Friday, October 31, 2014

Folks, we are in the end times...read about the latest "beheading" in the US

We are truly in the end times as outlined in the Books of Daniel and Revelation!  We can know this, not only by the fact that the world is experiencing wars and rumors of wars (terrorist activities), diseases, famines, violence, and natural disasters of "biblical" proportions....but also by the fact that human behavior is becoming more and more unstable.  Everything God considers "bad" is now considered "good" by the world at large.  Attempts to lead people to the scriptures that foretell this, usually result in scoffing and rejection.  

But that doesn't change the fact that things ARE unfolding exactly as foretold in the Bible!

For instance, there was another "beheading" in Oklahoma recently (October 30).  "Another" beheading, because there have been several in the USA in recent months.  Reports of the October 30 Oklahoma beheading came one day after a man with a history of psychiatric problems beheaded his mother in her Long Island, N.Y., apartment and dragged the body and head out onto a street, where onlookers initially thought they were witnessing a macabre Halloween prank.  In early October, Alton Alexander Nolen - a convert to Islam - was charged with first-degree murder in the beheading of a 54-year-old woman at his former workplace....

Thanks to the radical Islamic terrorist influences, apparently "beheading" is THE way to kill people today.   The most recent beheading was perpetrated on October 30 by a 21-year-old Stillwater man who has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of an area college student who, according to police, was nearly decapitated. Isaiah Zoar Marin confessed to using a “long knife or sword” to kill 19-year-old Jacob Andrew Crockett. Police say the two men were “acquaintances” and Crockett was attending class at Northern Oklahoma College, but was planning to transfer to OSU. 

If you haven't yet figured out that "something strange" is happening in the world today, we beg you to please read the Bible and find your way to YHWH and His Divine Messiah, Yeshua!  There are many "religions" out there, but there's only ONE God and ONE Truth that has resulted in nearly 400 "Old Testament" prophecies that have already been fulfilled.


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Responding to a Christian's barbs



Someone on a Christian blog designed to bash Torah observance, recently challenged us with the following comment:

“Deal with this, Law Keeper! The truth is that the Living God made His Better New Covenant with Israel AND the Nations, aka Gentiles, as it is written in Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8; John 1:10-13; John 3:14-18; Isaiah 65:1-2; Romans 10:20-21; Romans 11:11-12; Revelation 7:1-10; Ephesians 2. Does this offend you?

Our response:  Nope, it doesn’t offend us at all.  What offends us is the fact that you don’t have a good grasp of Scripture and yet feel you’re qualified to lead us astray with your “New Testament only” mindset! Perhaps it would interest you to know that YHWH never, ever made ANY covenants with the Gentiles – let alone a “better covenant!”  As a matter of fact, the first time we ever hear the term “Gentiles” is in Micah 4:2.  

Micah 4:2 Many Gentiles will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of ADONAI, to the house of the God of Ya'akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim.  (CJB) 

 

Gentiles is synonymous with PAGAN – because that’s what people who had not accepted YHWH as their God were!  If you’ll remember, YHWH ordered the pagans killed while the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years!  Why?  Because He didn’t want HIS people becoming infected with pagan ways!  (So, honestly, why would He ultimately change His mind and make a covenant with those who were steeped in paganism – worshiping “other gods” and doing their own thing?)  

Google the word “Pagan” in Bible Study Tools for a true wake-up call, so you can see how YHWH feels about people who refuse HIS commands!  And also take a look at the following scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if this doesn’t remind you of yourself – after all, whom are you worshiping, since you can’t even be bothered to keep God’s commanded Seventh Day Sabbath or His feast days?

2 Kings 17:33 They both feared ADONAI and served their own gods in the manner customary among the nations from which they had been taken away. 34 To this day they continue to follow their former [pagan] customs. They do not fear ADONAI. They do not follow the regulations, rulings, Torah or mitzvah which ADONAI ordered the descendants of Ya'akov, to whom he gave the name Isra'el, 35 with whom ADONAI had made a covenant and charged them, "Do not fear other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.  (CJB)

 

So, let’s discuss that “better covenant” He supposedly made with the Gentiles, according to you:  If you are referring to Jeremiah 31:31-33, you’d better buy yourself some new glasses and learn to read because in there He speaks of making His NEW covenant with His Torah observant Houses of Israel and Judah!  There’s not one word about “Gentiles” in that entire passage….

