The Blind Man and the Elephant

by John Godfrey Saxe

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the elephant
(Though each of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satify his mind.

The First approched the elephant,
And, happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl;
"God bless me! but the elephant
Is nothing but a wall!"

The second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried: "Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an elephant
Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal
And, happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus bodly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the elephant
Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"



The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"



The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"



And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!



MORAL.



So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!



Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

I read this poem tonight to my eight year old son. I happened to turn to it by accident. Or was it an accident? I don't know. Anyway, it was interesting to me because lately I look around and see that many believe they have stumbled upon all the answers, or most of them. However, I contend that we all have a certain amount of blindness, especially in matters related to God and what we believe about Him, who He is and what pleases Him. We tend to have our own opinions and have no problem expressing them as doctrinal, even if scripture doesn't always support our views. Perhaps we have to stretch a bit to form whatever conclusion we might have come to but that doesn't seem to slow our enthusiasm at all. We take those liberties and more. I sincerely and humbly believe that this is a dangerous position. I think back to some of the doctrinal and theological acrobatics, yet thoroughly popular stances I learned and was taught to perform and I feel a sense of embarrassment and sadness over taking such leaps. I believed what I heard, not always what I read or studied out thoroughly in His Word. This was not a good move. I can't take that back now, but I can try to get the word out.....His Word out, not mine. I can do what I can to share with whoever will give ear to hear to be sure, very sure about what we speak in the name of Elohim, before it proceeds from our lips.

Honestly, "I don't know", are some of the most refreshing three words I ever hear anymore. They are honest words. Those same words used to put me in a panic in regards to my faith, but now I appreciate the transparency. Although I am continually searching for more truth in His Word and am very eager to be shown scripture to come into more understanding, I prefer someone tell me they don't have the answers rather than present personal "ideas" or conclusions they have come to or heard from others. (Mat. 15:7)

I always told my older children the "Brownie Story" when they were little and I tell it to my younger children now. Do you know the one I am talking about? A father was dealing with his children's desire to watch a movie he believed to be inappropriate. His children pleaded expressing that the movie only had a "little" bad stuff in it. He prepared some brownie batter and had his children fetch a small amount of dog excrement and proceeded to put it in the brownie batter and bake brownies. Was it any surprise that none of the children wanted to eat the brownies when they came out of the oven? "But", the father exclaimed, "they only contain a 'little' bad stuff!" I probably tell that story too much as it gets a little rolling of eyes when it is brought up in my house, but the lesson is powerful. It only takes a little inaccuracy, a little untruth, a little sin, a wrong attitude, an agenda....you name it.... to defile something as pure, righteous and Holy as Elohim's Word. Our words, our hearts, our minds are capable of that! Should we not be extra cautious in how we handle something so valuable?

I am in the process of learning that my perceptions or interpretations are not always correct. I should only be 100% convinced that they are accurate when all scripture supports my conclusions and not just something taken out of context to support an emotion I might be feeling. My feelings should be the last measure of what truth is as they are part of my corrupted flesh. In fact, quite frequently, what is true and pure will be completely opposed to what I am feeling at the time. It will challenge me and cause me to die to myself! This is not easy, but His Word is a sword and it doesn't "feel" good when it is doing it's job. (Eph. 6:17)

So often, we, myself included, can stumble upon something we believe to be the whole truth, when in reality it is only a small picture of the whole. We can be very sincere about it just like the blind men. We will argue to no end about it and become very offended if we are challenged. We are all, to some degree, blind. It is only His Word that can lead us into His truth and only by way of a broken and contrite heart. That heart, the broken and contrite one, is the only fertile soil for the seed of His Word to produce fruit therein. Not that we need to go around beating ourselves or calling ourselves worms or anything. We just need to be humble and teachable and willing to examine our hearts. There is way too much time spent on pointing out what everyone else is doing incorrectly rather than focusing on getting it right ourselves! I don't know about you, but walking out my own walk with the Father and learning to grow up in Him, for me, personally, takes a lot of time and focus on His Word and coming before Him in prayer. If I am busy examining your faults I am probably missing many or most of my own.

