Violence seems to be in vogue again…

IT’S AN ELECTION YEAR, AND ONCE AGAIN WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE PROTESTS AND PROTESTERS RESORTING TO VIOLENCE. For many years now, there has been absolutely NO respect for laws or law enforcement anymore. People are becoming ever-more violent, and everyone seems to do “what is right in their eyes.” (See Judges 21:25, Proverbs 21:2.)

Many applaud violence and stupidity, yet either become more violent, or whine like babies when the police are called to intervene (and often they and the liberal media will blame the police if anyone ends up hurt or dead)…

Proverbs 6: 16 There are six things ADONAI hates, seven which he detests: 17 a haughty look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet swift in running to do evil, 19 a false witness who lies with every breath, and him who sows strife among brothers. (CJB)

I would like to know WHY people will gather in the streets and on college campuses to protest everything EXCEPT “bad behavior!”

They NEVER march to carry signs that suggest GOOD behavior … signs that say something like: “Crime doesn't pay; it’s your own fault if you end up hurt or killed while rioting!" or "Don't become a thug; make something decent of yourself!" or "Being a good, godly, upstanding citizen is more rewarding than punching a cop who has been called in to keep YOU from committing more violence!"…

Our country's values are absolutely upside-down today, and that is just plain sad! The Bible warned us that this would happen:

2 Timothy 3: Moreover, understand this: in the acharit-hayamim (latter days, end of days) will come trying times. 2 People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good, 4 traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God, 5 as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people! (CJB)

Romans 1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. (CJB)

Most of the world is writhing in carnality. Consequently, things are only going to get worse...and then we will be "as in the days of Noah":

Matthew 24:37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Genesis 6:9 Here is the history of Noach. In his generation, Noach was a man righteous and wholehearted; Noach walked with God. 10 Noach fathered three sons, Shem, Ham and Yefet. 11 The earth was corrupt before God, the earth was filled with violence. 12 God saw the earth, and, yes, it was corrupt; for all living beings had corrupted their ways on the earth. 13 God said to Noach, "The end of all living beings has come before me, for because of them the earth is filled with violence. I will destroy them along with the earth. (CJB)

Most are NOT traveling that narrow gate that leads to life – and their reward awaits them! 

Romans 1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. (CJB)

Proverbs 21:4 Haughty looks, a proud heart -what the wicked plow is sin. (CJB)

Isaiah 50: But all of you who are lighting fires and arming yourselves with firebrands:
go, walk in the flame of your own fire, among the firebrands you lit! From my hands this [fate] awaits you: you will lie down in torment. (CJB)

Romans 1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. (CJB)

Proverbs 21:4 Haughty looks, a proud heart -what the wicked plow is sin. (CJB)

Isaiah 50: But all of you who are lighting fires and arming yourselves with firebrands:
go, walk in the flame of your own fire, among the firebrands you lit! From my hands this [fate] awaits you: you will lie down in torment.

Let’s face it: Without the Holy Spirit within, we cannot find God or the shalom that only HE can bring. It seems most don’t want to follow rules - and they certainly not YHWH's Divine Instructions in Righteousness!  Everybody wants to do what's right in their own eyes.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE READING THIS, REMEMBER: The remnant that is truly seeking Him and being humble enough to listen to HIS Voice instead of following their own limited, human mindset, is VERY small. Which road will YOU follow?

Matthew 7:13 "Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; 14 but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 "Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep's clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves! 16 You will recognize them by their fruit.... (CJB)

John 4:23. But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, indeed.  For the Father, He seeks worshippers as these.  24. For Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship, they must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (AENT)

“The Jews” killed Jesus?

YOU’VE ALL HEARD IT: THE JEWS KILLED JESUS …

Reponse: Er … No!

While "the Jews" certainly initiated Yeshua's demise on that fateful day, WHO was it that tripped him, spat upon him, flogged him, ripped out his beard, put a crown of thorns upon his head and mocked him, and nailed him to the cross? Not to mention, there was a "mixed crowd" (not just Jews) cheering on his execution. (See Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:62-68; Matthew 27:30; and Luke 22:64.)

