Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el, Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon and to all the congregations internationally of the New Covenant Assemblies of Yahweh. Welcome to the first sabbath of the New Year.

Here in Sweden Winter is finally losing the battle to Spring and suddenly we find ourselves overwhelmed with so much to do outside. It's been two years since we last planted and reaped anything because of the sabbatical (Sabbatical Year) and Yovel (Jubilee), we have created - or are in the process of creating - a dozen new large vegetable beds as we rush to get everything going, hoping we will get a sizeable harvest before the Collapse. I expect you too are very busy at this time. May Yahweh bless all your efforts to become self-sufficient.

We are also less that a week away from the very busy Spring Moedim (Appointments) or Festivals and are, of course, anxious to know what Yahweh's Davar (Word) will be for us this year. I don't know if you have noticed it or not, but I have marked a huge spiritual shift since the New Year (Aviv 1).

Perhaps the best way I can describe it is to liken this change to a gardener digging and turning the soil in his garden. It seems like everything is being churned up to the surface from the depths of the soul, both that which has been asleep and that which has been hidden - both ignorantly and willfully. My whole dream content and nature has radically changed. I am dreaming totally different things with new intensities, colouration and purpose. I am still trying to fathom it all. It's a bit like stepping into the outdoors after a long period of hibernation and blinking in the sunlight. Everything seems to have changed somewhow. And because I don't know how to properly put it into words yet - since I have nothing to relate it to - I am truly at a loss for words. Which is just as well since Yahweh has taken away both my ability and will to write effectively for several weeks now. It feels like the old way of doing things has 'died' and I am sitting like an apprentice awaiting new instruction.

Everything that has been hidden is being revealed, not just for the world as its sordid doings in secret are being exposed to the light of emet (truth) to disgust all of us, but for the Messianic Community (Church) too. A few nights ago I retired to bed weighed down with the overwhelming sense of being defiled, as Isaiah's words echoed in my soul:

"We have made a lie our refuge, and falsehood our hiding place" (Is.28:15b, NIV).

We hide in various lies, pat ourselves on the back for managing to conceal them, and then forget about them. Over time we don't even remember them and become utterly blind to them. They become the normal part of our discourse and way of being. Others may see the lie but we cannot because we're in denial and suffering from major memory loss. We have made them our refuge, our hiding place because they give us a measure of artificial comfort. The only thing is, they progressively kill us off - make us less and less sensitive to the Ruach (Spirit) until (if we don't repent) we lose that sensitivity altogether.

So what is the "lie" Isaiah speaks of? Specifically, we all have an array of personal ones we believe and embrace, but generally we may say that "the lie" is that the flesh is preferable to the Ruach (Spirit). It's our default choice because the behaviour that the lie has prompted in us has become habitual. We come to compact that lie with another lie that the original lie or cluster of lies is 'who we are', or 'the way we are', our 'style', our 'personality', 'the way we were made', 'our genes', etc., as though it's something sacrosanct that cannot possibly be challenged by others, let alone be changed by us, and which we will allow none to criticise.

Yahweh cannot possibly allow such a mindset to continue indefinitely. He brings all such untruth to judgment one way or another. And if we still refuse to budge - most especially if we claim to be believers, if we claim to belong to Him, if we claim to have His nature through spiritual rebirth - then He has no choice but to disavow and challenge that lie also, and He will not do so gently or quietly:

"Hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled: your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overflowing scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it" (Is.28:17b-18, NIV).

This has mental, emotional and physical aspects to it. Literally, of course, it is physical, but representationally Yahweh is speaking of that cluster of thought-lies and feeling-lies we insist on clinging to that we use to hide away from reality and emet (truth). Out of ahavah (love) - tough-love, admittedly, and not very pleasant either, but necessary - Yahweh shakes our physical world when we refuse to respond inside...and in any number of different ways.

