A word about Halloween

Well, Halloween is around the corner again. As we’ve done throughout the years, we will be turning off all the lights and sitting in the dark to watch TV because we refuse to participate in this "holiday" that concentrates on evil and death and is designed to honor goblins, ghosts and witches and all the types of things YHWH hates.

It matters not to us that it’s “fun for the kids”; the fact remains, this truly IS a “pagan holiday” that does NOT please our Creator. So, the question is: why is it even a “holiday”? For more, please check out this article on our website and read Acts 8:9-25, Ephesians 6:12-18 and Galatians 5:19-21 and the following few scriptures that make it perfectly clear how YHWH feels about “holidays” such as Halloween:

Deuteronomy 18:9 "When you enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to learn how to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, an enchanter, a sorcerer, 11 a spell-caster, a consulter of ghosts or spirits, or a necromancer.

12 For whoever does these things is detestable to ADONAI, and because of these abominations ADONAI your God is driving them out ahead of you. 13 You must be wholehearted with ADONAI your God. 14 For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners; but you, ADONAI your God does not allow you to do this.

Leviticus 18: 1 ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.

How very powerful! Had YHWH never said another thing except what you can read in the above scripture, that should have been enough! How much clearer could He have been? (Paraphrased) "I am God; I am holy. I have brought you out of the bondage of paganism, so stop living by THEIR laws and start obeying mine which are HOLY and through which you will gain eternal life!"

So WHEN did that ever change? At the cross? Not hardly! The commands to be set apart/holy NEVER changed! (Please see our blog article) There are myriad scriptures that amply reveal how strongly ADONAI feels about His people constantly remaining HOLY!

1 Thessalonians 5: 19 Don't quench the Spirit, 20 don't despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything - hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil. 23 May the ELOHIM of shalom make you completely holy - may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach.

Be careful about "hanging out" with Yeshua deniers...

Over the years I have seen myriad Facebook friends hanging out with, and being led astray by well-known Jewish Yeshua-deniers … some of whom love to surround themselves with Christians and Messianic/HR hopefuls whom they’ve fooled into believing that their Jewish teacher or rabbi friend may be “close to accepting Yeshua.” 

Why they consort with those people is a mystery, because clearly Scripture tells us NOT to become intimate with, or allow ourselves to be taught by those who deny YHWH’s Truth. And let’s face it: If someone denies Yeshua, they are NOT teaching His whole Truth …and that makes them “false” teachers….

Unfortunately, if you dare say anything, they will basically eat you alive, tell you you’re being judgmental (or worse), and call on all their friends to gang up on you. (They are the very reason I created my Facebook page, Countering the Counter-Missionaries.) After all, how DARE you try to prevent people from gaining knowledge from these “awesome” teachers and rabbis?

How DARE you suggest that if they keep following these types, they might eventually end up rejecting Yeshua themselves and joining the throngs of others who adhered to the teachings of these SAME teachers and rabbis, until they were completely caught up in the web of traditional Judaism, which insists Yeshua is a MYTH.

Yes, how DARE you suggest that if they keep hanging out with these teachers and rabbis, they too, might one day promote the type of blasphemy seen here in one of my articles denouncing the demonic work of Jewish counter-missionaries and their converts.

As mentioned above, many pledge their loyalty to these Jewish teachers and/or rabbis because they sincerely believe that these people are “very close to accepting to Yeshua.” (And all the while, they sing the praises of these teachers/rabbis who are busy denying Yeshua, year after year after year after year; and even recommending their teachings to others!

My question is: How many YEARS should we believe that _____ is “very close to accepting Yeshua” when _____ has been spending EVERY DAY of his life for YEARS talking ABOUT Yeshua and teaching the world He is a myth? Or worse yet, someone pretending to be pro-Yeshua, but “not quite sure yet” and is constantly offering himself up as guest speaker to the Christian and Hebrew Roots/Messianic conferences and congregations….

So, here’s the point I’m trying to make: There’s nothing wrong with praying for someone to accept the whole of YHWH’s Truth, but having any kind of intimate relationship with an unbeliever can quickly and easily turn into something that is a hindrance to your own walk. That’s just “the real bottom line,” folks! We are called to reach out to the lost, not be intimate with them, or to “sing their praises” because they happen to “be nice” or because we THINK they are “close to accepting Yeshua.”

