Being a MOTHER is the most important job in the world!

Recently, a friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen for many years, told me that she’s “never worked.”  (Meaning, outside the home.)  Well, she has raised several children and made their house into a home, all while her husband held down several jobs to make ends meet. 

So, here’s the thing:

MOTHER is what YHWH had in mind for all His female creations. (See Genesis 1:28 and 9:7.) Yet, somehow, this "job" is looked down upon in "western civilization"....."What - you've never worked for a living? No wonder you guys can't upgrade to a better house/car!" Truth is, YHWH never, ever said, "Money is where it's at, my friend! Work hard and do whatever it takes to get ahead, so you can become rich and envied by everyone you know!"

Timothy, had this to say: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

From what we can see in Scripture, YHWH intended man to be the "head" of the house (spiritually and otherwise), taking care of his family and making sure they had a roof over their heads and food to eat; while the wife's job was to "be fruitful and multiply," taking care of the children and keeping everyone fed in a clean living environment.

Of course, living in a "fallen world" meant that often, the wife had to "work outside" the home to help pay the rent/mortgage, etc. But it has also produced "latch-key kids" who were raised by baby-sitters, or left to raise themselves...which has produced a less than stellar society as is evidenced by the fact that everything YHWH ever considered EVIL is now considered GOOD by the masses, and vice-versa.

Anything goes today, and the holy behavior YHWH expects of His people has been sidelined, frowned upon and even made fun of Today, a stay-at-home mother is "tolerated" and patronized and viewed as social failure because she doesn't have a "career"....she's "never worked for a living."

Wonder how YHWH feels about our "civilized society" where some men degrade their wives for wanting to stay home to take care of her children, or where abortion is condoned and even preferable for women who "can't be inconvenienced" to have a kid that would get in the way of their career....

Beware of “ear tickling” teachings by Jewish counter-missionary rabbis who are bent on taking you away from Yeshua!

Here’s the kind of “wow” stuff the counter-missionary rabbis are teaching to the gullible (and believe me, there are MANY gullible people who are ready, willing and able to follow "ear tickling" teachings!).

These rabbis and their converts will be speaking out the other side of their mouth on Judgment Day when YHWH demands to know why they denied HIS Messiah and kept others from him:

One of the things these counter-missionaries claim is, “Jesus was never called a Nazarene!”

Is that so?

Matthew 2:23 tells us Messiah would be called “Nazarene” and the prophet Isaiah gave us a hint about this. Isaiah 11:1 says: “But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai, a shoot will grow from his roots.”

A footnote in the Aramaic English New Testament explains that netzer is Hebrew for “young shoot” or “sprout” and it DOES refer to the Messiah because Isaiah 11, verses 2 through 4 go on to reveal the “spiritual branches” of the Menorah as attributes of Messiah! Even in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a, recognizes Isaiah 11:1 as a prophecy of the Messiah and renders the word netzer as a branch – netzer being the key to this whole mystery.

Without going into a deep word study – because I am not qualified in that department - other prophets reveal Messiah Yeshua, as the “Branch” but use the Hebrew term tzemach, thus eliminating the obvious wordplay by Matthew. The prophet Daniel uses the word netzer, but not in the context of Messianic prophecy. Still, netzer is the basis for the name Nazareth, which at that time was a very small village in the Land of Israel.

Another little note about “judging”….

Something for us all to chew on -and its really very simple when you think about it:

JAMES 4: 1. From where is it, that there are among you arguments and conflicts? Is it not from the lusts which war in your members? 2. You covet but do not posses; and you kill and envy, and effect nothing: and you fight and make attacks; and you do not have, because you do not ask. 3. You ask, and do not receive because you ask wickedly, that you may feed your lusts.

4. You adulterers, don’t you know that the love of the world is hatred towards Elohim? He therefore who chooses to be a lover of this world is the enemy of Elohim. 5. Or do you think that the Scripture has vainly said: The spirit dwelling in us lusts with envy? 6. But our Master (Y’shua) has given us more grace. Therefore he said: Master YHWH brings low the arrogant, and gives grace to the humble.

