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IN THIS ISSUE:
1.
EDITORIAL: "Hardening off" by Tina Barnes
2. FEATURE ARTICLE: What's in a Name?
3. PRAYER REQUESTS
4. CONTACT US
1.
EDITORIAL: "Hardening off" by Tina Barnes
Every so often I receive a 'word' that is really interesting, and that deserves
to be past along for the edification and building-up of the Body. While my
heart's desire is to not have the 'A Matter of Faith' newsletter become a
clearinghouse for the 'prophetic', as has happened to some newsletters, it seems
appropriate to send along messages that clearly speak God's heart to us.
Today, I am sending a word to you that has deeply touched the heart of a few of
the brethren, and that I believe is tremendously uplifting and noteworthy.
This 'word' was given to Tina Barnes (whom I do not know) for another sister;
Cori Dann. I do not know Tina's e-Mail address, so you won't be able to
pass along your comments to her, but if this word touches you at all, please
praise the Lord for His wonderful outpouring... I am certain that Tina
will know!
In gardening, the phrase
"hardening off" is used to describe the process for introducing
greenhouse plants to full outside exposure. Perhaps the trials and
tribulations you are currently enduring is part of the 'hardening off' process
being used of God, before He can expose you to the full ministry that He has
determined for you. I pray that our eyes, ears and hearts will be open to
this most interesting 'word'...
"Hardening off is a process that causes a change in the quality of growth
the seedlings produce. It is accomplished by gradually changing the
environmental conditions around the seedlings from the high humidity and warm
temperatures they have been accustomed to indoors, to the lower humidity levels
and colder temperatures they will experience once planted outside. If plants are
not hardened off and are placed directly in the garden from the greenhouse or
home, they could be severely affected. Sunburn, wind desiccation, cold injury
and death are just a few of the ill affects the seedlings could experience.
Hardening off makes the plants stronger, more cold tolerant and able to
withstand outside conditions.
Hardening off should be started at least 2 weeks before the plants are scheduled
to be planted in the garden. If possible, plants should be moved to an area with
45 to 50° F temperature indoors, or outdoors in a shady location protected from
strong winds. A cold frame is excellent for this purpose. When put outdoors the
plants should be shaded then gradually moved into stronger sunlight. Each day,
gradually increase the length or quality of sun exposure. Don't put tender
seedlings outdoors on windy days or when temperatures are below 45° F. Even
cold-hardy plants like cabbage can be hurt if exposed to freezing temperatures
before they are hardened off.
After proper hardening, however, they can be planted outdoors and light frost
will not damage them. Gradually reduce the frequency of watering to slow the
seedlings' growth, but don't allow the plants to wilt. A seedling that is
ready to be transplanted into the garden should be 4-6" tall and have 2-4
pairs of true leaves. It should be strong, stocky and a good dark green
color."
Thank you, Tina. Praise the Lord!
Great stuff, huh? It is
uncanny how God is all-in-all. Even a simple gardening definition carries, with
the Spirit of God, prophetic meaning. If you are being 'hardened off',
then you are going to experience numerous and varied trials. Know,
therefore, that God is at work in your life - and - REJOICE IN HIM!
King David's early years were spent in hiding. Moses, Joseph and Paul
surely come to mind also. So, if you are being 'hardened off' then know
that your time of ministry is soon... Pick up your legs, beloved, and
permit the Lord to carry you. You will be happier than ever before in your
life, and God will truly be glorified.
2.
FEATURE ARTICLE: What's in a Name?
As most of you know, I am in the process of writing Letter 22...An offering that
we pray will articulate a Biblically solid presentation on the Unity of God - in
the Trinity. It had been my intent to have that writing complete by the
end of this month, which in all probability will not happen, because as of this
moment it appears that our Messiah had other plans for our time. This
delay is brought about because, in the study and preparation for writing Letter
22, I have hit a snag in the form of words: How we use them, adapt them
and ultimately change them (Rightly or Wrongly)!
Throughout The Letters, the writings in these newsletters and our follow-up
conversations with the brethren that the Lord has brought to us (you), we take
tremendous caution in the manner and use of words. I think it is
significant that our writings be precise and concise, so you can be certain that
we are saying what we mean - and mean what we say. Much of this is
supported by the Concordance and cross-linking that is provided within The
Letters (and links from these newsletters into The Letters) because these are
offered to support every conclusion and thought that we present.
