Galatians gazed upon

Round two, let’s see if Galatians tells us we’re “free” from the law of Yah.  As I mentioned in my take on James, Shaul was called to minister to formerly Gentile converts; and we read him state this himself in 1:15-16.  This is also seen in 2:2-9, with Barnabas ministering to them in addition to Shaul.  Now although there appears to be some difference between Jews and Gentiles as far as who ministered to whom, there is absolutely none in regards to fellowship within the body of Yahushua.  Peter (Kepha) segregated himself from the Gentiles when fellow Jews arrived with Yakov, and Shaul was so dismayed that he publically called him out on it to his face.  We find this incident over in 2:11-14.  In the remainder of the chapter, 2:15-21; very interesting verses are appearing that some misinterpret to justify their disregard for Torah obedience.  Shaul proclaims how we’re not under the law and it seems that’s where many stop reading without taking the context into account.  I’ll submit to you that he’s clearly saying we’re not under the law FOR SALVATION, not that it’s done away with or for Jews only (dispensationalism).  When he says he’s dead to the law he means he’s dead to faith in it for salvation, such faith is not living; non-existent.  This is so clear, because as many times as he mentions the Torah in this passage he also contrasts it to the salvation of our beloved Yahushua.  Apparently certain brethren were embracing/spreading a new doctrine that following the Torah saves, this of course was never true as Yahuah’s plan of salvation has always been to come by grace through faith in His Son; so Shaul rebukes the heresy.  And he does so by quoting the law, in case anyone still thinks he had hated it.

He continues to do so entering the third chapter and I don’t have any trouble with it, as long as his words aren’t twisted to teach how grace/faith is some recent discovery which negates the Torah.  Sadly though that seems to be the message preached over the last decade, and I think Shaul would be heartbroken to see this trend transpire.  Perhaps all of us should seek to be balanced as believers, to just ask if it’s possible that the same Father who gave the grace of Yahushua also gave us His law and both are good to the point of being followed.  As a mentor of mine says, being able to unlearn false things is just as important as being able to learn new truths.  Most know cursed are those who fail to do all of the Torah (everyone), and the good news of how Yahushua came to take away the curse if our faith is in Him.  What curse?  Well it can’t be the law, not according to 3:12: “Now the law was not from faith, but whoever is a doer of those things that are written in it will live (temporally) by them”.  I still don’t know everything, but I know that if by Torah obedience I’ll be blessed with life then I’m not about to dare call the Torah a curse.  He’s redeemed us from the curse of the law, NOT the curse which is the law.  Given the context, my opinion is that “curse of the Torah” simply refers to the fact that all who violate it are cursed in that we’re guilty of death; without the Messiah of course.  Likewise, the law does not negate the promise Yahuah made in sending us the Savior to free us from eternal death so I don’t have a problem with the end of this chapter either.  That’s what we’re freed from, yes the Torah is a tutor pointing to everyone’s need for a Redeemer; including those who previously may have mistakenly done it for redemption.  

Shaul carries this theme into the fourth chapter to those desiring to be under law for salvation, but I feel as if getting into it in depth would be terribly repetitive.  I will just say that verse 10 is another one where reason seems to get left at the door: “Days and months and times of year you observe”.  This is said in a negative context, so a lot of people seem to think this means the Sabbath is now done away with despite the fact that it’s not even mentioned here.  I’ll admit that there isn’t anything to go by to logically determine what days exactly he means, but I can take an educated guess based on what he said in Romans.  That’s where he rebuked the assembly in Rome for observing special days of fasting that they either made up or adopted from those around them, ones not found in Torah.  Maybe those in Galatia did the exact same thing, it’s entirely possible.  Our dear misunderstood brother gets more specific in the fifth and sixth chapters, saying that the portion of Torah dealing with circumcision doesn’t save.  We see this same subject dealt with in Acts and Romans.  Bear with me here, but my dispensationalist friends who believe Yahushua’s death did away with the law are partially right.  It obviously did away with the sacrificial/ceremonial part of the Torah, as He is our sacrificial Lamb of Yah.  It also succeeded in doing away with the circumcision part (in adult converts), which Yahuah had promised to do in Jeremiah by circumcising His law on our hearts.  Therefore we should now have a love for it, so that we can call it good and practice it.  In conclusion, I personally don’t come away from reading Galatians with any desire to stop attempting to follow the law as my general pattern of loving; I just don’t.

