Dear Mishpacha (family),
As I reflect on the month of April, I can’t help but think about this new feast cycle that we are currently in. We have already celebrated Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. We are now counting the Omer every day for fifty days which leads us to the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) on May 23rd which we will celebrate at our Shabbat Service. The very next day on May 24th is the “To Gather” event which we will celebrate the day of Shavuot with other churches. Sign up for this free event at togathertampa.com. I am asking those at Beit Tehila to serve this year if you are able, for more details or to sign up go to the website.
I believe that this event is all about “The Fullness of The Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25) mentioned by the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul goes on to say in Romans 11:26 “And so all Israel shall be saved: …” This is quite a mystery that when the Fullness of the Gentiles be come in all of Israel will be saved. In his book “Paul and The Resurrection of Israel” by Jason A. Staples he brings all of this out. He stresses to really read Romans 9-11 and it puts together quite a picture of God’s plan. The Gentiles (Nations) being grafted into the olive tree that represents Israel was always God’s plan and now it is beginning to come to pass after all these years. The whole House of Israel is made up of Jews and those Gentiles that are coming out of the nations who identify as Israel. This is not any form of replacement theology or heresy. It doesn’t make sense to think that the whole House of Israel is made up of nothing but Jews. In Genesis 48:19 it says “… but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations”. What part of that do we not understand? It’s basically saying that Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son, will have the birthright and become a bunch of different ethnic groups. Ephraim could end up being Italian, French, English, Latin, etc… This was all part of God’s plan that Israel would literally be raised from the dead and be resurrected. The Jews (natural branches) are a part of Israel and those Gentiles (wild branches) that are coming out of the nations are a part of Israel. Once you see this you cannot unsee it. I have known this truth since the Spring of 1995 and now I have become a part of a global event that’s taking place all over the world. In Romans 9:8 the Apostle Paul states, that is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed”. Whoever is attaining the promise is counted for the seed. The Community of Beit Tehila is attaining to the promise therefore we are the seed (children of God). This revelation cannot be refuted but the question is “Who is going to fulfill it?” I know that as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Lets do this together. Identify is so important because if you don’t know who you are then you don’t know where you are going. The Feast of Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah (Exodus 19) and the giving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
I would like to close this newsletter by talking about the Holy Spirit. The Godhead consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit empowers, purifies, reveals, and unifies. Did you know that you can quench and grieve the Holy Spirit? (I Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30) There are a lot of spirits out there but there is only one Holy Spirit an He will even bring to our remembrance the words of Yeshua (John 14:28). In Psalm 51:10-11 King David cried out, “10Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. 11cast me not away from thy presence; an take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” When we fight one another or hurt one another how can the Holy Spirit be in that? The word says not to exchange evil for evil (Romans 12:17) and that shows maturity and true love. Let’s continue to love the Godhead and each other as we make our way to the Feast of Shavuot.
Two great events that took place during the counting of the Omer was when Israel became a nation and the holy city of Jerusalem was reunited. How awesome is it now that we are taking part in the restoration and the regathering of the whole House of Israel.
~Shalom Pastor Nick