Category: Scriptures

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6 Reasons Why The Greek – Roman – Latin “Jesus” Cannot Be Messiah

The saying “Truth is stranger than fiction” is an accurate assessment of this article, but will only be “stranger than fiction” to those who are not lovers of Truth! Please consider;

2Th 2:9-10 “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, in order for them to be saved.”

So, without a “love of the truth” one cannot be saved. Not my words, Paul’s. But he was only confirming what was said by the Messiah in John 14:6“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

And HE also stated when praying to HIS FATHER in John 17:17 “Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word (both written and Living) is truth.”

So, without having a “love of the truth” as well as embracing THE ONE Who IS TRUTH, one cannot be saved and cannot come to the FATHER!

Hmmm…That is concerning! Why? Because there are approximately 250 million (Protestant) Christians in the World today. America has the majority of them with approximately 140 million! Combine that with the 70 million Catholics who also refer to themselves as Christians in America making the total approaching ¼ of a billion people in America who consider themselves to be an expression of Christianity! But that’s not what I’m concerned about. My concern stems from the fabrication of a savior who is being propagated as one who is not in line with how the scriptures portray the true messiah. I am not in opposition to what the scriptures say. I am in opposition to how the scriptures have been twisted to produce a whole different version of who HE is! The following 6 Reasons detail my concerns;

REASON #1

Christians and non-Christians alike have been told that The Messiah’s name is Jesus. That is simply and unequivocally not true. HE, The True Messiah of The Scriptures would never have responded to someone calling to HIM using the name Jesus. Neither would HE today! HE was not Greek / Roman / Latin. HE descended from Judah (Yehudah), born to a Hebrew maiden and had numerous Hebrew half brothers / sisters. HE was given a Hebrew Name. His true Name is very important, as it reflects who HIS Father is and what Name HIS true followers will receive! The Greek “Iesous”, a Greek healing entity is NOT who HE is. To intentionally call on another for salvation is not wise. Lets consider what HE says about HIS Name;

John 5:43 “I have come in My Father’s Name (YAH in Psalm 68:4 KJV – see note)and you do not receive Me, if another comes in his own name, him you would receive.”(note; The letter “J” did not exist when Psalm 68 was penned)

Act 4:11-12 “This is ‘the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. And there is no deliverance in anyone else, for there is no other Name under the heaven given among men by which we need to be saved.”

Rev 3:12 “He who overcomes, I shall make him a supporting post in the Dwelling Place of My Elohim, and he shall by no means go out. And I shall write on him the Name of My Elohim and the name of the city of My Elohim, the new Yerushalayim, which comes down out of the heaven from My Elohim, and My new Name.”

REASON #2

The Greek / Roman / Latin fabricated version of their Messiah, named Jesus, appears to be a brown/blondish haired, blue-eyed foreigner (Caucasian), who allows his followers to carve, engrave, tattoo, carry, kiss, bow to, worship and wear various forms of images of himself. These practices are in absolute opposition to The Scriptures! Consider;

Exodus 20:4-6“You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, YAHweh your Elohim am a jealous EL, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.”

Psalm 81:9 “Let there be no strange mighty one among you, And do not bow down to a foreign mighty one.

REASON #3

The Greek / Roman / Latin fabricated version of their Messiah, who they have named Jesus, allows his followers to observe the Roman Catholic sabbath in revering the sun. (Sun-day; the day dedicated to the sun) The True Messiah according to the Scriptures did not do so nor would HE today because it is not True.

Mark 1:21 And they went into Kephar Nahum, and immediately on the Sabbath He went into the congregation and taught.

Luke 6:6 And it also came to be on another Sabbath, that He entered into the congregation and taught, and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

Luke 13:10 And He was teaching in one of the congregations on the Sabbath…

The context of all three of these examples finds The Master in the assembly “on the Sabbath” teaching. All three also are commentaries of HIM “healing”and/or casting out demons! HIS authority proves that HE was not lawless. Is today’s powerlessness among professingdom proof of the fruit of lawlessness? So, who changed HIS Seventh Day Sabbath to a sun-day observance? It wasn’t The True Messiah of The Scriptures!

(See articles “From Sabbath To Sunday – Who Changed it?”and “The Names of the Days of the Week”)

REASON #4

The Greek / Roman / Latin fabricated version of their messiah named Jesus teaches that the Law (Torah) of YAH was fulfilled and discontinued upon Him being impaled (crucified) and thus is no longer in effect today. This is not true. The True Messiah of The Scriptures said in;

Mat 5:17-18 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.”

Obviously, heaven and earth are still here… (See Article “Matt 5 – Destroy / Fulfill” for a more exhaustive study on what HE meant “to fulfill”)

REASON #5

The Greek / Roman / Latin fabricated version of their messiah named Jesus was born on December 25th and is to be celebrated by the cutting down of an evergreen tree, erecting it in their homes, decorating it and putting presents to each other under it. These pagan traditions are not endorsed in The Scriptures. (Read Yirmeyah 10:1-15 especially 3-4)

Yirmeyah 10:3-4 “For the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple.”

(See Article “Christian Holi-Days”)

REASON #6

The Greek / Roman / Latin fabricated version of their messiah named Jesus evidently condones the UN-scriptural observances of paganism and at the same time does not insist on the observances mandated by HIS Word. But please consider what The Scriptures say:

Reading Leviticus 23 you will see that THE Creator clearly states that these are not, as traditionalism teaches, “the festivals of Israel”, but are HIS appointments, HIS observances, HIS Sabbath, HIS Feasts in verse 2.

Beginning with the 7th Day Sabbath (signifying rest after 6 days of creation/work)

Passover,(speaks of the Spotless Lamb Slain)

Unleavened Bread, (speaks of the removal of leaven/sin)

First-fruits, (speaks of assurance of a harvest and Messiah ascending as the First-fruits from the dead)

Shavuot (speaks of the harvest that typifies The SPIRIT in those of the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:33 & Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Trumpets (speaks of HIS people hearing HIS Voice)

Day of Atonement (speaks of the final judgment at the end of the age) Sukkot (speaks of the righteous dwelling with HIM Forever).

