To all our faithful haverim (friends):

You really are the only mishpocha (family) Gina and I have, here in the USA. Thanks for caring – because you have continued to show real love, we have been able to "hang-in" and have recently had satellite TV exposure through La Familia Television Station, in Harlingen, TX. Please prayer for the leadership of this congregation as their pastor, Carlos Ortiz, died suddenly of a heart attack August 5, 2000.

KSCE TV Channel 38/Cable 16 in El Paso is now airing our regular series "Understanding Messiah" Mondays at 10:30 am. Some of the topics being discussed, along with several visuals are "The Living Torah," "Living Water," and a complete series about the Jewish history in the Middle Ages – "The Jewish Expulsion in Europe," through to the "Spanish Inquisition." We have done an exposé of the whole picture, including the Ashkenazi experience. We are producing a program concerning the "Jewish Badges" forced upon our people – right through to World War II. Why? Well, the question so often asked of us is "Why don’t Jewish people believe in Jesus?" As we examine the history, we’ll see just how the church of the past, as well as secular authorities, thought of by Jewish communities as "Christians," CLOSED the doors of dialogue by their actions and attitudes. This series, however, is intended to reconciliate and bring a sense of loving repentance not to cause more division as so many are presently doing.

Please pray for this endeavor, as it should result in unity in the Body of Messiah, and cause His love to be a reality! Thank you.

Jn 8:31-32; 13:34; 15:8, 17; 17:11, 20-23 (Yeshua’s powerful prayer for akhdoot (Hebrew for unity) in His body of believers); Rom 15:5; Ps 133:1; Eph 4:3, 13.

We are approaching the Yomim Noraim or "The Days of Awe." This includes "Rosh Hoshanah/New Year," in contra-distinction to the Ex 12:2 mandate that Pesach/Passover is actually and literally called the Rosh (head) of the shanah/year. Out of respect for the Jewish tradition we do not publicly contradict this.

Of interest though, is the fact that the secular year (e.g.: 2000) is remembered even in Israel, and cards are sent by most people, wishing "Brakhot-La-Shanah-Ha Khadashah!" A blessed/happy New Year, in contrast to our usual "Shanah Tovah!" or "A Good Year!" This begins September 30, 2000 or 1 Tishrei 5761 which is the Hebrew year.

As the case may be from the Hebrew designate from Scripture, the above mentioned Rosh Hashanah is actually the Biblical "Yom Teruah" or Day/Feast of Trumpets, i.e. blowing of the shofar/ram’s horn. We count down ten days until the "Great Day" called Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, which occurs October 9th , 2000 or 10 Tishrei 5761 which happens to be Columbus Day this year.

So we will have celebrated ten days of introspection of examining our souls from the shofar call to repentance, to the "Day of Reconciling" to each other and so being able to reconcile to our Creator. Yeshua made this concept clear in Matt 5:23-24. See also Gen 50:17-21; Ex 32:30-34; I Kings 8:30-38; II Chron 6:21-25, 27, 30-31, 39; 7:14-15; Ps 86:5-6; Matt 6:14-15; 18:21-23; Mark 11:25-27; Lk 5:30-25; 6:36-38: 17:3-4; 23:34; II Cor 2:7-11; I Jn 1:9-10.

The Mishna says on 85b "If a person says "I will sin and repent; I will sin and repent" (2X) – that the Heavenly Tribunal/Court does not give him/her the opportunity to repent i.e. Hebrew – make teshuvah. The article continues, if that person assumes that Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement will provide atonement – it won’t. Jewish tradition holds that Yom Kippur provides atonement for sins between humans and fellow humans, but only if we "go to one another and confess our sins toward each other and then ask for forgiveness IN PERSON." According to the ancient Rabbis, Yom Kippur does not provide atonement until one appeases the one they have sinned against. See again Yeshua/Jesus’ words in Matt 5:23-24. Lev 16:30-31 says when the Kohen Ha Gadol/The Great High Priest of Israel went into the Kadosh Ha Kodshim/Holy of Holies and because he went as intercessor for the Levitical Order and for Israel, they could afflict their souls/make introspective for inner selves, before God. This relied on the Lev Ch 9 sacrifice – the people saw the price paid by the innocent victim (the animals that didn’t sin, but took their place). They would confess to each other, then to God! See also Lev 16:29-34; 23:27-29-necessary to confess. In the next newsletter we’ll explain how the following week leads into Sukkot/The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths, and how we can understand how God has brought people from every nation and language into this wonderful Sukkot Shalom/Tabernacle of His Peace, eternally, not just yearly.

