Regarding Proverbs 23:13-14 … Are we really supposed to beat our children?

READER QUESTION:

We are having an issue about Proverbs 23:13 and 14 … We can't picture Father YAHWEH or Yeshua using a rod on a child. We checked on Hebrew definitions and word meanings but can't find a way around the word "strike". It means what it means,  

We understand the part that tells us not to withhold discipline from a child, and understand fully the outcome if you don't. We also understand the different meanings for the word "rod" and the uses for it. Are we missing something? 

Can you offer us some context on this issue? Thanks in advance.  May YHWH continue to bless you both along  with your website.

OUR RESPONSE:

That is a great question!  The phrase in Proverb 23:13, “כי-תכנו בשבט“, chi-ta’chaynu v’shebet, translated as “beat [him] with a stick/rod”, is a Hebrew idiom. We will try to explain.

There are many Biblical Hebrew words for “rod/stick” which carry the same meaning of the English word for rod/stick. Example: In Hebrew, the word for a “rod” or “switch” suitable for striking a person or child to inflict pain as punishment is the word “מקל“, maquel, which, depending on the context, means “stick” or “rod” (for striking, walking, guiding) and sometimes the context means it is a “staff”; see Numbers 22:7. Another is “מטה”, mat’teh, also by context carrying the same meaning as maquel; see Isaiah 10:24.

But the Hebrew “שבט“, shebet, which, in context, can also carry the same meaning as the first two examples, generally has a more ominous use and meaning. We find the shebet being used when the context is about a “big stick” intended for beating and winning against a foe. The shebet is for severely punishing, for fighting...to immobilize the opponent. Thus the shebet is usually somewhat larger, heavier, and may have spikes on it. See 1 Chronicles 11:23 for example.

So, we know the phrase chi-ta’chaynu v’shebet, “beat [him] with a stick/rod”, in Proverbs 23:13 is NOT literal, for the message of the Proverb is not to inflict serious pain and suffering on the child, rather, it is to discipline. Thus, the phrase “chi-ta’chaynu v’shebet” is figurative of being strict with the child so he will not LATER die an eternal death for straying from the Torah of YHWH.

The part of the verse “Don’t withhold discipline/correction from the child…” is best explained in the Talmud. It means the punishment should be immediate. "Do not threaten a child that he will be hit later, if you see him doing a wrong deed, strike him immediately or be completely silent" (Kitzur Shulkhan Aruklh 165:7).

Thus, an immediate punishment is clearly linked to the child's misbehavior. The discipline should be followed by a show of love and warmth, enabling the child to understand that the punishment is not directed against him/her but rather at his wrongdoing. Therefore, the phrase chi-ta’chaynu v’shebet, “beat [him] with a stick/rod” is figurative or an idiom for “be the parent, as if you carried a shebet into battle to save the child’s life from a more powerful enemy.”

Can you find the similarities?

As you can surely tell, our world is totally unstable now – and Scripture reveals that we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!  And it’s all because mankind’s tendency is to be completely ungodly, “worldly” and decadent. That is one thing that we can always count on!

Take a look at what the Prophet Ezekiel in the 6th-century BCE said concerning YHWH’s people Israel. Try to count the many similarities you see today! (And folks, Scripture warns us that it will only get worse before it gets better….)

Ezekiel 22:

1 The word of ADONAI came to me: 2 "Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are! 3 Say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you: 4 you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country.

5 Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder. 6 "'The leaders of Isra'el in you all use their power in order to shed blood.

7 In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows. 8 You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane my shabbats. 9 In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts; 10 in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity.

11 In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father's daughter. 12 In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,' says Adonai ELOHIM. 13 "'Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.

14 Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I, ADONAI, have spoken it; and I will do it. 15 I will scatter you among the Goyim and disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you, 16 and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

17 The word of ADONAI came to me: 18 "Human being, the house of Isra'el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver. 19 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim. 20 Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down. 21 Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it. 22 As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I, ADONAI, who have poured out my fury on you.'"

23 The word of ADONAI came to me: 24 "Human being, tell her this: 'You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury. 25 There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it. 26 Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves. 27 Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly.

