BLESS THE LAND
"...a wise man who built his house upon the rock." Matthew 7:24
FOUNDATIONS
Building with the Spirit and the Truth.
The national and international conditions/events of this hour can be unnerving, but are actually controlled by God's prophetic Word, and are related to the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, the House of David. The Spirit of Elijah is working in the earth causing all things to work together toward the fulfillment of Ezekiel's, Jeremiah's, and Isaiah's prophecies about the return of God's scattered people to their Hebrew roots and to the fulness of the Holy Spirit. God is preparing His born-again, Spirit-regenerated sons and daughters, from all nations, for the dynamic last days. [Ezeliel 36-37; Jeremiah 3:11-15, 31:18-20, 33:7-14, 23-26; Isaiah 11:11-16, 27:12-13; Malachi 4:5-6]
Israelite Lifestyle
Each member of the Body of Messiah must be led by the Ruach (Spirit) in life and ministry. As believers grow in understanding restoration truth the Spirit will impart to them the desire to live that truth. It follows that important components of Messianic living and serving consistent with the life of Yeshua should be grafted into the lives of returning Israelites. They would include honoring the Sabbath and feasts of Israel, supporting the land of Israel and Judah, and studying and obeying the whole Word of God, including the Torah.
Embracing an Israelite lifestyle is not legalism and it is not coming under some kind of bondage. When a believer returns to his/her Hebrew roots and lifestyle it is a blessing, and brings rest and health to the spirit, soul, and body of the disciple.
"With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from your commandments. Your Word have I laid up inmy heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O YHVH; teach me Your statutes" (Ps. 119:10-12 AMP).
You have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation within you.
Exalt Yeshua of Nazareth, our divine Redeemer and soon-coming King!
Foundations Continued
6. Eternal life and the New Birth--Man's first step toward salvation is genuine sorrow for sin that works repentance, and then faith in Yeshua. The New Birth (regeneration by the Holy Spirit) is necessary for all people, Jew and non-Jew; and when fulfilled is produces eternal life (John 3; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 5:12).
7. Baptism in the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKadosh--The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift from YHVH and is promised by Yeshua. He is our Baptizer in the Spirit. It is received subsequent to the New Birth. The evidence of this experience having been received is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We believe in the operation of all the gifts of the Spirit in the Body of Messiah as enumerated and described in 1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12:2-8, and Ephesians 4:11-16. We believe the baptism in the Spirit/Ruach opens the door to greater intimacy with Yeshua and His supernatural ministry on earth (Mt. 3:11; Jn. 14:16-17; Acts 1:8, 2:4, 2:38-39, 19:1-7). It is prerequisite for all returning Israelite believers. Ephraim is to be a person of the Spirit's fulness!
8. Sanctification--The Bible-Old and New Covenants-teaches that without holiness no man shall see Elohim/Adonai. We believe sanctification is a definite, yet progressive work of grace commencing at the time of regeneration (New Birth) and continuing until the consumation of salvation, the coming of Yeshua (1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 3:12-14; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 12:14; 2 Pet. 3:18).
9. Divine Healing--Healing (even all miraculous operations/gifts of the Spirit) is wrought by the power of Elohim/God through faith. It is provided for in the atonement of Messiah and is tghe privilege of every member of the Kahal of Israel (Renewed Covenant Congregation of believers from all nations) today. We also believe in the laying on of hands for ordination, impartation, and activation of giftings and callings (Is. 52:3-5; Mt. 8:17; Mk. 16:18; Jas. 5:14-15; Heb. 6:1-2; 1Pet. 2:24).
10. Resurrection and the return of Yeshua--The angels said of Yeshua when He ascended physically into heaven, "This same Yeshua shall come in like manner" (Acts 1:10-12). Yeshua is coming again. When He comes, at the last trumpet written of in Revelation, "the dead in Messiah shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds" to meet the King of glory in the air and return with Him to earth (Mt. 5:5; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 19: 11-16).
11. Hell and eternal retribution--The one who physically dies in his/her sins without Messiah Yeshua as Saviour is eternally lost, and has no hope or further oppurtunity for repentance, and is destined for the second death. The lake of fire is the second death spoken of in Revelation (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20).
