What to do when verbally attacked

WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE … smack-dab in the middle of a no-win argument spurred on by some mean-spirited moron who allowed him/herself to be guided by the Destroyer. (You can tell they are led by satan whenever they seem to know exactly which button to push!)

The bottom line is always about how we choose to deal with these fights, arguments or attacks, as they always end up baring and revealing our hearts and souls – not to mention that, in the end, they only serve to wear us out, and reveal "Whom are we truly serving."

Although sometimes tested to the limits - I've learned from experience that nothing is ever gained by engaging pea-brained, dim-witted and closed-minded people in verbal battles, because that is exactly what YHWH hates ... and what the Destroyer WANTS.

The best way to deal with people like that (when you realize your discussion with them has left the realm of rationality) is to hit them in their over-inflated egos where it really hurts - by turning your back and simply ignoring them. While that’s sometimes hard to do, refusing to lower yourself to their standards sends the strong message that they're worth neither your time, efforts, nor your energy.

Here’s what the Bible tells us to do:

2 Timothy 2:14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before our Master (Yeshua) not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! 15 Do all you can to present yourself to Elohim as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth. 16 But keep away from godless babbling, for those who engage in it will only become more ungodly, 17 and their teaching will eat away at people like gangrene. (CJB)

James 4:1 From where is it, that there are among you arguments and conflicts? Is it not from the lusts which war in your members? 2. You covet but do not possess; and you kill and envy, and effect nothing: and you fight and make attacks; and you do not have, because you do not ask. 3. You ask, and do not receive because you ask wickedly, that you may feed your lusts. 4. You adulterers, don’t you know that the love of the world is hatred towards Elohim? He therefore who chooses to be a lover of this world is the enemy of Elohim. (AENT)

Romans 16:17 And I plead with you, my Brothers, that you beware of them who cause divisions and stumblings apart from the doctrine which you have learned: and that you stand distant from them. 18. For they who are such do not serve our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach, but their own belly: and by bland speeches and good wishes, they deceive the hearts of the simple. (AENT)

Proverbs 4:14-17 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. (CJB)

Matthew 7:6 You should not hang earrings on dogs and you should not place your pearls before pigs that they should not trample them by their feet and they overtake and wound you. (AENT)*

NOTE:  *Tithlon (hang) was misunderstood as talon (to give); qudesha (earrings) was misunderstood as qudsha (holy). The picture of hanging earrings on dogs dovetails with giving pearls to pigs, and the symbolism of the two animal groups could not be clearer. The dogs represent apostate Jews, the pigs apostate Gentiles who are ignorant of YHWH. Either way, the lesson here is do not give what is precious to those who will not appreciate the value.

2 Timothy 4:2 Proclaim the Word and persist (in it) with diligence, in time and out of time; admonish and rebuke with all patience and instructiveness. 3. For the time will come when they will not give ear to sound teaching; but, according to their lusts, will multiply to themselves teachers in the itching of their hearing; 4. and will turn away their ears from the truth, and incline after fables. 5. But be vigilant in all things; and endure evils and do the work of a proclaimer of the Good News, and fulfill your ministry. (AENT)

2 Timothy 3:1 But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: 2. and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of grace, wicked, 3. unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, 4. treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of Elohim, 5. having a form of respect for Elohim but wide from the power of Elohim. Them who are such, repel from you. (AENT)

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

So, what can we do to thwart any impending fights and arguments?

Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (CJB)

Luke 6:28 Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (CJB)

Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Ephesians 4:29  Let no harmful language come from your mouth, only good words that are helpful in meeting the need, words that will benefit those who hear them. 30 Don’t cause grief to God’s Ruach HaKodesh, for he has stamped you as his property until the day of final redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, violent assertiveness and slander, along with all spitefulness. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you. (CJB)

1 Peter 3:9  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (AENT)

Yeshua warned God’s people what the “end times” would look like … and the signs are all around us!

Matthew 24 tells us that no one knows the exact day or hour of Yeshua's return -although the prophetic biblical festivals give us clues, as Yeshua has so far fulfilled the first four'; which means the next one will take place on a future Yom Teruah/Trumpets, when God calls His people together! (Please check out my article on the Biblical Feasts.)

In the meantime, we are commanded to be aware and to prepare our hearts, minds and souls. This preparation includes keeping up with what's happening in the world, because the signs are all around us (fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, crazy and unpredictable weather patterns, wars and rumors of wars, and people generally behaving “as in the days of Noah”).

Matthew 24:3. And while Y'shua was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples drew near and were saying among themselves and to him, "Tell us when these things will be and what is the sign of your coming and the end of the world."

4. Y'shua answered and said to them, Beware, let no man deceive you. 5. For many will come in my name and will say that "I am the Mashiyach." And many they will deceive. 6. For you are bound to hear of revolutions and rumor of wars. Watch out and do not be disturbed, for it is necessary that all these things happen, but it is not yet the end.

7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and plagues and earthquakes in different places. 8. But all these things are only the beginning of sorrows. 9. Then they will deliver to afflictions and they will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.