If a spiritual corner-stone is to be laid inside us, as corner-stones were laid anciently in architectural construction, then the ground has to be prepared first. All the rocks have to be cleared away, all the weeds pulled out (along with their roots so they don't grow again) much as some of us have been doing here outside while gardening. My daughter was surprised the other day as she removed a stone wall that was sagging under the weight of soil, to find a concrete foundation underneath. Neither of us had known of its existence.

If you are a believer who has received the New Birth, and have let junk accumulate through sinning without repentance, then all of that junk has to be removed before you can start building securely and firmly again. The foundation of the believer is the Rock of Messiah. The one who is not a regenerated believer has no such rock on which to build securely and whatever he does attempt to build will eventually collapse, as Yah'shua (Jesus) illustrated in His parable of the two builders, one of whom built his house on rock and the other on sand (Lk.6:48-49).

Seeing that foundation in the light of day is hugely reassuring, as it was for my daughter who knew she could rebuild the wall without risking it falling down in the future. This is what Yahweh has been doing all these months and years - whispering, shouting, nudging and pushing us to get the junk out. Yes, it's hard work - very hard work.

As my daughter was dismantling one wall, a poisonous came out hissing at her. There were snakes hiding in that garden wall just as we have demons hiding in those lies we have chosen to embrace. They'll come out once the light starts shining inside as the junk is removed and then they have to be removed. A second snake emerged later too.

So it must be with us. If you are a true talmid (disciple), you cannot escape this cleansing, nor can you just sit around and wait for it to happen. You have to be disgusted with yourself for believing and embracing the lie and be willing to have all the mental and emotional constructions dismantled stone by stone until you are free of the junk and darkness and can then rebuild.

We read:

"So this is what Yahweh-Elohim says:

'See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
I will make justice the measuring line
and righteousness the plumb line'" (Isa 28:16-17, NIV)

You cannot hide indefinitely. No one else can make you come out either, you have to do it yourself of your own free will. If you are a born-again believer and refuse to budge, then hail - frozen pellets of water - will bash you hard and drive you out, and water will do the same, or you'll drown in your lies. And sadly, some people are so stubborn that they will actually allow themselves to be bludgeoned to death by metaphorical "hail" or drowned like rats in a hole by metaphorical "water".

Understand that there is no hiding place from Yahweh:

"When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,
you will be beaten down by it.
As often as it comes it will carry you away;
morning after morning, by day and by night,
it will sweep through" (Isa.28:18b-19, NIV).

The "covenant with death" that believers make is trusting other deliverers or saviours. Israel trusted in foreign deliverers instead of Yahweh. Who knows what or who your imagined 'deliverers' will be in any situation where you refuse to turn to Elohim (God). But the foreign deliverers won't deliver. Hiding from Yahweh won't deliver you, ranting and raging against Yahweh won't deliver you either. People, in their insanity, do nonetheless, which is why they must be swept aside if they persist.

The measuring line - the way Yahweh determines whether we are innocent or guilty - is Justice, the Scripture tells us: "I will make justice the measuring line", He says. You can't have Justice without Law, and Yahweh's Law is the Torah - the mitzvot or commandments. He also says that "righteousness [is] the plumbline". And plumblines, as you may be aware, were weights on the ends of strings whose purpose was to determine what is vertical to the ground.

This symbolically means that we are determined to be righteousness or not by a vertical measure - and 'vertical' connects us to Heaven and to Yahweh. We are deemed righteous if we are in right relationship with the Creator, and we can only be that if we are in right relationship with His Son, Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus), and that, as you know, is only obtained by emunah (faith) in the Atonement of the Son of Elohim (God) which wipes away the sins of the repentant. Without that, all that is left is the "measuring line" of "justice", which is judgment and condemnation for not trusting in the Son and in consequence living the Torah-lifestyle ordained by the Father. That is the deeper spiritual meaning of this passage.

