Hold the Presses, This Just In!

                                                   by Gerald Davis

                 The Free Gift

I was at the store shopping today when suddenly I heard this slight voice come over the intercom of the store.  You could hardly hear it at all over the sounds of the store.  People were clamouring to get all their last minute Christmas shopping done, banging and clanging, talking loud on their cell phones, crying kids, the beep beep beep of the riding carts backing up.  Still something about that still small voice seemed to cut right through and I could barely make out the words, "free gift".  " to get your free gift, go to...table...  flashing light...  2 minutes" That is about all I could make out.

I found myself rushing through the crowd who seemed totally oblivious to the situation.  The store was giving away something for free and nobody seemed interested.  Nobody seemed to have heard.  They were all too busy with their own little world.  How had they not heard that there was a free gift to be given away?  Or, maybe they did not even care?  How can you not care about a free gift?  GET OUT OF MY WAY!  I thought to myself as people slowly meandered across my path.  Don't you people realize that I am on my way to receive my free gift?  Don't any of you want a free gift too?  I could hear the person on the intercom counting down...  45 seconds...  Where was that table at?   30 seconds...  It has to be here.  I know I am almost there!   15 seconds...   THERE IT IS!  

I scrambled down the aisle and made it to the spot where I could receive my free gift.A man came out to the table and looked  around.  He asked me if I was there for the free gift.  YES I AM.  But, nobody else was there.  The man looked sad and began calling out to people around him, does anyone here want a free gift?  I have a free gift to give away, won't anyone come over and receive it?  One or two other people hesitantly came over to the table.  The man at the table said, well, lets get started.  Maybe more will come for the free gift once I start.  We waited patiently as he began.

  A few other people came over to see what was going on.  What was this demonstration.  One lady in particular seemed quite skeptical and seemed to want to interrupt with smart aleck remarks.  A mother and her daughter kept getting sidetracked and joking with each other.  Another one or two seemed genuinely interested in what the man was saying.  Finally at the end of the demonstration he offered the free gift.  The one caveat, you had to step up to the table to receive it.  

People seemed a bit weirded out by actually having to step up to the table to receive their free gift, but eventually did.  Even the doubter finally walked up and received hers.  I think there was about 12 of us in all to receive the gift.  I even went a step further and bought into it the whole 9 yards, as did a couple others and totally bought what he was selling.  As I walked away with my new slicer and my free gift, I could not help but think how much that was like the offer of salvation . . .  

That still small voice speaking through the air within ear shot of everyone who was willing to stop and listen, available to anyone who was willing to listen and follow a simple instruction, free and clear to anyone who showed up to hear the message, to receive the free gift.  And even more, you had to make a personal investment if you were serious about the offer that was given and to get the full benefit of the message presented.  It wasn't about just the free gift, but about the whole package.Romans 6:23  for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John Q. Public

The Warren Commission was doubted very early on, even though such doubt really wouldn't be spoken in polite society until after the death of MLK and RFK.  Perhaps, sharing the name, gave me an urgency to know more or perhaps it was the call on my life, even back then; to seek truth.  

In 1967, we were taking a family vacation to Texas.  I was so excited for three reasons.  One, we were going with Grandpa and Grandma, and mom and dad behaved better on those trips.  Two, I was going to see the Gulf of Mexico and three, we were going to Dallas.  At the age of nine, recent history, was definitely of interest.

I was surprised, however; when my Grandpa took a stern voice with me, as we were heading toward Dealey Plaza.  As I mentioned in another article, Kennedy is my maiden name, which I of course shared with my parents and paternal grandparents.  His words raised a thought that day that has never been relinquished. Here we are, brown skinned tourists in Dallas, a people of very prominent proboscis, and actually looking far from wealthy white or of Irish descent.   My Grandpa, very sternly and seriously stated, "Don't tell anyone your last name."  I knew then, that statement would prove significant on more levels than my 9 year old mind could comprehend.  If the shooter was dead, and the shooter of the shooter was dead, what was still unresolved?

Lo, these many years later, I can look back and realize this fact.  Less than four years after the death of President Kennedy, and not a full three years following the official declaration of the Warren Commission, the idea that the murder was solved already did not resonate with at least one average citizen.   If Lee Harvey Oswald had lived to stand trial, clearly in the heart and mind of some average Americans, there was already a reasonable doubt.

Our Government in Action . . .

In Reality, How Much Sense Does This Make?  The government is paying how many people, on how many shifts through the shut down to harass this private business?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/04/blue-ridge-parkway-pisgah-inn/2923169/

Not to mention government websites are being updated in regard to the shutdown.  I have been truly saddened to see the number of videos and articles that indicate the "marching orders are" to make this as difficult as possible, one way or another on the citizens.

Whether it was actually ever stated in those terms, the evidence and the actions speak quite loudly!

