Tending the Temple Daily

You will do what you believe.  Your actions are a testimony to what you believe.  James 2:26  tells us that "faith without works is dead". Why? Because you will do what you believe. It is evident to everyone around you what you believe because they can see your behaviors. Hebrews 11:1  Faith is the evidence of your convictions because you are doing what you believe!  Faith/belief isn't invisible. These aren't just notions you have in your heart.  If people can't see what you believe, then do you really believe it? I keep the 7th Day Sabbath, no buying or selling, keeping that day set apart to Yah, meditating upon His word, fellowship with family and like minded believers when possible.  I do this because I believe everything Yah said about the Sabbath. It is Holy and set apart forever  Leviticus 23:3, Exodus 20:8-11, Genesis 2:3 . It is a sign that I belong to Him Ezekiel 20:12, Exodus 31:13-17. I take Yah at His word, I believe Him.  I did n...

  I tend to over think and worry about things of which I have no control. I can really let my imagination run wild, and that's no good.  Yesterday was one of those days.  There's a big change coming to my life that I cannot control, I have no real idea what it's going to look like, and it most likely has aspects that I won't like.  Yesterday I let that negative voice in my head take charge and stir up my emotions.   This voice suggests that I won't survive the change, I'm going to be kicked aside, because, of course, I don't bring anything of value to the table. I won't be able to keep up and I will be exposed as extra weight that needs to be replaced.  Honestly,  it was a battle all day to turn from that voice and remember what Yah says about me. It was exhausting.  You'd think, at my age, and how many times I've encountered that voice, that I'd be better at it,  but I wasn't yesterday.   I know from experience that I can and ...

  I follow  a diverse  collection of friends  and pages on Facebook.  But my feed is overwhelmingly Torah pursuant, with a sprinkling of Protestants,  Catholics, other Christians. And I know there's a few who are unsure about "God" and religion altogether.  What strikes me most about those who speak boldly for Jesus, proclaim God the loudest, is that they are frequently displaying the least of the qualities of love.  Love is patient,  love is kind, not jealous,  not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish. Love is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not relish in other's sins, but delights in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures.  With such casual dismissal, some believers call others ignorant, apostate, lost, heretic, not really saved, and worse.  This is social media, how does one judge the heart of others and voice such condemnation of fellow believers on the worl...

  When I first began this journey of Torah Prusant, applying what I knew about the Sabbath was one of the first things I did. Eating clean was the second thing. Keeping Sabbath was a no-brainer, it is one of the 10 commandments.  I never understood why, as Christians,  we ignored that one. Probably why the command begins with the word remember . (Exodus 20:8-11) To find out what does it mean to keep the Sabbath Holy, may I suggest a word search for the word sabbath  in your Bible app. My search shows 154 times the word sabbath is used throughout the whole Canonized Bible, beginning in Exodus. However, we first learn about the Sabbath in Genesis 2:2. Going through your word search, you will find guidance concerning the Sabbath.  I love how Yah gave us detailed instructions regarding His ways. We need the structure.   You will also learn that the Sabbath is a sign that you belong to The Most High. (Exodus 31:13) Is marks you with the name YHVH. Everyone ...

  Sukkot - Feast of Booths, practice for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb - Yah is our sustenance and provider of all things - community of Believers, known as The Seed of Abraham with Yahusha as our High Priest, living in community.  This is how I understand this feast unto YHVH. Exodus 23:16, Deuteronomy 16:13-17, Leviticus 23:34-43   This was our third year to keep the Feast with other believers. Before that, we kept the feast camping in our yard. We just have no fellowship, no meeting with like hearted believers, near us. We travel to SW Missouri to keep the Feast with Ancient Path Fellowship. Over these three years we've developed lifelong relationships with people from all over, and we are so thankful. It is such a revitalizing experience, we go home refreshed, and immediately begin planning next year's trip.  Some things were a little different this year.  Location: new location, the Ministry now owns some land,  and are getting it cleaned and cleared, ...

