will condemn this nation if there is no repentance. God will also condemn and punish this nation for abortion. Seventy per cent of the population according to some studies oppose abortion, but the courts and certain people claim it a right to murder innocent children for the sins of their parents, or even worse, for convenience. Will this nation repent in time?

If we let our light shine by taking care of the poor, feeding the hungry, treating people fairly, then God will bless us and help us to truly celebrate that he has forgiven our sins when we truly repent of them. We will fast, and study God's word, but it will be a time of rejoicing for truly knowing God.

What will you do this day?

Chag sameach!

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
www.freewebs.com/childrenofabraham
2891-867-9081

Heroes: 22/9/2009

2009-09-22T23:08:00.004-05:00

This week we go back to IV Maccabees 1:1 of which most of the rest of this book demonstrates. The NETS version of the Septuagint states that pious reason is able to overcome the passions, and the rest of the book describes this. I sorry I don't have many other versions handy, but another version says religious reason. To me this means that a mind which has been trained in the Bible is able to conquer the passions.

Some examples. A gentleman whom I used to council was sexually abused by older boys when he was about five, and apparently this made him attracted to boys, as he would dream of naked boys. When actually given the opportunity to do something about it in junior high school, he was able to resist, because he had read in the King James Version, that any man who sleeps with another man as with a woman is an abomination. That gave him the power to resist temptation for years, because his mind was fed by the whole word of God. In the early to mid seventies, sadly enough he came in contact with some articles written by Bishop Spong and others declaring the Bible to be wrong on such things and fell into a homosexual lifestyle, of which through counseling and the power of the Holy Spirit, he has been delivered. Forgiveness of those boys who abused him broke the power of pornography over him. (Lord have mercy on those who led him astray.)

Another example from my own life. I was very much a slave of tobacco in the form of Skoal. Swore to myself that when it hit a dollar a can, I would quit. Well the dollar came and went and I was still on it. At the same time I was one of the cosponsors of the EYC in Conroe. One of the kids wanted to try some, and I had to turn him down, because I was his brother in Christ, and could not start him on such an addicting habit. My mind was formed by the Bible, which lead me to understand, that I was responsible for my brother, and this gave me the power to take that Skoal to the altar of the church, leave it there, and pray to God to deliver me from the desire. I have had no desire now in about twenty-five years.

Now I am not exalting our will, not detracting the role of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit uses the same scripture to guide us and set us on the straight path. What is important is our belief. The first example had power to resist, as long as he believed God's word was true. When that building stone was torn down, it no longer had the power to help him, until he was able to believe again.

When we look at heroes, or the saints of the church, then we see interesting things. Unlike the TV programmes, we don't see super powers (except in the case of Sampson) or many supernatural things going on, except when angels are seen. What makes a Biblical hero a hero, that is a saint? It is his commitment to serve God, guided by knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Some of the greatest heroes, such as King David, and St. Peter also messed up a lot, but they were willing to confess their faults, and allow God to move in their lives to transform them into instruments to do God's will here on earth.

We too, need to concentrate on learning God's word. Here at Benim Avraham, the entire New Testament is read every four years. The Old Testament in about six years. We hear the whole word of God, and live by it. The Holy Spirit uses that word to guide us as we work for the kingdom.

If you wish to be a hero of the church, you need to read the whole word of God, and apply it to your life.

Shalom b Yeshuah haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
www.freewebs.com/childrenofabraham

13 September: 15 Gracetide

2009-09-13T20:13:00.004-05:00

Jeremiah 12:1-24

This weeks lesson begins with Jeremiah crying to God, "Why do things go well for the sinners?" a question which many of us have from time to time, especially in these days when we look at Bernie Maydoff or at Allen Sanford and ask why they did so well. Truth is, in the long run they did not do so well and were finally caught. And what does not get caught by man, will be caught by God.

Truth is what God throws at us in life is exactly what we need to develop our characters. When we rise again at the time of the resurrection, God wants us to be perfect and he sends the appropriate training material our way, whether we are saint or sinner, and he fully desires that all come to him. Both Maydoff and Stanford were or will be given the opportunity to come to know Jesus, and their experiences will have helped to pave the way for them to know and serve him, if they accept him as Lord.

God in the same way prepares us for this life here on earth. As I was growing up, it was amazing the various ways I was prepared for my life as a missionary. Canoeing, and compass skills in Boy Scouts were absolutely necessary to life as a missionary on the Miskito Coast, as was the fact that I had studied languages with case endings, giving me a tremendous advantage in learing Miskito, one that English and Spanish speakers do not have. Mechanical skills and many other things that I had learned at an earlier time all were excellent in helping me to be prepared to be a missionary. AS God prepared me for that time in my life, he prepares each of us who love him, and who will love him for the resurrection.

God does give him an answer, which may sound strange. "How will you run against horses if you cannot run against men?" which is God's way of saying here, we are not involved in a fight against men, but in a fight against spiritual forces that are much stronger than us. We can only battle these spiritual forces when we are filled with God's Holy Spirit.

God also makes a promise. Those nations who surround Israel, will be restored if they come to know God. This problem has been partially completed at this time, and will be completed fully at some time in the future. But now we can look at the countries surrounding Israel. The Coptic Christians who speak the language of the Pharaohs are 10% of the population. The Maronite Christians were around 40% of the population of Lebanon. There are still Assyrian and Persian Christians who are the descendants of those countries which persecuted Israel. They are still with us, and while they are moving out of their native lands they show no signs of disappearing.

God kept his promises to them. He too will keep his promises to us, and will use life to make us the best people he can, if we will only let him.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
Bishop of La Porte,
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

2009-08-17T00:14:00.002-05:00

Gen 8:1-9:17

Today very briefly we will discuss the lesson. We are told that God remembered Noah. This is a Jewish expression. It doesn't mean that God forgot that Noah was floating on the flood waters. It means it was time to do something, so the waters begin receding. Noah sends out a raven, which does not come back, presumably feeding on carrion. He sends out a dove twice. The second time the dove comes back with an olive branch, which shows that plant life is returning to the earth.

God makes a promise, and to confirm it send the rainbow, so that he and we will remember his promise. That promise is that as long as the earth exists, God will never wipe out everything with a flood. We need to take care of what is promised. God does not promise that floods will cease. H merely declares that the entire earth will not be destroyed by flood as long as it exists. At some point, (I think maybe within the lifetime of my children), the earth and heavens will be completely destroyed and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. All mankind will face the Lord Jesus, those who accepted him to eternal bliss and those who did not to eternal judgment. So we need to get ready.

Any time I see a rainbow, I think of the promises of God. God tells Noah and his sons to multiply, but the world is forever changed. Now in addition to fruits nuts and vegetables, man is now permitted to eat meat, although, not with the blood in it, for blood is the life.(we might note that this injunction is one of the very few dietary restrictions placed on Christians as well) This is a huge change, but mankind is still to have dominion over the earth we are still to command the animals. Another rule is given to all man kind. Man is not to be killed because we are made in the image of God. The tanach places real value on man's life. We have a special relationship with God as co creators.

May God bless,

Mar Michael Abportus

Prayer

2009-08-04T20:14:00.002-05:00

III Maccabees 2: 1-20

Technically speaking, this book is not part of the Tanach because the Jews do not recognise this book of the Bible, which is recognised by the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox. For those of of you who are not familiar with I and II Maccabees, the four books relate to the event relating to the history of the Jewish people just after the time of Alexander the Great, when Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to force the Jewish people to adopt the pagan Greek religion. Judas Maccabees and his sons lead the rebellion.

Anyway, leading up to this chapter, Ptolemy wants to enter the Holy of Holies, and verse 1-20 are the high priest's prayer. Verses 1-13 describe what God has done for the people. Verses 14-15 relate to God's promises. Verses 16-20 are a confession of sin.

This prayer is very much a model prayer for us. When we begin our prayers, we should begin with what God has done for us, both the miracles in the Bible, our salvation, and the things he has done for us individually. We also need to remember what God has promised us. In addition, we need to be very consious of our sins, and to bear in mind that many of our problems are of our own making because of our sinful nature.

To see this wonderful prayer go to: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/22-3makk-nets.pdf

Palm Sunday

2009-04-05T00:12:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 53:4-12

The Lesson from Isaiah most clearly shows what Jesus has done for us, but let us remember first that Jesus's death and ressurection are based on and shaped by the Passover (which begins this Wednesday night). The ancient church, and most especially Jewish Christians were well aware of this. The Passover Lamb was sacrificed. His blood was spread on the lintels of the door, so that the Angel of Death, seeing the blood would pass over that house. The blood of the lamb gave life, and not one of his bones was broken. Later that day, the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea. There they passed from death unto to life, from slavery to freedom, just as per the Gospel of St. Mark, when we confess and are baptised, we pass from slavery (to sin) to freedom (from sin), and from eternal death, to eternal life.

Now the reading from Isaiah tells us somewhat in more detail: He took our infirmities and carried our sorrows, he was pierced for our iniquities and punished for our transgressions, yet his punishment brought us peace. After his suffering he will see the light of day. H will justify many because he bore our sins.

We often miss the point. The point of the suffering of Jesus was to restore us to right relationship with God, with each other and with nature. When we truly seek those right relationships and allow God to guide us, then we will be better candidates to be the kingdom of heaven. God does not want us just to be saved. He wants us to be transfomed, to truly be made whole. Healing is part of this mission. Look again at Isaiah. He took our infirmities. One translation of this portion of Isaiah translates, "By his stripes, we are healed." Now when God heals us he does not just heal the disease, he heals the person. God doesn't see our cancer or our blood pressure. He sees the spiritual, moral and physical problems that lead up to that cancer. Depending on where you most need wholeness, he might just let you keep that cancer to deal with another area in your life which needs wholness. This is what God wants, true healing and wholeness so we may truly join with him in fellowship. When our bodies are whole, we will be able to do more. When our minds are whole, we will be in right relationship with naure and others. When our spirit is whole, we will be in right relationship with God the Father and will be ready for heaven.

Come join us for Holy Week and Easter.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-877-9984

29 March 2009: Five Sunday in Lent

2009-03-28T23:13:00.003-05:00

All three of our Tanach lessons express some degree of hope. Our first lesson from Deuteronomy speaks of thanking the Lord, once the people have come into the promised land. The last lesson from Chronicles talks of restoration of the King, and the people tearing down the temple of Ba'al, but our second lesson from Isaia (Isaiah 56:1-57:13) talks of a different kind of hope. The Lord says, "keep judgement, do rightousness" and tells us some of the results. The foreingner and eunuchs will not be rejected. We might recall, that we have read that Eunuch's foreingners and others were not allowed to participate in the worship of Israel, but in today's lesson we learn of a change. To keep judgement, and to do righnteousness stems from a condition of the mind. If we carefully look at Jesus's miracles, many restored people in a broken relationship to worship. Curing the blind, cleansing leapers, etc. not only gave people wellness of body, but wholeness in relationships, especially the relationship with God.

Those who truly obey God from the heart in love and thanfulness will be restored to a true right realtionship with him. This is in contrast with those who worship idols and who have forgotten the covenent. Those who mock God, will be punished and be destroyed.

Le us be careful then not to mock God, but to obey him in spirit and truth. Do you love Yeshual? Then obey him. Do you really love Yeshua? Then be as intent on telling other people about him as you are to espouse the latest fad diet or proclaim your favourite TV show. Are you sure you love him? Then be as joyful in talking about him as you are about your favourite band or sports team. Let us love him in Spirit and truth and learn to gossip the Gospel.

15 March 2009: 3rd Sunday in Lent

2009-03-15T00:04:00.003-05:00

Deuteronomy 24:1-22

Today's lesson is an interestin combination, mostly showing the mercy of the Lord. The lesson starts straight out on marriage. If a man divorces his wife, she marries another, and they divorce, she is not to return to her first husband. It would be detestabel

The second lesson is probably something more applicable today. It basically defines a honeymoon as a year. I think there is great wisdom in this, and it would be wonderful if we could fully apply this to all newly weds, that within reason they should not be separated from each other durnig the first year of mariage so they can truly get to know each other.

Continuining and jumping around a bit, a principle is laid out that if we were to apply it today, life would be much easier for any. We are not to take someone's means of livelihood as a guarantee of a payment. The Israelites were agricultural, and the millstone was necesary to make bread, the staff of life. LIekwise we treat the person we are loaning to with respect. We do not enter his house to collect the surety, we allow him to bring it to us. Even more important, if that surety is something he needs to live, we are not to keep it. The example given is a cloak, with which the poor not only used as a coat in the cold, but as a blanket as well.

