The Set Your Heart Messianic Blog

The Stock Show, A Multigenerational Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:17:00 +0000

Cattle on display at the North Western Stock Show.

The Stock Show was a yearly highlight for me as a child growing up in Fort Worth, Texas. Since we were city-folk and never got out to the country to actually see livestock, the Stock Show was our chance to see (and smell) God’s creation up close. Since we’ve been in Colorado, we’ve tried to go to the National Western Stock Show every year. It’s fun and it can be inexpensive if you plan for it. Since we’ve been homeschooling our children, we’ve tossed around the idea of gathering like minded families to join us on our yearly visit to the cattle yards. This year we made it official. We registered as a homeschool group, gathered some friends, and went for a trip to the Stock Show.

After our guided tour of the Stock Show grounds, my friend, Duane, made a comment that resonated with me. He noticed that the farm families included every family member in caring for their livestock. Everyone had a job; everyone had a responsibility. The farm family life is a good example of the mentor-apprentice model of education. But for farm families, it's more than just a model of education, it's a way of life. This thought brought me back to our faith and the responsibility we have in making our faith a lifestyle and our children our apprentices or disciples. In the same way that it was obvious that these families were indeed farm families, our lives should reflect the fact that we are indeed followers of Yeshua HaMashiach; and making disciples is an indication that we are one of His followers.

If you are a Believer in Yeshua, who are your disciples?

Related Links:
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo
National Western Stock Show
What is a Cowboy?
Future Farmers of America
4-H Youth Development Organization

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Jewish Apologetics, Dr. Brown Style

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:48:00 +0000

Dr. Michael Brown at Denver Seminary, 01/09/12

So I'm taking this class on Jewish Apologetics with one of my modern-day heros of the faith, Dr. Michael Brown; and I'm really enjoying it. Even though I've read the texts years ago (see list below), I don't mind going through them again. I like to sit in a classroom, watching and listening to a lecture, and interacting with the instructor. I think if I was a single guy without any responsibilities, I'd probably be a professional student. Anyway...

When most folks think of Apologetics a typical image that comes to mind is 'debating in order to win someone to Messiah', in other words 'getting them saved.' However, Apologetics is not necessarily a tool to bring people to faith. Leading someone to Messiah through Apologetics can and does happen, but these instances are not the norm. The goal of Apologetics is to equip the Believer. A study in Apologetics prepares Believers for potential questions and arguments about their faith. This class is on Jewish Apologetics or defending our faith when 'debating' a Jewish person, religious or not. Dr. Brown is an expert in this area. As a Messianic Jew, Dr. Brown has been speaking with and debating religious Jews since he was very young. His five volume book series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus are based on these personal experiences.

Dr. Brown started the discussion last night by sharing two principles of Apologetics that he finds fundamental. These principles are:

1) Adequately understanding the actual objection. Before we can begin a debate, we need to clearly understand what our opponent's objection is. We need to be patient and spend some time seeking clarity. This could be in the form of repeating their objection back to them but in our own words.

2) Feel the weight of the objection. Once we clearly understand what the objection, it is important that we are sympathetic to their point of view. We should take the time to put ourselves in their shoes; see the world through their eyes. We need to step back and resist 'pulling the trigger' on our response, even if we know we are right.

From Dr. Brown's perspective, the current Christian methods of Jewish Apologetics are nothing more than giving "answers that make us feel good." When Christians respond to Jewish arguments they are not addressing the real issues, and not doing it sympathetically, but rather "getting a monkey off of their backs." In other words, their answers and reasoning sounds good to Christians but the Jews don't buy it and are usually insulted by the Christian response. The Christian answers to Jewish questions are spoken in Christian-ese and not in a way that Jewish people can understand and accept. Christians need to approach Jewish arguments from a Jewish perspective if they want to be effective.

This can be said about any opponent in an argument or debate. When trying to reach any people group, we need to communicate to them in a way that is familiar to them and with respect. I see this all the time when Messianics try to win their Christian friends to Torah by telling them about the pagan origins of their traditions. Is that being sympathetic to their point of view? Messianics will arrogantly ask "What DID Jesus Do?" as if Christians are going to say, "Okay! I will now drop all of my beliefs and traditions just because you asked that clever question." That's an insult; a slap in the face. I'm guilty of this as much as any zealous Messianic, but over the past few years I've taken a new approach; and this class is helping me shape my approach.

In the Messianic camp folks are big on prophecy and prophets. Everyone wants to be a prophet and blow someone out of the water with the word of God and exclaim, "I showed them!" I remember once inviting our Messianic community and our neighbors to a Sukkot party at our house. Two of our Messianic friends blasted an elderly Christian neighbor for worshipping God on Sunday. They later gloated about running this little old lady out of the party. How did that interaction glorify God? It sure didn't win her to Torah.

It would do Messianics some good to keep Dr. Brown's two fundamental principles in mind when answering questions and addressing arguments with Jews and Christians.

I'm looking forward to tonights class—continuing Historical Objections and then on to Theological Objections. Rock'n Roll!

Related Links:
Jewish Apologetics - Christianity's Ongoing and Unique Challenge
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: General and Historical Objections (Vol. 1)
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: Theological Objections (Vol. 2)
Twenty-Six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus

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Richard Merrill Westfall Levi, 1956-2011

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:39:00 +0000

I received an email the week before last; someone had just lost a dear friend and they were hoping to honor him with a proper burial. He didn't have any money. He didn't have any immediate family. His extended family was probably not going to show up. All he had were his three cats - ‘King’ Kirk, Tasha, and Trina. He claimed to be a Messianic Jew, descending from the tribe of Levi; so, in keeping with his wishes, I was contacted in hopes that a Messianic Rabbi/Leader would assist in his celebration of life ceremony. How could I say no?

I had no idea who Richard Westfall was; I had never met him. In order to give him a proper eulogy, I invited his friends to come up and share their experiences and memories of Richard. As they spoke, I found out that he was quite an extraordinary person.

Richard was a Colorado native. He graduated from North High School in 1975. He attended and worked at the University of Colorado in Boulder in the Math, Chemistry and Physics departments. Although he went on to be a Nuclear Physicist, Richard never received a degree. He felt that the required Gen. Ed. courses that were necessary to secure a degree were a waste of his time. Richard had a brilliant mind; he was a genius with an IQ of 192. He was the recipient of three US Patents in the field of electrolytic crystal production for use in semiconductor device manufacture and other technologies. He presented many papers at various conferences and conventions in his field. He also co-authored various technical publications. Just prior to his death, his lastest projects were in the area of space mining and colonization.