7. Subject yourselves therefore to Elohim; and stand firm against the Accuser and he will flee from you. 8. Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners: sanctify your hearts, you who are divided in mind. 9. Humble yourselves and mourn: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into grief. 10. Humble yourselves before Master YHWH and He will exalt you.

11. Speak not against each other, my Brothers; for he that speaks against his brother, or judges his brother speaks against Torah and judges Torah. And if you judge Torah, you are not a doer of Torah, but its judge.[*] (AENT)

* If you add your own judgments to those already established in the Torah of YHWH, then you have judged Torah as insufficient, and are not allowing it to be your judge.

In other words, when you tell a brother or sister who is committing adultery that they’re sinning and in danger of losing their salvation because it’s DELIBERATE sin – well, that is not “judging” because Torah tells us that adultery warrants a death sentence.

However, if you tell your brother or sister they’re going to burn in hell because they don’t pronounce the Name of God the same way you do (or something equally silly), that IS “judging”….

If YHWH condemns something, it’s considered sin and there’s nothing wrong with letting someone know they are sinning. But, if it’s not in Torah, or Yeshua didn’t condemn it, but you feel like your neighbor is wrong in doing it because YOU don't think he should, then chances are, you are probably “judging”….

Twenty occasions where we should keep our mouths shut

I did not assemble this and I don't know who did, but it is wisdom from the Word.

Twenty occasions where we should keep our mouths shut:

Proverbs 21:23 “Whosoever keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble.”

1. In the heat of anger. Proverbs 14:17

2. When you don’t have all the facts. Proverbs 18:13

3. When you haven’t verified the story. Deuteronomy 17:6

4. If your words will offend a weaker brother. 1 Corinthians 8:11

5. If your words will be a poor reflection of the Lord or your friends and family. Peter 2:21-23

6. When you are tempted to joke about sin. Proverbs 14:9

7. When you would be ashamed of your words later. Proverbs 8:8

8. When you're tempted to make light of holy things. Ecclesiastes 5:2

9. If your words would convey a wrong impression. Proverbs 17:27

10. If the issue is none of your business. Proverbs 14:10

11. When you are tempted to tell an outright lie. Proverbs 4:24

12. If your words will damage someone’s reputation. Proverbs 16:27

13. If your words will destroy a friendship. Proverbs 25:28

14. When you are feeling critical. James 3:9

15. If you can’t speak without yelling. Proverbs 25:28

16. When it is time to listen. Proverbs 13:1

17. If you may have to eat your words later. Proverbs 18:21

18. If you have already said it more than one time (and it becomes nagging). Proverbs 19:13

19. When you are tempted to flatter a wicked person. Proverbs 24:24

20. When you are supposed to be working instead. Proverbs 14:23

Reader asks for explanation of Romans 7:1 - 7

READER QUESTION: Hello. Please could you explain Romans 7, 1 to 7. Thank you for your guidance.

OUR RESPONSE: Thanks for the great question! Footnotes in the AENT explain:

Romans 7: 1. Or do you not know, my Brothers (for I am speaking to them that know Torah) that Torah has dominion over a man as long as he is alive? 2. Just as a woman, by Torah, is bound to her husband as long as he is alive: but if her husband should die, she is freed from the Torah of her husband.

3. And if, while her husband is alive, she should adhere to another man, she would become an adulteress: but if her husband should die, she is freed from Torah; and would not be an adulteress though joined to another man. [1] 4. And now, my brothers, you also have become dead to Torah [2] by the body of Mashiyach; that you might be joined to another, (even) to him who arose from the dead, and might yield fruits to Elohim.