And we certainly shouldn’t recommend their teachings, because – whether YOU are able to realize it, or not - MOST of their teachings are designed to draw people in so they can be adequately “wowed” by their command of the Hebrew language and vast knowledge of Torah, etc.

Having said all that, here’s a reminder about what SCRIPTURE says concerning false teachers:

Matthew 10: 32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

First Corinthians 15:33 tells us that bad company corrupts good character; and John 8:34 tells us that unbelievers are slaves to sin.

Matthew 5:13. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should become bland, with what would it become seasoned? For anything not fit (is) but to be thrown outside and be trodden by man. 14. You are the light of the world. It is not possible to hide a city that is built on a mountain. 15. They do not light a lamp and place it under a bushel, but upon a lamp-stand and it lights upon all those that are in the house. 16. Let your light shine like this in front of the sons of man that they should see your works and they glorify good your father who is in heaven. (AENT)

ONE FINAL NOTE: I’ve asked many over the years WHY they keep insisting on hanging out with the Jewish teachers and/or rabbis; and their answers range from, “I’m angry because my pastor deliberately deceived me for years by keeping Torah knowledge from me,” (Er…no, YOU kept Torah knowledge from you!); and “Well, I got tired of all the fights in the Hebrew Roots Movement and I saw how unified Judaism’s adherents are” (well, gosh, that's a GREAT reason to allow someone to take you away from Yeshua....); and “There are so many teachers in HR, with everyone teaching their own thing, it’s hard to know who’s teaching truth or whom I should follow.” (Well, here's a novel idea: How about getting into Scripture for yourself so YOU can know what it says and doesn't say?)

And, then there is also, the “I don’t follow ANYBODY; I study it all out for myself” type. (Never mind that “studying it out for oneself” only works when one has good reading and comprehension skills, and can apply some good and sound logic while “chewing the meat and spitting out the bones”….”Studying it out for yourself” only works when you are able “look before you leap” by verifying via Scripture EVERYTHING you see, read or hear!

There’s no doubt that good teachers in any “religious setting” are hard to come by. That is why my husband and I are forever trying to get people to read Scripture for themselves. Once you know what Scripture says, you’ll be able to discern which teachings are “on” or “off” the mark!

We’re IN the end times as outlined in the Books of Daniel and Revelation, and it won’t be that much longer before Yeshua returns – and, as stated in Revelation 3:16, he will be vomiting out of his mouth all those he considers to be “lukewarm.”

“Lukewarm” are those who are NOT wholehearted toward YHWH and His Word; those pick and choose what scriptures to apply to their daily walk; and those who dare to ignore the warnings to shun evil of ANY kind. Hanging out (on Facebook or anywhere else) with those who reject Yeshua will only serve to make and KEEP you “lukewarm.”

Yeshua was JOSEPH's biological son? Really?

I’ve been involved in a conversation where someone suggested that Yeshua was Joseph’s biological son, and that “The notion of a woman being impregnated by God (or the Holy Spirit) in lieu of a man is extremely wicked.”

REALLY?  Why?  If God created a man out of dirt and Eve from his rib, why can’t His Ruach impregnate a human woman?  Nothing suggests that sex was involved! 

For some clarification on this issue, let’s examine this passage from the Aramaic English New Testament (translated directly from Aramaic into English) with pertinent footnotes: 

Matthew 1:18. Now[1] the birth of Y’shua, the Mashiyach, was like this:  While Maryam his mother was betrothed[2] to Yosip, without them being united, she was found pregnant by the Ruach haKodesh.[3] 19. But Yosip, her husband was just and did not desire to expose her, yet he was thinking in secret that he would dismiss her.  20. While he was thinking these things, a messenger of Master YHWH[4] appeared to him in a dream, and said to him, “Yosip, the son of Dawid, do not have fear to take Maryam as your wife, for he that is begotten[5] in her (is) from the Ruach haKodesh. 

21. And she will bear a son and she will call his name Y’shua, for he will save his people from their sins.”  22. And this all happened that it might be fulfilled what was said by Master YHWH through the prophet,  23. “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call his name Ammanuel[6] which is interpreted ‘our El[7] (is) with us’”  24. When Yosip now rose from his sleep, he did as the messenger of Master YHWH commanded him, and he took his wife.  25. And he did not know her until[8] she had given birth to her first-born son, and she called his name Y’shua.[9]  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] A very clear shift from backstory of ancient times into the contemporary narrative of Matthew 1, with “din” or “now” being one of the most common ways in Aramaic of switching to a new thought.  While all parts of this chapter are in past tense, the shifting from ancient to recent also demands two different Yosips.