Because of his superior mind, Richard had a hard time relating to people of average intellect. As a result, depression and loneliness took a toll on him. At low points, he often found solace in substance and alcohol abuse.

Richard left behind a wealth of ideas and concepts that may very well change the future of space exploration and nuclear power. He also left behind many fond memories with his friends and colleagues. As they came up and shared their stories about Richard, I looked around the room and saw the smiles on their faces and eyes beaming with joy as the remembered their dear friend. It truly was a celebration of his life. I was honored to participate.

Related Links:
Richard Westfall, Obituary
Richard Merrill Westfall Levi, Resume
Richard's Website

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Chanukah: It's a Tradition, Not a Commandment

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:44:00 +0000

My Chanukiah Menorah

Like I mentioned before, some Messianics pagan-ize everything. I was told that a guest at our Chanukah Fair was making a fuss that Chanukiahs, Dreidels, and other Jewish traditions—are pagan. But I saw this individual playing with a Dreidel, so maybe it's not that pagan? I don't know how this pagan-izing thing works because everything seems to be pagan. How do these kinds of people function in this pagan society? I do admit that some Chanukah traditions have come from other cultures, but it does not mean that they are pagan. I would say they are secular, or neutral. To quote from a previous blog post:

In case you haven’t noticed, borrowing from surrounding cultures is a very Jewish thing. Think about it; Klezmer music, the Yiddish language, gefilte fish, lox and bagels, dreidels, latkes, homentashn, kreplach, kugel – all of these are considered to be Jewish customs and traditions, however they were all influenced by the Eastern European culture that surrounded the Ashkenazi Jews. - Are Chanukah Presents Pagan? Dec 20, 2011

Chanukiahs (9-branched candelabras), Dreidels (spinning tops), Latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufganiot (donuts) are man-made Chanukah traditions. Chanukah is a man-made tradition. Because of this fact, and because of its close proximity to Christmas, you will find all kinds of gimmicks and mixtures out there in order to make a buck. Chanukah Bushes, Chrismukkah Decorations and Santa Dreidels are only a few examples. I’ve seen Chanukiah Menorahs with Sports themes, Disney themes, and even one with a Star Trek theme. I’ve seen Chanukiahs made out of Liquor Bottles, Beer Bottles, Pez Dispensers and Surfboards. I’ve seen them shaped like Automobiles, Animals and even People. But, I guarantee, you will not find a 7-branched Menorah shaped like a person in an Orthodox Synagogue. This is because the 7-branched Menorah represents the Presence of Hashem. However, observant Jews will use the ‘creatively shaped’ Chanukiah Menorahs in their homes during Chanukah. They believe these Chanukiahs are okay to use because Chanukah is not a Biblical Festival.

You typically do not find this same kind of 'mixing' with the traditions of the commanded Biblical Festivals like Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) or Shabbat (Sabbath). You may stumble upon a grocery store with a sale on ham for Passover, but that is out of total ignorance. Have you ever noticed that the other minor Jewish festival, Purim, does not get as much attention from retailers as Chanukah? Retailers can make much more money on Chanukah because it falls so close to Christmas and it’s 8-days of gift giving, for some anyway; and Purim does not have a popular, nationwide holiday that is close to it. Mardi Gras? Maybe. But we will talk about that later.

Another thing—Chanukiahs, Latkes and Sufganiot commemorate the so-called Miracle of the Oil. Did it really happen? I don’t know. And where are Dreidels mentioned in the books of the Maccabees? They’re not. These Chanukah traditions do not do justice to the real story and the real miracle, which is the Maccabees victory over the Greeks and their fight against forced assimilation. During Chanukah, I focus on the Maccabee story with my family. Yes we do the traditional stuff too, but I make sure that the Maccabee story is central.

While it is true that Hashem performed miracles for the Maccabees and delivered the mighty Greek army into their hands, it was they, the Maccabees—not Hashem, who instituted this celebration. Although we recognize it, celebrate it and participate in the traditional festivities, there is a big difference between Chanukah and the Moedim (Appointed Times). Chanukah is a man-made tradition but Hashem commands us to celebrate the Moedim.

Finally, are Dreidels pagan? No. They're secular. They're neutral. The Dreidel, or Sevivon in Hebrew, is a traditional, cultural toy. The spinning top is not unique to the Jewish people and no, the Maccabees did not invent it. Many cultures have their own version of a spinning top game and some date back to before the time of the Maccabees. Is the Dreidel holy? No. If it is, then so are Latkes, Sufganiot and all of those crazy shaped Chanukiahs. These things are only traditions and most of them are borrowed from and/or influenced by other cultures.

We should not be afraid to enjoy these traditions. However, we do need to be on the lookout for mixtures that would not be honoring to Hashem. Below are some unique Chanukiah and Dreidel ideas that I found on the Internet. Some are pretty cool, some are downright wrong.

Chanukiot

This is nice. I'd use this one. Would be a nightmare to clean though.

I don't think I'd make a Chanukiah like this in my house.

I'm not a Disney fan. Would probably pass on this one.

Very interesting.

Shoes? Really?

I love this country but I'm not too wild about the Eagle or the Lady Liberty image.

Definitely staying away from this one.

Dreidels

Eh, I don't think so.

Again, I'm not a Disney fan.

Reminds me of my D&D days. Not for me.

I've always had a problem with snow globes.

What is this?

I know it's not a real Dreidel, I thought it was funny.

These guys took the Dreidel game to another level.
I've never tried it but I've been told it's fun.

We bought one of these this year for our family
and we gave 3 away as prizes. This is a blast!

Red flag. Stay away.

I thought this was a joke but you can actually buy this one—but don't.

Worship And Praise Are Not The Same Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:03:00 +0000

I'm not a fan of the sermon series and, actually, I don't know of too many local pastors who can pull them off well. This past weekend, however, I heard the first sermon in a series on worship and praise and I know it's going to be a great series. I'm really excited about it and I've been thinking about it all day. The pastor started a great foundation for this teaching. I've heard this guy teach before and I know he is good at staying on topic and carefully covering everything he sets out to. That's why I know it's going to be good. Anyway, I wanted to put down some thoughts and visuals that came to mind when I heard this teaching...

