Responding to a “sneaky” counter-missionary

Below is our final correspondence with a woman who has over the last week written to our website several times in hopes of converting us away from Y'shua. She has been pretending to be in a "seeking" and "questioning" mode, all the while pushing her "OT-only" agenda down our throats. Well, what she clearly failed to realize is that, unlike many, we KNOW Scripture and are no wishy-washy pushovers, blowing in the wind! Unlike many, we are NOT "seeking." We have read the Bible through MANY times, and know what it says and doesn't say, and no amount of Scripture twisting on someone's part is going to sway us!

We are posting this as a warning to others who may be receiving emails or private messages from someone "seeking your help" to clear up their "confusion about Jesus"... Chances are, the "seeker" is a former Christian converted by Jewish counter-missionaries, who is being used to reach as many as possible for the purposes of taking them away from Y'shua and the NT so they will stop pushing the YHWH/Yeshua/Torah Truth and thus "confuse" some Jews who are seeking Messiah.... BE VIGILANT! DON'T FALL FOR THEIR AGENDA!

Hello Susan,

This will be my final correspondence because I don't have time to engage in a daily pen-pal type of situation where you keep cutting and pasting and reiterating the same things - the Paul bashing, the "God has a better plan for the Jews" ideas, etc. It's clear you're not reading my responses or anything on my website. In other words, you're doing your level best to waste my time in hopes of bringing me around to a skewed theology that pushes "separation" and "elitism" and "OT only" ideology.

You are clearly pushing your agenda, which appears to be to tell us Messianic Believers that God has different rules for different people, and that the NT doesn't apply (i.e., you wish me to forget about that "ONE in Messiah" thing AND ignore passages such as Numbers 15:13-16 where YHWH Himself tells us FOUR TIMES IN A ROW that ALL who accept Him are to do the same as HIS people).

You tell me you're busy studying Talmud, when it's clear from the things you've written, that you really don't yet have a good grasp of Torah, Tanakh OR the "New Testament" - and yet you feel qualified to "teach" me everything you know. You've made it abundantly clear that you're all about "the Jews" and their beliefs, yet, you keep insisting you'll "never leave Jesus!" - which makes absolutely NO sense!

I know from 20 years of experience in challenging counter-missionaries, that you WILL leave Him at some point! Everything you've written to me indicates that you either already have, or you're headed in that direction. And if you WERE Christian, then - like most Christians - you never bothered reading the ENTIRE Bible at the pshat level (plain meaning) where you would have understood the simplicity of who God is, what He expects of HIS people (which includes ALL who accept Him as their ELOHIM); and that He gave us a "rest of the story" via the New Testament which reveals WHO His Divine Messiah is, and which perfectly lines up with Torah - which reveals ALL must be Torah observant AND believe in His Divine Messiah who willingly lowered himself to become our Final Sin Sacrifice/Offering.

Clearly you don't believe that, and it's all because you are hooked on the teachings of an Orthodox Rabbi whose goal is to use former Christians against their own kind.

So, this is it. I wish you well, but I'm done. But, here's a final word for you if you truly are a "Christian" as you proclaim: In my 20 years of experience in challenging Jewish counter-missionaries, I can promise you that you WILL reject him, at some point, because you're already hooked into the "Judaism minus Jesus" mindset - which is a HUGE mistake and I pray you would re-read the entire Bible WITHOUT the "help" or advice of your Orthodox Rabbi BEFORE going over that cliff.

That Jewish Rabbi whose teachings you're so in love with - he is just "using you." He will never accept you as a Jew or an equal, no matter how much "converting" you may do! You're his "patsy" - someone who is willing to do exactly what you've done here with me, in your efforts to pretend to be seeking while secretly pushing the "OT-only" ideology down my throat. Scripture doesn't teach "elitism" - it teaches ONE IN MESSIAH, same God, same rules. Please let that sink in!

I wish you well.

Blessings,

Countering MORE “counter-missionary” nonsense!

We don't believe the words in this screen shot for a second, do you? It's just another of the counter-missionaries' attempts to keep Y'shua out of the picture! WHY would Jacob - after 20-some years - have been fighting his brother, Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of soup, and married pagan women? When Jacob "fought" this entity, he hadn't even seen Esau yet! And HOW could Esau, the mere man be responsible for changing Jacob's name to Israel? No...this fight was with God!

Note verse 24 where "some man wrestled with him until daybreak." As we continue reading, you should have noticed that this couldn't be just any man; it was Yeshua, the arm of YHWH (Isaiah 53:1) sent in the form of a man to wrestle with Ya'akov!