We go on, no kidnapping, and listen to what the doctors say about disease, so that it will not spread.

Do not keep back wages. In other words pay your employees on time. Also treat everyone fairly, not only our brothers, but the stranger in the land as well. Each person is to be punished for his own sins. The son is not held responsable for what his father has done, nor is the father held repsonsable for wht the son has done, in ohter words we are to be responsable for our own actions.

The last in practice is maybe the most difficult to apply. A person is only to harvest his field once. Anything he missed is to be left for the poor the widow and the orphan. In other words, we are to help the helpless, but do so in such a way that allows them their dignity. For example, when working with street kids in Honduras, I did not just give them food. I would send them on errands, or even have them help in the kitchen or get coconuts. to allow them to feel that they were earning there own keep.

The lesson today is truly a mixed hodgepodge, but the principles apply even today.

1 March 2009: 1st Sunday in Lent

2009-02-28T23:48:00.005-06:00

Deuteronomy 21:22-22:30

The Tanach for today has a set of laws some of which apply to us, and some of which apply in principle.

The first is a man hung on a tree is not to be there past sunset because he is cursed. We note in passing, Jesus was cut down from the cross before sunset.

The next is the law of return, and it applies to us even today. If we find our neighbours animal straying, or something belonging to our neighbour, we are to return it to them. This is not always easy to do, but something we strive to do if possible. God will bless us for it.

The next is pretty obvious, no tranvestites. Now some people have held this law to mean woman should not wear pants, but the vagaries of fashion are ever changing and vary from culture to culture. The purpose is not that a woman should not wear pants, nor that a man should not wear a kilt, but that a man should dress as a man and a woman as a woman. God wants no confusion about the sexes.

Maybe some of our game laws derive from the next one, but it is emminently practicle. If we take the eggs, we leave the mother so she can lay more eggs. If this law and the principel behind it were applied everywhere, (and here I am thinking of Central America where a favourite way to eat iguana is stuffed with its own eggs, and iguanas are harder and harder to find) food might not be such a great problem.

The next is common sense. If we build a house with a roof which you can walk up to, it needs a wall. In other words we build things safely.

Ox and donkey ploughing together, but combined with the next, we are not to mix differetn kinds. The same with two different kinds of seed. The tassles were on the outer clothing, and included one blue thread to remind us that we are set apart and are to be holy for the Lord.

The next adresses divorce. We note that while Moses permitted divorce, Jesus told them the permission was because of hard hardedness. The instant adressed here is if a man falsey accused his wife of adulter or not having been a virgin. If he has accused her falsely, he can never abandon her. IF the accuasation is true, then she is to be put to death. The Bible holds marriage and chastity in high regard, standards that we need to return to. Folowing we are again reminded, the punishment for adultery is death. This is followed by practicle matters. A woman taken in the city is guilty of adulter because she didn't call for help. In the country, she may have called but no one could hear so she is innocent. Lastly we are told that if a man has relations with a woman they are to be married, and can never be divorced. Lastly the first of several incest laws, a man is not to marry his father's wife, for that would dishonour his father.

Some of these rules are practical for today, and all have implications for us today. As mentioned above, God is very serious about marriage and sex. It is time for us to return to being serious about it to. One reason God is so concerned about this, is because marriage is an icon of the relationship between God and his people This is repeated over and over in the prophets, God is the faithful husband, Israel is the bride, and in the New Testament, Christ is the bridegroom, the church is the bride. God insists on fidelity in marriage because it demonstrates his faithfulness to his people, and he wants the people to be faithful to him.

I note in passing that the teenage pregnancy rate is growing, and of course it is well known the results that single motherhood had on children. Someone stated on an interview, that abstinance was not very practicle, and that by having a baby she was being forced to be an adult. I find it interesting, that when I was in high school, birth control was not readily available, but we had very few pregnancies. It is sad to day that most kids today do not want to take the repsonsability of waitning to have sex. This is sad in many ways, firstly becasue, the icon of marriage being a relationship of God and his people is rapidly disappearing. It is sasd becaue numerous studies indicate that two virgins have the highest success rate in marriage and the lowest divorce rate. It is sad because the greatest thing one can bring to their marraige parner is their virginity.

Now, sex is important. After all, God made us as sexual beings, but he also established rules for that sexuality. As we ignore those rules, we set the seeds of the destruction of our society.

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

22 February 2009

2009-02-22T00:19:00.004-06:00

Today we remember when the Father appeared to Moshe and Eliyahu. These experiences are reflected when Moshe and Eliyahu appear to Yeshua when he is transfigured. God tells Kephas, Yakob and Yohanim to listen to Yeshua. When a parent tells the child to listen, he usually means to obey.

As we approach Lent, and Shrove Tuesday, we need to ask ourselves, "Are we obeying Christ?Do we give him time each week? Do we share our treasures, and talents with him? Are we actively inviting people to join the Kingdom? Am I studying the Bible? Are we healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and helping the widow and orphan?" In these last days before Lent, we need to ask ourselves these things. If there is a besetting sin in our lives, we need to go ahead and confess it to a priest and accept our penitence for the time of Lent. We should condider, what we need to do to improve our relationship with Christ. Prayer and fasting should be an important part of our Lenten discipline, fasting not only from foot, but from those things which keep us from advancing the kingdom, no matter what they are.

Join us Tuesday night to forgive one another. Join us Wednesday morning in accepting the ashes of repentance.

15 February 2009

2009-02-14T23:36:00.003-06:00

II Chronicles 18:1-34

But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of Yahweh whom we can inquire of?"

As Jehoshaphat asks this question, he is surrounded by prophets telling him to attack. He realises in his heart that none of these prophets are really of the Lord. Whenever we commence a venture, our first question should be to inquire of the Lord. The first way we inquire of the Lord, is by searching out his word. Any project that we do should be in conformity with God's word. Secondly, we should search out good advice from Godly men and women, and inquire together of God's will. Jehoshaphat recognised that many of these men, despite being prophets were not truly Godly. God will speak with us, but only as we have learned to obey his word.
Richard Hooker, a prominent theologian of his day laid out some basic rules for us. The first was that we should seek God's word. God's word, where it makes a statement on an issue, is to be obeyed. The Bible is very clear on certain issues. We should obey where the Bible gives a clear word. Where the Bible does not apply direct rules, then we should follow the tradition given by the church in accordance with the dictates of the Bible. Where the Bible and tradition are silent, then we are to us our reason to follow God. Now this has often been referred to as Hooker's three legged stool but this is very much a misnomer. Three legged stool implies that Scripture, Tradition and Reason are equal, but this is not at all what Hooker said or implied. There is a very clear hierarchy, Scripture is most important, Reason is the least, and we only use reason where scripture and tradition are silent, and only in line with what the two suggest.

For example in modern times, some churches wish to put the three on equal footing, and use reason to trump the Bible. Some people will tell us that homosexual is a natural thing and some people are born homosexuals, so we should permit homoerotic behaviour and permit active homosexuals to be clergy. Instead we look at scripture which tells us that homosexuality is wrong period. We allow our reason where scripture is silent, but again in accordance with precepts laid down by the Bible.

But we find out something else about God's ways in this lesson. God's ways are not our ways, and no matter what we try to do we cannot outsmart him. God sent lying prophets to lure Ahab to his death. Ahab must of had some kind of premonition that this might be true, so he disguises himself. At first the enemy concentrates on the king of Judah thinking he is Ahab, but they realise their mistake. An archer though, drawing his bow in random strikes down Ahab. God's will will be fulfilled, no matter what we do. The only way to escape is to repent, which Ahab did not seem to be inclined to do.

Let us then learn to obey God in his word, and following the traditions of the church, and obeying him with heart and mind and strength. He will then give us the wisdom to follow him truly where the Bible and tradition are silent.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

8 February 2009: 5th Sunday of Epiphany

2009-02-07T23:50:00.002-06:00

I Chronicles 17:1-19

We are told: 3 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

God is in the business of blessing. When we as a nation and culture, learn to truly follow God, the blessings will be with us. The lesson tells us, the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because...he walked in the wasy his father David had folled. The kingdom was full established under Jehoshafat, and later on we are told, that the fear of the Lord fell on the surrounding kingdoms, they didn't make war and the Phillistines and Arabs paid him tribute.

Not bad for a little kingdom the size of Israel. When a country, or nation or peopel obey God, the blessing will follow. In the USA we have been blessed for many years because of the faith of our forfathers, men and women who came to be able to worship freely. Even thosse who did not come for religious reasons, thanked God for his providence in the new land. These blessings may or may not carry on. Our land is turning against God. We have a new president who voted yes to a law stating that if an aborted baby was born alive, he or she should be left to die. We are getting ready to kill fetuses for stem cell research. Some preachers are afraid to proclaim the Biblical truth about homosexuality. More and more children are born out of wedlock, so that millions of children are robbed of the opportunity to see the icon of marriage as an image of the relationship between God and his people.

We must learn to care for the poor and helpless. We need to discared the vain grip that money has on our hearts. Spend our selves into debt, and into derpression,and the goverment thinks we can borrow our way out of it.

We truly do need a change. A change in borrowing habits, in spending habits, in who and what we put first in our lives. The government has not said, but we need to learn to save and live in our means, a radical change from life in the last 20 years where we lived on credit. It means that there will be changes, there will be suffering, but if we start lining up our money and enonomy for saving, the long term result will result in a more fiscally disciplined country, one that can survive.

If we as a nation want God's blessing, then we as a country need to bless God, through obedience, money, lifestyle, through marriage and a return the the Christian agenda. If we continue in the path we are follwongg, it is well probable that God will withold his blessing.

Septuagesima Sunday: 1 February 2009

2009-01-31T23:36:00.003-06:00

My apologies, my head is stopped up and I need to rest. But briefly as we are approaching Lent, I would like to talk about it a bit.

Lent has three emphases:
Preparation for Baptism.
Restoration of sinners to communion.
Spirittual Purgation.

For those preparing for Baptism on Easter, I say fast and pray, you are getting ready to become saints.

I you are a notorious sinner, then on or before Shrove Tuesday (Shrove is past tense of shrive, which is old English for absolve) you need to go to the priest and confess your sins. He will then pronounce a penance for you to keep for Lent so as to be readmitted to communion at the Great Vigil Serice.

Spiritual purgation. Lent is not about giving up chocalates for God, but about making ourselves better servants. Fasting is usually a part of this. We ask our congregation to abstain from meat during Lent, and to skip at least one meal on every Friday of Lent, and to fast completely on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Some for medical reasons may not fast, no problem. Give up a favourite food. Put away the TV or radio for Lent. Spend more time praying, reading the Bible, telling others about Christ. If you skip a meal, read the Bible in its place. Take the money you save and help the poor.

If you are giving up some noxious habit for Lent such as smoking or gossipping, resolve not to give it up just for Lent, but for all time. If you have besetting sins, see the priest of anachamra for help.

For more help, (and Lent is rapidly approaching, we have a Lenten Discipline Worksheet. For me to email you one as an attachment in wordplese email me at: mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net and place Lenten Discipline Workshee in the subject line.

Blessings to all,

+Mar Michael Abportus, OS>

25 January 2009: 3rd Sunday After Epiphany

2009-01-24T23:53:00.003-06:00

Deuteronomy 17:14-18:22

Our lesson from Deuteronomy today once again is rather practical, even to our day and age. It tells us how the king is to behave. He must not be a foreigner. He shouldn't have too many wives (as they might lead him astray as happened to Shlomo (Solomon), he shouldn't be worried about collecting silver and gold. He was to take a copy of the law (what we call the Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible) and copy them down and to read it each day of his life.

Now admittedly, our Bible is a little bigger today, but the idea of our President, Governor etc. Reading his Bible each day appeals to me. It helps him to set boundaries and know the standards. That is something that is important to any leader of the nation. The Bible will also remind him if he reads it through, that God has ultimately placed the leader in that position. Writing doesn't hurt either.

In my life I began a regular round of reading the Bible at a relatively early age, in conjunction with activities for Confirmation in the Episcopal Church and with activities aimed at receiving the God and Country Award. Even though through lack of good teaching I fell away from church in my college years and participated in some rather stupid things, I continued the Bible reading every day. During my senior year at Rice, I was reading the first chapter of the Gospel and it hit me. All the stupidity I had fallen into fell away immediately, for Yehsua (Jesus) was God and he had come into the world for me. It was a momentous occasion and the beginning of my return to life in the church. (This by the way is why I do not worry about my youngest son. He is not there yet, but he does read the Bible every morning and night, so I am sure the Lord will get through to him, the rest of them I worry about).