Figure 1.1

People usually refer to the 'music and singing' part of a service as 'Praise and Worship.' However, 'Praise and Worship' are not the same thing. Anything you do to honor God as God is worship (Figure 1.1). Obedience is honoring to God. Praying to God is honoring to God. Putting your faith in God is honoring to God. Praising God is honoring to God.

So, praise is a form of worship.

Figure 1.2

Praise isn't just speaking words of admiration and homage. Praise is an emotional expression of delight in God. Praise can come in many forms, to name a few - musically, with singing, with dancing, and with words (Figure 1.2).

Finally, joy is the foundation of our praises to God.

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said,

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth..."

- Luke 10:21, NIV

Where does the joy come from?

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Chanukah and the Legacy of Mattityahu

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:05:00 +0000

The Rockin' 3rd Annual Front Range Messianic Chanukah Fair

Imagine what it would be like to change history, to actually make history. What would it take? Being in the right place at the right time would be a good start; but more importantly it would take courage. Enough courage to actually make history happen. Keep in mind, making history and watching history being made are two totally different things—and I'm not talking about watching.

This year as I went through the Chankuah story with my family I couldn't help but notice that Mattityahu (aka Mattathias) was a model father. As he mourned for the sins committed in Judea and Jerusalem, Mattityahu and his sons tore their clothes and donned sackcloth and ashes. He didn't mourn alone, his sons joined him. Mattityahu was a priest and a descendent of Pinchas (Phineas) the grandson of Aharon (Aaron). Because he was a priest we can conclude that he taught his children the traditions of the Jewish people and showed them how to have a close relationship with Hashem. This was the duty of the lineage of Aharon, to pass along the traditions from generation to generation. Even the officials in Antiochus' army recognize Mattityahu as an influencial leader and a man who was well respected by his family. After Antiochus' officials try to persuade him with money and recognition, he speaks up for his entire family:

19 Mattathias answered in a loud voice, "I don't care if every Gentile in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the command to abandon the religion of his ancestors.
20 My children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made with our ancestors.
21 With God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands.
22 We will not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the least."
(1 Maccabees 2:19-22, GNT)

After making this statement, a Jewish man steps up to offer a sacrifice to the pagan idol but Mattityahu kills him. He then gathers those who were still faithful to the Torah and along with his sons, they flee to the wilderness and began a campaign of guerilla warfare against Antiochus and his mighty army.

When it came time for Mattityahu to die, on his deathbed he charged his sons to remain faithful to the Torah and to defend it with their very lives. He encouraged them by recounting the faithfulness of their ancestors Abraham, Joseph, Phineas, Joshua, Caleb, David, Elijah, Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael and Daniel. After his death, all of Israel mourned for the great Mattityahu.

Before he died, Mattityahu placed his son, Judah, as the new leader of the small Jewish army. Judah was also a man of great faith. He fasted and prayed with his men and consulted the Torah on how they were to conduct themselves in the absence of the Temple. He led the Jews to victory after victory, giving all the glory to Hashem. Once they captured the Temple, they cleaned it up, made new vessels and instruments, and rededicated it to Hashem. Then they celebrated for eight days, like Sukkot. This was the first Chanukah.

Once a year for two millennia Jews have celebrated the miracles that Hashem did for the Maccabees and the Maccabees are remembered for their courage and great faith to step out and actually make history. Chanukah is like a tribute to the legacy of Mattityahu. A father who diligently taught his children the Torah of Hashem and the traditions of the Jewish people. He was a father who demonstrated great faith, courage and self sacrifice. He is a father that we can all learn from.

Are you raising world changers? Are you leaving behind a legacy like Mattityahu?

Suggested Reading:
1 Maccabees 1 (GNT)
2 Maccabees 1 (GNT)

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Sej Kandelikas - Six Little Candles

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:13:00 +0000

Chanukah 2011
Moses (6 mo), Michaela (13), Miryam (7), Aaron (5), Isaac (9), Maya (11)

The days of celebrating Chanukah will come to a close as the sun sets this evening. This has been a very fun and fulfilling Chanukah for our family and our community. Late last night, my children began the process of flaking the multi-colored wax off of their menorahs. As I listened to them laughing and joking around in the living room, I could tell that they had a good time this year; I hope a memorable one. At dinner last night Aaron said to me, "I am so happy. Our Chanukah has made me happy. I like Chanukah, Sukkot and Shabbat; but I like Shabbat the best." He's right. The Moedim and Minor Festivals come once a year, but Shabbat is celebrated fifty two times a year - that is, once a week.

We are a Messianic family, there is no question about it. My children have been brought up in the Torah, this is all they know. I pray that they, like the Maccabees, are able to come against the allure of the world around them and the temptation to assimilate and be absorbed into secular and pagan cultures. May they walk with Messiah Yeshua all the days of their lives. May their lights shine brightly in this dark world.

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Are Chanukah Presents Pagan?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:09:00 +0000

In the Messianic Movement we tend to ‘pagan-ize’ everything about all of the traditions we have forsaken. We link the gifts given at Christmas to ancient pagan child sacrifices; therefore giving gifts during this season is typically avoided by some Messianics. I never made this connection growing up in a Roman Catholic home. I was taught that the gifts were connected to our gift of the baby Jesus and/or the gifts given by the three wise men. However, as I got older I began to despise the gift-giving part of Christmas. The gifts became more and more the central part of Christmas overshadowing the birth of Jesus. It is common knowledge that the song ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ and Christmas advertisements by Coca-Cola helped to create the image of Santa Claus in the US. Since then, the commercialization of Christmas (i.e, gift-giving) took off. The biggest money making season for the US retail market begins on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and ends on Christmas. Christmas is now a huge money making machine and a bona fide American tradition.

Just because pagans practice gift giving doesn’t make gift-giving pagan. Pagans do a lot of things that believers do. They light candles, they sing, they dance, they offer sacrifices and they hold communal meals. The practice of these things is not bad, but who, what, when, where, why, and how they are done is the important part.

Keep in mind that Chanukah is not a commanded festival (Leviticus 23). Did Yeshua recognize it? Yes (John 10:22), and He took advantage of it’s significance; but Chanukah is more like a ‘civil’ celebration than a Moed (Appointed Time) of Hashem. Therefore, the celebration of it is all tradition. Who makes the traditions? We do. In case you haven’t noticed, borrowing from surrounding cultures is a very Jewish thing. Think about it; Klezmer music, the Yiddish language, gefilte fish, lox and bagels, dreidels, latkes, homentashn, kreplach, kugel – all of these are considered to be Jewish customs and traditions, however they were all influenced by the Eastern European culture that surrounded the Ashkenazi Jews.