28 Her prophets have "plastered" for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, "Thus says Adonai ELOHIM," when ADONAI has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners. 30 "'I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. 31 Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM." (CJB)

If “love is the fulfillment of Torah,” does that mean Torah has been rendered irrelevant?

It is a huge mistake to belive that Torah is irrelevant simply because we “love one another!” 

Romans 13: 8. And owe nothing to anyone; but to love one another. For he that loves his neighbor, has properly understood Torah.  9. For this likewise, which it says: You will not kill; nor commit adultery; nor steal; nor covet; and if there is any other Commandment, it is completed in this sentence: You will love your neighbor as yourself.[1] 10. Love does no evil to one’s neighbor because love is the fulfillment of Torah.[2] (AENT)

FOOTNOTE:

[1] While Paul here is clearly showing that being obedient to the government and not causing chaos in the communities at large is a mitzvah or “good deed” consistent with Torah observance, the other side of the argument concerns what to do when the rules of man attempt to contradict, invalidate, or overturn Torah requirements.

Paul’s answer for that issue is found in 1 Corinthians 10:14-33 which begins with the commandment, “Flee from idolatry” and continues on to admonish people to not participate in pagan festivals.

[2] Paul does not teach that Torah was abolished because we love our neighbor. Greek translations use “pleroma,” which is translated as “fulfilled”. Popular Bible versions like the NIV recognize this thought is revisited in 13:9 which uses “anakephalaiomai,” which means “to accurately sum up or understand” the Torah. This is a type of a synonym for pleroma. If pleroma as translated as "fulfilled," there are numerous potential meanings.

One of these, according to Thayer and Smith's Bible Dictionary is: "to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.”

This definition mirrors the Aramaic term that is also usually translated as "fulfill," such as the line in Matthew 5:17 that is targummed, "for I have not come to unravel the Torah but to provide proper interpretation of it.”

This is also the true meaning of the Greek where it says "thus was fulfilled according to the prophet"; i.e., this is the intended meaning of the Scripture as applied to the NT.

Finally, one should look carefully at what both Aramaic and Greek use for the term "law". In each case, nomos/namusa allows for the targummming of the Word/Torah concept to mean "torah" with a small "t", or individual instruction from the overall covenant.

That being said, the other possible reading is that the true meaning of the relevant commandment is "fulfilled/understood" by loving one's neighbor and so on, which makes much more sense.

Therefore, if one is to read “fulfilled” here, then it must be understood that the correct interpretation of Torah is given according to what Mashiyach Yeshua elucidated. This can in no way be construed that he brought an end to Torah.

Hate posts that proclaim doom on this lost world? Then don’t read this one!

As much as I hate to be a “prophet of doom,” we MUST heed what Scripture says, for we are staring these days in the face!

2 Peter 3: 1. This second letter, my beloved, I now write to you; in (both of) which I stir up your honest mind by admonition: 2. that you may be mindful of the words which were formerly spoken by the Set Apart prophets, and of the commandment of our Master and Redeemer by the hand of the Shlichim (Apostles): 3. knowing this previously, that there will come in the last days scoffers who will scoff, walking according to their own lusts 4. and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, since our fathers fell asleep, everything remains just as from the beginning of the creation.

5. For this they willingly forget, that the heavens were of old; and the earth rose up from the waters, and by means of water, by the Word of Elohim. 6. (And), by means of these (waters), the world which then was, (being submerged) again perished in the waters. 7. And the heavens that now are, and the earth, are by His Word stored up, being reserved for the fire at the day of judgment and the perdition of wicked men. 8. And of this one thing, my beloved, be not forgetful: That one day to Master YHWH, is as a thousand years; and a thousand years, as one day.

9. Master YHWH does not delay His promises as some estimate delay; but He is long suffering for your sakes, being not willing that any should perish, but that everyone should come to repentance. 10. And the day of Master YHWH will come like a thief; in which the heavens will suddenly pass away; and the elements, being ignited, will be dissolved; and the earth and the works in it will not be found. 11. As therefore all these things are to be dissolved, what persons should you be, in Set Apart conduct and in the Fear of Elohim, 12. expecting and desiring the coming of the day of Elohim in which the heavens being tried by fire will be dissolved and the elements being ignited will melt?*

13. But we, according to his promise, expect new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14. Therefore, my beloved, as you expect these things, strive that you may be found by him in peace, without spot and without blemish. (AENT)

*Complement to Matthew 5:17-20; the followers of Yeshua will continue to observe Torah as this great event transpires. No matter what you hear, Torah was NEVER abolished! Why would it have been, when it’s our ONLY blueprint for moral, holy living? Just going to church on Sundays and fellowshipping with other believers doesn’t cut it. YHWH commanded HIS people to follow His Rules:

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

Eternal life … or eternal death? Which are YOU headed for?