A Divine Appointment

Sukkot has been wonderful, even if I am sukkotin' solo!  It's been so much better than last year!

Last year, was so sad and painful on so many levels.  It was my first Sukkot alone in years, and I was still grieving the fact that my daughter had left to never return, and wondering if I'd see my grandkids again, before they were grown.  One of my friends who had been "sukkoting" for several years with me, even if not always in person; was in hospice care.  Then, as if that wasn't enough . . . After getting my sukkah all ready in the afternoon, I was just finishing up chores, when I broke my arm and a bone in my foot.  I broke my arm quite badly, so I didn't notice the foot pain so much til the bone began poking out the skin!  Last year was a rough Sukkot!  Yet it was still a very special time to be alone with my Creator and my Messiah who love me more than anyone ever could.

I gained a genuinely deep appreciation of just the fact that I was allowed to know about this special time.  He could be sitting up there on His throne, saying "Guess when it is and try to guess what pleases me!"  Our Heavenly Father loves us enough to tell us what pleases Him and what days belong to Him!

So this Sukkot, was different.  It wasn't about my pain at all, for which I am very thankful!  I was still alone, but I feel very confident that will not be the case next year.  Sukkot was different this year, in that I continued to function from the sukkah, on days that were not the High Shabbats.  I received a deeper understanding of just how temporary this wilderness journey truly is, and how amazingly awesome YHWH's provision and shelter are!  And HalleluYah, no broken bones, this year!

As this special week was coming to an end, I discovered an e-mail telling me about a meeting the next day.  With the next day, not a High Shabbat, I felt a tug of obligation to attend, but there was no address given, so I decided I'd call the next morning to inquire.  The next morning began a wonderful day, I shall not forget.

Wednesday morning I awoke early in the sukkah.  I love just lying there for a few minutes aware that I am in the sukkah.  I say good morning to Adonai and good morning to Y'hshuwah.  I came into the house to use the facilities, then following morning chores, came back in to make the phone call.  There was no answer, so I sat down to do some reading and wait.  I was already beginning the self talk of arguing against going, and a time limit for the return phone call was set.  The phone rang, and I lost that excuse, but since it was farther away than I had thought, I manufactured a new excuse, but left the option open.

I did a bit more around the place and decided I'd just head out and see what it was all about, so I did.  I was ready at any time to turn around, I don't know why, other than the flesh.  I know it was the flesh, for two reasons.  The blessings that transpired through this journey and the fact that I was looking for a religious reason to not go.  I got to the meeting late, because I went to the wrong building, but the people were gracious and I made some new connections for my business and a great advertising offer at no cost to me.  How nice is that?  After the meeting I decided I'd stop by Subway to get their special.  Five Dollar Footlongs, all month.  Now this was a great plan, in that the next day was Simchat Torah, and I wouldn't need to prepare any food ahead of time.  A footlong is two meals.  Dinner after sundown and lunch the following afternoon.  So, buffalo chicken was the plan with fresh cucumber salad from the garden!

It was in the Subway, I was blessed beyond measure.  A young man was ahead of me in the line and he had a pretty large order.  He looked at me, with my headcovering and tzitziyot and I looked at him with his beard and the "look," but no tzitziyot.  The awkward silence continued as we both sort of studied each other out of the corner of our eyes.  Finally, the ice was broken by a comment behind the counter.  Then he looked at me and complimented my tzitziyot.  I responded with a question about their Sukkot gathering and I thought he was mishpochah.  He stood there for a moment, looking almost embarrassed, saying his tzitziyot had been destroyed and a new set was being made, while he ran out for lunch.   I gave him a card and a bar of G-ma's Goatmilk Soap.  We chatted a bit more while they finished his order.  He looked at the soap, sheepishly grinned and after a pregnant pause, asked me if I was G-ma.  We parted wishing each other blessings, and all I could think was I'd already been blessed more than I would have asked or imagined.

Now, blessing upon blessing are  you ready for this . . . They were observing Sukkot, but it was in the yard of their new home, as they've recently relocated to the area!

Keeping Watch

It's been nearly twenty years ago, since my first encounter with what I thought was an angel.  YHWH is truly awesome, in that He sends beings into our lives on our behalf.  This particular incident, I'm quite sure happened, for no other reason than bring YHWH glory, and all these years later, I am so thankful for what was offered that day, and that I get to keep sharing the goodness of our Heavenly Father in the retelling of this account.

This was back in my days of being a restaurateur.  I had come to know YHWH and begun following Y'hshuwah over a year earlier, I believe.  It was about this time of year, I remember school had already started.  I was one of those employers that had High School kids working for me, and between the lunch hour and the closing shift, I was often there by myself.  I must interject this, at this point.  I'm very thankful for the success YHWH gave me in that restaurant, and I'm very glad to be out of that business.  I cannot imagine all the wage issues, religious boycott issues, discrimination accusations . . . yet I digress.