James justified

Greetings again dear brothers and sisters, my apologies for the extreme length of the last post but I feel as though the content was vital enough to warrant it; vital for everyone – including the vain.  As Lupercalia (more commonly known as Valentine’s Day) dawns upon us once more I am prompted to quickly comment on another trend I’ve personally witnessed a number of times, that of many but not all young women in Christianity or fresh out of it who will only go for pretty boys with a musical ability of some sort.  Are they so shallow that the size of a man’s guitar neck is more important than his heart?  Time to grow up ladies, shall we?  Ok, now on to what I really want to dig into.  Let me just say that I’m not one to sword fight, but recently a friend tried using James (Yakov) as “proof” of disobedience; which inspired me to re-examine/defend what I believe it says.            

I find it interesting that anyone would attempt using James of all the Renewed Testament books as evidence in an anti-law argument, seeing as it tells us in the very first chapter that we shouldn’t be deceived into only hearing the word but not doing it (1:22-25).  What word?  I submit to you that word here is referring to Torah, as is the case many other times in Scripture.  This theme carries on into the second chapter.  A potential problem with seeing this though comes from a common misunderstanding of verse 8: “And if you fulfill (do) the Torah of Elohim in this as it is written that you shall love your neighbor as yourself”.  Quoting the “Old Testament” book of Leviticus, how about that?  Our Messiah Yahushua also quotes this in the gospels and in fact He calls it the greatest command of the law/prophets.  What He is not saying is that the whole of the law has been suddenly whittled down to just love, yet this is a popular enough belief with many.  I’ve also heard it said that the law has been downsized to the Ten Commandments.  If this were true though we could do all sorts of other disgusting things that aren’t covered by the 10, such as commit incest; drink blood and torture others.  If this were so then we would have to conclude that everyone in Scripture after Yahushua who observed any aspect of Torah not covered by the 10 was a deceived fool, good grief.  Not at all, but at this point the anti-law defense usually moves over to the realm of dispensationalism.

This doctrine can easily be shot down by the fact that there is no longer “Jew” or “Gentile” in the Messiah, but for the sake of argument let’s use our imaginations and pretend otherwise.  “Now Matt, Shaul only did acts of Torah in front of the Jews a few times in order to appease them for the purpose of being all things to all men”.  While it is true that he took a Nazarite vow so that some Jewish brothers who thought he was against the law would see contrary, it’s also true that the primary audience of his ministry was in fact “Gentile” and there are instances that can’t be ignored where he either proclaims obedience to the law or actually observes it in front of them.  There is no problem however when we view the commandment to love as the root of the Ten which is in turn the root of the rest, a tree of teaching if you will.  Another common area of misunderstanding is 2:10: “For he who keeps the whole Torah and offends in one thing is found guilty of the whole Torah”.  So because we can’t keep all of the law should we then not even try to do what we can?  Or as Shaul put it, should we go on sinning so that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  Moving on to verses 14-26 we encounter those well known words in James that promote works.  What works?  Works of the law I’d say, founded out of love for Yahuah sending His only Son to save us by His atoning blood. 

In chapter 4:11-12 we are told not to speak against the Torah, that doing so it is as bad as wrongly judging our brother.  Often when we see loved ones struggling with a particular sin (violation of Yah’s law) and say something out of concern, we can be met with the response that we’re somehow judging.  Well, we’re supposed to.  I mean rightly judging, done out of love and not hypocrisy and/or condemnation.  Because if Scripture says there is a wrong form of judging, that implies there’s a right one.  And there is, Proverbs quoted in the very last line of James: “Let him know that he who turns back a sinner from the error of their ways will make alive his soul from death and will blot out a multitude of sins”.  In conclusion, I personally don’t come away from reading James with any desire to stop attempting to follow the Torah as my general pattern of living; I just don’t see it.                  