[2] Betrothal (Hebrew Erusin or Kiddushin) is as binding as marriage, see Deuteronomy 20:7; 22:23-28.

[3] Ruach (Wind/Spirit) haKadosh (the Set-Apart).  Most English translators follow the tradition of using “holy ghost”.  Holy is etymologically derived from the word “heile” referring to the warmth of the sun; “ghost” is a saxon term that refers to the spirit of a dead person; neither are consistent with being Set Apart for the Kingdom of Elohim.

[4] YHWH (yud-hey-vav-hey, pronounced YAH - WEH) is the Name of the Most High Elohim.  To vocalize the Name YHWH, breathe in slowly while saying “YAH”, then breathe out while saying “WEH”.  Netzari followers of Mashiyach never subscribed to the Rabbinic ban against vocalizing the Name of YHWH. 

Neither was the pronunciation of the Name lost within Jewish culture.  When Torah was translated into Greek, observant Jewish scribes preserved the Name of YHWH by writing “YHWH” with Hebrew characters in the Septuagint.  Isaiah 52:5-6 states that the Name of YHWH is “continually every day blasphemed, therefore YHWH’s people shall know His name.” 

This prophecy is nested in Scripture that reveals the “arm of YHWH” who is Mashiyach, therefore it is Mashiyach Y’shua who brought the knowledge of the Name of YHWH to the world.  Jeremiah 12:16 states that the Israelites swore by the name of Baal (Lord) a popular heathen deity of the day. Jeremiah 23:27 says that false prophets postured false dreams to manipulate YHWH’s people away from YHWH into Baal worship.  One should also note that the English “LORD” is an equivalent term for “Baal.” 

Jeremiah 44:26, states that YHWH would remove His Name from their lips for using the cliché, “as Adonai YHWH liveth,” all while they burnt incense to the Queen of Heaven.  However, Jeremiah 16:21 states that “they shall know my Name is YHWH.”  Ezekiel 36:20-24 states that when Israel “entered unto the heathen… they profaned my Set Apart Name… but I had pity for my Set Apart Name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen… and I will sanctify my Great Name, which was profaned among the heathen!”

[5]  Y’shua the Son is begotten of YHWH as Mashiyach, see Psalm 2:7-12.

[6]  Isaiah 7:14-25 speaks of the salvation and regathering of Yisrael, preempted by the sign of a virgin giving birth.

[7]  El is the shortened form of Eloah, and the singular form of Elohim.

[8] Which means he “knew” his wife afterwards (Genesis 38:26; 1 Kings 1:4), and they had other children.

[8] The Tanakh records the name Y’shua (Jeshua) 30 times, Y’hoshua (Joshua) 199 times.  Y’shua is the shortened form of Y’hoshua, the same name given to Mashiyach.  The successor of Moses, Yehoshua (Joshua), is a type of Mashiyach, who brought the Israelites into the promised land.  Additionally, yeshua (salvation) used 78 times is the passive participle of yasha (save or savior), which is used 205 times. 

“I have waited for your yeshua (salvation), O YHWH.” Genesis 49:18.  The hybrid name Jesus (Je–Zeus) was coined within a culture where “Zeus” is the chief deity.  The name “Jesus” contributes to the polytheistic values that breaks Mashiyach away from his Torah based identity.  The Greek persona of the “new Messiah” made way to endorse Trinitarian, anti-Torah and Hellenistic lifestyles.

How I found my way to Torah

For those who didn't know this, I was "saved" in a Baptist church, back in January 1995. Before that, I had never given God or the Bible much thought (although He tried His best to get me to find my way to Him throughout the course of my life). But once the Ruach smacked me between the eyes in that little Baptist church, I suddenly couldn't get enough of the Word, and I studied everything I could possibly get my hands on (the Bible and all kinds of workbooks).