5. For while we were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are (listed) by Torah, were active in our members that we should bear fruits to death. 6. But now we are absolved from Torah and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might from now on serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. [3]

7. What will we say then? Is Torah sin? May it never be! For I had not learned sin except by means of Torah: for I had not known lust, had not Torah said, You will not covet: 8. And by this Commandment sin found occasion and perfected in me all lust: for without Torah, sin was dead. (AENT)

[1] In these three verses “Torah” is intended as “Instruction” as in the instruction pertaining to marriage alone, not the whole body of the Covenant. When a marriage partner dies, the surviving spouse is no longer contractually bound to the marriage covenant, but this does not mean that the rules of marriage no longer apply to the survivor, or to the rest us.

[2] “Dead to Torah” refers to being dead to the penalty for sin, which is death, followed by destruction. The believer sins (misses the mark) as anyone else does; however, those who are “in Mashiyach” have atonement in him. From the beginning (Gen. 3:15) YHWH established a defense for His people against haSatan (the adversary). To be “in” Mashiyach means to live a life pleasing to YHWH and NOT break Torah (see also Romans 8:1-10).

Those who think that they can repeatedly break Torah without consequence, because of Mashiyach died for them, are very deceived. To “live in the spirit” means that the Spirit of Mashiyach is training up his followers so they can put away the carnal desires of the weak flesh, and that they are overcomers of the flesh.

[3] This is because faith in Mashiyach and Torah observance brings eternal life, but the consequence of sin is death. It does not mean Torah is “released” because, with or without Mashiyach, the penalty for willful sin still remains. If the penalty for sin remains, then Torah also remains. The “oldness of the letter” speaks of old religious ways which do not recognize Mashiyach as bringing the Living Word of YHWH to mankind.

Y’shua brought the correct understanding of Torah which is to be written upon the heart, so we don’t continue in sin. See also 6:12. Some might say they have Faith and claim to be “Believers,” but if they continue in sin their faith/belief is irrelevant.

A word about CBS’s “Sunday Morning Show”

I wasn’t going to say a word about “Easter” this year, but after watching "Sunday Morning" on TV this morning, I feel led to do just that. There was not ONE word about “Jesus” -without whom Christianity wouldn't even have Easter.

Not one mention of the One who died on our stupid behalf. I was literally in tears by the end of the show, which was all about men and the shrines they’ve built for themselves – i.e. the Vatican, which is a city unto itself and is all about the Pope; and about “St. Peter”, the supposed “corner stone of the Church” and St. Francis of Assisi, etc., and how these men were all about “humbleness and self-sacrifice.”

Well, maybe these men WERE all about those things, and I’m sure they loved God with all their might – but then WHY did they not teach HIS Word? They always TALK about "holiness" but they never teach HOW one becomes holy! You never, ever hear the Pope or any pastor talking about OBEDIENCE to God’s Word! Even Jews "talk around" Scripture and base ALL their teachings on Talmud, Tanya, Mishna - the things "the rabbis and sages said."

"Holiness" seems to consist of whatever MAN can cherry-pick out of Scripture....

Churches everywhere seem to seem to be all about “grace” and “love” and “tolerance” (even of homosexuality which YHWH HATES!), and all manner of worldly junk – the kind of stuff YHWH constantly warned HIS people to GET AWAY FROM!

Somehow, the Creator who gave us His Torah (and may I remind everybody, kicked Adam and Eve OUT of the Garden for THEIR what? Their DISOBEDIENCE to the one cotton-pickin’ command He had given them!) has, over the centuries, become a “loving God, full of grace and mercy” – which translates into: “Do whatever the heck you want and don’t bother about what I consider HOLY, because it’s all about grace and you’ll still get to heaven no matter how many intentional sins you committed!”

MEN ARE SUCH LIARS!

This morning’s show even included a segment about the singer Ricky Martin and his popularity and “sold-out” Las Vegas shows … oh, AND the fact that he came out as a “proud gay man.”

Yeah… GREAT “Easter” program by “Sunday Morning”….. Typical worldly nonsense.

