Prison Weekly August 6th,2005

Masei For the week of August 6, 2005 / 1 Av 5765 Torah: Bemidbar / Numbers 33:1 - 36:13; 28:9-15 Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4; Isaiah 66:1,24 Judgment Is Coming "The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out boldly in full view of all the Egyptians, who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had brought judgment on their gods." (Bemidbar / Numbers 33:3,4) The stages of Israel's journey are retold at this point in the Torah because God commanded Moses to do so. A recurring theme throughout the Bible is remembrance. Knowing how easily we forget the past, we must continually and purposefully remember our history and the lessons learned. When we don't, we lose perspective and risk repeating past mistakes. As the people of Israel faced their challenges during the wilderness years, there were times when some wanted to return to Egypt. They had forgotten how terrible their lives had been there. In their minds their current problems (lack of food and water, the threat of attack, a general sense of not knowing what would happen to them), seemed far worse than their years of slavery under Pharaoh's harsh rule. They had forgotten how truly bad it had been. There was something even greater that they were in danger of forgetting, which is the very thing God was reminding them of at this particular time. God's rescuing of his people from Egypt was not just about his concern for them (though that played a major part), he was also executing judgment on Egypt's gods. The peoples of both Israel and Egypt witnessed the power of God as he demonstrated his assessment of Egypt's spirituality. God does not unleash his judgment on an ongoing basis. He takes no delight in punishing his precious human creatures. Because of his mercy, he is very patient with us, giving us as much time as possible to turn from our wickedness. While we cannot predict when God's patience will reach its limit, he doesn't wait for us forever. Eventually God does act in judgment, punishing individuals, communities, and nations for our stubborn insistence of neglecting him and his ways. It was essential for Israel to remember God's judgment of Egypt. They needed to understand that no matter how difficult their circumstances were or would become, there is more to life than whatever is happening at a given time. In our own day, we need to remember this as well. We live in frightening and confusing times. Terrorism, new diseases, social and genetic experiments all threaten the basic building blocks of our existence. Where will all this take us? The impression I have is that most people ignore what's going on in the world. They ignore it by drowning themselves in whatever diversion they can find, be it their work, their families, or every type of pleasure. The fact remains that God is still God. Even though it often appears that he is not involved in our affairs, he is assessing us. We and the societies in which we live, will be judged. Unless we turn to him, accepting his offer of love and salvation though the Messiah, we will be no different from the Egyptians of old. The choice is ours. TorahBytes

Masay (Numbers 33-36) Family Parsha Masay This Shabbat begins the Jewish month of Av, and a nine day period of remembering and mourning the tragic destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and all the other tragedies that have followed over the past 2000 years. In addition to being a time to mourn, these are also very special days to focus on love. Our sages teach that the spiritual root cause of all these tragedies comes from disliking and hating each other for no good reason. So it only makes sense that the way to remedy this is to go out of our way, especially during these nine days, to try to like and love each other - even for no good reason. In our story a pair of twins learn a lesson of love.

"JUST BECAUSE"

