Got idols?

SCRIPTURE AMPLY WARNS US TO AVOID HAVING “IDOLS” OF ANY KIND. In the Bible, an idol is any physical object, image, statue, or abstract concept that receives the worship, devotion, trust, or ultimate dependence that belongs to God alone.

Some key definitions of what can be an “idol” (copied from a Google AI):

• Adored Person: A public figure, entertainer, athlete, or musician whom fans deeply respect, look up to, or idolize (such as a pop or sports idol).
• Religious Object: A statue, image, or material effigy carved from stone, wood, or metal that represents a deity. In many faith traditions, worshipping a physical object is seen as a false or sinful practice (often called a "false idol" or idolatry).
• Metaphorical Concept: Anything that commands an excessive, ultimate level of devotion, time, or affection—such as money, career success, or status—over higher personal or spiritual values.

The following are some examples of what can happen to people who take their eyes off God, and place allegiance to their own worldly desires:

Idolizing self: Scripture warns us to be careful about loving “self” too much, in places like Exodus 20:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:2-5; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 13:9; and Luke 10:30-37, to mention a few.

(1)  We all know about Michael Jackson’s obsession with his appearance – so much so, that he had numerous cosmetic surgeries to alter his appearance. In my view, he was an adorable, gorgeous child who became a beautiful adult; yet, for some reason, he was never happy with himself. As a matter of fact, each procedure made him less attractive. Michael was only 50 years old when he, sadly, left this world on June 25, 2009.

(2)  I used to have a “best friend” back during my early Army days who was truly “in love” with herself. There was no doubt she was gorgeous, and she definitely used her looks to attract men and get them to do anything for her.

I used to get jealous of her whenever we went into discos, because every man wanted to dance with her, while I was usually left off to the side. (Now, looking back, I realize how senseless my jealousy was, and that I should have simply been happy to “be me,” because, when I found her on the Internet approximately 10 years ago, I discovered that her life – due to her own making - has not been the proverbial “bowl of cherries.”)

Anyway, my friend always loved to “tease” men just to dump them – and she dumped many. Once she even ruined the career of a military General who she claimed had raped her; and another man actually went to prison for supposedly raping her.

The Bible mentions “the sins of the father” and “generational impact” in places such as Exodus 20:5 and 34:7.  Deuteronomy 5:9, and Numbers 14:18 state that God visits "the iniquity of the fathers upon the children" up to the third and fourth generations; and Ezekiel 18:20, Deuteronomy 24:16, and Jeremiah 31:30 emphasize individual responsibility, as we “reap what we sow.”

When I first found my former friend, she told me she was raising her 5-year-old grandson while her then 28-year old daughter was fulfilling a 5-year prison sentence. Her daughter came to live with her since her release from prison; and, as far as I know, is still living there. While on the phone with her once, there was screaming and yelling going on in the background, and she related that her daughter was constantly doing drugs. I’ve never had a desire to have anymore contact because, clearly, there are some family curses going on…

ANOTHER PITFALL IS THE “LOVE OF MONEY” – which Scripture tells us is the “root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Money, a “necessary evil,” is a huge problem for many; and there are people who believe they never have enough. Here are three examples of people I’ve known personally who made money their idol:

(1)  I used to know a good and godly man who scrimped and scrounged and saved all of his life because his goal was to become a millionaire- in part, to impress his wayward, estranged children.  God took him just before he turned 68, approximately a year after finally reaching his goal – yet, he had never actually bothered to enjoy it; in part, because now since he had one million, he was scrimping and scrounging and saving to get to that second million.  One million was not enough (even though he tended to be a miser who didn’t like to spend money at all). It never occurred to him that money had become his idol.

(2)  I had a former boss back in the Nineties, who was addicted to gambling. In the end, he literally lost everything he owned and loved, including his wife and kids, because he refused to get help for his problem. He died, completely broke at age 66.

It all started when he won a million dollars in Las Vegas, with which he created a company that provided services and technical support heavily focused on the federal government and defense markets.  The company (of which he was president and CEO) was extremely successful, flourished and did well.