In that vein, therefore, you can understand the joy - and fear - we have
experienced as we coursed through the Bible, the concordances, the dictionaries
and every other tool at our disposal, in search of data related to a writing on
the Trinity (The Godhead: Father, Son and Spirit) as unique Personalities, and
discovered that we might be using a few very important words incorrectly...
In last month's newsletter, we discussed some of our findings: That ELOHIM,
the Hebrew word we interpret as "God", is really plural, and that ECHAD,
the Hebrew word we interpret as "One" is a word that means, "One
identical to a group". We believe that these are significant matters
of truth, and matters that should joyously affect our comprehension of God.
Similarly then, you can understand the tension and dismay we have experienced
when we discovered that we might very well be using an incorrect format in the
name (s) we use to address our Lord and Savior! The stirrings within my
heart are telling me that this is not insignificant - but I need His guidance,
and your prayers and input, before we can make conclusive determinations from
these matters. Please permit me to explain:
In the course of our study on the Trinity, it was necessary to delve into the
Old Testament and New Testament names that are used for God. (In
retrospect, I have been wondering - what with all of the studying and word
searching that we have done over the years - why we never did a comprehensive
study on these particular words before. I can only leave this matter in the
Lords hands today though, because we must press on toward the mark...)
What we discovered in this particular study, however, proved to be extremely
interesting - and powerfully driven. I am offering the following as a
question to you, however, because, in all honesty, I feel extremely inadequate
at this time...
From the Old Testament we have learned the following about God, His Names and
His Titles:
ADONAY is an
emphatic form of the word we interpret as Lord, but in the Old Testament, this
particular word was always used when speaking directly to Him. The
New Testament translation for Adonay is a more generic, "Lord", and
does not specify precisely Who we are speaking to. I trust that He
always knew!
EL-BERITH
is a Hebrew word / title for "God" that is used with another
descriptive / title attached. We would say, "Almighty God" or
"Holy and Righteous God", and El-Berith would be the correct name of
God in that instance.
ELOAH is used
40 times by Job (The oldest Book of the Bible) and in his usage of ELOAH, Job
appears to be speaking of God from a personal level, and is not merely making a
reference to God in general. It is almost as if ELOAH were Job's
particular term of endearment for the God he served. (I have one too, do
you?)
ELOHIM,
as we discussed last month and noted again above, is a word interpreted as
"God", but it clearly and specifically denotes a plurality in His
Oneness. ELOHIM absolutely speaks of the Trinity and fullness of God - as
One in essence!
MASHIACH
is one of two Old Testament words interpreted as Messiah. Mashiach means
Anointed. The second Old Testament word interpreted as Messiah is yitshar,
which means "Fresh Oil, anointed". Capitalized, Yitshar, means Levite.
(I found this interesting).
QADOSH,
interpreted as "Holy", is the Hebrew word that speaks of being Sacred,
and is used specifically when speaking of or about the HOLY ONE of Israel - or
His people. (Remember, He is Holy, as we are to be Holy - in Him)...
QODESH, also
interpreted as "Holy", is a Hebrew word that speaks of someone or
something Set Apart or Consecrated. QODESH is the only Old Testament Word
used whenever the "HOLY" SPIRIT is discussed. It is used in connection
with our next word, RUACH.
RUACH,
meaning Breath, Wind, Spirit, is the specific name given to the Holy Spirit
throughout the Old Testament... This is extremely significant for more
than one reason. Primarily, it is extremely significant that He is given a
very specific Name throughout the Old Testament, because by Their names, and the
exact nature in which those names are used, we are being told throughout the Old
Testament that the Father, the Son and Qodesh Ruach
are unique Personalities! Their names support every teaching that upholds the
Trinity and the Oneness of Elohim!
YAHVEH (OR YAHOVAH),
is the proper Name of the God of Israel, and is used when speaking OF Him.
YASHA is the
Hebrew word for Savior, and it means to deliver.
In general, therefore, the Old Testament teaches us that:
When we speak of "God"
in general, He is called ELOHIM.
When speaking in reference to The
Father, His Proper Name is YAHVEH.
When speaking TO our Lord and
Savior, He is called ADONAY.
