THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapters 13

Again, I want to stress that when this passage mentions {the Jews} in a derogatory manner, religiosity is what is meant, NOT true Jews! Remember that Yeshua WAS SENT TO the JEWISH PEOPLE as THEIR SAVATION – He was born a Jew, raised a Jew, lived a Jewish lifestyle, and MANY Jews BELIEVED IN the message/ministry of YESHUA. The 1^st Church was 95% JEWS.

Elohim does not hate the Jews as a whole … He only hates religious hypocrites and religiosity that keeps people from Him and His Salvation. A strict religious code CANNOT SAVE! ONLY FAITH IN Yeshua can save. I get so tired of hearing arrogantly ignorant Christians say ‘Jews killed Jesus’ as if they are somehow innocent of His blood. Here’s a clue for the dimwitted: Yeshua came to Earth TO DIE for the SINS OF ALL MANKIND; but specifically for the Jews’ redemption; it is TO THE JEWS Yeshua WILL RETURN and it is FOR THE JEWS that He will fight during the Battle of Armageddon. Christians, by Elohei’s grace, are spliced into that salvation – Christians are NOT above Jews. Christians are as guilty of His blood as the Jews are. The Church of today is especially guilty as they are following in the footsteps of the Jews mentioned in this passage.

((((WAKE UP!)))) people and get wise.

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 13

In the assembly at Antioch there were a number of prophets and teachers, such as Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaean (a foster brother of Herod the governor), and Saul. While they were worshipping Adonai Yeshua and fasting, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work which I have called them.”

So, after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them out. Indeed, it was really the Ruach Ha’Kodesh Who had sent them. They went first to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they landed at Salamis they preached the Word of Elohei in the Jewish synagogues there. They had taken John Mark along as their helper.

They crossed the island as far as Paphos. There they met Barjesus, a Jewish magician and false prophet. At the time he was with the governor, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence who had asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, for he wished to hear the Word of Elohei. But this Elymas the magician (as he called himself) – the word Elymas means magician – opposed them. He tried to keep the governor from accepting The Faith. Saul – hereafter called Paul – filled with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, looked squarely at him and said, “You professional deceiver and mischief maker, you son of Lucifer, you enemy of all that is right – will you never stop perverting the straight ways of Adonai? Now, look here, the hand of Adonai will descend on you, and you will become blind, so that for a time you will be unable to see even the sun.” And immediately mist and darkness came upon him and he had to ask people to lead him by the hand as he went from place to place.

But the governor believed, for he had witnessed what had happened, and he was greatly interested in the teaching of Adonai Yeshua.

Paul and his companions then set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John Mark left them there, returning to Jerusalem.

From Perga they continued on until they came to Antioch in Pisidia. When the Sabbath came around they went into a synagogue and sat down. After the rulers had read from the Law and the prophets, they stepped down to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation to give The People, say it now’. Accordingly, Paul stood up, motioned with his hand and addressed them: “Men of Israel, and you God-fearing people, listen to me: The God of this People Israel chose our fathers and made them a great people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and then with uplifted hand He led them out f it. For about 40 years He put up with their ways in the desert. Then, after he had overthrown 7 nations in the land of Canaan, He divided the land to them by lot. After that, for about 450 years, He let them have judges up to the time of the prophet Samuel. Next, they wanted a king … and Elohei gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned 40 years. When He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, to whom He gave this testimonial, “I have found in David, a son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all that I want him to.” It is from this man’s posterity that Elohei has, as he promised, given Israel a savior, Yeshua. Before He came, John had prepared the way by proclaiming to all the people of Israel a baptism of repentance. When John himself was about finished with his work, he asked, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the One, but He will come after me. And I am not worthy even to untie the shoes on His feet.’ Men and brethren, sons of the race of Abraham, and you others that fear Elohei, this message of salvation has been sent to you. For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, because of their ignorance of Him and the prophesies read to them every Sabbath, fulfilled those prophecies by condemning Him. They demanded of Pilate that he be put to death, although they could find no charge against Him deserving of death. Then, when they had fulfilled everything that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But Elohim raised Him from the dead. And for many days he appeared to those who had come up with Him from galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now His witnesses to The People. And so we bring you the Gospel (Good News) of the promise made to the fathers. And Elohei has fulfilled this promise to us, their children, by raising up Yeshua. This is so stated also in the 2^nd Psalm, ‘You are My Son; I have begotten You today.’ And in proof of that, He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay. He has said, ‘I will fulfill to you the faithful promises made to David.’ And in another Psalm He says, ‘You will not permit your Holy One to undergo decay.’ David truly served his own generation by Elohei’s counseling, then died and was laid to rest beside his fathers and underwent decay. But He, Whom Elohim raised again did not undergo decay. Men and brethren, listen to the Good News: you may have forgiveness of sins through this One.  Everyone who believes in Him will be justified in all things, even those from which the Law of Moshe cannot set you free. Look out, therefore, that the judgment of the prophets may not come upon you! ‘Listen you scoffers! You will wonder, but you will perish. I will do a work in your days, something that you will not believe at all, even if one should make it plain to you.’”