As a successful entrepreneur, this man won numerous awards to include Regional Small Businessman of the Year, an Inc. 500 Top Performer, and during its peak, his company was the fastest growing Hispanic Owned Business in the United States.

Unfortunately, he kept on gambling – even moved to Las Vegas, a city known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife! - and when he decided to retire, he sold his company for forty million dollars.  He was literally “set for the rest of his life; yet, he blew every cent of it! 

These are just a few examples of people I’ve known who took their eyes off of Elohim in order to feed their “idols.” It truly doesn’t have to end that way for us, because the Bible amply shows us how to live happy, meaningful, set-apart lives.

While none of us can know when our last day on earth is, we CAN choose to live a godly life. That doesn’t always mean our life will be perfect in every way (because we are, after all, in a fallen world where bad things happen); but with God, we have the ability to start thinking and behaving differently and thus, do things according to HIS Will.

BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU!

If you are reading this and realize you have any kind of addiction, whatever it might be, I would highly encourage you to read the entire Bible, from start to finish, letting each precious word “sink in,” as it can change your life!

Stop teaching that “Sunday worship” is a bad thing!

“Sunday Worship” is NOT a bad thing, and I really wish the Torah observant types would stop pushing that false teaching! We are supposed to “worship” ALL the time, including on Sunday. Notice that the Bible tells us that the commanded Seventh Day (which happens to fall on Saturday on our Gregorian calendar) is to be our day of REST.

While we should certainly “worship” ADONAI, the focus is on CEASING TO WORK, and spend some time with our Creator, as the Seventh Day Sabbath is basically our “weekly date with God.” Please check out the pertinent passages below.

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.

Exodus 31:16 The people of Isra'el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the people of Isra'el forever; for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.'"

Ezekiel 20:11 I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them. 12 I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.

Exodus 20:8 "Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for ADONAI your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work -not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, ADONAI made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why ADONAI blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.

Isaiah 56: 2 Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil. 3 A foreigner joining ADONAI should not say, "ADONAI will separate me from his people"; likewise the eunuch should not say, "I am only a dried-up tree." 4 For here is what ADONAI says: "As for the eunuchs who keep my Shabbats, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant: 5 in my house, within my walls, I will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

6 "And the foreigners who join themselves to ADONAI to serve him, to love the name of ADONAI, and to be his workers, all who keep Shabbat and do not profane it, and hold fast to my covenant, 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

Isaiah 58: 13 If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call Shabbat a delight, ADONAI'S holy day, worth honoring; then honor it by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them. 14 If you do, you will find delight in ADONAI - I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov, for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken."

Isaiah 66: 23 And it shall be that from one New Moon to another New Moon and from one Sabbath to another Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 17: 21 Here is what ADONAI says: "If you value your lives, don't carry anything on Shabbat or bring it in through the gates of Yerushalayim; 22 don't carry anything out of your houses on Shabbat; and don't do any work. Instead, make Shabbat a holy day. I ordered your ancestors to do this, 23 but they neither listened nor paid attention; rather, they stiffened their necks, so that they wouldn't have to hear or receive instruction. 24 However, if you will pay careful heed to me," says ADONAI "and carry nothing through the gates of this city on Shabbat, but instead make Shabbat a day which is holy and not for doing work;

Please check out my website’s article on the true Sabbath Day for more insight into this issue.

Testimony of a former “White Supremacist Skinhead”…

I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH SOME OLD ARTICLES THAT USED TO BE ON MY WEBSITE, and happened upon this one, from a self-proclaimed "White Supremacist Skinhead" named Rick, who - for months on end in 2006 -  initially wrote to my website to attack and harass and harangue, writing things like "Hitler was right; you guys are nothing but oven fodder! Too bad he didn't finish the job!"

My initial response to Rick was to blast him out of the water; but ADONAI caused Grace and Mercy to kick in, because people like Rick aren't "born" - they are turned into who they are, either by their parents, friends or other relatives.

Be that as it may, what Rick didn't know was that he was communicating with an old Army Sergeant - someone who was able to meet him and his beliefs head-on; and for the first few weeks of email exchanges, we butted heads HARD!

