Shalom everyone, hope summer found you safe and happy. I’ve put the blog up on a bit of an auto-pilot in recent months, because in all honesty; a pale white boy needs some time at the beach. Also, letting other people post their truth on here from time to time helps to make this site different; thanks again ladies. But I’m back, to enrage some and entertain others with my thoughts. I’m thinking about the changing seasons now, and how some of you are making the change to go back to school for more edumacation. So, why not briefly look at a book that’s all about change; about how things will one day be? You guessed it, Revelation time! It can be confusing and hard to read though, so let’s shed some light on a few misinterpreted/mistranslated verses and see what happens:
“LORD’s” DAY = SUNDAY?
At the beginning in 1:10 we read: “I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of The Lord and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet…” Seeing as Yahuah’s name was taken from us and replaced with the awful title of Lord (Baal in Hebrew) in the common translations, most Hebraic ones correct this to say the Day of Yah. It’s a common thought amongst many believers that this Day of Yah mentioned here refers to Sunday, despite that fact that Sunday is nowhere to be found in the text no matter what version you have. Why? Probably as a result of tradition, that of conditioning people to believe that Sunday is the Sabbath so therefore it must be the Lord’s Day. The Sabbath is actually and has always been Saturday but I really don’t have the time to get into that here, just look into what “Brother” Constantine did in 321 to find out more. So if it wasn’t on a sunny little Sunday that Brother Yohanon got caught up in the Holy Ghost trance, then what day was he talking about? Well, a quick glance at previous Scripture passages (Acts 2:20-21 being just one of several) plainly describe this Day of Yah as the great day of His wrath; Judgment Day. Speaking of Acts, let’s look at 20:7 quickly: “And upon the first day of the week (Sunday), when the disciples came together to break bread, Shaul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.” So what we have here is simply an instance where some brothers came together to sup and hear a good message, and it just so happened to fall on a Sunday; nothing more and nothing less. But some would like to use this verse as proof that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, the height of speculation in my opinion. One would have a somewhat better case if it said this was a restful custom of theirs, but it doesn’t say that. They’d also have a somewhat better case if it said this went on in a synagogue, but it doesn’t say that either. I’m just saying, that’s all.
MARRIAGE SUPPER = PIG ROAST?
Near the end we also encounter a couple of things that can be taken out of context, which I will deal with individually. Firstly, in 19:9-17 we read of the marriage supper of the lamb. The Lamb here is obviously Yahushua Who we are to be married to, but what about that supper? I’ve heard it said that this meal is going to be a ham dinner, much like Ishtar. Interesting, seeing as neither ham nor Ishtar are mentioned here. Also problematic, seeing as if Yahushua breaks His Father’s Torah by sucking on snout/celebrating an unclean holiday then He isn’t really the Messiah. Well, if we look at previous Scripture we’ll see that there is a feast involving a lamb mentioned several times. Passover is given in Exodus 12 and observed by Him in the gospels, known to most as the “last supper”. It’s clearly not temporary, as it will still be done in the coming kingdom as we read here. Neither is it just for Jews, but for all who want to covenant with their Creator. As I tend to say on here, I don’t know everything but I can take an educated guess and say that we probably won’t be doing the whole potluck BBQ thing with our blessed Savior in the distant future.
TATTOOED MESSIAH = REALLY?!
Another possibly confusing matter can be found in 19:9-17, in 19:16 to be specific: “And He had a name written on His garment and thigh, King of Kings and Lord of Lords (or more correctly Master of Masters).” Sounds just a little like a tat, right? Not if you look back at Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor make any marking upon you, I am Yahuah”. So although a case could be made for piercings as long as they’re not done for the dead, ink would appear to be totally out of bounds. And it bears repeating that if Yahushua at any time violates His Father’s Torah then He’s not really the Messiah, and we’re all hopelessly lost. So what gives? The answer lies in viewing it from a Hebraic lens, meaning that it was first written in Hebrew. The Hebrew word for thigh is ragel, while the Hebrew word for banner is dagel. The r character or “resh” just so happens to be almost identical, quite similar to the d character or “dalet” in modern Hebrew text. In all likelihood, what has happened here is that when it was brought from Hebrew into Greek the translator mistook the dalet for a resh. Now it makes perfect sense, hallelu.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Testimony time with the charismatic Miss Kathy
I am around 27 years old and am one of 3 children, as I have 2 sisters. My dad was in the Navy and my mother was a CNA. I come from a very dysfunctional, very broken and very oppressive family. Some of my earliest memories are of my father beating my mother. Very early in my childhood my father also began abusing myself and my 2 sisters. We were also met with neglect; we hardly saw a doctor or a dentist. On at least 2 occasions my teachers at school had notified my parents of my need for urgent and immediate medical attention and told my parents they had strongly considered reporting them to social services. When I heard my parents discussing this, I remember asking Yahuah to have them reported but they were not. My parents were professed Catholics and we went to Mass maybe 5 times. I felt no genuine connection to Yah during those times; I felt a curiosity which quickly faded after having appealed to Him numerous times only to be met with silence. I remember wailing uncontrollably into my pillows so no one would hear, sometimes even pulling my hair and scratching my face as a result of my deep frustration and anguish and sense of hopelessness.
These cries and pleas and wails all carried the same question – why Yah? Why were these things happening? During this time my parents got divorced and re-married (to each other). My mother was gone for over a year and this proved devastating. All I knew was instability and apprehension; even the good times were stained with fears and doubts. The abuse and neglect my sisters and I endured wore on our appearance much like dirty clothing did – for all to see and laugh at. As a result, I was utterly rejected and continually sneered at by my peers for the larger part of my childhood. My little self felt as if everywhere I turned I was confronted with disapproval and insults, my sisters marked the only 2 constants in my life. Somewhere in the midst of all these experiences, I had emotionally rejected the idea of a relational Yah. I was convinced that if He did exist, He was passive and cared nothing for His children.
Finally many years later, through an uncanny series of events the authorities were notified of what was happening. Finally I had a voice. My dad was arrested and dishonorably discharged from the Navy after almost 20 years of service while my mom was deemed unfit to gain sole custody and we were thrust into the custody of the State. Though I wouldn’t realize it for at least a decade, this heralded the beginning of Yah’s rescue plan for my life. My sisters and I lived in a child care facility for over a year; it was here that Yah showed me that there were others - many others who had it worse than I did. Had I continued to believe there were no others like me, had Yah not granted me this perspective then the ghosts of my past would’ve surely chased me to a pit of depression and loneliness.
Despite the reprieve given to me, I felt no inclination toward Yah. I felt it was the ways and systems of the world which saved me from my parents. The 3 of us were eventually ushered back into the custody of our mother and we all moved to Montana. What ensued was another 6 years of distress, instability and isolation. We were poverty stricken; the 4 of us shared a 2 bedroom trailer. My mother was addicted to prescription pills; chain smoked 2 cigarette packs a day in the house, trailed various boyfriends in and out, and was always in and out of work. Food boxes and stamps were the source of our meals. Despite all this, my hope burned bright and my fortitude took root. I was not defeated. It was during my high school years that I began to experience what I would later refer to as “the calling”. Interestingly, I referred to this feeling as “the calling” well before I came to Yahshua. I felt some large, invisible and all-encompassing thing beckoning. For a while I thought of this vast unnamable thing simply as the universe or fate. Vast and unnamable it may have appeared, but close, palpable, and powerful it felt. I held a deep desire to explore this unseen presence or design or power or whatever it was which continued to pull on my heartstrings.
As “the calling” continued to declare itself, I began to identify it as more of a personality and this personality felt familiar; strikingly familiar. It was as if this presence and I were woven of the same cloth. Little did I know the King of the universe Himself was calling me into His set apart family. Despite these altogether supernatural curiosities and feelings – I continued to reject the idea of Elohim. I had for the first time in my life, a very close group of dear friends. These people are to this day some of the brightest, happiest, and most altruistic people I have ever known. They were all atheist or agnostic. My first introduction to religion was through the madness of my parents and my first introduction to atheism was through the kind words and loving acceptance of my dearest friends. During this time, I intellectually rejected the idea of a relational Creator.
