Hi Stephen,
So how did you deal with your newfound truth about the Torah and the Sabbath and what has been your experience? ..........becky

hi Becky,

fellowship forum, that's a new one for me, I don't think I have ever been here before. Good idea though moving the discussion over to here.

I feel like I am lying on a theropiststs couch now.....well, let's see, it all started when.....now picture a mind tornado and backround music of the twighlight zone. lol

OK, seriously, I'll skip the first 35 years of my life and fast forward to Y2K. I had been doing a lot of reading about Y2K and thought that we were in for some kind of calamity, not on a biblical basis, but just because of the computer glitch theory. I had even prepared somewhat by storing some food and water and buying a propane heater and other such precautions. Up until this time, I had not really done much reading on the internet, but I learned how to look things up and did a lot of research on Y2K. I was pretty much a normal christian guy, but but probably more serious about my faith than most.

Shortly after Y2K ended up being a non event, I was participating in a Wednesday night bible study at the church I had been attending where the teacher was explaining to us the Jewish holidy of Rosh Hashana. I was completely ignorant of the Jewish holidays and bible prophecy. He proceeded to tell us how the Jewish holidays not only spoke of events in Israel's past, but also forshadowed events in Israel's future. He told us how the spring feasts were fulfilled by Messiah's first comming, and the fall feasts pertained to His second comming. This was fascinating stuff for me and I proceeded to use the experience I had just developed on the computer reserching Y2K and now devoted all of my attention to the biblical feasts and bible prophecy.

As I'm sure you have probably found out, when you are doing research, one thing tends to lead to another. I started out reading all of the normal christian authors like Tim Lahay and John Hagie and was reading all about the pre-tribulation rapture and stuff like that. I hadn't even really heard of the rapture before then. (don't believe in it anymore) I also through my studies online began to question what I had previously been taught about salvation, and was starting to see that salvation was not just a one time decision that we make, but more of a process with the gift of salvation ultimately given at the end of the journey, and not the beginning.

I remember listening to the radio program "politics and religion" with Ervin Baxter and one of the callers mentioned this guy named Michael Rood who said that we were now in the year 6000 from Adam and that we were about to enter the tribulation or something. So I got on the computer and looked up Michael Rood and found his website and after reading the information on his site, ordered his videos on the spring and fall feasts. Wow, that was about 10 hours of jam packed information and I learned so much about Torah and bible prophecy and the names, and the Sabbath. I eventually watched those videos about 5 times each. I owe a lot of my early understanding of Torah to Michael Rood. I have since changed my understanding on some calender issues from what he teaches.

Another importiant resource for me was the book "fossilized customs" by Lew White. In it, I learned about all of the pagan influences in our society and why we should not participate in them. I was really hungry for the Truth, and willing to make any changes in my life that I needed to make in order to be the type of Man that my Creator wanted me to be. My job allowed me a lot of time to spend surfing the internet and I basically studied night and day for a few years trying to figure all of this stuff out.

I was married then, and my wife did not share my excitement regarding all of these things that I was learning. She reluctantly went along with some of them, like not decorating for Christmas and not eating pork and stuff like that, but she didn't want to hear about what I was learning and so our relationship which had already been not great, became even more strained. She eventually left me for an old childhood flame and we got divorced about 3 years ago.

So anyway, once I discovered that the Sabbath was Saturday, and not Sunday, I left the church I had been attending and started going to a Seventh day Adventest church in town. I only went there a few times before finding a Messianic Jewish congregation in Dallas. I went there for a while but after I became convicted about using the names, I looked for somewhere that used the sacred names. I found a Congregation of Yahweh in the area and attended there for a few years. It was this time last year when I stopped attending there and attended a small home group in the area for a while. "Burning One" actually leads that group. Right now, most Sabbaths I don't attend any congregation, but occasionally visit one of the places I used to attend.

Now days, I spend a lot of time listening to Alex Jones and learning about 911 Truth and the police state that we currently live in. I know that this country is on the brink of disaster, but don't really know what to do about it. I guess I kind of feel like a passenger on the Titanic. I really don't worry too much about it, but can't help but to watch it all unfold.

I am actually going to vote again this election, that's something I thought I would never do again. Even though I know that "they" will never allow him to become president, I will cast my vote for Ron Paul just because he stands for what I believe in.