However, before every exchange with him, I asked The Holy One to help me say exactly what Rick needed to "hear" and know - and it worked!

The bottom line was, after six months of communication, Rick wrote to apologize and to let me know how my emails and website helped change his life. Below is his final email to me, which I prepared in the form of a testimony to post on The Refiner's Fire (with his permission).

Here is what he wrote:

My name is Rick and I am a former Skinhead. Before I tell you how I accepted Yeshua I will tell you how racist and evil I used to be. To understand my story you must first think like I used to. That may seem hard and incomprehensible but hate is a mindset that will control and hypnotize the mind, which is why the average human must not think this way.

But for now just imagine that everyone is your enemy and that your very survival and that of your race depends on a future racial war. Imagine that every white person who mingles with non-whites is a traitor and that sooner or later your race will decline in numbers as more traitors accept others as their equals.

Now think of yourself as a soldier for your race; you have no uniform except for your skin color and your only fellow soldiers are others who think like you. You shave your head because you think that society has defecated on you, so you shave it to purify yourself from their trash. You get swastika tattoos and other provocative images because now you are "different" and you have left society's love for material things....Welcome to my world and that of many others just like me!

When I was 15 I met a couple of "skinheads" who lived near me and I started to hang out with them. At first I just laughed at there racial jokes and their propaganda, but after a while I started to really read their material and watch various lectures from several KKK leaders. I started to dress and act like them. I shaved my head so often that I even forgot what I looked like with hair!

I got my first Nazi tattoo when I was 16. I felt so happy because I believed that I finally was accepted as a true warrior in the future race war. From then on I would shout racial slurs at anyone not like me, and I even participated in racial fights against African Americans and Hispanics who tried to beat me up.

I believed that these fights would only make me stronger even if I lost. I listened to "hate rock" and watched WWII lectures from Adolf Hitler. I would purposely go into black neighborhoods and throw hate literature everywhere just to piss them off. I even searched the web and e-mailed several Jewish websites with my propaganda.

I even did this to this Carmen Welker's website (The Refiner's Fire). But, on that day that I made the mistake of challenging her, she, to my surprise, hit me back with an e-mail about many things, including Jews and their contribution to this world.

Heck, I didn't know ANYTHING about Jews, really. I didn't even know that Leonard Nemoy was Jewish and that his "live long and prosper" hand signal for Spok was from some kind of a Jewish tradition! I also didn't know that Superman was created by two Jewish teenagers who inserted a lot of Jewish stuff into their stories. Carmen told me lots of stuff, and it showed me that I had been lied to!

That day, after leaving The Refiner's Fire website, I searched the web to see if her info was right. And it was! One day I even tried to challenge a Messianic Rabbi in Great Britian (a friend of Carmen's) who is a former Muslim - and he told me a lot about Yeshua and made me see the error of my ways. He basically confirmed what Carmen had told me and it got me to thinking.

And so, I started to read about Christ and learned, among other things, that He died for me. I never knew that before.

My beliefs before I accepted Yeshua (which is our Savior's real name) were that of the myth of the Germanic-Nordic Aryan gods. This belief was that whites are descendants from these Aryan gods and that everyone one else is inferior. After I left this stupid belief, I found out that some of the pray rituals I used to do have Occult written all over them.

So I continued reading about Yeshua and his many works, and looking at other websites and stuff, and I read that if you die in your sins you will stand before Yeshua and you, yourself, will be responsible for ending up in hell for rejecting his FREE gift.

I always thought that Christianity was just another way to mingle the white race with other undesirables. But, then I started to believe. I would throw stuff around and punch walls and I even throw the Bible around because I thought that I would be alone if I accepted Jesus' gift.

But anyway, finally I accepted His sacrifice and started to attend a local evangelical church near my house. About 85% of the attendees of this church were African Americans - but to my surprise they shook my hand and accepted me as a fellow brother in the Kingdom of God!

Right now, I am thinking about getting some tattoos removed and trying to learn more about Yeshua and trying to figure out how to learn more about the Torah and stuff.