Christians are martyred every single day somewhere on this Earth. We never hear their names nor their stories. We don't hear about their incredible faith and trials. Western Christianity doesn't give much attention at all to the suffering of our fellow believers.  Christians were about 2% of the Palestinian population according to a quick Google search, it was 10% in 1948. This has happened right before our very eyes, and we didn't see it. These families had been there for over 2000 years.  According to romereports.com, 4476 Christians were martyred in 2024. There are several websites that track this data.  How about the whole communities of Christians slaughtered in Syria right now? The msm isn't covering it. How would you know? https://persecution.org/2025/09/19/update-on-syria-a-new-era-or-more-of-the-same-for-syrian-christians/ Congo?  https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/100-plus-christians-slaughtered-in-drc/ Kenya? https://persecution.org/2024/04/10/al-sh...

Have you been saved? Have you ever asked someone that question? Has anyone asked you? Well, how about: saved from what? How would you answer that question?  The Greek word so'zo' (Strong's #4982) meaning to deliver or protect, save and heal appears 106 times in 99 verses in the KJV. 93 times it means to save , 9 times it means to heal , 3 times it means to be whole , according to The Blue Letter Bible website.  The Hebrew word yasha (Strong's 3467) meaning deliver, rescue, and preserve appears 205 times in the the KJV Bible. 149 times it means save , 15 times it means saviour , 13 times it means deliver, 12 times it means help, 5 times it means preserved, 3 times it means salvation, it is also translated avenging, at all, avenged, defend, rescue, safe, and victory  another 8 times. Again according to The Blue Letter Bible website.  The Greek word soterias ( Strong's #G4991) translated salvation is used to describe the act of delivering from destruction, danger, or ...

I want to forgive so completely that I forget. I have always heard "forgive and forget" but I kinda figured only Yah could actually do it. Until recently,  I would have said exactly that.   I walk myself thru this process of forgiveness, always setting boundaries and keeping an arm's length,  if you know what I mean.  And, Yes! Boundaries are good when properly applied. No doubt! But setting boundaries for self protection isn't really operating in faith.  Boundaries can put a buffer between yourself and the offender's possible future offenses, true. But the boundaries should serve in loving that offender as well. It's not love to allow someone to continue in sinful behavior.  Btw, Yah didn't instruct us to protect ourselves from future offences. More on that later.  I have learned I can, and have forgiven to the point that I forgot. I forgot what happened, and I forgot the pain. I usually view myself as one who tends to hold a grudge.  I am d...

  You know that kid, the one who always has "Why?" on the tip of their tongue? I think I might be that kid.  I realize I have a "Teresa" perspective, I'm trying to make sense of the information,  and therefore, I question much.  I question what the teacher presents, not to be contentious,  but to gain more understanding. As a Bible student in church, I moved from sitting in front with my hand raised to sitting in the back just observing.  I was not getting answers that actually answered. With enough of that, the teacher and student become frustrated, for far different reasons.  I learned to repeat the Church doctrine, being reassured I would understand with time... Yeah, not so much.  I could easily read my Bible, seemed pretty straightforward to me. But why didn't we as Christians do what it says? It says to do this, but we do that. But why? Sometimes the response was a Bible verse...ok. I guess I don't see what I'm supposed to.  For instanc...

  I often wonder about my place in The Kingdom of Yahuah.  Sometimes, it's a season of time that I dwell on the subject. I can be very hard on myself.  What have I accomplished? Have I made a difference? Even for one person. Have my flaws out shined my positives? I wish I could run into so-n-so that I could apologize for my really bad behavior way back in the day. My mind can run on and on.  There are so many people who have come in and out of my life. Some for a short time, some for a while. And I wish I could say I  have no regrets, but I can't.  Really at the end of it all, being a positive for whomever crosses my path, a light, a sign pointing to Yahusha, is my goal. But it wasn't always so.  And it's during those moments where "it wasn't always so" that I have sorrow and remorse.  How I long to see Michaela again, so I can ask her forgiveness.  I want to speak with Lisa, and apologize for not doing more to help her. But I can't find them...

  My last blog post was about all the grievous sin running rampant across the earth. I wrote about revealing the sin, acknowledging it is happening, looking that horrific darkness in the face.  And now let's discuss why it matters.  We know from Genesis and the story of Cain and Able, that the blood of the innocent who have been slain cries out to the Most High. And He hears them. These cries are for justice. We are reminded of this in the Book of Revelation when the blood of the saints who are killed for their testimony cry out for justice. "How Long Adoni?" Ezekiel 9:4 gives the example of men being marked by The Most High because they were grieved by the abominations that were occurring around them. The marked men were a righteous remnant.  I want to be marked by Yah as His own, and to be counted in the remnant of the righteous.   Let our voices join with the cries of the slain innocent. Let our hearts be grieved over the abominations happening around us...