It truly makes one wonder why YHWH doesn’t just pull a Korach (Numbers 16:1–18:32), and open up the earth to swallow all these men and their “holy buildings” and all their idols and other garbage that springs from their demented minds….

There is so much more I could say about all of this, but I’d best just shut up while I’m still ahead.

Be careful and discerning about the teachings you see on the ‘net

 

Be careful about what you see, read or hear! Many "ear-tickling" teachings are concocted by those who don't necessarily know what they're talking about. They "hear" or "read" something, then put their own twist on it - and, suddenly, it becomes "doctrine."

So, BE CAREFUL about everything you see, read or hear! Please don't allow yourself to be sucked in by self-proclaimed, armchair "experts" who serve to do nothing more than to lead you away from YHWH's Truth!

For instance, there's a "teaching" here on Facebook that suggests YHWH's Name supposedly means "Behold hand, behold nail" - and they post the attached meme to "prove" it.

According to Hebrew and Aramaic scholar Andrew Gabriel Roth, the "Behold the Hand Behold the Nail" assertion is not really about YHWH; but rather, it is symbolism and meanings that some Paleo folks think is hidden in the arrangement of the letters.

The VAV/WAW means "hook, hang, nail" - and in the ancient Hebrew form it actually looks kind of like a nail and the reference to it is made in the Torah, where a hook or nail in the Tabernacle is called VAV.

"Yahweh" however, is THIRD person whereas "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" (I am that I am) is FIRST person. The latter is what Yahweh calls HIMSELF; the former is what we are supposed to call Him, as it parses out to "Yah Who is" or "Yah, He Who exists".

But the third person Name (Yahweh) is on another level "targummed/understood" as referring to the other Name; hence, "I am that I am" when the other Name is linked to it.

Chag Sameach Pesach, everyone!

 

Boker Tov and Chag Sameach, everyone! Just as a reminder, the Omer Count begins tonight after sunset. For those new to Torah, here's an explanation about the Omer Count:

What an awesome ELOHIM we serve! He has devised an ingenious way to keep our minds ever on Him via His "weekly" Shabbats (the Seventh Day Sabbath) and His seven "yearly" Shabbats! Spaced strategically throughout the year, each of His Holy Days not only has special significance, but they all foreshadow Y'shua - who has, so far, "fulfilled" the first four!  (Reminder: "Fulfilled" does not mean "abolished." It means, "put into effect" or "converted into reality" that which was prophesied.)

The PBS documentary, "The Last Days of Jesus" was a pathetic “grasping at straws” to make their hypothesis fit!

My husband and I recently agonized through a two-hour PBS series called, "The Last Days of Jesus." Oh my gosh, we nearly fell off our chairs over the liberties they took in their twisting of the Gospel accounts! First of all, "Jesus" was apparently "just another man" (one of several "messiahs") who was confused about who he was and basically "took over" John the Baptist's responsibilities after John was beheaded.....

Oh, and these "scholars" also posited the idea that Y'shua rode into Jerusalem on a donkey...NOT for Pesach, but six months earlier during Sukkot - because you apparently can't get palm fronds at any other time besides Sukkot. (Well so much for Y'shua's lament about not being able to spend "this Passover" with his Apostles in Luke 22, right before his death, eh?)

Furthermore, they insisted the entire timeline was off because all these things that happened just before his death couldn't possibly have happened in such a short time. So, they came to the conclusion that he was in prison for at least six months before being crucified. Oyve!!!!

Oh, oh! I almost forgot! These scholars suggested that the reason Jesus wasn't arrested when he turned over the tables of the money changers in the Temple was because he HAD PERMISSION from the Roman leaders to do so!

Sheesh!

The only GOOD thing about this pathetic documentary was that they didn't portray "Jesus" as some Casper Milk-Toast blond Adonis!

Here's a description about this documentary from the PBS site:

For almost two thousand years, the story of Jesus’ final days has been celebrated by Christians the world over. From Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, through to his eventual crucifixion six days later, the key moments have been immortalized in countless films, pieces of music, and works of art.