I now look back and think about how many people I have cursed, mocked and beat, and it makes me sick - but, fortunately, Yeshua's love will heal all wounds.

So what I write now is very important. I'm here to say to all hate-mongers and everyone else who doesn't believe in Christ: Do not die in your sins. Jesus/Yeshua's gift is paid for with His blood. What awaits us in heaven with Him is like nothing on this earth. It is not too late.

As you can see, if the love of Yeshua has changed me, it can change anyone into a better person. Good luck on your search for his love and remember that his gift to us is still available to you every day, every hour, and every minute. Do NOT waste this opportunity!

(CARMEN'S NOTE: I sent an email to Rick approximately two years later, in 2008) and, to my great relief, he told me he was still attending that church! He also said he was getting ready to join the Army, but I haven't heard from him since. Wherever he is, and whatever he's doing, I pray he is still in God's Hands!)

“Observe what I am ordering you to do”…

THIS WARNING FROM ADONAI REVERBRATES INTO OUR MODERN WORLD: "Observe what I am ordering you to do"...

EXODUS 34:5-26: 5 Adonai descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name of Adonai. 6 Adonai passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth; 7 showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.”

8 At once Moshe bowed his head to the ground, prostrated himself 9 and said, “If I have now found favor in your view, Adonai, then please let Adonai go with us, even though they are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our offenses and our sin; and take us as your possession.”

(vi) 10 He said, “Here, I am making a covenant; in front of all your people I will do wonders such as have not been created anywhere on earth or in any nation. All the people around you will see the work of Adonai. What I am going to do through you will be awesome! 11 Observe what I am ordering you to do today. Here! I am driving out ahead of you the Emori, Kena‘ani, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi.

12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the people living in the land where you are going, so that they won’t become a snare within your own borders. 13 Rather, you are to demolish their altars, smash their standing-stones and cut down their sacred poles; 14 because you are not to bow down to any other god; since Adonai — whose very name is Jealous — is a jealous God.
15 Do not make a covenant with the people living in the land. It will cause you to go astray after their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Then they will invite you to join them in eating their sacrifices, 16 and you will take their daughters as wives for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves to their own gods and make your sons do the same! (CJB)

FOLKS, THIS IS CRYSTAL CLEAR! ADONAI is trying to warn us to stay away from evil of any kind, because evil is very tempting; it can get drag you under in a heartbeat. If you allow yourself to succumb to it - as innocent as it might seem at the time - you will, eventually come to view it as perfectly normal, and will do whatever it takes to maintain that belief...

BUT KNOW THIS: Believing something bad is actually "good" does NOT make it so! The Bible is clear on that. God provides no "gray area" when it comes to good and evil.

A note about the final Sabbath during the “Days of Awe”

A NOTE AOUT THIS PARTICULAR SABBATH in the final weeks leading toward the end of the 2026 yearly Torah cycle:

It is referred to as “SHABBAT SHUVAH”—The Sabbath of Return — which occurs during Yamim, the “Days of Awe,” which are the 10 days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur.

Jews believe on the first of Tishri, the Books of Works and Life are opened, and ADONAI reviews our actions over the last year. On Yom Kippur the Books are closed and sealed! Those who have done well are inscribed in the Book of Life.

NOTE THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THESE BOOKS ARE AFFIRMED BY MESSIAH YESHUA!

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is (the book) of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds. (AENT)

ALL SHALL BE JUDGED BY YESHUA:

Romans 14:10. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or, why do you despise your brother? For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Mashiyach! 11. As it is written: As I live, says Master YHWH, to me every knee will bow; and to me every tongue will give praise. 12. So then, every one of us must give account of himself to Elohim. (AENT)

Matthew 12:36 tells us we shall give an account for every idle word spoken – for everything we have done:

Matthew 12: 36. I say to you for every vain word that the sons of men speak,[1] they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. 37. For by your words you will be made righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.[2] (AENT

Note 1: Deuteronomy 32:21 ‑ “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not Elohim...”