This Psalm was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba. None the less I believe it is accurate anytime we have incorrect ideas about Him or speak inaccuracies regarding His Word. If our words commit unfaithfulness to Him by misrepresenting Him we need to repent of that and allow Him to cleanse and renew us. This may not apply to you but if He has touched your heart in this area, as He has mine, pray this prayer contained in this Psalm with me:

Psalm 51

1 For the leader. A psalm of David, when Natan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bat-Sheva: God, in your grace, have mercy on me; in your great compassion, blot out my crimes. 2 Wash me completely from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me all the time. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence. 5 True, I was born guilty, was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 Still, you want truth in the inner person; so make me know wisdom in my inmost heart. 7 Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear the sound of joy and gladness, so that the bones you crushed can rejoice. 9 Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my crimes. 10 Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit. 11 Don't thrust me away from your presence, don't take your Ruach Kodesh away from me. 12 Restore my joy in your salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me. 13 Then I will teach the wicked your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Rescue me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation! Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness 15 Adonai, open my lips; then my mouth will praise you. 16 For you don't want sacrifices, or I would give them; you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God, you won't spurn a broken, chastened heart. 18 In your good pleasure, make Tziyon prosper; rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim. 19 Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer bulls on your altar.

So be it.

Much love and blessings to you in Messiah Yahshua,

More than a Conqueror

To Torah or Not to Torah (That is the Question), Mark David Smith on Nazarene Radio

My friend Mark David Smith has a new radio show on The Nazarene Radio Network. Check out his first episode!

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Above it All

I took a trip a few days ago to see friends in North Carolina. They live near the coast, so we had a very long drive to get to our destination. I traveled there with my oldest daughter. It was such a peaceful drive. The sky fashioned a wonderful robins egg blue. The clouds were like giant pillows tranquilly resting in the striking blue background. The trees were just beginning to show signs of an impending fall. Spots of orange, red and brown were beginning to appear on the edges of the green leaves. We passed shimmering bodies of water that served as soft rippled mirrors of the numerous tall thin trees, the clouds and sky. The road was rather empty with the exception of large imposing trucks that would pass us up every once in a while rocking our little rental car. Most everyone else was already at work and about the business of the day. My daughter rested next to me in the passenger seat silently enjoying the peace and quiet and dozing occasionally. What an amazing picture of Father’s creation! I found myself feeling very grateful for my life and for the opportunity to gaze upon His handiwork. He is the Artist of all artists.

Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.


Sometimes my mind wanders when I drive long distances. Does that happen to you too? I frequently pray in the car. With a house full of four kids and a busy life it just works out that the car is often the only quiet place to pray.

Sometimes though, I have no words. I am truly at a loss for words, and I can do nothing but just praise Him. This was one of those days. This was one of those journeys. I found myself in complete awe of Him. So much so that simple words and simple prayers, would not come to me. The realization that my Abba, Creator of the vast universe, my King, my Savior, my mighty Elohim is interested in connecting with very small me, became very overwhelming in that moment. My eyes grew hot and salty tears threatened to flood onto my cheeks in response. I found myself thinking about how really good He is and how the word "good" doesn’t even begin to describe Him. His beautiful creation, before me, conquered my senses and I could think of nothing else but Him.

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.


On this journey of the life He so graciously given me He has shown me many things and I know, with much gratitude, that He isn’t finished. That fact, that He is not done, isn’t lost on me and it fills my heart with hope. Especially on those days when I catch a glimpse in the mirror of the image of my soul and know that quite honestly I still need a lot of work! In this life there have been difficult times, sorrowful times, happy days, periods of sheer elation and joy, and moments of confusion, disillusionment and disappointment, to name a few. He hasn’t failed to show up and be near in any of them and I know He never will leave me nor forsake me. He is faithful. He is able to be above it all. Even if sometimes I am not. In my heart I know that these experiences are opportunities, allowed by Him and they are provided to cause us grow, mature and reach the potential He has put in all of us. Honestly, I wouldn’t ask for many of these hurdles, but none the less I am grateful for them if they exist to create in me the possibility of being more like Him and knowing Him in a deeper and more intimate way.

I was thinking about how truly small we are and how so much of the time we become entangled in all the nonsense of this earth. There is so much that tries to keep us down and it is very tempting to let it. Much of it is really small stuff. We don’t see the "quick sand" ahead and before we know it we’ve stepped in it! I imagine His view, looking at us all here on earth. We must appear so silly and rather comical sometimes. We fight, we strive, we struggle and we contend with Him and one another. Our struggles cause us to sink deeper and the mud rises up to our eyeballs. It just isn’t our fleshly nature to be still and call out to Him or to be patient and wait on Him to pull us out of our mess.

What is life, really? It is just a small season in all of eternity in which you and myself exist. A small blip on the radar. We only get one blip, yet we fail to rise above the rubbish so much of the time. Thankfully, sometimes we pass the test. Those are really good days. Don’t you think? I really desire more days like that!

