Welcome to Grafted Jewish Roots of Christianity! Host Stephanie Pavlantos interviews Will Turner, a Messianic content creator and plumber, about interpreting Scripture in context, focusing on common readings of 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:23.
Will argues these passages are often used to teach immediate conscious life in heaven after death, but in context refer to the future resurrection and receiving an imperishable body, drawing on 2 Corinthians 5:1–7, 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, Philippians 3:21, Ephesians 4:22–24, and Ecclesiastes 9:5–10. They discuss how beliefs about deceased loved ones “in heaven” conflict with resurrection hope, emphasize enduring to the end, using spiritual gifts to bring others into God’s kingdom, and stress that Paul’s “all Scripture is God-breathed” originally referred to the TaNaK, underscoring the Old Testament’s importance for understanding Jesus and the New Testament.
Welcome to Grafted: Jewish Roots of Christianity! Host Stephanie Pavlantos welcomes returning guest Shauna Manfredine.
Shauna is an author, artist, teacher, and speaker with Lighted Way Ministries, which broadcasts each Shabbat and hosts annual feasts and retreats. Manfredine discusses her focus on archeoastronomy, arguing the heavens contain Yahweh’s intended story and that paganism distorted original constellation meanings tied to Scripture, the twelve tribes, and prophecy. She describes tracing star and constellation names, shapes, and “tapestry” scenes (e.g., the Bowman’s arrow into the scorpion) and connects figures such as Perot’s “the Breaker” to David and Goliath. She presents her book Ancient Hebrew in the Stars, claiming the twenty-two-letter original alphabet appears in constellations worldwide, with meaning also conveyed by letter frequency, including a Shema message in letters appearing once. They share links to her sites, books, free magazine, and video platforms.
Welcome to Grafted: Jewish Roots of Christianity! Host Stephanie Pavlantos interviews author, teacher, and pastor Jeff Brannan about his testimony, Torah-rooted teaching, and writing.
Jeff recounts coming to faith as a teen during his parents’ divorce, decades of ministry, and later intense study in Genesis—especially Genesis 6 and the Nephilim—which led him into Torah practice and cost him many ministry relationships. He describes his fiction series beginning with “Nephilim: A Giant Walkthrough History” and its prequel/sequel work “The End Is the Beginning,” connecting end-times themes like the Antichrist and deception, and he outlines teaching books on priestly garments and priestly service as allegories for salvation and spiritual life. Stephanie and Jeff emphasize humility, being teachable, and relying on the Holy Spirit for scriptural discernment. Jeff also summarizes his research-driven book “The Rise of Marcion,” tracing early heresies (including Marcion, Simon Magus, and Nicolaitans), their modern resurgence, and defenses of gospel authority.
The moment we think we do, we are guilty of pride and arrogance. Pride is sin.
The Lord made it clear:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Is. 55:8-9.
It is impossible for us to understand the thoughts and ways of the Lord.
Yet we fight and argue over what we think our limited understanding of the Bible says God is going to do and how it all plays out. We must continually ask for revelation from the Holy Spirit as we study God’s Word for ourselves.
How often do we ask the Lord to correct any of our bad theology and the lies we have believed?
As humans, we all have some flawed theology, and are even deceived in some areas. There are things we know, things we are completely wrong about, and things we know nothing about. Only God knows it all. It’s not what we think is true; it’s what He says is truth.
The Gospel of Yeshua
They say you can’t take it with you…but there is something we can take with us.
People.
We can take our spouses, kids, sisters, brothers, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and people we don’t know yet to Heaven with us.
Instead, we fight and argue over:
The shape of the Earth,
The true name of the Messiah and the Father and how to spell it and say it
Whether annihilation awaits the non-believers or eternal punishment,
End-time doctrine—pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, or no rapture…
The timing of the resurrection,
KJV vs. ESV, NIV, NASB….
None of those things are the Gospel of Christ. But we argue over them like they save us.
Restitution of All Things
We are called to share and teach the Gospel by first introducing them to Jesus so they can have eternal life through His death and resurrection. Jesus shed His blood so we can have abundant life. He died because the blood of perfect animals wasn’t enough to restore all of humanity and the universe. The Blood is why God will make a New Heaven and a New Earth. That is part of the Gospel and our goal as believers is to live with the Father forever on His New Earth, which is Heaven. God will restore all things to their original state before sin.
The Gospel is the restitution of ALL things. That’s the Good News—the news we should flood social media with and talk about.
When my son was seven or eight, he asked if a particular family member loved Jesus. We said, “No, he doesn’t believe in Jesus.” He burst into tears. He wept over this family member possibly not going to Heaven one day.
It convicted me. How often we weep and pray over those who may not go to Heaven with us?
Which is better, everlasting punishment in the Lake of Fire or an actual second death that removes them from the universe forever? Are we really arguing over which way is best for God to punish the ones we love and will never see again unless their hearts change?
Does He Know You?
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 ESV.
These verses should concern us all. Are we doing the will of the Father? It is not enough to say, “I know Jesus.” He. Must. Know. Us.
Are we walking so close to Him that we turn right or left when He does? Or stop and rest when He does? Is His Word something we study and love? Do we obey Him? Do we hear His voice?
The prince of this world wants us to think way too highly of ourselves. He wants us to be unteachable, rude, and full of head knowledge instead of heart knowledge. His goal is to divide us by pitting us against one another. We can have different opinions about scripture; let’s not make it an argument, especially if it is not a topic that does not affect our salvation.
The older I get, the more I realize how brief life is. The Lord has humbled me in more ways than I care to share. Don’t make Him humble you; there’s a lot less grief if we humble ourselves before Him and let Him correct us.
Sarah Williams is the Grant Compliance Officer at The Warriors Refuge, where she plays a vital role in writing and managing grants that fund critical programs for homeless veterans. Her professional journey in this field led her to earn an associate’s degree in business management, further strengthening her dedication to service and support for those in need.
A former Marine, Sarah’s life took a transformative turn in 2017 when she felt a deep calling to follow Yahuah. This spiritual awakening sparked her passion for teaching the Torah and sharing the message of Yahshua Messiah through her ministry, Wind of Change Torah Ministry. She focuses on restoring the original biblical foundations and spreading the truth of Yahuah’s love and salvation.
In addition to her ministry, Sarah is a devoted wife and mother, actively developing a homestead with her husband. Together, they embrace sustainable living, spiritual growth, and community outreach, recently preparing to raise chickens and goats as part of their self-sufficient lifestyle.
Sarah’s personal journey is one of healing and deliverance, having overcome numerous challenges, including sickness, addictions, and spiritual battles. Now, she experiences a deep peace and Shalom that surpasses all understanding, a gift she shares with others through her work and ministry. Inspired by the words of 2 Corinthians 12:9, Sarah has learned to embrace her weaknesses, trusting that in these moments, Yahuah’s power is made perfect. Her mission is to help others find the same healing, peace, and empowerment she has experienced through her faith.