The only alternative to eternal life is eternal death - through disobedience! We truly DO reap what we sow, both individually and as a nation!

Read this very carefully:

Leviticus 18: 24 “‘Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, because all the nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them. 25 The land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it — the land itself will vomit out its inhabitants.

26 But you are to keep my laws and rulings and not engage in any of these disgusting practices, neither the citizen nor the foreigner living with you; 27 for the people of the land have committed all these abominations, and the land is now defiled.

28 If you make the land unclean, it will vomit you out too, just as it is vomiting out the nation that was there before you. 29 For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may be, will be cut off from their people. 30 So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. I am Adonai your God.’” (CJB)

YHWH specifically said: “You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am Adonai your God. You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am Adonai. (Leviticus 18:4-5, CJB)

It doesn’t get any plainer than that!

Since when is “abortion” a “right?”

QUESTION for those who believe abortion is "a right" because "it's not human or a baby until it's born" ....

How can a living thing growing in a human body NOT be human? We don't give birth to fish, birds, animals, trees, bushes, flowers or rocks! Humans give birth to HUMANS!

And how could it NOT be a "baby until it's born" when a "baby" is a group of LIVING cells that are, from the moment of conception, designed to IMMEDIATELY begin forming a TINY HUMAN BEING - which is called a "baby?"

Please notice my use of the word "living." DEAD things don't grow; therefore, that TINY BEING IS ALIVE from the moment of conception, with a God-given RIGHT to live! If you choose to 'abort' it for your own selfish reason, that makes YOU a MURDERER of a HUMAN BEING who never gave YOU permission to end his or her life!

People can make all the excuses they wish about abortion, but the bottom line is that ADINAI is the Creator and HE designed human wombs to grow little human beings. (See Genesis 1:27, Exodus 20:13, Numbers 5:27-28, Psalm 127:3-5.) He did NOT give anyone the right to END a life in the womb!

PSALM 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Job 31:15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

YHWH welcomes ALL people, and they can belong to Him IF they “do what is right"…

Here is something very interesting to note!

In the following passage we have proof that YHWH welcomes ALL people, and that they can belong to Him IF they “do what is right." (How do we know what is "right?" By knowing and obeying His Torah/Divine Instruction in Righteousness" – found in the first five Books of the Bible.)

Acts 10:34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to. 36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything. (CJB)

And here we see that YHWH opens the eyes of those HE chooses to be witnesses for Him, and expects those witnesses to “preach and witness!”

Acts 10:37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary, because God was with him.

39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything he did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with him by hanging him on a stake; 40 but God raised him up on the third day and let him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen again from the dead. (CJB)

NOTE: Notice YHWH raised Yeshua; Yeshua didn’t raise himself. And note also that he was only seen by people His Father chose – the first-hand witnesses with whom the risen Messian ate and drank!

Acts 10:42  “Then he commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to him, that everyone who puts his trust in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (CJB)

A wakeup lesson for America and the rest of the world!

A wakeup lesson for America and the rest of the world:

Part of this week’s Shabbat Torah portion reading was Leviticus 18, which specifically names the types of sexual sins YHWH hates, including homosexuality, bestiality, and intercourse with close relatives. Throughout these narratives we see words such as “abominations”; “disgusting practices”; “unclean” and “defiled”; along with phrases of dire warning for those who commit these sins, i.e., “He will be cut off from his people”; or, “he will bear the consequences of his wrongdoing.” (Those “consequences” include eternal DEATH!)

Please keep reading, because you’ll see that YHWH’s warnings not only outlined what would happen to people who committed these types of sin, but also to their LAND - which is STILL happening in TODAY’S sin-riddled world, as we can see by the fact that the world is experiencing evil of every kind, along with natural disasters of “biblical proportion” … all, while in the grips of a major pandemic!

