Teach them to your children

As part of our tour of Jerusalem/Northern Israel with Tom's parents we stopped at the Kotel (the Western Wall). On our way out we saw what is supposedly the world's largest mezuzah. Mezuzot are placed on doorways of homes, businesses and gates (including our apartment), in keeping with Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

"Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our G-d, ADONAI is one]; and you are to love ADONAI your G-d with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

Oh, and that's our fourth child growing in my belly. Not as famous as the giant mezuzah at the Kotel (nor as big!) but I though you might like to see.

Jewish Roots Classes

In the last several years we've read countless books, taken a lot of classes, and listened to many well-educated people in order to better understand our role in the Kingdom. As we searched the L-rd revealed Himself as the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the G-d of Israel. In many ways this has revolutionized the way we live and read the Bible. Many questions have been answered and historical inconsistencies are now clearer. As we continue on this journey of learning about the Jewishness of Jesus we are thankful for those who are helping us along the way.

Kingdom Living, in Kansas City, is now hosting three different classes through the School of Messianic Jewish Theology. You now have the opportunity to study the Jewish roots of the Bible and Christianity so you can better understand how things are playing out in the Middle East. These classes will also help you see how you can participate in bringing His Kingdom to the earth. It doesn't matter what your school or Church background is, everyone is welcome to come. Please click here for more information and a synopsis of each of the classes offered. We highly encourage these classes and know they will bring depth to your study of the Bible. Studying the Jewish roots of our faith may even change your life...it changed ours.

New Year, New Discoveries

Celebrating the Torah at the Western Wall on
Simchat Torah, Rejoicing with the Torah

It's a new year and that means a new reading cycle for the Torah and the Messianic Writings (New Testament). If you're interested in getting your hands on the new schedule (so you can look ahead or have it in case I miss a week) you can find it here. Genesis 1-6:8 and Matthew 1-3 are the readings for this week. This is a great way to become more familiar with the foundations of the Bible, the Torah and the teachings of our Messiah, the Living Torah. This specific schedule has two very important functions: one, every week there is a specific reading that observant Jews read for Shabbat (this tradition goes back to the time of Yeshua; See Luke 4:16-22); and two, the Messianic Writings are included in this cycle so every week you are reading from one of the four Gospels. We highly recommend engaging in this practice; since Yeshua is the Living Torah what better way to know Him then through the original Torah and His own life story?