However, it didn't take me long to realize "something was missing in the church." Consequently, I was NOT getting any satisfactory answers from my pastor or Bible study teachers, who seemed to ignore the OT and pushed me toward the NT - specifically, the writings of Paul, which seemed to negate everything YHWH had commanded and what Yeshua had taught (which, of course, wasn't so, because the problem was in the myriad Bible translations AND the failure to use the "Hebrew mindset" while studying Scripture).

Still, EVERYTHING in every church I ever attended over the next three years seemed to be based on what "Paul said" - never mind what YHWH commanded and the Yeshua taught. PAUL was the important one - never mind that Paul wasn't God!

And so, I kept questioning the pastors and wondering why there were so many different "denominations" and how they were able to have their own interpretations of Scripture, with each one insisting THEIR interpretation was the "right" one....

For some reason, none of the various "denominations" or their teachings made any sense to me, especially when it came to Torah obedience, which they all insisted was a "curse." Back then, I had never even heard of Torah, but I "felt" that, since we were all ONE IN CHRIST, we should all be doing at the very least the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Feasts. After all, God had commanded ALL to do them, not just "the Jews." (There were no "Jews" when the Seventh Day Sabbath REST was established!) God said in various ways that ALL are to do as HIS people do - and He even said it FOUR TIMES in a row in Numbers 15:13-16!)

So, what was the problem???

What stuck with me was that, one day I came upon the scripture where Paul said, "Does this mean we negate the law? May it never be! On the contrary, we ESTABLISH the law!" (Romans 3:31 - also, see my article on this issue.)

Well, that blew me away, and I realized that pastors apparently couldn't see the significance of that statement - and so I asked YHWH to help me understand, not only that statement but EVERYTHING my human mindset could possibly understand.

Three years after I "got saved" He caused me to find my way to a Messianic Torah study, where the Bible suddenly began to make sense …

And the rest his history.

A word about meme sharing on Facebook

It's really frustrating to see memes on people's Facebook walls that command you to "Type amen and share this on your wall if you agree," or "if you can scroll by this and not share, you're heartless." A meme I saw today even said, "7 years of good luck if you #LIKE , #SHARE & TYPE "AMEN."

Really? I will have "7 years of good luck" IF I share your silly meme? What if I don't believe in "luck" since I have both feet firmly planted in the "spiritual" and trust only in YHWH/Yeshua? Will I have 7 years of BAD luck, then? My question is: What gives anyone the authority to tell me what to post my on my wall, let alone promise me "good luck" for doing it? What kind of a supposed "believer" are you if you post such a meme?

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 says: 11 Yet another thing I observed under the sun is that races aren't won by the swift or battles by the strong, and that food doesn't go to the wise or wealth to the intelligent or favor to the experts; rather, time and chance rule them all. 12 For people don't know when their time will come any more than fish taken in the fatal net or birds caught in a snare; similarly, people are snared at an unfortunate time, when suddenly it falls on them. (CJB)

Much of what Ecclesiastes shares is from the perspective of a person who views life on earth without ELOHIM, or life “under the sun.” From such a perspective—leaving Him out of the picture—there seems to be only good luck and bad luck.

So I am not going to "share on demand". Period.

It's wrong to vote for the "lesser of two evils"....

I was on the phone earlier today with a Facebook friend discussing, among other things, our mutual disgust with the two Presidential candidates, when my friend said something I viewed as profound.  She said (and I’m paraphrasing) that YHWH (who has clearly removed His Mighty Hand from not only our nation but, from the whole world, to allow His end times prophecies to unfold) that America is at a complete standstill right now as far as our leadership goes because Scripture amply reveals that, unless a nation repents and calls on Him, He will continue to allow it to wallow in carnality UNTIL people come to realize that a complete change of heart is necessary. 

Throughout the Tanach (“Old Testament") we see incidences of kings who sought YHWH with all their hearts and thus led their people to victory and prosperity; and that those who rebelled against His Word led their kingdoms astray, and caused their lands to become desolate, barren and useless.  (See, for instance, 1 Kings 12:1-24, 2 Chronicles 10–11:4.) 

This is where America is right now:  For the last two or three decades we have been electing (note - GOD hasn’t “elected” our carnal leaders; WE have!) unqualified, ungodly, carnal and arrogant leaders who have been systematically bringing down our country’s intellect, ethics/ideals/morals and goals  – to the point where we are now backed into a proverbial corner HAVING to choose between Clinton or Trump, neither of whom have the proper qualifications to become President of the United States of America.