For a more in-depth look at The Feasts of YAHweh, (see articles related to The Feasts…)

May you see the beautiful picture of redemption in/through HIS Feasts that you will not see in the observances of traditionalism!

Those recognizing HIS Appointed Times understand that the blood sacrifice of the True Messiah fulfills every aspect of every blood sacrifice and offering mentioned in the above as we acknowledge HIM yearly through each Feast bringing us revelation of what HE accomplished, of what HE is accomplishing now and what HE will accomplish in and through those who walk according to HIS Word!

The observances of traditionalism practiced by so many today say nothing of the true plan of YAHweh, nor do they accurately portray the true person of HIS Son, the True Messiah, who I believe is named Yahshua! While in my ignorance and lawlessness I taught lawlessness and error! I called YAHweh by generic titles such as LORD, GOD, ALMIGHTY, ADONAI. I also referred to HIS Son as LORD, JESUS, CHRIST. I desired Truth, but was trained in traditionalism. Finally, I heard / recognized Truth and began to pursue HIM wholeheartedly! I rejoice in every day I’ve been given in hopes of rectifying (in some small way) the error and lawlessness that I once embraced and taught! This article is an effort to reach those who have a love for Truth! My prayer is that you will respond to HIS Voice and “come out” of fabrication and never look back!

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Overcoming #4 – Jezebel In Thyatira – Revelation 2

This is an article on the likenesses and the differences that exist between The True Messiah vs Anti-messiah AND The True Bride of Messiah vs Izebel, (pronounced Eezebel), also known as Jezebel, according to the scriptures.

In Rev 2:18-20 we find this; “And to the messenger of the assembly in Thyatira write, ‘This says the Son of Elohim, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass: I know your works, and love, and service, and belief, and your endurance. And as for your works, the last are more than the first. But I hold against you that you allow that woman Izebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and lead My servants astray to commit whoring and to eat food offered to idols.”

Let’s first look at some background on the historical person, Jezebel;

1Ki 16:31-32 “And it came to be, as though it had been a light matter for him (Ahab) to walk in the sins of Yarobam son of Nebat, that he took as wife Izebel the daughter of Ethbaʽal, sovereign of the Tsidonians. And he went and served Baʽal and bowed himself to it, and raised up an altar for Baʽal in the house of Baʽal, which he had built in Shomeron.”

Several points need to be considered pertaining to this introduction of Jezebel;

  1. The meaning of Jezebel, is “chaste.” She proves to be the opposite.
  2. The meaning of “Ethba’al” is “with Ba’al.” Jezebel is the daughter of one who is with Ba’al.
  3. The literal meaning of “Ba’al” is “worthlessness, however it is the sun-deity of Babylon.
  4. Ahab rejected YAH’S Commandments and worshiped Ba’al in sun worship. Not wise.

1Ki 18:19 (The Prophet of YAH, Eliyah says) “And now, send and gather all Yisra’ĕl to me on Mount Karmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baʽal, and the four hundred prophets of Ashĕrah, who eat at Izebel’s table.”

Several points to consider;

  1. The prophet of YAH, Eliyah challenges the prophets of Ba’al and Asherah.
  2. Asherah is a false deity of Sun worship / fertility. While maintaining it’s occultic attributes, it took on different names throughout time, (Ashtaroth, Ashtoreth, Astarte Euostra, etc) and in today’s vernacular is Easter, as sun worship continues in professingdom…
  3. These false prophets prove that they are in covenant with Jezebel as they eat / drink in dedication to their idols.

1Ki 19:1-2 “And when Ahab reported to Izebel all that Ěliyah had done, also how he slew all the prophets with the sword, Izebel sent a messenger to Ěliyah, saying, “So let the mighty ones do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them (dead) by tomorrow about this time.”

1Ki 21:2-10 “And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, and it shall be a vegetable garden for me, since it adjoins my house. And let me give you a better vineyard for it. If it is good in your eyes, let me give you its worth in silver. And Naboth said to Ahab, “Far be it from me, by יהוה, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you! And Ahaḇ went into his house embittered and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Yizreĕlite had spoken to him when he said, “I do not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and did not eat food. And Izebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so embittered that you are not eating food? And he said to her, Because I spoke to Naboth the Yizreĕlite, and said to him, Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I give you another vineyard for it. But he answered, ‘I do not give you my vineyard.’ So Izebel his wife said to him, “Do you now rule over Yisra’ĕl? Rise up, eat food, and let your heart be glad. Let me give you the vineyard of Naboth the Yizreĕlite! Then she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the people, and seat two men, sons of Beliyaʽal before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have blasphemed Elohim and the sovereign.’ Then you shall take him out, and stone him to death.” (This is exactly what they did)

Consider;

After some time, Jezebel is judged exactly as prophesied by Eliyah;

2Ki 9:36-37 “And they came back and informed him. And he said, “This is the word of יהוה, which He spoke by His servant Ěliyah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the portion of Yizreʽĕl dogs are going to eat the flesh of Izebel, and the corpse of Izebel shall be as dung on the surface of the field, in the portion of Yizreʽĕl, so that they do not say, “This is Izebel.”

Perfectly and exacting, they could not find enough of her to bury, so her remains were left on the surface of the field…in Yizre’el…

An interesting fact to consider as we proceed to the Jezebel in Revelation is that Ahab, the husband of the literal Jezebel of 1-2 Kings is the EIGHTH Sovereign of Yisrael! Keep that tucked away until the end of this article and consider why that is significant…

Now that we have some background, let’s turn again to our text in Revelation 2:18-20

“And to the messenger of the assembly in Thyatira write, ‘This says the Son of Elohim, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass: I know your works, and love, and service, and belief, and your endurance. And as for your works, the last are more than the first. But I hold against you that you allow that woman Izebel, (Jezebel) who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and lead My servants astray to commit whoring and to eat food offered to idols.”

