What's Happening With Grace Messianic? Here's the Scoop.

Ok, so here's what's happening:

• The Android app (click link to find us in the Play Store) is currently working correctly on over 2,000 types of devices. Search "Grace Messianic" in the Google Play store to download, or click here.

•  The Grace Messianic Podcast is being updated regularly on the new website, and on the app.
• We were approved at Libsyn, but then were made to wait too long to use them, so we have chosen to go with SoundCloud instead. Faster customer service, with an unlimited data upload plan, for only $3.00 more.

• The website over at GraceMessianic.com is working out rather well, too. The price is right (its free), and the update / refresh rate to facebook and Blogger is lightening fast.

We are in the third week of our Psalm 119 study, with an accompaniment study of the Hebrew letters,  from Grant Luton's book, "In His Own Words."


So far, it has been an extremely interesting study - not without its share of controversy though. Let it be known, that I am not teaching the meanings of the Hebrew letters as "Gospel Truth," as "doctrine," or as "scripture," but as Grant himself states, we are going through it to see what the rabbis themselves were saying about the Hebrew letters, before and after Christ's time on earth; and how often their views agree with the Gospel account as we know it. I believe taht every "jot and tittle" are Divinely inspired, and like the rabbis say, "coincidence is not a kosher word."

Our goal is to get to know our Messiah a little better. That's all. So far, this study has been enlightening, and fun - and has our congregation digging into His Word like never before. I plan on continuing on as planned, regardless of the viewpoints of some Messianic organizations concerning Grant's book.

Hopefully soon, we will have a "full-time-blogger" keeping things up to date.
In Him,

Aaron Benge

Shabbot is almost here!

Hine Ma Tov Umanaim.

Un canto di Pace

.הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב = Hine mah tov
Behold how good

וּמַה נָּעִים = uMah-Nayim
and how pleasing

שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד = shevet achim gam yachad
if brothers could sit together in unity
 

Taken from Psalm 133. 

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

² It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
³ It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.

A song of Ascents indeed.

Where were you?

If you weren't there Saturday, you missed a great service!

I am already looking forward to next weeks - the Parsha is  

Chayei Sarah | חיי שרה | "Sarah's life" Torah: Genesis 23:1-25:18

  I have will updates throughout the week as I study for Saturday. 

In the meantime, please check out the poll in the top right of this page - why do most of us worship on Sunday rather than Saturday? Is it for reasons doe to scripture, or is it more than that?

I would argue that there is little scriptural motivation to  "change the day."

I hope everybody is having a good week - in Him,

Aaron

A Look At Our New Signs, And Parsha Vayera

Finally!

I don't know how much this will help draw people into our little congregation, but its worth a shot. I believe that we are the only Saturday Sabbath, "One-Law" congregation in Montgomery County and probably the surrounding counties. 

At any rate, here we are, Erev Shabbat (evening before Sabbath). Tomorrow I will be teaching on 

Parsha Vayera | וירא | "He appeared " - Genesis 18:1-22:24 (click to open these chapters in a new window)

This portion deals with an extraordinary section of Scripture, where we see Hashem ("The Name" another name for God) tell Abraham that he and Sarah are going to have a baby in their old age - not just "old" but 90 years old! When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was an amazing 90 years old. 

She was not only barren, but she was well over the age of childbearing, having surely gone through menopause much earlier in her life - not to mention the miracle of her being able to nurse a new baby! Its not a wonder she "laughed within herself." Later in this portion Hashem tells Abraham to take Isaac up the mountain and sacrifice him. After all of that; having performed several miracles in the bearing if Isaac, they are told to sacrifice him. 

Could we? I am 42, and our youngest boy is 3 years old - not exactly a "child in our old age," but you get the point. I am not sure that I could have done what Abraham did. I winced and almost looked away when my youngest was circumcised! 

He has not wasked any of us to do anything quite so drastic; yet He has called us to do some difficult things; some of us have had to tell our spouses that we no longer want to work on Saturday, because we have been convinced that it is the Shabbat (Sabbath) of our Lord. Some of us have had to  tell our extended families that we no longer "do Christmas," because of its Pagan roots. 

Some of us have experienced extreme stress on our marriages and our relationships because of the choice to obey His Instructions.

Its hard, and it is not fun.

It is also nothing compared to being asked to lay our  miracle child on God's alter, and sacrifice him. Nothing that we have endured even compares. 

As we enter this Shabbat, lets try to set those problems aside; lay those stressed relationships at His feet. He knows what you are going through, and He will deal bountifully with His servants.

May He bless your rest on this Shabbat, and grant you His peace.

Psalm 119:17-24

^119:17 Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
²⁰ My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
²¹ You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
²² Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
²³ Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
²⁴ Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.

The Grace Messianic Andriod App Is Up & Working

There we are, second from the right. Just click on the link, and "accept" after downloading! 

so far, the RSS feeds are working well for this http://gracemessianic.com and for jpost.com (Jerusalem Post news feed). 

The buttons have been updated too, so if they aren't yellow, there is a much nicer update coming your way.

I'll post more later.

Please, leave feedback here - ideas, complaints, suggestions...

Hello! Thanks for stopping by...

Thank you for stopping by!

We are Grace Fellowship Messianic. We are located between Crawfordsville and Waynetown, Indiana on SR136 (see map below).
We are entering our 6th month in this building, having moved from my family dining room this Spring. We absolutely love the Wesley Chapel and Grace Fellowship Ministries, who is our host church - without their heart to serve the Lord, and their graciousness, we would still be meeting in our home today.
Hopefully, in the coming months, this will be the place to go for updates concerning our congregation, information concerning upcoming Festivals, and follow-up teaching & blogs.
For the time being, we are going to take it one day at a time, and get this on Facebook, and see what kind of traffic we can generate!

Keep checking back for links, downloads and other things. 
I will be updating, adding links, videos & study-helps non-stop for the next few days.
Please, look around, make suggestions, and have rejoice with us as we learn more about our Messiah (Moshiach) and the context in which He lived!

God Bless!