When speaking OF the Holy One,
the Deliverer, He is referred to as, QADOSH.
When speaking of or to the Holy
Spirit, the translation of His name is, QODESH RUACH!
Now to the New Testament:
GOD: The only New Testament word used for God is THEOS.
As we discussed last month though, this word is being incorrectly used and
stated, because in many cases, the Word THEOI
(plural) was originally penned. Primarily, whenever this word is used, it
generally derives its origin from the Hebrew, ELOHIM, and so denotes God - the
Trinity. I think that this is important.
HOLY:
HAGIOS Nearly every use of the word Holy in the New Testament is from
HAGIOS. (See following note for the only other word used for Holy).
HAGIOS means set apart,
consecrated, sanctified, and it clearly denotes devotion to the service of
Deity. This word specifically speaks of following God in purity - and
abstaining from entanglement in this world's sins. In the Old Testament,
the word would be QODESH.
The only other word used for HOLY
in the New Testament is HOSIOS, and it very specifically speaks of our Lord
and Savior as the Holy One of Israel (#4 above). (See 1 Timothy 2:8;
Hebrews 7:26; Revelation 15:4 and 16:5). It strikes me profoundly that the
inspired writers of God's Word were moved to make this important distinction.
Nevertheless, the Old Testament word in this instance would be QADOSH.
LORD:
The only New Testament word used for Lord is KURIOS, and it speaks of authority,
Lord, might, master and power. When this word is used to speak of God and
as the Supreme Being, it usually corresponds with the Old Testament word, YAHVEH
or YAHOVAH. This, my friends is significant, and it was the starting point
of my concern with the words and names we are using to speak about our Lord,
Savior and Master.
SAVIOR:
SOTER is the only New Testament word used to speak of the Savior, and it
means, deliverer, savior. Inasmuch as the New Testament has been given to
us in the Greek language, I think it is important to note that this word, SOTER,
savior, was also used by the Greeks when they spoke of the ancient mythological
gods - like Zeus.
Of the Messiah, SOTER is speaking of the Savior of men, who saves from sin and
eternal death, and provides eternal life. See "CHRIST" below,
because that study brings tremendous clarity to the word Savior.
In this discussion, however, we should note that in the Old Testament, the Title
ADONAY would be used instead of Soter - in those instances where we would be
speaking directly TO our Messiah, and QADOSH would be the word used when
speaking specifically OF the One who delivers.
SPIRIT:
The only New Testament word used for Spirit, PNEUMA, speaks of wind, spirit,
breadth. In the Greek, PNEUMA speaks of breath of the mouth or nostrils -
as a breath of air. It also speaks of the spirit of man inasmuch as PNEUMA
speaks of the life residing in man; of the breath breathed by God into man at
the creation and the breath of life given again unto man in his rebirth through
the Messiah.
Of the Holy Spirit of God though, where PNEUMA speaks of Him in general, the Old
Testament RUACH is a very specific name given to the Holy Spirit of God.
PNEUMA is a very generic reference to breath, wind, spirit, while RUACH is a
very specific name. From the depth of my heart, I have a very strong sense
that the Holy Spirit is to be known as QODESH RUACH, and not simply as Hagios
Pneuma.
Is this a significant matter? Is there importance in these names? Or is
this merely the beginnings of making of a mountain from a mole hill? I
think the next two words will help in the evaluation of those questions:
CHRIST:
The only New Testament word used for Christ is CHRISTOS, and the word means,
anointed, the Messiah. Where the Old Testament speaks specifically of the
MASHIACH, the word Messiah is only present in the translations of the New
Testament twice, and in both instances (John 1:41 and 4:25) a reference is made
to the fact that the word translated means, Christ. While the word Christ
is said to mean Messiah, CHRISTOS has replaced the word Messiah throughout the
New Testament. Why?
In all of the documentation that I have found thus far, it has been noted that
the New Testament word MESSIAH, has been TRANSLITERATED from the Hebrew MASHIACH
into Christos. Why did the translators from the original text
transliterate the Hebrew word MASHIACH, and why are our Bibles today laden with
the word Christos instead of the word MESSIAH? Should this transliteration
concern us?
According to Webster's Dictionary, Transliteration means, to change (letters,
words, etc.) into corresponding characters of another alphabet or language.