The lesson goes on to tell us the prerogatives of priests, which are important because we learn to support the clergy, as again Paul tells us in the New Testament. Then we are given some more commands. We are not to sacrifice our children, offering them to Moloch. Unfortunately today, we sacrifice our children through abortion to that God convenience, and unforgiveness. We often sacrifice our children in other ways, not giving them the time they deserve to help form them into mentally and physically healthy human beings and Christians.

We are also told to stay away from witchcraft, casting spells, necromancy and fortunetellers. Of course strangely enough, at least in Houston, the horoscope is right next to the comics, just to get the kids interested (and the comics are in the religion section, just what message are we sending?) How many Christians I wonder read the horoscope each day? Stay away from it. It will lead you astray. It lead me astray when I was young and foolish, and I know several pastors who were led astray as well. The Bible is not kidding, this stuff is eternally deadly to your soul.

The lesson ends with a prediction of the coming of Messiah.

Now believe it or not, the little stuff counts. When we learn to obey in the little things, like not reading the horoscope, women wearing a head covering when praying, then we are strengthened for the bigger things. Let us repeat that, obedience in the lesser things helps us to develop our spiritual muscles so that we can be obedient in the larger things. How many marathoners got up in one step and ran the Marathon. NONE. We all start the same way, one step at a time when we are babies, and building up our muscles for bigger and better things.

So let us get into the Bible, studying it each day, and learning to obey in all things. Let us claim the blessing, which may not be health and wealth, but is the true peace which passes all understanding.

18 January 2008: 2nd Sunday After Epiphany

2009-01-23T00:13:00.006-06:00

Deuteronomy 1:18-17:13

Coincidence or no, this lesson talks about justice and how it should be administered. There is repeated emphasis in Torah, Prophets, and the writings on justice. We are not to favour the rich because they are rich, nor the poor because they are poor. Both extremes have been found in society over time. By extension, we are not to favour someone because of skin colour. In other words true justice is justice with integrity. Martin Luther King (By the way, we do not celebrate his birthday in January, but the anniversary of his death), in one of his speeches, stated that he did not want his children judged by the colour of their skin, but by their character. It is a wonderful statement and one we should consider.

I am a product of Texas and of the south, and grew up with prejudice around me. Blacks and whites did not frequent the same restaurants. Whites sat in the front of the theatre, blacks in the back, and Mexicans in the balcony. How things have changed, in some ways for the good, and in some ways for the bad.

Remember what Martin Luther King said, we are to judge by character. Remember what the Bible says, justice, all should be treated the same. Even though there are still some people who are prejudiced, either consciously or subconsciously, it is time for affirmative action to cease. Everyone should be judged by their ability and their character. Yes there are differences in the way people live, but, if we look just at the children of unwed mothers, the differences between white, black, Hispanic, etc. virtually disappear. Unwed mothers children are more likely to be abused, not finish school, be on drugs, etc. Mothers regardless of race should not have children outside of wedlock, if they truly love their children. Unfortunately most of them love themselves more and do not consider the danger they put their own children in.

Let us be just, instead of assuming prejudice, let us look at the real systemic problems this society has. Some have predicted that the US, UK and some other countries will be no better than third world countries, if we do not deal with the problem of unwed mothers. There is no shame any more. Something that is gone, is the shame and stigma of having sex and children without the benefits of marriage. Our new President has commented on the biggest problem for black families is the absence of black fathers. Bill Cosby (unpopularly I might add) has been talking about this problem for years. But it is not just a black problem, although the numbers are higher among the black community. It is a Hispanic, white, etc. problem as well, a result of glorifying sex before commitment, glorifying pleasure before responsibility.

It is time for our society to develop morals once again, morals based on Biblical precepts, sex and marriage belong together, not apart. Marriage for two heterosexuals, only, not glorifying perversions. Men being responsible for their children. Media that promotes morality, not amorality, drugs and sex. We make the difference, when we turn the TV off, refuse to listen to things that are bad, refusing to rent some movies, and telling sponsors why we will not buy their product anymore, and yes, writing to your senator, representative, governor and President. It is also time for church to show the way again. Our daughters should be virgins before they marry. Our sons as well. For too long has society salted the church in the USA and Europe. It is time for the church to salt society.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL

mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-266-8153

11 January 2009

2009-01-11T00:56:00.003-06:00

Isaiah 42:1-9

In this day in which we celebrate the baptism of Yeshua, it is fitting that we read this lesson from the Tanach as well. When, the sinless Yeshua was baptised for our sin, he was taking on the mantel of his public ministry. This ministry is lined out in the reading from Isaiah.
See my servant.
I put my spirit upon him (when Yeshua was baptised)
He brings forth right ruling to the nations. (yet to come)
He does not cry out...Yeshua was humble and meek in his ministry.
He does not become week nor crushed (even on the cross, Yeshua voluntarily gives up his life.)
I Yahweh have called you in righeousness, for a light to the gentiles (Yeshua is a light to the nations, not just to Israel)
To open blind eyes (both literally and that they may see the truth)
To set prisoners free (again, both literally, and setting prisoners free from sin)

When we read this lesson, we need to consider. We often think of this lesson as defining the ministry of Yeshua, but in fact it defines the ministry of all Christians, the church, which is the body of Messiah.

When we were baptised and sealed, we received the fullnes of the Holy Spirit. This just isn't something fun God does for us. The Holy Spirit is power, and he leads us into all truth, including the ugly truth about ourselves, our depraved nature and our sin. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit, we congquer the old nature and put on Christ.

We are to bring right rulings to the nations. We should attend to Darfur, the women and children trapped in the sex trade, we should look out for the Israelis tortured by daily missile attacks and those innocenst who suffer as a result. Yeshua works through us.

Today we must open blind eyes, especially those who deny spiritual realiities, those who deny God, those who deny responsability. There are many blind eyes. Few adress the world's economic problems from spiritual viewpoints. Materialism, greed, living beyond our means are the cause of the problems. It is time to see, and live within our means, look at what we need and not what we want.

It is time for us to free prisoners as well, not just those who are falsely imprisoned, but those who are imprisoned by drugs, by alcohol, by sex, by pornography, by materialism, by enslavemnt to their computers, their video games, their cars.

It is our job, given to us, when we were baptised into Christ Jesus. We are his hands and feet, we are his mouth and ears and eyes. If we don't do it, who will?

So let's do it. Time for us to change the world in the name of Yeshya.

Shalom b'Yehsua haMoshiach

+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-266-8153

3 January 2008

2009-01-03T23:36:00.001-06:00

Please excuse me this week. Just too tired to get it done on time. Please pray for us.

28 December 2008: 1st Sunday after Christmas

2008-12-27T23:57:00.002-06:00

Beloved in Christ, once again, our reflection is not quite on the Tanach, but in this case the First Book of Maccabees. For those of you who celebrate Hanukkah, we find the incident in I Maccabees.

Roughly, the First Book of Maccabees talks about the war between Antiochus Epiphanes and the Jewish people lead by Judas Maccabeus and later his sons. The miracle here is not so much in oil for one day lasting for seven (or the miraculaous fire in II Maccabees), but in that the Jews conquered the Greek Empire, no small accomplishment. I Maccabees tells in graphic detail how some Jews refused to submit to the Greeks who were trying to force them to eat pork and to leave the children uncircumcised, and in general to abandon the Jewish religion. It is a story of great courage, but it is also a story of how God stands with his people.

One of the great inspirations for Judas Maccabee and his sons were the stories they read from the scriptures, how David defeated Goliath, how Jonathan and his armor bearer conquered a troop of Phillistines and many more. Friends are you down. Do you have ten thousand soldiers agains your group of four hundred. We need to know, God has won the war. We still have the battle, but God is with us, he has conquered the enemy. Our part is to learn to walk with him, and to obey him. To obey and walk with him is victory. When David went against Goliath, he didn't see a giant, he saw a man that the Lord God had already defeated.

We have a real problem in the church today. Most Christians are leading defeated lives. Those few who are living victorious lives, most often are suffering, but putting God first. They know they have the victory. Go look at the icons. Are there any fat Christians among them? These guys knew how to deny themselves for the Lord. Fasting and praying were regular parts of their disciplines (we find this with Judas Maccabeus as well). They were willing to give up things for the common good.

Is it not time we learned from our Christian and Jewish forbears? ARe we willing to give up THINGS and MONEY for God. The church is too much a captive of society today. The Bishop of Rome has stated that greed is the main force behind our economic meltdown, and I agree with him. But has any politician said, "We need to live a simpler lifestyle"? Has any politician in the last 36 years said, "It is an act of patriotism for us to learn to live with less gasoline"? No, they are encouraging people to spend and buy, as if either of those items can really help.

Real joy comes from truly knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and by walking truly with him.
I know, my secular work seems to be drying up (surprise three week unpaid vacation for Christmas), but I also know the Lord will provide, if I am with Him.

Shalom to all,

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-266-8153

21 December 2008

2008-12-20T23:19:00.006-06:00

Instead of concentrating on the Tanach for this week, I would like to throw out different ideas which are floating in my head. First, as it is approaching the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, many discussion lists turn to the date of Christmas, and many comments were made one way or another.

There are currently three schools of thought on the date of the Nativity. The first school is that the Nativity was in the spring, with a possibility of the Messiah being born on or near Passover. Some reasons behind this theory have to do with ideas as to when shepherds would be out with their sheep (the idea that December would be too cold). After studying the habits of sheep and shepherds in Israel and the surrounding areas, I have to discount this idea.

The second school of thought holds that Jesus was born in September or October. There are several reasons for this, the most important of which is that some people take the language of the Gospel of John as suggesting that Jesus was born on the feast of the tabernacles. This is an appealing idea from the Gospel, and of course would relate well to the high holy days. In addition there are several star and planetary formations which suggest this time of year.

The third school of thought was that Jesus was born on or about December 25th, and the date was decided on because of some older feasts such as the Annunciation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary (nine months before Christmas). We note in passing that some people have speculated in the past that Christmas was celebrated on the 25th of December to take the place of the celebration of the invincible sun. Recent and some ancient scholarship suggest though that the feast of the invincible sun was moved to December 25th in order to repaganise the Roman Empire. I would not that no less a personage as Benedict, the current Bishop of Rome goes along with this idea.

To give credence to the latter two times, lambing season begins in October and continues several months. In addition there are winter rains, that would encourage the growth of grass and brush, so more than likely the shepherds would be out with their sheep (and in fact studies show that shepherds were out with their sheep 365 days per year). An interesting additional point, is that the shepherds around Bethlehem were more than likely Levitical shepherds. These were the guys who raise the sheep which were Kashrut (Kosher) for sacrifice. In other words, they were the ones who certified that the newborn lambs were without blemish. Do you see where this is going. To me it is marvelous. Why did the angels apprear to the shepherds? They were to certify that the new born lamb (Jesus) was without blemish, which only a levitical shepherd or priest could do. How great is our heavenly Father, who used Levitical Priest to guarantee that the sacrifice for our sins was without blemish. How great is he who made the things of the universe come out this way.

In addition, tonight we begin the celebration of Chanukah. As you may know, the kingdom of Israel was overund by Greeks under the leadership of Antiochus Epiphanes, who tried to destroy the Hebrew religion. He was not very succesful, and a revolt aros under the leadership of Judas Macabeus and his sons. The Greeks ( apowerful nation in those days) were defeated (a miracle in and of itself demonstrating God's hand and keeping the path open for Messiah), and the temple was cleansed and purified. There was only enough oil to fill the Menorah for one day, but through a great miracle, the oil lasted for eight days, the length of time for dedicating the temple. Chanukkah is very much a festival of light, and is a wonderful celebration of how the light of the world came into the world, and to remind us, that our lights should shine bright, that many could come to know Jesus through our witness.

Shalom b'Yehsua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, OSA
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-266-8153

14 December 2008

2008-12-13T23:59:00.002-06:00

Deuteronomy 12:1-28

Once again, we are told, that these are the laws God is giving to his people, and the first mentioned here is to destroy anything which has to do with the worship of other (specifically the Canaanite gods). Once they are destroyed, we are told emphatically that we must not worship the one true God in the way the Canannites did. At this point we are not reminded, but we should keep it in mind, that one of the reasons that God commanded the Israelites to wipe out the Canaanites was because of their many sins, many of which had to do with their religion. I'll not go into any great detail, but among other things, the Canaanites sacrificed their children and practiced ritual prostitution, both heterosexual and homosexual.