10. Then many will stumble and will hate one another and will betray one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise and deceive many. 12. And because of the growth of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold. 13. But whoever has patience until the end, he will have life. 14. And this Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.... (AENT)

Matthew 24:36 “But when that day and hour will come, no one knows — not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father. ³⁷ For the Son of Man’s coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. ³⁸ Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; ³⁹ and they didn’t know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes. (CJB)

Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them. On the day of Adonai’s fury, the whole land will be destroyed in the fire of his jealousy. For he will make an end, a horrible end, of all those living in the land.” (CJB)

The passages above send a clear signal that it’s high time people “get themselves right with God,” because the signs are literally EVERYWHERE!

About Y'shua's birthday

Y'shua was born on the first day of Sukkot and circumcised 8 days later. Both the first and the last are "high holy days"....The answer about Yeshua's birth can be found in Scripture:

Luke 2: 1. Now it happened in those days that a decree went out from Augustus Caesar that the names of all the people of his dominion should be written down. 2. This census first happened during the governorship of Qurinius in Syria. 3. And everyone went in his own city to be registered. 4. And Yosip was also going up from Nasrath, a city of Galeela into Yehuda to the city of Dawid, which is called Beth-Lekhem, because he was from the house and from the clan of Dawid, 5. With Maryam his bride while she was pregnant, that there they might be registered. 6. And it happened that while they were there, her days of pregnancy were fulfilled. 7. And she bore him a firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room where they could lodge. 8. At this time shepherds were there in that region were they were lodging and keeping watch there at night over their flocks. (AENT)

Note that last verse:  “At this time shepherds were there in that region were they were lodging and keeping watch there at night over their flocks.”  Shepherds and their flocks aren’t out in the dead of winter in December, which knocks the “He was born on December 25^th” idea out of the water.

Miriam was forced to give birth in a stable because there was no room at the inn - because people from all over had gathered in Jerusalem for the census! Not to mention, it was also the festival of Sukkot - Tabernacles - when many pilgrims came to celebrate in Jerusalem....

Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem and so Y'shua was born there because was no room at the inn. The name Bethlehem means "House Of Bread", with the strong connotation of House Of Battle. And as we all know, Y'shua is the Bread of Life" (John 6:43-51).

Ever thought about who got to enter the Promised Land?

 DID YOU KNOW that, of the original ones who left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb and their descendants were allowed into the Promised Land?

Numbers 32: 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'

Numbers 14:20 we read: 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times- 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.

Joshua 14 allots Caleb and his descendants their own parcel of land: 6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7  I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.'

...13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.

On being debt free

 

Statistics show that most Americans are deeply in debt – but, you CAN get out IF you’re willing to make the effort and employ some real willpower!

Proverbs 21:20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it. (ESV)

Scripture provides ample warnings to NOT become a slave to debt. Here is just a couple of examples:

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. (ESV)

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (ESV)

NO ONE would be in debt IF we all adhered to Torah principles. Examples:

Exodus 22:25-27 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. (ESV)

Deuteronomy 15:1-2 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord's release has been proclaimed. (ESV)

As mentioned above, getting out of debt takes some effort and willpower … the willpower to give up “credit” and manage your income so that you don’t keep spending more than you make.

That’s basically the whole key to becoming debt free. Pay off those credit cards (smallest to the largest) as fast as you can, and don’t buy unnecessary “stuff.”

Financial guru Dave Ramsey says, until you are debt free, you shouldn’t even enter a restaurant unless you work there; and in the meantime, you should basically live on beans and rice, rice and beans. Sounds harsh, but it works!

As with Torah observance, being debt-free feels GOOD and it eventually becomes a "way of life!"

Dave Ramsey’s mantra about the process of becoming debt-free is, "I didn't say it was going to be easy! I said it's going to be worth it!"

My late husband and I knew for a fact that it’s worth it, because were completely debt free beginning in  2012 - able to pay cash for everything we bought!  

It's a great feeling to owe no one!

Someone recently commented that we should not get caught up in YHWH's law and not to put so much emphasis on the Torah. Here is my response.

The Bible literally teaches us to meditate on the Torah (YHWH’s instructions). The Torah (YHWH’s Instructions) teaches love, faith, grace, and forgiveness.

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵/𝗬𝗛𝗪𝗛’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

Joshua 1:8

“This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then, you will make your way successful, and you will act wisely.”

Psalm 1:2

“But his delight is in the Torah of YHWH, and on His Torah he meditates day and night.”

Psalm 119:15

“I meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.”

Psalm 119:97

“Oh, how I love Your Torah! It is my meditation all day.”

Psalm 119:148

“My eyes are awake before the night watches, so that I may meditate on Your word.”

Psalm 143:5

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands.”

1 Timothy 4:13 (Paul to Timothy)

"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to encouragement, and to teaching."

1 Timothy 4:15

“Meditate on these things; be in them, so that your progress may be plain to all.”

𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨—𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘏𝘞𝘏’𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀:

𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆:

Deuteronomy 6:5

“And you shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being and with all your might.”