12. Leadership of the Ruach HaKadosh (Holy Spirit)--We believe in all matters concerning the Kahal (Congregation of Redeemed Israel from every nation, race and tongue) that guidance, discernment, discipline, instruction, restoration, and revelation are available from the leading of the Ruach. The Ruach enables the Kahal of Elohim to understgand spiritual things and empowers believers for service (Jn. 16:13-15; Acts 1:8, 13:1-3; Rom. 8:14; Eph. 1:12-14, 2:18, 3:3, 5:18; Gal. 5:16).
Unity
Although Israel is divided into the two houses of Judah and Ephraim, citizenship in Israel has always been available to those who were not physical Israelites. There will be a reunion of the two houses of Israel. Within that reunion there will be people who are not physical Israelites, but who have joined themselves to either Judah or Ephraim. They will be considered as Israelite and accepted fully as part of Israel, sharing in the same faith, land, law, patriarchs, feasts, responsibilities, privileges, and Messiah.
The Jewish people are the identifiable representatives and offspring of Judah, and the "children of Israel, his companions". Non-Jewish followers of Yeshua, from all nations, have up to now been unidentifiable representatives and offspring of Ephraim (ten tribes) and "all the House of Israel, his companions" (Gen. 15:2-5, 26:3, 28:4, 48:19; Is. 56:6-8; Jer. 31:6-7; Ez. 37:16; Hos. 1, 2; Gal. 3:27-29; Eph. 2:11-22; Heb. 11:9).
Judah and Ephraim will ultimately reunite and fulfill the destiny of the two houses of Israel; together they will fulfill the prophecies of the one, unified, victorious people of Israel (Ex. 12:48-49, 19:5; Lev. 23:2-36; Num. 15:15-16; Jer. 3:18, 23:6, 31:9; Zech. 8:13, 12:1-5; Mt. 25:31-46; Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15-18, 2:12; Heb. 12:22-24; 1 Pet. 1:1, 2:9).
Up to this general time "blindness in part" has happened to all Israel (both houses). As the veils ("blinders") are removed by YHVH, non-Jewish followers of Yeshua will gain insight into their role as Ephraim and become defenders and advocates of the Torah, and Judah. Facilitated by Ephraim's resultant profound character transformation more Jewish people will be open to believe in Yeshua. The process has begun as seen in the Messianic Judaism movement, Christian Zionist movement, and most recently, the Hebrew roots/Messianic Israel movement (Is. 8:14, 11:13; Jer. 31:18-19, 33:14-16; Ez. 37:15-28; Rom. 11:25-26).
Lost sheep returning to Kahal/Ecclesia
YHVH promised the patriarchs--Abraham, Issac, and Jacob/Israel--that their physical descendents would be innumerable. The ancient nation of Israel, following Solomon's reign, was divided into the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Ephraim/Israel. The northern kingdom of Ephraim was prophesied to become "a fulness of nations/gentiles", and was taken into Assyrian exile in 721 B.C.E. They never corporately returned to the land of Israel Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon about 150 years later, but Judah returned to the land of Israel after seventy years in captivity.
We believe that, as the northern kingdom of Ephraim was assimilated into the nations the people multiplied exponentially, and that there are many more Israelites alive today than the estimated fourteen or fifteen million Jews. While the millions of Jews are legitimate Israelites and descendents of the Patriarchs, we beleive that many non-Jews, or "Gentiles", likewise are heirs. As Yeshua told His disciples to go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, we believe this included the scattered tribes of Ephraim (their descendents). Those were the people, outside Jerusalem and Judah, to whom the Gospel was first preached.
In these end-times, in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, YHVH is awakening the "lost" Israelites to their hebraic heritage. Increasing numbers of non-Jewish believers in Yeshua Messiah are honoring the Torah and YHVH's appointed times; and they are desiring to live as biblical Israelites. The awakening and return of Ephraim to his Hebrew roots, coupled with his faith in Messiah Yeshua (and the fulness of the Holy Spirit), will enable him to provoke the House of Judah to jealousy for faith in Yeshua Ha'Natsree. Just as Judah has already returned to the land, Ephraim will one day come back to Israel, beginning prior to Messiah's return, and then entirely at His advent.