So how was that? Has your journey been similar?


S

Stephen,



Don't feel bad, it's been SO Twilight Zone around here at our house. I enjoyed reading what you wrote.

Maybe we should email, I bet I could top your Twilight Zone experience (not that I'm trying to). But it might make you feel better. I wouldn't mind hearing what you think about it but I really don't want to post it here. You could email us at AdoniYah at hopeville dot net or AdoniYah at beityahweh dot com.

But if you don't I understand that too.

Shalom,
Naesimo

Hi Stephen,
Thanks for sharing. It is nice knowing a little of who you are. It would be nice if we could just sit down and visit with people here at the forum. I think everyone here should take the time to at least get to know each other somewhat.

I know the first 35 years of your life that you 'skipped' are not insignificant in your spiritual experience. I will be 50 in December. My first experience of any kind of true understanding of Yahweh was when I was a child and I watched a Billy Graham Crusade. I was very young but I remember being touched by his message and I remember one time my dad telling me to 'turn that bum off.' But he went ahead and let me watch. Do you remember how Billy Graham would last a week at a time? I watched him every year after that. I still cry when I look back over my life and can see my Heavenly Father's hand in my life, the things he brought me through, the way He kept me for this time. What humbling thoughts.

For me, my walk was on and off. I had accepted Yahushua as my Savior when I was 15 or 16. I lived in a small town in southern Arizona. One night I was out on a walk by myself when I passed by the football field where a crusade was being held. I was in so much pain inside that evening. I remember feeling so terribly alone. I heard the man say, 'Jesus wants to be your friend' as I walked by. I stopped and went into the crusade and asked Yahushua to be my friend and never leave me. He never did. No matter all my dumb life choices, He never forsook me.

At 19, I got involved with what turned out to be a cult in the fact that these two men,whom I think were initially sincere in their faith, turned out to be too immature to handle followers. I left home for what turned out to be a three-year journey. We were given Scripture out of context that we were to submit to these in 'authority' over us. I actually ended up marrying one of these guys, who turned out to be mentally and emotionally abusive. Anyway, we were taught that if we ever left them,we would be in rebellion. I remember one night looking up at the heavens and asking Yahushua to deliver me from these people. Two weeks later it happened. I was never bitter at Yahweh about the situation I had gotten myself into, but it took me over ten years to even be able to open the bible because of how badly the Scriptures had been twisted. I didn't know for a long time why it had happened, but I finally came to understand the importance of not following what 'sounded' good or right and that I could not trust people with my salvation, even at the price of loneliness.

I never did fit in the 'church' scene. I was always questioning things in my mind. We could never find a church to belong to. If we did find one where we finally felt comfortable with the pastor, he always ended up leaving. The last church we attended as a little Salvation Army church. The pastor had been there forever. What a humble and wonderful couple this man and wife were. We attended for about two months when they announced that they had to leave to go take care of an ailing parent in California. I knew without a doubt then that Yahweh was speaking to us and that we were to quit looking for a church. That is basically when I began studying the bible on my own.

Right off, Yahweh began 'cleaning' my spiritual life up. Those first few years, my foundation was really shaken. Yahweh began working on making me solid in the faith. I learned the truth about the rapture, Christmas and Easter, salvation, how Yahushua was Elohim, the truth about the name of Jesus, the Sabbath. I am sure you understand all that. I had always doubts about a lot of the things I believed in and now I was being made to see the 'Truth' about them and to make sure that everything I believed was truly based on the Scriptures.

Needless to say, there is all the 'in between' stuff. I have had failed marriages due to trying to let others fill my loneliness. It was a few years back due to the results of my failed efforts that I finally quit trying to fight the loneliness and just decided to be 'lonely' and 'cling' to the Rock of my salvation, to 'hide' under His wings, to either believe that He could deliver me or I was just fooling myself. I really understand now what 'I am weak but He is strong' means, what dying to self can entail....