I graduated and left for college. I moved to Missoula, a city 300 miles away. Not too far from home, but far enough. Life went on as the calling persisted. I in no way was flourishing or making progress or healing from all that had occurred over the previous 18 years. I was stumbling through the wilderness while my older sister Cheryl was still living at home with our mother in Bozeman. Our younger sister Annie, who was 15, was visiting a friend of hers in Minnesota. Then tragedy struck. Cheryl called to inform me that our mother pawned all of our belongings including our car and moved to Florida to be with our father who had just been released from prison. One word came to mind – Annie. What about our 15 year old baby sister? I was crushed and I felt abandoned all over again. What about Annie? I couldn’t let her fall into the hands of the State all over again, meanwhile shortly thereafter she had returned to Bozeman from her trip to Minnesota. She came on a Greyhound, arrived late at night, with 2 trash bags of belongings and no one there to pick her up. She called me in the dorms crying that no one was there so I was heartbroken. Quickly I decided to move back home to be there for my 2 sisters, the only remaining family I had left. Our mother called me once before I left the dorms to tell me that she didn’t think she’d done anything wrong.
The next 5 years provided me with another season of tremendous hardship. Cheryl became a stripper out of desperation and Annie was all but lost to us. She suffered from grief/depression and coped by abusing drugs, got into trouble with the law and began to disappear for long periods of time. All through the many sorrows and all through the joys I never once had a parent to call. I tried to be the life raft which kept my little family afloat, but at times this was impossible. There was one crisis after another and I entered into an unhealthy and destructive romantic relationship which lasted for 4 ½ years. I began smoking cannabis daily and became addicted to cigarettes, my drinking also increased considerably. Thankfully I never abused hard drugs. I tried to navigate through the hazy fog of drugs and failed time and time again. I was lost, broken, confused and scared. I felt incapable of change, I felt fundamentally flawed. During this time I had many medical issues, there were a number of dental emergencies. I also temporarily lost my vision due to a condition I developed called bilateral uveitis, thanks are to the Father for restoring my sight. I didn’t know how to get out of this pit and out of desperation I began my search. In the beginning it was my search for truth. As my search progressed, like a trumpet sounding, it was made clear to me that this pure truth which I so dearly sought after, was no less than Yah Himself. Thus began my search when a monumental thing happened - I moved to Portland.
I began to read everything I could get my hands on regarding Yah, I began to be fascinated with the eastern mystic religions. Books like The Siddhartha, The Hindu Vedas, The Baghavad Gita and The Kabbalah captivated me. Slowly I began reading more contemporary books such as “The Celestine Prophecy”, “Ishmael”, “A Course in Miracles” and others. I became fixated on New Ageism and this was perhaps the most dangerous part of my search. These books are so very dangerous because they blend truth with falsehoods and offer it up as one seamless truth. There could be no more a spiritual slippery slope than that of New Ageism. It’s self-exalting and self-directing, the author of every book I read claimed to have received special revelation from a messenger of Yah or from Yah Himself. Every single one of these books contradicted each other and this begged the question, “If indeed Yah did send messengers, why would He send them with conflicting messages?” Clearly, either they were all frauds or it was the work of something more sinister. I concluded that at least some of the authors really did believe they had a genuine spiritual experience and although this didn’t lead me to truth directly, it did affirm my belief in a supernatural world and in supernatural activity. I assumed that if there was deliberate deception occurring in the spirit world, so too must there be goodness in the spirit world.
In retrospect, I see that these books chronicled various types of demonic activity. What’s interesting to note is not that every one of the books I read contradicted one another on many levels but all of them had one theme in common – they aimed to dethrone the scriptural Lamb. This caught my attention because clearly these messengers were false messengers and clearly they had a common agenda. What did they have against the Redeemer? As I continued to read these accounts, I became more confused. I had no fruit to bear for all my searching, I was deadlocked. None of it made sense yet I knew Yah was there, I could feel Him as I prayed all the time. I Prayed He would reveal Himself to me in truth as I lived with my sister when I first moved here. She was always on the go when I had no job for almost 2 months. I had no friends but what I did have was time and a computer, those were my only 2 resources. One night out of sheer loneliness, I ventured into a spiritualism based chat room. I met many nice people there and chatted about Yah so that it helped curb my need for social interaction. There I met the acquaintance of one of the most influential people I would ever meet. He was an older believer and quickly became a mentor of sorts. He astounded me with his knowledge! This man had amassed a great deal of knowledge in science, history, and scripture.
We talked about current events, art, Yah and history. I thought this man is truly gifted as he began to share with me details of meditation. Naturally I began asking questions about his belief in the Yah of The Scriptures. What struck me about his answers besides the fact that he was so astute, was how matter of fact he was. He was unapologetic when he told me 3 things. If I was to find truth it had to be a result of my own seeking and desire to know truth. 2nd he told me Yah had given me the ability to discern pure truth through the Ruach Hakodesh and 3rd any adopted truth must be consistent with scripture. Indeed, all truths to be adopted are found solely in scripture. What happened next is very difficult to conceptualize. Shortly after meeting Robby, it dawned on me – I’m spending all this time reading about various interpretations of truth yet I won’t even as much glimpse at The Scriptures. Why not? Why not at least research them to find out if they can stand the test of time, if essential doctrine makes sense philosophically and intellectually? Why not research these things before I write off faith altogether? And so it began, I slowly pulled back the curtain of my misconceptions and began to peer into the light. Suddenly pieces were falling into place, questions were being answered and questions I hadn’t even thought to ask arose.
My dear friend Robby continued to witness patiently and diligently as I began renting videos. I was in and out of bookstores eager to read the next one addressing these sacred mysteries. I realized The Scriptures are historically accurate, indeed why would it lend itself to historical scrutiny were it not? In fact among other ancient documents, it remains quite unparalleled. It was a beautiful discovery and I felt like a proverbial archeologist who couldn’t quit digging. I was hungry for Yahshua and I was thrilled at the mention of His name, overjoyed at His finding. I kept digging when I realized quickly that the more I felt myself starting to believe in The Word, the more I was rejecting everything I had previously adopted as true. I started to second guess myself. What was I getting myself into? I thought I was losing all semblance of everything I thought to be true. Then Yah showed me the following quote in the midst of my doubt: "If 1000 old beliefs are ruined in our march to truth, we must still march on." I continued to march on and was almost there. I felt myself inching closer to faith as I began praying in the name of Yahshua. I appealed to Yah to answer my prayers, to continue to reveal His truth to me and to with a clear and unmistakable finality engrave the name of Yahshua the Messiah on my heart if indeed everything that scripture said was true.
I prayed for the gift of faith and I felt so close. Then it happened, late one night. I was crying because I was overwhelmed in doubt, confused again. I knew once I believed, Yahshua would become life itself and this presented a huge risk. I had been deeply betrayed all my life; trust was a huge step for me. All this talk of promises, of redemption, and restoration, and forgiveness seemed too good to be true. The mere depth of His love and sacrifice seemed otherworldly and implausible. His second coming, the new heavens and the new earth left me flabbergasted. The magnificence and glory of Yahshua was so far-reaching it couldn’t be true; I was too scared to believe. I didn’t want to find out I was wrong, I began to sob and ask Yah to confirm Yahshua in my life if He was indeed our Savior. I could no longer stand the confusion and not knowing, and then Yah showed me the verse that would change my life forever. I opened up my Scriptures and asked Yah to speak to me. He showed me the following verse: 2 Corinthians 11:3. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled the woman through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Messiah.”
I knew that instant, I had been deceived all my life. In that moment, He revealed that everything prior to Yahshua had been deception and that only in Him would I know truth and life. I remember saying, “Yahshua my Messiah, count me as a believer, You have won me.” After that utterance, I felt my heartbeat for Yahshua for the first time. My life has been completely transformed, through and in Yahshua the Messiah I have conquered all former addictions minus smoking. I have completed school and returned home to a beautiful niece, I have found an incredible online community through the people that Yahshua brought me to. I am rescued, I am redeemed, I am thankful. Praise Yahshua, every moment in darkness was more than worth if in the end I am delivered into His arms. My life can be encapsulated in two words - glorify Yah. Amen.