Then, when the Jews had left the synagogue, the Gentiles requested that he return on the following Sabbath and speak again on the subject. When the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes (a person who has converted from one opinion, religion, or party to another, especially recently) followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked to them about the importance of continuing in the grace of Elohim.

On the following Sabbath, almost the whole town came out to hear the Word of Elohei. The Jews were filled with envy when they saw the immense crowd that came to the meeting, and they interrupted Paul’s address with contradictions and blasphemies. Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly, “We had to preach the Word of Elohei to you first, but you thrust it away from you, thus declaring yourselves unworthy of everlasting life; hence, we turn to the Gentiles. Adonai Yeshua gave us a commission. It is this: ‘You are to be a light to the Gentiles and to bring salvation to the furthest parts of the Earth’.” (Isaiah 49:6)

The Gentiles, on hearing this, were very glad and praised the Word of Adonai, and as many as were ordained (intended, meant, designed, predestined, appointed, predetermined) to everlasting life believed. And the Word of Adonai spread throughout that region.

The Jews, however, by stirring up the principal men and the most religious and respected women of the city, started persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of town. After having shaken the dust off their feet in protest against them, they came to Iconium. The Apostles were in joyful spirit and filled with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.

**ACTS 12: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapters-12.html

ORIENTAL BEEF w-VEGGIES & ANGEL HAIR PASTA

This entire meal takes just under an hour to cook and place on the table :-D

And it’s very light on the stomach and calories too!

A plus in my book … ;-)

ORIENTAL BEEF w-VEGGIES & ANGEL HAIR PASTA ~ 4 2 cup servings

¾ pound lean Beef boneless round steak * 2 Tablespoons Sake (rice wine), or Sherry or Chicken broth * 1 Tablespoon finely chopped Gingerroot or 1 teaspoon ground ginger * 2 teaspoons vegetable Oil * ½ teaspoon Salt * 1 clove Garlic, crushed * 1 teaspoon vegetable Oil * 1 cup thinly sliced Zucchini wedges * 1 cup Carrot, julienned * 1 cup Green Onions, sliced * 1 can (8 ounces) Mushroom pieces * 2 Tablespoons Sake (rice wine), or Sherry or Chicken broth * COOKED Angel Hair Pasta for 4

Assembled Ingredients

Trim fat from beef steak. Cut beef diagonally into ¼-inch strips. Mix beef, 2 Tablespoons sake, the gingerroot, 2 teaspoons oil, the salt and garlic in a medium glass or plastic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Grating the gingerroot for the marinade

Place pasta in a pot of water and bring to a bowl; reduce heat to a slow boil and cook until al dante; remove from heat and drain well.

Cooking pasta

While pasta is draining, heat 1 teaspoon oil in wok or deep 12-inch skillet until very hot. Remove beef mixture from ‘fridge and add to skillet – stir fry about 5 minutes or until beef is done.

Add pasta, veggies, and mushrooms; stir-fry about 4 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons sake and serve.

MOD OLD GLORY AMERICANA FINGER PUPPET SET - #4/TEA PARTY “INDIAN”

This finger puppet is the last one in this particular finger puppet set (http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/07/old-glory-americana-finger-puppet-set_30.html).

