QUESTION:

by Terri Ann

 If following Torah is so great, why then are so many of us unchanged or only somewhat changed? I submit that we are still missing some important understandings.

We can read all the books we want on surgical medicine but it doesn't make us capable of being surgeons. Knowledge has to be applied to be truly life altering.

If Yeshua was right, then shouldn't we be walking on water, healing people, turning water into wine, etc...?
John 14:12 Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever trusts in me will also do the works I do! Indeed, he will do greater ones

"Greater ones?" Most of us can't heal ourselves, much less someone else! Our personal lives and relationships are often a mess, and we spend most of our time pointing the finger at the faults of others than we do just focusing on resolving our own baggage; and honestly some of us have enough baggage to fill LaGuardia airport! Or even worse, thinking we are somehow knowledgeable enough to be teaching and lecturing others on Torah, which there sure seems to be a lot of and some who do so are down right arrogant in the process. I mean, if we are really so well versed then we surely should be fulfilling John 14:12, right?!

So, I've just been thinking, and even dreaming a little to be honest, of how beautifully fantastic things would be if each one of us were to get truly serious about applying the teachings of Torah to our own lives; and I'm not talking about just eating clean and keeping the Sabbath. I'm talking about what it would be like to focus on our own change and growth to the point of that effort becoming truly life altering. To truly love each other in such a way that we approached one another with real love, grace and mercy; accepting that others are also in the process of changing; encouraging rather than offering judgment, apathy and intolerance. I sometimes wonder how much time we waste focusing on the faults of others rather than fixing ourselves. I suspect it's quite a lot. That's time we should be using to become more like what our Creator intended us to be. And rather than being defensive when someone points out an area we need to work on, why not start asking those we love and trust to tell us what we might be missing and where we need to improve, because isn't the point to die to our flesh? Isn't the point to draw as close to Adonai as we possibly can?!!! So why wait for someone else to come tell us? Why are we not seeking out those areas we need to change with urgency? And when we haven't taken the time to really look at ourselves and someone else has the courage and loves us enough to be honest, we should hugging them and thanking them for the help, not defensively lashing out.

I just believe things should be, and could be, so very different than what we've collectively allowed things to become. I also believe we owe Elohim a true, heartfelt effort both individually and collectively. He deserves nothing less!

So, with that said, I hope and pray that each and every one of us becomes able to do those works, and even "greater ones!" I pray our hearts are so full of love for others we hold them in even higher regard than we do ourselves. I pray we get so serious about seeking out and accomplishing the changes we need to make that when we look in the mirror all we see is His light shining back at us! And I pray that when we each stand before the judgement seat that a host of angels rejoices as we are told, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I am indeed hopeful for each of us!!!

The Reward

A personal experience story by David Peters

The following incident occurred while I was filming a documentary about the power of unconditional love.

“Mommy, Mommy, we're done with our chores now can we..."

This was the beginning of a remarkable 60 minutes. A teary-eyed, "how am I going to focus my camera?" growth experience.

I mean it was pretty cool that they even had chores. I don't see that enough where I live.

But this was Brazil and this family was like no family I have ever met. Sixteen children in the process of being adopted by parents fighting tooth and nail to keep them.

Most were the sons and daughters of prostitutes and drug addicts, some with aids, all of them victims of things unspeakable. Yet, these children were happy, joyous even, brimming with affection and peace.

And so when they asked for permission it wasn't to play games, watch TV or ride bikes, they were asking their mommy for permission to worship!

Stunned, I ask their mom if that's really what they said.
“Oh yes” she said, “It's their reward. It's what they enjoy doing.”

I turned to my cameraman, “Johnny, you finish the interview. I'm going with them!"

They paid little attention to my intrusion. Crawling up a ladder into a tiny cubby hole the three girls, 10, 8 and 4 lost themselves in gratitude and adoration of their beloved hero - Jesus.

They were in love with Him. He was their Papa. They raised their heads and hands and talked to their Daddy.

I tried not to sob out loud and struggled to focus my camera through the blurry tears. I have never witnessed anything so sincere and beautiful. My legs eventually turned numb cramped in that tiny space but I didn't want to move. I didn't want it to end.

When a stranger puts a camera in front of an abused and broken child you normally see fear and distrust. Not here.

I asked the parents "How could this be?"

They responded "God erases their memory." That's the only answer I could possibly believe.

This beautiful couple, themselves the recipients of massive amounts of grace and forgiveness, instilled in these children not just a belief, but a deep and intimate love for Jesus. These children delighted themselves in Him and spending time with Him was the reward they cherished.

I came to this house as a curious filmmaker, but I left as a grateful student, instructed by three little girls in the power of God's healing love.

Postscript: I too fell in love with Jesus during my stay in Brazil. It was there that I realized how wide, how long, how high and how deep the love that Christ has for us really is. For all of us. No exceptions.
I saw gangsters, drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes respond to that love and become transformed by it.
The Bible says “We love him because He first loved us." I witnessed that, I filmed that, I know it’s true. It’s an outrageous love and it’s free and it comes without judgement.
No wonder worship was the orphans reward. They found a love that brought them life.

Do you have a story of unconditional love? We want to hear it! Share your story here:http://buff.ly/1PUYITa