I believe that it is safe to assume that Yahshua is not referring to the same Jezebel in 1-2 Kings. Yahshua is using the example of Jezebel as seen in 1-2 Kings to exhort professing believers to know and discern the traits of Jezebel…

Consider:

The True Messiah is established as The True King / Priest.(according to the scriptures)

Heb 6:20 “…where Yahshua has entered as a forerunner for us, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Malkitsedeq.

Rev 19:16 And on His robe and on His thigh. He has a name written: SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS AND MASTER OF MASTERS.”

The anti-messiah is being established as the king / priest. (according to lawlessness)

2Th 2:3-4 Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness1 is to be revealed, the son of destruction, (Footnote: 1Some texts read sin instead of lawlessness. This man might be the same one we read of in the prophecy in Isa. 14:12 – 14 (“Heileil”), meaning “the shining one,” the sovereign of Babylon) 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshiped, so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim.”

The anti-messiah seeks to replace the True Messiah as King. He also sets himself up in the place of worship, proclaiming himself to be supreme in authority as a king, and as the high priest in worship!

The True Messiah / King / Priest has a Bride (HIS People) who is without spot or blemish. She proves her faithfulness by being submitted to Messiah, The Word.

Eph 5:24-27 “But as the assembly is subject to Messiah, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every respect.” Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it, 26 in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, 27 in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless.

The anti-messiah / king / priest has “a woman” (his people) who rides on a scarlet beast, (him) and describes herself as a queen.

Rev 17:3 “And he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast covered with names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

Rev 18:7 “As much as she esteemed herself and lived riotously, so much torture and grief give to her, because in her heart she says, ‘I sit as sovereigness, and I am not a widow, and I do not see mourning at all.’

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah / King / Priest is comprised of believers in The True Messiah / King / Priest according to the scriptures, who do not twist HIS Word to fit their traditions.

1Jn 3:24 And the one guarding His commands stays in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He stays in us, by the Spirit which He gave us. (also see John 14:23-24, Acts 5:32, Rom. 8:7-11, 1 John 2:5, 1 John 4:13.)

Rev 14:12 Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of Yahshua.

The woman (the people) of the anti-messiah / king / priest is comprised of those who have rejected The True Messiah / King / Priest according to the scriptures and concoct a messiah, who is approving of their non-scriptural beliefs and observances.

2Th 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, in order for them to be saved. And for this reason Elohim sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the falsehood, in order that all should be judged who did not believe the truth, but have delighted in the unrighteousness.”(lawlessness)

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah / King / Priest is dressed in White.

Rev 19:7-8 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself. And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness (belief) of the set-apart ones.”

The woman (the people) of the anti-messiah is dressed in purple, scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones.

Purple / scarlet / gold / precious stones represent a worldly appearance of harlotry.

Rev 17:4 “And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup filled with abominations and the filthiness of her whoring…”

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah is described as the “set-apart city.”

Rev 21:2 (And I, Yohan (John) saw the set-apart city, new Yerushalayim, coming down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Jezebel, the woman (the people) of the anti-messiah is also described as a “city.”

Rev 17:18 “And the woman whom you saw is that great city having sovereignty over the sovereigns of the earth.”

Rev 18:19 “And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and saying, ‘Woe! Woe, the great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she was laid waste.’

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah drinks the “cup of blessing.”

1Co 10:16 “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Messiah?”

Jezebel, the woman (the people) of the anti-messiah also has a cup!

Rev 18:3 because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her whoring, and the sovereigns of the earth have committed whoring with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her riotous living.”

Jer 51:7 “Babel was a golden cup in the hand of Yahwah making drunk all the earth. The nations drank her wine, that is why the nations went mad!”

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah is sealed / marked on the forehead.

Eph 4:30 “And do not grieve the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Rev 22:4 “And they shall see His face, and His Name shall be upon their foreheads.” (See also Revelation 7)

Jezebel, the woman (the people) of the anti-messiah is sealed on the forehead / hand.

Rev 13:16 “And he causes all, both small and great, and rich and poor, and free and slave, to be given a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads…”

Rev 14:9-11 And a third messenger followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he shall be tortured with fire and sulphur before the set-apart messengers and before the Lamb. 11 “And the smoke of their torture goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those worshipping the beast and his image, also if anyone receives the mark of his name.”

The Bride (the people) of The True Messiah receives a secret Name.

Rev 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I shall give him a white stone, and on the stone a renewed (new) Name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

Jezebel, the woman (the people) of the anti-messiah also receives a secret name.

Rev 17:5 “…and upon her forehead a name written, a secret: BABEL THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE WHORES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Rev 17:11 “And the beast (the anti-messiah / king / priest) that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to destruction. Remember that Ahab was the EIGHTH king and that Jezebel was his queen…

Rev 18:2-5 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Babel the great (the city of anti-messiah and the woman, comprised of people rejecting the True Messiah) is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, and a haunt for every unclean and hated bird, 3 because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her whoring, and the sovereigns of the earth have committed whoring with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her riotous living.” 4 And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Because her sins have piled up to reach the heaven, and Elohim has remembered her unrighteousnesses.”

1John 3:4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name? And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’

At one time we too were “sons (and daughters) of disobedience”, and were a part of “the woman”, Jezebel who is riding the beast / the man of lawlessness.

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in trespasses and sins,in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest.”

We heard HIS Voice calling! May you hear HIS Voice and “Come Out Of Her…” before it’s too late!

Also see related article on “The Bride and The Whore“

All Scripture References are from “The Scriptures 1998+”

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Unbelief; The Reasons Behind it – Matthew 13

In the Parable of the Sower, The Messiah identifies several characteristics that will hinder belief. I focus on belief in this article because “without belief it is impossible to please Yah.”(Heb 11:6) All other manifestations of fruit stem from believing HIS Word. The hindrances to belief that are identified in this parable are usually glossed over. May that not be the case with you…

The text of the Parable;

Mat 13:4 “The Sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some indeed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them.”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:18-19 “You, then, hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the word of the reign, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside.”

