Embracing the Spirit of Truth

1 John 4:1-6 
Dear friends, don't trust every spirit. On the contrary, test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Here is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges that Yeshua the Messiah came as a human being is from God, and every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God - in fact, this is the spirit of the Anti-Messiah. You have heard that he is coming. Well, he's here now, in the world already! You, children, are from God and have overcome the false prophets, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world's viewpoint; and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God doesn't listen to us. This is how we distinguish the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.

Without Yeshua We Are All Destined To Death

House of Judah and house of Israel, just as you were formerly a curse among the nations, 
so now I will save you; and 
you will be a blessing. 
Don't be afraid, but take courage!' 
Zechariah 8:13

Developing a Vision

   MIDRASH ECHAD began meeting in 2012.  Back then, all we knew is that we needed to dedicate more of our living to Yeshua and His Word so that we may be found worthy at His return.  But how to operate as a congregation that keeps that focus has been both challenging and a learning experience. 
   We had many bumps along the way finding believers at many different levels of maturity, with many different visions.  Some of these were scriptural and many were not.  
   Rather than give up, we are persisting in allowing Yeshua to do the transformation.  In so doing, we are evaluating our journey thus far and adjusting as we go so that it is not the Word that is changing,but our hearts.  We are developing a deeper love for Abba Father through His Son and our savior, Yeshua HaMashiach.  

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Romans 12:2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.

Enjoying the One New Man

    We are developing a greater appreciation for our brothers and sisters around the globe.  We see our Jewish believers as one with us as we are being transformed by Messiah into the ONE NEW MAN.  As time progresses until His return we know that His Word will reveal more to us about our ONENESS as we are both vitally necessary to Abba Father.  MIDRASH ECHAD will use 2015 to understand the Word of scripture in a way that satisfies the ONE NEW MAN.   We will continue to lean upon the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaChodesh) and embrace our global brothers and sisters who are gifted with the ability to teach.  In so doing we are endeavoring to study scripture in newness.  

Ephesians 2:1-22 You used to be dead because of your sins and acts of disobedience.  You walked in the ways of the 'olam hazeh and obeyed the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the disobedient.  Indeed, we all once lived this way - we followed the passions of our old nature and obeyed the wishes of our old nature and our own thoughts. In our natural condition we were headed for God's wrath, just like everyone else.  But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love  that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah - it is by grace that you have been delivered.  That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven,  in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.  For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God's gift.  You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast.  For we are of God's making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.  Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth - called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised -  at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra'el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God's promise. You were in this world without hope and without God.  But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah's blood.  For he himself is our shalom - he has made us both one and has broken down the m'chitzah which divided us  by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom,  and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.  Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby, b news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's family. You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!