These cries and pleas and wails all carried the same question – why Yah? Why were these things happening? During this time my parents got divorced and re-married (to each other). My mother was gone for over a year and this proved devastating. All I knew was instability and apprehension; even the good times were stained with fears and doubts. The abuse and neglect my sisters and I endured wore on our appearance much like dirty clothing did – for all to see and laugh at. As a result, I was utterly rejected and continually sneered at by my peers for the larger part of my childhood. My little self felt as if everywhere I turned I was confronted with disapproval and insults, my sisters marked the only 2 constants in my life. Somewhere in the midst of all these experiences, I had emotionally rejected the idea of a relational Yah. I was convinced that if He did exist, He was passive and cared nothing for His children.
Finally many years later, through an uncanny series of events the authorities were notified of what was happening. Finally I had a voice. My dad was arrested and dishonorably discharged from the Navy after almost 20 years of service while my mom was deemed unfit to gain sole custody and we were thrust into the custody of the State. Though I wouldn’t realize it for at least a decade, this heralded the beginning of Yah’s rescue plan for my life. My sisters and I lived in a child care facility for over a year; it was here that Yah showed me that there were others - many others who had it worse than I did. Had I continued to believe there were no others like me, had Yah not granted me this perspective then the ghosts of my past would’ve surely chased me to a pit of depression and loneliness.
Despite the reprieve given to me, I felt no inclination toward Yah. I felt it was the ways and systems of the world which saved me from my parents. The 3 of us were eventually ushered back into the custody of our mother and we all moved to Montana. What ensued was another 6 years of distress, instability and isolation. We were poverty stricken; the 4 of us shared a 2 bedroom trailer. My mother was addicted to prescription pills; chain smoked 2 cigarette packs a day in the house, trailed various boyfriends in and out, and was always in and out of work. Food boxes and stamps were the source of our meals. Despite all this, my hope burned bright and my fortitude took root. I was not defeated. It was during my high school years that I began to experience what I would later refer to as “the calling”. Interestingly, I referred to this feeling as “the calling” well before I came to Yahshua. I felt some large, invisible and all-encompassing thing beckoning. For a while I thought of this vast unnamable thing simply as the universe or fate. Vast and unnamable it may have appeared, but close, palpable, and powerful it felt. I held a deep desire to explore this unseen presence or design or power or whatever it was which continued to pull on my heartstrings.
As “the calling” continued to declare itself, I began to identify it as more of a personality and this personality felt familiar; strikingly familiar. It was as if this presence and I were woven of the same cloth. Little did I know the King of the universe Himself was calling me into His set apart family. Despite these altogether supernatural curiosities and feelings – I continued to reject the idea of Elohim. I had for the first time in my life, a very close group of dear friends. These people are to this day some of the brightest, happiest, and most altruistic people I have ever known. They were all atheist or agnostic. My first introduction to religion was through the madness of my parents and my first introduction to atheism was through the kind words and loving acceptance of my dearest friends. During this time, I intellectually rejected the idea of a relational Creator.
I graduated and left for college. I moved to Missoula, a city 300 miles away. Not too far from home, but far enough. Life went on as the calling persisted. I in no way was flourishing or making progress or healing from all that had occurred over the previous 18 years. I was stumbling through the wilderness while my older sister Cheryl was still living at home with our mother in Bozeman. Our younger sister Annie, who was 15, was visiting a friend of hers in Minnesota. Then tragedy struck. Cheryl called to inform me that our mother pawned all of our belongings including our car and moved to Florida to be with our father who had just been released from prison. One word came to mind – Annie. What about our 15 year old baby sister? I was crushed and I felt abandoned all over again. What about Annie? I couldn’t let her fall into the hands of the State all over again, meanwhile shortly thereafter she had returned to Bozeman from her trip to Minnesota. She came on a Greyhound, arrived late at night, with 2 trash bags of belongings and no one there to pick her up. She called me in the dorms crying that no one was there so I was heartbroken. Quickly I decided to move back home to be there for my 2 sisters, the only remaining family I had left. Our mother called me once before I left the dorms to tell me that she didn’t think she’d done anything wrong.
The next 5 years provided me with another season of tremendous hardship. Cheryl became a stripper out of desperation and Annie was all but lost to us. She suffered from grief/depression and coped by abusing drugs, got into trouble with the law and began to disappear for long periods of time. All through the many sorrows and all through the joys I never once had a parent to call. I tried to be the life raft which kept my little family afloat, but at times this was impossible. There was one crisis after another and I entered into an unhealthy and destructive romantic relationship which lasted for 4 ½ years. I began smoking cannabis daily and became addicted to cigarettes, my drinking also increased considerably. Thankfully I never abused hard drugs. I tried to navigate through the hazy fog of drugs and failed time and time again. I was lost, broken, confused and scared. I felt incapable of change, I felt fundamentally flawed. During this time I had many medical issues, there were a number of dental emergencies. I also temporarily lost my vision due to a condition I developed called bilateral uveitis, thanks are to the Father for restoring my sight. I didn’t know how to get out of this pit and out of desperation I began my search. In the beginning it was my search for truth. As my search progressed, like a trumpet sounding, it was made clear to me that this pure truth which I so dearly sought after, was no less than Yah Himself. Thus began my search when a monumental thing happened - I moved to Portland.
I began to read everything I could get my hands on regarding Yah, I began to be fascinated with the eastern mystic religions. Books like The Siddhartha, The Hindu Vedas, The Baghavad Gita and The Kabbalah captivated me. Slowly I began reading more contemporary books such as “The Celestine Prophecy”, “Ishmael”, “A Course in Miracles” and others. I became fixated on New Ageism and this was perhaps the most dangerous part of my search. These books are so very dangerous because they blend truth with falsehoods and offer it up as one seamless truth. There could be no more a spiritual slippery slope than that of New Ageism. It’s self-exalting and self-directing, the author of every book I read claimed to have received special revelation from a messenger of Yah or from Yah Himself. Every single one of these books contradicted each other and this begged the question, “If indeed Yah did send messengers, why would He send them with conflicting messages?” Clearly, either they were all frauds or it was the work of something more sinister. I concluded that at least some of the authors really did believe they had a genuine spiritual experience and although this didn’t lead me to truth directly, it did affirm my belief in a supernatural world and in supernatural activity. I assumed that if there was deliberate deception occurring in the spirit world, so too must there be goodness in the spirit world.
In retrospect, I see that these books chronicled various types of demonic activity. What’s interesting to note is not that every one of the books I read contradicted one another on many levels but all of them had one theme in common – they aimed to dethrone the scriptural Lamb. This caught my attention because clearly these messengers were false messengers and clearly they had a common agenda. What did they have against the Redeemer? As I continued to read these accounts, I became more confused. I had no fruit to bear for all my searching, I was deadlocked. None of it made sense yet I knew Yah was there, I could feel Him as I prayed all the time. I Prayed He would reveal Himself to me in truth as I lived with my sister when I first moved here. She was always on the go when I had no job for almost 2 months. I had no friends but what I did have was time and a computer, those were my only 2 resources. One night out of sheer loneliness, I ventured into a spiritualism based chat room. I met many nice people there and chatted about Yah so that it helped curb my need for social interaction. There I met the acquaintance of one of the most influential people I would ever meet. He was an older believer and quickly became a mentor of sorts. He astounded me with his knowledge! This man had amassed a great deal of knowledge in science, history, and scripture.
We talked about current events, art, Yah and history. I thought this man is truly gifted as he began to share with me details of meditation. Naturally I began asking questions about his belief in the Yah of The Scriptures. What struck me about his answers besides the fact that he was so astute, was how matter of fact he was. He was unapologetic when he told me 3 things. If I was to find truth it had to be a result of my own seeking and desire to know truth. 2nd he told me Yah had given me the ability to discern pure truth through the Ruach Hakodesh and 3rd any adopted truth must be consistent with scripture. Indeed, all truths to be adopted are found solely in scripture. What happened next is very difficult to conceptualize. Shortly after meeting Robby, it dawned on me – I’m spending all this time reading about various interpretations of truth yet I won’t even as much glimpse at The Scriptures. Why not? Why not at least research them to find out if they can stand the test of time, if essential doctrine makes sense philosophically and intellectually? Why not research these things before I write off faith altogether? And so it began, I slowly pulled back the curtain of my misconceptions and began to peer into the light. Suddenly pieces were falling into place, questions were being answered and questions I hadn’t even thought to ask arose.
