Shalom Saints,
The opening “nuggets” of Efraiym’s teaching focused on the differences between our personal realities and Yehovah’s reality. The foundational truism was that one of the challenges of this life is to reconcile what we think and what see with our eyes to the reality in the spiritual world. Efraiym warned us that if we do not pay attention to the Father continually in the midst of our lives, we will come into agreement with something that is not of the will of Elohim.
Throughout this section of the teaching Efraiym intertwined scripture and personal experiences. Listen as Efraiym talks about how his thoughts, beliefs, and agreement with a situation helped to prosper the health of his dog when it had a near fatal disease. Then Efraiym used an example from a news story. The policeman “thought” he had overdosed when some drugs got on his hands. When he “agreed” with the thought, the symptoms of overdose manifested. The policeman was taken to the hospital and survived. The primary point is that we must hear the Father’s voice in the midst of all of our situations instead of only seeing our circumstances through our own eyes.
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The next part of the teaching was centered on the definition and practical application of “Love” in our lives. Efraiym took us through the root meaning of the Hebrew word for love, ahabah/ahavah, by dissecting the Hebrew word pictures. It all coalesced into “Love is a verb!” Love always brings forth action and it operates much like the faith without works paradigm. Love can be a noun; but righteous love is a verb. Listen as Efraiym talks about how essential it is for each of us to understand and operate in the true meaning of love or we will give the wrong impression of our Elohim to our neighbor.
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The last portion of the teaching was an interesting presentation of the parallels between the first Adom (Adam) and the second Adom (Yeshua our Messiah). Listen to the teaching to hear the explanation of each of these similarities:
- Both had significant experiences in a garden.
- Both were tested by the devil; but with different results.
- Both considered their “wives” important enough to die for. (We are the bride of Messiah.)
- They were both miracle level prophets.
- Both were called the son of Elohim.
- They were both filled with the Ruach of Elohim
- Both had miracle conceptions
- And more…
Efraiym pulls together the entire teaching by encouraging us that Yehovah is working out His will in us. Our Elohim is willing to manifest His will in us. Our job is to love Yehovah by keeping His commandments.
Love has everything to do with it because Love never fails!
Sharon’s Reflections on the Teaching
I admit that when I saw the title for this teaching, my mind went straight to Tina Turner. I knew the title was a “hook” and that Efraiym would not be teaching on the “second-hand emotion!” However, I allowed myself to flashback to 1984 when the song was popular and I lived in New York City. I worked at the Board of Education in Brooklyn. I would walk to Fulton Street for lunch. I ate, shopped and took in the sights. During the “What’s Love Got to Do With It” era, ALL of the shops that had music would blast that song into the streets. It was like being cocooned in the rhythm and I couldn’t resist singing along with it over and over again. I liked it because it gave me a chance to escape the life I was living at home.
I had married a man that went from social and recreational drugs to addiction; from being “sweet and tender” to rough and abusive; from being the life of the party to a social recluse with me in tow. I wanted to be loved. I was trapped. Tina sung a song of freedom for me, if only for those brief lunchtime moments.
When I was in high school, we use to say that “Love is a feeling that you feel, when you feel you have a feeling that you’ve never felt before.” That very wrong, nonsensical expression stayed with me into young adulthood and was the root of why in 1984 my life was miserable. If only I had been taught that real love is action and it is connected to Torah.
Efraiym spoke volumes when he talked about scripture date rape and having strong desires outside of the realm of Torah.
Some years ago, my son and daughter saw a movie about a man and woman that had very different values and their marriage was a disaster. Every time I talk about the scripture that forbids us to allow our sons and daughters to marry pagans, they sing a lyric from that movie, “Don’t hook me up … with no mixed team!”
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Buzz on the Teaching
I witnessed many Saints sharing their life stories during Fellowship time. I moved from group to group and was blessed by the thoughts, feelings and experiences.
I smiled when I saw the happiness in the eye of a Brother Saint as he talked about the expectation of his first grandchild. I remembered the joy of my children when they were tiny and the overwhelming sense of protection I felt towards them. I could relate to his desire for the best for his grandchild to be.
I was concerned when a Sister Saint read a text about a first time Mom going to the ER for a suspected infection. We all prayed and sent back an encouraging text. I am grateful that we have the vehicle of prayer to call to action the ministering angels to help those that we can’t reach at the moment.
I rejoiced when I saw a first time visiting couple arrive. I had spoken to the wife on the phone earlier in the week and was hoping they would join us. I met her in the parking lot and we hugged like old friends. The guests were part of at least three different conversation groups. Each group had people from a mixture of backgrounds, but we have much in common and much to share as Brothers and Sisters in Messiah.
I was struck with a heaviness after hearing one testimony. However, several Sister Saints huddled and prayed for another Sister Saint that needed clarity of mind so she could be a strong tower for her family members. Then we all encouraged ourselves and the Sister Saint that all would be well.
The Saints were enjoying fellowship and we really did not want to part company. A large group of us stayed until nearly 9 PM and then nine of us went out to a former soda fountain shop that became a restaurant. (The food was delicious and they were very accommodating when we asked that our food be isolated from any cooking surfaces and oils that had been in contact with pork or shellfish.)
I love my family in Messiah!
Until next time… Blessings to You and Yours,
Sharon