Now at the time the Israelites entered the land, the current idea is that each god had his place, and that is where that God was to be worshipped. The Israelites living among the Egyptians probably picked up some of their religious ideas, and we recall that when Samaria was taken over by Assyria, the Assyrian king sent back for Israelis to teach the new Samaritans how to worship God, and in the Psalms, we here the question, "how may we praise the Lord in a strange land. " Of course the answer to this was that there is one an only one true God, and we worship him in spirit and truth, whereever on or off earth we may be.

Now we can see that the high places were a tempation to the Israelis. There God was a God of deliverence, but maybe they needed the local gods for help in agriculture. The worship of God wa limited to one, place but the worship of the Canaanite gods was not. Great tempation. God knew what he was doing when he commanded that the high places be destroed. Unfortunately, they were not destroyed for many years. We know that Solomon went the the high places to worship.

Two ideas are adressed here. The first is that of syncrotism. Syncretism is the mixing of relitions. There is a great temptation today in the US and the west to syncretise religions. Many say that all religions will lead us to God. A Buddhist or Hindu or Satanist are all going to heaven because all religions lead to God. this is not what the Bible tells us. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus states very clearly, he is THE way, THE light and THE truth. Noone may come to the Father except by him. It doesn't sound fair to western ears, but in fact it is the Kingdom of Heaven, and not the democratic republic of heaven. The King is THE king, not a puppet king limited by parliamentary procedures. If we want to go to heaven, we must go on his terms, or we face the alternative, which is Hell. Let us not follow those who would introduce the idea that all are going to heaven, or that all relgions are equal, it is not so.

The second idea is false worship. Worship can be false in two ways. First, we do not truly love whom we are worshipping. Yeshua told us clearly, we cannot be the slaves of two masters. We must have only one, and therefor should analyse our lives. What do we spend our time, money and effort on. Except in the case of the poorest who are barely surviving the answer to this question will tell us where our hearts are. Our time and money and effort should be spend on the kingdom. If if is not, then what we give our time money and effort to is our God. This could be sports, house, children. It could be something handy like being a volunteer fireman, but that cannot be our God either. Either the Lord is Lord of All or HE is not Lord at all.

The second way that worship can be false is by worshipping something that is not God. Many try to subvert God into something else, the common subconsious, or the Great Spirit, Brahman, etc. But none of those is God. God has revealed himself in Holy Scriptures, and through Jesus Christ. Anything else is not God. Even the Muslim Alah is not god. They are monotheistic, but the concept of Allah is completely different from our heavenly Father.

So let us ask ourselves this week, do we know who the God of the Bible is? If not, we should come to know him. Second question, do we give our time, money and effort to God, or is something else truly our God?

May the Lord richly bless you,

Shalom b'yeshua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, O.S.L
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
832-266-8153

7 December 2998

2008-12-07T00:37:00.002-06:00

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Today's lesson is very much a continuation of last week's lesson. We are told, "love the Lord your god and keep his requirements." This commandment is not done to try and to gain God's favour, but an act of thanksgiving. As the Israelites had seen all the wonders the Lord, they were to walk in obedience for thanksgiving, and they were to obey the Lord, so as to have the strength and ability to do as he commanded them.

In fact, from this lesson, we see how very much Jesus saving actions on the cross are reflected in the Passover. We as Christians are to obey Christ for two reasons. The first is because we are thanking him for what he has done and because we love him. Not a very hard concept. We owe God our obedience not to gain salvation, but because he has already saved us. Secondly we obey God so as to have power to fullfill his commandmenst here on earth. These commandments to love God, to love our neighbour, to proclaim the Gospel are not really very hard if we truly love God. He will give us the power.

An example: Many years ago, I used to use snuss. I really had gotten into it bad, using two to three cans per day. I had promissed myself that I would quite when it hit $1.00 per can. Well $1.00 came and went, but I was still using it. Oddly enough, no-one challenged me on this sad to say. At the same time I was one of the adult helpers with the church youth group. One night, one of the kids asked me for a dip,and I told him he shouldn't have any as it was bad for him (no rules against giving it or selling it to people uder 18 in those days). He asked me then, if it was so bad, why was I using it. As I went home, I considered several things. First, since my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, I shouln't be polluting it. Secondly, as an adult helper in the youth group, I needed to set a good Christian example I loved the kids enough to know that I had to do something, so I did. I went back to church (it was never locked in those days), carried my snuss to the altar, kneeled down and prayed something to the effect, "Dear Lord, this is a bad habit, and I am addicted to tobacco. This is a bad example for the kids at church. Lord, you are bigger than a can of snuss. Please take the desrire away from me." I left the church a free man and have never touched any since.

When we truly thank God, he give us the power, the power to be free from sin of whatever type. We who are mature Christians have events in our lives demonstrating the power of Jesus Christ. I regularly share the above even with people who are addicted to cigarettes, so they will know that Jesus can set them free. That too, is part of the lesson today. We who have experienced the living God in our lives are to tell kids, adults, anyone who will listen what God has done for us. He has set me free from tobacco and several other sever addicitons. If he can set me free, he can set you free, and those whom the Lord has freed are free indeed if they want to be.

So let us share the good news. Halleluiah, Jesus is risen, He has freed me from sin, and mean it. God's love gives us the power to even move mountains, if we truly follow him.

So let Jesus free you to conquer sin and deth.

Shalom b'Yeshua haMoshiach,

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannishc@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081
www.freewebs,com/childrenofabraham

30 November 2008

2008-11-29T23:20:00.001-06:00

Deuteronomy 30:10-20

This lesson is perfect for showing the thrust of traditional Judaism as opposed to Pharisaical or Rabbinical Judaism. What God is looking for is not blind obedience to a written set of rules, but a relationship with him. As St. Paul tells us, we are not bound by the law, but we follow the rulings of the Holy Spirit. If we truly love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul, then we will not worship other Gods, we will not make idols, we will not use his name in vain, and we will honour him on his day. Even more, we will look at each other, and realising that we are all made in God’s image, and if we love God, we will not kill, steal from, lie too, commit adultery against or covet the things of someone who reflects the image of God.

If we truly love the Lord, we will obey him, just as young children obey their parents. That is partly why the way we raise children is so important. The relationship of parents one to another reflect the relationship of God and the church. As children learn to obey their parents, they will learn to pass that obedience on to God if they truly love him.

We are told to love and obey God is to live. The physical blessings promised to the Jewish people are not always meant for Christians, but it is true that as we live for God and love him, we will be blessed. It may be that it is physical blessings for a society, just as American Indians in Argentina have seen their villages prosper as they learned to live for God, or it may be a peace in our hearts as we are persecuted for following the Messiah.

God’s word is very near us. As we seek him truly, he will explain his word to us and allow the living Word to live in our hearts, grant us peace, and guide us on our way.

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
Mjthannisc@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081

22 November 2008

2008-11-22T23:05:00.003-06:00

Isaiah 6:1-8:

In the year that King Uzzi'ah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory." And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

This week lesson manages to sum up some very important tenets of Christianity, and well needs examination. To begin with, the lesson gives us a specific time in history, the year King Uzziah died, roughly 736-732 B.C. Isaiah, probably during a worship service sees the Lord. He is high, and lifted up and his train fills the temple. My Bible gives, hem, and the indication is that the Lord’s deeds and presence fill the temple and creation.

The Seraphim were flying about, with two wings to cover their faces, because they were not worthy to look upon the Lord, two to cover their feet, because they were not worthy to stand in the Lord’s presence (and I know others interpret this differently, but this is my reading of it) and two wings to fly. They call one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts and the whole earth is full of his glory. The complete Jewish Bible renders this, “More holy than the holiest holiness,” while the scriptures gives us, “Set apart, set apart, set apart is YHWH of hosts.” The angels are crying, and Isaiah is given to understand that YHWH is wholly other, he is not man, nor anything that we could understand aside from his revelation to us. He is completely set apart from us, yet Isaiah sees him in his holiness.Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Isaiah has come to a realization. His worship, expressed primarily through his lips is totally inadequate for a holy God. Even worse, he lives among a people who are of unclean lips, that is a people who do not truly worship the Lord, that is they worship with their lips, but not with their lives (to take off from the General Thanksgiving of Anglican use). A Holy God requires worship that is Holy from people who are Holy. In other words Isaiah realizes that for his sin he (and the people) are completely unworthy to worship a Holy God, and can do nothing about it. God sends a Seraph to Isaiah, who takes a hot coal off of the altar of incense, and he touches it to Isaiah’s lips. In other words, only God can cleanse us of our sin, and that cleansing might not always be pleasant (a hot coal pressed against my lips sounds like no fun at all).After Isaiah has been purified from his sin, the Lord asks, “Whom should I send, who will go for us,” and Isaiah answers the call, “here am I, send me.” When God cleanses us from our sins, it is to a purpose. We are sent as a result of our call. Remember when Peter’s mother-in-law is healed. She gets up and serves them. When Paul has his Damascus Road experience, he goes to preach the Gospel. Today we have a bunch of namby pamby Christians who do nothing. Every one of us has a call on his or her life. That call might be to preach the Gospel (of course we are all called to share the good news in one way or another.) It might be we are to change society, as Wilbur Wilberforce made it his life’s work to stop slavery and reform the manners of the British Empire. It might be just to say something nice to someone, or being a good influence.So confess that sin to God, allow him to cleanse you from your sin and get to work.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

16 November 2008

2008-11-15T23:08:00.002-06:00

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Today's lesson establishes the principles of kingdom, that we in our "Democratic" societies might not understand today.

First, let us note, God has Moshe to cut two more tablets, as the former tablets had been destroyed. Note that that which was totally made by God, the first set of 10 commandments had been destroyed. The Israelites (and we by extension,) are so sinful that something made entirely by God could not stay in our presence, and God presents the 10 Commnademtn once again to Israel, but this time on two tablets cot by Moshe. In all the scenes on the mountain, we see God as law giver. This was one of the original functions of a King, to be a just law giver.

In these days of extreme freedom, we often resent law givers. Since we are free, we see no need for laws. We see this in traffic every day. How many people actually obey the speed limit. Most treat it as a suggestion, making the road a more dangerous place. The same with running red lights. Many people are too inconvenienced by those silly red lights, and go through any way, also making the world a more dangerous place. Young people think many things we older people do to be silly. Sex only in marriage, how silly, majority rule in California, no way if it interferes with self defnined rights.

Now go back to Deuteronomy. What does God ask? That we fear (repsect) him, walk in his ways, love him, werve him and observe his commands given for our own good. (Emphasis mine). Now indeed there are two reasons why we should obey God, and treat him as our king, the first of which many miss. God made the heavens and earth and everything on them (including us), and as creator, he has the right to expect our obedience. IN other words, God is king by reason that we are his creation and we belong to him, something in modern times we do not really like, but Paul reexpresses it elsewhere in Corinthians. Who does a man's body belong to, why his wife. And a women's body, who does it belong to, but her husband, giving a whole new push into marital fidelity.

The second reason we are to obey God's laws is because they are "given for our own good".

Sometimes we mix up what St. Paul and society say. Are Christians free? Clearly yes, but we are free to use our minds and bodies in a way that glorifies God. We are not free to do as we want, but to seek his will. Unfortuneately, many people accept the rules in the Bible as a red light or speed limit sign, just as a suggestion. That is why the church is so weak today. We look at the Bible and think of it as one great book of suggestions, and we lose out.

When we buy something, it usually comes with an owners manuel If we are smart, we will use that manuel and follow its instructions so that the care will last longer. Do we stick the gas nozzle in the tail pipe? Of course not, that could lead to an explosion. Do we put water in the crankcase? of course not, that would ruin the motor. God has created us with more care than GM ever made a car, and has given us a basic model that we should use. Our owner's manuel is the Bible, which we should consult more often than we consult our car's owner's manual.

On this last Sunday of Kingdomtide, let us remember that the true kindom is a place where we truly obey our kingdom. Let us also remember, Yeshua gives us the spirit to give us the strength to obey him.

Shalom b'Yeshua ha Moshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL

281-867-9081

mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

9 November 2008

2008-11-08T23:37:00.000-06:00

Deuteronomy 9:1-29

Blessed brothers and sisters, you who are called out to serve the Lord, the Torah portion for this week begins with a warning, “Do not say in your heart, saying it is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me to inherit this good land, but because of the impiety of those nations that the Lord will destroy them before you.

This is a lesson that we must take to heart. God did not give the people of Israel the land because of their holiness, but because the people there before practiced evil deeds. God did not give us this land because we were especially holy, but because of the impiety of the nations here before us.