My dear friend Robby continued to witness patiently and diligently as I began renting videos. I was in and out of bookstores eager to read the next one addressing these sacred mysteries. I realized The Scriptures are historically accurate, indeed why would it lend itself to historical scrutiny were it not? In fact among other ancient documents, it remains quite unparalleled. It was a beautiful discovery and I felt like a proverbial archeologist who couldn’t quit digging. I was hungry for Yahshua and I was thrilled at the mention of His name, overjoyed at His finding. I kept digging when I realized quickly that the more I felt myself starting to believe in The Word, the more I was rejecting everything I had previously adopted as true. I started to second guess myself. What was I getting myself into? I thought I was losing all semblance of everything I thought to be true. Then Yah showed me the following quote in the midst of my doubt: "If 1000 old beliefs are ruined in our march to truth, we must still march on." I continued to march on and was almost there. I felt myself inching closer to faith as I began praying in the name of Yahshua. I appealed to Yah to answer my prayers, to continue to reveal His truth to me and to with a clear and unmistakable finality engrave the name of Yahshua the Messiah on my heart if indeed everything that scripture said was true.
I prayed for the gift of faith and I felt so close. Then it happened, late one night. I was crying because I was overwhelmed in doubt, confused again. I knew once I believed, Yahshua would become life itself and this presented a huge risk. I had been deeply betrayed all my life; trust was a huge step for me. All this talk of promises, of redemption, and restoration, and forgiveness seemed too good to be true. The mere depth of His love and sacrifice seemed otherworldly and implausible. His second coming, the new heavens and the new earth left me flabbergasted. The magnificence and glory of Yahshua was so far-reaching it couldn’t be true; I was too scared to believe. I didn’t want to find out I was wrong, I began to sob and ask Yah to confirm Yahshua in my life if He was indeed our Savior. I could no longer stand the confusion and not knowing, and then Yah showed me the verse that would change my life forever. I opened up my Scriptures and asked Yah to speak to me. He showed me the following verse: 2 Corinthians 11:3. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled the woman through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Messiah.”
I knew that instant, I had been deceived all my life. In that moment, He revealed that everything prior to Yahshua had been deception and that only in Him would I know truth and life. I remember saying, “Yahshua my Messiah, count me as a believer, You have won me.” After that utterance, I felt my heartbeat for Yahshua for the first time. My life has been completely transformed, through and in Yahshua the Messiah I have conquered all former addictions minus smoking. I have completed school and returned home to a beautiful niece, I have found an incredible online community through the people that Yahshua brought me to. I am rescued, I am redeemed, I am thankful. Praise Yahshua, every moment in darkness was more than worth if in the end I am delivered into His arms. My life can be encapsulated in two words - glorify Yah. Amen.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Bridal quiz
The following comes from James Trimm, in spite of his interest in the Apocrypha/Talmud; “tithing” and need to call himself Rabbi it’s solid.
1. 1st Peter (actually Kepha) 1:20-21 says that the Scriptures are to be understood:
(a) as we feel in our hearts.
(b) not by private interpretation.
(c) as our priests or pastors interpret them.
2. According to 1st John (actually Yohanon) 2:6 and 1st Corinthians 11:1, believers should walk:
(a) free from bondage to the “Jewish Law”.
(b) as Yahushua the Messiah Himself walked.
(c) as taught by the Ishtar Bunny.
(d) as taught by our “rabbis”.
3. In Luke 4:16 and Acts 17:1-2 Yahushua and Paul (actually Shaul) were usually:
(a) going to church on Sunday.
(b) going to synagogue on Sabbath.
(c) going to mosque on Friday.
4. According to Matthew (actually Matittyahu) 5:17-19, Yahushua came to abolish His Father’s laws; true or false?
5. In Romans 3:31 Shaul:
(a) made void the Law.
(b) established the Law.
(c) abolished the Law.
(d) taught we are freed from bondage to the Law.
6. According to Jude (actually Yahudah) 1:3, the true faith was delivered to mankind:
(a) seven times.
(b) one time.
(c) two times.
(d) three times.
7. In Ephesians 4:3-6 there are this many true faiths:
(a) two
(b) many
(c) one
(d) none
8. According to Zechariah 8:23, Yohanan 4:22 and Romans 3:1-2; the true faith is a form of:
(a) Christianity
(b) Judaism
(c) Islam
(d) Mormonism
9. In Acts 24:5-14 the true faith was known as:
(a) Christianity
(b) Sect of the Nazarenes
(c) Jehovah’s Witnesses
(d) Islam
10. According to Exodus 20:8-11, the Sabbath is:
(a) Sunday (the first day of the week).
(b) Saturday (the seventh day of the week).
11. In Mark 2:27-28 and Colossians 1:16 the Sabbath was created by:
(a) The Pope
(b) Moses (actually Moshe)
(c) The Messiah
(d) Santa Claus
12. Also according to Mark 2:27-28, the Sabbath was created for:
(a) the Jews only.
(b) the people of “Old Testament” times.
(c) all mankind.
13. In 1st Yohanan 3:4 and Romans 7:7 sin is defined as:
(a) moral failure.
(b) transgression of the Law.
14. According to Yohanan 1:29, Yahushua came to:
(a) do away with the Law.
(b) take away sin.
15. In Romans 6:15 Shaul says:
(a) we should not continue to sin.
(b) don’t worry about sin since it’s transgression of the Law Yahushua ended.
16. According to Scripture (Exodus 27-31, Leviticus 6-24, Numbers 10-19 and Deuteronomy 5:29), the Law was:
(a) only for “Old Testament” times.
(b) for all generations.
(c) eventually to be abolished by the Messiah.
17. In Deuteronomy 4:2-12:32 it’s ok to take away from the Law, true or false?
18. According to Deuteronomy 13:1-11, if anyone after Moshe were to teach that we should no longer keep the Law then we should:
(a) only accept this if their prophecies are fulfilled.
(b) only accept this if they perform miraculous signs and wonders.
(c) reject them immediately.
19. In Acts 25:8-28:17 Shaul taught:
(a) against the Jewish Law.
(b) against the Temple.
(c) against Jewish customs.
(d) none of the above.
20. According to Romans 7:12, Shaul tells us the Law is:
(a) holy, just and good.
(b) bondage we need freedom from.
21. In Romans 7:14 Shaul also tells us the Law is:
(a) of the Spirit.
(b) of the flesh.
22. According to Ezekiel 36:27, the Holy Spirit will:
(a) witness to as that we are freed from bondage to the Law.
(b) cause us to keep the statutes and ordinances.
23. In Scripture (Acts 20-27 and 1st Corinthians 5-16) Shaul observed:
(a) the Passover.
(b) day of Pentecost.
(c) the Yom Kippur.
(d) all of the above.
24. According to Revelation 12:17, the last days remnant will be a people who:
(a) accept the Messiah and reject the Law.
(b) accept the law and reject the Messiah.
(c) accept the Messiah and the Law.
(d) none of the above.
25. A Jewish person would have to change their religion to accept their own Messiah, true or false?
1. 1st Peter (actually Kepha) 1:20-21 says that the Scriptures are to be understood:
(a) as we feel in our hearts.
(b) not by private interpretation.
(c) as our priests or pastors interpret them.
2. According to 1st John (actually Yohanon) 2:6 and 1st Corinthians 11:1, believers should walk:
(a) free from bondage to the “Jewish Law”.
(b) as Yahushua the Messiah Himself walked.
(c) as taught by the Ishtar Bunny.
(d) as taught by our “rabbis”.
3. In Luke 4:16 and Acts 17:1-2 Yahushua and Paul (actually Shaul) were usually:
(a) going to church on Sunday.
(b) going to synagogue on Sabbath.
(c) going to mosque on Friday.
4. According to Matthew (actually Matittyahu) 5:17-19, Yahushua came to abolish His Father’s laws; true or false?
5. In Romans 3:31 Shaul:
(a) made void the Law.
(b) established the Law.
(c) abolished the Law.
(d) taught we are freed from bondage to the Law.
6. According to Jude (actually Yahudah) 1:3, the true faith was delivered to mankind:
(a) seven times.
(b) one time.
(c) two times.