I’ve heard that there was a Jewish tradition to give roaming Torah Teachers gelt at the end of the year, around wintertime. This tradition evolved into giving the gelt to children, which has now evolved into giving gifts during Chanukah. Is this true? I’m not sure, but I have also heard that gift giving during Chanukah is an American Jewish tradition and not done so much in Israel.

So, when American Jews give gifts during Chanukah, are they borrowing from American culture or are they offering ancient pagan child sacrifices to Hashem? All the Jewish folks that I’ve talked to admit that gift giving during Chanukah is only a concession because of Christmas. It is an attempt to make Chanukah more appealing in order keep their children connected to the Jewish faith while living in a materialistic culture. Is that really a bad thing? I wouldn’t recommend going into debt to give gifts to your children, but spending a couple of dollars might be worth it.

If giving gifts during this ‘civil’ holiday bugs you, the next ‘civil’ holiday, Purim, is another opportunity for you to give gifts. In fact, Esther and Mordechai actually recommended that during Purim, everyone should give “gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.” (Esther 9:19, 22)

Look at it all with a ‘grain of discernment’ and during Chanukah, give gifts as you feel led. My only caveat is to be careful not to make the gifts the central theme of your celebrations.

Related Articles:
Hanukkah, American Style, (MyJewishLearning.com)
Re-inventing Chanukah in America (Washington Post, by David Saperstein, December 24, 2011)

Angels and Giants?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Nephilim in Denver?
(This photo has not been altered in any way, I promise.)

Over the past decade of studying and walking in the Torah I have noticed that, in the Messianic Movement, there are a few nonessential issues that seem to distract the well intentioned. These incidental topics seem to rise above the essentials and are given more time than they require. One of these subjects is the identity of the Sons of God and the Nephilim found in Genesis 6:1-4. I have to admit, early on in my Torah journey I was enamored with this topic. I marveled at the idea of a race of giant people who were part-human and part-angelic being. Not only were these men extremely large, they were also believed to have extraordinary superhuman abilities. This took me back to childhood fantasies of the mythological characters Hercules and Perseus. The belief is that, because of the sin between these fallen angels and man, and because of the product of that sin (i.e., these enormous wicked mutant half-breeds) Adonai flooded the earth.

The belief that the Sons of God were angels is not unique to the Messianic Community and it is not a new concept. This debate has been around for a long, long time and it has been the topic of many articles, books, conferences, and websites. Because of it's popularity as a fascinating subject some Bible teachers focus their entire ministries on this and other unusual Biblical topics and conspiracy theories. It is important to note that there are many well-known and well-respected scholars who believe that the sons of God were angels. Likewise, there are many well-known and well-respected scholars who do not. The fact that not all scholars agree on this issue should give us a clue that we are not going to figure out who is right anytime soon, but that's okay. We don't have to figure it out because it is a nonessential issue; but it is also okay to have a stance on the subject. We can have varying perspectives on this topic and still fellowship with each other because it is not a reason to divide.

In October 2009 we began a three-year journey through the Torah as a community. We slowly covered the book of Genesis over a period of one year. After this slow and deliberate study I have come to the conclusion that the Sons of God were not angels but men. Once I understood the context of the passage in the chapter and how it fit into the context of the Book, it was clear to me that the Sons of God could not be angelic beings. Here's a quick overview of my new perspective:

1 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.- Genesis 6:1-4, NAS

Leading up to this passage we have The Creation account in Chapters 1 and 2, The Fall of Man in Chapter 3, Cain and Abel in Chapter 4, and The Generations of Adam leading up to Noah in Chapter 5. In The Creation account Adonai made everything and it was ALL good. With The Fall, sin enters the picture and with Cain and Abel we see the result of sin, which is death. The descendants of Cain are then traced down to the 7th generation. The generations of Cain prove to be an ungodly line of men. These wicked men are contrasted against the line of Seth, who was born to Adam as a 'replacement' for the righteous son, Abel, who was killed by Cain. After the birth of Seth, the text says that "men began to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26, NAS). This event was a revival that kicked-off a line of godly men that lead up to Noah, who was righteous, blameless and walked with Adonai. The generations of Adam through Seth proved to be godly sons, righteous men.

I believe that the Sons of God are the descendants of the godly line of Seth and the daughters of men are the descendants of the wicked line of Cain. Back in Genesis 3:15 Adonai promises to put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between the serpent's seed and the woman's seed. This promised seed of the woman would bruise the serpent on the head, and the serpent would bruise the promised seed on the heel. We understand that this promised seed who was to come from the woman was Yeshua. Do you think Adonai would allow His promised seed to come from the generations of wicked Cain? Of course not. This is why Seth is born to replace Abel; and when Adonai saw that the godly line of Seth was becoming tainted by the wicked descendants of Cain, He was grieved. The result of the marriages between Seth's descendants and Cain's descendants was a generation of violent people or Nephilim. We don't know for sure what Nephilim means. Some hypothesize that it is a name derived from the Hebrew word naphal which means 'to fall upon' as in an attack. Were the Nephilim giants or a race of extremely tall people? Could be. Were they superhuman-mutant half-breeds? I don't think so.

That's a quick overview of my take on the Sons of God. It's not a new perspective but it's the one that I see fits the overall context of the Scriptures. In my opinion, angels and giant superhuman-mutants are a distraction that lead well intentioned believers down the wrong path wasting their time. Besides, there are some significant problems with idea that the Sons of God are angels. Here are two:

Yeshua said that angels don't marry (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:34). But in Genesis 6:2 it says the Sons of God took the daughters of men to be their wives (i.e., marriage). I know, "He said 'don't' not 'can't'. These were bad angels and they didn't follow the rules!" The point is that angels do not reproduce, they are asexual beings.
Adonai only judged man (i.e., human beings). If the Sons of God were angels, and they were the ones who seduced the daughters of men, wouldn't they be punished too? In the garden didn't Adonai mete out justice to the serpent first for his part in the whole deal before judging Adam and Eve? Why are the angels in this passage allowed to get away without any consequences?

If you don't agree with me, before we talk about this topic, I challenge you to reread and closely study Genesis 1-7 and remember, the entire book of Genesis is tracing the line to the seed promised in Genesis 3. This is why the phrase 'these are the generations of...' is repeated over and over again throughout the book.

Remember, this is a nonessential issue so if you don't agree with me, we can still be friends ;)

Related Links:
Who Are The Sons of God?
(A post from the Front Range Messianic Community website.)