(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘠e𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 22.)

Leviticus 19:18

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

(𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘠e𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢.)

When someone says, “Just focus on love, not the law,” they don’t realize the Torah defines love.

𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉:

Genesis 15:6

“And he believed in YHWH, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

(𝘈𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘮’𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.)

Habakkuk 2:4

“The righteous shall live by his faith.”

(𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘛𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.)

Deuteronomy 32:20

“They are a perverse generation, children in whom there is no faithfulness.”

(𝘠𝘏𝘞𝘏 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩.)

Even Paul quoted the Torah and Prophets to teach faith (see Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11).

𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆 / 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚:

Exodus 34:6-7

“YHWH, YHWH, a compassionate and gracious Elohim, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…”

Numbers 14:18-19

“YHWH is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression…”

Deuteronomy 4:31

“For YHWH, your Elohim is a merciful Elohim. He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant…”

𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸—it’s in the very foundation of Torah.

𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔:

Leviticus 4 (entire chapter) Details sin offerings for unintentional sin—YHWH’s provision for forgiveness within the Torah.

Numbers 15:28

“And the priest shall make atonement before YHWH for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him so that he may be forgiven.”

Psalm 103:11-12

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

𝘠𝘏𝘞𝘏’𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴—but it’s found within His covenant structure, not outside of it.

Rejecting the Torah in the name of grace is like rejecting the foundation of a house and expecting it to stand. Yahshua never taught us to abandon the commandments—He taught us to keep them the right way: with hearts of love, humility, and faith.

Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think I came to abolish the Torah… I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”

Romans 3:31 – “Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.”

The 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩 teaches 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

The 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩 teaches 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵.

The 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩 teaches 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.

And the 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘩 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗬e𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮.

Let’s not downplay it. Let’s 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 to it—with hearts ready to 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝘆

 

Do we take the Torah literally?

Someone recently sent us a great question that seems to be on the minds of many - especially those who insist on believing that the earth is flat:

QUESTION:

Dear Refiner's Fire..first of all just let me say that I LOVE this site. It has been an invaluable resource in my new walk. I am starting on my second cycle of the weekly lessons. But let me get to the point. In the first lesson we read in Genesis where it is saying that YWWH created a "dome that separates the waters from the waters". The explanation of Refiner's Fire was that it was not meant to be a scientific account of creation..

With all due respect I think we have to ask ourselves some questions. Are we to take the Torah literally for what it says or explain away the meaning. Do we believe YHWH or do we believe the Jesuit and Masonic scientists. Thank you again for this incredible study and website... I anticipate your reply,

OUR RESPONSE:

You asked a perfect reasonable question: "Are we to take the Torah literally for what it says or explain away the meaning." The short answer is "both" - but it takes much more to fully understand what we mean by "both".

First, "do we take the Torah literally?" Yes, except we must realize that some is literal and some of the narrative in the Torah ... and indeed, in all parts we find some allegory. This includes the Prophets, Writings, and New Testament. For example: Take the animal sacrifices in Leviticus. The narrative literally speaks of slaughtering animals, and that the sins of the person offering the animal are "taken away."

Indeed, there is a literal, formal ritual of a substitutionary death described in the narrative of animal sacrifice. But there is also allegory. The slaughter only represents human's sins and ties the condition that our sins deserve death. Thus, for us to live, an animal, (sinless by the way), had to die. If the people had not sinned, they would not have had to kill an animal. So, the Torah was actually trying to teach people to choose NOT to sin.

Today, people get caught up in the literal description of the slaughter process. and see only the "commandment" that it "must be followed"; they don't see the greater picture in the allegory: that it was intended to represent a spiritual truth in terms a human can come to understand. Don't sin, you live; sin, and you must be redeemed from that sin.

You asked: "...or explain away the meaning?" Yes, except we are not really explaining it "away"; rather, we are trying to understand it from the original Hebrew perspective. In your example of Genesis 1:6, you are seeing the literal verse: "God said, "Let there be a dome in the middle of the water; let it divide the water from the water."

In English, that certainly paints a picture in our minds of a "dome" and becomes our literal understanding. But that's not what the Hebrew says. The Hebrew word, incorrectly translated as "dome" is "ra'kita", which means "expanse". So, the verse actually reads, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters."

You see, the English translators inadvertently changed the meaning of the scripture. Some English translations use "firmament" instead of "dome" which is a bit better. However, without understanding the deeper meaning in the Hebrew, "firmament" still does not convey the meaning of "ra'kita".

Similarly, Genesis 1:8 in English usually reads "and God called the dome Sky." But the Hebrew, properly reads, "And Elohim called the expanse, Heavens." Here, "Heavens" is from the Hebrews "ha'mayim" - it is plural and means "the lofty". So "sky" is close to correct, but in the Hebrew context the word implies not only the sky, but beyond, including the air where the clouds move, along with celestial bodies.

So, you see that we must take care in our literal reading to see beyond both what we are able to comprehend (due to the inadequacy the English); and to consider and look for the deeper meaning which the English does not convey.