I love Yahweh, because He has heard my voice, my pleas.
Because He has inclined His ear to me, And I shall call throughout my days.
The cords of death were around me, And the pains of the grave came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.
Then I called upon the Name of Yahweh, “O Yahweh, I pray to You, deliver my being!”
Yahweh shows favour and is righteous; And our Elohim is compassionate.
Yahweh guards the simple; I was brought low, but He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my being, For Yahweh has treated you well.
For You have delivered my being from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from falling.
I shall walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.
I have believed, for I speak; I have been greatly afflicted.
I said in my haste, “All men are liars.”
What shall I return to Yahweh? All His bounties are upon me.
I lift up the cup of deliverance, And call upon the Name of Yahweh.
I pay my vows to Yahweh now in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the eyes of Yahweh Is the death of His kind ones.
O Yahweh, I am truly Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your female servant; You have loosed my bonds.
I bring You a slaughtering of thanksgiving, And call upon the Name of Yahweh.
I pay my vows to Yahweh In the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the House of Yahweh, In your midst, O Yerushalayim. Praise Yah! - Psalm 116

I guess that pretty much says it all, doesn't it? He has to be everything to us. I am reminded of Corrie Ten Boom's words, 'You never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.' She really knew what that meant.

Have you ever read Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard?

Well, Stephen, I am glad we could share here. Thanks so much....have a wonderful day.........becky

p.s. By the way, Michael Rood definitely had an impact on me. He came along about the time of the 'earthquake' that 'shook' my foundation and it was at his site that I learned about The Scriptures bible. I must thank him.


[This message has been edited by becky (edited 10-24-2007).]

Thanks for sharing Becky,

Wow, the big five O! and you still play vollyball? You probably go through a lot of ben gay! Just kidding. I recently discovered bikram yoga. It is awsome! You do a 90 minute class of 26 postures in a room heated to at least 105. That will fix you right up!

So are you still lonely? I read on another post that you have 5 kids. At least you have them to keep you company. Got any grand kids yet? I have two kids, my daughter is 12 and my son is 10.

Yeah, the first 35 years that I skipped over are importiant too, I have always been spiritual. Even as a child, I remember that Yahweh was my constant companion. I would always talk to him and tell him all my problems and would always ask Him why things were the way they were. I would just talk to Him out loud and carry on a conversation (when no one was around). I really think that He appreciated that and has blessed me because of it.

I have never gone through a period where I doubted His existence or rebelled against Him. I'm not saying that I never sinned, but I didn't do it out of spite, but rather out of ignorance or weakness.

I have always been searching for Truth and to know Him better, even when I was Catholic.

I know that right now, I should probably be really seeking Him and focusing on my relationship with Him, but honestly, I'm kind of coasting these days. I know that all hell is about to break loose in the world, but I'm just kind of unsure what to do about it so I'm just in a wait and see mode. I'm kind of hoping that He will tap me on the shoulder and tell me what to do.

Naesimo,

If you don't want to share on here, feel free to e-mail me. You too Becky for that matter.

scapra at sbcglobal.net

Stephen

Hi Stephen,
Yes, I have five kids: Amber 26, April 27 (married to Nate with my first grandchild, Caleb 5 months old - I love that kid!) Tommie 18, Erin 15, and my only boy Levi 11. I have been married for just over 12 years to Scott. You know, my children have never filled the loneliness. I love them, trials and all. But I really had to make Yahweh everything to deal with that pain. I still experience it but after He pulled me through the dealing; I was like the Scriptures say, 'a weaned child.'

I am like you, I never doubted His existence or rebelled against Him IN SPITE OF my sin. I knew that it was me that was always the problem.

Yes, this world is pretty scary right now. I am grateful we only have to deal with today. I wonder if I will be strong enough to face whatever might come. I constantly reinforce to my kids that they need to be strong in order to face what is coming.

Yes, the ben-gay does come in handy but surprisingly I haven't done too bad. I use my treadmill everyday and try and stretch everyday, too. The only real injuries I have had so far is I hurt a muscle in my arm that is apparently used in my overhand serves. I was not even aware there WAS a muscle where I got hurt! I have to serve underhand instead and make sure I stretch my arm really good before my games. I also sort of twisted my foot the other night when I landed wrong. Not too bad but like I said at my age it takes a little longer to get over that kind of stuff. I kept playing. haha! I play on a team with my two oldest daughters, my son-in-law (what a guy, I would like to clone him for the rest of my girls ) and some other guys that are friends of the kids. When we are on the court they all refer to me as 'mom'. The only problem with volleyball is the season doesn't last long enough for me......becky