The second shift "rush" had already taken place.  It wasn't so much of a rush, but the place filled up just enough to keep my hopping for about 30 minutes, then there was lull between 3:30 and when my after school help would arrive at 4:30.  Usually, I had things well timed and could take that hour preparing for the dinner rush and closing, but that day, I realized I was out of something and the supplier closed at 4:30.  I didn't have to worry too much about disappointing customers that time of day, as it was the dead hour in the place, so I decided I'd run down to the supply house and be back before my employee even came to work. I grabbed some money out of the cash register, which was nicely filled from the lunch hour and headed out the door and down the road.

The trip didn't take long at all and I was back turning into the parking lot in about 20 minutes, when I realized there was a man standing in the restaurant.  The next realization that occurred to me, was that I had left the door unlocked!  Then things changed . . . As I rushed into the restaurant, not really sure what to expect, I greeted him with a smile and "Hello" and told him I'd take his order in just a minute.  He smiled and said he wasn't placing an order, he'd just been "keeping watch."  That expression caused me to give pause, as I thanked him.   This gentleman appeared to be in his late sixties, nicely dressed in a a gray suit, with hat in hand.  He could have been any of the distinguished gentlemen at Temple, but he wasn't.  I'd never seen him before, and certainly not since.

I again asked him if I could get him anything "on the house" and he responded with "No thank you, he'd be going now, as he was no longer needed here."  I thanked him again for "watching the place."  With that he went out the door turned to the right.  As Hebrews 13:2 hit my heart, I nearly climbed over the counter to get out the front door, but as I'm sure you've already guessed, he was gone.  There had been no car parked in the lot or in front of the restaurant.  I looked to the right, first, but could clearly see both directions up the road and saw no pedestrians.  To this day, I believe he was an angel sent by Elohim, but I can't be certain.  I'm not sure I entertained well, but am very glad that when I thanked him, I offered him food and beverage.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.                                                                                                 Hebrews 13:2 

Angels

Angels have been on my mind as of late.  We are specifically directed by Paul to not worship them, and I am certainly not suggesting that we do.  I want to address the concept we have developed socially for what an angel is.  There are several careers that are often compared to angels, and I don't buy that.  Angels are true beings that serve our Creator.

The images for angels are numerous, but most are portrayed with a child like innocence or a feminine softness than I just don't see as Scriptural.  I'm not saying angels cannot be feminine, but the image of frilly is simply misleading.  As servants of the Most High Elohim, they are not standing around polishing halos.  I've had three encounters that I believe were with angelic beings, and on all three occasions none of them were "cupidish" or what we would term cherub faced, or even feminine.

I'm going to share each occasion in the next few editions and I would invite our readers to share experiences they have had as well.  The occasion I want to share today is simple and I didn't see their faces, but what I did see immediately took me to the 91st Psalm and Matthew 28:3.

It was late one evening and I'd been invited to a special service with a friend.  I'd ridden with her and she was dropping me off.  As I said, it was late and I'd forgotten to leave the front light on, so it was dark.  I got out of her car and headed toward the door.  In the dark, I misstepped on a loose rock, and immediately began to fall.  I literally felt a strong hand and arm around my waist, and one on my shoulder, to steady me.  In that moment, I saw what looked like lightning flash next to me.  Sound dramatic?  You bet it does!  It was!  Immediately my spirit was filled with the 91st Psalm.  My foot was not dashed on the stone, and I didn't fall.  YHWH sent His angel to keep me from being hurt.

Which of course brought me to another thought later that night. I'm not petite.   These angels are no lightweights!  All these years later, I saw an image of an angel that made me think of the ones that YHWH's Word promises that He sends, as well as various ones in Scripture may have seen.  I mentioned to a friend of mine who does work out and stays in good shape, that I figure more angels have a resemblance closer to him than to the flowery, frilly images we've come to associate with heavenly beings.

As the end of days continue to unfold, I'm very thankful to know YHWH is host of a heavenly army, as described throughout Scripture.  The term angel appears in Scripture over 250 times.

. . . Thus saith YHWH unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but Elohim.  history in Holy Scripture

Have We Angered Our Deity?

I've always been curious about the fact that other lands to which religious America considers heathen or third world, realize when the weather is turbulent or negatively unrelenting, they may have angered their gods, and they attempt to make amends or offerings or appeasements or something! Why not in America, why not? Religious America doesn't seem to make the correlation and if anything is mentioned, it's usually perceived to be offensive and Phariseeical. Americans for the most part, usually see the need for someone else to repent.