Foundation Stones
1. Bible--The Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Covenants, are the inspired Word of God (Elohim), the product of holy men of old sspoke and wrote as they were moved apon by the Holy Spirit. We accept the Scriptures as our infallible guide in all matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
2. Elohim (God)--Our Elohim is One, manifested in plurality: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKadosh). Elohim the Father is the Source of the Word, the Begetter. Elohim the Son, Yeshua, is the Word made flesh, the One begotten; He has existed with the Father from eternity. In Yeshua HaMashiach all the fulness of Diety lives in bodily form. Elohim the Ruach HaKadosh proceeds from the Father and is eternal (John 1:1-14, 18; 15:26; Phil. 2:6; Colossians 2:9).
3. Man, his fall and redemption--Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of Elohim. But through Adam's transgression and fall from grace, sin came into the world. Yeshua, the divine Son of Elohim (YHVH), was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. He lived a sinless life, was crucified, died, was buried and fully resurrected from the dead. He shed His Blood to redeem Israel and restore mankind back to Elohim. Salvation, eternal life, is the gift of Elohim to mankind by grace and not works (Romans 5:14; Ephesians 2:8). It is made operative through faith in Yeshua as Messiah, producing works acceptable to Elohim. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of Elohim" (Romans 3:23). Also, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).
4. Yeshua Ha'Natsree (Jesus of Nazareth)--Yeshua (Jesus), the divine Son, was and is true Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the Branch Who will reunite the whole house of Israel; He was crucified, died and buried, and rose again from the dead and lives at the right hand of the Almighty. According to the Scriptures, Yeshua is YHVH Elohim veiled in flesh, as Yeshua demonstrated Himself (De. 18:18-19; Isaiah 8:14, 11:1-5; Micah 5:2-4; Mt. 9:35, 12:6-8, 15:31; Lk. 24:46; Jn. 1:1-14, 2:22, 8:58, 10:33; Acts 3:15-18; Heb. 13:20; 1 jn. 4:2; Rev. 5:5).
5. The Kahal/Ecclesia of Elohim--YHVH has only one chosen people/assembly, the elect, known as the Body of Messiah or Kahal/Ecclesia of Elohim. It is the Congregation of Israel and is composed of all who are of faith in Yeshua the Son. This is true for both the physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel and for those who are not. All true born-again believers are full and equal citizens of our heavenly Father's Commonwealth of Israel. We disagree with the widespread notion that YHVH now has two groups of elect, Israel and the "Church". We believe that Messiah's mission was to come and restore the people of Israel, and all who join to Israel by faith in Yeshua. His mission was not to establish a seperate entity from Israel, i.e. the Church.
Messiah Yeshua is your Cornerstone!
It is time for all believers to awaken to the Father's prophetic call, repent of lukewarmness, and return to the God of Israel. The days ahead will be full of challenges and will place great demands apon the disciples of Yeshua, and we must be ready and equipped to fulfill His purposes for us.
Therefore, it is of significant importance that the saints clearly understand what they believe, and be able to articulate the standards and truths of their faith. When we have a strong foundation in the truth of God's Word, we will remain strong and effectual in our Hebrew witness. However, many people today are being led away from Messiah and into various religious systems (often legalistic) because they do not have intimacy in fellowship with Him, or fail to understand and hold to basic biblical doctrine. Thus, they lack discernment. These believers are easily persuaded by incorrect instruction, unqualified teachers, mysticism, new age thinking, skewed definitions of foundational truth, manipulated linquistics, and other such things that: (1) abound in this hour, and (2) compete for our hearing.
Attempting to personally know God (and mature in His kingdom, power, and glory) apart from intimacy with Yeshua His Son, or by ignoring/de-emphazing the teaching and empowerment ministry of the Holy Spirit, will always lead believers into error and spiritual weakness, and eventually into apostasy. Now is the time to be filled with the Word and Spirit of the God of Israel!
To help strengthen returning Israelites, this section contains foundational teachings (tenets of our faith) in which they trust and on which they can stand. [Luke 24:32; John 5:39, 8:32; Romans 4:3; 2 Timothy 3:15-16;
1 Peter 1:21-22]
"Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
Ps. 119:133
"Jesus saith unto them, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 14:6
"Sanctify them through thy truth; Thy Word is truth."
John 17:17
"Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him."
Prov. 30:5
"...man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:4
"The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple."
Ps. 119:130
"He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
Ps. 107:20