If you would have seen Gary and his twin brother Rob running up and down the hall of their day school late one Thursday afternoon, you might have thought they were maybe training for the Olympics. The two boys were just trying to give out invitations to their up and coming 'twin' Bar Mitzvah party. The problem was that nearly every time Gary would run and stick an invitation envelope into one of the student mailboxes that lined the hall, Rob would be right on his heels rushing to pull it right back out. "No way! Jack Rivers? Forget it, man! We're not inviting him!" Rob said as he deftly grabbed yet another invitation from the slot in which his brother had put it just a moment before. "But why not?" asked Gary, growing more frustrated by the minute. "Jack's a good kid. Did he pick a fight with you, or do something to hurt you one time?" Rob shook his head. "No, nothing like that ... but, I just don't like the guy. He's not my type, you know what I mean?" "No, not really." said Gary as he snatched the invitation out of his brother's hand and stuffed it back into the mailbox, only to have Rob grab it right back out. Soon the twins got into a tug-of-war over the poor envelope which ripped in half, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. The guys got up, half laughing and half mad, and wiped themselves off. "How about we take a time out and work this out over a hot pizza across the street?" "Great idea," Rob replied. "Let's go." The boys sat at their table, and the waitress came by with the menus. "I'll be back soon to take your order, guys," she smiled. Gary turned to Rob, "Okay, can you please give me one good reason you refuse to invite almost every kid I want to invite?" "If I don't like someone, why should I invite him?" Rob answered simply. "But, why don't you like them? That's what I want to know." Because." "Just because?" "Yes, I don't like them just because." "But not liking people 'just because' is called baseless hatred, and is exactly the kind of thing that we learned about in Jewish history class that caused the Holy Temple to be destroyed and causes all the problems in the world." "Ready to order, boys?" The twins looked up at the waitress. "Yeah, we're going to have the usual, a large mushroom pizza and two Cokes," said Rob hungrily. But before she could write it down, Gary waved his hand. "I'm sorry. Could you please give us another couple of minutes?" "No problem," said the waitress, walking off. "Hey, what was that all about?" growled a hungry Rob. "We're not eating anything until we get to the bottom of this," Gary said, arms folded. Rob nodded. "All right, I agree. So let me ask you a question, then. Can you give me one good reason why you do want to invite all those guys? I mean it's not as if you're best friends with them. They never did anything for you." Gary paused. "First of all, liking or loving someone doesn't have anything to do with what he does for you. It's what you do for him that counts. But even besides that, I guess you could say that instead of choosing to dislike him 'just because' I choose to like him 'just because' Just like someone in court is considered innocent until proven guilty, in the 'court' of our minds, someone should be likeable until proven not likeable and not the other way around. If you don't do that, it's like you're throwing him in jail without even a trial! Rob thought about what his brother said. "I can hear what you're saying. In the end I guess it's better to like people than to dislike them for no special reason. So let's make a deal. We can invite all those kids and I'll try to learn to like them 'just because,' and we can order the pizza now, 'just because' we're hungry!" Aish.com

Mission Update: Greetings Saints in His Perfect Peace, Today it was the first of the month and we were packed. More and more are coming daily. Today I baptized 7 people in the river. They all wanted it after hearing Yeshua being preached. Pictures will be coming. I need some cash to get some of these large print KJV Bibles they are $10 a Bible. More are coming it seems everyweek for service and more every feed day! Pray about supporting this wonderful work of Messiah's. We need food account money, bill money, Bible money.....We need your prayers.......................................In The Mean time May........................................ The LORD bless thee and keep thee;The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee shalom. (peace)Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:24-26 In Yeshua's Name, Bro. Dan, Pastor of Messiah's Branch

Psalms 140:12 - I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Friday we were packed again Tonya made 10 dozen egg-n-cheese sandwiches. (Tuesday Kathy and I made eleven dozen.) We only had four dozen donuts and they went quick. I made goulash for dinner served with green beans and potatoes, bread-n-butter. After we were done and cleaning up for service we had several people still coming to eat. I fed eight adults and a family with four children beef hotdogs and BBQ chips. Then I mad two cans of beef stew for a few others who came. For Sabbath meal I made goulash, asparagus an bread-n-butter, for the children beef hot dogs an mac-n-cheese. We had ninteen adults for service and at break I served strawberry cake with coffee. The newsletter was mailed out on Friday and the July bills are paid. The only bill needing paid right now is the internet 49.95 and I still need 38 to mail out the over seas newsletters. The food accout is at 250 and I have 40 pounds of chicken in the freezer. I recieved the funds to purchase 40 stamps for the prison weekly.Our daughter and her family have moved back from Arizona we got to see our newest grandson Jerimiah for the first time Friday. He is adorable 13 pounds 5 oz's an five months old. They are needing a two bedroom in the Wichita area under 300 a month let me know if you know of anything. One of our supporters sent dad the funding to take me to dinner and I want to say thank you so much for thinking about me. I am doing better day by day and some days are better than others. I still sick every morning it is my nerves and will pass as I heal from what has happened to me. I am standing in faith that Yahweh will provide the means for me to work full time for HIM and I will never have this happen to me again. Thank you all who support these works please pray about weather your to help and be lead by Yahweh to do His will. More on the Mission next update: WE LOVE YOU ALL THE Truth will set you FREE Shalom sisterlinda Messiah's Branch

Last weeks Answer: Mark 6:14-29 ^{14 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: 20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; 22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. 24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. 25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. 26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.}

Find This Passage: 18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant. 21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

The TRUTH will SET YOU FREE
Shalom sisterlinda, family & Messiah's Branch Mark9:23, 10:27