Spirit of exodus

(Note:  I’m not nor have ever been a racist or anti-Semite.  I’m anti-authorities who seek to go against the truth of our heavenly Father.  They come in many creeds.)

Happy new year, hope your last little while has been safe and joyous.  It’s a time when many will seek out new beginnings, resolutions and reformations.  I’ve got a few things bopping around in my head that I’d like to blog about, but one in particular jumps out as the most important so I’ll start out with it.  It may or may not save lives even, I don’t really know.  You see, in recent years I’ve noticed a trend.  I’ve seen it mostly in Messianics, but in some Christians too.  It seems that a lot of people believe us to be in the end times.  We might or might not be - I don’t know so I’m not going to debate that.  On one hand, things around the world do seem to be getting pretty hairy.  On the other hand, people have lived and died since Israel was reborn in 1948 that have trusted themselves to be to be the ones living in the final days.  What I do know is that many current believers feel compelled to do one thing to deal with this potential end: move away to go live there!  Not just on a missionary trip either, but for permanent residence.          

They think they’ll be safe there.  In my opinion this is odd, seeing as even unsaved non-believers with no faith in anything realize that it’s a place mired in warfare; anything but safe and peaceful.  Not to put down the Israeli people, just stating a fact here.  I believe Yahuah will seal us for protection (anti-mark of the beast for those worrying about that) as promised in Revelation 9, but still; why tempt fate?  Another point I’d like to raise is that Yahushua warned those in the land to flee in Luke 21 and not let anyone in as the prophetic end comes.  Not to mention that if/when an evil global government takes hold, yes; Israel will be subject to it too.  And lastly, if we all moved away from North America to Israel then there would be nobody left to reach the lost people here.  I’m one of the sorts that think there is a reason why Yah made us born scattered, to plant seed around us.  So then why do they believe they’ll be safe there?  Personally, I think it’s due to all the books and sites out there pointing to the North American financial system as the whorish beast.  I don’t believe it is, but that’s a whole other topic indeed for another time perhaps.

What’s more, there are vital political consequences for both “Jews” and “Gentiles” seeking to relocate there in the form of a mandatory allegiance to the Noahide Laws.  Those who promote them also love to have us wearing hats of unclean origin at the western Wailing Wall, and in truth they’re a bastardized version of the 10 Commandments.  They come not from Yah but from the man-made Talmud, while only He makes anyone righteous.  If you raise this to the powers that be they may deny it and tell you these Laws come from Acts 15 if they are “Messianic”, yet a quick comparison easily refutes this.  For the “Jewish” Messianic believer who embraces the real name of our Father, they may encounter serious reprisal for this.  For the “Gentile” Messianic believer, they may also face severe consequences for embracing the proper Sabbath and Torah in general.  What consequences?  I’ll let this excerpt from L. McGuire’s Followers of Yah tract answer, at the risk of being called a parrot and fear monger.  Dig this:

Ever heard of the Noahide (Noachide) Laws?  Talk has been going around that these are harmless.  “Hey, they were given to Noah; right?”  On the contrary, to such claims they are dangerous to EVERYONE!  “Do not be destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  (Hosea 4:6).  Say hello to the Seven Universal Laws of Man as listed by the Talmud (Sanh 56a):  Prohibition of idolatry.  Prohibition of murder.  Prohibition of theft.  Prohibition of sexual immorality.  Prohibition of blasphemy.  Prohibition of cruelty to animals.  Requirement to have just laws: you shall set up an effective judiciary to enforce the preceding six laws fairly.  These laws along with those who promote them are telling people there are 2 sets of laws, one for the Jews (Yahudim) and the other for the Gentiles (Goyim).  We know this isn’t Scriptural because we’re told:  “There is one Torah for the native-born and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”  (Exodus 12:49)