Note 2: The targum teaches that the “nephesh chayah” (living soul) in Genesis 2:7 is best understood as the “spirit of speech.” YHWH put a portion of His Spirit in mankind, enabling man to speak and create with words. Our words are being judged accordingly. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21).

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS JUDGMENT DOES NOT CONCERN SALVATION; rather, a position in Heaven for those who have faith in Yeshua.

Matthew tells us that those who keep and teach Torah will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven and those who don’t will be called least…

Matthew 5:17. Do not think that I have come to loosen the Torah or the Prophets. I have not come to loosen but to fulfill them through proper interpretation.[3] 18. For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away not one Yodh or one stroke will pass from Torah until everything happens.[4] 19. All who loosen, therefore, from one (of) these small commandments and teach thus to the sons of man, will be called little in the Kingdom of Heaven, but all who do and teach this will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (AENT)

NOTE 3: “Fulfill” means to carry out or to bring to realization, to perform or do, as in a person’s duty; or to obey or follow the Commandments, as in satisfying the Commandments by obeying them, Isaiah 42:21 “YHWH is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify Torah, and make him (it) honorable.” Isaiah 42 reveals the work of Mashiyach; we have full prophetic assurance that Mashiyach would never annul Torah; rather he magnified Torah and wrote Torah upon the hearts and imaginations of his people. Y’shua carried out (fulfilled) the prophecies regarding Mashiyach. He carried them out, made them happen, just like he performed Torah which was his duty and obligation as Mashiyach; otherwise he would not have qualified to be Mashiyach ben Yoseph.

NOTE 4: Isaiah 40:12-25; 2 Samuel 23:1-5; Deuteronomy 30:11-20

PAUL GIVES FURTHER INSIGHT INTO THIS PROCESS— revealing that no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Messiah Yeshua.

1 Corinthians 3:11 goes on to tell us that MAN builds on the foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.  If any man’s work remains, he will receive a reward.  If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as by fire.

DURING THE 10 DAYS OF AWE WE ARE TO ENGAGE IN CHESHBON HA NEFESH:

Ephesians 5:15. See therefore, that you walk with spiritual knowledge; not like the simple, 16. But like the wise who purchase their opportunity; because the days are evil. 17. Therefore, do not lack in understanding; but understand what is the will of Elohim. (AENT)

THE QUESTION WE MUST ASK OURSELVES IS: Do our actions reflect the desires of haShem, or have our actions dimmed His Light in us?

PAUL REITERATES THIS COMMAND in 1 Corinthians 11:31 where we are told that if we judge ourselves we will NOT be judged!

“Shuva” is typically translated as “repentance”’; but it literally means “return.” So, the bottom line is that this is a period of HUMBLING for us, a time when we realize how far we have fallen short of the Glory of God … for when we draw near to God, He draws near to US!

Halleluyah! What an AWESOME ELOHIM we have the privilege of serving!

(Edited from notes borrowed from Rabbi Burt Yellin, Congregation Roeh Israel, located in Denver, Colorado.)

Prayer shawls, fringes, and the name written across Yeshua’s thigh when he returns on that white horse….

WANNA LEARN SOMETHING MIND-BLOWING? Take a look at this little article concerning prayer shawls and fringes, mentioned in the Bible!

Many people don't realize that Yeshua wore a prayer shawl, or “tallit,” in Hebrew. Whenever a Jewish person's "outer garment" is mentioned in the Bible, that is exactly what is being referred to. (Many English Bibles designate it as a “mantle.”)

We can see examples in the Bible where tallits were worn by the prophets Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha. King Saul tore Samuel's kah-naf m'il-lo - the corner of his cloak (I Samuel 15:27). Saul recognized Samuel because of his tallit (I Samuel 28:14).

And, remember the lady with the issue of bleeding in Matthew 9?

Traditional interpretation of her actions has been that of a desperate woman who wanted healing so badly that she defied the laws of impurity to touch the hem of Yeshua's garment. The actual Aramaic word was not “hem” but “edge” which referred to the “borders” or kanaf of “garments” (beged), which is where “fringes” or “tassels” (Hebrew: tzitzit) are placed (Numbers 15:38, 39).