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The Smooth Tongue of the Foreign Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
To keep you from the evil woman,
From the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
- Proverbs 6:23,24 (NAS)

In the Proverbs there are two types of women described in detail. One we warn our sons to stay away from, the other we encourage them to look for as a wife. One we teach our daughters not to be like, the other we encourage them to model their lives after. The latter half of Proverbs 6 is about the one that boys should avoid and girls should not emulate. Verses 20-35 contain a parental warning to a son to stay away, far away, from her because she is an adulteress woman.

Some Bibles translate 'the adulteress' (nok-ree': foreigner or foreign woman - i.e. harlot) as the wayward wife, the promiscuous woman, the strange woman, the estranged woman, the loose woman, the vile woman, and the seductress. Obviously she's not a good person to 'hook-up' with. She's trouble, big trouble and if you get involved with her you will regret it for the rest of your life.

We can surmise by the use of the word 'adulteress' that she is a married woman. She already has a husband so why is she looking for another man? Well, she's evil; she's worldly. Her desire is for self gratification; she lives for the moment. She is a foreigner; a pagan. Her standards are contrary to the standards of Adonai; covenant faithfulness is not something she is concerned about. Stay away from her. She is seductive and will only lead you down the path of destruction.

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What commandment is a lamp and what teaching is light?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:47:00 +0000

When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
- Proverbs 6:22-23 (NAS)

This morning during family devotions we continued our trek through Proverbs. Today we looked at Proverbs 6:20-23. In the context of the passage the commandment and the teaching that are being referenced are the commandment and teaching of parents. If we keep reading, in verse 24 we learn the reason for the parental instructions. The parents are sharing wisdom "to keep [their son] from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress." Although the world is a much different place today than it was during Solomon's time, we still have these same immorality problems. Sin seems to transcend time but so does The Word of God. The principles found in the Proverbs still applies for us today.

Children are commanded to honor their father and their mother; this includes obeying them. The commandment and teaching of the parents in Proverbs 6 are basically their interpretation and application of the Torah in the daily life of their family. In the Torah, Adonai commands us not to commit adultery. In Proverbs 6, these parents share some insights with their son explaining to him how he can avoid adultery by telling him what or who to stay away from. They also explain to him the consequences if he does succumb to this serious transgression.

As parents, we must impart godly wisdom to our children. We have to take the time to teach them the Word of God and to help them apply these principles to their lives in our modern society. The times have changed but the Word of God remains the same.

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The Many Flavors of Messianic Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Messianic Congregations vary in flavor like these fruits.

Recently, while talking to an 'old-timer' in the Messianic Movement, I mentioned the idea of fellowship between the congregations in the Greater Messianic Community of our local area. He said, "Greater Messianic Community? There is no local Messianic Community in our area because Messianic doesn't mean anything anymore." He went on to explain that back-in-the-day (in the early 80's) the title 'Messianic' meant one thing which basically included Yeshua, the Torah, Jews and Gentiles. Nowadays the title 'Messianic' is used to describe a very wide variety of congregations with varying beliefs, doctrines and values. He lamented over the changes that he has witnessed in the Messianic Movement over the past 30 years. To him, this change has not been positive.

I began my walk in Torah at a charismatic Messianic congregation in 2000. Coming from a Catholic background with no exposure to Christian denominations, I found this charismatic expression of worship very interesting and I assumed that all Messianic congregations were just like it; but after visiting a few others I realized that they were not. Also, after investigating the Christian Church and Rabbinic Synagogues over the past 10 years, it seems to me that some Messianic congregations are just Christian Churches with a Jewish veneer and others are just Rabbinic Synagogues with Yeshua inserted here and there. There are even some congregations who call themselves 'Messianic' but deny the divinity of Yeshua! Oy vey!

I can understand why this 'old-timer' was not happy with the changes that he has seen. I've only been doing this for a decade and I've seen some changes that I don't like; but just like God gave people their individuality, I believe every community will be and should be unique. It's the people who attend that make the community unique and special. The people are the DNA of the community.

Are you looking for a Messianic Community in Colorado? Visit: messianiccolorado.com

I'm Upgrading, Again

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Oodles of old, stretched wrapped CRT Monitors
sit on pallets in the Goodwill warehouse.

It's been about two and a half weeks since my last post (which, by the way, generated close to 1,000 unique visits in just 2 days! A new record for www.SetYourHeart.org!). It's hard to follow a post like that. Besides, I've got a lot of 'stuff' in the hopper these days; plus, I've been feeling like old, sluggish hardware. You know, when you get a new computer it's fast, fun and exciting. There are new gadgets, software and options to explore. It's inspiring. When you get a new, larger monitor the picture is clearer. You can see more of the desktop. You can open windows larger. You can get more done, or so it seems. I'm needing to make some changes in my life in order to ignite that fire of creativity and inspiration. I'm needing an upgrade, or should I say—I am in the process of upgrading.

Lately, it's been a very busy, but a very creative time for me, my family and our community. More ideas and more projects are popping up and some are just over the horizon. It's time for a change—I am changing.

Suggested Reading:
How To Change Your Church

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Culture of Death In Children's Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:12:00 +0000

A cute array of clothes for boys (0-24 mos)

I haven't been to the mall in a long time. Actually, last year I went to the Apple Store, but that was an in-and-out visit. I'm not a mall shopper. Anyway, Margaret was on a quest for the sturdiest boys pants. In the past we got the boy's pants at Walmart, but they don't last very long. One time Aaron wore a hole in his Walmart pants in one day! We stopped by Old Navy but the pants there seemed a bit thin too. Margaret recalled a pair of pants that Isaac had from the Gap that withstood his rough handling, so we went there to see what they had.

Because we are followers of Yeshua and observers of His Torah, I knew that the whole mall would be filled with fashions and designs that we would not agree with. I knew that in the Gap there would be clothes that we would not want for our children; but what I saw really took me by surprise. I did not expect to see this. Keep in mind, today is November 16th, two weeks after Halloween. All of the Halloween decorations are gone. The mall is now covered with Christmas colors and embellishments; Christmas songs are played in most of the stores and Santa hats are on all of the mannequins. Like the other stores, the Gap had their winter clothes prominently displayed in their windows.