That is the reason the Noahide Laws are dangerous!  These laws are growing at an alarming rate in popularity.  They have even reached the U.S. Congress:  “The U.S. Congress officially recognized the Noahide Laws in legislation that was passed by both houses.  Congress and the President of the U.S. George Bush indicated in Public Law 102-14 of the 102^nd Congress that the United States of America was founded upon the Seven Universal Laws of Noah, and that these laws have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization.  They also acknowledged that the Seven Laws of Noah are the foundation upon which civilization stands and that recent weakening of these principles threaten the fabric of civilized society, and that justified preoccupation in educating the citizens of the U.S. of America and future generations is needed.  For this purpose, this Public Law designated March 26^th 1991 as Education Day.”  Well, isn’t that just sneaky?!  And here we thought the U.S. was founded on the top ten.  Oops, guess we were wrong; huh?  Sadly, this is not just for the state of Yisrael (Israel) or even the U.S., but for the whole world: “This obligation to teach all the peoples of the earth about the Laws of Noah, is incumbent upon every individual in every era.”  (Mishnah Torah, Law of Kings 8:10).  Do you want to live in Yisrael (Israel)?  If so, are you prepared to sign forms giving your allegiance to these counterfeit Ten Commandments?

http://wikipedia.org/wiki/seven_laws_of_noah: “In January 2004, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel; Sheikh Mowafak Tarif signed a declaration calling on all non-Jews in Israel to observe the Noahide Laws as laid down in the Hebrew Bible and expounded on in Jewish tradition.  The mayor of the Galilean city of Shefa-Amr (Shfaram) – where Muslim, Christian and Druze communities live side by side – also signed the document.  The declaration includes the commitment to make a better, more humane world based on the Seven Noachide Commandments and the values they represent commanded by the Creator to all mankind through Moses at Sinai.  Support for the spread of the Seven Noahide Commandments by the Druze leaders reflects the Biblical narrative itself.  The Druze community reveres the non-Jewish father-in-law of Moses, Jethro; whom Arabs call Shoabib.  According to the Biblical narrative, Jethro joined and assisted the Jewish people in the desert during the exodus; accepted monotheism but ultimately rejoined his own people.  In fact, the tomb of Jethro in Tiberias is the most important religious site for the Druze community.”

As we can see, these laws do not say anything about the Sabbath.  When reading the following, tears fell from my eyes.  Remember beloved friends, the ones that the dragon will wage war with will be those that follow Revelation 14:12.  “Gentiles may not ne taught the Torah.  Inasmuch as the Jews had their own distinct jurisdiction, it would have been unwise to reveal their laws to the Gentiles; for such knowledge might have operated against the Jews in their opponent’s courts.  Hence the Talmud prohibited the teaching to a Gentile of the Torah, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.”  (Deut. Xxxiii.4).  R. Johanan says of one such teaching: “Such a person deserves death (an idiom used to express indignation), it is like placing an obstacle before the blind.”  (Sanh. 59ag, 13a).  Yet if a Gentile studies the Law for the purpose of observing the moral laws of Noah, R. Meir says he is as good as a high priest and quotes: “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man shall do; he shall live in them.”  (Lev. Xviii.5).  The text does not specify an Israelite or a Levite or a priest, but simply “a man” – even a Gentile.  (Ab Zarah 26a).  Resh Laish (d. 278) said “A Gentile observing the Sabbath deserves death. (Sanh. 58b).  This refers to a Gentile who accepted the seven laws of the Noachide, inasmuch as the Sabbath is a sign between God and Israel alone; and it was probably directed against the Christian Jews who disregarded the Mosaic Laws and yet at that time kept up the observance of the Jewish Sabbath.”

