Tim Mahoney’s Journey Home

by with No Comment Shabbat Night Live Q&As

This week (August 26) on Shabbat Night Live, you are in for a special treat — a “double header” of sorts. Filmmaker Tim Mahoney is coming out with 2 new movies, one of which will be released NEXT WEEK (Sept 2)! You’re going to get some behind-the-scenes information about these two movies in a special interview with Tim Mahoney

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

  1. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 16:00) How should today’s believers who are eager to learn about the history of their faith attempt to reconcile their workaday spirituality with the remnants of biblical archeology, whether they confirm beliefs or raise further questions? Aside from recognition of YeHoVaH, what is the common ground between knowledge of artifacts and an individual’s prayer life and interaction with one’s neighbor?
  2. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 20:00) In the study and teaching of YeHoVaH’s message, how does our reliance upon documentation, text, and traditional school settings provide only a partial impression of our responsibility as his followers and evangelists? Apart from providing an environment for learning the Bible, how should parents view the home as a place to explore the full range of living the divine truth within our world?
  3. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 24:00) How do the ancient Israelites offer an enduring example for contemporary family members of how to negotiate such issues as abuse, personality disorders, or clinical depression, that can threaten the integrity of home life and spirituality? How might verses in Psalms or Proverbs serve to enlighten us about the command to “honor thy father and thy mother?”
  4. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 28:00) Similarly, how do the children of Israel under the leadership of Moses continue to demonstrate our own lack of trust in YeHoVaH throughout our earthly sojourn? How can our contemporary world, with its abundant material wealth and pursuit of power, be tenably viewed as the equivalent of the vast and barren desert that threatened the Hebrews with undernourishment and an attendant loss of faith?
  5. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 32:00) Despite their own personal testament of belief in and worship of YeHoVaH, why do so many professed Christians also acknowledge the difficulty of placing their full trust in his providence and guidance? How should today’s believer cultivate this ethos of conviction and genuine dependence in both private prayer and personal engagement with our neighbor?
  6. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 36:00) Similarly, how might this unconditional trust in YeHoVaH as heavenly father be impeded by our very human but inherently flawed refusal to forgive others who have wronged us, even those who are no longer present in our lives, either through estrangement or death? How might the countless references to divine forgiveness in scripture be viewed as an admonition against the false pride of maintaining a grudge? 
  7. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 40:00) How can the concept of “patterns of evidence” in biblical history be viewed as an archetype that transcends such categories of reference as archeology, textuality, or oral tradition? How might the diverse and conflicting theories regarding the location and significance of Mount Sinai in Judeo-Christian history ironically result in a greater recognition of the spiritual dimensions of narrative by disputing believers?
  8. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 44:00) How might the ongoing exploration of such subjects as the Exodus and the discovery of the true Mount Sinai serve to reorient the public’s attention to the ancient significance of the Sinai Peninsula and its centrality for the three major faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? How could this potentially serve as an alternative point of reference from Jerusalem for eventual peace in the Middle East?
  9. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 48:00) How might today’s believers, accustomed to advanced communication, prolonged life, and relative material comfort, be likened to the “stiff-necked” Israelites, who repeatedly complained of their predicament in the midst of divine miracles? What sort of spiritual guidance should be sought by those teachers and evangelists who must share the exasperation of Moses?
  10. (VIDEO TIMELINE – 50:00) The final sentence of Joshua 24:15 is often emblazoned by evangelical Christians as a proclamation of personal faith, yet the complete verse offers a more challenging context for such a statement. How does this passage offer a straightforward acknowledgement of free will in its presentation of choice to the believer between worship of YeHoVaH and recourse to familiar but false forms of solace?
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Our Hebrew Identity

by with No Comment Biblical Studies

The sheep of the house of Israel were rejected by YeHoVaH but He himself promised that this would not be forever…

While it is true that we all have an identity or nationality from the country in which we were born, believers in Yeshua (Jesus) have another identity — an inner desire to know the truth about their identity as part of God’s people.

Regardless of being raised in a believing family or attending a Sunday church, there is often a restlessness in one’s heart to really know the God of Israel. Has this happened to you?

If your answer is yes, you are not alone. The same thing has happened to many of us, and we are involved in that same search for that deep feeling of love for God and for the people of Israel.

In 1 Kings 11, YeHoVaH (God) divided the kingdom of Israel because of King Solomon’s sin; the result was the house of Judah and the house of Israel. The house of Judah, despite being exiled to Babylon because of their sin, was allowed to return to the land of Israel and preserve YeHoVaH’s Torah (God’s instructions in the five books of Moses) to this day. The opposite happened to the house of Israel, which was taken into captivity by the Assyrian empire and was eventually dispersed throughout the nations.

At some point in history, the sheep of the house of Israel were rejected by YeHoVaH (Hosea 1:6,9) but He himself promised that this would not be forever (Hosea 2:19-20,23).

Ezekiel also mentions a beautiful prophecy where the house of Judah and the house of Israel will return and will be one nation, and his servant David will reign, and YeHoVaH will dwell in their midst:

Thus saith YeHoVaH: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have gone, and will gather them from everywhere, and will bring them into his land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all; and they will never again be two nations, nor will they ever again be divided into two kingdoms. Nor will they defile themselves any more with their idols, with their abominations, and with all their rebellions; and I will save them from all their rebellions with which they sinned, and I will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in my precepts, and my statutes they will keep, and they will do them. They will dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they and their children and their children’s children will dwell in it forever; and my servant David will be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant it shall be with them; and I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set my sanctuary among them forever. My tabernacle will be in their midst, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Ezekiel 37:21-27

Indeed you have a Hebrew identity! You are part of the house of Israel that was scattered throughout the nations, but one day you will be called home again, back to your home with our Father YeHoVaH and his “servant David,” our King Yeshua.