As I walked through the boys clothes in the Gap, I noticed a green and blue argyle sweater that I thought would look nice on Isaac. After I picked it up and looked at it closer, I noticed that it had skulls woven into the pattern! I couldn't believe it. Why? Why would anyone want skulls on their children's clothing? How is this acceptable? I thought maybe it was a leftover sweater from Halloween, but it was a new item. As I continued to walk through the boys clothes I noticed more skull patterns and prints on many of the shirts, sweaters, jackets and hats. These clothes were not dark and creepy looking, but were bright and with fun colors. It's as if skulls have become an acceptable image to wear on our everyday clothing. Are skulls no longer associated with the occult and death but now accepted in our society as ordinary symbols? How did this happen? It's a juxtaposition of images, colors and children that I cannot fathom.

What was even more alarming to me was that these patterns were not only on the boys clothes, they were also on the baby's clothing. Below are photos of the clothes for baby boys 0-24 months old. Click on the photos below to see them in detail. Would you put these clothes on your baby boy?

Flannel skull shirt

Printed skull socks

Skull shawl cardigan

Argyle skull hat

Skull argyle sweater vest

Related Links:
Gap - Baby Boys (0-24 Mos)
Punk Baby Clothes
Crazy Baby Clothing

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Don't Lose Them!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:09:00 +0000

If you have attended Shabbat Service at our congregation you probably noticed that the children stay with their parents during the service time. This is because we do not hold Shabbat School or have a nursery. This is one of the unique qualities of our community and one that we have been criticized for. We believe that this is one of the essential elements in keeping our children in the Church once they become young adults.

There's a new book out by the president of the Barna Group, David Kinnaman, called You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith. For the past five years the Barna Group has been researching young adults who have dropped out of the Church in order to find the reasons why. This book is a summary of what they learned and some suggestions on how not to lose them in the future.

I haven't read the book yet, but I have read a sample chapter, some book reviews and some related articles. From what I've heard and read, it seems it all boils down to building and maintaining relationships with the young people in the Church and helping them to feel like they are part of the community. This is precisely what we are trying to achieve by keeping the children in the entire service and allowing them to participate.

Below is a suggestion from a ministry leader that supports our position. This idea was posted on the Ideas for Finding a Generation page in the youlostmebook.com website.

Share the Youth Ministry Load

Young people need to feel connected in authentic relationship with as many mature Christians as possible. For too long we have been fooled into believing that hiring a cool youth pastor and a dynamic children’s director will be enough to create transformed, life-long disciples in our kids.

Relationships that are built in age-segregated church compartments result in graduating high school students who have no significant relationships to call them back to the Body. Why would they want to come to a place where no one even knows their name? Instead, we need to teach entire congregation how to become a vital part of the ministry to our children and youth so that real, face-to-face, authentic, life-long Christian relationships can grow between the generations. A congregational commitment to do whatever it takes to raise our children in the faith must begin with the senior pastor and flow out to every adult in the body!

What if we started by hanging a mirror in the church entry with “Our Youth Pastor” in large letters printed on the top so that whenever any adult looked in the mirror they would see their own reflection?

Lorraine Frey 
Educator, leader and trainer for The LOGOS Ministry

Related Links:

You Lost Me,
By David Kinnaman

Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts,
November 16, 2011, The Barna Group

What Teens Aspire to Do in Life, How Churches Can Help,
June 14, 2011, The Barna Group

New Research Explores How Different Generations View and Use the Bible,
October 19, 2009, The Barna Group

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Gearing Up For Chanukah

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Chanukah 2010
Michaela (12), Aaron (4), Miryam (6), Isaac (8), Maya (10)

It seems like the Moedim ended just yesterday and now Chanukah is right around the corner. It will be here before we know it. Time goes by so fast nowadays. I can’t believe we’ve been walking in Torah for 11 years now. My oldest is now 13 years old. We began our Torah journey when she was two. My children only know and remember a Torah lifestyle. Baruch Hashem. You could say that we are pioneers in our family. We are starting a new way of life and set of traditions for our children. Can we pull it off?

All of the ‘adult’ Israelites that Adonai brought out of Egypt, died in the wilderness. They never saw the Promised Land because of their sin. Their children, however, who came out of Egypt and those born in the wilderness, were able to enter the Promised Land with Joshua. However, once Joshua and this generation died, the next generation fell away from Adonai. The Scriptures say that they “did not know the LORD or the work that He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10) How could they not know Adonai or His work? Because they did not witness the wonders that Adonai did in Egypt or in the wilderness; and their parents must not have taught them.

This fact inspires me to continue to diligently teach our children about Adonai and His Son, Yeshua. I pray that our children walk in His ways all of the days of their lives. I pray that they continue these traditions and pass them along to their children and their children’s children. We’ve been given a multigenerational faith. We’ve got to live it if we are going to pass it on and keep it alive.

“For I have chosen him,

that he may command his children and his household after him

to keep the way of the LORD

by doing righteousness and justice…”

- Genesis 18:19 (ESV)

Comic Book Maps and Such

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Baxter Building Cutaway - Fantastic Four #3

I stumbled upon a blog, Comic Book Cartography : A Collection of Maps and Diagrams, and I've spent some time looking at the images and reminiscing about my old comic book collection. The blog only has about nine pages and I don't think it is being updated anymore; but the pages it does have are filled with cool maps, cut-aways and diagrams. I used to get lost in drawing diagrams like this when I was a kid. I had a roll of butcher paper and would tack a long strip on my bedroom wall. I'd recuit my brother and some friends to spend hours with me drawing our own worlds or crazy inventions. I think I'm going to show this blog to my boys.

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Paul Wilbur at Beth Abraham

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:30:00 +0000

I've been to a Church in the City event in their old building and I saw the old BMH synagogue before it was refurbished; but I have not been inside it since it was finished. We recently went to Shabbat Service at Beth Abraham for the first time. Beth Abraham started their Shabbat services in the refurbished synagogue a few weeks after were started meeting in the famed The White Building. We've been so busy for the past three years that we've never made it down there to see it. Anyway, I met Pastor Stew and he invited us to the Paul Wilbur concert this Friday. We will probably go, even though we just saw him at Roeh, because Bubbe is a huge Paul Wilbur fan and when he's in town, she's there. Anyway...

In case you've never been to the refurbished Beth Abraham synagogue, let me tell you, it is an awesome facility! Check it out - click on the photos below to see a larger view:

The historic BMH synagogue is refurbished.

The windows and the lights are originals!

If you've never been, what better time to go and see this beautiful facility than when Paul Wilbur is in concert? They've got a pretty good sound system too!