I designed and crafted MOD Tea Party Indian Friday evening and finished it up in the wee Saturday morning hours. I used a simplistic pictures of a Mohawk Indian because after I did further research on authentic and historic ethnic Mohawk clothing, I decided it fit. Because it was a simple design, it worked up very quickly:

Mohawk costume

Tea Party 'Mohawk Indian'. Front view

Tea Party 'Mohawk Indian'. Side view

Tea Party 'Mohawk Indian'. Back view

Next to George Washington and Betsy Ross, the recounting of the December 16^th, 1773 Tea Party ‘Indians’ who boarded a british cargo ship destroying tea chests and dumping the contents into the Boston Harbor in a spectacular display of outraged American tax boycott on british goods … later known as ‘The Boston Tea Party’ as part of our proud American History, is one of my favorite American Revolutionary stories ;-)

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapters 12

It is important to realize here and to understand that when the Gospel speaks derogatorily about {the Jews} it means self-righteous and self-important religious people – at that time, that was, {the Jews}, as NO OTHER RELIGION was recognized. Today, as then, there are some Jews … just like there are muslims, pagans, atheists, catholics, protestants, anglicans, baptists, episcopalians, methodists, pentecostals, agnostics, hindus, buddhists, ect. (the list of religious and sanctimonious hypocrites is limitless) who are opposed to Elohei, Elohim, Yeshua, The Gospel, and to Christians; and will do whatever they can to bring it all to an end: silly people. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW ELOHEI AND HAS NOT ACCEPTED YESHUA AS SAVIOR is pretty much akin to {the Jews} in thought and action.

Elohim does not want a religious organization in His Family – He wants people in His Family that LOVE HIM and HONOR YESHUA and HIS CHURCH (which, by the way, is NOT a building or a specific congregation); The Church is the Body of Believers in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, saved, sealed, sanctified, and SET APART FOR ELOHIM. At the time of this accounting, THAT WAS the Jews, whom Elohim had set apart for Himself clear back in Genesis. Generations LATER, He would graft The Church into that “set apart” Family.

For generations, Jews have been persecuted and killed for “being the killers of Christ”. That is ludicrous! The FIRST CHURCH WAS FUNDAMENTALLY BIRTHED BY THE JEWISH GOD AND COMPRISED 99% WITH JEWS!

I speak all this to drive home the point that it was not specifically {the Jews} that persecuted Yeshua or The Church, though SOME Jews were certainly behind the harassment and violence towards Yeshua, the Apostles, and The Believers, who ARE The Church. It is important that people understand the context behind the text of the Scripture they are reading … or misusing as a club. Today there are those who call themselves Christians who ARE NOW behaving like sanctimonious religious idiots; PERSECUTING, HARRASSING, AND BRINGING VIOLENCE ONTO The Church – as well as bad-mouthing Elohim’s chosen People, the Jews.

DON’T BE LIKE THEM!

Or you WILL end like them …

Be wise.

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 12

At that time king Herod used his authority to persecute the members of The Church. Thus he killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he took a next step and set out to lay hold of Simon Peter, too. It happened during the festival of Unleavened Bread. He had him arrested and put into prison. Then he appointed 4 detachments of soldiers, with 4 in each detachment, to stand guard over him, with the idea of presenting him to the people after the Passover.

So Simon Peter was in prison and well-guarded. And meanwhile The Church was at prayer, making fervent intersessions to Elohei in his behalf. But the night. But the night before Herod planned to bring him out, he lay sleeping between 2 soldiers, bound with 2 chains. Outside the doors, sentries guarded the prison. Then suddenly an angel of Adonai appeared near him and alight illuminated the building. The angel slapped Simon Peter in his side to rouse him and said, “Hurry and get up!” Thereupon the chains dropped from his hands. The angel spoke to him again, “Put on your belt and shoes.” He did so. Once more he spoke to him, “Now put on your coat and follow me.” He followed him out, but he did not realize that what was taking place with the angel’s help was real and not just a vision. They passed one guard, then a 2^nd guard and reached the iron gate that leads out of the city, and that swung wide open to them of its own accord. They passed through this gate and, as soon as they had gone up one street, the angle left him.

“Now I know”, said Simon Peter to himself, “the Adonai Yeshua for a fact did send His angel to deliver me out of Herod’s hands, and from all the things that the Jewish people expected to see. Then, after thinking it over, he set out for the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many were assembled at her place, engaged in prayer.

After Simon Peter had knocked at the door of the porch, a girl named Rhoda went to answer the knock. She recognized the voice of Simon Peter but she did not at once open the door, for she was so glad that she ran back in to report that Simon Peter was standing outside at the porch. ‘You are crazy!’ they said to her. But she insisted that it was so. And Simon Peter kept on knocking. So they opened up for him, and they were dumbfounded! Then Simon Peter made a signal for them to remain silent, after which he told them how Adonai Yeshua had delivered him from the prison. And he added, “Tell it to James and the brethren.” He then took his departure for another place.

