THE CHRISTIAN HOLISTIC HEALTH MOVEMENT

There is a growing movement of Christian practitioners of holistic (or “wholistic”) health, and of Christians who turn to such treatments for their physical maladies.⁵ Perhaps the most articulate and vigorous spokesperson for this movement is Monte Kline, Ph.D., a former staff member with Campus Crusade for Christ who became a nutritionist and “wholistic health practitioner” after a personal bout with cancer.

In his March/April 1988 Christian Health Counselor newsletter, for example, Kline devotes six pages to the subject of “New Age paranoia” in the church. He argues that Christians have often been more hysterical than rational in their approach to the New Age movement, with the result that many innocent people and legitimate ideas and practices have been tarnished with the label “New Age.” He acknowledges that “there is much, much spiritual error in the New Age movement,”⁶ and Christians need to be discerning about these elements. But the opposition of many Christian authors to certain holistic health therapies represents what he calls “flat earth Christianity.”

Flat Earth Christianity

Flat earth Christianity is the too-often-prevalent Christian mentality that considers heretical and even demonic any theory that does not fit in with its traditions and present knowledge (e.g., for many medieval Christians the idea that the earth is round and not the Center of the universe was Considered anti-Christian). Kline explains:

Their assumption is that anything outside their knowledge of the creation is supernatural in the demonic sense and therefore to be denied. Thus, the Ch’i energy of acupuncture, auras, and chakras could not possibly be just another part of God’s creation, only unknown to them….Yet man is called to exercise dominion over His [God’s] creation (Genesis 1:28), and how can man do that without exploration and discovery? True science is merely the processes of discovering, quantifying, and applying what God has built into His creation.⁷

Read the rest of the story here

There has been a major awakening among “Ephraim” in the scattered nations - there is much movement going on and people are looking up and questioning the signs in the skies.  What are we to believe? Are we to believe that after all this time, after all these thousands of years, after each generation rings the bell for the ‘end of days’ … that it is finally upon us? Truthfully - I don’t know. I’ve heard this call for 30 years now - and I must say, I will just try to be ready - no matter if it is the end of the days, or the end of my days. Either way, I Just want to be prepared and ready to meet my Creator.

There has been much excitement about a new organization forming called the World Biblical Zionists. In a nutshell, this group of leaders say that they are forming a partnership with the Likkud party in Israel. I’ve been trying to find out more about this movement, but have been unable to really pinpoint any pertinent information on the various websites of those that support this movement. I would like to know more about this than the audio clips that I’ve heard on paltalk. If you know of a website that offers more detailed information - names, dates, places ect… please email me to let me update my files. On the main site, www.biblicalzionists.org there is general information, but no listing of who is actually ‘in’ the partnership - at least not as of today.

If Ephraim is to return to the land than I would think the following passages in scripture would apply first:

Ezekiel 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Ezekiel 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Ezekiel 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Shouldn’t we have ‘repentance’ first?? Shouldn’t we be clean of our idols, our transgressions our detestable things? Should we not be cleansed from above?

And then in Deuteronomy we read the ‘rest of the story’.

Deuteronomy 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (emphasis mine)

Now, I have nothing against anyone trying to hurry the process along, if this movement is of Yahwhe, then nothing will be able to stop it - and I’ll be running to catch up. But for now, I will have to watch and see whether this thing is of Yahweh or not.  Questions need to be answered fully and ‘partners’ need to be named, it needs not to be so vague, in my humble opinion.

blessings ~ Pam

Mesharet Outreach
Two Houses

Consider these verses …

Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mar 10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

Luk 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.

It is with great regret that I feel that I must comment on this subject. It is hard for me to even believe that this distasteful subject has reared its ugly head within the ranks of supposedly godly men who know the Truth of the Word of Yahuvah.

If you have not heard it within the newsgroups, websites and personal emails..you will. Several leaders in the Messianic movement have stepped out of the darkness and are proclaiming there is validity of polygyny-polygamy contained within the scriptures and that they are going to live out what they believe is truth. They also have separated themselves from any and all believers who have stepped up and condemned this practice as umbilical.

First, let’s go over a few details.

Yes, it’s true - the Torah has many, many stories concerning men who are married to several women. No one is denying that truth. And because of these stories, some leaders in the messianic movement have decided that Yahweh not only condones plural marriages, but encourages it! How sad for believers in this day and age to twist and malign the heart of Abba. And of course, they have twisted it to their own advantage - they have termed this practice ‘polygyny’ - which simply means that it is only the MEN who can have more than one wife! Oh my….such a sad state of affairs. Ok…let’s look at scripture.