BUT LET’S JUST GET REAL AND SKIP TO THE BOTTOM LINE: We’re ALL to blame! Our SINS put Yeshua on that cross! Truth be told, if he hadn't been willing to martyr himself on our behalf, we would still be forced to kill innocent animals to atone for our sins.

Instead of sitting around, engaging in finger-pointing exercises, and espousing personal opinions, let's take a minute or two to allow the BIBLE to speak:

First, let’s take a look at a passage that helps to fan the flames of anti-Semitism (just like many of Paul’s writings, which are constantly taken out of context).

Thessalonians 2: 14 For, brothers, you came to be imitators of God’s congregations in Y’hudah that are united with the Messiah Yeshua — you suffered the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Judeans who 15 both killed the Lord Yeshua and the prophets, and chased us out too. They are displeasing God and opposing all mankind 16 by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles, so that they may be delivered. Their object seems to be always to make their sins as bad as possible! But God’s fury will catch up with them in the end. (CJB)

Can you see why people would point their fingers at "the Jews?" 

The astute, however, will read "the rest of the story" in order to formulate an INFORMED opinion; and they will start by taking a look at the events that took place BEFORE Yeshua was crucified:

Matthew 26: 47 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim and elders of the people.

48 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want — grab him!” 49 He went straight up to Yeshua, said, “Shalom, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Yeshua said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they moved forward, laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him.

51 At that, one of the men with Yeshua reached for his sword, drew it out and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Yeshua said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, for everyone who uses the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you know that I can ask my Father, and he will instantly provide more than a dozen armies of angels to help me? 54 But if I did that, how could the passages in the Tanakh be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”

55 Then Yeshua addressed the crowd: “So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion? Every day I sat in the Temple court, teaching; and you didn’t seize me then. 56 But all this has happened so that what the prophets wrote may be fulfilled.” Then the talmidim all deserted him and ran away. (CJB)

(QUESTION: We’re not told, but one has to wonder WHO the “crowd” consisted of … surely not just the Jews, but also Netzarim (the original followers of Yeshua’s teachings) and, of course, pagans…)

It’s important to note that these things did not happen at the whim of Caiaphas, the priests, or Pilate, for it was all part of God’s plan to save the world through the death of His Son. As Yeshua had said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18)...."

BOTTOM LINE: Three days later, Messiah Yeshua rose again from the grave, fulfilling prophecy, defeating death, and emboldening His followers to share the good news of salvation throughout the known world. Caiaphas continued to persecute the Netzarim, being present at the trial of Peter and John (Acts 4:1–22), but his opposition did absolutely nothing to stop the spread of the gospel.

In view of the above, it becomes very clear that there are many misleading memes and articles on the Internet that can lead people astray! YHWH is certainly NOT happy with those who keep focusing on, and bringing others' attention to, all the “wrong” things...

SO, TO REITERATE, YESHUA HAD TO DIE TO BECOME OUR SAVIOR – our final “Sin Sacrifice” ... He KNEW who he was and why he was sent, and he accomplished his mission. STOP BLAMING “THE JEWS” and simply REJOICE! Never, ever stop pondering, marveling and being thankful for, the wondrous gift YHWH chose to give to a sinful and lost humanity in this fallen world!

Romans 11:11-12: "But I say: Have they (the Jews) so stumbled as to fall entirely? May it never be! Rather, by their stumbling, life has come to the Gentiles for (awakening) their jealousy. And if their stumbling was riches to the world, and their condemnation riches to the Gentiles; how much more their completeness?" (CJB)

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: Don't base your theology on personal opinions or lack of Bible knowledge!

Let’s end with the passage below:

Matthew 27: 26. Then he released Bar Abba to them and scourged Y’shua with whips, and delivered him to be put to death on the stake. 27. Then the soldiers of the governor took Y’shua to the Praetorium[1] and assembled against him all of the company of soldiers. 28. And they stripped him and clothed him with a robe of purple. 29. And they wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed down upon their knees before him and they were mocking at him and saying, “Peace King of the Jews.” 30. And they spat in his face and took the reed and were striking him upon his head. 31. And when they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put on his own clothes, and led him away to be put to death on the stake.