The Creator has given everyone autonomy in choice. I say this because earlier in the chapter, Yahshua states that some are not given ears to hear, eyes to see nor a heart to receive HIS Word, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10. Isaiah 6 focuses on the distinction between himself and those around him. Isaiah recognizes his uncleanness and admits it. Most of those around him were practicing lawlessness and rebellion. Isaiah hears the Word of Yah and sees his condition. The ninety percent do not. Why didn’t they? In the parable of the sower, The Messiah is applying Isaiah 6 to the current time. Because the majority were living in lawlessness (in opposition to HIS Commands), they too would not understand HIM and would not receive HIS Word into their hearts. The influence upon them is in direct proportion to their connection with the devil and his kingdom(this world). This prohibits them from understanding HIS Word. In fact, in John chapter 8, The Messiah likens the fruit of their lives as proof that they are sons of the devil. Consider;

John 8:43-44a“Why do you not know what I say? Because you are unable to hear My Word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do.”

Before we get to feeling too good about ourselves in comparison, we need to consider these words;

Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the authority of the air, (birds of the air) of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest.”

Notice that Paul is speaking to them regarding their past, because when they had heard HIS Word they repented and were now able to hear clearer, receive more and increase in belief regarding the Word of YAH. Those who continue to walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the authority of the air”, professing believer or not, do so through unbelief on the wayside…

The parable;

Mat 13:5-6 “And others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered.”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:20-21 “And that sown on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”

This person at first is joyous to receive HIS Word, but notice in verse 6, “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered.”I can’t help but think that The Messiah used this wording to express something deeper. The influence of sun worship on world religions is remarkable! Is HE warning HIS own regarding this matter? I can say that when we saw the practices of sun worship permeating Christianity, our coming out of it was not without pressure! We have seen numerous people stumble under that “pressure” (lit; trouble, anguish) and the “persecution” (lit; pursue) described here! But for us who endure, the blessings have far outweighed the pressure!

Mat 5:10-12 “Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness sake, because theirs is the reign of the heavens. Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you, for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward in the heavens is great. For in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Mat 10:22 “And you shall be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved.

The parable;

Mat 13:7 “And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:22 “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.”

The one who hears HIS Word, but because the cares of this age or literally; the distractions offered in this life’s pursuits, will find themselves deluded by pursuing riches just as the devil tried to trip up The Messiah in offering HIM the reigns of the world… Consider;

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain, and showed Him all the reigns of the world, and their esteem, and said to Him, “All these I shall give You if You fall down and worship me.” Then Yahshua said to him, “Go, Satan! For it has been written, ‘You shall worship Yahweh your Elohim, and Him alone you shall serve.’ (quoting Dt. 6:13)

1Ti 6:9-10 “But those wishing to be rich fall into trial and a snare, and into many foolish and injurious lusts which plunge men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some, by longing for it, have strayed from the belief, and pierced themselves through with many pains.”

The parable;

Mat 13:8-9 “And others fell on good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:23 “And that sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The one who receives(hears) the Truth of HIS Word and comprehends(understands) it, who allows HIS Spirit to teach, comfort, guide, empower and gift him, will bear fruit in proportion to the amount of submission that he / she gives to HIS Word and HIS Spirit!

Rom 10:17 So then belief comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Elohim.

John 14:15-17 “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Helper, to stay with you forever – the Spirit of the Truth, whom the world is unable to receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, for He stays with you and shall be in you.”

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.”

John 16:13 “But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He shall guide you into all the truth. For He shall not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He shall speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come.

1Co 12:4 And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit…1Co 12:9 and to another belief by the same Spirit…

Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, (belief), gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah.

Verses depicting unbelief;

Mat 13:58 “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.”

Why? Because they saw HIM, not as The Messiah, but according to the flesh; Joseph and Mary’s son. The fleshly perspective (in Adam) does not understand nor believe…

Mat 17:19-21 Then the taught ones came to Yahshua by Himself and said, “Why were we unable to cast him out?” And Yahshua said to them, “Because of your unbelief, for truly, I say to you, if you have belief as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move. And no matter shall be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except through prayer and fasting.”

Belief comes through relationship with Truth, (Word + Spirit) which results in selflessness.

Mar 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “I believe Master, help my unbelief!”

A truthful confession of our belief (and unbelief), results in answers.

1Tim 1:13 me, although I was formerly a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an insulter. But compassion was shown me because being ignorant I did it in unbelief.

Ignorance of The Truth results in unbelief. Scriptural belief is based only on The Truth.

Heb 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they were unable to enter in because of unbelief.

Those who begin but do not continue to act on HIS Word will not continue in belief.

The choice is yours. Will The Messiah find you believing when HE returns? Luke 18:8 “But when the Son of Adam comes, shall He find the belief on the earth?”

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#3 – The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees – Matthew 23

Mat 23:1-4 Then Yahshua spoke to the crowds and to His taught ones, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Mosheh. Therefore, whatever they say to you to guard, guard and do. But do not do according to their works, for they say, and do not do.”

The Master is explaining that as long as the scribes and Pharisees are instructing strictly from what is written in The Torah, guard and do it. But do not follow their example. Their hypocrisy (acting) reveals who they really are.

Mat 23:4 “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but with their finger they do not wish to move them.”

The Master categorizes what these burden consist of throughout the remainder of the chapter. Some today would try and convince folks that the “burden” referred to here is The Torah / Commandments of Yahweh. But John has a different understanding. Consider;

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy,”

Mat 23:5-8 “And they do all their works to be seen by men, and they make their t’fillen wide and lengthen the tzitzit of their garments, and they love the best place at feasts, and the best seats in the congregations, and the greetings in the market-places, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ for One is your Teacher, the Messiah, and you are all brothers.”