  A few years ago I began praying that all the evil and corruption across the earth be revealed. Many others were praying this same thing, and lo and behold the ugliness is being laid bare, exposed. The depths of depravity of which humans are capable is hard to understand, it's hard to face.  Over the years I've heard folks say, "oh things have to get much worse before Jesus comes back."  Upon hearing that statement, I would shake my head. It's doubtful that we, as mere humans, can get an accounting of how much evil, wickedness,  and sin is in this world, as we know, sin starts with a thought. But our Heavenly Father knows.  He is slow to send Yahusha back because he is merciful.  Just like the question presented by Abraham when Sodom was targeted for destruction by Yahuah, "What if there are 10 righteous people there? Will you spare it for 10 people?".  Me, and others like me are still fervently praying for our loved ones to come to the knowledge and ...

I have noticed how we, as Bible believing Christians, are quick with one-liner verses. We have scripture memorized, stored in our hearts, and freely throw them into conversation. Sometimes very much out of context. "he who is without sin, cast the first stone", "judge not", "don't let anyone judge you by what you eat, or drink", "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me". Each of these phrases, and many others like them,  show up in specific stories, with specific meaning for that situation. Not to be thrown into any and every conversation. Yet it happens. I have also noticed how, many of us, as Bible believing Christians, operate under the assumption that each word written in Scripture is directed to  us. Not true. These words were many times for specific people, under specific circumstances, with a specific purpose. Something from which we can glean understanding and deeper insight, but not direct instructions for us. But if we do...

  Do you remember the very moment you were "saved", or made the decision for Yahusha? I have heard many folks give their testimony, powerful, emotional, detailed stories of that very moment. Not me. I remember believing from a young age, playing and making up songs to sing to Jesus. I have a memory of walking to my friend's house and singing at the top of my lungs when I noticed a grownup watching me with a big smile on her face. But I couldn't put my finger on a memory of that very moment of salvation. I can recall moments of real repentance and returning to the path over the years. I have several memories of interactions with the presence of Yah, or the Holy Spirit. For instance, when I was pregnant with my oldest son I received a vision. I hadn't been walking closely with Jesus(Yahusha). I was going my own way, and not making the greatest decisions. But one night as I was laying down to sleep, I was suddenly in my childhood bedroom. I was above the bed looking ...

  Yesterday I was listening to a podcast and the question was posed: in the kingdom, of the Biblical characters, with whom do you want to speak? Several people were mentioned and why, or what they would be asked. Got me to thinking. Who do I want to meet? Who has strongly influenced my faith? What questions would I ask? Immediately Hagar, then Sarah came to mind for very different reasons. They are such polar opposites yet both play powerful roles in Yah showing us who He is.  Sarai/Sarah: We first meet Sarai  wife of Abram  in Genesis 11. Jasher gives us background of Abram's father, Terah,  being an idol maker for King Nimrod, this is important because Sarah is Terah's offspring as well. In Genesis 12 we read a story of Abram going to Egypt, but feared he would be killed and Sarai would be taken from him due to her great beauty. He claimed she was his sister. That word used for sister may be referring to a close family member, not necessarily sibling. Jasher 2...

  On June 13th I woke up with a gut feeling I haven't been able to dismiss. At first it was something I "felt" but couldn't see. It was in my peripheral vision. Like a word on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't recall it. It was a few hours before I was aware of Israel moving against Iran. But knowing what happened didn't dismiss that feeling of something wasn't right.  I hear voices from all sides, yet none of those give me comfort. Today is the 17th and things are happening quite quickly.  Clearly many things are askew, but still the gut feeling persists. I sense there is a trick I must watch out for. When our focus is in one area, screwy stuff is happening elsewhere.  I know my Rock,  Yahusha, and I'm not afraid,  but I feel like I'm being cautioned.  Feelings don't really account for much overall, they can ebb and flow as the tide, change like the wind. My foundation of understanding must be secured to the Word of Yah, my Bible. Hav...