Before I go on, I must interrupt and say the Scriptures are very clear; there is only one Torah for both the native-born and the stranger.  No one is righteous.  The seventh day Sabbath was made qodesh at the beginning (Genesis 2:3).  The seventh day Sabbath is not the Jews but it is the sign that binds believers to the Creator of heaven and earth.  Ok, back to the article:  “Rabbina, who lived about 150 years after the Christians had changed the day of rest to Sunday, could not quite understand the principle underlying Resh Laish’s law, and, commenting upon it, added that not even on Mondays (is the Gentile allowed to rest), intimating that the mandate given to the Noachide that day and night shall not cease = have no rest taken in a literal sense (Gen viii. 22) – probably to discourage general idleness (ib.Rashi), or for the more plausible reason advanced by Maimonides, who says that the principle is, one is permitted to make innovations in religion or to create new commandments.  He has the privilege to become a true proselyte by accepting the whole law (Yad Melakim x.9).  R. Emden, in a remarkable apology for Christianity contained in his appendix to Seder Olam (pp. 32b-34b, Hamburg; 1752) gives it as his opinion that the original intention of Jesus; and especially of Paul was to convert only the Gentiles to the seven moral laws of Noah and to let the Jews follow the Mosaic law – which explains the apparent contradictions in the New Testament regarding the laws of Moses and the Sabbath”.  According to the Jewish Kabbalist one does not have to embrace or even convert to Judaism.  All gentiles just have to follow the Noahide Laws.  These moral codes are believed to unite all mankind.  Point blank, the Noahide Laws replace the marriage vows/ten commandments of Yahuah!  These are not just religious laws but as we have read, the U.S. now considers them universal laws for all of mankind.  Unbelievable, but it is true!  Oh, it gets worse though.  Unlike the Torah teaching found in Deut.17:6, that requires testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses before 1 can be executed; according to the Noahide Laws it only takes 1 witness!

Who ever is found breaking one of these laws is subject to capital punishment by decapitation (Sanh.57a).  To further expound on this evidence the following is taken from The Encyclopedia Judaica 1192: “Violation of any of one of the seven laws subjects the Noahide to capital punishment by execution.”  Wow, that has my attention.  How about yours?  I must repeat to those who practice Rev. 12:17 and 14:12, this message is for YOU.  Seek Eloah now because according to these people a Gentile cannot keep the 7^th day Sabbath!  The tract that you are reading will some day be considered hate literature.  Ever heard of the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act?  It was signed back on October 8^th, 2004.  Not everyone should have to be hated simply because of one’s religion, race or gender but this act that went into effect just involves anti-Semitism.  In essence, if anyone speaks about the state of Israel (Yisrael) in a bad way that person is anti-Semitic.  It goes so far as to say that anyone who says the Jews were behind the Messiah being impaled are anti-Semitic.  Even the Messianic Scriptures are considered to be anti-Semitic.  Taking into consideration the Noahide Laws and this Global Anti-Semitic Review Act, it makes perfect sense why we see T.V. pastors like John Hagee saying the Jews did not reject the Messiah and that they do not need to accept Him.  I personally believe the Jewish people were not Messiah killers because Yahushua tells us the following in John/Yohanan 10:18: “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again.  This command I have received from My Father.”  Now that is power!  Sure, the council despised and hated Him because they were of their abba ha shatan and all of us are of the body of the Messiah they hated (Rev. 12:17).  According to the Noahide Laws if one believes in Yahushua the Messiah then they are guilty of idolatry.  To add fuel to the fire, if you speak the name of Eloah you are guilty of blasphemy; guilty as charged with the outcome of decapitation.  This is nothing new, the stoning of Stephen angered the council greatly because he spoke the name of Eloah (please read Acts 6 and 7).  Stephen had picked up his staff and followed in his Master’s footsteps.

See, according to the tradition only a priest is able to speak ha shem (the name); anyone else is guilty of blasphemy.  Forsaking the command of Elohim, you hold fast to the traditions of men (Mark 7:8).  Since the Messiah came in His Abba’s name (Yahuah), He carries ha shem (the name) within His name; Yahushua.  Ponder the following: I have come in My Father’s name and you do not receive Me, if another comes in his own name; him you would receive (John/Yohanan 5:43).  Then they shall deliver you up to affliction and kill you, and you shall be hated by all nations for My name’s sake (Matt/Matittyahu 24:9).  Many of you might be thinking that was just for those early believers, there is no Sanhedrin now.  If I may, please find something sturdy to hold on to; the following information might be a lot to digest: “There is a special commandment, not connected to time; but tied to our presence in Israel to establish a Sanhedrin.  The Rambam (12^th century Rabbi Maimonides) describes the process exactly in the Mishna Torah.  When he wrote it, there was no Sanhedrin; and he therefore outlined the steps necessary to establish one.  When there is a majority of rabbis in Israel who authorize one person to be an authority, he can then reestablish Sanhedrin (Israel National News, 12-09-04)”. 