Those who are already wrapped up in the outward appearance (in the world), will easily transition into the (religious) mindset of the scribes and Pharisees. They are all about drawing attention to themselves, their appearance, perks, notoriety, position, etc…They especially loved being revered as the teaching authority on The Scriptures. But those who receive The Spirit in the New Covenant will shy away from these outward expressions, being more conscious of “the inner man”, the “hidden man” reflective of Messiah’s presence in and through them. (also see Eph 3:16, 6:6, 1Pet 3:4)

Mat 23:9-12 “And do not call anyone on earth your father, for One is your Father, He who is in the heavens. Neither be called leaders, for One is your Leader, the Messiah. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

The Master is not forbidding us to refer to our earthly parents as father or mother. Torah teaches that we are to “honor” our parents. The context of the verse dictates that He is forbidding HIS followers to specifically revere another as their highest spiritual “Rabbi, teacher, father, leader.” Ephesians 4:11-12 confirms ministry gifts given by The Master “for the perfecting of the set-apart ones…” However, Revelation 2:6, 2:15 condemns“the deeds” and “the doctrine” of the Nicolaites.” These are leaders / teachers that are continuing the error of Balaam in putting stumbling blocks before professing believers by upholding the liberty of eating things sacrificed to idols as well as committing (literal & spiritual) fornication. (See articles: “The Parable of The Bride & The Whore” and “Christian Holi-Days”)

Mat 23:11-12“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Contrary to the prideful, lofty, me first mindset of the scribes and the Pharisees, The Master establishes the proper expression of those who will gain entrance into HIS Kingdom; Humility:The attitude of “others first.”

Php 2:3 “…doing none at all through selfishness or self-conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

Mat 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the reign of the heavens before men, for you do not go in, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

The following 2 verses explains The Master’s meaning.

Luk 11:52 “Woe to you learned in the Torah, because you took away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

Joh 9:22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Yehudi for the Yehudi had already agreed that if anyone confessed that He was Messiah, he should be put out of the congregation.”

These same two indictments apply today. Those who are learned (in the Scriptures), but not learned in Messiah, are teaching what they do not understand and have taken away knowledge and understanding from their hearers. And those same teachers forbid their hearers to consider the truths of the True Messiah; That HE was not Greek and does not have a Greek name. HE did not come to start a new religious movement but came to complete what began with the First Covenant. HE did not put an end to The Commandments for HIS followers. HIS Favor (grace) is not a license for his supposed followers to live in sin…and so on.

Mat 23:14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you eat up widows’ houses, and for a show make long prayers. Because of this you shall receive greater judgment.”

An interesting article on Religious Televangelists some years back stated that their “target audience in America is comprised of older, female rural women.” The article went on to say that most of these older women are generous financial donors. I’m left wondering how many of these older women were also widows…

2Ti 3:6 For among them are those who creep into households and captivate silly women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts…

Mat 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you go about the land and the sea to win one convert, and when he is won, you make him a son of Gehenna twofold more than yourselves.”

The Master doesn’t seem too pleased with their missionary efforts. Why? How can HE be pleased with the efforts of people who are rejecting HIM for who HE truly is? They may have zeal but any effort based on misconceptions will not have HIS blessing nor can it convey a valid eternal message. Again, the problem today is no different. This is why The Master says they were making people “twofold more than themselves.”

Mat 23:16-22 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the Dwelling Place, it does not matter, but whoever swears by the gold of the Dwelling Place, is bound by oath. Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the Dwelling Place that sets the gold apart? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it does not matter, but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, is bound by oath. Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sets the gift apart? He, then, who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all that is upon it. And he who swears by the Dwelling Place, swears by it and by Him who is dwelling in it. And he who swears by the heaven, swears by the throne of Elohim and by Him who is sitting upon it.”

The blind guides had their emphasis upon the earthly, the temporal. The Master uses the contrast between the eternal; “Dwelling Place” and the temporal; “the gold” to illustrate their blindness. Consider;

Rom 8:5-6 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the matters of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.”

Little did they know, but their fleshly mindset caused such blindness that it kept them from seeing the very “Dwelling Place” of Yahweh standing right in front of them! The same is the case for those who encounter the Dwelling Place of Yah today as HE lives in and through those who have received HIS Spirit! (also see 1Cor 3:16, 2Cor 6:16)

Mat 23:23-24 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you tithe the mint and the anise and the cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah: the right-ruling and the compassion and the belief. These need to have been done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides – straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”

The scribes and Pharisees placed great emphasis on one aspect of Torah (tithing), while they neglected the other important aspects reflecting the true spirit of Torah (right-ruling, compassion and belief). Their rigidity reflects “dotting every I and crossing every T” even at the expense of the living. This type of lopsided rigidity results in volumes of man-made dogma containing commentary, commandments, rules, regulations, ordinances, traditions, etc…

Mat 23:25-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are filled with plunder and unrighteousness. Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside of them becomes clean too. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly indeed look well, but inside are filled with dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you too outwardly indeed appear righteous to men, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. For a detail look; See Article “Cleaned Up – But Not Filled”

Mat 23:29-33 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in the blood of the prophets.” Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who did murder the prophets – and you fill up the measure of your fathers! Serpents, brood of adders! How would you escape the judgment of Gehenna?”

The Master knows that these actors are of the same murderous spirit (the devil – John 8) that put the prophets to death in previous generations. HE also knows that they will be instrumental in putting HIM to death. Because they are blind to the truth they try to convince themselves (and one another) that they would NEVER do such evil deeds to the righteous by building tombs and decorating their monuments. I have witnessed for years the same outward show from the guilty and unrepentant, as they give money and get behind church building programs to try and convince themselves (and others) of their supposed piety… Yahshua is not fooled by their folly…we shouldn’t be either.

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The Parable of The Bride & The Whore – Matthew 13

Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable He put before them, saying, “The reign of the heavens has become like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away. And when the blade sprouted and bore fruit, then the darnel also appeared. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? From where then does it have the darnel?’ And he said to them, ‘A man, an enemy did this.’ And the servants said to him, ‘Do you wish then, that we go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I shall say to the reapers, “First gather the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary.”