Does YHVH approve of multiple wives for one man? Let’s look at the ‘first’ marriage - that should be our guide wouldn’t you think?

And Yahweh said - ‘they shall be ONE flesh’ - In Genesis 2:21-24 YHVH Elohim caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then YHVH Elohim made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and the wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Ok…now read that slowly….ONE man…ONE woman…ONE flesh. I don’t read anywhere (not even between the lines) where Yahweh intended for either man OR woman to have more than one partner - otherwise, He could have just as easily taken out more than one rib, don’t you think?  Also, if scripture states over and over that ONE man and ONE woman become ONE .. then answer me this - how does ONE man having TWO or more women become one flesh? That is simply an impossibility! It is a division in the perfect plan and as such is not only not scripture, but simply put - it is adultery.

This was the original plan of our Creator - the perfect plan - the right plan - the only plan. One man, one woman, one flesh. But, He also gave us free will, didn’t He. Yes, He did. And man (and woman) have continually, from the begining, abused and misused that free will to further their own agendas, fulfill their lust and lead people astray.

Let’s move from the Original Covenant to the next Covenant and see what Y’shua has to say about the subject. In Matthew 19:3-12 he is answering the Pharisees who were questioning Him about the legalities involved in a man putting away his wife for any cause. Y’shua answers them eloquently and in that answer says, “”have you not read, that He who created from the beginning, He created them male and female? Because of this, a man will leave his father and his mother and will be joined to his wife, and they will be both of them one flesh. Henceforth, they will not be >> two <<< rather >> one << flesh. Therefore, what Elohim has united, man should not separate.” (emphasis mine) Y’shua goes on to say that Moses allowed them a letter of divorce because of the hardness of their heart and that it was not thus from the beginning!! So here, Y’shua is confirming the original intent of the marital arrangement from the beginning.

So - we have established that from the beginning - YHVH and Y’shua both confirm that the perfect marriage is between one man and one woman.

Why do the Patriarchs in the scripture have more than one wife?  Why was it so rampant in the patriarchal days? Was it biblical? Was it godly? Was it right??

Let’s examine a few more scriptures and see how these polygamous marriages fared in real life. In Genesis 4:19 Lamech, son of Cain, had two wives. This was the first instance, I believe, that the bible gives us concerning one man with more than one wife.  Just knowing the story of Cain, who killed his own brother Abel (thus being the first murderer) is enough to turn one off, much less lifting up this family style as a template for which we pattern our own lives after! Surely there is a better example to use. And there is. For you see, it was from the line of Cain that this perversion of Yahweh’s perfect plan was birthed. But look at the line of Seth - a righteous man who had a heart seeking the face of his Creator! From Seth all the way to Noah this lineage remained true to each other in the marriage of one man and one woman. Of course…then after the flood, nothing was the same. Even with the patriarch Abraham.

And here is where the men of today want to base their belief that polygyny is the example that godly men and women should follow. But let’s look at this story of Abraham, Sarah and her handmaiden Hagar. Was there EVER any peace in this family? We all know the answer to that question! A resounding NO! The two women constantly fought and bickered with each other - they were bitter enemies and both vied for top position with Abraham. Sarah finally caused Hagar to run away with her son, Ishmael. And here we are today … 4,000 years later … still reaping the whirlwind of the fires between Isaac and Ishmael. All due to the infamous Abraham who did not have enough faith to trust Yahweh who promised him an heir through ONE wife! So those who want to set even this family plan up on a pedestal….well, they need to realize that both Abraham and Sarah fell into this faulty plan due to their lack of faith! And then, they need to take to heart the ‘end of the story.’ For if they do, they will realize that the adulterous road they are on will end in the same way.

There are various articles written on this subject by now - mine is just one more voice in the Internet winds that hopefully will be of some help to anyone searching for answers on this ‘hot’ button. Let me add this - when a man and woman unite in holy matrimony, scripture says that they become one - ‘echad’ in Hebrew.  This new spiritual entity is symbolic of the perfect harmony of the male/female attributes of YHVH.  We must, as godly women and men, be continuously conformed into the image of our Creator. We must display to our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and to the world around us the biblical purity of our Father’s original plan.