The council of Sanhedrin has been established: “On October 13^th the Sanhedrin, the highest tribunal of the Jewish state and religion; was re-inaugurated by a group of rabbis in Tiberias after 1600 years of absence.  According to Jewish sources, last notice of the Sanhedrin dates around 425 AD; also in the city of Tiberias.  After that, it ceased to exist (Israel National News, 10-13-04)”.  And: “Newly formed Sanhedrin ascends to Temple Mount in a dramatic but unpublicized move Monday, members of the newly established Sanhedrin ascended the Temple Mount.  Rabbi Chaim Richmond, also a member of the Sanhedrin (head of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem); hopes the body will bring about a revolution in Jewish jurisprudence.  The revival of the Sanhedrin is also considered a crucial development in preparation for the messianic age and the rebuilding of the Temple (Arutz Sheva News, 12-14-04)”.  Also: “Sanhedrin recognizes council to teach humanity the Laws of Noah when a group of non-Jewish delegates have come to Jerusalem to pledge their loyalty to the Laws of Noah.  They appear before the Sanhedrin, who establish High Council for B’nai Noach (Arutz Sheva News, 06-06-06).”

Once the pains begin, and they have begun beloved ones; they are not going to go away like some sticky band-aid.  Oh no, they are going to go forth until the seventh trump!  Yep, it sure seems like things are lining up.  Soon you will be faced with drawing the line in the sand.  Two laws, one for the Jew and one for the Gentile.  The decree (edict) will go forth: Any Gentiles keeping the 7^th day Sabbath shall be found guilty of breaking the Noahide Law and must be punished to the fullest, decapitation.  No Gentile shall be permitted to speak ha shem (the name of YHWH), all who do have blasphemed and are found guilty of breaking the Noahide Law and shall be punished to the fullest; decapitation.  Now stop and ponder that “Here are the patience of the qodesh ones (saints), here are they that keep the commandments of Eloah and testimony of Yahushua (Revelation 14:12)”.  As you eat that verse, let those words be written in your being!  Clearly, the Noahide Laws are intended to replace the marriage vows (10 Commandments) of Yahuah.  All who continue to keep Eloah’s Ten Commandments regardless of what men say, will be found guilty.  The Sanhedrin has indeed been established to make sure the Seven Universal Laws of man are kept.  The Jewish High Court has been built.  The holding cells of all criminals (most likely those who have broken the Noahide Laws) are downstairs, soon they’ll be taken upstairs to the courtroom and then sentenced.  If you think you’re safe over here, think again!  Have you ever heard of the Genocide Treaty?  There happens to be 19 articles to this treaty/convention.  This is very serious, especially since article #2 mentions causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a group.  If one causes another mental harm (as in speaking the truth about the Messiah Yahushua to a lost world) that one is guilty, and can have their trial anywhere in the world.  Yeah, it’s that bad! 

“National issue: one court for all of the world?  A United Nations meeting in Rome is wrapping up five weeks of work on a proposed international criminal court.  The new court would have worldwide jurisdiction and could investigate, indict, hold, try and punish those who committed certain crimes.  The proposed international court would subject Americans to a new world authority.  We’re talking about creating here something that exercises genuine power, real put-people-in-jail power; but that is responsible to no one but itself said Lee Casey who is a constitutional lawyer with the Washington firm of Hunton and Williams (Investment Business Daily, 07-16-98)”.  That old rugged machine is back!  By the millions, the guillotines are being stored in Georgia and other parts of the United States.  Bill #1274 of the Georgia House of Representatives – 1995/1996 Sessions HB 1274 – Death penalty; guillotine provisions Code Sections – 17-10-38/17-10-44:

A bill to be entitled an act.  To amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the death penalty generally, so as to provide a statement of legislative policy; to provide for death by guillotine; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.  Section 1 – The General Assembly finds that while prisoners condemned to death may wish to donate one or more of their organs for transplant, any such desire is thwarted by the fact that electrocution makes all such organs unsuitable for transplant.  The intent of the General Assembly in enacting this legislation is to provide for a method of execution which is compatible with the donation of organs by a condemned prisoner.