Have you ever wondered why The Master chose to use the comparison of Wheat and Darnel in this parable? I have. Perhaps a look at the traits of both would be helpful;

Wheat

Wheat has been proven to help provide the body with energy, is effective in patients with metabolic disorders, helps prevent chronic inflammation, helps prevent gallstones, improves metabolism, helps reduce nausea, constipation, promotes woman’s health, helps prevent childhood asthma, is a good liver detoxifier, protects against heart disease, improves gut health, improves skin health, improves eye health, has anti-cancer properties, is a mood enhancer, and more!

Darnel

For many centuries, perhaps for as long as humans have cultivated cereal grains, wheat’s evil twin has insinuated itself into our crops. In a big enough dose, this grass, darnel, can kill a person, and farmers would have to take care to separate it out from their true harvest—unless they were planning to use darnel in achieving varying levels of intoxication. When its seeds are consumed, the affects are dizziness, imbalance, nausea, and impaired vision and speech. Its official name, L. temulentum, comes from a Latin word for “drunk.”

Looking at the comparison above, it appears that wheat is a metaphor representing fruitful lives receiving and growing in HIS Word. Darnel is a metaphor representing the counterfeit. These reject HIS Word, practice lawlessness in a spiritual drunken stupor, stumbling and becoming stumbling-blocks to others in their disobedience to HIS Word…

Now, let’s consider The Master’s explanation of the parable…

Mat 13:36-37 Then, having sent the crowds away, Yahshua went into the house. And His taught ones came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel of the field. And He answering, said to them, “He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Adam.

The sower is identified as “the Son of Adam”,who according to the flesh, is a physical descendent of Adam, but through The Spirit, HE is Yahshua, The Son of Yahweh. HE came, “born of a woman“ to reverse the rebellion that occurred in Gen 3 by sowing “the good seed” (The Word) that has the potential of producing good fruit, depending upon the condition of the soil or person who receives it. (As seen in The Parable of the Sower)

Mat 13:38 and the field is the world. And the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, but the darnel are the sons of the wicked one,

Adam was created from the dust of the earth. Through birth we inherit Adam’s physical traits, his proneness to idolatry, his rebellion to The Word and subsequently, death. When HIS Word, “the good seed”, is received, falling “on good soil”, we experience true repentance allowing HIS Spirit to cultivate HIS Truth. As we mature HIS Spirit produces increasing fruitfulness through our lives, proving us to be wheat / “sons of the reign.” (See Article “True Repentance = True Conversion“)

However, when HIS Word falls“by the wayside, on rocky places or among the thorns” (Mat 13:19-22), it produces what may appear to be wheat for a time, but as time goes by the counterfeit / darnel becomes more obvious, (to those who know the difference), revealing who they truly are; “sons of the wicked one.”

Mat 13:39-43 “…and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. And the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the messengers. As the darnel, then, is gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be at the end of this age. The Son of Adam shall send out His messengers, and they shall gather out of His reign all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing lawlessness, and shall throw them into the furnace of fire – there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the reign of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

There is a faithful Bride in covenant with Yahshua! And there is a faithless whore / idolater who is in covenant with the devil. The Faithful Bride is made up of those referred to in the parable as Wheat! The faithless whore / idolater is made up of those referred to as Darnel! They have an outward appearance of being part of the Bride of Messiah, but they are not.

Consider the following verses describing the judgment of the whore / idolater in light of the influence of darnel on those who partake of it! Darnel causes impaired vision and speech as well as the inability to walk straight. In Latin; “drunk.”

Jer 51:7 Babel was a golden cup in the hand of Yahweh, making drunk all the earth. The nations drank her wine, that is why the nations went mad! (mad; to rave foolishly)

Rev 14:8 And another messenger followed, saying, “Babel is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her whoring / idolatry.”

Rev 17:1-2 And one of the seven messengers who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying to me, “Come, I shall show you the judgment of the great whore / idolater sitting on many waters, with whom the sovereigns of the earth committed whoring, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her whoring / idolatry.”

Rev 17:15 And he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the whore / idolater sits, are peoples, and crowds, and nations, and tongues.

Rev 18:3 because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her whoring / idolatry, and the sovereigns of the earth have committed whoring / idolatry with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her riotous / luxurious living.”

Rev 18:23 “And the light of a lamp shall not shine in you any more at all. And the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you any more at all. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, for by your drug sorcery (poison) all the nations were led astray / deceived.

What entity is large enough to affect all peoples, crowds, nations, tongues? Who proclaims to be in the “New” covenant with her “husband”, though she is not faithful to the vows (HIS Word / Commands) ? You decide…

7 Largest Belief Systems (Based on a World Population of approx 7 Billion)

Christianity (Including Romanism & All of Protestantism) (31.2% or 2.18B)

Islam (24.1% or 1.68B)

None (Secularism) (16% or 1.12B)

Hinduism (15% or 1.05B)

Buddhism (6.9% or 483M)

Folk Religions (5.7% or 399M)

Sikhism (0.29% or 20M 300K)

Judaism (0.2% or 14M)

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Do You Hear HIM Calling?

Rev 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to their works.(works; deeds, acts, fruit) And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. And the death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Rev 22:14 “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.”

Footnotes: Long before the books were compiled to form “The New Testament,” Rev. 22:14 was quoted, as it is here given, by Tertullian (CE 208), and by Cyprian (CE 251) – see the well-known Antenicene Fathers.

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Family Matters: IN Adam? OR IN Yahshua?

Though we did not have a choice regarding the (biological / Adamic) family that we were first birthed into, we do have a choice as to whether we become a member of the Family of YAH. To join HIS Family you must first be born from above. One cannot become a part of the Family of Yah any other way. Evidence of being born of His Spirit is the strong desire to “Do The Will / Desire of Yahweh.”