Yeshua, like all other Torah observant Jews, wore a tallit with tzitzit as a reminder to do the Commandments of YHWH, and not seek after what is right in one's own eyes. The Hebrew kanaf is also found in Malachi 4:2 “...with healing in his kanaf (wings)...” Wings refer to the tallit; they are not actual "wings." See also Zechariah 8:23.

NOW – BE READY TO BE AMAZED, concerning “the Name of God supposedly being “written” or “tattooed” on Yeshua’s thigh in Revelation 19:

Keeping in mind that the aforementioned tzitzit are the specially knotted ritual fringes or tassels attached to the four corners of Jewish garments, such as a tallit (prayer shawl) or a tallit katan, tzitzit are also connected to the 613 commandments.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:  Torah commentator Rashi declared that the number of knots on a tzitzit (in its Mishnaic spelling) has the value of 600. When doubled over, each tassel has eight threads and five sets of knots, which totals 13 - for a grand total of 613. This concept reminds tallit wearers of all Torah commandments.

The above way of tying the knots is done by the Ashkenazi Jews, whereas the Sephardic Jews tie the knots in a way that causes them to spell out the Name of YHWH.

Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value; consequently, the knots of the tzitzit on the four corners of a tallit spell out the name of YHWH/Yahweh!

SO … WHEN YESHUA RETURNS AS “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (or, more precisely “Master of Masters” - Revelation 19:11-16), there will actually be nothing “written,” nor any kind of “tattoo” on his thigh, as many Bible versions translate it; rather, the tzitzits of His tallit will hang/fall across his thigh when He returns to earth sitting atop a white horse!

Revelation 19:12. His eyes (were) like a flame of fire, and on his head (were) many diadems; and he had names inscribed; and the name which was written on him, no one knew, except himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture sprinkled with blood; and his name is called, The Word of Elohim. (1) 14. And the army of heaven followed him on white horses, clad in garments of fine linen, pure (and) white. 15. And from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, that with it he could strike the nations; and he will rule the nations with a rod of iron; and he will tread the wine-press of the wrath of Elohim Almighty. 16. And he has upon his vesture and upon his thigh the words written: King of Kings, and Master of Masters. (2) (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

(1) Perhaps for some, a terrifying vision of Y’shua! But, this proves that when he went “into heaven” he became “the Word” just as when his spirit was revealed “out of heaven” as the Word of YHWH.

(2) Aramaic “malka d’malka mara maraota” translated, “King of Kings and Master of Masters.”

WOW!  Do we serve an AWESOME ELOHIM, or what?

Are you miserable?

PERSON AT A BAR CLINGING TO A BOTTLE: "Here I am again mixing misery and gin, feeling down, empty, lonely and blue. I lost my love, I lost my job, nobody likes me. I feel like ending it all."

ME: "My friend, I hear you, but I'm going to be brutally honest, and tell you something that will shock you: You need to force yourself to snap out of that train of thought, because it's holding you hostage!

"Hear me when I say God is trying His best to reach you right now, and you're not paying the slightest bit of attention. You need to make the decision to quit choosing to remain in this rut that you're in. It's YOUR life and YOUR rut, and no one else can make the decision for you.

"In order to do that, you've got to make a conscious decision to let go of the past things that have been dragging you down! Let go of whoever or whatever has caused you misery, and DECIDE to begin again.

"I'm telling you this because I speak from experience. My life turned completely around the evening I asked God for help, as I was living one of the darkest moments of my life. He heard me, and I've never been the same!

"If you want a real and positive change in your life, ask God right here and right now, to change your life and help you turn things around according to HIS Will. Stop doing what you've always done, because that will only bring you back here to this same ol' rut.

“Instead of getting drunk or high in some lonely bar or back alley, buy a Bible and get into God's Word. Get to know Him, cling to HIM instead of a bottle - and He will change your life! You'll be a brand NEW you - someone you can be proud of!

"The key is for YOU to be WILLING to make the effort to take that first step that will lead you toward the rest of your life."

(This message is courtesy of The Refiner's Fire.)