  Throw back Pic from 1985 I am so glad I have had the experience of being poor. I learned to be resourceful,  creative, and self reliant. I can feed a lot on a little and make it taste good.  I learned about natural, aka alternative, medicine. We couldn't afford doctors or pharmaceuticals. I learned what is important and necessary and what is not. I learned I can survive off what I can carry in a backpack.  Most things are just extra baggage.  I learned to be thankful for each day's provision. When I was 20 I was homeless, living out of my car at Lake Parsons near Parsons Kansas. We, Johnny Bill and I, ate all the fish we could catch and some nice folks gave us eggs. I never ate so many eggs in my whole life.  For a few years after this,  I didn't eat eggs at all.  Same with PB&J, during my first pregnancy I ate PB&J every day. Someone gave me commodity peanut butter, a huge can of it.  I didn't let it go to waste.   I lear...

  Several years ago, when my boys were growing up, I homeschooled them. As they grew into preteens we began to study courtship. I wanted to provide my boys with the knowledge of Yah's standard in the matters of marriage. I knew so very little when I was young and single, I could have used some help navigating relationships and commitment.   ***Disclaimer **** neither of my sons actually participated in Biblical Courtship,  but the wisdom and guidance they got from these lessons years ago definitely contribute to the successful marriages they now have. Not to mention the problems they could have avoided if they had only adhered to those lessons.  Courtship is not like dating. Dating is like spouse shopping, but not everyone shopping are serious shoppers. Some just want to do a lot of sampling. And let's be honest,  that's what the western cultures have brought us to. Our society doesn't encourage commitment, family,  and faith. It promotes self. In Bibl...

  Baruch atah Yahuah,  blessed are you Yahuah  Baruch atah Yahusha,  blessed are you Yahusha  With a glad heart I thank you.  The girls you've placed in my life are such a blessing.  Abba, keep watch over them.  These girls: my daughters by law, my granddaughters,  my bonus daughter and my bonus granddaughter, plus my "forever family" girls: Candice, Kaylen, Miyah,  Heather, Allison, and Morgan. Abba thank you for them all.  Guide these beautiful ladies into your loving embrace, that they may know their value and walk with their heads held high, secure in you. Give them hearts that seek you. Give them ears to hear you, give them eyes to see your wonderous works. Father place people in their lives that will point the way to you, and to encourage them. Give them discernment that they may protect themselves and their children from the deceptions of the enemy. You are so good my El. Let them know the goodness of Yah.    M...

  Baruch atah Yahuah,  blessed are you Yahuah Baruch atah Yahusha,  blessed are you Yahusha Let me come to you with a heart filled with gratitude.  Let all your blessings flood my mind that I may express Thanksgiving in all I say and do.  Let my fruit be beautiful and delightful in your sight.  Keep me in your embrace that I don't step to the left nor the right.   Show me your ways and teach me to walk in them. Abba, show me my sins and lead me into repentance.  Let me always be willing to accept correction and to walk upright before you.  I come before you to ask for my children and grandchildren.  Father draw them to Yahusha that He will bring them to you.  I ask that each and every one of them will find their name written in The Lamb's Book of Life. Not one will be left out.  This world cries out for you, Oh Yahuah.  I ask you for the leaders, may your will be carried out. Strengthen the righteous leaders to stand ...

  Good grief! You speak on fruit, and the testers come out of the woodwork! Road ragers, keyboard crusaders, pissy family members, disobedient dogs, inconveniences, you name it, the testing ensues. It seems like all your (my)buttons are being pushed at once, from every direction.   * feet firmly planted in The Word...get some of those step by step instructions found throughout the Word. Have scripture committed to memory, you(I) will recall them as needed ...check * listen to the guidance of The Holy Spirit... so many times we(I) hear His voice, yet don't heed the warning. Use your(my) memory of scripture to measure what you're(I'm) hearing, if it is sound, compatible with The Word, then shema ...check * remember who you(I) represent... I have a tetragrammaton in paleo Hebrew sticker in every vehicle's rear window, therefore the way I drive is judged by a certain standard because I display His Name. I try to imagine that this tetragrammaton is tatooed on my forehead,...

  First off, please don't be offended by the title.  It's a take off of "it's the economy Stupid". In politics,  the economy is used to evaluate the health of a country. In a relationship with Yahusha, in this Christian walk, Following the Way, your fruit is how you evaluate your spiritual health.   A simple google search gives this result: "fruits of the Spirit" are a list of nine qualities or virtues that the Bible says are produced in believers' lives by the Holy Spirit. These fruits, as described in Galatians 5:22-23, are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  We can go deeper, I Corinthians 13:1-13 gives us a detailed definition of Biblical love. The Psalms are a treasure trove of wisdom concerning peace, joy, and faithfulness. The Proverbs guide us through patience, self control and many other virtues.  You can find counsel concerning good fruit throughout the canonized books and the extra b...