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

Leviticus 18: 23 “‘You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal and thus become unclean with it; nor is any woman to present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is perversion. (CJB)

In Romans 1, we see this:

Romans 1: 22 Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! 23 In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles! 24 This is why God has given them up to the vileness of their hearts' lusts, to the shameful misuse of each other's bodies.

25 They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, by worshiping and serving created things, rather than the Creator - praised be he forever. Amen. 26 This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural; 27 and likewise the men, giving up natural relations with the opposite sex, burn with passion for one another, men committing shameful acts with other men and receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion.

28 In other words, since they have not considered God worth knowing, God has given them up to worthless ways of thinking; so that they do improper things. 29 They are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and vice; stuffed with jealousy, murder, quarreling, dishonesty and ill-will; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God; they are insolent, arrogant and boastful; they plan evil schemes; they disobey their parents; 31 they are brainless, faithless, heartless and ruthless.

32 They know well enough God's righteous decree that people who do such things deserve to die; yet not only do they keep doing them, but they applaud others who do the same. (CJB)

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

1 Corinthians 6: 18-20: Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. (CJB)

Now take a look at THIS heavy warning:

Leviticus 18: 24 “‘Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, because all the nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them. 25 The land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it — the land itself will vomit out its inhabitants.

26 But you are to keep my laws and rulings and not engage in any of these disgusting practices, neither the citizen nor the foreigner living with you;  27 for the people of the land have committed all these abominations, and the land is now defiled.

28 If you make the land unclean, it will vomit you out too, just as it is vomiting out the nation that was there before you. 29 For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may be, will be cut off from their people. 30 So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. I am Adonai your God.’” (CJB)

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY POWERFUL, because it perfectly outlines what is happening in the United States and other parts of the world today! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY the entire earth is suffering in various ways!

If you’re under the erroneous impression that Jesus died to allow people to continue committing sins of ANY kind, I urge you to open your eyes to what is happening, and then read the Bible (really READ – every word!) starting in Genesis, and reading your way through to the end of Revelation! And repeat!

Yeshua died to redeem us by forgiving our PAST sins. But, once we became true believers, we were expected to adhere to His Word, His Torah, because Torah is the ONLY blueprint we have for moral, holy living. We cannot claim to belong to Him, unless we “walk like Yeshua walked.” (1 John 2:3-7)

If you don’t know what Torah is or why you should obey those commands we can still keep today, please feel free to contact us at The Refiner’s Fire (TheRefinersFire.org).

Have you ever encountered someone with a “victim mentality?”

Some people are perpetual "victims" because they have a bottomless need for sympathy. They will do whatever it takes to get their “fix” – even if it means they have to “cause” an event that will kick off their need to be a victim.

For instance, they will often resort to provoking an argument with a friend or relative (or even a total stranger on Facebook) which, later, may or may not lead to a “kiss-and-make-up” session, with both people apologizing.

In the meantime, however, the “victim” (who caused the argument) is busy talking or posting behind that person’s back, whining to anyone who is willing to hear/see it … making sure to leave out the actual TRUTH behind that situation. The “victim” NEVER admits ANY wrongdoing on their part; it’s always “someone else’s fault.”

The sad part is, the “victim” mentality is very adept at hiding their true, lying, manipulative and back-stabbing persona from the public - who only gets to see the constantly smiling “sweet, kind and gentle” person behind a Facebook profile. The public has no clue that this person is a major “user” who says and does whatever it takes to get their way, while pretending to be a good friend.

Nobody is exempt from this type of person - including “good friends,” whom they know will forgive them, over and over again. (That is - until the friend finally recognizes that their “friend” is stuck in a sick, psychological cycle of "break-up-to-make-up" in order to assuage their need for sympathy; as that this is the ONLY way the “victim” can "feel normal" … at which point, the friend either decides to make a clean break from this manipulator; or, to stick around and simply deal with it while constantly being on the lookout for the “next shoe to drop.”)

The bottom line is: Sometimes the ONLY thing you can do when you find yourself in this kind of a relationship, is to keep them in your prayers, but GET OUT while you still have some sanity left!