Let us take the lesson to heart. These United States have been blessed for much time. A reflection, I believe of the attempt to build a society based on basic Christian precepts. Some of our colonies were founded on religious precepts, such as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Most of the colonies had state churches, and often the first thing done upon landing was a Thanksgiving service to God. Most of the founding fathers were Christians, and even the deists among them approved of the reading of the Bible for building a moral society. We know from reading the Bible, that blessing of nations relates to their obedience. This is not just by accident. There are spiritual laws laid out, which must be obeyed. Just as ignoring the law of gravity can result in death or injury, so nations that disobey the spiritual laws lay themselves open to the results of violating these laws.

In Daniel 9, Daniel confesses the sins of his people. In 2008, the church and our nation need to confess their sins. Abortion, racism, materialism, greed, lack of respect for authority, drugs, alcoholism, have all made inroads on our society, and the church remains strangely quiet relating to many of these sins. I join with Pastor Chuck Swindoll in inviting each of you to consider the sins of the nation, and repent of your participation in them, and repent of them for the nation. It is time for us as Christians to take action, beginning with prayer on each of these evils. Gross materialism, and living on credit, has taken out not only much of the economy of the USA, but has damaged the world economy as well. We have been so busy getting what we wanted, that we have not considered the ultimate cost. In the New Testament, we are told that greed is a form of idolatry, yet we have made it a national obsession. I think the Amish have it right. No cars because they become a status symbol . My thirteen year old car gets me where I need to go. No need to break my budget to get a new one, and when it gives up the ghost, I’ll just replace it with another old car.

In Honduras, I was occasionally shocked. The street kids begging were treated like trash, but worse was to go to the beach. Here all the rich people with their jet skis, and kids begging food on the beach because their parents couldn’t feed them. I just do not think I could do it. Waste money on what is essentially a toy, knowing so many people didn’t even have the basic necessities. Now I do not think the Bible tells the government to be responsible for these people who have nothing, but we as Christians do have the responsibility. Jesus commands us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, to heal the sick. In fact he says, that he who has two coats should share with the one who has none.

In the Tanakh we are given some basic guidelines which while they cannot be literally followed today, give us an idea. The widows and orphans were not treated as charity cases. The corners of the fields and second pickings were left for them. They still had to earn it by going out and reaping. In James or Peter, we are told, if someone refuses to work, don’t feed them. In other words we are not to take a way a persons basic dignity. In Jewish writings on Tzedakah, a great point is made in attempting to help the poor without them knowing that they are being helped or who helped them. Again, we are to save a person’s dignity. When a person lives on charity, they often come to believe it is owed to them, especially if the government is involved. If we truly desire to help others, then we need to give at least 10% to the church, and to be sure we are in a church which has deacons and deaconesses who look out for those in need. In early Christian Rome, it was the church who helped the poor. In Memphis, it was the church who ministered to the sick in the Yellow fever outbreak. Princess Elizabeth of Hungary, Sister Claire, and others were know for ministering to sick that no-one else could bear to be with.

So, if we are indeed called out to be saints, we must like Daniel confess the sins of our nation, every day. We should listen to what God says about it, and then we are to act, that first act being for our leaders and our newly elected leaders, that they would truly follow God, and help address the problems by dealing with the real root, which is sin.

Please join me in spending at least ten minutes a day praying for our nation (or your nation if you do not live in the USA)

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach

+Mar Michael Abportus
Pastor, Congregation Benim Avraham
281-867-9081
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

All Saints Sunday: 2 November 2008

2008-11-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Today instead of talking about the Tanakh, we will expand somewhat, as today is All Saints Sunday, otherwise known as All Hallows Sunday. This is one of the four special days we set apart for Baptism. The four days are: The 1st Sunday after Epiphany, in which we celebrate the baptism of Jesus (for obvious reasons); Easter, because we are raised from death unto life, from slavery to sin, to freedom from sin; Pentecost because in baptism we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; and All Saints Day or All Saints Sunday because we become saints through our baptism.

What is a saint? First looking at the Biblical words: the word sanctify, or hallow means to set apart. One of the Bibles I am currently using is called the Scriptures. Repeatedly instead of using the words sanctify, or hallow, it gives us the words to set apart. The holy place is the set apart place. In other words, when we are baptized, we are set apart from the World, and set apart to God’s service. This is truly a high calling. Similarly, Abraham was called to be set apart from worshipping idols. The people of Israel were set apart from the sinful people around them. They were called to wear Tsit Tsit or tassels on the corners of their garments, with one blue thread. I wear this myself, and the one blue thread amongst the white ones reminds me that by reason of my Baptism, I am set apart to do God’s work.

This of course is good news, we are all set apart from the world to do God’s work, not in our own power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we are told in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit will give us the power and wisdom and knowledge we need to do the work of the kingdom, which is two fold, to build up the church by preaching the Gospel, thereby adding new members, and to build up the church by encouraging, teaching, guiding and healing each others.

There is of course the more modern meaning of saint, which is a person who is super good and does miracles on God’s behalf. Now of course the Bible suggests, that if we are truly set apart from the world, that is truly serving God, then we will work miracles. Yeshua himself states we will do greater things than he did, and that whatever we ask in his name will be granted. A saint in this sense is someone who is so set apart from the world, that he truly knows God’s will, and is a servant to that will, and therefore works miracles. Of course not all the saints worked miracles. Some of them witnessed to Yeshua, even being killed for him. We have martyrs even today who go to their deaths singing praises to God. We have other saints who do whatever it takes to serve God in the way he called us. St. Frances, or Mother Teresa of Calcutta would be examples of these saints. Other saints, such as St. Patrick demonstrated wonderful powers of forgiveness. Others like John Wesley were wonderful preachers. Others such as Jerome, Wycliff, Coverdale, and Huss suffered for rendering the scripture into modern languages. In other words, these saints are the heroes of the church. They show us that men who are not God can still do his work.

As we celebrate this day of remembrance of the various saints, let us remember we are called to be set apart from the world, to do God’s work here on Earth, and to be heroes of the church showing others that we can follow Yehsua, “doing justice, loving with all our hearts and walking humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8)

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
Pastor, Benim Avraham
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

26 October 2008

2008-10-25T23:28:00.002-05:00

Deuteronomy 7:1-24

On this first Sunday of Kingdomtide, we are given God's absolutes. The nations are to be expelled before the Israelites, and the Israelites are to destroy everthing reflecting the religion of these peoples. We are told that nothing is to be left, there is to be no intermarriage.

Likewise, St. Paul tells us, not to be unequally yoked, that is a Christian should not marry a non-Christian, and truth be known, a Christian should not become business partners with non-Christians. This is in part because we serve a holy God who wants us to be holy too. He does not want us mixing up Christianity with other religions, which all too easily happens today. The Israelites were to practice a pure religion, not confounded with the religion of the Cananites which included child sacrifice and temple prostitution.

Syncretism is all too easy to allow in. Many will be celebrating All Hallows Eve, not as a celebration of sainst, but as a celebration of evil in the world. This celebration was originally a Celtic celebration when it was believed that the spirits of the dead walked the earth, and jack 'o lanterns made of turnips were used to scare them away. Instead of celelebrating witches etc., we should celebrate the saints who were heroes of the church and who show us that we can follow God in truth.

We must always beware of syncretism. It is all too easy to sneek into our faith, especially when their are other faiths masquerading as being Christian. Christ is Lord and Saviour and him alone. We are to worship him, and him alone, and follow him with all our heart and mind and strength.

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
Pastor, Congregation Benim Avraham
Bishop of La Porte, Texas

281-867-9081
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

19 October 2008: 24 Gracetide

2008-10-19T00:11:00.001-05:00

Deuteronomy 5:1-25

In today’s lesson from Deuteronomy, we start our with the Sh’ma or Shema:

“Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one; love him with all you heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Record in your minds all that I have told you today, and teach them continually to your children. Tell them in the house or on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Carry them on your hand and on your forehead, write them on your doorposts and gateposts.”

The Sh’ma is one of the key verses of the Old Testament. It begins with our duty to God, and continues showing that we are to raise up our children in the same duty. If we truly love God, then other things will follow. Yeshua tells us that loving God means to obey him. When we as parents tell our kids to listen, it usually means we want them to obey what we are saying. Thus with the Sh’ma.

First we are to love God. How much do we love him? With all our heart (feelings) soul and strength. That pretty much covers everything. God is to come first, nothing else comes before him. How do we show this love, by obeying, in this instance, by teaching our children the marvels God has done for us. We begin of course with the Bible, but if we truly want our children to catch faith from us, we need to tell them what God has done for us as a people, and what he has done for us as individuals. I let my kids know. I was healed of alcoholism, and several other problems. I was at National Institutes of Health for major surgery, and when the doctor did my pre-op exam, he could find nothing wrong with me. The house I am in is a blessing from God, in that we were able to get it, the lack of damage from the hurricane, and having a good spot for a chapel. Even Friday, I dropped a bottle of vitamins that I am taking and couldn’t reach it because it had fallen under the car. A gentle wind blew them almost right into my hand. I was very thankful, and I shared it with the kids at dinner. We are to share our faith with our children, the kerygma. “Jesus came to Earth to save sinners. As fortold by the prophets, he preached to the people, he healed the sick and other miracles, was crucified, died buried, and rose again. AndI know this to be true because he has worked great miracles in my life.

We ourselves keep scrolls on our doors. The ones in Hebrew have the Sh’ma much as I have quoted it above. The ones in English have the Sh’ma and the 10 Commandments. They are to there to remind us when we go out and when we come in, that we are to obey God, and that God has given us specific guidelines in this obedience.

Many of the commands, like this in the Tanach are in order to remember, or to teach our children. If it was not important, it would not be in the Bible. God wants us to share what he has done for us. This was what the first apostles literally did, they told people how God had changed their lives and changed them. We are to do the same.

As we approach kingdomtide, let us remember that today, we are to proclaim the kingdom.

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach,

+Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081

Sukkoth 2008

2008-10-11T23:27:00.002-05:00

Lev. 23:33-43

October 13, at Sundown, marks the feast of Sukkoth, or Tabernacles. During this feast the Jewish people build tabernacles or huts, and have all their meals in them and sleep in them as well. Sukkoth was the autumn harvest time and was a type of Jewish thanksgiving. As well, it commemorates the forty years in the desert, and God’s provision. We note in passing, according to Nehemiah, during the forty years in the desert, their clothes did not wear out, in other words, along with manna and water, God provided for all the rest of the people’s needs.

Many Jews today see the Succoth or hut as a sign of God’s protection as well, because God protected the people in the desert as well.

We too, see that Yeshua completes this feast as he does all the others. He provides for us, if we seek the kingdom, and he will protect us. He will not let us be tempted past what we can bear.

As Christians, we too can keep the feast, setting up a tent or dining fly, and having our meals in it. We also set up tents and sleep in them as well, as well as cooking at least lunch and dinner outside. Good time for brisket and smoked turkey as well. We do this in remembrance of the forty years in the desert, and remind ourselves that it took forty years for the children of Israel to become true people of God. Even Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, and St. Paul spent three years in the wilderness.

During Sukkoth, we remember that becoming a Christian is not an overnight thing, but a process: a process in which for some is quicker, for some is slower, but nevertheless a process in which we learn to apply God’s work to our lives; a process in which we learn to overcome temptation; a process in which we learn to be Yeshua’s hands, and feet and eyes, and mouth; a process in which we learn to trust God; a process in which God builds us into better Christians. As the tent surrounds us, so does God’s provision and protection surround us. We have talked about this process before. The Eastern Orthodox Church refers to it as theosis, that is becoming more God like. As Christ is in God, so we are in Christ. As we become more Christ-like, we become more like the father, for Jesus was his perfect reflection. As Yeshua told Phillip, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.

It is also a time of thinking. Of the six hundred three thousand plus men to cross the Red Sea and were delivered from slavery in Egypt, only two, Yehoshua (Joshua) and Kalev (Caleb) actually made it to the promised land. Yeshua tells us, many are called, but few are chosen. St. Paul tells us to run to win the race, and that the bones of the Israelites littering the ground were given as an example for us to learn. Let us look at this and tremble.

God has called us. Will we follow? Will we trust him to provide for us? Will we speak out for him when it is not popular? Will we call others to follow the Lord Yeshua? The entire Exodus process is something that every Christian must go through, from being baptized to learning in the desert. There will be trials and temptations. God will test and prove us in order to make us strong. After all, God wants people of good character to reside with him forever.

Let us as we celebrate this holiday, analyse where we are in our relationship with Yeshua. Are we crying for meat and melons, or are we advancing for the Kingdom of God? Are we wondering where Moses went, or are we preparing for the battle? Let us pray for all Christians, that they would grow in love, knowledge and obedience to the Lord Yeshua haMoshiach (Jesus the Christ), and let us pray for all Yehudim (Jews) that they would see how Yeshua completes the feast and recognise him as Messiah, and may we trusting in his protection, guidance, power, and providence go to war against Satin and those forces which attempt to enslave us.