The fact is, we have sunken so low that we now have to choose between the proven liar, Clinton (with her adulterous, lying husband who brought shame to the oval office); and a man who is, as evidenced by his every word and deed, a laughingstock on all levels.  HOW these two became our nominees (when we had some perfectly GOOD and QUALIFIED and even GODLY Republicans running for President) is beyond me!  

(By the way, please don’t send me “hate mail” to defend Trump and his actions (because there is NO defense for evil!), or accuse me of being “judgmental against a new believer” (as several did in a couple of other recent Facebook threads I posted about Trump), because REAL and TRUE new believers immediately begin to show the fruit of the spirit.  They don’t continue in the same godlessness as Trump has with his endless bashing of others, which has included women, invalids and veterans who happened to have the misfortune of becoming POWs!)  

Here’s a refresher in case you have forgotten what Scripture says about the “fruit of the Spirit”:

Galatians 5: 16. I say then: you should walk through the Spirit and the lust of the flesh will not subdue you.  17. For flesh desires a thing that is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires a thing that is against the flesh, and both of these are opposed to one another so that you are not able to do as you wish.  18. If, then, you are led by the Spirit, you are not under Torah;{1}  19. For you know the works of the flesh, which are these: adultery, impurity and lasciviousness,  20. idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies,  21. Envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things.  Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim. 

22. The fruits then of the Spirit are these: Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faith,  23. Meekness, self-control.  Against these there is no instruction[2] put in place.  24. And those who are of Mashiyach have put to death their flesh with all its passions and lusts.  25. Let us therefore live by the Spirit and surrender to the Spirit.  26. And let us not be of vacant glories that cause us to ridicule one another and envy one another. (AENT) 

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  The idiomatic expression “under the Torah” refers to a false teaching that has never been true.  The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that this phrase “under the Torah” refers to strict religious halacha, not obedience to Torah itself.  Torah has not at any time saved anyone! YHWH saves when His people demonstrate a sincere obedience to His Righteous Instructions (Torah).  Blind ritual (or religion) alone without the love of YHWH profits nothing.  YHWH is “the Spirit” of the Renewed Covenant that writes Torah upon the heart.  

[2]  In this context, namusa, the Aramaic cognate for torah, is better understood at its root level, meaning “to instruct,” rather than as a formalized title.  Otherwise, Rav Shaul might be construed as saying that these “Fruits of the Spirit” are not taught in Torah, when (the fact is) they are.  His point is that there is no instruction against fulfilling these fruits of the spirit.

Bottom line, my Facebook friend was absolutely correct in her assessment that America is hobbled and backed into a corner right now – in other words, UNDER JUDGMENT; and only the astute believer will recognize that the reason we are under judgment is because our country has totally turned from YHWH and His Torah.  Whenever leaders  lead people away from God, that nation ALWAYS fails!  

We ARE at a crossroads right now, faced with a choice of two totally ungodly, unqualified candidates, and whoever wins WILL, no doubt, cause our country to shatter into pieces.  Then and ONLY then will we once again realize that we CANNOT do this without God.  We, as a nation (not just the few who belong to YHWH, but EVERYONE), must recognize our need for YHWH/Yeshua, and be willing to “turn from our sins and repent” and genuinely seek Him.

Personally, I believe we are so far gone that ONLY the return of Y’shua will solve our problems.  When he returns, EVERY knee will bow (Isaiah 45:23-24; Philippians 2:10-11; Romans 14:11)!

Isaiah 45: 21 Let them stand and present their case! Indeed, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, announced it in times gone by? Wasn't it I, ADONAI? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me.  22 Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God; there is no other.  23 In the name of myself I have sworn, from my mouth has rightly gone out, a word that will not return - that to me every knee will bow and every tongue will swear  24 about me that only in ADONAI are justice and strength." All who rage against him will come to him ashamed, 25 but all the descendants of Isra'el will find justice and glory in ADONAI.  (CJB)

Philippians 2: 3. And do nothing in strife or in vain glory; but, with humbleness of mind, let each regard his neighbor as better than himself.  4. And let not each be anxious (only) for himself, but everyone also for his neighbor.  5. And think you so in yourselves, as Y’shua the Mashiyach also thought;  6. who, as he was in the likeness of Elohim, did not regard it sinful to be the coequal of Elohim;  7. yet disinherited himself and assumed the likeness of a servant, and was in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man;  8. and he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the stake.