A few of the largest hurdles that I have seen for one who has chosen to follow The Messiah Yahshua begins with what Luke records in his account of The Master’s Words;

Luke 8:19-21 And His (biological / Adamic) mother and brothers came to Him, and were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. And it was reported to Him, saying, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” And He answering, said to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who are hearing the Word of Elohim and doing it.”

These same statements are also recorded in Matthew12:46-50 and Mark 3:31-35. However, Luke gives further clarity of what is meant by doing the desire of Yahweh when he says “those who are hearing the Word of Elohim and doing it.” James, the half-brother of The Master echoes that sentiment later in his life after becoming a follower of Yahshua!

James 1:21-22 Therefore put away all filthiness and overflow of evil, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives. And become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Merely attending a Word teaching / preaching church only supplies evidence against you UNLESS you DO what you hear!

But John (one of the 12) says it best in 1John 2:15-17;

“Do not love the world nor that which is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but the one doing the desire of Elohim remains forever.”

Again, The Master makes it very clear that to follow HIM means forsaking all!

Matthew 19:29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

Mark 10:28-30 And Kepha (Peter) began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and we have followed You.” Yahshua said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for the sake of Me and the Good News, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come, everlasting life.”

John 12:25-26 “He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me. And where I am, there My servant also shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father shall value him.”

Hating one’s own life is not a commandment to inflict sadistic punishment upon one’s own flesh. It’s simply the mindset of self-denial. Just as The Master walked…

Every relationship must be measured by our relationship with The Master.

The Marriage relationship;

1Corinthians 7:29-31 “And this I say, brothers, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, and those who weep as though they did not weep, and those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, and those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the scene of this world is passing away.”

All Yoking relationships;

2Corinthians 6:14 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness?”

Relationships with the World;

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim.”

Adamic (biological) Family Relationships

I have witnessed these to be the most difficult. Most often our biological family members cannot understand nor embrace how true believers live. Even the Adamic family of Yahshua had a tough time with HIM doing the desire of HIS Father in heaven;

Mark 3:21 And when His relatives heard about this, they went out to seize Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” They called Him literally; insane, bewitched!? Can you relate?

John 7:3-5 So His (Adamic) brothers said to Him, ‘Get away from here and go into Yehudah so that Your taught ones also see the works that You are doing. For no one acts in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these works, show Yourself to the world.” For even His (Adamic) brothers did not believe in Him.

The prophet, Micah even spoke about how intense Adamic relationships can be;

Micah 7:5-6 “Trust no friend, rely on no companion, guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. For son is despising father, daughter rises up against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, the enemies of a man are the men of his own house.”

Words later echoed by The Master to those who were unable to discern HIS true mission;

Matthew 10:34-37 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword, for I have come to bring division, a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – and a man’s enemies are those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Luke 12:49-53 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have an immersion to be immersed with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I say to you, no, but rather division. For from now on five in one house shall be divided, three against two, and two against three – father shall be divided against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Luke 14:26-28 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate (or to have less love for) his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and his own life too, he is unable to be My taught one. And whoever does not bear his stake and come after Me is unable to be My taught one. “For who of you, wishing to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

The application of “hate” is pertaining to how much influence our earthly, biological, Adamic family should have on us as we follow The Master. The concept of bearing our “stake”, or reckoning ourselves dead (to the world and to Adamic pursuits) comes with the exhortation to “count the cost”, or consider the seriousness of what it will take to follow HIM, doing the desire of our Father in Heaven, even as Yahshua did and does…

So, what’s it going to be, dear believer? Are you born from above? Do you have the inner drive to do The Father’s desire in and through your life now? Are you willing to cease pursuit of that which is worldly and temporal? Will you limit the influences of your Adamic family and friends when they oppose the desire of your Father in heaven? Have you counted the cost of following The Master on HIS terms?

These are valid questions when pondering who’s desire is more important… Yours? Or HIS?

My prayer is that you are empowered and led by HIS Spirit to accomplish the desire of your Father in Heaven!

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#2 – The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees – Healing Not Allowed?

Mat 12:9-10 And having left there, He went into their congregation. And see, there was a man having a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it right to heal on the Sabbath?” – so as to accuse Him.

There is NO Commandment in Torah that forbids healing on Sabbath! Notice the real reason for them asking; “so as to accuse Him.” Those motivated by “the accuser” can pretend their religious piety for only so long.

Consider;

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in the heaven, “Now have come the deliverance and the power and the reign of our Elohim, and the authority of His Messiah, for the accuser of our brothers, who accused them before our Elohim day and night, has been thrown down.

The Pharisees and rulers, in their lawlessness could not determine right from wrong. They taught that healing on the Sabbath constituted work. The Scriptures do not support their hypocrisy.

Consider;

Luke 13:14 But the ruler of the congregation, responding, much displeased that Yahusha had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men should work, so come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

So, the Master confronted their hypocrisy by asking what they would do if something happened to one of their livestock on the Sabbath…

Mat 12:11-12 And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, shall not take hold of it and lift it out? “How much more worth is a man than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the Sabbath.”

Doing good on the Sabbath has always been Yahweh’s desire, allowing man to rest, enjoy, be refreshed and appreciate the Creator and HIS Sabbath! It was never meant to be burdensome, binding or a time to endure!

Mat 12:13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored, as healthy as the other.

If the Pharisees and rulers were right in not allowing healing on the Sabbath, then we should never anoint and pray for the sick on Sabbath? How absurd!


Mat 12:14 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him, so as to destroy Him.
Those who do the desires of the devil prove by their lives who their father is!

Consider;

John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Mat 12:15-21 But Yahshua knowing it, withdrew from there. And large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to make Him known, in order that what was spoken by Yeshayah the prophet, might be filled, saying, “See, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My being did delight. I shall put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall declare right-ruling to the nations. He shall not strive nor cry out, nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets. A crushed reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench, till He brings forth right-ruling forever.“And the nations shall trust in His Name.”