  A few weeks ago at work a little girl gave each staff member a little Jesus figure for their operatory. "This is her ministry" reports her mom beaming with pride. It was very sweet.  The office was buzzing with chatter about the little Jesuses ( is that plural for Jesus?) for days. Since then little Jesuses were ordered for our office toy chest. You get a prize if you're a good helper,  and now a little Jesus can be yours.   When the Jesus figures first showed up, I had a few thoughts that always occur to me when looking at a Jesus painting, how does this fit with Exodus 20:4  “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under heaven"? If we're not worshipping the image are we still in violation by just having it? Did Christianity ever have a taboo on images of heavenly things? Seems like history shows us art has tried to reflect heavenly th...

  I have known Yahusha/Jesus and His Father since I was a little girl. I never hesitated, never doubted, even those years when I went my own way,  I always knew He was there.  I was aware that I put Him on the back burner, not the other way around.  I believed His promise that He'd never leave nor forsake me.  I've been Torah pursuant for over 25 years.  I asked for truth and Yah has been faithful to deliver.  Digesting the fact that I had inherited empty traditions, half truths and lies was (and still is) a bitter pill to swallow.  Sorting thru what I thought I knew, keeping what has proven to be true and discarding falsehoods, pouring over Scriptures,  and dictionaries to get to the real deal is exhausting and rewarding.  Yah has been 100% faithful to show me. He carries me along regardless of how slowly I move.  This brings me to what I really want to mull over. There is a younger lady I have "followed" on social media who made a...

  Years ago someone wise said to me, in my hour of need, "God is interested in your holiness, not your happiness." Hmmmmmm, I wasn't sure what to make of that at first. What kind of wisdom is that?  I was pretty unhappy, miserable even, perhaps a bit depressed. Happiness was my dream. What do you mean? I want to be happy!!! What is holiness? Being perfect?  HA! I pictured a hyper modestly dressed lady, immaculately clean home, willingly obedient children, always sweet, kind, and orderly, knelt in prayer, hymns, doves, halo, radiant glow...what does that even mean, holy? I am millions of miles away from that! Holiness!?!?!!?!! Ugh!!! I was indeed desperate, depressed, abused, at the bottom, broken, alone, afraid, and acutely aware of my sins. I knew my life was the consequences of my choices. All I knew to do was read my Bible and pray. Psalms, yes Psalms, anything accredited to David, the one after Yah's own heart. David knows what I'm going thru, his situation wa...

  I don't think I understood what Yahusha meant when he spoke of shifting sand till I stood on the beach ankle deep in the water at Galveston Island. (Matthew 7:24-27) As the waves came in and out the sand beneath my feet washed away. I live in Oklahoma,  you just don't get the same washing away of the sand at a lake beach.  That feeling of sand washing away beneath my feet is a perfect description of how I have felt as Yah is  opening my eyes to all the inaccurate teachings I have received.  The holidays based in paganism, the mixed traditions, how Bible canons came to be, why some books are considered Scriptures and others not, and why politics sometimes determined the canon, and it goes on. There were moments I wondered if anything I had been taught was true. That's where you find your secure foundation: Yahusha,  him crucified and resurrected.  Everything else was viewed with new eyes, weighed and either kept or discarded.  That sand washing a...

  Forty years ago I met a trans person. This was a man living as a woman. I was 20 years old and very naive. I was asked to house sit/baby sit for a husband- wife truck driving team. The husband was bringing the semi truck back to Oklahoma from a trip to Canada where he had been training a person to drive big trucks. This driver-in-training would be staying at the house with me and the children while mom and dad made a haul to Texas.  I might have been told that the driver-in-training was a woman, I don't remember.  But I don't recall being concerned about this stranger. So mom and dad pull out for their Texas haul, leaving me with this person. By all appearances,  this person seemed like a woman. I'll call her Susan, I don't remember the actual name. Not very pretty, horrible pock marked facial skin, (things I noticed as a judgemental 20 year old), but she was nice.  We had a lot of time to talk and get to know each other.  I remember getting this "guy" vi...