(d) three times.
7. In Ephesians 4:3-6 there are this many true faiths:
(a) two
(b) many
(c) one
(d) none
8. According to Zechariah 8:23, Yohanan 4:22 and Romans 3:1-2; the true faith is a form of:
(a) Christianity
(b) Judaism
(c) Islam
(d) Mormonism
9. In Acts 24:5-14 the true faith was known as:
(a) Christianity
(b) Sect of the Nazarenes
(c) Jehovah’s Witnesses
(d) Islam
10. According to Exodus 20:8-11, the Sabbath is:
(a) Sunday (the first day of the week).
(b) Saturday (the seventh day of the week).
11. In Mark 2:27-28 and Colossians 1:16 the Sabbath was created by:
(a) The Pope
(b) Moses (actually Moshe)
(c) The Messiah
(d) Santa Claus
12. Also according to Mark 2:27-28, the Sabbath was created for:
(a) the Jews only.
(b) the people of “Old Testament” times.
(c) all mankind.
13. In 1st Yohanan 3:4 and Romans 7:7 sin is defined as:
(a) moral failure.
(b) transgression of the Law.
14. According to Yohanan 1:29, Yahushua came to:
(a) do away with the Law.
(b) take away sin.
15. In Romans 6:15 Shaul says:
(a) we should not continue to sin.
(b) don’t worry about sin since it’s transgression of the Law Yahushua ended.
16. According to Scripture (Exodus 27-31, Leviticus 6-24, Numbers 10-19 and Deuteronomy 5:29), the Law was:
(a) only for “Old Testament” times.
(b) for all generations.
(c) eventually to be abolished by the Messiah.
17. In Deuteronomy 4:2-12:32 it’s ok to take away from the Law, true or false?
18. According to Deuteronomy 13:1-11, if anyone after Moshe were to teach that we should no longer keep the Law then we should:
(a) only accept this if their prophecies are fulfilled.
(b) only accept this if they perform miraculous signs and wonders.
(c) reject them immediately.
19. In Acts 25:8-28:17 Shaul taught:
(a) against the Jewish Law.
(b) against the Temple.
(c) against Jewish customs.
(d) none of the above.
20. According to Romans 7:12, Shaul tells us the Law is:
(a) holy, just and good.
(b) bondage we need freedom from.
21. In Romans 7:14 Shaul also tells us the Law is:
(a) of the Spirit.
(b) of the flesh.
22. According to Ezekiel 36:27, the Holy Spirit will:
(a) witness to as that we are freed from bondage to the Law.
(b) cause us to keep the statutes and ordinances.
23. In Scripture (Acts 20-27 and 1st Corinthians 5-16) Shaul observed:
(a) the Passover.
(b) day of Pentecost.
(c) the Yom Kippur.
(d) all of the above.
24. According to Revelation 12:17, the last days remnant will be a people who:
(a) accept the Messiah and reject the Law.
(b) accept the law and reject the Messiah.
(c) accept the Messiah and the Law.
(d) none of the above.
25. A Jewish person would have to change their religion to accept their own Messiah, true or false?
Friday, June 3, 2011
Guest blog by the lovely Miss Leah
Narrow praise
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Book of Matthew 7:13-14, the words of the Messiah.
Narrow is the way. Narrow. And few find it. What could this path look like?
Imaginations lead me to images of a secret path long forgotten; one over-grown with weeds, thorns and briars. Crouching is not enough to discover its veiled mystery. A deliberate mission of unveiling must be undertaken.
Yet one does not even become aware that such a road exists unless something stirring within eludes and draws one to the truth of its nature. How difficult heeding this tiny, fleeting whisper which woos of other paths, can surely be. The path which one does currently stand upon is beset with jewels, sparkles, and glitter; all the things which entice the eye, the mind, the soul.
Narrow or wide? Easy or difficult? Carnality of human nature will naturally follow the easy open road. But the spirit within man, desirous of greater and deeper truths, hungers for the narrow, illusive ancient path to life.
Reflecting upon this verse this morning, it sobers me to my current positions, both spiritual and physical. I find myself lusting for the sparkle of the broad way. With all its lights, chorus and production, the excitement it generates is captivating. It's entertaining. But then Matthew 7:14 reminds me that the path to life may not, at first, appear so lustrous, but it is indeed, the only, narrow entrance way to what it is I truly seek: life. Entertainment yields a grand mirage of life, but the Messiah is the only One capable of providing a cup full of the promise.
I am in no position to judge what path one may have made their current route, but if what Yahshua says is truth; the majority of us are on the wrong road. Psychology teaches that no one wants to be wrong. We all have an innate desire to be “right”. But those who find it are few. Wrong about where I misplaced my keys is one thing. Wrong about matters of life, I find exceptionally much more difficult to swallow.
Perhaps, for a moment, we should briefly glance south, peering down towards toes and feet. What path is it we stand upon? Is it so wide there's room to lay length wise? Or can you barely see the difficult path extend beyond the edges of your form? Does it sparkle or is it a dusty dirt road? Not that there is anything wrong with sparkles! But though life is often entertaining, entertainment is rarely life.
After a deeper exploration of the unoriginal Greek, the broad path is said to be “entered into”; denoting a certain degree of passivity. While the Greek for “find” in regards to the narrow path, clearly expresses a direct and deliberate searching, seeking; pursuit and discovery. The word is “heurisko”. In light of the contrasting connotations, perhaps it's that Yahshua was stating that there will be few who will seek and actively pursue the path which leads to life; and therefore never find it. It as if we naturally enter this world landing on the broad and easy path, routinely plopped upon it by a less than dutiful stork.
It takes our deliberate attempt to leave the broad and seek the narrow....like Alice's chase for the illusive white rabbit, torn almost directly from the pages of Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland. In order to continue the chase down the tiny path, Alice must somehow squeeze herself through a narrow doorway she must, first shrink herself in order to fit inside. Who knew Carol was so spiritual?
So did you look? At your feet, silly. What does your path look like? What does your “way” reveal?
Currently, my running shoes are ready for the adventure of a chase. And at the end of this narrow and humble road I seek, is the Savior, and not a white rabbit, Who holds the keys to praising life.
To "praise". I've been sitting on this revelation for a few weeks. Partially, due to business, and partially, I believe, so that I could gain even more depth and understanding regarding this topic.
This revelation was opened to me with Psalm 117. Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the psalms, composed of a mere two verses. Yet, it swells with vibrant wisdom contained within its mysterious brevity. The psalm is as follows:
“Praise Yahuah, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples! For His kindness is mighty over us, and the truth of Yahuah is everlasting. Praise Yah!“ (ISR)
When studying the original Hebrew, which the text was written in, so much more can be captured than from what the English language is able to express, alone. I began dissecting the first “praise” in verse one. Here, the original word is “halal”. Halal means to shine; flash forth light; be boastful; the use of a clear, sharp tone; to be foolish; to sing one's praises; to boast oneself.
I've often pondered myself and questioned via prayers, what does it mean to praise? There are scriptures upon scriptures which allude to “praising Yahuah,” yet who has a clear understanding of what it means to praise the Creator Yah? Many commentaries have been written, and if you were to walk into any mainstream Christian church, you'd more than likely experience a time of “praise and worship”. This “praise and worship” time is normally composed of the playing of musical instruments and singing. Some congregations may involve dance or drama, but they are fewer in number. It has become so commonplace (the correlation of music to worship), that “praise and worship” has all but become synonymous with spiritual music. I agree that the use of instruments, songs, hymn, singing, and the like, are certainly a means to worship and praise. But there is an intuitive nature within me which cries that it is so much more.
So back to my dissection of Hebrew. Halal, at first; struck me in its reference to the utilization of light. At once, it brought to my mind, the image of a photo being “snapped”, captured by a sudden bursting forth of light via flashbulb. This warmed my heart, as I have often sensed His guiding Spirit, inspiration, and glow in capturing a certain scene by means of a shutter and lens. Other photographers I've spoken with, also speak of their greatest photographs being captured by a means of inspiration. It is not our creation which we esoterically capture, but by capturing His beauty, we somehow become co-creators with the divine – boasting of His marvelous handiwork, as the scriptures describe it.