At Pesach (Passover) we come to the Master's Table as we partake of the premier Master's (Lord's) Supper, the annual Master's Supper or all other weekly or monthly Master's suppers we may partake of during the year. It is not a small thing. And to partake of it unworthily is a risky business indeed (1 Cor.11:29). He commands us to partake of it but He also ensures we have sufficient time to make teshuvah (repent) beforehand. We can opt out but in doing so what we are doing is refusing to repent, something we covenanted to do at baptism and when we were chrismated, when we became talmidim (disciples) and sons and daughters of Torah, respectively. So 'opting out' and/or refusing to repent are both acts of disobedience with consequences. When we were baptised and became children of Torah we signed over the deed of self-ownership to Yah'shua (Jesus). We don't belong to ourselves any longer. And if we persist in insiting that we do over a protracted period of time, then we are, in effect, renouncing our covenants of both obedience and protection. Then we cease, at some point, to be believers any longer.

The fleshy pull to return to 'old ways' of independence, unaccountability and rebellion, is always there. We have to make a simple choice to either refuse to listen or to turn away from Yah'shua (Jesus). Many become prodigals, get a thrashing, and either strike out in anger and become children of contempt, making a "covenant with death", as it were, or return to safety, shalom (peace) and spiritual prosperity.

There are many facing the wrong direction and many sitting on the fence of indecision while the rest resolutely and faithfully head toward the mark which is Messiah (Jesus). Before we go into these spring moedim (appointments) we have to decide which way we want to go - and I am speaking to both young and old believers alike. The Yovel or Jubilee is over, along with the Sh'mittah (Sabbatical Year) before it, which have been times of huge grace or undeserved loving kindness from Heaven. They're now over. Now the world awaits its mishpatim (judgments) which you have been warned about, and carefully prepared for, for many years.

I don't follow much in the news anymore because there is little of value there to me. Two rival Illuminati clans are fighting it out for dominance, one posing as the 'good cop' and the other as the 'bad cop' to one set of people who have been duped, and reversing rôles for the other set of people who have likewise been duped. The outcome will ultimately be the same because of neither of them is for Yahweh-Elohim even if they are posing as godly for believer consumption. Now we must get our seat-belts on and await the clash and outcome, making sure we are in the right places and fully prepared, spiritually and materially, to weather the storm.

So, pull down those teetering old walls, dig up the weeds of sin, turn the soil of your being, let Yah'shua (Jesus) shine the light of emet (truth) in your soul and then make your choice for the Righteous One. Tend your gardens, inwardly and outwardly, planting in well turned and sifted soil and pray for a good crop. Get the Davar (Word) out as witnesses that per chance you may save souls, and disciple them in the ways of the Kingdom. And do so in the Ruach (Spirit) and not your own flesh.

I want to conclude today with a word of warning to sign-seekers because in this time of the "restoration of all things" the devil is most certainly in the business of cashing in with his own junk...and there are shiploads of that around! Years ago we had a vistor, an extremely intelligent Messianic Jew, who believed that Yahweh's ordained method of revelation was through the Torah codes and not the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit). He did not consult Yahweh in prayer, except ritualistically, but used a sophisticated software program to find answers to questions through making sequence searches using the Tanakh (Old Testament). When some while later he converted to Orthodox Judaism, got circumcised and abandoned Messiah, I was not surprised. Like the occult-influenced kabbalistic Judaism of the day, he believed in his own intellect, and the intellects of others, above communion with Yahweh through the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) the New Testament way. He had many spiritual issues but was unwilling to confront them.

The latest craze today is what I call 'Messianic Astrology'. I have met several proponents of this latest fad. Some of them are saying that the Scriptures have been corrupted and are no longer reliable so we must turn to the stars as our Scriptures because they have remained constant over the millennia. Not all take the 'corrupted scripture' line, to be sure - other groups say that the stars are a 'supplement' to the Bible, others use the Bible as a supplement to their star-gazing, and so on. All of these groups, one way or another, twist the apostle Paul to get him saying things he never said.