Let’s take a look at some of those NT scriptures you posted, and read them IN CONTEXT:

Romans 10:20 And Yesha’yahu was bold, and said: I was seen by those who did not seek me out; and I was found by those who did not ask after me.  21. But to Israel, he said: All the day have I stretched out my hands to a contentious and disobedient people. (AENT)

If you are suggesting that we Torah observant people aren’t seeking Yeshua, then you clearly have no clue what Torah observance is all about!  We suggest you read our ChristianQuestionnaire and educate yourself.   If anybody is “contentious and disobedient” it’s Christians, who can’t even be bothered to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath which is a SIGN between YHWH and His people;   let alone bother with His commanded Festivals/mo’edim.  
 

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

If you are suggesting that because “the Jews” were so stupid and disobedient, that God replaced His “chosen” with you Gentiles, we highly suggest you re-read the entire Bible which is about HIS Torah observant people (which you, sir, are clearly NOT!)  We suggest you start realizing that Yeshua didn’t bring any religion called “Christianity” wherein people would be relieved of any personal responsibility to OBEY God!

Final thoughts:  For those who insist TORAH is not for the "church today" we ask you to explain why you  claim Deuteronomy 28:1-4, but disregard 15-68; and we wonder why you don't claim Deuteronomy 27:26…and yet you claim Psalms 141:1-2, but disregard Proverbs 28:9….

Proverbs 28:9 If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.  CJB

Response to Apple CEO’s Tim who Cook wrote: “I’m proud to be gay”

This will be short and sweet because we have several articles about homosexuality on our website (click on Letters and Opinion page and scroll down to the subhead:  Let's get Biblical about sexual sin, porn, homosexuality and pedophelia!).

In a recent interview, Cook said:  "While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.".

If someone feels they are gay, fine.  But to drag God into it – as Tim Cook did, stating that God gave him this “gift” – well, that’s when Believers MUST step back and go, “Whoah!”

So, let us be clear:  God NEVER, EVER said homosexuality was a “gift.”  Never.  If that is what Tim Cook believes, then he does NOT know Scripture!  He can be "gay" all he wants, but he cannot involve God or the Bible to support his lifestyle.   YHWH calls homosexual acts “an abomination.”  He never reversed that - as is evident throughout Scripture.  Some examples:

Leviticus 18:22 - You are not to go to bed with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination. (CJB)

1 Corinthians 6:9 Or don't you know, that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim? Make no mistake! Neither sexual sinners, nor idol-worshippers, nor adulterers, nor the corrupt, nor men who lay down with other men, 10. Nor the oppressors, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of Elohim. (Aramaic English New Testament)

Revelation 22:14 How blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and go through the gates into the city! 15 Outside are the homosexuals, those who misuse drugs in connection with the occult, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol-worshippers, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality....


Our prayer is that Tim Cook and every other homosexual will come to realize what the above scriptures mean.  The ONLY reason we have been speaking out against homosexuality is because we are Believers, and we are tired of homosexuals forcing their lifestyles on the entire world as being "normal" and insisting it is sanctioned by God, when it is clearly not!  The Bible considers homosexuality to be sexual SIN.  Continuous, deliberate sin of any kind will prevent you from entering into the Kingdom.

Be "gay" - but do NOT lie about what The Creator said!  You have no right to twist Scripture into saying something it does not!  (God only knows, Believers themselves are doing a good enough job of twisting Scripture to suit all their respective agendas!)  YES, He loves you!  But He also expects HIS people to be holy/set apart.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

A rant about Ebola and the decisions of our "leaders"



Will someone please explain to me the logic in these things:

Doctors and nurses who handle Ebola patients and their body fluids and vomit don’t have to be quarantined upon returning to the U.S. from W. Africa; but our U.S. troops who are being MISUTILIZED by being sent to Ebola-stricken nations only to build medical facilities for Ebola patients, never coming into contact with Ebola themselves, WILL have to be quarantined upontheir return!  

I am shaking my head over the blatant STUPIDITY of that!  Is that fair?  Does that even make sense?  Well, apparently it does to our country’s “leaders!”

And - apparently people don’t have to have brains to become doctors and nurses, because one nurse (who had taken care of Duncan, the guy who seems to have deliberately brought Ebola to our country, and who had lied about handling a dying Ebola patient before he came, therefore risking infecting the entire US!) went flying across the U.S. WHILE she had Ebola symptoms!

And more recently, one doctor – a guy from NYC, a volunteer for Doctors Without Borders - came back from W. Africa (after taking care of Ebola patients) and went jogging, bowling and to a restaurant ON THE DAY HE FELT SICK!