“And I saw thrones – and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them – and the lives of those who had been beheaded because of the witness they bore to Yahushua and because of the word of Elohim, and who did not worship the beast, nor his image, and did not receive his mark upon their foreheads or upon their hands.  And they loved and reigned with the Messiah for a thousand years.”  (Revelation 20:4)    

Folly days

Dust off the telescopes and pass the escargot because it’s once again time for Saturnsnailia, more commonly known as Christmas!  I thought about doing a piece on how it’s really Mithras in nature, but that would be too predictable.  Besides, there are many great sites with info on that (see first entry) and I want to be original and parrot them as little as possible.  What I don’t want is to waste time with anyone who says that “Christmas isn’t sketchy” without having done any seriously objective study into the matter.  Not trying to offend, but historical facts are true and if I’m taught otherwise then I’ve sadly been misled.  In other words, if a better way of doing things is shown to us then we should be open.  His truth is a sword, cutting down our hearts to bleed out lies.      

For this, some would to seek to label me as a “nit picking Judaizing legalist”.  If by hair splitting they mean embracing light and not grieving my Yahuah by clinging to heathen practices, then yes.  I could point out how certain brothers in Scripture were called Judaizers by Shaul because they were saying one needed to be circumcised in order to be saved, not for promoting Yah’s holidays.  I could point out how legalism isn’t even mentioned in Scripture because it wasn’t an issue, or that the opposite is illegalism and being against the law isn’t a good thing.  And I could point out how Yahushua was most likely born during the Scriptural/real holiday of Sukkot, but I get the feeling they’d still just want to argue and not listen.  I’m in no way saying this to condemn, but to exhort.

And so, I am lead to touch on Hanukkah.  Recently a friend and fellow believer asked me about it, so it’s on my mind anyway.  Much like Purim, it’s a cultural/traditional holiday not commanded in any portion of Torah.  Albeit one referenced in Scripture and one that our Savior seems to have celebrated.  Personally, I think it’s a neutral option because one doesn’t sin if they choose to observe it or if they don’t.  Old habits do die hard, so if one absolutely must celebrate something in December to fellowship then it’s a decent alternative to encourage.  Satan Claws hates us though, so don’t be surprised at any opposition that arises.  Anyway, whatever your current holiday of choice is I sincerely wish you and yours a safe and happy season.  Life does go better with love, not hate.      

On a personal note, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the few of you who may or may not have been following my little blog this year.  At first I was hesitant about standing alone in the line of fire of the haters, but after a couple of failed co-blogs I saw that the only one properly suited to share your beliefs is you.  Now I’m finding it to be a real pleasure, writing has always been a passion of mine and it’s so nice to be doing this once again.  In the coming 2011 I’m looking forward to putting out more of my thoughtful opinions and commentary, what I feel a blog should be built upon.  I don’t expect everyone to agree with all of my views, but I’ll be happy if at least some meaningful research and dialogue is birthed.  I’ll take some milky cookies, got napkins?

A short story

“Grease Eater”

Imagine if you will that you’ve just woken up in a pile of leaves on a pleasant fall day in the backyard of a somewhat unpleasant house.  You don’t know quite where you are or how you got there, and you have the odd sensation of having just travelled through virtual time and cyber space.  Loud noises erupt inside, so you go over to investigate.  They’re coming from the living room.  A human sized turkey is running around in circles and loudly mumbling incoherently about having been sent to replace Sukkot.  At this point, a young boy enters from a bedroom.  He has his Super Mr. T shirt on and is wearing a beach towel cape.  A metal pail frames his head, with a toy sword hanging aside.

“You seem to have gotten of thy tonics Daniella of The Dark Meat, but fear not; for I hath the cure and I shall administer it unto you with great haste.”  He begins banging his weapon on his helmet and dances his way to the bird in an attempt to wrestle it, which ends the match by sending him flying into a recliner; knocking it back over.  Luckily he’s alright though, if not a little shaken.  He looks up at you cross-eyed and stutters.  “The prescription is too weak, but oh who shall formulate one for my present condition?”