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Do you remember when those bracelets were all the rage? You know, the ones with WWJD on them. They were supposed to remind believers to do what Jesus did. Or more accurately what Yahshua did when He walked the earth. I don’t think we need to look at a bracelet to remember what He did. The earth testifies to what He did and is doing. The earth, His creation, is groaning and crying out now as a woman in labor and experiencing birth pains for a time soon to come. I believe that possibly some of us will see this time in our lifetime. When I think of that I am excited and thrilled. Really so little actually matters when you look at the big picture He has for us. How marvelous is the hope we have of an eternity spent with Him!


Like the clouds resting in the robins egg blue sky He is above it all. He doesn’t get tired nor does He grow weary. He isn’t struggling, striving or fighting with anyone. Even when we find ourselves entangled in difficulties, He is right there with us, hand extended waiting for us to reach up and grasp His. If we put our hope in Him we will be above it all too and we will soar like eagles! Praise Yahweh!

Isaiah 40

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Many blessings to you in Messiah Yahshua. More than a conqueror.

Staff Interview on Messianic Lifestyles and One New Audio Magazine Article

Messianic Lifestyles is an audio on-line magazine that expores what living life Torah style is all about through the eyes of the diverse people living it. I recently joined as a staff producer. Check out my staff interview at Messianic Lifestyles and also an additional new article posted today just under it. All Glory to YHVH!

Many blessings to you in Messiah Yahshua

More than a Conqueror

Promotion of New Blog...........

Don't worry. I am not going anywhere. We are still on this journey together Desiring to Worship in Spirit and in Truth.

I just wanted to let you know about a new blog I am starting in addition to this one. It is called Abundant Health. You can find it by going to  http://www.abundanthealthnewnan.blogspot.com/

Abundant Health is dedicated to sharing information that promotes a healthy lifestyle, both physically and spiritually. Abundant Health recognises that we have a very smart Creator that tells us in His Torah how to live a life full of abundance and blessing.

On this site you will see upcoming events, articles and information regarding The Herb Shop in Newnan Georgia.

Please check it out and give us your email address so we can help you in your pursuit to have an Abundant Life!

Blessings to you in Messiah Yahshua,

More than a Conqueror

Grateful..........

To my husband,

Tomorrow we celebrate another year of your life.

You are my best friend and my love. I want you to know that I am so glad and grateful that when the wind and the rain blew the four walls down, our lives were found to be built on the Rock of Messiah Yahshua. I am blessed beyond measure to have you in my life. Thank you for being the "strength of our house."

All glory to YHVH!!

Love to you in our Messiah.

Your wife

Examine My Heart

I found this on Torah Teachers.com and thought it was excellent. So I grabbed it and posted it here. Like Victor I agree with this guy on pretty much all he says. A little Hebraic understanding to this would make it even better, but it is excellent and something that should motivate many of us, who choose Him, who desire to please Him, who are "over" doing it the way everyone else does it, to continually exam our hearts. Aren't we suppose to do that? It is so easy, I mean so VERY easy to get sucked into the "world" and they way the "world operates." Our churches, bible studies, study groups, congregations......whatever, are not exempt from that temptation. I don't want to think that somehow I have arrived. I don't want to ever be content with my flesh. I want to continually die to myself and be made alive in Him. I don't want to except less or embrace what is not His best for me. In this day, this is what we need to hear. I DON'T EVER WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME!  More than a Conqueror.

Psalm 139
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.[c]
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Lyrics to "Witch Hunt" by Petra, Something to think about...........

Everybody look there's a new bandwagon in town


Hop on board and let the wind carry you around

Seems like there's not enough to keep us busy

till the Lord comes back

Don Quixote's gotta have another windmill to attack



Another Witch Hunt looking for evil wherever we can find it

Off on a tangent, hope the Lord won't mind it

Another Witch Hunt, takin' a break from all our gospel labor

On a crusade but we forgot our saber



There's a new way to spend all our energies



We're up in arms instead of down on our knees

Walkin' over dollars trying to find another dime

Never mind the souls 'cause we really haven't got the time



So send out the dogs and tally ho

Before we sleep tonight we've got miles to go

No one is safe, no stones left unturned

And we won't stop until somebody gets burned.

Bro Bro Bro Bro Bro Bro Brothers. ..