Paul Wilbur : Concert in the CityFriday, November 4th, 2011
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Admission is FREE

Church in The City - Beth Abraham1580 Gaylord Street
Denver Co 80206

Rock Shabbat at Beth Abraham! When ya see me at the show, ya better holla at me!

Related Articles:
Denver church restores synagogue, Denver Post (03/28/09)
Then, BMH; now . . .church in the city, Intermountain Jewish News (11/20/08)

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The Pagan Origins of Thanksgiving?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:28:00 +0000

The Four Turkeys of the Apocalypse?

In my previous post about the pagan roots of Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Halloween I thought it was safe to make the following statement:

"Unlike Independence Day and Thanksgiving,

the origins of these four holidays have pagan roots."

But a few folks on facebook said that I was 'ignorant' for believing that the roots of Independence Day (4th of July) and Thanksgiving were not pagan. I thought it was a joke but they were serious and very passionate about their position. One of them hopes that God will have mercy on me because of my ignorance. Another said ignorance is no excuse. Uh-boy.

I don't have time to address this, but I did find an article that does address Thanksgiving:

Is Thanksgiving Day Really Pagan? (PDF, 102 KB)
by William F. Dankenbring

I don't know who the author is or what his other beliefs are; but after I skimmed this document I thought it was a good analysis and response to the claim that the origins of Thanksgiving are pagan.

As far as the 4th of July is concerned—I cannot fathom the idea that anyone would consider the commemoration of the independence of our nation as pagan. It simply boggles my mind, but as I found out, there are folks out there who really do believe this. In my opinion, this is so far off the mark it doesn't even qualify as straining a gnat.

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Easter, Halloween — Same Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:26:00 +0000

The new chocolate covered Jack-O-Lantern Peeps.
I saw this at the gas station.

I'm not big on marshmallows but my kids are; especially in s'mores. I guess they're fun to roast over the campfire, but I don't go out of my way to buy them for myself. Growing up, I never got into the Peeps marshmallow chicks for Easter. Mom would put them in our Easter baskets but I wouldn't eat them; I'd give them away. But regardless of my opinion, Peeps have been the quintessential Easter candy for some time now. Their marshmallow chicks have been an Easter tradition for families in the U.S. since the 50's. After visiting their website I discovered that, in 1958, Peeps began expanding their line of marshmallow shaped candies to accomodate other holidays. They now have marshmallow shaped candies for Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Halloween. Besides a Peeps candy tribute, what do these four holidays have in common? Unlike Independence Day and Thanksgiving, the origins of these four holidays have pagan roots. If you find this alarming, I encourage you to do some research. Below are links to Google search results that will help you begin your investigation:

For the record, I'm not saying that Peeps are pagan, but I do know they are not Kosher.

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Self-Excommunication and Matthew 18

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:57:00 +0000

In this blog post I will examine two comments made by Senior Pastor Mark McLellan in his Pastor's Corner commentary found on his congregation's website. The entry in question is titled In The Beginning... (The publication date was not provided. The link was sent to me on Tuesday, October 26, 2011.) In this essay McLellan comments on the two couples and the one single person who have been disfellowshipped from his congregation in the 17 years of his leadership. He also explains his understanding of the basis for congregational disfellowship in Matthew 18:15-20.

As a former elder of the Harvest I take issue with this commentary because I was part of one of these disfellowships and I do not recall the same outcome. I would be remiss not to address it. In addition, I find his understanding of the Matthew 18 passage flawed and believe that this errant understanding goes beyond the halakah of a local community and it will have ramifications that effect other Messianic communities. I believe that a proper understanding of the passages in Scripture that instruct us how to disfellowship are vitally important.

I find these two statements in this public commentary quite alarming and deserving of closer examination and questioning; especially in light of recent events.

Self-Excommunication

In his commentary, McLellan states the following regarding the single person who was disfellowshipped from the Harvest:

“The single person had excommunicated herself and we simply acknowledged and upheld it.”

How does an individual excommunicate herself?
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, excommunication is 1) an ecclesiastical censure depriving a person of the rights of church membership and 2) exclusion from fellowship in a group or community. So self-excommunication would mean excluding oneself from fellowship in a community. This is a general description based on the latter definition. But in an ecclesiastical sense, self-excommunication would mean that the individual has deprived herself of church membership. How does that work?

How does someone perform a self-excommunication?
In the Catholic Church self-excommunication can be 'automatic' if a member of the church commits a sin, like having or even approving an abortion. By willfully committing a sinful act, a person could instantly cut themselves off from the Catholic Church. Also, people who choose to 'officially' leave the Catholic Church and renounce their faith can go through a process of de-baptising themselves. This is also a form of self-excommunication. I do not believe that either of these examples is what is being referred to in McLellan's statement.

What is self-excommunication in a Torah Community?
The woman who 'excommunicated herself' remains a believer in the Body of Messiah today. She has not renounced her faith like the example above. It has been common knowledge that she joined another Messianic Community in the Metro Denver area. So, what is self-excommunication? How did she excommunicate herself? And how was this 'simply acknowledged and upheld?' Are self-excommunications only binding to the local kehilat? Should every local kehilat have self-excommunication as part of it's halakah? All of this is a very puzzling enigma that begs for further clarification.

Matthew 18:15-20

In his commentary, McLellan explains his understanding of the basis for congregational disfellowship in Matthew 18:15-20:

“…the basis of congregational disfellowship found in Matt. 18:15-20 is not the initial sin being brought to (or attempting to be brought to) the attention of the respondent(s), it is the on going and stubborn refusal of the respondent to simply meet with the petitioner/witnesses from the congregation they are a part of, to hear the initial concerns.”

According to Mark McLellan’s understanding of Matthew 18:15-20, the sin of the individual is not the basis for congregational disfellowship, it is the refusal to meet. With this rationale, an individual can continue in their sin and avoid disfellowhip by simply meeting with the person or people who are concerned about their sinful behavior. I do not see 'simply meeting' as the goal of the passage. While a meeting is a vehicle for communication, it is not the basis for disfellowship. Matthew 18:15 says 'go to your brother', it doesn't say 'call a meeting and have him come to you.' Nowadays 'going to your brother' can be in the form of a personal visit, a phone call, or even a letter; but it must be done 'in private.' Announcing to the entire community or Cc-ing everyone on your email list that you are beginning 'Step One' of the Matthew 18 Process is not private. It has to be one-on-one, in private.