How do we know this? Please refer back to Genesis 32:3-5 and also Genesis 35:1 where YHWH says: "Get up, go up to Beit-El and live there, and make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled 'Esav your brother. (Genesis 32:3-5)"; plus nobody but YHWH has the power to rename someone - especially the man who would end up giving birth to what became known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel!

Plus, as we read on, Ya'akov himself says:

Genesis 32: 29 Ya'akov asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he answered, "Why are you asking about my name?" and blessed him there. 30 Ya'akov called the place P'ni-El [face of God], "Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared." 31 As the sun rose upon him he went on past P'ni-El, limping at the hip. 32 This is why, to this day, the people of Isra'el do not eat the thigh muscle that passes along the hip socket - because the man struck Ya'akov's hip at its socket.

This is confirmed in our Haftarah reading in Hosea 12:4-5 (3-4 in some versions):

Hosea 12: 3 "In the womb he took his brother by the heel; in the strength of his manhood he fought with God. 4 Yes, he fought with an angel and won..."

We know from Exodus 33:20 that nobody can look upon God without dying, and so YHWH in His Mercy and Grace, sent His "Son" in His place. If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes....

So here comes that "million dollar question" that is surely on everyone's mind:

"You believe 'the man' that Ya'akov was wrestling was Yeshua, yet in the Hosea reading it refers to Ya'akov wrestling with an angel. Yeshua is higher than the angels in that He is ONE with YHWH and he came from Him, so why would he be called an angel? Angels don't 'forgive' or 'save'...."

One possible answer is: Perhaps Ya'akov didn't have the words to describe exactly "whom" he was fighting and saw the entity as an angel. In the Genesis account, Ya'akov said he saw a "man" and yet called him "my lord"....Hosea is simply describing the event as if it was a spiritual thing. And don't forget that Yeshua comes long AFTER Hosea, so what else is Hosea going to describe Him as, except as an angel?

Some quick facts about “Shabbat”

Obeying the "Shabbat" REST fulfills the Fourth Commandment (of the Aseret HaDibrot - Ten Words/Commandments) that YHWH spoke to Israel.

Shabbat is a "door" into the Kingdom of Elohim (Matthew 16:19, Isaiah 66:2, Ezekiel 44:24, Zechariah 14:16, etc.). 

The Fourth Commandment makes me think of the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet "DALET" - which reminds me of  "Delet" (or "Dehlet"), the word for "door" ... which reminds me of Y'shua, the Word of the Living Elohim, who is ALSO the "Door" or the "Gate" (John 10:9-16).  NOBODY comes to the Father except through THAT Door! (John 14:6)   

Please remember that Shabbat is "eternal" and not for "the Jews only,” but for ALL Believers (see Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 10:12-13)   All true disciples of Y’shua are able to enter into YHWH’s Shabbat as the “Bride” of Mashiyach (Messiah) from Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset, according to Revelation 21:9; Hosea 2; Jeremiah 17; Isaiah 56; 58; 62; 66; Ezekiel 46; Psalm 92.

Parashah 8: Vayislach (He sent) Genesis 32:4 through 36:43

Shabbat shalom, everyone! A synopsis of this week's Torah study can be found on our website. In the previous Torah portion we saw Ya'akov (Jacob) fleeing from his father-in-law Lavan as he heads back to his homeland and his own father. Unfortunately, he still needed to face his twin brother, Esav (Esau), who squandered his his birthright in exchange for a bowl of lentil soup (Genesis 25), and later, getting his father Yitz'chak (Isaac, the second Patriarch) into giving him (Ya'akov) the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27).

Please read Genesis 32:4 - 22 to get a feel for Ya'akov's anxiety and frustration about meeting Esav for the first time in more than 20 years.

This week's parashah is exciting on several levels because we get to see YHWH's "grand plan" in birthing Israel as a people and a nation! To see how it all unfolded, please read our synopsis AND the actual Torah portions, etc. mentioned in our article.

Live feed showing Rabid anti-Semitism against the Jews

These anti-Semites in this live video fee who  protesting "the Jews” are completely IGNORANT of Scripture, but yet they're out there "protesting"... LOST, PATHETIC Bible illiterates! Perhaps they would do well to READ the Bible for a change?

"White Supremacists" like to justify their hatred of the Jews because "the Jews killed Jesus." Perhaps they need to ask themselves: Who nailed Him to the cross? It was the Romans! Why was He nailed to the cross? Because He offered Himself up as the FINAL SIN SACRIFICE for all sinners! Why did He agree die? For the SIN OF ALL! If Yeshua hadn't done this, then we would ALL be headed for hell - including the "White Supremacists" who wouldn't even have a "Jesus" if it weren't for "the Jews"....