Which brings us back to another possible definition for halal: to be boastful. If one is like me, the word “boast” automatically rouses notions of arrogance, sports; and esteeming oneself above the rest. Yet, I find a different connotation from “boast” in this definition. This boasting arises without the self as the sole purpose of the boast. The self becomes a mere vessel to point the boastful finger at another. It is like that neon orange “DETOUR” sign which, at first, draws attention to its bold statement, only to redirect the traveler to a more important location. I see this kind of boasting in the boast used to praise.
I have a very talented friend which this form of praise reminds me. This friend is a fabulous tailor. He is skilled in color, design, sewing, and displaying his unique fabrics. Everywhere he wears his divinely inspired fashions, he gets looks, comments, accolades, and inquiries as to how one can obtain one of their own. The means in which my friend carries himself is in the most humble manner. There is no need for him to draw attention to himself, for the clothing shouts for itself! In this way, his boastful clothing draws on-lookers to him and his talent. But it does not halt there. For my friend always points his admirers to the source of his skills. He gives credit to another.
All this was gathered from the first “praise” in verse one. The second “praise” is translated the same but has a different Hebrew root word. The original word here, is “shabach”. Shabach means to soothe, still; stroke. I see this relating to praise in the hands of a potter, smoothing his clay upon his wheel. I see it in the stroke of the artist's paintbrush. I see it in the way a playwright soothes his audience with the graceful orchestration of plot and setting. I see it as the hand which soothes the ill, stroking frail hands and soothing a broken spirit. I see this praise as one which nourishes the soul, stirring it in a calming and regenerative fashion.
The Arabic understanding of “stroke” is in relation to waters, such as in stilling a wave. This automatically takes my mind to Yahshua's calming of the stormy sea in Mark 4:39. Yahshua spoke to the sea, “Peace, be still.”
Psalm 117 is addressed to “all you nations.” For a religion which originated in Hebrew culture and among the Hebrew people, the invitation is not limited to their ethnic descendants. It encompasses the native and the foreigner, alike. It extends to all the world, all of creation. For, as verse two declares, “For His kindness is great over us, and the truth of Yahuah is everlasting. Praise (“halal”) Yah!”
Perhaps my brief introspection into what it means to “praise” has shined forth some light of illumination upon what many of us have always known to be a deeper truth. I hope all the artists out there, no matter what your preferred medium may be, is encouraged and inspired to keep making praises among all of creation, in the way that only you are able to co-create!
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Book of Matthew 7:13-14, the words of the Messiah.
Narrow is the way. Narrow. And few find it. What could this path look like?
Imaginations lead me to images of a secret path long forgotten; one over-grown with weeds, thorns and briars. Crouching is not enough to discover its veiled mystery. A deliberate mission of unveiling must be undertaken.
Yet one does not even become aware that such a road exists unless something stirring within eludes and draws one to the truth of its nature. How difficult heeding this tiny, fleeting whisper which woos of other paths, can surely be. The path which one does currently stand upon is beset with jewels, sparkles, and glitter; all the things which entice the eye, the mind, the soul.
Narrow or wide? Easy or difficult? Carnality of human nature will naturally follow the easy open road. But the spirit within man, desirous of greater and deeper truths, hungers for the narrow, illusive ancient path to life.
Reflecting upon this verse this morning, it sobers me to my current positions, both spiritual and physical. I find myself lusting for the sparkle of the broad way. With all its lights, chorus and production, the excitement it generates is captivating. It's entertaining. But then Matthew 7:14 reminds me that the path to life may not, at first, appear so lustrous, but it is indeed, the only, narrow entrance way to what it is I truly seek: life. Entertainment yields a grand mirage of life, but the Messiah is the only One capable of providing a cup full of the promise.
I am in no position to judge what path one may have made their current route, but if what Yahshua says is truth; the majority of us are on the wrong road. Psychology teaches that no one wants to be wrong. We all have an innate desire to be “right”. But those who find it are few. Wrong about where I misplaced my keys is one thing. Wrong about matters of life, I find exceptionally much more difficult to swallow.
Perhaps, for a moment, we should briefly glance south, peering down towards toes and feet. What path is it we stand upon? Is it so wide there's room to lay length wise? Or can you barely see the difficult path extend beyond the edges of your form? Does it sparkle or is it a dusty dirt road? Not that there is anything wrong with sparkles! But though life is often entertaining, entertainment is rarely life.
After a deeper exploration of the unoriginal Greek, the broad path is said to be “entered into”; denoting a certain degree of passivity. While the Greek for “find” in regards to the narrow path, clearly expresses a direct and deliberate searching, seeking; pursuit and discovery. The word is “heurisko”. In light of the contrasting connotations, perhaps it's that Yahshua was stating that there will be few who will seek and actively pursue the path which leads to life; and therefore never find it. It as if we naturally enter this world landing on the broad and easy path, routinely plopped upon it by a less than dutiful stork.
It takes our deliberate attempt to leave the broad and seek the narrow....like Alice's chase for the illusive white rabbit, torn almost directly from the pages of Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland. In order to continue the chase down the tiny path, Alice must somehow squeeze herself through a narrow doorway she must, first shrink herself in order to fit inside. Who knew Carol was so spiritual?
So did you look? At your feet, silly. What does your path look like? What does your “way” reveal?
Currently, my running shoes are ready for the adventure of a chase. And at the end of this narrow and humble road I seek, is the Savior, and not a white rabbit, Who holds the keys to praising life.
To "praise". I've been sitting on this revelation for a few weeks. Partially, due to business, and partially, I believe, so that I could gain even more depth and understanding regarding this topic.
This revelation was opened to me with Psalm 117. Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the psalms, composed of a mere two verses. Yet, it swells with vibrant wisdom contained within its mysterious brevity. The psalm is as follows:
“Praise Yahuah, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples! For His kindness is mighty over us, and the truth of Yahuah is everlasting. Praise Yah!“ (ISR)
When studying the original Hebrew, which the text was written in, so much more can be captured than from what the English language is able to express, alone. I began dissecting the first “praise” in verse one. Here, the original word is “halal”. Halal means to shine; flash forth light; be boastful; the use of a clear, sharp tone; to be foolish; to sing one's praises; to boast oneself.
I've often pondered myself and questioned via prayers, what does it mean to praise? There are scriptures upon scriptures which allude to “praising Yahuah,” yet who has a clear understanding of what it means to praise the Creator Yah? Many commentaries have been written, and if you were to walk into any mainstream Christian church, you'd more than likely experience a time of “praise and worship”. This “praise and worship” time is normally composed of the playing of musical instruments and singing. Some congregations may involve dance or drama, but they are fewer in number. It has become so commonplace (the correlation of music to worship), that “praise and worship” has all but become synonymous with spiritual music. I agree that the use of instruments, songs, hymn, singing, and the like, are certainly a means to worship and praise. But there is an intuitive nature within me which cries that it is so much more.
So back to my dissection of Hebrew. Halal, at first; struck me in its reference to the utilization of light. At once, it brought to my mind, the image of a photo being “snapped”, captured by a sudden bursting forth of light via flashbulb. This warmed my heart, as I have often sensed His guiding Spirit, inspiration, and glow in capturing a certain scene by means of a shutter and lens. Other photographers I've spoken with, also speak of their greatest photographs being captured by a means of inspiration. It is not our creation which we esoterically capture, but by capturing His beauty, we somehow become co-creators with the divine – boasting of His marvelous handiwork, as the scriptures describe it.
Which brings us back to another possible definition for halal: to be boastful. If one is like me, the word “boast” automatically rouses notions of arrogance, sports; and esteeming oneself above the rest. Yet, I find a different connotation from “boast” in this definition. This boasting arises without the self as the sole purpose of the boast. The self becomes a mere vessel to point the boastful finger at another. It is like that neon orange “DETOUR” sign which, at first, draws attention to its bold statement, only to redirect the traveler to a more important location. I see this kind of boasting in the boast used to praise.
I have a very talented friend which this form of praise reminds me. This friend is a fabulous tailor. He is skilled in color, design, sewing, and displaying his unique fabrics. Everywhere he wears his divinely inspired fashions, he gets looks, comments, accolades, and inquiries as to how one can obtain one of their own. The means in which my friend carries himself is in the most humble manner. There is no need for him to draw attention to himself, for the clothing shouts for itself! In this way, his boastful clothing draws on-lookers to him and his talent. But it does not halt there. For my friend always points his admirers to the source of his skills. He gives credit to another.