I want you to know that upon reading this description of the word
"Transliteration", the hair on the back of my neck literally stood up!
My eyes immediately focused on the word "CHANGE", and my heart sank
into a prayer for guidance.
Beloved, is the word Messiah too difficult for us? Is the word MASHIACH
too specific or intense for us to grasp? Why was the word MASHIACH
transliterated (changed) throughout the Greek translations? And, is this
important to us? I believe that not only is this transliteration
important, but the next one is of even greater significance...
JESUS:
IESOUS is the Greek word given to us in the translations, and this proper
noun word is TRANSLITERATED from the Hebrew YAHSHUA. The word YAHSHUA
means, "Yahveh His help".
In the New Testament, our Savior is referred to as Christos (insert MASHIACH)
almost 300 times; by the name of Iesous Christos or Christos Iesous (Insert
YAHSHUA MASHIACH or MASHIACH YAHSHUA) about 100 times, and by the name of Kurios
Iesous Christos (Insert ADONAY YAHSHUA MASHIACH) nearly 50 times.
Transliterations can be found in nearly 450 instances within the Greek
translations. These may possibly be acceptable alterations in the world of
translation, but because these transliterations (changes) have been made in the
very presentation of His name, I find myself wrestling... Transliterations that
find root in the very core of the Greek Babylonian empire have made their way
into the Word of God. Should this concern us?
Personally, my heart,
mind and soul are in tempest over these matters... I have a peace from
Yahshua in all of this, but what are the ramifications of these things? The fact
that Babylon has invaded the city of God (in His Word) in these latter days, in
any way, should be of vital import to us all, don't you think? And yet, I
cannot even imagine how these thoughts are going to be received.
Nevertheless, I think it is relevant to note that although the Greek language
has seven different words to describe the varying degrees of 'love', and
although this same diversity and color can be found throughout the Greek
language, the Greek presentation and translation of God's Word that we have been
given in the New Testament, uses only one word to describe: God, Lord, Savior,
Spirit and Christ, and only two words to describe the varying degrees of
'holiness'.
Inasmuch as every author of the New Testament was Hebrew in descent, and Paul
was an extremely learned Hebrew - in all aspects of training and discipline - we
must know that the usage of Hebrew words would have been much more diverse and
specific than the Greek translation passed along some hundreds of years later.
The Bible tells us that we are saved by ONE name, and by ONE name only. We
are repeatedly told that we are to pray in ONE name, and ONE name only - and
that through that ONE name, we will work for the glory of ELOHIM...
OK, humanity often changes or translates a word to the local language. I
don't have a problem with that fact. But, should we be making our
translations from the original text or from an already transliterated word?
I am wrestling with this as well.
ADONAY, through QODESH RUACH, has given me tremendous peace, solace and comfort
in the fact that, HE, Elohim, knows the hearts and minds of all men (Luke 16:15;
Acts 1:24; Romans 8:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:4) and in this knowledge He knows that
my heart's desire has been to serve only the ONE who died on the cross for our
sins, His Father and His Spirit. He knows your heart too! Praise His
Name...
But, if His name is truly YAHSHUA MASHIACH (pronounced - to the best of my
understanding - YA-SHOE-A MA-SHE-A) shouldn't we be making the
effort to address HIM by that name? If Qodesh Ruach is the specific name
given to the Holy Spirit, shouldn't we be speaking those words as well when we
speak of or to Him?
If our Messiah's name is truly Yahshua Mashiach, isn't that the name we should
be clinging to, praying through, worshipping, adoring and glorifying - all unto
the glory of Yahweh? Isn't it in the name of Yahshua Mashiach that we
should be baptized - in Qodesh Ruach?
Granted, Elohim knows His name (s). He knows that we have been handed down
a written word that is thousands of years old. He knows that along the
way, some things have been transliterated, in order to make His Word - what -
more easily understood or comprehensible? And He knows exactly what has
been transliterated (changed)... He is aware of all of these things.
But, if we follow His command to seek Him and His truth with all of our heart,
mind and soul, and to be as 'refiners' when we do learn His truth, then what
should we do when we discover that what we have - might not be entirely correct?