32. And while they were going out they found a man of Qureenya, whose name was Shimon. They compelled this man that he might carry his stake. 33. And they came to the place which is called Golgotha, which is interpreted, The Skull. 34. And they gave to him vinegar that was mixed with gall to drink. And he tasted it, and he did not desire to drink it. 35. And when they had nailed him to the stake, they divided his clothes by casting lots. 36. And they were sitting watching him there. 37. And they placed over his head the reason for his death in writing, THIS IS Y’SHUA, THE KING OF THE JEWS… (AENT)

FOOTNOTE:

The Praetorium was located on the North West corner of the Temple, inside the Antonia Fortress. It had a maximum capacity of 200 people. A handful of religious fanatics used crowd psychology against Y’shua to unfairly influence the outcome and the souls in attendance certainly did not represent the entire Jewish race; of the 200 attendess the greatest number were most likely soldiers who were protecting Rome’s interests in silencing Y’shua. Y’shua’s followers wanted to crown him as their king; this also brought much consternation to the elite of the Roman hierarchy.

It was not “the Jews” who put Y’shua to death, but a handful of “scribes and elders” with the consent of their officiating “chief rabbi” and “high priest” who were also political puppets of Rome and who feared for their own positions of power. History tells us that the common people favored Y’shua, and many priests also became followers of Y’shua; see Acts 6:7.

My thoughts about the upcoming eclipse on April 8, 2024

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE UPCOMING ECLIPSE: Stop worrying about it, and just enjoy this natural astronomical phenomenon and praise ADONAI!

Many "religious" people knock themselves out to spread doom and gloom every time there's a major astronomical event. Conspiracy theories fly across the Internet at lightening speed with everybody wanting to be the first to "warn" everyone about the "dangers" associated with total eclipses. It happens every time, and the conspiracy theorists are proven wrong every time...

Remember, some HR "bigwigs" did the same thing with the "Blood Moon Tetrad" back in 2014 - and ... NOTHING happened!

IN RESPONSE TO THE "BLOOD MOON" hype of 2014, my late husband, Air Force Lt. Col. (Ret.) William J. Welker, a physicist and amateur astronomer, wrote an article outlining certain facts - including this:

If an astronomical event is to have significance, it MUST be sanctified from Israel.

Think about it. There have been total lunar eclipses for thousands of years. All the astronomical events had to be visible from Israel, or they knew nothing about the event! (Please see our article for full details.)

No one could place significance on a total eclipse they did not see, and did not even know happened! Why would YHWH say in Genesis 1:14 that the sun, moon, stars were for "signs" if His people in the Land did not (or could not) SEE the sign?

To illustrate, Bill provided just ONE example of many, of a SIGNIFICANT astronomical event: the date of the nativity! He wrote:

"On the night of Sep 13th, 5 BCE, there was a well placed total Lunar Eclipse. By 'well placed', I mean that the moon rose that night, well before Jupiter, and was of course, nearly full. The eclipse began at about 8:30 PM, with the moon 35 degrees high – perfectly placed from Jerusalem to see the entire eclipse."

A total lunar eclipse marked the birth- fully visible to all of Israel! Now THAT's a sign!

YAHWEH is our Rock and Deliverer

He was for Samuel, and He is for us…

2 Samuel 22:1 David said the words of this song to ADONAI on the day ADONAI delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Sha’ul. 2 He said: “YAHWEH is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer, 3 the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter, my shield, the power that saves me, my stronghold and my refuge. My savior, you have saved me from violence. 4 I call on ADONAI, who is worthy of praise; and I am saved from my enemies.

2 Samuel 22:26 With the merciful, you are merciful; with the champion of purity, you are pure; 27 with the honest, you are honest; but with the crooked you are cunning. 28 People afflicted, you save; but when your eyes are on the haughty, you humble them.