The basis for congregational disfellowship in Matthew 18:15-20 is the refusal of the sinning brother or sister to repent of their transgression after it has been brought to their attention. The point is to save them from his or her immoral behavior and if they refuse to repent, to protect the body from their leavening sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-6).

The steps of Matthew 18:15-20 are clear:

Go to the sinning brother in private, one-on-one, and show him his sin so he will repent (v.15).
If he doesn’t listen to you, then take one or two other people with you, as witnesses, and confront him again (v.16).
If he still refuses to listen to you and your witnesses, then tell the entire ekklesia (local community) (v.17a).
If he refuses to listen to the entire community then disfellowship (excommunicate) him (v.17b). This includes contacting other local congregations and alerting them to this situation encouraging them to point the sinning brother back to the ekklesia so he can make amends.

A few side notes: When initiating the steps of Matthew 18:15-20, whether you are a church leader or church member, if you intentionally manipulate the process, you might be guilty of sin. Also, Step One is not a summons to come and stand before a board of directors, but a private one-on-one confrontation to win a brother from his sin. And finally, Step One should never be announced to the entire community.

In conclusion, after reading Senior Pastor Mark McLellan's In The Beginning... commentary I am left wondering—how does an individual excommunicate herself? Is it even possible? And then I am left hoping that nobody has been disfellowshipped for not attending a meeting. Excommunication and disfellowship are reserved for immoral, unrepentant, leavening sin within a community.

Below is a well balanced and practical teaching on this issue:

Excommunication and Church Discipline (00:21:00)
By Kevin Swanson of Reformation Church in Castle Rock, Colorado 8/22/2010

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Related Articles:

In The Beginning...
By Mark McLellan

Bishop Says Nun is Automatically Excommunicated for Rubberstamping Hospital Abortion
From LifeSiteNews.com, By Peter J. Smith, May 17, 2010

Debaptise Yourself - Making It Official
National Secular Society

What Every Roman Catholic Should Know about Self-Excommunication
by Robert Schutzius, September 15, 2009

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Yishai James Snow - October 12, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Yishai James was buried in Green Mountain Cemetery
at the base of the Flat Irons near Chautauqua Park
in Boulder, Colorado on October 19, 2011.

On Tuesday morning, October 11, I received a phone call from my good friend AD Snow. He and his wife, Autumn, were leaving a routine doctor appointment and were on their way to the hospital. The doctor could not find the baby's heart beat and suggested that they go to the hospital and have an ultrasound performed immediately. After being admitted into the hospital and after, what they described as the longest hour of their life, the doctor arrived with the ultrasound equipment and confirmed that their baby's heart had, in fact, stopped beating. They were devastated. Their baby, Yishai James, was delivered the following day - Wednesday, October 12.

This year, October 12 corresponded with the Hebrew date of Tishrei 14, which is the eve of the seven-day festival called Sukkot or Booths (Lev 23:33-44). The Bible says that during these seven days we are commanded to rejoice before our God (Lev 23:40b). This is why Sukkot is known as The Season of our Joy. It is a joyous time of dwelling in booths with our God and our community, sharing delicious foods and drinks with music and laughter. But how could we rejoice when faced with a tragedy like this?

Margaret and I had scheduled a celebration at our house, in our sukkah, to kick-off the festival of Sukkot on the evening of Wednesday, October 12. Since I had spent all day Tuesday and most of the day on Wednesday at the hospital, I was not prepared. I was mentally and physically drained, and spiritually I was empty. How could I have a party if we were in mourning? If we were in mourning, how could I encourage the community to celebrate? I was stuck in this surreal dichotomy - commanded to rejoice while mourning the loss of a baby in our community.

After some time in prayer I decided that, since it was Erev Sukkot, it was okay to postpone our party since there were many more celebrations scheduled for the rest of the days of Sukkot. It was okay that our sukkah was not completely finished or decorated. It was okay that I didn't wave the lulav in the sukkah on the first evening of Sukkot. It was okay for us to focus on our friends and support them as they mourned this great loss. After I announced to the community that our party would be postponed, someone shared with me a verse from Ecclesiastes. Applying it to our situation they encouraged me about my decision.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

- Ecclesiastes 7:4 (NIV)

As a spiritual leader in the community, it was important to me that we did not neglect the celebration of Sukkot even in the midst of this tragedy. As I was considering this, the Snow's told me that they hoped the community would still rejoice in the Sukkot celebrations and they would join us when they could. Although we did celebrate every night as a community, there was still a measure of sadness in our hearts.

Yishai James was buried on Wednesday, October 19, which corresponded with Tishrei 21, the seventh day of Sukkot. The following day, Shmini Atzeret, we had our concluding service and a final celebration at our house. It was good to see my friend, AD, show up with his children.

This year I learned that life will happen regardless of our plans, even the Moedim. One of my pastor friends calls instances like this, the mystery of life. Because of the fall of Adam we live in a fallen and imperfect world. Things like this will happen, but when they do, the Scriptures tell us to give thanks to Adonai in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18). So we did and so we will.

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In the Springs at the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Taking a hike in Colorado Springs at Garden of the Gods
Aaron (5), Miryam (7), Isaac (8), Maya (11), Michaela (13)

Although I have a lot of Hebrew homework to do, yesterday morning we decided to drop everything and drive down to Colorado Springs and spend the day at the Garden of the Gods. Because the forecast says 'snow' for Wednesday and because the past few weeks have been a very busy time, Margaret felt like we needed to spend some time together as a family. It was a great idea.

The Garden of the Gods is one of the more popular tourist attractions in Colorado. The natural red rock formations are amazing to look at and marvel at Hashem's creation. Because we had Little Mo with us, our ability to do some 'real' hiking was limited. We stayed on the paved trail but we were still able to see some awesome sites. Click on the photos below to get a closer look at some of the sites we saw...

North Gateway Rock

Three Graces

Gray Rock

View from the Sleeping Giant

Related Link:
Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center
Central Garden Area Map

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Don't Learn Hebrew By Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Michael David Gonzales) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 02:38:00 +0000

My Hebrew Classmate, Mike Formby, and me.

When doing something as crazy as learning Hebrew, it's best not to do it alone. When he found out that I had signed up for the TRI Beginning Hebrew Grammar Course, my buddy Mike signed up too. It's good to know that someone is there to encourage you when taking on something as difficult as this. It's also good to know that I am not the only one attempting this with a full-time job and a family! It takes a lot of discipline and it's a huge sacrifice, but I know it will be worth it in the end. Thanks Mike, for the encouragement!

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