All this was gathered from the first “praise” in verse one. The second “praise” is translated the same but has a different Hebrew root word. The original word here, is “shabach”. Shabach means to soothe, still; stroke. I see this relating to praise in the hands of a potter, smoothing his clay upon his wheel. I see it in the stroke of the artist's paintbrush. I see it in the way a playwright soothes his audience with the graceful orchestration of plot and setting. I see it as the hand which soothes the ill, stroking frail hands and soothing a broken spirit. I see this praise as one which nourishes the soul, stirring it in a calming and regenerative fashion.
The Arabic understanding of “stroke” is in relation to waters, such as in stilling a wave. This automatically takes my mind to Yahshua's calming of the stormy sea in Mark 4:39. Yahshua spoke to the sea, “Peace, be still.”
Psalm 117 is addressed to “all you nations.” For a religion which originated in Hebrew culture and among the Hebrew people, the invitation is not limited to their ethnic descendants. It encompasses the native and the foreigner, alike. It extends to all the world, all of creation. For, as verse two declares, “For His kindness is great over us, and the truth of Yahuah is everlasting. Praise (“halal”) Yah!”
Perhaps my brief introspection into what it means to “praise” has shined forth some light of illumination upon what many of us have always known to be a deeper truth. I hope all the artists out there, no matter what your preferred medium may be, is encouraged and inspired to keep making praises among all of creation, in the way that only you are able to co-create!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Dissing dispensationalism
Shalom. Last month’s blog on KJV Facts was such fun that I’d like to fact-find another matter, dispensationalism. Also called replacement theology, dispensationalism is the relatively new doctrine of the law either having been done away with by the death and resurrection of Yahushua or being something just for the Jews. Since I briefly touched on how He didn’t come to annul His Father’s Torah in my blogs on James and Galatians recently, I’ll only answer a couple of the most common objections. Firstly, this sentence at the end of Mark 7:19 saying “And thus He declared all food clean” was added at a much later time and some translations even admit this in their footnotes. Secondly, the three sheets of unclean animals in Kepha’s Acts 10 dream represent three Gentile converts that soon come to visit him as he explains himself later. Now moving on…
Exodus 12:49: “One law shall be to him that is native, and to the stranger that sojourns among you”. Who is being spoken of here? Israel (more accurately Yisrael). So who then is Israel? Israel is a country in the Middle East and so much more, it’s the nation (people group) that Yahuah chose to covenant with. There are Israelites all over the world, not to be confused with Israelis; those who are born in the land of Israel. Israel consists of twelve tribes, the Jews being but one. In other words, all Jews are Israelites but not all Israelites are Jews. Since the letter J is barely 500 years old, the actual term for them is Yahudim, from the tribe of Yahudah or “Judah”. I personally believe in the two house teaching, that most former Gentiles are either engrafting into Israel or returning ancestors of the Israelites who were dispersed across the earth during the Assyrian raids of 722 BC. Only the southern tribes remained, Yahudah and Benyamin. These are historical facts, not theories or errors. Yah has repeatedly promised His prophets to exile/restore these lost Israelites to their covenant (Isaiah 11-49, Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 4-37), thus we have the true Messianic/Nazarene Israelite movement taking its hold. There’s only one way for all believers to live, it’s Torah and not Noahide Laws.
If that’s just a little too “Old Testament” then don’t worry, the lost sheep of Israel are also alluded to in the gospels (Matthew 15 and John 10). People hear that the two house teaching is a controversial thing, which is due to the false doctrines that various extremists seek to attach to it. Some like to claim that their long-lost Israelite blood will be what saves them, in which case the Messiah died in vain; heresy indeed. Others like to solely lay claim to being these lost Israelites, shutting out everyone else. Mormons, Black Israelite and White Ephraimite groups would be the main examples. This is elitist at best and racist at worst, and has no place in the law. I think it would be cool if I found out I had some Israelite ancestry in my heritage, but that’s all it would be. He mercifully accepts all who repent and we don’t need the approval of a “rabbi” or their congregation.
Often times when I try to explain my beliefs to others I’m asked if I’m somehow “trying to be a Jew.” Sigh, a Messianic can be a Jew who finds Yahushua but also a Gentile who finds His Torah. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s the twelve tribes of Israel that will have gates into the coming kingdom and not the twelve denominations of dispensationalism as we read in Revelation 21:12: “And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” Nowhere in Scriptures is Israel replaced with some new entity called the “Church”, and all promises made to Israel by the Master are still valid. The goal as outlined in Romans 11 is to engraft into Israel if we’re not already and many people say they understand this, just as long as you don’t remind them that being in the family of Israel includes obeying the family rules. If you do then you may be told that they’re “spiritual Israelites”. Sounds good on the surface but no such thing exists in Scripture, we’re either Israelites or we’re not. The prodigal son is returning to Elohim after some lawless living and wasted riches. At any rate, here are some facts our dispensationalist friends won’t dig. Oh well, the truth can only set us free. Let’s begin:
The early church father Marcion was so anti-Semitic that he wanted to do away with all things Jewish and even wanted to have a “Christian Bible” made up. Fortunately his contemporaries disagreed and the idea received minor attention before dying out.
It wasn’t until the 1800’s that John Darby of the Plymouth Brethren picked up on Marcionism and expounded on it, thus garnering the title “Father of dispensationalism”.
In 1827 he came up with the “secret rapture” doctrine, being that there would be two second comings. This was challenged, so he came to “new revelation” that the only way it could work was if the Scriptures were divided into categories for Jews and Christians.
He used 2 Timothy 2:15 as his justification: “Study to show yourself approved by Yahuah, a worker that needs not to be ashamed; rightly dividing the word of truth”.
If Darby was the father of it, then surely Mr. Scofield was dispensationalism’s agent. He claimed that the Our Father in Matthew 6 was a Jewish prayer that shouldn’t be recited by Christians. Odd, seeing as Judaism doesn’t recognize the Renewed Testament.
It was his 1909 publication of the Scofield Reference Bible that carried the message to people in a way that made it popular. It too was challenged, sadly to no effect though.
- For more info on the 2 house teaching please see http://www.1shepherd1flock.webs.com/ and http://thismessage.webstarts.com/ .
Exodus 12:49: “One law shall be to him that is native, and to the stranger that sojourns among you”. Who is being spoken of here? Israel (more accurately Yisrael). So who then is Israel? Israel is a country in the Middle East and so much more, it’s the nation (people group) that Yahuah chose to covenant with. There are Israelites all over the world, not to be confused with Israelis; those who are born in the land of Israel. Israel consists of twelve tribes, the Jews being but one. In other words, all Jews are Israelites but not all Israelites are Jews. Since the letter J is barely 500 years old, the actual term for them is Yahudim, from the tribe of Yahudah or “Judah”. I personally believe in the two house teaching, that most former Gentiles are either engrafting into Israel or returning ancestors of the Israelites who were dispersed across the earth during the Assyrian raids of 722 BC. Only the southern tribes remained, Yahudah and Benyamin. These are historical facts, not theories or errors. Yah has repeatedly promised His prophets to exile/restore these lost Israelites to their covenant (Isaiah 11-49, Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 4-37), thus we have the true Messianic/Nazarene Israelite movement taking its hold. There’s only one way for all believers to live, it’s Torah and not Noahide Laws.
If that’s just a little too “Old Testament” then don’t worry, the lost sheep of Israel are also alluded to in the gospels (Matthew 15 and John 10). People hear that the two house teaching is a controversial thing, which is due to the false doctrines that various extremists seek to attach to it. Some like to claim that their long-lost Israelite blood will be what saves them, in which case the Messiah died in vain; heresy indeed. Others like to solely lay claim to being these lost Israelites, shutting out everyone else. Mormons, Black Israelite and White Ephraimite groups would be the main examples. This is elitist at best and racist at worst, and has no place in the law. I think it would be cool if I found out I had some Israelite ancestry in my heritage, but that’s all it would be. He mercifully accepts all who repent and we don’t need the approval of a “rabbi” or their congregation.