At daybreak there was a great stir among the soldiers, as to what had become of Simon Peter. Herod set out to find him but failed; so, after having questioned the keepers, he gave orders to have them put to death. He then went down from Judea to Caesarea to stay for a time.

There was bitter hostility between Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon. But their country was dependent on his for its supplies, so they made friends with Blastus, the king’s household steward, and approached the king in a body, asking for peace. On the appointed day, Herod, dressed in his royal robe, sat on his throne and began to make a speech to them. The people started to applaud, shouting, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man!’ Then the angel of Adonai Yeshua struck him down with a deadly disease because he did not give Elohei the glory; and he died, eaten by worms.

The Word of Elohei kept growing stronger and spreading out widely. When they had carried out their relief work, Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, bringing with them John Mark.

**ACTS 10 & 11: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapters.html

LOVE IS IN THE AIR…

The temperature here has finally cooled down enough to allow me some time outside today – when it is scorching H.O.T. I stay inside because I just cannot breathe when the temperature soars. 2 of my potted flower arrangements were dry as a bone and struggling to survive – I hope the water drenching they both got after cutting off all the deadness revives them :-(

On an ‘up note’ … the corn is thriving despite its scorched leaves:

Corn tassles swaying and making its moves

Corn silk showing ... love is in the air. LOL! I am going to have to look for my paintbrush and get busy bringing the tassle and silk together so plump healthy corn cobs will result ;-)

And I noticed I now have some green beans to harvest :-D 2 days ago they were barely discernable ;-)

While watering and working my way forward along my raised veggie beds, I noticed that more apples have been blown off the trees by high river winds. At this rate, I hope I will have some to actually harvest come harvest time …

I watered the heading dill to pump it up a bit before harvesting it to hang dry and freeze. I love the smell of dill on a warm breeze, and the room it is drying in smells good too:

Dill harvested because it was beginning to set seed heads

Harvested dill bundles hung to dry

Harvested dill bits flash frozen and bagged

The celery is gigantic! It just keeps reaching for the sky, and is so big and heavy that I had to stalk it so it didn’t break when the wind blows through; I have tied the stalks together to blanch the stalks, but the stalks still do not look very beefed up despite the daily watering. Celery takes a looooong time to mature, but it is just about ready to harvest so the ‘beef up’ window is quickly closing …

Yesterday my Asiatic lily burst into bloom! This is all I could find to plant last year, and it is okay – fragrant, crisply white and sturdy enough to hold up under the breezy assaults when the wind blows downriver, but I really like the intoxicating and colorful Stargazer lily; so I’m going to be on the lookout for that one to group with this one:

And noticing that the swallow couple had flown the bird house they had set up house in and were nesting in, I checked and saw that 1 tiny lone egg has been abandoned along with the carefully built nest, so I removed the nest and cleaned the bird house ...

I think the swallows that lovingly courted, built the nest, and laid the egg were young fledglings and really didn’t know what to do with their newfound responsibilities … maybe they will return and try again next Spring: I sure hope so. Baby birds would be exciting :-D

Man! I am beat! I am going to kick back and rest for the remainder of this evening.

FILLED SUGAR COOKIES

I had a hankering for filled sugar cookies tonight, so I dug out my recipe and got busy making them ;-)

I remember these cookies from my childhood; my mother always filled them with Raisin Filling, which we all liked. Fancier people filled them with Cherry-Apricot Filling (both filling recipes below).

I cheated and filled my cookies with ready-made Strawberry Jam :-)

FILLED SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH ~About 2 dozen cookies

1 cup granulated White Sugar * ¾ cup Shortening (part Butter, softened) * 2 Eggs * 1 teaspoon Vanilla (or ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract) * 2-1/2 cups Flour * 1 teaspoon Baking Powder * 1 teaspoon Salt

Mix sugar, shortening, eggs, and vanilla; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

While dough is chilling, prepare your filling … or do as I did, and simply use a jar of ready-made Strawberry Jam.

==Raisin Filling: 1-3/4 cup Raisins * ¾ cup Water * ½ cup granulated White Sugar * 2 Tablespoons Flour * 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Heat raisins and water to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Mix sugar and flour – stir into raisin mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and cool.