I believe this is one important reason that Yahweh has led me into deep studies of Paul and his writings this last year and as you know I am working on a number of projects that have been delayed for one reason or another. I have noticed how the Messianic Astrologers twist Paul and I want to give you one example or how the Enemy blinds the ignorant by using devils to twist Paul's words through shallow exegesis to mean something he never said.

Here is a key verse used by those devils - it doesn't matter which version we use because they pretty much say the same thing, so I'll quote the English Standard Version as that's the one I have at hand:

"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was publically portrayed as crucified" (Gal.3:1, ESV).

The argument of the 'Messianic Astrolgers', foremost amongst whom is undoubtedly Paul Sides though lots of others are now getting on this bandwaggon, runs something like this: the Galatians were not physical eye witnesses of Yah'shua's (Jesus') crucifixion (obviously) so how could they have been actual witnesses to it? Because it was "portrayed" to them in the stars! The heavens or shamayyim are the supposed record that these ex-pagans were using, never mind that star-gazing is a sophisticated science and the ancients didn't have the software tools we have today.

The trap is set. Then the 'Messianic Astrologers' bait you by saying that they, guru-like, have been given the 'revelation' of the shammayim (heavens) so come to them for the emet (truth)! But as you read their writings it soon becomes apparent that they are laced with theological lies and blasphemies. What mesmerises their readers is the sophistication and complexity of their revelation that shows a lot of astronomical knowledge. Yet this is the same way that so many modern false prophets act - their books are legion - Urantia, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, The Book of Knowledge: The Keys of Enoch, Divine Principle, and so many more that I have worked my way through over the decades. There is no end to them, and many of them are laced with current science (like the Keys of Enoch).

Of course the Galatians weren't actual, physical eyewitnesses to the crucifixion, the key word in our text being "portrayed". And like so many false teachers, they do not trouble themselves over context. In fact, in this one verse Paul exposes the modern equivalent of the very same category of false teachers that were working on the Galatians! "Who has bewitched you?" the apostle says, using the language of pagan magic to characterise the pernicious activity of false teachers and the perilous situation these qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) found themselves in.

So what was the "public portrayal"? Paul clearly believed that His proclamation of the Besorah (Gospel) was so vivid in the Galatians' presence, as it was everywhere he went and preached, that it was as if they had been eyewitnesses to the crucifixion. Indeed the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) makes us spiritual eyewitnesses of the crucifixion everytime someone is authentically anointed to preach this Good News! That's why, in the next two verses, Paul says:

"Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Ruach (Spirit) by works of the law or by hearing with emunah (faith)? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Ruach (Spirit) are you being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal.3:2-3, ESV)

The "works of the law" have, as we know, nothing to do with Torah-obedience (which Paul promotes throughout his writings) or its demonisation by Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but man-made teachings (see Just What are the "Works of the Law"?) which in this context are Jewish tradition - 'works of the law' is an expression used of the so-called 'Oral law' of the Talmudists. Today's "works of the law" would include all man-made scripture including 'Messianic Astrology'.

Now I am not saying that Yahweh has not embedded in His Creation all kinds of prophetic signs, including the stars, for I absolutely believe that He has. What I am saying is that they are not the 'main revelation' and are way down the list of importance relative to the Bible, the gift of the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit), authentic nevi'im (prophets) and the like. Messianics aren't the only ones playing this Astrological game - Evangelicals and Independents are doing it too! The latest I listened to was claiming the stars told him that the 'rapture' will take place this autumn (fall) because "Jupiter is in gestation awaiting birth"! He and others are even giving dates - 23 September 2017 to be precise, because of a planetary alignment. Supposedly (and who knows) this is the Revelation 12 'sign' depicting the 'church' being 'raptured' into heaven. One thing is clear - this is all intellectual, there is no spirit of prophecy involved the biblical way.