Often times when I try to explain my beliefs to others I’m asked if I’m somehow “trying to be a Jew.” Sigh, a Messianic can be a Jew who finds Yahushua but also a Gentile who finds His Torah. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s the twelve tribes of Israel that will have gates into the coming kingdom and not the twelve denominations of dispensationalism as we read in Revelation 21:12: “And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” Nowhere in Scriptures is Israel replaced with some new entity called the “Church”, and all promises made to Israel by the Master are still valid. The goal as outlined in Romans 11 is to engraft into Israel if we’re not already and many people say they understand this, just as long as you don’t remind them that being in the family of Israel includes obeying the family rules. If you do then you may be told that they’re “spiritual Israelites”. Sounds good on the surface but no such thing exists in Scripture, we’re either Israelites or we’re not. The prodigal son is returning to Elohim after some lawless living and wasted riches. At any rate, here are some facts our dispensationalist friends won’t dig. Oh well, the truth can only set us free. Let’s begin:
The early church father Marcion was so anti-Semitic that he wanted to do away with all things Jewish and even wanted to have a “Christian Bible” made up. Fortunately his contemporaries disagreed and the idea received minor attention before dying out.
It wasn’t until the 1800’s that John Darby of the Plymouth Brethren picked up on Marcionism and expounded on it, thus garnering the title “Father of dispensationalism”.
In 1827 he came up with the “secret rapture” doctrine, being that there would be two second comings. This was challenged, so he came to “new revelation” that the only way it could work was if the Scriptures were divided into categories for Jews and Christians.
He used 2 Timothy 2:15 as his justification: “Study to show yourself approved by Yahuah, a worker that needs not to be ashamed; rightly dividing the word of truth”.
If Darby was the father of it, then surely Mr. Scofield was dispensationalism’s agent. He claimed that the Our Father in Matthew 6 was a Jewish prayer that shouldn’t be recited by Christians. Odd, seeing as Judaism doesn’t recognize the Renewed Testament.
It was his 1909 publication of the Scofield Reference Bible that carried the message to people in a way that made it popular. It too was challenged, sadly to no effect though.
- For more info on the 2 house teaching please see http://www.1shepherd1flock.webs.com/ and http://thismessage.webstarts.com/ .
Friday, April 1, 2011
King James: Rollin' in his grave?
Happy Passover, this time of year makes me think about how the King James Version is the only one that falsely replaces Passover with Ishtar (more commonly known as Easter) in Acts 12:4: “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people”. I’m also thinking about how that fuzzy little Ishtar bunny never seems to give any answers to the questions that some have. Questions like what is the perfect “Bible” translation? If there is no perfect translation, then which’s the best? As far as which one is the best, that depends on who you ask but my personal choices are any that are rooted in a Hebraic understanding. By that I mean the translations were done with the understanding that the “New Testament” was originally written in Hebrew/Aramaic and not Greek as has historically been the accepted thought. I know that so far the oldest existing manuscripts we have for the Renewed Testament are written in Greek, but there’s much evidence to support these manuscripts as having been translations of earlier Hebrew works. There’s also obvious mistranslations made in carrying it from the one language to the other, this partly explains why many find the Scriptures to be confusing.
You’ve probably guessed it by now, but I don’t believe there is a perfect translation; and I sure don’t believe it’s the King James. Before I go on I’d just like to say that I’m aware of how many common translations omit verses pertaining to baptism and I’m thankful that the KJV doesn’t do that; but it’s still not perfect and Acts 12:4 is but one reason why. And many people have heard it’s the best translation out there so they just go with the flow without ever questioning why, I pray that they may find this blog to be insightful. I’m also writing this for the KJV activists (they come in all denominations with one in particular seemingly most fervent), those who get together to publically burn other versions because they believe the King James is perfect based on 1 Corinthians 13:10: “And when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away”. Good grief. I’m by far no expert on sword fighting, but I’ve a hunch that this verse is really referring to what the rest of the chapter is: love coming and completing us. The power of love is so great that if we do everything else in life just about perfectly but don’t walk in it then we’ve missed the whole point. Speaking of points, mine is to share some historical facts about the King James that you may or may not know; so please enjoy:
The King James was in actuality commissioned by his acting wifey (some say he was gay), the Queen.
The original 1611 version is the first one to give us the false name of “Jehovah”, and hovah/howah really means wickedness in the Hebrew (see a concordance).
The texts used to compile the King James are missing so many words that translators had to insert several ones in order for it to be read properly, you can check this for yourself by noticing all these added words in italic within a KJV or by seeing it too in a good concordance.
Not in the original 1611 version but in a later one, the King James is the first one to give us the false name of “Jesus”.
To those who’d have us believe the Renewed Testament was wholly written in the original “inspired Greek”, even if we pretend it was there’s still an accuracy problem. The Renewed Testament texts of the KJV are only partially Greek, the rest being later Latin and even later English ones; oh me oh my.
The Greek texts that were used in the KJV Renewed Testament were commissioned by Yohan Frovan in 1514 to Desiderus Erasmus, with Frovan giving him a strict deadline in order to beat a competing publisher to press.
Because he was so rushed he only had time to access 7 authentic Greek texts (the oldest of which being only from the 11th century), the rest he then back-translated from Latin.
In addition to being hurried along, the printer made numerous changes after he handed his work in; leading him to freely confess that it was “thrown together rather than edited”.
Now let me just say this before I get accused of trying to destroy anyone’s faith: I’m not going there. Well, not faith in Yahushua at least. But if busting the myth that the King James is at best perfect and at worst the most accurate translation available then I am gleefully guilty as charged. My plea is that all of us question what we’re told is truth, dig into the Scriptures more and firmly plant our faith. Until later, take care of your shalom.
You’ve probably guessed it by now, but I don’t believe there is a perfect translation; and I sure don’t believe it’s the King James. Before I go on I’d just like to say that I’m aware of how many common translations omit verses pertaining to baptism and I’m thankful that the KJV doesn’t do that; but it’s still not perfect and Acts 12:4 is but one reason why. And many people have heard it’s the best translation out there so they just go with the flow without ever questioning why, I pray that they may find this blog to be insightful. I’m also writing this for the KJV activists (they come in all denominations with one in particular seemingly most fervent), those who get together to publically burn other versions because they believe the King James is perfect based on 1 Corinthians 13:10: “And when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away”. Good grief. I’m by far no expert on sword fighting, but I’ve a hunch that this verse is really referring to what the rest of the chapter is: love coming and completing us. The power of love is so great that if we do everything else in life just about perfectly but don’t walk in it then we’ve missed the whole point. Speaking of points, mine is to share some historical facts about the King James that you may or may not know; so please enjoy:
The King James was in actuality commissioned by his acting wifey (some say he was gay), the Queen.
The original 1611 version is the first one to give us the false name of “Jehovah”, and hovah/howah really means wickedness in the Hebrew (see a concordance).
The texts used to compile the King James are missing so many words that translators had to insert several ones in order for it to be read properly, you can check this for yourself by noticing all these added words in italic within a KJV or by seeing it too in a good concordance.
Not in the original 1611 version but in a later one, the King James is the first one to give us the false name of “Jesus”.
To those who’d have us believe the Renewed Testament was wholly written in the original “inspired Greek”, even if we pretend it was there’s still an accuracy problem. The Renewed Testament texts of the KJV are only partially Greek, the rest being later Latin and even later English ones; oh me oh my.
The Greek texts that were used in the KJV Renewed Testament were commissioned by Yohan Frovan in 1514 to Desiderus Erasmus, with Frovan giving him a strict deadline in order to beat a competing publisher to press.
Because he was so rushed he only had time to access 7 authentic Greek texts (the oldest of which being only from the 11th century), the rest he then back-translated from Latin.
In addition to being hurried along, the printer made numerous changes after he handed his work in; leading him to freely confess that it was “thrown together rather than edited”.
Now let me just say this before I get accused of trying to destroy anyone’s faith: I’m not going there. Well, not faith in Yahushua at least. But if busting the myth that the King James is at best perfect and at worst the most accurate translation available then I am gleefully guilty as charged. My plea is that all of us question what we’re told is truth, dig into the Scriptures more and firmly plant our faith. Until later, take care of your shalom.
Friday, March 4, 2011
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.
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