I was awakened very early Tuesday morning, the day after the big tornado went through Moore, Oklahoma and the day before the second anniversary of the Joplin tornado, both EF5s. As I prayed, many things raced through my mind. I found out that Oklahoma City had been celebrating Gay Pride the week prior and the weekend had been filled with "Gay Events." I, like so many, associate the gay agenda with Sodom and Gomorrah, and undoubtedly there is a parallel, but I believe there's more. It's hard not to consider the use of the rainbow with hands in the air as a sign of defiant disrespect, but saying the Son of G-d lived a perfect life and died so we could do what we want and argue about what to eat, is pretty disrespectful as well. . .

One of the very first e-mails I ever sent as I entered the world of technology was to Jerry Falwell after he had blamed the gays for 9/11, because I knew better, and he should have. The G-d of Israel doesn't punish innocent people for the sins of another, so there has to be more to this Weather of Biblical proportion. As I perused Facebook, a few more realities hit me.

Immediately, there were the usual anti-Obama, anti-abortion, and anti-gay posts, and of course the religious debates droning on and on between Paul's epistles and Torah but I saw more, for perhaps the first time. There were also anti-religious posts about all the issues in my previous sentence. As I read various posts and headline news items, it occurred to me, so many Americans are "right in their own eyes" and I'm talking about the devout and those claiming to believe, as well as the politically correct. The more I read, the more I realized, we have sort of taken on the role of ancient Israel, right around the time they were heading into Babylonian captivity. Wouldn't it be nice if it was just somebody else doing something wrong that I didn't want to do anyway? Rather than the sulfur rain of Genesis going through my mind, however; I kept hearing various passages from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel raising up in my spirit.

Oklahoma has taken a "beatin" for years regarding tragedy. There was a similar tornado in 1999, just four years after the OKC bombing, then another tornado four years later, and the last couple of years have been fraught with drought. This is not at all to single out Oklahoma, as nearly all of the range and farm land, the Bible belt, has had horrific weather conditions. We haven't let the farmland rest. Every seven years the land is supposed to lie fallow and rest. We don't let anything rest.

Sabbath isn't even Scripturally observed by much of the mainstream religious and those of us who do "observe" it all have our very special rules of dispensation, a.k.a. excuses. Then there is the other extreme with all the extras, who have literally made work out of the day of rest. For the most part in American society, the seventh day of the week is a day to catch up around the house, go shopping, and be about ourselves. A far cry from the Scriptural instructions. There are many G-d fearing people who do not live agriculturally, but work on Sabbath. Jobs are not easy to come by in this economy and many careers are service oriented, so that's been "justified." I can't speak for anyone else, but the fact of the matter is, we as a society, do not stop our perpetual motion for Sabbath. No matter how we explain it, or excuse it, or make work of it, we simply don't stop our own activities.

Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. Jeremiah 17:22,23
Undoubtedly, from a Scriptural perspective, the week-end plans of Oklahoma City this particular week-end of Sabbath and Pentecost/Shvu'ot, was not a good judgment call on the part of the planners, but by the same token, the participants weren't laying any claim to the promises of keeping the Sabbath and Holy Day. Sabbath is the 7th day of the week, every week, and Pentecost/Shavu'ot is an annual Holy Day, so the odds of hitting this was 1 in 52. But clearly, the mainstream religious aren't faring well in their picking and choosing which laws to keep and which to disregard, either.

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of YHWH, honourable; and shall honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in YHWH; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of YHWH has spoken it. Isaiah 58:13-14

I realize, homosexuality is referred to as an abomination and I'm not defending it. I would like to point out, however; that the term abomination appears over 20 times in the book of Proverbs alone, with one passage listing seven abominable offenses. In the twenty times the word, abomination appears, the entire book of Proverbs never addresses the subject of homosexuality.

I do not believe YHWH appreciates HIS Word belittled in regard to sexual behavior. Nor do I believe He wants His Word taken out of context. I also think He is very displeased at the presumption of new rules. I know He doesn't like pride, and Proverbs is quite explicit in the fact He has zero tolerance for mockery and foolishness. Calamity of Biblical Proportion is not just happening to a particular group of people, or to those committing just a particular offense in the eyes of others, it's happening across the country and around the world.

Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:26

Bible believers speak of being a Royal Priesthood a Holy People, but are we truly living as such? It is seriously time for those who are claiming to have a belief in the Creator portrayed in the Bible to see where we may have, indeed; angered Him. Lot did not pay for the sins of Sodom, Israel didn't pay for the sins of Egypt. Only one man paid for the sins of others, and He said, "It is finished."

It doesn't matter what we religiously stand against, if we're not busy about our Father's business, we're not following Messiah, which means we are not walking in obedience. The word for not walking what we're talking is: hypocrite.

But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. . .Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Ezekiel 20:13,16

Now, if the G-d of Israel will do this to His chosen people, who in the world do we think we are?

Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am YHWH that sanctify them Eze 20:12

Keep in mind the only Scriptures at the time of Paul's writing was the Old Testament.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4