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
Pastor, Congregation Benim Avraham
Bishop of La Porte, Texas

281-867-9081
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

5 October 2008

2008-10-06T01:24:00.001-05:00

Leviticus 16:1-34

October 9 is Yom Kippur, one of the Holiest of the High Holy Days of the Jews which we remember. Our Lesson from Leviticus explains the preparations which the high priest had to make in order to offer the offering for the sins of the people. First he had to wash, a symbol of purity. Then he had to put on the special clothes reserved to the high priest (clothing indicates our deeds). Afterwards, he had to have a sacrifice to pay for his own sins. Then and only then could he enter into the Holy of Holies and sacrifice for the sins of the peoples, which he did by sprinkling blood on the cover of the ark of the covenant. Note even then, he had a rope tied to his foot just in case. The hem of his robe had bells. If the bells stopped ringing, they knew the High Priest had been struck dead for his sins and was pulled out.

Jesus, by his death on the cross finished this sacrifice for ever. Jesus was without sin, so no need to wash, or even sacrifice. He was perfect man, without sin, so he needed no magnificent clothing to symbolize his good deeds, all his deeds were good. Through his goodness and perfection, he was able to enter into that Holy Place, of which the Holy of Holies was only the palest of shadows. Instead of offering the blood of a lamb, he offered his own blood to cover the mercy seat, once and for all, to cover our sins for ever.

The Jews wore white on this day, so symbolize they were clean of sin. The same in days gone past, Christians would don a white garment after their baptism, and wear it for fifty days to remind them that Jesus had paid for their sins and they were cleansed indeed. Another custom that the Jews and my family practice, we go to the river and through breadcrumbs on the water, and watch the river carry them away, as Jesus carried our sins and the punishment for them away from us.

The ninth of this year, and every Friday is good to remember that Jesus, through his life and his death on the cross, provided for us a way to enter into God’s presence. Join with me fasting on this day, so that we may join Jesus in his sufferings so as to remember the wonders he did for us.

Shalom b’Yeshua haMoshiach
+Mar Michael Abportus
Pastor Congregation Benim Avraham
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081

Rosh Hashanah

2008-10-01T21:34:00.001-05:00

What Does the Shofar Say

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
Letting the wolf in the door, to destroy, corrupt and more.
He’s in the music, promoting drugs,
He’s on TV promoting sex and rebellion,
He’s in the school teaching one to be a hellion.
Parents, do you love your children,
Then teach them, teach them.
At their rising, at their sitting,
Going out, coming in, at their eating,
Jesus Christ is Lord, He died for you, and many more,
And expects to be your Lord.

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
False shepherds abound misleading the sheep,
Saying science, psychology is King.
If it feels good do it, if it hurts no-one, ‘tis not a sin, or so they sing.
Jesus is not Lord, he’s just one way, of which there are many more.
Stand up O sheep, flee from such shepherds, For at that last day, they shall flee, or
Be astounded, upon finding resurrection is true,
But alas they are blue,
For never having known Jesus, they have condemned themselves,
And those who followed them to a future so bleak,
That to think upon makes me weak

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Ti ra! Ti ra! Arise, charge, ‘tis time to fight the good fight,
‘tis time to show the adversary our might.
Put on the Gospel Armour, refrain from retreating,
It is time to gain souls, it is time to gain kings,
It is time to show the world our Lord and King.
We have been asleep, allowing Satan his will
And we have had to pay the bill.
The time is over, Satin take cover,
For the church is called to be on the move.
Blow the shofar, blow the trumpet, Good Christians, ATTACK!
You are the mighty hosts of the Lord, armed with his Spirit and Word,
The battle is yours, the war is the Lord’s.

Sunday: 28 September 2008

2008-09-27T01:20:00.004-05:00

I have been slack in my duty, but it is time to get to work. I apologise for my sloth, and not making time. Hurricane Ike has been part of the more recent inactivity (we were without light for a wee bit), and hurricane Ike suggests the topic.

We have discussed disasters before, and I hope that everyone is clear on what the Tanakh says about such things. God does judge the nations. Let their be no doubt about it, God does judge, and their will be a judgment day in the future.

But let us look at hurricanes and related problems. First, let us be aware, many who lost out to the hurricane, lost through their own lack of forsight. For some strange reason, more people live on the coast here than did at the time of the last major hurricane some 25 years ago. Do we not learn from mistakes made in the past. Remember what George Santayana said many years ago, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Anyway, we can divide those affected by the hurricane into several groups.

1) Those killed by the hurricane: Now were these people any more evil than any others around them? Of course not. They just refused to believe that the storm was going to be as bad as it was, and paid the price. This is just like the Christian who dabbles in sin, and thinks they won't get burned. Let us pay attention. The Bible warns us about sin. Christian pastors who dabble in sin, are invarialbley found out, and eventually come tumbling down. Let us not be foolish, but let us be sensible

2)Those who lost everything: Again, just as we don't dabble with nature, let us not dabble in sin. It is dangerous. Anytime we begin any work, whether buying or building a house, or a new spiritual venture, we should ask God, and we should ask other Christians, and we should investigate. God does not guarantee to protect us if we do wrong or silly things. On the other hand, I saw a home right between two destroyed homes. It had flood damage, but was intact. The owner made sure he had built his house on a rock. It was solid with good foundations and straps. There was damage, but not disaster. If we live in areas of spiritual danger, we need to be prepared, by standing firm on the Rock (Yeshua) and living by his word.

3) Those who had flood damage: Here we have a divided group. Our neighbout had flood damage from rain. The owners of her house did not have the roof fixed, so she suffered. Other people had flood damge, but it was minor. Othters lost most everything in the house. Some lost it from ignorance. I talked to one lady who owned a house my parents owned some forty-one years previously. She told me it had never flooded before, and I corrected her on that. It flooded during hurricane Carla, in 1961, a storm I remember well. Others lost nothing to flood damage. There houses were on stilts or elevated in some way. What do we learn? Some people suffer from their own sins, while others suffer from the sins of others. Remember sin, is like a rock thrown in a pond. The ripples go out to the edge, such is the effect of sin. I might add, in our house we moved everthing important to the second floor, just in case.

4)Those who were inconventienced: Some of us think we have to have electricity, telephone, internte to survive. Its just not so. We were briefly without power, (four days) and others have been out two weeks. The good Lord sent us real fall weather (something that rarely hits the Texas Coast before October) and the A/C wasn't needed. We cooked on the grill, kept ice in the freezer, and survived without telephone, electricity or internet. Here in the US, we do not like to be inconvenienced. It is sad, but one of the main reasons we do not follow God, is it is inconvenient. Inconvenient to go help our neighbour. Inconvenient to go help out at the homeless mission, inconvenient to talk to others about the Messiah. We need to learn how to rejoice and be thankful for the good things we have. I can tell you, I was truly thankful when I drove up to my house and found very little damage, after being told I couldn't get to my house because the moving water was too dangerous to go through. We also need to learn to tell others what God has done and is doing for us and in our lives. God promises we will be blessed. He does not promise us earthly riches, but heavenly riches, and we should share those riches with all the world.

As John Heywood has told us, "It is truly an ill wind which blows nobody any good," there were some good things that came out of Ike. On a personal note, I am no longer worried about a storm surge, because I observed houses similar to mine and how they stood up (we'll still move stuff upstairs). I can deal with repairs. On a more universal note, no lights, no phone, problems and difficulties have led to neighbours acting like neighbours to each other, which is truly a blessing in this land where few people have time for one another. I have spent more time visiting and doing other things with neighbours and getting to know them. There have been more opportunities to reach out and show God's love, especially as a pastor, being there to listen.

May God grant you shalom,

+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081

25 November 2007

2007-11-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

This week lesson manages to sum up some very important tenets of Christianity, and well needs examination. To begin with, the lesson gives us a specific time in history, the year King Uzziah died, roughly 736-732 B.C. Isaiah, probably during a worship service sees the Lord. He is high, and lifted up and his train fills the temple. My Bible gives, hem, and the indication is that the Lord’s deeds and presence fill the temple and creation. The Seraphim were flying about, with two wings to cover their faces, because they were not worthy to look upon the Lord, two to cover their feet, because they were not worthy to stand in the Lord’s presence (and I know others interpret this differently, but this is my reading of it) and two wings to fly. They call one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts and the whole earth is full of his glory. The complete Jewish Bible renders this, “More holy than the holiest holiness,” while the scriptures gives us, “Set apart, set apart, set apart is YHWH of hosts.” The angels are crying, and Isaiah is given to understand that YHWH is wholly other, he is not man, nor anything that we could understand aside from his revelation to us. He is completely set apart from us, yet Isaiah sees him in his holiness.

Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Isaiah has come to a realization. His worship, expressed primarily through his lips is totally inadequate for a holy God. Even worse, he lives among a people who are of unclean lips, that is a people who do not truly worship the Lord, that is they worship with their lips, but not with their lives (to take off from the General Thanksgiving of Anglican use). A Holy God requires worship that is Holy from people who are Holy. In other words Isaiah realizes that for his sin he (and the people) are completely unworthy to worship a Holy God, and can do nothing about it. God sends a Seraph to Isaiah, who takes a hot coal off of the altar of incense, and he touches it to Isaiah’s lips. In other words, only God can cleanse us of our sin, and that cleansing might not always be pleasant (a hot coal pressed against my lips sounds like no fun at all).

After Isaiah has been purified from his sin, the Lord asks, “Whom should I send, who will go for us,” and Isaiah answers the call, “here am I, send me.” When God cleanses us from our sins, it is to a purpose. We are sent as a result of our call. Remember when Peter’s mother-in-law is healed. She gets up and serves them. When Paul has his Damascus Road experience, he goes to preach the Gospel. Today we have a bunch of namby pamby Christians who do nothing. Every one of us has a call on his or her life. That call might be to preach the Gospel (of course we are all called to share the good news in one way or another.) It might be we are to change society, as Wilbur Wilberforce made it his life’s work to stop slavery and reform the manners of the British Empire. It might be just to say something nice to someone, or being a good influence.

So confess that sin to God, allow him to cleanse you from your sin and get to work.

Mar Michael Abportus, OSL
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

King David's Sons

2007-09-23T21:38:00.000-05:00

King David’s Sons

II Samuel 13:1-19:43

The Tanach teaches us in many things. First, it is the history of Salvation and our need for a saviour. In addition, it lays out the spiritual rules by which we must live. It also specifically defines sin for us, and shows us how we must live.

The tragedy of David and his children is one that parents everywhere must take into account, so that we do not repeat the errors of King David. David, was to say the least, overindulgent of his children. When Amnom rapes his sister Tamar, David as king is obliged to enforce the law, but chooses not to do so. As a consequence, Absalom, takes justice into his own hands and does his brother in. David again does nothing, and Absalom conspires to take over the kingdom.

When Absalom is defeated, David nearly loses the kingdom again over his grief for Absalom. David in other words elevated his children to an undeserved height. Jesus tells us that we must love God above parents and children, but all too frequently, we like David, out children above God. When David allows Amnom to get away with raping his sister, David loses the respect of his family. David as father and David as King is obliged to enforce the rules. He does not because he loves his son, turning lose events which will eventually destroy the Kingdom.

The Bible tells us we are to honour our parents, and wives are to respect their husbands. The two are linked together. If the oldest child is allowed to disrespect the father, then it will follow through unless the cycle is broken. Unfortunately many women love their children more than their husbands, and if they see a conflict between their children and their husband, the child will win out, to the heartbreak of the husband, who then must live in an untenable position. (but even if the wife does not respect him or does not encourage the children to respect him, he is still bound by his marriage vows. The Christian partner is held to the higher standard, and his suffering will make him a stronger person). This is why it is so important to make sure that when you marry, that your spouse is a Christian as well (this is one of the commandments for Christians in the New Testament), and it really helps that the Christian maturity levels are similar. Sometimes people can be fooled. That is why year long engagements are a good idea.

So how to avoid familial conflicts: Before even getting married, the couple should make sure they are on the same page as to expectations of the children’s behaviour, whether any children are there or not. Depending on the culture, maturity etc., the wife may think that the children are not subject to the husband (especially if she has children from a prior marriage.) If this is your wife to be’s thought, go find someone else. Children living in a house are subject to their parents until they leave the house (note I did not say until they are eighteen or twenty –one.) If the child is over seventeen and feels that he or she does not fall under parental authority, then they should leave the house. A mother’s (or father’s) insistence that the child should stay only brings problems into the household, and the other children will be affected.

