A second set of passages I would like to discuss regarding Paul. 
 
Neither male nor female? 
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. 
 
Gen 1:27 HNV God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
		
 
											 
											 
														I have several passages I would like to discuss in reference to Paul. I will break them up into several posts. 
 
Do not fear a false prophet-the test of a prophet: 
Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaks in the LORD’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him. 
Deut 13: 1  If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 
2  and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let’s go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let’s serve them,” 
3  you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Compare) 
4  You shall walk after the LORD your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice. You shall serve him, and cling to him. 
5  That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
		
 
											 
											 
														Devarim, the Hebrew name of Deuteronomy, means "words" and is from Deuteronomy 1:1: "These are the words..." This book used to be called Mishneh HaTorah or "repetition of the Torah". Deuteronomos, the Greek name, means "second law" and also refers to the book's recapitulation of the Law. Although it primarily contains the spoken words of Moses, Joshua or Pinchas may have acted as his scribe. 
 
Here are some apostolic passages to study alongside #torah Parsha #devarim (#deuteronomy 1:1-3:22), plus links to commentary and related videos: https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/05/09/parsha-de
		
 
											 
											 
														Shavua tov! This week's Torah portion is Devarim, which means "words." (In Hebrew, the -im ending to a word tells us that it's plural.) This is the first portion of the book of Deuteronomy. 
 
We love the book of Deuteronomy, as you've probably heard us say before. In this book, we see a shift in style from the previous books of the Torah. We know that "these are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel" before they entered the Promised Land, at the very end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. He was speaking to the children of those who came out of Egypt, and Moses' grandfatherly concern is constantly warning them to teach their children and grandchildren. In fact, in our opinion, the book of Deuteronomy has more to say about how to pass the truth on to our children than any other book in the Bible. 
 
We also love that this book is written in topics, rather than chronologically. Maybe it's our personality, but our brains think like this. If you'd like to see a study Anne wrote several years ago on the topics of Deuteronomy, you can access that here: 
http://anneelliott.com/downloa....ds/themes_of_deutero 
 
In this week's portion, God rehearses what He has already done for Israel, so that they will trust Him and not rebel. The theme is "Fear equals rebellion." 
- When we don't obey, it's because we don't trust God (1:32). 
- Looking at everything but YHVH = rebellion (1:26). 
- Being unwilling to go into the Land (1:26) 
- Grumbling ("YHVH hates us") (1:27) 
- Blaming brothers for sin (1:28) 
- Comparing one's self to others (1:28) 
 
Finally, we feel that the book of Deuteronomy is very appropriate for us in our time as well. As we look forward to the future, to "crossing over into the Promised Land" of Israel and to the return of Yeshua our Messiah, we should take careful heed to the warnings and instructions in this book, so that we will rid our lives and homes of any hint of idolatry and uncleanness. 
 
May you be blessed as you study Devarim with your children this week! 
~Kraig and Anne
		
 
						 
											 
											 
														While we study Torah to understand the New Testament, we must remember we live in the days of Yeshua, not the days of Moses.  
https://firstcenturychristiani....ty.net/the-faith-onc
		
 
											 
											 
											DEVOTIONAL 
Pursue what matters most 
 
In the book of Romans, Paul begs Believers to give their entire lives over to God because God sacrificed everything for them. Yeshua gave up His life so that we could experience His unending love and grace. We cheapen His gifts if we refuse to align our lives with the way Yeshua lived.    
 
 But we give our lives to God by making Him the one thing we pursue above anything else. 
 
So here are 5 steps you can practice—right now—to help you put God first. 
 
Give thanks 
“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.”  
Psalms 75:1 ESV 
 
Right now, take a moment to thank God for what He’s already done for you. Reflect on His faithfulness, and recount the stories you have seen and heard of His wonderful power.  
 
Spend 5 minutes in silence 
“Abide in me, and I in you.”  
John 15:4 ESV 
 
Abiding in Yeshua starts with stillness. So right now, pause, take a deep breath, and give anything concerning you over to God. Spend 5 minutes centering your heart on the One who matters most. 
 
Remember Whose you are 
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”  
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV 
 
God loves you. The price He paid for you cost Him everything. So remind yourself of Whose you are, and reflect on some of the things God says about you.  
 
Meditate on God’s Word 
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”  
Psalms 119:97 ESV 
 
One of the best ways to find out how Yeshua wants you to live is by spending time in Scripture. As you do, ask God to speak to you through His Word about what His will is.  
 
Focus on what is excellent 
“…If there is any excellence … think about these things.”  
Philippians 4:8 ESV 
 
You have been given the mind of Messiah. If you’re not sure what you should think about, try asking yourself: What is praiseworthy? What thoughts and actions would honor God? 
 
Make a list of whatever comes to mind, and pursue those things. 
 
By practicing these steps every day, you can create habits that will help you pursue intimacy with God every day, and put Him first above everything else.
 
											 
											 
														DEVOTIONAL 
Pursue what matters most 
 
In the book of Romans, Paul begs Believers to give their entire lives over to God because God sacrificed everything for them. Yeshua gave up His life so that we could experience His unending love and grace. We cheapen His gifts if we refuse to align our lives with the way Yeshua lived.    
 
 But we give our lives to God by making Him the one thing we pursue above anything else. 
 
So here are 5 steps you can practice—right now—to help you put God first. 
 
Give thanks 
“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.”  
Psalms 75:1 ESV 
 
Right now, take a moment to thank God for what He’s already done for you. Reflect on His faithfulness, and recount the stories you have seen and heard of His wonderful power.  
 
Spend 5 minutes in silence 
“Abide in me, and I in you.”  
John 15:4 ESV 
 
Abiding in Yeshua starts with stillness. So right now, pause, take a deep breath, and give anything concerning you over to God. Spend 5 minutes centering your heart on the One who matters most. 
 
Remember Whose you are 
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”  
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV 
 
God loves you. The price He paid for you cost Him everything. So remind yourself of Whose you are, and reflect on some of the things God says about you.  
 
Meditate on God’s Word 
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”  
Psalms 119:97 ESV 
 
One of the best ways to find out how Yeshua wants you to live is by spending time in Scripture. As you do, ask God to speak to you through His Word about what His will is.  
 
Focus on what is excellent 
“…If there is any excellence … think about these things.”  
Philippians 4:8 ESV 
 
You have been given the mind of Messiah. If you’re not sure what you should think about, try asking yourself: What is praiseworthy? What thoughts and actions would honor God? 
 
Make a list of whatever comes to mind, and pursue those things. 
 
By practicing these steps every day, you can create habits that will help you pursue intimacy with God every day, and put Him first above everything else.
		
 
											 
											