Someone comes in from the potty, a menacing woman with an angry scowl on her face.  She looks at the fowl and begins to shake her fists while stomping on the floor.  “You’re going to quiet down right now Gertie Birdy or else you’ll get a pounding!”  She ties up her nemesis with toilet paper but stops when she notices he who’s apparently her brother on the floor, who by this point is knocked out.  You think about cautiously retreating too.  “Good, but even for me this is far too twisted; so I’m going to get Daddy-o now!”

As she races upstairs to the loft for their father he comes down to try and control his avian foe, which is showing no signs of slowing down to a jog.  You witness him speak up.  “You’re to do as I say, and I say settle down now!  Yunderstand me bird?”  It gives no answer, so he carefully removes his belt and approaches.  But his pants fall down and he lands on a couch, where it spanks him with a frying pan until he breaks free and gracefully hobbles away.  “You shouldn’t have done that to my bum cheeks a tall, now I’m going to call the authorities.  And you should know they’re going to send you away!”

You tend to his awakening son as he goes back up to his phone, where he criticizes the creature behind its back.  Then it bolts through the kitchen and into the basement, just as a knock is heard at the door:

Daddy-o – “Who’s that at my door, Norris Division?”

Grease eater – “I’m the chief grease eater of the west side, you called me?”

Daddy-o – “Yes”

Grease eater – “Thank you.”

Daddy-o – “It’s in the basement, do you think you can club and eat it?”

Grease eater – “Maybe”

Sonny – “May I view this spectacle, dear sir?”

Grease eater – “You’d better stay up here boy, things might get greasy.”

He slowly makes his way down the stairs and finally comes to the scariest place he’s seen in his entire life, a small den resembling a dungeon.  Kooky noises and mouth farts are coming out of it as he puts his hand on the knob to lock it.  Afterwards he rushes outside and takes off his shirt, followed by the construction of a tent with tree branches right next to an old barbeque.  The propane fumes make you faint, and fall back into the pile of leaves to awaken back home in your own dimension.  Happy Sukkot everyone!                                

A poem

Warped Mirror

She’s got the looks of a beauty queen, the kind that belong in classy art scenes and at the heart of every gentleman’s dreams.

The sad thing is that she’s always been the last to know, society can distort image so while weighing a young lady’s very soul.

Blind and abusive little boys don’t help with their lies, telling her she’s really not this gorgeous prize with lightning eyes.

Mean girls know the score but they just shoot cold stares, and whisper with a jealous flair that in some way this just isn’t fair.

Humble and shy in all her ways makes her profoundly unique, but all vain people seek is the body that should be in a boutique.

An understatement to say she’s hard to get, so if you think you can then please step in line and put in your very finest bet.

I’d like to try loving her myself but I don’t have the nerve, to admit that she swerves off the scale of what most men deserve.

And that thing that you just can't place, well it’s the fact that her face is reflected straight out of Yahuah’s amazing grace.

Testimony time

I come from a very religious background, a very large and old pseudo-Christian institution that you can probably guess so I'll refrain from naming it for now.  I was raised to believe in a man-made system of rituals and rites, ones that I would later learn were in fact in opposition of Scripture instead of based on it.  My thoughts on the Messiah were that He's only a part of the salvation process, and that His Torah is useless.  To make a long story short, one night a lifelong friend of mine named Jana took me out to a play at a church she was involved in at the time.  Not really understanding what I was doing, I let her lead me into a prayer of repentance afterwards.  As Jana eventually led me to study the Scriptures it was then that I realized how much of what I had been indoctrinated to believe was false, and after about a year of struggling I finally left my previous institution; got immersed and enrolled in a non-denominational "bridal college".  It was there that I befriended two other young men who were studying Messianic things in their spare time, they tried to share with me some matters but I resisted for well over two years; going through one major spiritual change was hard and I didn't want to do it again.  But now I'm openly Nazarene, which I see as more of a movement than a denomination and I've been re-immersed in the real names of Yahuah and Yahushua (God and Jesus both have negative origins which one can see if they study them out objectively).