Another obstacle to watch for is the parent who desires peace at any price. Maybe this was David’s problem. He did not want to confront Amnon or Absalom, and he thought it was best to let the dead dog lie. True peace is not not yelling, or not having problems. True peace comes from subjecting our thoughts and actions to Christ. If problems are ignored in order to prevent a disagreeable discussion, then there is no real peace. It is a lie. Do we remember Neville Chamberlaine? He told the world that there would be peace in our time! How wrong he was. World War II was just around the corner. The same thing happens in families when we as Chamberlaine and Atlee seek peace at any price. Is your child on drugs? Your spouse looking at pornography on the Internet? Other unresolved problems? They must be brought out into the light of Christ’s truth, dealt with and resolved.

It is especially important to resolve problems in marriage. Marriage is the icon of Christ’s relationship with the church. The man must love his wife, being ready even to die for her and her salvation. The woman must respect her husband, and teach the children as well. The Bible words it like this for a reason, because God understands the difference between men and women much better than we do. If a wife does not give her husband respect or teaches the children not to respect their father (usually subconsciously) it tears the man down. Men have this need to be respected by their wives and children. If a man does not love his wife, it tears her down, for a woman needs to know that she is loved in a way that is not necessary for a man. Children who do not see the love/respect relationship in their parents have a more difficult time relating to Jesus Christ. Children who do see that relationship acted out have a much easier time relating to God (and their future spouses I might add).

Another thing to note, and the New Testament hints at this, when we live according to God’s rules, we do receive blessings. Where the man truly loves his wife, and where the wife truly honours the husband, the children are much more likely to grow up well adjusted. Where this love and honour are missing, children are much more likely to go wrong.

If these relationships are well established, then it easy for parents to get together on raising their children. This is of extreme importance as the children are the future of the church. Many children today, especially in the USA and Latin America lack the basic skills necessary to become good Christians. There reasons f or this, is boys are not learning to love their future wives. IF anything they are deciding not to marry or have children because in having children, they will not be able to buy the things they want and think they need. Girls are being taught in many ways, that men are not worth respecting. All think of marriage as an easily revocable contract instead of a life time commitment. Discipline is a four letter word, and those parents who attempt to teach self discipline are undermined by the great majority who do not teach it. If it feels good do it, seems to be the ideal for today.

So read the Tanach carefully. It is just as important as the New Testament in what we can learn about living, maybe more so, in what it shows through negative examples, especially in the lives of David, Abraham, Joseph and others. The keys to the kingdom are found here.

Shalom b'Yeshua haMoshiach,

+Mar Michael Abportus.
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

Yom Kippur 2007

2007-09-20T23:18:00.000-05:00

Yom Kippur is upon us. It begins this coming Friday night at sunset. While Jesus very deliberately related his Crucifixion to the Passover, other signs can link his death to the feast of Atonement.

To begin, the feast of the atonement takes place shortly after the Jewish New Year, the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hoshanah. Good Jews reflect on their lives and seek to improve them, during the time in between. Yom Kippur is the only celebration in the Torah upon which it is commanded to fast, in sorrow for our sins. Along with the normal offerings, there are two goats. One has the sins of the people confessed over him, and he is sent out to the desert to the demons. (We might recall that Jesus too faced the devil in the desert and defeated him) The second is sacrificed for the sins of the people, but first the priest must sacrifice for his own sin. It is dramatic. The hem of the High Priests robes have little golden bells. A rope is attached to his leg. If the bells stop ringing, God has struck him dead, and he is pulled out with the rope.

The priest is aware of this, and aware that two of Aaron's sons were struck dead for offering incense to God in an unauthorised manner. A day of great solemnity. Incense is offered over the altar, which is then sprinkled with blood. The High Priest, leaves, washes and changes his clothes, confesses the sins over the second goat and sends it to the desert.

It is the day of Atonement, when God forgives Israel their sins. Now St. Paul tells us, that with the one, full and perfect sacrifice of Jesus, there is no further need for sacrifices. Jesus has paid the full price. But the Gospels speak in a more eloquent way. As Jesus dies, the curtain separating the holy of ho lies from the holy place rips in half. This shows the end of the sacrificial system (after all the Holy of Holies was empty, had been since the time of Jeremiah), but more importantly, it shows that we no longer need an intermediary to enter into the presence of the living God. The blood of Jesus has paid the price once and for all. Amateur archaeologist Ron Wyatt even claims that the Ark of the covenant was in a cave under where Jesus was crucified and that the blood of Jesus fell on the Ark as the blood of the lamb did in days of old. If this is true it shows how wonderfully God planns things.

But we are reminded, not one of us, no not one deserves to enter into the presence of God. Before a just Lord we all merit the death sentence, and there is nothing we can do on our own to merit life. It takes the blood of Jesus, and nothing but the blood of Jesus, as the old song says. So as we approach the day of atonement, let us remember the final day of atonemement, when the true lamb of God shed his blood for you and me, that we could enter into the presense of the Father. And let us cry Father, but let us too aknowledge him as LORD.

+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net
281-867-9081

Rosh Hashanah 2007

2007-09-11T23:34:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the Feast of Trumpets begin this coming Friday evening with the sound of the Shofar (a ram’s horn). According to the Jewish way of reckoning, the original new year was the day that God made man (and woman) 5767 years ago. It is a day for rejoicing, but it is also a day for thought and reflection.

First, let us remember, on this day, God made man in his image. To be made in the image of God means in part, we are co-creators with him. We are at our most God like when we are creating with him, whether a book, a concert, a nice dinner etc., especially when the creation is made in his honour To be made in the image of God also means we are capable of reason, that we are not slaves of instinct as animals are. Also to be made in the image of God means that we are capable of having a relationship with us, which is what he created us for.

The problem was that Adam and Havah threw all of this away. Adam was a Lord, or steward over the earth and sea, but threw this away when he ate the fruit. Creation, which had been his servant and responsibility became his enemy. No longer did he just work the Garden, but was to eat by the sweat of his brow. He also lost his relationship with God and his wife. The Torah tells how the result of sin spread over all the earth.

But lest we blame all our problems on Adam and Havah, let us remember that the story of Adam (man) is the story of all men. We want to become like God’s and make our own decisions. We forget that to break spiritual laws, have just as much result as breaking physical laws. Just as jumping off a ten story building will result in a fall and death, so do breaking the moral code of the Bible result in a fall and death, sometimes physical, but most certainly spiritual. The rapid spread AIDS in certain countries is related to homosexuality. In Africa it is related to marital infidelity. In New York, a large portion of the epidemic was related to drug use. We could spend days on this topic, but suffice it to say, when we truly learn to obey God in moral matters (and of course we cannot obey relying on our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us in this, and give us strength as well), then we will come much closer to living as God intended Adam and Havah to live.

So let us reflect this Saturday on how well we follow Adam and Havah. Do we want to be like “gods” as Satan tempted them, or do we wish to walk with our Lord day by day. What can we do to join him in creation? How can we follow Him so others see him in us, and come to know the Lord?

Please reflect in these Holy Days, (the 10 days after Rosh Hashanah) and join with me in the fast of Yom Kippur.

Some customs to know: The trumpet (shofar) is blown on Rosh Hashanah. Round bread is eaten to symbolize the cycle of the year. Bread and apples are eaten with honey that we may have a sweet year. Pockets are emptied out to show we are making a new start. One of my favourites, we drop bread crumbs in the water (symbolizing God carrying our sins away) while saying God will separate us as far from our sins and the east is separated from the west.

A poem for your reflection:

What Does the Shofar Say?

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
Letting the wolf in the door, to destroy, corrupt and more.
He’s in the music, promoting drugs,
He’s on TV promoting sex and rebellion,
He’s in the school teaching one to be a hellion.
Parents, do you love your children,
Then teach them, teach them.
At their rising, at their sitting,
Going out, coming in, at their eating,
Jesus Christ is Lord, He died for you, and many more,
And expects to be your Lord.

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
False shepherds abound misleading the sheep,
Saying science, psychology is King.
If it feels good do it, if it hurts no-one, ‘tis not a sin, or so they sing.
Jesus is not Lord, he’s just one way, of which there are many more.
Stand up O sheep, flee from such shepherds, For at that last day, they shall flee, or
Be astounded, upon finding resurrection is true,
But alas they are blue,
For never having known Jesus, they have condemned themselves,
And those who followed them to a future so bleak,
That to think upon makes me weak

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Ti ra! Ti ra! Arise, charge, ‘tis time to fight the good fight,
‘tis time to show the adversary our might.
Put on the Gospel Armour, refrain from retreating,
It is time to gain souls, it is time to gain kings,
It is time to show the world our Lord and King.
We have been asleep, allowing Satin his will
And we have had to pay the bill.
The time is over, Satin take cover,
For the church is called to be on the move.
Blow the shofar, blow the trumpet, Good Christians, ATTACK!
You are the mighty hosts of the Lord, armed with his Spirit and Word,
The battle is yours, the war is the Lord’s.

Shalom b'Yeshuah haMoshich

Mar Michael Abportus

2007-08-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

I have no particular verse to talk about this week, but events have conspired to make me consider a very important element of Torah and how it relates to Christians. First, I want to note that according to Exodus 12:38, that (37) “The Israelites left…and with them came many people of all classes as well as many sheep and cattle.” We see then that the Hebrews (Habiru) included not only the descendents of Jacob, but many other peoples as well who were incorporated into the twelve tribes of Israel. God had to take these people then and form once nation, so that they would be united. We need to mention as well that many of these people were slaves, just as many as us were slaves to sin. The story of how God used the Exodus to transform divers peoples into a nation, and slaves into freemen is also paradigm or maybe better a type of how God works with us.

First, God does not throw us into a situation without preparing us for it. In Exodus, we are told that the people of Israel do not take a certain route because they are not ready to fight. They wonder the desert for quite a while before it is necessary for them to fight. At the same time God puts them through various trials, relating to food and water, and safety. Trials are to build character and to teach the people to trust in God. Help does not come from the people. It always comes from God, from the plagues, to the dividing of the Red Sea to the Manna, to the water, God responds to the people’s needs in miraculous ways, so that they will learn to depend on him and him alone. Yeshua reminds us, we are not to worry about food or clothing, just as the Hebrews were to depend on God, so are we to depend on him. This of course does not relieve us from work, for even the Hebrews had to gather the manna, to gather the water, and for that matter take the first step into the Red Sea (wasn’t that a brave person to trust that the waters would not close back over him.) We also know that during all the time in the desert, their clothes did not wear out, and neither did their shoes.

God too, puts us in situations. They may look tough, but in the long run, they are for our benefit, building character and teaching us to trust in God. When I left for Honduras as a missionary, I did not follow the usual pattern. In the Episcopal Church, at the time, you usually became a missionary through SAMS or VFM. I for various reasons decided to become an independent missionary. The custom of SAMS and VFM was to arrange for the missionary to go on deputation for how ever many years it would take to raise money to live in Honduras for three years. I made a number of fund raising trips to the US, but never stayed long enough to raise money. One reason I did not do this, was it would have involved too much time, and I did not want to leave my churches without a pastor for that time. In fact, that is ultimately why I returned to the US, because I did not want to have to go fundraising without my family. Anyway, for the fourteen years that I lived in Honduras, I always had the money I needed, food and transportation. I was never rich, and some might have considered me poor, but I had what I needed. My first year or so, I lived in a house belonging to the church. One gentleman was sending me $80.00 per month. Doesn’t sound like much, and I don’t suppose many Americans would have liked to live on that huge amount, but I was happy with it. That covered gas, food, clothes etc. I taught school, visited ships, helped start a mission, and worked with street kids. After a year or so, I got a letter from my one pledge, that due to financial situations in the oil patch that he could no longer sustain me, and the next day another gentleman, unknown to the first sends me a letter that he will begin sending me $80.00 a month. Isn’t God good?

My entire life in Honduras was like that. I was never rich, but when I was truly in need, the money was there, or the tyres, or the motor part. There was even a gentleman keeping me supplied with Dr. Peppers and Tex Mex food on the Miskito Coast. It continues to be that way. I am not rich by any means, but I have what I need. I have only been in the US eight years. Upon returning I discovered that my credit rating had vanished. Today some eight years later, I find myself the owner of a house several cars, and a fat cat. My bank account is virtually nill, which worries my wife. I am self employed, with a very small income, and no immediate prospects, my wife and kids are worried about perceived needs, but I know one thing, God will provide and in his time.