How is this any different from those trying to discern the mind of Yahweh using Torah Codes, reading tea leaves or studying biblical numerology? This is not His revealed method of communication to men. What emet (truth) is hidden in the Torah Codes, in nature and in the heavens cannot be used for prophecy but only as a testimony after the event - anything else is divination. This is very important to understand.

Our responsibility to search the Scriptures even more diligently and purifiy ourselves sufficiently to become the prophetic instruments of the Ruach (Spirit) can never be replaced by other purported revelations, nearly all of which turn out to be man-made. And even then there are problems enough with people 'imagining' all sorts of things to be the Ruach (Spirit) when they are not. It's easy to get worked up, ride a psychic roller-coaster and then call it 'God's Anointing'. This goes on all the time.

We also have to make sure that our own revelations do not acquire a status they do not deserve. As soon as these Messianic and Evangelical 'Astrologers' start teaching heretical doctrines (like denying the deity of Messiah), I run a mile from them - it's one of the reasons I distanced myself from Theomatics, a kind of biblical 'numerology' - I will not go to the devil's fountain or sit at the table of his human instruments! I would rather sit quietly in a Quaker meeting reading my Bible, listening to the Ruach (Spirit) and then going and doing what I already know I must do, like planting vegetables, enjoying the spring and listening to Yahweh's still, small voice. Sufficient to cope with is the evil in one day without wandering into cosmic dimensions and forgetting what we're actually supposed to be doing down here on terra firma.

I said in my Valediction, The Charm of the Golden Rod, I am pulling back. I have delivered my message...many, many times and in many, many different ways. I am done for this season. So these Spring Moedim or Festivals are going to be low key. There aren't going to be any new 36,000 feet-deep, Marianna Trench-like Torah teachings, spectacular new revelations, titillating biblical esoterica, chest-beating or flag-waving the triumphant 'elect' over red carpets of glory, or for that matter berating the rebellious and lazy for not waking up and springing into action - there is too much of that going on and it is filling people's souls with vanity. The buckets I used to deliver teachings will, for now, carry soil (dirt). And the carpet will be green.

Like I said, I will be planting crops, practicing my shooting, sunning myself (when I can), and sharing the plain old Besorah (Gospel) message of salvation to whoever wants to hear it Phil Robertson-style (though with not such a large beard)....or maybe Ray Comfort-style (until I get bored asking the same questions over and over again). Who can say. And in case you hadn't noticed, that threatening Brown Dwarf Star (Nibiru) has been sighted again...maybe. If you're prepared, as you should be, you'll not join the mass hysteria that's coming or be swept up in the anarchy that will follow.

I am truly glad election fever is over in America too and people are starting to settle down to the realisation that most things are going on much as they did before, the cosmetic changes notwithstanding. The wars continue, refugees continue to pour into Europe...but not Saudi Arabia, and for a while the élites continue to bathe in their own self-satisfaction...depending which faction they belong to, of course. It's obvious European civilisation is nearly over and that we're entering into a new Dark Age of Barbarism with ever widening and quickening steps. So I am enjoying the sunset while it lasts, so that we can tell stories to our children and grandchildren when they have no knowledge or recollection of what peaceableness was like. I know most don't want to hear it but those who do, and have accepted it, will not be so traumatised when their countries as they knew them vanish forever. Mine, the United Kingdom, is over. I know it. I have grieved but now accept what is. Now I can be dispassionate and get on with what matters.

Sooner rather than later you're going to have to worry about the caliber of your ammunition, the security of your pantry and the caliber of your tesimony in Messiah. I pray you won't have to pull any triggers on fellow human-beings intent on robbing you or taking your life. You won't, if you're in the right place, trusting in Yah'shua (Jesus) and being obedient to His instructions.

In two days (here in Sweden) the Paschal Lamb is selected, spiritually-speaking, and in six we eat the Passover. See you then, amigos.

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