The Jewish record of interpretation exhorts us not to keep sinning and repenting and expecting to still be sanctified. Many people believe they can do so due to mis-interpreting Calvin and others. But, the Rabbis agree with our Messiah in this: Listen – Ezek 36:25 "I will sprinkle pure water on you, and you shall be cleansed." God is being seen here as the Laver and Mikveh/Ritual pool of immersion…IT IS MORE THAN RITUAL according to the Scripture and the Mishna, just as Mayim Chayim/Living Water purifies. Not a teaching of "baptismal regeneration," but an analogy that only God can truly purify, i.e. Israel and the Nations. Only this – the Blood of Messiah is sufficient – Jn 6:53; Rom 3:24-26; Eph 2:13-14; Heb 10:19, 21. He is our Sacrifice and our High Priest! Verse 22 in Hebrews says "Let us draw near….." This was the term in Hebrew "qarab" – Ex 3:5 of Moses at the Burning Bush; Lev 9:5; I Sam 14:36; Ps 73:28. It meant to come before the Lord on His terms. We so often want to be "doing our own thing" and think that God doesn’t realize, but Acts 17:30 informs us "And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all people to repent…." Again, in Hebrew "shuv" means to turn away from sin and iniquity not to cheat, lie, steal, defraud our spouse in anyway, etc, etc, etc. See I Cor 6:9-19 THIS IS IMPORTANT. If you don’t read any of the other scriptures, please read this one and Gal 5:18-24. So, as on Yom Kippur under Torah Law – repentance, plus forgiveness and sanctification. Lev 8:11; Jn 17:19; Acts 20:32; I Cor 6:11-12.

We are NOT under the Law, but under grace, through our Great High Priest = Yeshua Heb 4:14. Explanation: Even as we enjoy God’s grace, we are still under His Keter Torah/Crown of Torah or His Higher Moral Law. Messiah explains this Higher Torah as being moral/legal – NOT ritualistic or legalistic. Matt 5:23-24; 27-28; 30, etc. This Matt 5 teaching is higher (grace) than Moshe’s/Moses’ Torah – "Thou shalt, thou shalt not – ." It, in effect, expects us to be at a higher level of understanding and action. As a matter of fact, even Rabbi Huna emphasize that to keep sinning and repenting nullifies forgiveness as it becomes permissible to the habitual sinner, therefore that person does not usually feel the need for teshuvah/repentance. I Tim 4:2.

One last scriptural admonition, since so many are re-interpreting scripture, with no godly mandate or study I Cor 9:27. Rav Shaul/Paul says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "But I bring my body under control (self control), lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway/disqualified (Gk – adokimos/not approved.)" Does this mean eternally, in the present, or in Olam Haba/ the Kingdom to Come? The word also means: worthless, unapproved or rejected and reprobate, meaning not conscious of God. Moral sense is perverted and their minds beclouded with their own speculations. This refers to one in whom is NOT dwelling the mind of Christ or even Christ Himself. Another Greek meaning of "castaway" is, a mind not approved of by God, therefore Christ is not in that person. Literally from the New Testament Greek. Matt 12:45; Jn 5:14; II Tim 3:13; II Pet 2:20.

People who "flirt" with sin – will have to face the end result of their carnality which dictates a need to say, "It is not worth the chance! Be sure - God is not mocked! But He is quick to forgive, if we sincerely repent and mean it!" II Chron 36:16; Gal 6:7. We exhort you to study these scriptures. These are the God’s Words not ours.

God loves you and so do we.
In His Grace and Service