A marriage between one man and one woman is simply, hands down, a heavenly covenant - a covenant that represents the heart and purpose of YHVH, our Abba. Anything else, especially this ‘new-old’ revelation of polygamy or polygyny or whatever you wish to call it, is simply borne out of the lust of man to the detriment of all women. Not only is it unscriptural, it is degrading and humiliating for any woman to have to share the purity of the marriage bed with another woman. Nothing but misery and perversion can come from this type of adulterous union.

So, if you or anyone you know has been led down this rose-strewn path of ‘new’ revelation by men who call themselves scholars, rabbis, pastors or ‘men of god’ .. beware of the thorns in this new bed. They will cause you to bleed and will leave many scars. The lust and twisted perversion by these men of the truth is not and never has been the plan of our loving Father!!

Beware of the WOLF in the camp!

blessings ~ Pam

So you are on this walk of finding out what Torah is….what is TORAH anyway? Is it legalistic? Is it just following the laws and regulations that we can find in the bible? How do we do that anyway? We can’t slaughter our lambs and cows and whatever - what do YOU think following Torah means?

Well, let’s find out - you celebrate the Sabbath, you keep the Feast Days…you don’t eat pork…is that all there is? I don’t think so.

Let’s find out - what do you think it means?

Pam…..

May 25th, 2008

May 25th, 2008

The saga of the Ten Lost Israelite Tribes has
fascinated and captivated generations of researchers, pilgrims,
religious leaders, and believers of many faiths and of many
nationalities. For over 2700 years, ever since the residents of the
Northern Israelite Kingdom were exiled by the King of Assyria, the
story of the Ten Lost Tribes has been shrouded in a mystery of
anecdotal traditions and competing narratives. Based on important
historical, anthropological, and archeological theories, important
research has unearthed the beliefs and spiritual awakenings, and the
fascinating political, ethnic, and religious struggles of the Ten Lost
Tribes.

One thing is above all argument - this is a
compelling phenomenon. The story of the Ten Lost Tribes has occupied
and challenged human civilization for nearly 3,000 years, and it
continues to stimulate the imagination and faith of peoples and
cultures throughout the world.

The Ten Lost Tribes Challenge is a multinational
initiative that will provide the public, for whom the mystery of the
Ten Lost Tribes is a source of profound interest, with a thrilling and
unique intellectual experience.

The Ten Lost Tribes Challenge intends to launch a series
of research and discovery expeditions that will provide authentic
meetings in the field with varying ethnic groups around the world, who
consider themselves - by their own traditions and beliefs, or according
to historical and ethnographic research - to be descendants of the Ten
Lost Tribes.

he integration between unhindered human
encounters and an intensive scientific milieu will enable expedition
members coming from all over the world as members of the Ten Lost Tribes Challenge to be part of an extraordinary and exceptional geographic and anthropological experience.

The expeditions are intended for people who are willing to
travel to far-flung, remote and forsaken areas at the “ends of the
earth,” sometimes under difficult field conditions, in order to create
a moving and direct dialogue with those groups who are part of the
mysterious dispersion of the Ten Lost Tribes.

From the Indian
subcontinent to Central Asia; from China and Mongolia through Southeast
Asia, Korea and Japan; from the Caucus Mountains to the heart of
Africa, the dispersed descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes are alive and
breathing under different regimes, within a variety of cultures,
religions, and languages, all the while inciting profound questions and
wonder.

Read more at the Jerusalem Post -

Israel’s embattled Olmert heads to United States
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert heads to Washington on Monday weakened by a major crisis at home that cast a shadow over both his political future and the tenuous US-sponsored Middle East peace talks.

The three-day visit may offer the embattled premier a brief respite from the turmoil at home where he faces a crescendo of calls for his resignation over suspicions he unlawfully obtained vast sums of money from a US financier.

But Monday’s trip may well be his last as premier to Israel’s staunchest ally.

Olmert, 62, suffered two massive blows in quick succession this week when key coalition ally Defense Minister Ehud Barak demanded he quit and the cabinet number two, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, challenged his party leadership.

With the prospect of early elections growing daily, Olmert’s working visit is seen by many as his farewell from US President George W. Bush, whose hopes of seeing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal this year appear to be fading fast.

For Bush, who called Olmert an “honest man” when news of the graft allegations emerged in early May, the premier’s potential demise threatens to shatter a major pillar of a Middle East strategy he hoped would be his legacy.

Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas pledged to try to reach a deal before Bush leaves the White House in January 2009 at the launching of the new peace talks at in Annapolis, Maryland last November.