2 Timothy 3: 1. But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: 2. and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of grace, wicked, 3. unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, 4. treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of Elohim, 5. having a form of respect for Elohim but wide from the power of Elohim. Them who are such, repel from you. (AENT)

What does "the key of knowledge" in Luke 11:52?

READER QUESTION:

I’ve always wondered what does "the key of knowledge" in the following passage refer to? Thanks.

Luke 11:52 "Woe to you Torah experts! For you have taken away the key of knowledge! Not only did you yourselves not go in, you also have stopped those who were trying to enter!” (CJB)

OUR RESPONSE:

The "Torah experts" Yeshua addressed were the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time. To enhance their high standing in the community, they would make a great mystery of the meaning of Torah. Though Torah is meant for all, their power and standing depended upon giving the impression that it was difficult. Hence they took the Torah into their own special keeping and interpreted it for the people as they pleased thus "taking away the key of knowledge" from the people.

Yeshua also pointed out in the same verse that the Pharisees, while pretending to be experts in the Torah, were not only failing to practice it themselves but were actually committing a second sin by keeping others from it.

So the "key of knowledge" is the Torah itself, which the Torah teachers were keeping to themselves. They failed the people. Jeremiah 3:15 "I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding." They did not feed the people knowledge.

Let’s talk about the various types of “curses” for a moment…

First of all, we must recognize that the spoken word is very powerful and that curses ARE real and they're very serious because they summon demons.

"Spells" in the Bible are always described negatively and are considered "detestable" to YHWH (see Deuteronomy 18:10-11); i.e., child sacrifice, witchcraft, sorcery, divination, or necromancy (consulting with the dead). Micah 5:12 says that God will destroy witchcraft and those who cast spells and Revelation 18 describes spells as part of the deception that will be used by the antichrist and his "great city of Babylon" (v. 21-24).

Believers do not need to worry about anyone casting any sort of pagan spell on them (Romans 8:11). Voodoo, witchcraft, hexes, and curses have no power over us because they come from Satan, and we know that "the one who is in you [Messiah] is greater than the one [Satan] who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

However, on the other hand, curses don't necessarily have to be words uttered by a witch or someone with evil intent. They can also be in the form of words and/or actions, designed to belittle someone and make them feel badly about themselves; or having a habit of lying, cheating, committing adultery, gambling, generally being abusive toward people; or giving in to our desire to do things that can destroy our bodies (i.e., drug or alcohol abuse, etc.)

For instance, when a mother tells her children they are ugly and will never amount to anything, she has, in essence, cursed those children; and, chances are, they won't thrive mentally or emotionally, either during their childhood or when they become adults - because the more we’re told something negative about ourselves, the more we come to believe it!

More often than not, the mother treats her children that way BECAUSE she was treated that way herself - and, eventually, her children will grow up to do the same thing to their own children … because that’s what they were taught to believe, which remains “what they know.” In other words, they’ve been placed in a rut from which there’s seemingly no escape.

It’s a form of emotional and spiritual bondage that can be referred to as a “generational curse” caused by “generational sin” which keeps people from reaching their goals and becoming “all they can be”…

We are who we were made into during our formative years; and if we end up “being bad” in some way, it is a result of “generational curses.” Those can only be broken when we (1) recognize our faults and bad habits, and then (2) repent, turn from our ways, and (3) make up our mind to give ourselves wholly to YHWH, humbly asking HIM to change us into whom HE wants us to be.

Most people don't recognize generational curses (bad habits, carnality, things that are ungodly) and so they keep on doing what their carnal natures tell them to; and in the process they destroy their own lives, and the lives of their family, relatives and even their friends. It is a proven fact that children learn behaviors from their parents/guardians and pass those behaviors on to THEIR children!

We can find out “who we really are” and “who YHWH wants us to be” by reading His Word, from cover to cover, starting with Genesis and finishing with Revelation, as Scripture amply describes how to become a decent, responsible human being who is “set apart” for Him as He commands.

Here’s something to ponder:

Those who “put a curse” on one of YHWH's people (in any of the ways mentioned above), may actually end up having cursed themselves, instead – and they WILL give account of it to YHWH on Judgment Day!

Proverbs 26:2 says: “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will come home to roost.”