Pride, Pain and the Process

Early this summer I injured my back. It came on the heels of some other very stressful stuff. I have never been that incapacitated in my life. Not even when I partially amputated a finger 4 years ago. The pain was out of this world and the intensity dragged on for weeks. My back was in a constant state of spasm. I am not a "pain killer" person. I typically use herbs to manage everything that might come up. But, this injury forced me to succumb to that, just to keep my sanity. I thought I would never say this, but my 24 and 21 hour labors' with my children, paled in comparison to how this felt. With a lot of prayer from wonderful family and friends, neuromuscular treatment and chiropractic care, I have recovered fairly well. I have apparently, do to wear and tear, lost a lot of my two lower disks and one is protruding outward and I have injured my hip joint as well. Unfortunately, it forced my hand to close my business, because you see, what I do for a living is very physical. I just can't risk my health anymore. Letting go of a successful business after 10 years hasn't been easy. I will just say it was and it wasn't. It is really complicated and I am filled with mixed emotions.

I am really grateful to be improving. Please don't get me wrong. I have made some serious progress and this has forced me to take a hard look at how I treat my body, how I eat and how I manage stress. But, the hardest thing for me has been depending on others to help me. Since I was a little girl I have been fiercely independent. I was raised with the belief that I should never depend on anyone or ask anyone for help, because they will always expect something in return or hold it over your head. To some degree I have experienced that from time to time in my adult life, but by and large that is not true of everyone. Isn't it awful that pattern of thought is ingrained in my mind? I would not be completely honest if I did not tell you that I am wrestling with this still. I just didn't know it, because there were no circumstances difficult enough to test and see if that deeply ingrained thought pattern was still there, until recently. And....it was still there. It is really difficult for me to ask anyone for help! Can you relate? If you can, lets pray for one another to overcome this and be delivered of it, OK? It's pride and it's not pretty. If you cannot, then good for you. I hope to be like you one day. It's a process and I am getting there even if I trip on things from time to time on the way.

Well, anyway, I was thinking about how this applies or effects my walk with my Creator, because He is really most important in my life. I mean that will all sincerity. If you know me, really know me, you'd know that is true. I don't always love Him perfectly like I should, but I am learning. To please Him is my deepest desire. To worship Him in complete Spirit and in the depth of His Truth my heart's call. I was searching my heart and wondering if there are things I do not fully surrender to Him. Are there things I hold back? Ways I don't trust Him completely? To Him, I know that trust, that faith in Him, is His desire of me, for it is impossible to please Him without it. It is His most important love language. Am I loving Him, completely, the way I should? If I answer that honestly, then I'd say, no, not all the time. Not that I don't have the desire too. It's just sometimes I don't know how.

I really believe in my heart of hearts that trials and difficulties are about much more than causing us pain or making us miserable. It may look like that at the time, but even if He didn't do it or bring it upon us, for some reason it was allowed by Him. Nothing comes to us for no reason at all. Sometimes it is because of our own actions or lack of actions and sometimes like Yahshua said in John 11:4 it is so that the "Father may be glorified" when we come out the other side and are healed, relieved and or delivered. Sometimes I think it is just because we live in a fallen world full of corruption and our bodies are corruptible and decaying as we age. Whatever various trials befall us in this life isn't as important as learning what we can learn from them when they do happen. I am in the process of trying to do that. I am the last person that would say I have arrived or ever will for that matter. I don't claim to understand everything and I think that is OK. I think I'd rather be here, asking Him to show me and confessing I just don't know, than delude myself into thinking I have it all together and am some sort of spiritual giant. I'd rather be honest. As if we think He doesn't know anyway. We are funny creatures aren't we?

His Word says in James 1:2 "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy" and Romans 5:3-4 says "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

These days I am filled with great hope about the future. No, not about the economy or really anything in this world. Just about Him. That He will finish the good work He has started in us and bring it completion. That His kingdom is coming! That one day I will no longer have to contend with the corruptible flesh that continually tries to get in the way of my relationship with Him. He is where I place my hope. I even have joy in the uncertainty. I am not always "happy" about the challenges the day brings or the happenings in our world. My joy is found in Him!! Joy is a different thing all together then happiness. It is so far superior.

I do hope that what I have written will bless you. I hope if you have had some challenges of late, like I have, that you will be encouraged in knowing that you are not alone in them.

Many blessings in Messiah Yahshua to you!

Overview of the Feasts of Yahovah

Courtesy of Scott Dryer of ProfoundProphecy.com
Thanks Mr. Dryer ☺

Annual Feasts - Overview from Scot Dryer on Vimeo.