Read more here at Hurriyet

Today is the last day of May … Sat, 31 May 2008 - or the 26th of Iyyar, 5768 the 41st day of the Omer. Today is an interesting day …. last night was another thunderstorm here in the midwest, lots of lightning, some hail and lots of holding of breath hoping that my seedlings in my garden weren’t beaten up too much. This morning, the sun is shining brightly and the air is crisp and fresh - you know that wonderful clean smell after a spring or summer rain? What a beautiful feeling it gives your whole spirit! It is refreshing and uplifting - especially on a Sabbath!

I went out to my garden - it looks wonderful and I’m so pleased with how it’s growing. The corn is poking thru the ground now at about 2″, the taters and sweet taters look pretty decent, the strawberries are loaded and I’m hoping the birds will share some with me … spinach, beans, lettuce and flax look very good - tomatoes don’t look so hot - they need a bit of help, but the peppers that I planted along side of them as a companion plant look ok. And of course then there are the numerous zucchini and squash plants…my favs - they look really good…can’t wait for some zucchini!!

As I meandered around the garden and sang some praises to Yahovah .. I was just so blessed to be able to give Him glory this wondrous morning. He is so merciful and has blessed me so much.

May His mercy endure forever.

Sweet Sabbath!

Pam

Most of us know what Olive Oil looks like, feels like and is used for. But do you really know what Olive Oil represents?

Ahhhh…..it is a wondrous and marvelous subject! Let’s explore a little about what Olive Oil is, where it came from, how it’s made and the biblical significance of this wonderful liquid gold.

Yes, you read that right, liquid gold. We find in ancient texts that even Homer breathed these same words about this golden dew. In fact, we find in ancient Greece that athletes ritually rubbed it all over their body. It is seen as a mystical illumination throughout the backdrop of history being long known in medicine, magic, and other endless avenues.

The olive tree has a long and mysterious history. It has crowned victors, it has anointed nobles and priests, its fruit has lent its healing properties, offered in rituals and been served in many different ways.

Ancient Roots

The cultivation of the Olive Tree has ancient roots. In the Eastern part of the Mediterranean, the ‘fertile crescent, the Olive Tree was cultivated around 5,000 BC - and probably before that. From there it spread westward to Syria, Palestine, and Israel and so forth.

Throughout scripture, the accolades of the benefits of Olive Oil are mentioned over and over. King Solomon and King David were well known for their olive groves and the storehouses that kept this precious commodity. King David placed guards over the olive groves to ensure their safety.

The oil of olives was widely known and used during most of Bible History. It had a wide variety of applications, and was a valuable commodity. It was used for anointing the living and the dead, for sacred offerings, for lighting lamps (in the Tabernacle, Temple or in ordinary people’s homes), cooking and medicinally. It was also used in personal grooming, and as an ingredient in some soaps (as it still is). Depending upon circumstances, the oil was produced by various methods, from beating or trodden, or in a press or mill powered by humans or oxen. Olive oil was also used figuratively for the Holy Spirit.

Uses in Scripture

Olive oil was used to light the golden lamps in both The Tabernacle In The Wilderness and The Temple In Jerusalem:

“And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it; and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch - so for the six branches going out of the lampstand; and on the lampstand itself four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers, and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. Their capitals and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one piece of hammered work of pure gold. And you shall make the seven lamps for it; and the lamps shall be set up so as to give light upon the space in front of it.” (Exodus 25:31-37 RSV)”So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of The Lord: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and firepans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the nave of the Temple” (1 Kings 7:48-50 RSV)

Priests and kings were anointed with olive oil:

“And he [i.e. Moses] poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to consecrate him.” (Leviticus 8:12 RSV)”Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of The Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13 RSV)

“There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” (1 Kings 1:39 RSV)

Many of the offerings used Olive Oil:

“Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; and with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a libation” (Exodus 29:38-40 RSV)”And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which one may offer to The Lord. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thank offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well mixed with oil.” (Leviticus 7:11-12 RSV)

Medicinal purposes:

“From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil.” (Isaiah 1:6 RSV)”But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” (Luke 10:33-34 RSV)

“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of The Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and The Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 RSV)

Olive oil was used for the dead and the dying, including for Yeshua

“In pouring this ointment on My body she has done it to prepare Me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:12-13 RSV)”This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid Him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how His body was laid; then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the Commandment.” (Luke 23:52-56 RSV)