The thing is, we can overcome ANY spell or curse with prayer - Halleluyah! Whenever something is "not right" in your life (no matter whether it's a general curse or from some outside source), simply pray for YHWH to take it away and totally give your life to Him. Satan has no power over those who belong to YHWH!

Don’t be like the Pharisees who honor ADONAI with their lips, while their hearts are far away….

Don’t be like the Pharisees who honor ADONAI with their lips, while their hearts are far away….

Isaiah 29:13 Then Adonai said: “Because these people approach me with empty words, and the honor they bestow on me is mere lip-service; while in fact they have distanced their hearts from me, and their ‘fear of me’ is just a mitzvah of human origin — 14 therefore, I will have to keep shocking these people with astounding and amazing things, until the ‘wisdom’ of their ‘wise ones’ vanishes, and the ‘discernment’ of their ‘discerning ones’ is hidden away.” (CJB)

Matthew 15: … 6 then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.’ Thus by your tradition you make null and void the word of God! 7 You hypocrites! Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. 9 Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’” (CJB)

Mark 7: 5 The P’rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, “Why don’t your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?” 6 Yeshua answered them, “Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites — as it is written, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. 7 Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’ 8 “You depart from God’s command and hold onto human tradition. 9 Indeed,” he said to them, “you have made a fine art of departing from God’s command in order to keep your tradition!  (CJB)

Yes, “God accepts us as we are, and loves us unconditionally,” but He also expects us to repent and turn from our sinful ways….

My husband and I watched an interview with country singer, Carrie Underwood, on today's "Sunday Morning" show, Carrie is a Christian and her basic Easter message, via a discussion about her song, "Just as I Am" was that God accepts us as we are, and loves us unconditionally, despite all our faults and shortcomings, etc.

While that is a true statement, ELOHIM's message throughout the entire Bible is that, once we accept Him, we are expected to repent and turn from our ways ... to stop the sinning and begin living according to HIS Divine Instructions (found in the first five Books of the Bible which is called "Torah"). YHWH (יהוה) is all about "shema" (as in the command, “Shema Yisrael!” which means…"Israel, hear AND do!").

Once we accept YHWH as our God, and His Divine Messiah as our Redeemer, we are "spiritual Israel," expected to walk as Yeshua (Jesus) walked - in total obedience.

1 John 2:5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. 6 He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked. (CJB)

Yeshua said, "Go and make disciples" not, "go and make believers." Disciples need instruction, and the instructions that YHWH laid down, and Yeshua later taught were from the Torah - our blueprint for moral, holy living!

Matthew 28:19-20: "Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim (disciples), immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." (CJB)

Here we see the Apostle James reiterating the need for obedience:

James 1:19. And you all be, my beloved Brothers, quick to hear and slow to speak, and slow to anger: 20. for the anger of man does not result in the righteousness of Elohim. 21. And so, throw all that is defiled and the myriads of evil things far away from yourselves and with meekness, receive the Word that is implanted in our nature which is able to resurrect your souls.

22. But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only; and do not deceive yourselves. 23. For if any man will be a hearer of the Word and not a doer of it, he will be like one who sees his face in a mirror: 24. for he sees himself and passes on and forgets what a man he was. 25. But everyone that looks upon the perfect Torah of liberty and lives fully in it, is not a hearer of something to be forgotten, but a doer of the things; and he will be blessed in his work.

26. And if anyone thinks that he worships Elohim and does not subdue his tongue, but his heart deceives him; his worship is desolate. 27. For the worship that is pure and Set Apart before Elohim the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction; and: that one keep himself without blemish from the world. (AENT)

Biden’s new policy will permit transgender types to “serve under their self-identified gender”….

Well, today I am left wondering if our world can get any weirder! Biden admin scrapped Trump's restrictions on transgender troops - which I guess is fine. HOWEVER: "The new policy will permit transgender people to serve openly under their self-identified gender and prohibit discrimination."

THREE THINGS HERE:

(1) They can serve "under their self-identified gender and prohibit discrimination"???? Soooo, barracks life will be "co-ed" and men and women who live in barracks situations and "identify as" the opposite sex" but haven't actually yet had their genitalia changed, will be showering and peeing right next to each other in the same bathrooms....