Let's always remember that Yeshua HAD to die to offer eternal life to the believers of this world. Let's remember that if God hadn't scattered the Jews, then nobody on earth, except tiny Israel would ever have known about YHWH, our Creator! There certainly wouldn't be any "Christians" because - had they never heard of YHWH - they never would have heard about His Son Yeshua who came to die in exchange for our sins!

Let's always remember that God gave us a new (or rather, "renewed" covenant; NOT a new Torah! Covenants can change; YHWH's laws do not!

Let's also remember that the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the unfolding of YHWH's "Big Picture". HE is God; WE are His Creation. He tells us what to do; our job is to obey. When we obey, we reap God's blessings. When we disobey, we end up with only our big toes dipped in God's "swimming pool" and staying on the sidelines while the TRUE believers who have immersed themselves with Truth are being used to further His ultimate agenda - which is to usher in His Kingdom.

Looking for some holiday gifts? Check out these books!

If you’re in the mood to read a good book, or wish to get one as a gift, why not books with a real message?  I have written several Messianic books covering everything from why we ALL should be Torah observant, to why homosexuality is a sin, to discussing the end times.

Simply visit Be Torah Observant and click on the book or books you want (you can purchase the Kindle versions as well). 

Thank you, in advance and God bless!

- Rabbi Carmen Welker

What’s the Seventh Day Sabbath really all about?

Many who have found their way to Torah will immediately cling to the false teaching that “Sunday worship” is pagan, and “the church is wrong by having Sunday worship sessions.” They will try to tell you, “Saturday is God’s day of worship; Sunday is not!” Well … that’s not exactly true.

You see, Saturday is YHWH’s Day of REST, not just “worship”; it’s His “weekly date” with us. According to Scripture, we’re supposed to REST on Shabbat (which, on our Gregorian calendars happens to fall on Saturday). And, yes, we are also to worship – but, really, aren’t we supposed to worship Him EVERY day and all the time? (Romans 12:1–2).

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

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

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

If you want to accuse Christians of something, then accuse them of not RESTING on the Sabbath, and of committing commerce on the Sabbath, which is also forbidden (see Nehemiah 10:28-39). But don’t ever tell them they shouldn’t “worship” on Sunday or any other day…

And for those who attempt to suggest that this Old Testament Jewish stuff doesn’t apply to them because Jesus somehow abolished it, here’s a little history:

No matter who instituted Sunday worship, in Yeshua's time, both Jews and Gentiles alike, regularly attended the synagogue for worship on the seventh day - which, on our Gregorian calendars falls on Saturday), and the fact that interested Gentiles in Antioch requested further instruction of Paul "on the next Sabbath" is irrefutable evidence that no separate Sunday (1st day) meetings were being held there by those early Christians.

The Gentiles were willing to wait an entire week, till the next Saturday, for a meeting because they knew that Paul and his companions did not normally meet for worship on a Sunday. Acts 13:42-44 tells us that, on the next Sabbath (Saturday) almost the whole city arrived for the meeting.

And by the way, some insist that Acts 20:7 reveals “Sunday worship,” but this is not true. Fact is, Jewish believers in Yeshua continued meeting at synagogue (or the Temple) for Sabbath. Common practice would be havdallah - meeting in homes after sundown on Saturday to continue discussions and praise from the Sabbath, which explains Paul "preaching until midnight" in Acts 20:7. The first day of the week for Jews (like Paul) began at sundown at the end of the Sabbath - Saturday evening - not "Sunday."

Furthermore, the SEVENTH DAY Sabbath is a HOLY day! Fact is, neither the Father nor the Son has ever claimed the first day as His own in any higher sense than He has each or any of the other laboring days. Neither of them has ever placed any blessing upon it, or attached any sanctity to it. The Bible tells us God expressly reserved the seventh day to Himself, placing His blessing upon it, and claimed it as His holy day. (Genesis 2:1-3.) Moses told Israel in the wilderness of Sin of the sixth day of the week, "Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." (Exodus 16:23)

BOTTOM LINE: There’s not a thing wrong with “worshiping” on Sunday. Christians need to learn that when YHWH says to REST on HIS Sabbath, He means REST! Cease from doing your weekly “stuff”; your income-producing work and anything else that your mind and body needs REST from.

These rules were never meant to be “just for the Jews.” Since we are “one in Messiah” (Galatians 3:28 and Numbers 15:13-16) we are to do exactly as HIS people do! And HIS people (which includes YOU) REST on His WEEKLY and YEARLY Shabbats….