Finding Ephraim

At seven years of age i had an amazing experience that began my journey, my quest, for truth. This journey eventually resulted in my conversion from Christianity to a Torah observant life that is lead by the Spirit and the example set by the Messiah. This is the story of that experience.

I was at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with my family, it was a clear summer day. i remember running in the green grass and then i stopped and was looking up at a tree, watching the leaves blowing in the soft breeze; amazed by the rays of light that passed through it from the sun. i remember experiencing something wash over me that i had never quite been able to identify, was it a vision, a feeling, a physical sensation? It was all of those things at once. i remember thinking and feeling that i was unlimited and at that moment i could do anything, go anywhere...boundless. From that moment on God had impressed upon me the man i was to strive to become. I have spent years sifting my way through the lies, traditions, and doctrines flying around us everyday.

Not to say that traditions are bad, many traditions are very good as long as they are helping us become one (Echad) with the Creator, as long as we perform the tradition on purpose, knowing why, and not just ritualistically and uneducated.

Not to say that i have arrived either; i agree with the Apostle Paul who said:
"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus (b'Mashiach Yeshua)." Phil 3:12

i now know that my experience was not an isolated one. i discovered that C.S. Lewis described an experience similar in his book "Surprised by Joy."

In which he refers also to another man that had such an experience. In his book he explains it like this:

"it is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy..."

i explain it like this:

It was as if for one moment the sin nature was removed from me and i was perfect. I felt like I was free from the bonds of time and space, and for one moment I was just as close to the far reaches of the universe as I was in that park, I was just as close to the beginning of time as the end. Creating in me a deeper longing for the pleasure (Joy) i received. The pleasure i have since learned is Echad (one) with the Almighty.

Sephardim is a word that refers to the Jews of Spain & Portugal whose initial exile was by Assyria (I recently discovered that I was incorrect about where the Sephardim came from, see below*), that exile eventually translated into the Roman Empire. some Jews fled to Germany and Poland (Askenazi), Some south to Northern Africa (Maghrebim), and some to Spain and Portugal. In 1492 many of the Sephardim were moved to New Spain in the America's. many of the Latino (Hispanic) people of America are of Sephardic descent, but just don't know it.

Americans, Canadians, British, Italians, Spaniards are all considered "westerners." Why? Because we all were at one time a part of or were influenced by the Roman Empire. Believe it or not we still are. Greece came first and then was conquered by The Roman Empire. Rome capitalized on Greece culture, philosophy, education...everything.

There is a lot of history, but my point is that i believe many Christian believers regardless of race are likely of Jewish descent and are still in exile. Having been separated from the foundational beliefs and practices that identify God's people as His; walking in His ways.

*[It was stated in Joshua 15:20-63 that the house of Judah would inherit the south land called the negev. Based on new information I find that this same area (otherwise known as the 'cities of the south' and including Jerusalem) were prophesied in Obadiah as going to the returned exiles of the tribe of Judah also none as those exiled to Sepharad which is Spain.

And the removed of this force of the sons of Israel, That [is with] the Canaanites unto Zarephat, And the removed of Jerusalem that [is] with the Sepharad, Possess the cities of the south. Oba 1:20 (Young's Literal Translation)

This means that the Jewish exiles in Sepharad were actually dispersed there by Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon. During the time of the 70 year exile of which Daniel was a part, and not Assyria as previously thought.]