(2) Once you're in the military, you're entitled to free medical care, which means, in order to keep troops IN the military *as people aren't exactly flocking to join the military), they will offer these "gender reassignment surgeries" for free.....

(3) BOTTOM LINE: Guess who foots the bill for the American military forces? Yep, that's right: YOU DO! And that's fine, because we NEED military forces. But now, because some people are "confused" or "unhappy" with their birth gender, the military (supported by YOU) will be paying for "gender reassignment" surgeries!

Stop the world and let me off....

It was tough enough to live in Army barracks (back when I was a young soldier and HAD to live in the barracks) and deal with certain room mates' and their idiosyncrasies and "lifestyle choices" (which included dealing with their constant sharing of their sexual exploits, and their drunken binges and cleaning up their vomit, etc.).

But at least women lived in women's barracks and men lived in men's barracks, and you didn't have to worry about "being ogled" or raped, or made to "feel uncomfortable" whenever you went to the community bathroom on your floor.

But, what the heck ever happened to the RIGHTS of those of us who "identify" as one of the two genders God created; and to NOT BE FORCED to LIVE with a room mate(s), whose "gender identity choice" impacts us on a daily basis (i.e., using the "common area" showers and toilets)?

While I can kind of understand someone's desire to "be the opposite gender," it is a real conundrum for most of us who live in a "normal" male-female world, to suddenly find ourselves FORCED into "their" world! I know from experience with past "gay" Army room mates, that they will inevitably talk about their lifestyle and pain and anguish, etc., and constantly draw you into their world, in one way or another.

It was especially bad for me, decades ago, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico - which is in the middle of nowhere; whose nearest city is Las Cruces, which is approximately 25 miles away. That is where I encountered my first "gay" room mate, Lorraine, who was more masculine than most men I'd ever known.

Anyway, I was 19, and had no money to buy a car, and was stuck "bumming rides" or waiting on a bus, if I wanted to get off post.

On one hand, I found myself feeling sorry for Lorraine (and others I knew over the years); and on the other, I felt trapped and FORCED into living with, and endlessly commiserating and consoling, someone who had "identity" issues. Sometimes, it got to the point where I didn't want to go "home" after work in the evenings, because I knew the moment I stepped through that door, I would be transported onto another plane...

It got really, really, REALLY tiring trying to "be there" for Lorraine all the time. The only way to get away from "her lifestyle" web, was to go to the Army post's bowling alley or NCO club, or whatever ... ANYTHING to get away from "home" where I could "feel normal" in a male-female environment. (And yes, she did come onto me many times, trying to "guilt me" into how lonely she was, etc.)

She eventually got kicked out of the Army, and I got a new room mate, which made life a little more bearable for me. But there were a few more over the years like Lorraine, and I learned to "just deal with it." Luckily, I was good at my job and was promoted quickly, and so my "barracks experience" only lasted maybe three years total. After that, I always lived off post.

What galls me is that, somehow, today, WE (who simply accept the fact that we're either male or female and are good with that) are somehow "wrong" - people to be "schooled in tolerance"; shunned and degraded for OUR "normal"... the "normal" that has been viewed as NORMAL since the beginning of time....

The world has gone completely NUTS!

Here are some pertinent scripture passages to help illustrate why these things are happening:

2 Thessalonians 2:9 When this man who avoids Torah comes, the Adversary will give him the power to work all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. 10 He will enable him to deceive, in all kinds of wicked ways, those who are headed for destruction because they would not receive the love of the truth that could have saved them. 11 This is why God is causing them to go astray, so that they will believe the Lie. 12 The result will be that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken their pleasure in wickedness, will be condemned. (CJB)

2 Timothy 3: 1. But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: 2. and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of grace, wicked, 3. unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, 4. treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of Elohim, 5. having a form of respect for Elohim but wide from the power of Elohim. Them who are such, repel from you. 6. For of them are they who creep into this and that house and captivate the women who are plunged in sins and led away by divers lusts, 7. who are always learning, and can never come to the knowledge of the truth. (AENT)

2 Timothy 4:1. I charge you before Elohim and our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach who is to judge the living and the dead at the manifestation of his Kingdom 2. 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)