Shalom!

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.

Problem of the Heart

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyTedd's LettersVideo Blog

In recent days we have seen horrific crimes committed against our fellow man. People gunned down with little to no reason. Shooters with no more purpose than to kill their prey in the most ruthless ways. This is not what God had intended for us. Not in the slightest.

We can hate on our leaders, but this starts in our own home when we say, “This far, no further.”

This is not a gun problem. This is not a political problem. This is a problem of the heart.

You see, Yeshua (Jesus) said this is one of the most important things we can do…

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
– Mark 12:28-31

Where have we gone wrong with this world? We need to go back to the word of the Almighty, the Bible.

I’m not asking you take my word for it. Just stop for one moment, pull your Bible out and see what God has in store for you. He doesn’t want you to hate your brother or sister and you know we are all brother and sisters. He wants you to love them, to understand them, and to protect them as your own.

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
– Mark 12:28-31
​

Remember politics can only do so much. We can hate on our leaders, but this starts in our own home when we say, “This far, no further.” We have to take responsibilities for our future — now before it’s too late.

To the people of El Paso and Dayton, our hearts and prayers go out to each and every one of you.

Let’s all pray that this is the last time we have to come together and speak of such a horrible thing. Remember — God loves you. Today, love each other as he loves us.

Tearing Down The Legacy Of Hate

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyTedd's LettersVideo Blog

In my 58 years on this planet, I have noticed a trend if you will, of people being more and more influenced by hate.

I hate this neighbor, I hate this politician, I hate this person, I hate hate HATE!!!” It seems like the world is just growing a legacy of hate. And if you’re not careful, you will be trapped by the influence of hate in your life.

You see, hate is just another way Satan gets into your life and makes an absolute mess of your attitude, your emotions, and most importantly, the way you look at the world and the people around you.

If you live in the world of hate, Satan has you right where he wants you: In the pit of despair and hopelessness.

Jesus or Yeshua says in John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
– Philippians 4:8

You see, the Almighty’s plan was to make this world a peaceful, loving place where people would treat one another with kindness and trust in a way that only God’s love can overcome life’s obstacles.

Are you surrounding yourself with negative people? Then break the bonds of hate and find people that treat you with respect, with love and happiness. Find relationships that see the good in people and your surroundings.

Remember when you live in hate — Satan wins.

Be an overcomer.

Today, right now, tell Satan to get under your feet and see the good in everything you can. Be the person Yeshua wanted you to be and change the world, one attitude at a time. You can be the change that YeHoVaH is looking for, one life at a time. God Bless.

Choosing Faith or Fear

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyTedd's LettersVideo Blog

My father-in-law taught me something a long time ago.  He said, “Tedd, you can either live in faith or fear, but you can’t live in both. It’s your choice.”

Webster’s Dictionary defines fear as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion, caused by anticipation or awareness of danger or doom.”

Now, I’m just like any other man who can have doubts or fears – fears about health, fears about finances, fears about personal relationships, even fears about my relationship with The Father.

On the other hand, the Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11 as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The Bible really doesn’t define fear, but simply tells us, “Fear Not!”…

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
– John 4:18

 

“And the Lord appeared to Isaac the same night and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you’.”
– Genesis 24:26

Finally, in 1 Chronicles 28:20, David says to his son Solomon, “’Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God – my God – will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you’.”

Again, my father-in-law Ron taught me that fear and faith are both spiritual elements – elements that can’t take up the same space.  

If you live in fear, then faith just simply is not present; but if you live in faith, fear cannot exist either.

YeHoVaH wants you to live in faith, to live in hope, love, happiness and peace, not in fear.  That is nothing more than Satan bringing doubt and hopelessness into your life.

In fact, the Bible says “fear not” 365 times in one form or another. If you think about it, that’s a “Fear Not” for every day of the year!

So now you have a choice: to live as The Almighty would have you live – in faith and hope – or as Satan would have it, in fear and despair.

Don’t allow negativity to dwell in your life. Anger, fear, doubt. It’s all of the Devil.

Choose YeHoVaH.

Choose life.

Choose faith.

Where is Your Heart Today?

by with No Comment Faith and FamilyTedd's LettersVideo Blog

As a pastor, I had many instances when people would come up to me and ask: “What truly does Matthew 6:21 mean?”

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

My normal response is “Well, it’s complicated.” You see, Yeshua always talked in the simplest language, so that the people of the time would understand – most of the time in parables, in other times, simple sentences.  I think he was saying “You give where you love” or maybe better interpreted, “Give where you are loved…” Is that what you are doing? Yeshua also said:
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:38
And in this verse he talks about the ultimate giving:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
In short, I believe that Yeshua thought that giving was one of the most important things that we believers can do. It shows our trust in the Almighty, that when we give unto him, he truly gives back to us in return. In fact, it was the very thing that the Almighty said in Malachi 3:10: “Test me on this.” But be wise – He wants you to give but plant your seed into good soil, soil that bear fruit. Every day here at A Rood Awakening! International, our prayer warriors are praying and interceding for people literally all over the world. And our broadcasts are ministering to young and old alike in English, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese and soon, in Italian and French. We aim to teach Truth to a lost and dying world. Your giving of the Truth brings people out of the darkness and into the light of Yeshua. So do your homework. See the fruit that comes from this ministry. See how lives are changed. How bonds are broken. How health is restored to the sick. And how people’s lives and relationships are made whole again. Please consider giving your best gift to A Rood Awakening! International and Michael Rood – click here to give online or call us at 800.788.7887. From Michael and the entire Rood Crew, we wish you LOVE, peace and happiness. Blessings to you all and have a GREAT week!
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