In addition to teaching us that God will provide, he wants us to become one people. For the Hebrews He did this by giving them rules of Kosher, to keep them separated from the nations. Even thought Kosher does not apply to Christians, the same principles apply. We are not to be contaminated by the word (James). Unlike the Jews, we are to be in the world, but we are not to be contaminated by it. Unfortunately, the church in the west is more contaminated by the world day by day. It no longer preaches holiness in any form. Abstinence even for Lent is a dirty word. The moral laws are forgotten, or assumed not to be for us. Note that churches which do teach these things are growing. I see that Orthodox more united than many other Christians, because they still maintain the traditional fasts and feasts, which are done together so as to reinforce each other. Roman Catholics used to do the same for Lent, finishing off all meat in the house the Tuesday before Lent. Meat wasn’t even sold. But even this solidarity in fasting has vanished in the Last fifty years.

It is definitely time for Christians to put aside their differences and work together. Each week I work together with Christians of several denominations to visit ships. We do not do the Divine Liturgy together, but we work and pray together to be Christ to the men who come to the Port of Houston. There is no reason why churches cannot get together to witness in other areas. We might even find that some of our differences are unimportant.
What is your situation this week? Is God putting you through a situation to prepare you to serve him in some way? Are you part of a church which truly teaches the Bible? Does your church work with others to build the Kingdom? If not, look to God. Walk by faith, not by site, not by feelings, but learn God’s word and allow his Spirit to guide you.

+Mar Michael Abportus
Bishop of La Porte, TX
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

Sexual Purity

2007-08-13T00:16:00.000-05:00

The Torah portion for this week, Levitiucus Chapter 20 spent a great deal of time talking about sexual purity. It also speaks of prohibiting certain actions which we do not usually apply to our selves today, such as passing our children through the fire to Moloch. Many people think that the Bible and the church are far to worried about sex. Those are usually the people who aren't interested in applying Biblical standards to our own lives.

I note in passing as well, the lesson from Acts today mentions, "Relating to Goyim who are believers, we have written our decision, they may not eat meat sacrificed to idols, nor blood, nor the meat of animals which have been strangled, and they must avoid sexual immorality. (enphasis mine).

Our lesson today from Leviticusl gives a pretty good definition of sexual immorality. It defines who and what we may not have sex with. Men may not have sex with men, sex with animals is prohibited as well as sex with one's close relatives (uncle, aunt, neice nephew, brother, sister, etc). All of these relationships carry with them the death penalty. In addition, the Israelites are told that they must obey these precepts that the land not vomit them out, as it did the Cannanites. It is very important that we note, God does not give the Israelites the land for any great goodness on their part, but because of the evilness of the Caannanites. this is something that many people are uncomfortable with, but we need to get used to it. God is merciful, but he MUST judge sin as well. The people of Israel were evicted for their sin several times.

Does God still punish sin? The Bible itself tells us that, "God is the same, yesterday, today and forever," therefore he must still judge sin. Will God still dispossess nations? I see nothing in the Bible which would lead me to believe that he wouldn't. It is time for the USA, Great Brittain, western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and many other nations to heed the wake up call. Our societies are being destroyed by sexual immorality. A homosexual is now more valuabe than a heterosexual, because someone who commits a crime against a homosexual will receive a greater punishment. Three percent of the population (and I'm being generous I think) define a great deal of what is going on in politics, both secular and religious. We are still passing our children through the fires to Molech, we just do it in a different way. Most child abuse in the USA and Honduras is committed by a boyfriend who is not the father of the children involved. These children are sacrificed by their mothers and fathers to the god of free sex without committment. I just read last week about a four or five year old in Honduras. Mother's boyfriend is regularly raping him, but she does nothing. What kind of world is it that we live in. It is a world in which we, like Adam and Hava have decided not to accepts God's boundaries, but to make our own. It is a world in which society is slowly poinsoning itself by ignoring God's laws.

That same article about abuse in Honduras mentions, that Honduran girls no longer are ashamed of having children out of wedlock (well that was true 20 years ago too). What is the result then, of sacrificing our children to Moloch, and by ignoring the Bible's sexual standards?

To begin, in Honduras, a large number of children run away from home to escape abuse by mom's live in partner. This abuse is sexual, physical, emotional. Often the man refuses to feed or take care of kids which are not his. These kids end up on the street, sniffing glue (keeps you from feeling hungry) and living through prostitution and stealing. A fairly large number of younger boys have AIDS (as Honduras is a popular spot for sexual tourism, despite its high AIDS/HIV rate). Other kids end up on the street, because mom has no one to help her, and end up with many of the same probems as those who ran away. The average girl has her first child at age fourteen, causing the cycle to continue. Honest people are afraid to walk the city streets in some places or wear jewelry because of gangs. People with tatoos, and street kids are liable to be killed by police or other people.

In the US, it is well known, that children of unwed mothers tend to be unwed mothers themselves, tent not to finish high school, are more likely to be physically, sexually, and verbally abused, and are more liable to abuse drugs and alcohol.

It is time for us as Christians to start making a difference. Wilbur Wilberforce made a difference in the slave trade. Christians made a difference in India. It is time for us to once again be leaven to society and transform society, instead of letting society transform us. It is a battle that we must win, or the earth will indeed vomit up out.

Shalom b'Yeshua haMoshiach,

Mar Michael Abportus,
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

6 August 2007: Work and leisure

2007-08-06T00:50:00.000-05:00

In Genesis 2:15 we are told that YHWH placed man in Gan Eden to cultivate and care for the Garden. In other words, man is created to work, even before the fall. It is only after the fall that work becomes something disagreeable. It is very important that we understand the nature of mankind. Mankind is created to work, and not only to work, but to work according to God’s purposes, which is why it is so important for us to seek the Lord’s help when preparing for a vocation, whether it be secular or religious.

In our popular culture today, work has become a four letter word so to speak, which is very said. Today, many people work to play. In my Father’s generation, most people worked to survive, or to take care of their family. Some lucky people actually work because the like it. I have a cousin, who plans on working as a dentist until the day he drops dead, because he loves his work. I myself intend to keep proclaiming the Gospel in one way or another until I day, and even my funeral sermon is an exposition of the Gospel. If I become unable to preach the Gospel, then I hope to slow down and train others to do so. Do you enjoy your job? I can honestly say, I have never had a job that I didn’t like. I’ve had some that were no so fun, and I have had some with disagreeable people, but in general I like to work, and in times past was usually able to combine work with sharing the Gospel.

The next generation coming up seems to have a different viewpoint. How many I have heard say, they will not marry because they do not want to work hard and share the benefits of that work. Many of that generation work to party, which seems to be a changing of God’s purpose, not that leisure is bad. In fact YHWH worked leisure into the Bible. YHWH rested on the 7th day of creation. The 4th commandment commands us to have a day of rest, which in fact seems to be one of the most frequent injunctions in the Torah. In fact God even programmed about three weeks of vacation a year for everyone in Israel.

The question is how do we view work, or vocation. If we are just surviving, and our work is drudgery, then we need to look at our lives. Bro. Lawrence in his book, Practicing the Presence of God, tells us that in our work we should do everything as if we were doing it for Jesus, not only in our attitude, but also in our quality of work. Imagine if everyone in the world would practice this. Brother Lawrence himself practiced this. He found himself washing dishes (not his favourite job) and he learned to wash each plate as if Jesus was going to use it himself.

Whatever your work is, wouldn’t your attitude change if you worked as if you were doing the job for Jesus. Wouldn’t you have more joy and enthusiasm. And when people ask why you are smiling and joyful at work, you can tell them why and witness for Jesus. IN other words, your work will become less a means to an end, but an end in itself, and end that will give you true joy.

But this means that we need to reevaluate our leisure time as well. First, leisure time should not be an end in itself. Leisure time and partying have become the end, in other words an idol for many people, which is a big shift. My day off in Honduras, was truly a day of rest. After visiting 3-4 churches by horseback or canoe, a day of rest was in order. What did I do? I read books, both the Bible and Christian related books, but secular books as well. Was my leisure time my end? No it was a means to an end so I would be refreshed to do my work in the week to come. Many people spend so much effort on their leisure, that they need a mini-vacation to recover so they can return to work rested. Isn’t that defeating the purpose of leisure. We have turned Holydays (holidays) into activity days, instead of learning to relax in the Lord. In other words, leisure has become an idol to our society. Leisure becomes a problem for older people, forced into retirement at 65 or 67 years of age, some of whom live another 20 years. I have noted, those people who retire and have no hobby are often gone in 5 years or less. Those who give themselves work, will last and have happy lives. My grandmother sewed (wedding dresses, pillow covers, etc) until close to her dying day. All of her grandchildren had pajamas made by her (of course with the buttons on the wrong side), but we still loved them. After all, how many kids in the 60’s or 70’ had custom made pj’s. In passing, my grandmother died at the age of 92. She lead a productive and happy life.

So let us look at our attitudes. Learn to serve Jesus in your work. In you leisure time, actually do something restful and refreshing. If you are retired, find some work. That work could even include visiting shut ins and praying for the sick and missionaries. Don’t make leisure an end in itself, and don’t let your job cause you misery by being your idol either.

Shalom b'Yeshua haMoshiach

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net

2 August 2007: Marvin Zindler

2007-08-03T00:48:00.000-05:00

My apologies for not being regular in these postings. I will endeavour to be more regular from now on.

Yesterday an Houston icon was buried. His funeral was at congregation Beth Israel and took several hours and was broadcast on channel 13 in Houston with no commercials. A truly interesting part of this funeral were the religious speakers, who were his Rabbi, David Lyon, Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell (Windsor Village UMC), Pastor Bill Lawson (Wheeler Ave. Baptist), Joel Osteen (Lakewood Church) and Bishop Joe Fiorenza (Archbishop Emeritus, Houston-Galveston Roman Catholic Archdiocese).

Pastor Caldwell and Pastor Lawson in particular did a fantastic job of remembering Marvin Zindler. What they did was preach a Christian sermon in a Jewish synagogue without mentioning Jesus Christ, using only Old Testament references. I need to mention in passing that Marvin Zindler was for 35 years a consumer affairs reporter, who did a lot of good for a lot of people over the years. In addition to consumer affairs, he took medical brigades all across the world and solved people’s problems with government and other agencies. His father owned a big clothing store and Marvin was known for dressing to the nines.

Rabbi Lyons began his comments with a verse from Micah, “Do justice, love goodness and walk humbly before your God.” Pastor Caldwell continued by stating that Marvin Zindler reminded him of God Almighty. Now some of us might take issue with that remark, but as Christians we should consider it carefully. Pastor Caldwell tells us that Marvin was like God in that he was concerned with helping the downtrodden, and in seeking justice. Marvin Zindler was behind the law in Texas making it illegal to run odometers back. He was also behind the law making sneeze guards mandatory over open food in buffet and salad bars in Texas. In other words, he cared about justice, and he cared about other people’s health. Marvin was always looking to help those in need and had a crew of Marvin’s Angels who contributed time to helping those in need.

Now in the Christian east, we have a term, theosis. Theosis is the process in which we become more like God. Now I ask each of you. Are you becoming more like God? That is the reason why we study his word, receive the sacraments and pray, so that we may become more like God, more like Jesus. Are we willing to sacrifice for others? Are we willing to serve others as Jesus served? Will anyone say of you, after you pass on, that you reminded them of God? A friend of mine, Bishop Barry Ferguson who has a growing ministry, told me, we just feed the hungry. Well, isn’t that what Jesus did? He fed the hungry, healed the sick, proclaimed the kingdom. Shouldn’t we be doing that as well.

Theosis should be a goal for each of us as Christians. We should seek those commandments from the old and New Testament which apply to Christians and apply them to our lives. We do need to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our strength and all our mind. We need to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to love justice, love goodness and walk humbly with our God, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, visiting the downtrodden, telling people that God cares and died for them that they be free.
Now how far should that go. Interestingly, Pastor Caldwell also mentioned Marvins fastidiousness relating to his clothing. Now this is something that we do not often think about, but do we dress as God’s representatives? And here I am not talking so much about dressing provocatively, or sleazily, but do we dress in a way that indicates that we represent God Almighty, that we are children of the King? Do we behave as children of the King? Now you do not have to be rich to look good. Clean and neat count for a lot.

So let us put on Jesus Christ. Let us imitate him, as the Bible commands us. Let us be holy as he is holy, and let us learn to be Jesus to those around us.

For those interested in seeing the funeral and hearing the different pastors for themselves, please go to: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news&id=5531004
and follow the links.

Shalom b'Yeshua haMoshiach,

Mar Michael Abportus
mjthannisch@sbcglobal.net