2 Samuel 22:33 For who is ELOHIM but Adonai, and who is a Rock but our God? “YAHWEH is my strength and protection; he makes my way go straight. 34 He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer and enables me to stand on my high places. 35 He trains my hands for war until my arms can bend a bow of bronze; 36 You give me your shield, which is salvation; your answers make me great. 37 You lengthen the steps I can take, yet my ankles do not turn.

2 Samuel 22:47 “ADONAI is alive! Blessed is my Rock! Exalted be YAHWEH, the Rock of my salvation, 48 the God who gives me vengeance and makes peoples submit to me. 49 He brings me out from my enemies. You raise me over those who rebel against me, you rescue me from violent men. 50 “So I give thanks to you, ADONAI, among the nations; I sing praises to your name. 51 He is a tower of salvation for his king; he displays grace to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (ISR)

Why the Apostles couldn’t, and never did, suggest that “Torah” was abolished

A MINI-STUDY ABOUT WHY THE APOSTLES COULDN’T, AND NEVER DID, SUGGEST THAT “TORAH” WAS ABOLISHED:

1 John 1:8. And if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  9. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our iniquity.  10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not with us. (AENT)

FOOTNOTE:

“Elohim is light”, (1 John 1:5); therefore, it can be argued that at Creation when YHWH said, “Let there be light”, Genesis 1:3, that He in effect brought a part of Himself out to accomplish the creative act.

The “Word” does this same feat, Psalm 33:6; John 1:1; a few lines earlier we read the “Word of Life.” We have also seen before the direct linguistic relationship between the Hebrew and Aramaic roots for “Light” and “Torah” such as: “Your word (davar) is a lamp to my feet, a light (aur) to my path.” Psalm 119:105. “For the commandment is a lamp. The teaching is a light (aur), and the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.” Proverbs 6:23

What makes this citation in Proverbs most profound is the word mitzvah (commandment), since tradition commonly calls the revelation at Sinai the Ten Commandments when in fact the Tanakh uses davarim (words)! Keep this in mind while considering 1 John 2:4. “He who says I know Him and does not keep His Commandments (poqadona) is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word (miltha) in him, verily is the love of Elohim perfected; hereby we know that we are in Him.” 1 John 2:4 (Lamsa).

Aramaic could not make a more forceful point. The fact is, poqadona and miltha are exceedingly close matches for their Hebrew counterparts mitzvah in Proverbs, and davar in Psalms. However, it is in this next passage that the full measure of John’s brilliance is shown: “My beloved, I do not write a new commandment to you, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard from the beginning.” 1 John 2:7 (Lamsa) The Commandment is the Word, which comes from the beginning.

We must now realize that to translate this as “his Commandments” is wrong, but “His Commandments” is correct. “His Commandments” is the WORD which came from the very beginning of time. Many fail to understand this truth: It is impossible for Torah to have passed away during the lifetime of the Shlichim/Apostles if John himself writes about the Word they have heard from the beginning.

What else could this WORD be, except the living Torah! John is a native Aramaic speaker and follower of Y’shua who knows that the WORD (or the Torah of YHWH) comes from the “Light”; he states that Elohim is Light and that we abide in that Light when we do His Mitzvot/Poqadona/Commandments.

Furthermore, the interchanging of “Word” and “Commandment” simply does not happen in any other language except Hebrew and Aramaic, the “word that you have heard” is the Shema!

- SOURCE: Aramaic-Endlish New Testament

BEHOLD THE AWESOME POWER OF ELOHIM!

The Hebrew letter H - ה - is pronounced “Hey, or Hay.” It is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and represents God’s Creative Power, the divine breath, revelation and light. Note that the Sacred Name of YHWH (which looks like this in Hebrew - יהוה ) includes TWO instances of the letter Hey…

Psalm 33: 6By the word of ADONAI the heavens were made, and their whole host by a breath from his mouth. 7 He collects the sea waters together in a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear ADONAI! Let all living in the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spoke, and there it was; he commanded, and there it stood. (CJB)

Ever thought about how we humans seem to do things in cycles?