Right now, we have one nurse screaming her guts out and threatening to sue because her “rights” have been violated, because someone with brains is trying to get medical workers to be quarantined for the good of all, AFTER they return to the US from Ebola-stricken nations.  HER RIGHTS?  What about OUR rights to NOT contract Ebola from those who just spent a tour of duty handling deathly ill, dying and dead Ebola patients?  SO WHAT if she “feels fine” right now?   Ebola has a 21 day incubation period!  How does she know she didn’t get Ebola on her last day in Sierra Leone?

How SELFISH can you get?  I guess none of these illustrious EDUCATED people realize that it’s not necessarily about them, but about the health and welfare of EVERYONE ELSE!  My goodness!

Nope.  It’s just a fact.  You don’t have to have brains or common sense to go to college to become a doctor, nurse or leader of the United States!

Rant over.

Most people just don't "get it"!

In reference to the post, below, on Oct 28th titled "The 'viper pits' of supposed Believers who view themselves as holy...." - I could not agree more!  There is a high level of toxic information posted on these sites.  It's a jaw-dropping mystery to me that so many are so bent on DENYING any RESPONSIBILITY to OBEY YHWH!  It truly blows the mind how deep the denial runs in most circles that "grace" somehow replaced simple obedience!

How can so many take the WORD OF GOD and conclude it "does not apply" to them? 

They completely dismiss at least 3/4 of the Word by ignoring the "Old Testament" (and large parts of the New Testament!), yet without comprehending the Old Testament, they don't realize there is no "New Testament"!  They are thus completely blind to who the Messiah is and what He taught because they have, without knowing, totally dismissed what He taught!  So since they can't know what the Messiah taught, they instead create an entire "religion" on what they "think" Apostle Paul taught!  And then, to add insult to injury, they only internalize PART of what Paul said (incorrectly at that!)  They completely ignore Paul's own clarification and expansion in other scriptures which would, if they only understood the OT and all they have dismissed, show them how wrong they are!

So I find myself often shaking my head in complete bewilderment how something so simple as Torah and its role in our lives is so summarily dismissed as "that Old Testament stuff"!  Some, who have had such bad teachings drilled into them for so long that "Torah is the Law - it's 'works' and 'works' don't get you to heaven" - have so misunderstood Torah as to conclude that "works" are therefore "bad" and are not needed!  But the very scriptures they cling to - the New Testament - says otherwise!  I'll cite a few scriptures in a moment.

For sure, "works" do not "earn" you salvation.  Let me make this perfectly clear.  But obedience to God is required for your salvation, and God Himself defined what "obedience" is! It's the part so many have dismissed!  TORAH!  You see, Torah is not "Law" or "works", rather Torah is simply a way of life!  It is how God Himself told us to live to be holy in his eyes! (Leviticus 19:2)  Unless one can get past the misguided dogma that Torah is somehow "bad" and come to understand that it is exactly the opposite; and come to realize that the only part of "grace" that means anything is that through grace, YHWH permits us to be imperfect yet still have a chance to enter His presence; and come to understand that obedience is still part of the equation - well, their salvation is actually in jeopardy! 

Let me explain...

First, what is "salvation"?  It is eternal life (in the Kingdom) after death.  So the question on everyone's mind should be: "How do I obtain eternal life?

The Messiah told us how to obtain eternal life!  Not Paul.  The Messiah!  Read it yourself in John 17:2-3.  I'll wait....

Okay, so you found that eternal life is gained by knowing God, and knowing the Messiah.  (Note the Messiah said nothing about "grace"!)

So your next question should be: "How do I 'know' God and the Messiah?"

Well, the Old Testament (that part most dismiss) contains the answer.  But since you think that is just that "old Law stuff", please turn to the scripture you might agree still holds.  Turn to 1 John 2:3-7 in the New Testament.  Here, I'll give it to you:

"And by this we shall be sensible that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. For he that says I know him, and does not keep his Commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him. But he that keeps his Word, in him is the Love of Elohim truly completed: for by this we know that we are in him. He that says I am in him is bound to walk according to his halacha. My beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but the old Commandment which you had from the beginning; and the old Commandment is the Word which you have heard."

Folks, if you dismissed the "Old Testament", Torah, you dismissed His Commandments.  This is plain and simple.  John is not saying "grace" replaced obedience. Paul never said grace replaced obedience. And the Messiah, if you would be good enough to go read exactly what He said, also never said "grace" would replace obedience!

So if this is true, your next question might be: "What then was the sacrifice of the Messiah for?"

I'm glad you asked!