==Cherry-Apricot Filling: ½ cup granulated White Sugar * 1 Tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon Cornstarch * ½ cup Water * ¼ cup Maraschino Cherry juice * 1/3 cup Maraschino Cherries, chopped * 1/3 cup dried Apricots, cut up

Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat to a rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute: cool.

INSTRUCTIONS: Heat oven to 400-degrees. Using only half the dough at a time, cut 48 rounds with doughnut cutter that has the center removed; then cut out the centers of 24 of the smaller center of the doughnut cutter.

Place uncut rounds on a lightly greased cookie sheet; top with filling of your choice – spreading almost to the edges. Top with remaining rounds so the filling shows through holes of top cookie round: press edges together with a floured fork and place in oven.

Bake until light brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire cookie rack. When cool, enjoy!

TURNIP DESTRUCTION

My turnips had plumped out to the desired size for harvesting, so I pulled a few this afternoon – NOT happy with the harvest :-(

EVERY one of them pulled had severe root damage! The leaves, though, were perfectly green and healthy, though the leaves did wilt in the hot sun and some were a bit chomped on here and there; but nothing that would indicate a serious pest problem.

This is my first garden here at our new locale and I was hoping with new beds and brand new soil, I’d get a fairly decent harvest. I am not sure what the heck went wrong, but it looks like my beets are bolting, my rutabagas are a wash … just not thriving in any sense whatsoever … and the turnips have been destroyed. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I am pretty sure the wildly fluctuating weather has a lot to do with the issues. Close to the river like we are, the temperatures on ANY GIVEN DAY can go as high as 100 degrees and in a heartbeat sink to about 40 with thick low-shrouding fog. And it is HUMID no matter where the temperature is – today it was a breezy 80 degrees with 57% humidity. However – after cleaning them up, slicing off the damaged pieces, and dicing the peeled portions, I was surprisingly blessed with 2-3/4 cups of turnip pieces I can use in Fall/Winter Soups and stews: I didn’t think I’d even get a full cup of pieces.

I am assuming that the problem is wireworm because there were no maggots on the roots or soil when I pulled them as there would be with cabbage maggot infestation. I am THANKFUL for that small grace! I grow everything for our food table organically – I do not even use ‘safe organic’ pesticides.

Common in home gardens across North America, wireworms (up to 1-1/2 inch long) are tough slender worms with shiny skin and three pairs of legs just behind their head. They are yellow to brownish-red in color and feed entirely underground, attacking germinating seeds, roots, bulbs and tubers. Damaged plants soon wilt and die. If infestations are heavy, thin and patchy crops may appear in the garden and reseeding will most likely be necessary.

Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles. Approximately 1/2 inch long, these brown to black colored, bullet-shaped beetles are notable for their ability to click and right themselves when placed on their backs.

Doing further research, I read that wireworm larvae and adults overwinter in the soil. In early spring female beetles emerge from the soil, mate and lay eggs underground. Hatching takes place in 2-4 weeks, and the young larvae begin working their way through the soil in search of food. Larvae feed underground for 2-6 years with most of their damage occurring in early spring when soil temperatures are cool. Pupation occurs in late summer and adult beetles emerge in the spring. One generation per year, the life-cycle requiring 1-6 years to complete.

SIX YEARS of continual damage in my veggie beds is what I understand from what I just read!!

Lord help me …

So since I do not use pesticides – of any type – I am just going to have to be exceedingly diligent in keeping things under control in my soil. I’ll have to start beefing the health up in it, and then diligently keeping tabs on pests. I’m going to have Hubs build me a couple more birdhouses to hang in the beds area (birds consume a large amount of larvae and beetles) …

… and then use my Claw tool to thoroughly turn the soil to keep the prolific beetles so frustrated they leave my garden beds and crawl off somewhere else; as well as expose all stages of the problem to the weather and lurking birds.:

I already practice crop rotation (and religiously keep detailed notations from year to year); I also practice companion planting.

I will use a “potato trap” though, meaning I cut a spud in half and run a stick through the middle - burying the spud about 1” deep, using the protruding end of the stick as a handle. Hopefully when I check the “trap” in a day or 2 … it will have lured and trapped wireworms which will then be smashed and trashed.

And I am going to invest in some sticky traps and set those out too to catch the pests on wing!

((((YES!!!!))) I am engaging in full out W.A.R. with these pests >;-(

Sorry, but I have absolutely N.O.S.Y.M.P.A.T.H.I.E.S. whatsoever for destructive critters. When they bailiwick on my turf and create havoc in my veggie beds they deserve what they get.