 

9. Wherefore, also, Elohim has highly exalted him and given him a name[1] which is more excellent than all names;  10.  that at the name of Y’shua every knee should bow, of (beings) in heaven and on earth and under the earth;  11. and that every tongue should confess that Y’shua the Mashiyach is YHWH, to the glory of Elohim his Father.  (AENT)

[1]  More that his literal birth name Y’shua (which was and is a common Hebrew name), and more than the perfect reputation that his name represents. Y’shua bears the Name of YHWH, the “name above all names”!  Y’shua has the Name and reputation of the Father YHWH in him (John 17:11) and the name means “YHWH is Salvation” (Matthew 1:21).

Romans 14: 7. For there is not one of us who lives for himself: and there is not one who dies for himself.  8. Because if we live, to our Master (Y’shua) it is we live; or if we die, to our Master it is we die. Whether we live, therefore, or whether we die, we are our Master’s.  9. Moreover, for this cause Mashiyach died and revived and arose; that he might be Master YHWH of the dead and of the living.[1]  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. (AENT)

[1]  By rising from the dead and ascending into heaven, Y’shua becomes the Word that is with Elohim and is Elohim (John 1:1-5).  Y’shua is the exact reflection of YHWH’s nature (Hebrews 1:1-5) and will bear the name, “Word of Elohim” when he comes out of heaven again at the second coming (Revelation 19:13).

Believers truly need to stop being "lukewarm" (Revelation 3:16) and open their eyes to the TRUTH of Scripture.  We CANNOT "straddle the fence" (with one foot in the carnal and one in the spiritual) and expect spiritual results!  

I maintain that voting for either of the two candidates is a vote to continue to promote EVIL in our country.  Evil, no matter how you paint is, is still evil.  And YHWH commands that we ABSTAIN from even the appearance of evil  (1 Thess 5:22-24 ).  Therefore, I highly suggest you either "write in a candidate" if possible, or voice your opinion by NOT voting in this election.

(I've been voting "against" evil for two decades now - and it hasn't worked.  I voted TWICE "against" Clinton and TWICE "against" Obama.  I will not waste my time going to the polls a third time to "vote against" another evil and/or totally unqualified person!  In our Torah observant home, we will from now on, heed the command to FLEE from evil….)

Reader question: Should I destroy my diary?

Someone recently wrote to ask whether or not she should destroy her diary because it “keeps her mired in the past” – a past fraught with sexual and emotional abuse.

YES, I told her – destroy this thing immediately! The past is gone; it is dead – unless you CHOOSE to keep fanning the embers. But, why do that, when you don’t live there anymore? By reading and re-reading those memories, you are keeping the past alive and fresh, and allowing those who hurt you to continue controlling you and your every decision today.

Let go! Give it all to YHWH/Yeshua, and just let go! He doesn’t want people clinging to their past as if it’s some life preserver - because, what you perceive as “important” to hang on to, is nothing but a boulder around your neck that will ultimately cause you to drown. See Philippians 3 and the following scriptures:

Luke 9:62 Y’shua said to him, No man places his hand upon the handle of a plough and looks backwards and is useful to the Kingdom of Elohim. (AENT)

Isaiah 43: 18 "Stop dwelling on past events and brooding over times gone by; 19 I am doing something new; it's springing up - can't you see it? I am making a road in the desert, rivers in the wasteland. (CJB)

Proverbs 4: 25 Let your eyes look forward, And your eyelids look straight before you. 26 Consider the path of your feet, And all your ways are established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Turn your foot away from evil. (ISR)

Colossians 3: 2 Mind the matters above, not those on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life has been hidden with Messiah in Elohim. :4 When the Messiah, who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in esteem. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: whoring, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and greed of gain, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these the wrath of Elohim is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you also once walked when you lived in them.

8 But now, also put off all these: displeasure, wrath, evil, blasphemy, filthy talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have put off the old man with his practices 10 and have put on the new one who is renewed in knowledge according to the likeness of Him who created him, 11 where there is not Greek and Yehuḏite, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, Scythian, slave, free, but Messiah is all, and in all.

12 Therefore, as chosen ones of Elohim, set-apart and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, patience, 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against another, indeed, as Messiah forgave you so also should you. (ISR)