His sacrifice for you was the "grace" part!  He died as a substitute for your sins, even though you did not deserve it, all sins prior to that point where you accepted Him as your substitute!  You see, if He had not died for you, you had no way to atone for your sins!  But once you accept this, that He died for you as he died for everyone, then it is up to you to not sin again!  "Grace" does not permit you to sin again and again and be forgiven as you've been taught!  This is in your New Testament!  And Paul said it: 

"But they who have once descended to immersion and have tasted the gift from heaven and have received the Ruach haKodesh and have tasted the good Word of Elohim and the power of the world to come, cannot again sin and a second time be renewed to repentance; or a second time execute him on a stake and insult the Son of Elohim." (Hebrews 6:4-6)

So quit denying Torah and go learn how good Torah is for you!  Learn to walk as the Messiah walked and obey YHWH as He did!  You will do "works", yes, but not for you salvation, but to please YHWH!  For when you know Torah and obey, you will come to know YHWH and the Messiah and realize that you do it for Him, not for yourself!  The Messiah even said this:

"Now if you desire to enter into life, keep the Commandments." (Matthew 19:17)

(You find the Commandments in Torah!)

Addendum: I received a PM from someone who said: "But what about Ephesians 2:8? Doesn't that say we are now under grace?"

My Reply: Well, that verse, by itself certainly sounds that way! But did you read ALL of the Letter to the Ephesians?  In Chapter 1, verse 4 he says: "According as He had previously chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we might be Set Apart and without blame before Him..."  Now remember, in Paul's time there was no "New Testament" yet, so the definition of "Set Apart" was the Old Testament definition: Holy and righteous by YHWH's ways, living by Torah. (Leviticus 20:26 for example.)  Paul says this again in verse 18: "And that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Set Apart believers."  Those who are "Set Apart" are those who desire to obey YHWH.  Paul actually explains in the next few verses, right after the verse you cited (2:8)! He explains that your salvation is: "Not of works, or else anyone glory (in themselves). For we are His creation who are created in Y’shua the Mashiyach for good works which Elohim has before prepared for us to walk in." (2:9-10)  So you don't do "works" for salvation, but as Set Apart, you do "works" because that is the way of life you are to live!  In other words you do it for YHWH, not for yourself.  So Set Apart believers are NOT simply given a "free pass" to sin at-will because they have "grace", once they believe! They are to obey! And, I reiterate, obedience is defined by Torah, not by your own desires.
 

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Let's briefly discuss Halloween!



With Halloween just around the corner, the debates are again raging.  Atheists, who haven’t got a clue, believe it’s just a fun holiday.   Many Christians and Messianics/Hebrew Roots types, too, are clueless and support the idea of Halloween, but have decided to force it to sound less pagan – referring to it as Harvest Festival or some other more benign name cloaked as an excuse to sin.  After all, why shouldn’t children be allowed to dress up as witches and skeletons and demons and hookers (and lately, the rage is Ebola victims and terrorists!) and everything else God hates?  As Americans, it’s their right!  Right?

Whatever one’s excuse, the bottom line is: YHWH our ELOHIM hates our customs and traditions! The Bible tells us so:

Deuteronomy 5:32-33: You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.  (ESV)

   

Jeremiah 10:1-5: Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good. (ESV)

 

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (ESV)

 

Colossians 2:8  Beware, or else any man make you naked by philosophy and by vain deception, according to the doctrines of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to the Mashiyach  9 in whom dwells all the fullness of Elohim bodily.  (AENT)

 

2 Timothy 4:2-4  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)

 

Matthew 15:3 Then Y’shua answered and said to them, Why also do you transgress against the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?  4. For Elohim said, “Honor your father and mother, and anyone who reviles his father and his mother let him be put to death?”  5. But you say anyone who says to a father or to a mother, “My offering is whatever you have gained by me,” then he does not need to honor his father or mother.  6. And you nullify the Word of Elohim because of your tradition.  7. Hypocrites!  Well did Yesha’yahu prophesy concerning you and said,  8. “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is very far from me.”  9. And they revere me in vain, while they teach the doctrines of the commandments of the sons of men.  (AENT)

 

The above is a key passage showing how the written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees.  Y’shua shows great concern that the Pharisees are nullifying the Word of YHWH by their tradition.  Therefore he would certainly NOT instruct his followers to do likewise

 

2 Thessalonians 2:14 For to these it was that Elohim called you by our preaching; that ye might be the glory to our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach.  15. Therefore, my Brothers, be established and persevere in the Commandments which you have been taught, whether by word or by our epistle.  16. And may our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach himself, and Elohim our Father who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and a good hope through his grace,  17. comfort your hearts and establish in yourselves every good word and in every good work.