I truly love the Lord Jesus Christ. If He wishes to be known and addressed
as Adonay Yahshua Mashiach though, and in THAT name we find the fullness of Him,
shouldn't we be bowing to that which pleases Him more?
And, what of the power of His name? Could the distress (sin) we see every
day in this world - and especially within the body of Mashiach - be a result of
the fact that we are not praying in the full power and authority of His Name?
Surely, Babylon has been groping in blindness for centuries, but we are called
to come out from Babylon, and to be one unto our Adonay.
We must rebuke the evil one in the fullness of our Messiah's name in order to
overcome him. If we have done anything less, it could certainly explain
why the world is not witnessing the fullness of an overcoming body of Mashiach,
and why the name of Yahshua (Jesus) is so terribly abused and misrepresented.
(Babylon is not being forgotten in any of these things).
In a letter to a dear sister, I made the comment that, "Throughout my adult
life, I have tried very hard to listen to how people pronounce their names, so
that I can repeat their name in exactly the same way. A lot of people make
this effort!" Is the matter of our Messiah's name any less
significant, or am I making way too much out of this matter?
As for Letter 22, you must know that the vast majority of this newsletter (and
the thoughts and input that you most certainly will provide) will make its way
into that writing. How can it not? His Old Testament names speak of very
specific Individuals, and identify in no uncertain terms, precisely Who in the
Trinity is being spoken of. The Word Elohim alone addresses the plural
oneness of God. Qodesh Ruach knew exactly what He was inspiring, and
why... I think that we must take note of these things!
"And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground, and
heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he
said, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' and He said, "I am _______ whom you are
persecuting'" (Acts 9:3-5).
Is the actual name uttered by the Master significant to us, or is a
transliterated name sufficient? I guess it all boils down to, What's in a
name?
Subsequent to the initial publication of this article, two thoughts have come to mind:
Whenever I traveled to foreign lands, whatever the native language might have
been, my name remained a constant - it never changed from being larry
vosen. Oh sure, local accents came into play, but the primary name always
remained the same. And, no matter how the name might look in written form,
the pronunciation of the name is unchanged! This is not true of Yahshua's
name though, is it?
The second thought was brought
about through an exchange of letters with a sister. Primarily, the crux of
the matter is that no matter how sincere my heart might be - if I am addressing
you by the wrong name - eventually you are going to try and correct me! If
we are calling Him, "Jesus", but His true name is YAHSHUA, don't you
think He might attempt to correct us in our pronunciation?
3.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
July has been a very quiet and unusual month thus far. (Ample time to
study if it weren't for the fact that we've been working away from home so
much). Everybody must be outside enjoying the warmth of summer!
We have received an extensive number of prayer requests though, from brethren
seeking a deeper understanding for the Word and Will of God. Amen!
What better endeavor could there be?
Jan has requested prayer for healing for her Mom - who has been diagnosed with
bone cancer. The reports received from Jan since her original letter -
have been stellar! Praise be unto our Messiah...
Cindy and France are praying for healing to their bodies also. France just
returned from a missionary trip to Kenya, and his body is suffering for the
effort.
Cyndee and Phil are being threatened with having their children permanently
taken away (through a complaint of abuse registered by a neighbor). As a
Christian couple, Cyndee and Phil discipline their children, but their neighbor
finds spanking to be abusive. The case will be presented in court on
Thursday, August 2, 2001. Please pray for Cyndee and Phil - and for their
marriage, that is taking a 'hit' because of this trial.
Sandee is requesting prayer for her daughter Bridget - on drugs and abusive as a
mother!
May the Lord truly have mercy on His servants!
4.
CONTACT: larry vosen
If you have any questions about the Bible, God, Yahshua Mashiach (Jesus Christ),
Qodesh Ruach (the Holy Spirit), the Gospel, Faith or any pressing spiritual
matter, please feel free to contact me. While I may not possess the answers
personally, I know Who Does! Every effort will be made to answer your questions
in a timely and Scripturally supported manner.
Do you have a prayer request? Please share your needs with us... We will
post your needs in our "Prayer Request" sections, so that we can
approach the Throne of God in a united front on your behalf.
We can be reached through our email address at: mailto:larryv@lettersoffaith.com
Or, please feel free to mail your thoughts and requests to:
Larry Vosen
2600 E. Seltice Way, #203
Post Falls, ID 83854
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