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE HUMANS SEEM TO DO THINGS IN CYCLES, every so often repeating things ad nauseam, until we’re right back to where we started from?

When you think about it, our world today isn't really any different from “the olden days.” Yes, we have great new inventions and gadgets and gee-gaws and stuff to make our life easier today, but have men REALLY changed?

(If you answer was “yes” to that, then please answer WHY do we still have wars and poverty, and racial tension, and division, and animosities toward certain people groups, and a whole gamut of other dilemmas that ebb and flow, yet never seem to go away? We ALWAYS end up repeating history!)

Take the Bible, for instance, the stories about the various kings. One king would do things according to Torah – and life would be great for however long he lived or was in power. And then his successor, recognizing how great life was, would slack off and forget all about ADONAI and His Divine Instructions, and suddenly, everything went downhill – a cycle that repeated for centuries…

Problem is, as educated as we are in today’s world, we humans STILL tend to go in cycles ... often "full circle" like a caged rodent in an exercise wheel, running round and round, going nowhere. We knock ourselves out to "do better" and have all these great ideas and remedies to situations - yet most of the time, we revert back to doing EXACTLY what we attempted to change, make better, or avoid. We really never seem to learn…

We get in ruts, doing what we “know” and are accustomed to – and if that doesn’t work, we’re willing to change things up just a little bit, convincing ourselves that THIS TIME it will work out if we “just continue along this path.”

Yet, more often than not, we end up back exactly where we started from because “life got in the way,” or there were too many "voices" and/or opinions from the "peanut gallery" telling us what to do, etc. We humans often make a million excuses in our attempts to justify our failures…

BOTTOM LINE: mankind simply never learns. We might try to "accomplish something better in the future," but in the end, we often revert back to "who we were" and "how we used to do things." Hardly anyone realizes that things would “go well for us” IF WE SIMPLY STARTED SEEKING ADONAI ELOHIM in prayer, and OBEYING His Torah (Divine Instructions in Righteousness)!

Revelation 22: 14. Blessed are they who do His (Master YHWH's) Mitzvot, that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. (AENT)

(See Deuteronomy 27:26 and 28:1-15; Romans 1: 22-31; 2 Peter 2:19-22; and Matthew 24:3-14.)

PONDERING THESE THINGS TODAY reminded me of this little story we counselors used in a church "Singles Adjustment Seminar" (a weekend for newly divorced or widowed people). It went something like this:

Satan hates you and he wants to hurt/maim/kill you! He keeps us on a "merry-go-round" from which we cannot escape, because he knows our likes and dislikes and the "ruts" we are in. We are creatures of habit and will ALWAYS gravitate back to what we know.

Here is an example:

A guy comes to a "fork" in the road. He looks to the left and sees a lot of bumps and potholes. He looks to the right and the road looks a lot newer and better, so he takes that one. He walks for a long time with no problems, then all of a sudden, he falls into a huge pothole - one so big, it takes him days to climb out.

So, he goes back to the fork in the road, looks to the left and the right. The left has all those potholes and the right is still smooth, so he figures, now since he knows where that big pothole is, he will just walk around it, and so he takes that "right" road again.

When he gets to the pothole, he walks around it, but didn't realize there was another, even bigger one on the other side, and he falls into that one, which again takes him days to climb out of. Once he does, he goes back to the fork, but rather than to try to see where that other road leads, he once again decides to take the smoother-looking road, because now he knows where those two potholes are, and he'll just be extra careful this time...

Do you get it? Instead of taking that "bumpy road" at the "fork in the road," we often attempt to fix ourselves the SAME way we always did - except from several different angles, doing what is "right" according to our limited human mindsets.

We like to believe we are in control, never stopping to think that, if we were to LET GO of what we THINK we know, we could begin to find some better remedies and get to our final destination a stronger, smarter person helping humanity to live in a better, smarter, more peaceful world…

The other way – with what we THINK we know - can kill us! And that is what Satan is counting on. After all, if you're dead, you no longer have a chance to "get yourself right with God!"

THINK ABOUT THAT!