Naufrago

Trials are not an option for the children of Abraham.

by with No Comment Faith and Family

We must live in a world whose values and purposes oppose those of our Father Yehovah. Therefore, we should not expect daily life to be easy.

Have you ever felt like a castaway on a deserted island—alone and forgotten? Most likely, you have. And perhaps you’ve wondered whether it’s truly worth walking this narrow path. After all, who enjoys trials? Problems? Misunderstandings? Loneliness? If we could choose, we’d surely pick the easiest troubles—and if possible, avoid them altogether.

But life doesn’t work that way. When we decide to follow Yeshua, we give Yehovah permission to shape our character as befits His children—citizens of His Kingdom, molded according to His ways.

Hebrew tradition tells us that our father Abraham faced ten great tests: leaving his homeland, enduring famine in Canaan, the abduction of Sarah on two occasions, the war with the four kings to rescue Lot, his circumcision at an advanced age, sending away Hagar and Ishmael, and the binding of Yitzḥaq for sacrifice, among others.

This powerful story stands in sharp contrast to much of modern Christian teaching that says, “Accept Jesus and your problems will be over.”

No—problems are not optional for those who follow the Torah. Quite the opposite. We must live in a world whose values and purposes oppose those of our Father Yehovah. Therefore, we should not expect daily life to be easy.

The apostle Shaul expressed it clearly:

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Messiah Yeshua will suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12

And Yeshua said something similar:

For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?

Luke 23:31

This verse refers to the sufferings Yeshua endured because of His zeal for the Torah. Should we, His followers, expect it to be different for us? Will we not also face opposition and misunderstanding?

Yochanan (John) gives us the key to endurance—by turning our focus away from this world and its empty attractions:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, along with its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 2:15–17

In summary: From the days of Abraham to the days of Yeshua, the Scriptures testify that those committed to the Truth and to the Torah of Yehovah have always faced trials. Let us not expect it to be any different for us. Instead, let us strive for a place of honor beside those heroes who left their mark on history through faithfulness to Yehovah and His Word. It is the least we can do.

Why We Give Thanks

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyMichael RoodVideo Blog

Happy Thanksgiving… or is that Happy “Squanto” Day? Squanto, a first nations American Indian did not start out “happy.”

Squanto was taken captive and sent to England as a slave; he eventually became a believer because his master was a Christian.

Squanto came back to the United States (before it was named as such), when the separatist pilgrims had landed. The pilgrims were praying to Almighty God to help them survive. It was then that Squanto who came to their aid, speaking English he had learned overseas, rescuing them from certain disaster

This is why we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It is a day of thanksgiving to God.

At this time, we ask you to join us in thanking YeHoVaH, to God Almighty, for what he has allowed us to do in this nation. We are the nation that is reaching out to around the world with the message of our Messiah, Yeshua.

We have been endowed with such prosperity in this country and empowered with laws that enable us to benefit at tax time by giving to ministry. We are asking you at this time, before the end of the year, to give to A Rood Awakening.

The Almighty has equipped us to bring the gospel of the Kingdom, the very gospel that changed Squanto’s life, to the world. That gospel is changing people’s lives in every nation, in every culture, in so many languages.

But we need your help to continue on with this message.

If you have been blessed by this ministry, we ask you to remember us, and to give bountifully at this time. We need this, not for our own sakes, but because we need to get the message out to the world.

Join us before December 31st. Write that check. If we’ve been a blessing to you, then thank YeHoVaH. Thank God Almighty, and this Thanksgiving, remember A Rood Awakening.

THANK YOU – Your donations keep Michael Rood on the air! 
Click the button below to give your tax-deductible gift, or give by phone at 888.766.3610.

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Understanding the Fall Feasts

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyTedd's LettersVideo Blog

By observing the Fall Feasts, we progress through repentance and redemption in order to experience His joy.

Leviticus 23 reveals God’s plan to meet with His People, Israel and those who have been grafted in through faith in Israel’s Messiah. It tells of a time when Moses heard the voice of the Lord saying:

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”

The last three holy convocations or “festivals” that the Almighty commanded the Torah observing people to celebrate are:

  1. The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)
  2. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and
  3. The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Each of these feasts occurred in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, the month called Tishri.

Yom Teruah, the first of the Fall Feasts, heralded the arrival of the seventh month. It also began what is known as the Ten Days of Awe between Yom Teruah and the Yom Kippur. This is the period in which the penitent would humble themselves in preparation for the Day of Atonement.

During these 10 days we are to forgive those that have wronged us… but more importantly, we should look within and ask forgiveness from those we ourselves have wronged.

Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day of the year. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Torah observant people traditionally observe this holy day with fasting and intensive prayer.

Sukkot is the harvest festival that commemorates the Israelites’ wandering the desert following their Exodus from Egypt. The week-long period is observed by building and spending time in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor structure that represents our temporary life on earth as we look toward eternity with the King of Kings.

On Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets), the sound of the ram’s horn calls upon each person to repent and confess his sins before his Maker.

Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) is that ominous day when peace is made with God.

During Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles), Israel obeys God’s command to rejoice over the harvest and the goodness of God.

By observing the Fall Feasts, we progress through repentance and redemption in order to experience His joy.

Perhaps most significant, the Fall Feasts remind us that we are laborers in his field. The fields are ready and it is time for us to work for the greatest harvest of all — the Harvest of Souls for a celebration that will last for all eternity.

Biblical Keys To A Happy Marriage

by with 2 Comments Faith and FamilyVideo Blog

Many of the problems we face in our marriages are ultimately rooted in an unrealistic expectation of what marriage is supposed to look like.

Movies and TV shows have given us a distorted perspective that marriage will provide ultimate fulfillment. And so we demand things from our marriage that it was never designed to give. God doesn’t promise that we’ll never face difficulties in marriage. However, with a right perspective on marriage and using the tools He gives us in His Word, we can know how to handle conflict. Here are three biblical keys that can help you stay on track to a happy marriage:

Number one… Respect.

Respecting your spouse means that you value them and hold them in high esteem. Value their feelings and opinions just as you value your own. Don’t disregard what your spouse shares with you. Don’t get frustrated or angry if you don’t like what they say. Just be patient and listen.  Remember, your marriage is a picture of the Messiah’s relationship with the Church. Respecting your spouse is ultimately connected to respecting God.

Key number two… Support

Being happy in marriage requires you to take the focus off of yourself. When you are selfless and focused on fulfilling your spouse’s needs instead of striving to get what you want, you’ll often find that your spouse is more than willing to reciprocate.
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” – Proverbs 11:25
Support takes many forms. The simplest and often most needed form of support is encouragement and verbal affirmation. This goes back to Respect. If you value your spouse, you’ll value their hopes, dreams, trust, and sense of security. You’ll put their needs before your own.

Key number three… Listen

Most of the problems we face in marriage happen because we don’t know how to communicate effectively. Instead of listening to our spouse and validating their feelings, we get busy formulating counter arguments and building our case against them. We listen to reply rather than listening to learn. But this response puts them on the defensive and makes it more difficult to resolve the problems.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” – Proverbs 18:2
Spouses can get so distracted with “winning” the argument that they lose sight of the goal, which is to resolve the conflict! Marriage cannot flourish in a self-centered environment. It can’t flourish without mutual respect and support. It all boils down to this: Love your spouse more than yourself. Respect them, support them, and listen to them. And then watch as new life is breathed into your marriage!