But in recent years, some historians have begun to question inconsistencies in the Gospels’ version of events. They believe that the Gospels could hide a very different story; one that casts the historical Jesus in an entirely new light. Based on a new interpretation of contemporary historical events in Rome, "Last Days of Jesus" peels back thousands of years of tradition, to explore a new political context to the events in Jerusalem.

"Last Days of Jesus" explores how dramatic political events in Rome could have played a crucial role in shaping Jesus’ destiny, and examines an extraordinary political alliance that altered the course of history.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we stopped “reading into” the Word; and instead, accepted it for what it says?

FOUND on the Facebook wall of a Jewish woman:

"There is no coincidence. Only divinely caused incidents. “Randomness” is actually complexity so extreme that the human mind can neither fathom it nor reproduce it. 'The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.' Prov. 16:33. Every “random act” is being woven into the beautiful tapestry of life. Hashem is always in control. I’m in awe of our great and holy God."

This post seems to suggest that God also causes us to go against His Torah and sin - which is absolutely FALSE! YHWH doesn't "cause us to sin." He gave us His Torah, which is our ONLY blueprint for moral, holy living - and while there are certainly acts that seem "random", obedience is strictly up to us!

If we purposely choose to commit what He considers to be heinous sins, WHOM are we really serving? (And yes, He DOES know our every future decision – and He allows us to do whatever we wish. But we cannot ever suggest that He CAUSED us to go against His Torah!)

Throughout Torah we see that many of YHWH's people who lost their lives because of their “lukewarm” attitude and/or downright disobedience – and even Moshe, the holiest man of all during Torah times, didn’t get to see the Promised Land because of a few infractions….

In view of the above, I am left wondering WHAT has changed since Moshe's day? Has YHWH somehow reversed His stance on what constitutes SIN, including such things such as adultery - which, according to Torah, carries a DEATH sentence? (See Leviticus 20:10, Proverbs 6:27–29, 1 Corinthians 6:18.) If so, then we are worshiping an apparently wishy-washy God who cannot be trusted (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17).

We humans need to be VERY careful when it comes to the things of YHWH. He has NEVER been soft or unclear about what He expects of us – or caused us to believe that we’re forgiven for anything and everything, including DELIBERATE sins is a HUGE mistake!

Hebrews 10: 26 For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, or raging fire that will consume the enemies. (CJB)

The above Scripture is not referring to those unclean bondages that dwell in our flesh but to the conscious choices believers make. It refers not to our unintentional sins but to those we pursue knowingly and willingly!

2 Peter 2: 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for a person is slave to whatever has defeated him. 20 Indeed, if they have once escaped the pollutions of the world through knowing our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah, and then have again become entangled and defeated by them, their latter condition has become worse than their former. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the Way of righteousness than, fully knowing, to turn from the holy command delivered to them. (CJB)

(For more on deliberate sinning, please check out our article.)

We silly humans, rather than to concentrate on and LEARN His Word (from Genesis to Revelation), often tend to fluff it up, or twist it into what we "think" or what we "want it to mean." Jews and their rabbis and sages and their "OT-only" theology have been doing this for several millennia; and "grace-only, NT-only" Christians have been doing it for at least 2,000 years.

Many Jews - as much as they insist they don't proselytize - are busy drawing believers in Y'shua into their "OT-only" (along with Talmud, Mishna and Kabballah) web, pushing their misunderstandings of Scripture onto unsuspecting people who are searching for Truth; and, at the same time, many Christians are doing their level best to pull Jews AWAY from YHWH's original, holy commands and guidance for moral, holy living, and into their "grace-only, Torah-less Jesus" world, comprised of some 40,000 different "denominations" - each one believing it is the TRUE one…..

No wonder there are so many confused people in this world today!

A really clever take on the story of Pesach

This is a really clever take on the story of Pesach!  Passover is just around the corner, folks!  Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baQfqoZrEvI