It’s worth noting that the Pharisees (and anyone diseased in their families) were not healed. Hatred of the Truth and a lack of humility have prohibited many from experiencing HIS goodness!

It’s also worth noting that Yahshua’s method of drawing “large crowds” was quite different than that of today’s methods. HE didn’t need the internet, social media, news media, television, radio, etc… My reason for using this platform is to inform, not draw crowds. Consider Yahshua’s “keys to evangelism”;>)

John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him. “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.”

John 6:44-45 “No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. And I shall raise him up in the last day. It has been written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by Yahweh. Everyone, then, who has heard from the Father, and learned, comes to Me.”

Joh 13:35 “By this shall all know that you are My taught ones, if you have love for one another.”

May you have a love for Truth (John 17:17) and hear HIS voice (John 10:27) and follow HIM!

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Blasphemy of The SPIRIT?

Mat 12:22-23 Then they brought to Him one who was demon-possessed, blind and dumb. And He healed him, so that the blind and dumb man both spoke and saw. And all the crowds were amazed and said, “Is this the Son of David?”

The crowds were catching a glimpse of Truth! They were beginning to get it! But then, the “birds of the air” swooped down upon them! (See article “Unbelief – The Reasons Behind it“)

Mat 12:24-27 But when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This one does not cast out demons except by Be’elzebul, the ruler of the demons.”And Yahshua knew their thoughts, and said to them, “Every reign divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. “And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then does his reign stand? And if I, by Be’elzebul do cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they shall be your judges.

Yahshua informs them that if Satan were to actually cast out the very demons that he is using to control people he would be contradicting his own efforts and thus be self defeating. We have a principle established by Yahshua; any kingdom, any city, any family and even any individual that is divided against itself cannot stand and will crumble. In other words; Countries, Communities, Churches, Marriages, Households and even Individuals who are at odds within themselves, are in confusion and will not stand. Look around you. Its happening even as I write this… Government is in complete chaos! Communities are rioting and burning! Churches closing! Heterosexual monogamous marriage is looked at as old fashioned! Family has been re-defined! Individuals, not able to cope, are taking medications at a record pace! Is there any question in your mind that Satan is using those living in their fleshly mindset to accomplish all of this? And yet, he is actually being used to destroy his own kingdom! How perfectly ironic…

Mat. 12:28-32 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. Or how is one able to enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he shall plunder his house. “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. “Because of this I say to you, all sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Adam it shall be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Set-apart Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

The Master then gives the very serious warning regarding the Pharisees and all those who ascribe the works of HIS Spirit to the devil… a very serious unforgivable offense! The Pharisees of our time are making the same accusations against those who observe the Seventh Day Sabbath, the Torah and the Feasts of Yahweh, saying that those who observe these scriptural precepts have fallen from HIS favor and have cut themselves off from Messiah! Some have even suggested that we who believe that the gifts of The Set-Apart Spirit are for today, are being inspired by the devil! Those in opposition to HIS Word are truly those being inspired by demons.

Consider;

1Ti 1:8-11 And we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately, knowing this: that Torah is not laid down for a righteous being, but for the lawless and unruly, for the wicked and for sinners, for the wrong-doers and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for those who whore, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else that is contrary to sound teaching, according to the esteemed Good News of the blessed Elohim which was entrusted to me.

The ruling Pharisees of today’s Christianity have practically abolished the instruction in the Torah, claiming that it is not relevant for believers today! And in so doing, they have loosed upon themselves the very sinful behavior that collapses countries, communities, churches, marriage, families and individuals…

2Ti 4:3-4 For there shall be a time when they shall not bear sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they shall heap up for themselves teachers tickling the ear, and they shall indeed turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths.

That time is upon us…

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Cleaned Up – But Not Filled!

Mat 12:43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

A simple breakdown of the words in these verses will reveal an interesting perspective.

“unclean spirit” (impure; ceremonially, morally, lewd, and even demonic, foul)

When this uncleanness is expiated, expelled from the person; Notice“he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.”

It is most often presumed that the “he” here is strictly in reference to the unclean spirit. That may or may not be so, but what I have experienced and what I have seen in others suggests that those who simply have a religious experience and clean up their act are not only selling themselves short of the blessings of being filled with the fullness of YAH, but are also leaving themselves vulnerable to a worse condition!

Mat 12:44 “Then it says, ‘I shall return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and decorated.”

“Then IT says…”

“I shall return” (to revert back, to turn about)

“to my house” (dwelling, household, family)

“And when it comes, it finds it empty” (on holiday, perceived to be at leisure, vacant, having no substance, given to self)

“swept” (cleaned up, swept clean)

“decorated” (put in a worldly order, trimmed outwardly)

Mat 12:45 “Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Over the years I have seen numerous people raise their hand in answer to an evangelistic invitation, go forward, be immersed, join the church, serve as musicians, singers, deacons, elders, and even pastors, only to watch those same people reach the end of their “dry, restless” religion and go back to what they had supposedly come out of! Some went back into a lawless religious form of worldliness. Some went back into the secular form of worldliness… I believe that is what verses 43-45 are describing. They were never filled with The Set-Apart Spirit and were found “empty, swept and decorated.” Their end is worse than their beginning…

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The Summer Feasts of Yahweh

This is article #2 in The Feast of Yahweh series. Article #1 covered The 7th Day Sabbath and those appointments known as Spring Feasts of “Passover, Unleavened Bread and First-Fruits.” If you haven’t read that, please do so prior to reading this article so that you are up to speed with terms and definitions that also apply to this article. May you be blessed as a “lover of Truth” as you enjoy!

This is a straight forward look at Leviticus 23. We are picking up the commentary on verses 15-21 as they reveal Yahweh’s 4th Feast known as the summer Feast of Pentecost / Weeks / Shavuot

Verses 15 – 21‘And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths. Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to Yahweh. Bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread, of two-tenths of an of fine flour they are, baked with leaven, first-fruits to Yahweh. And besides the bread, you shall bring seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, and one young bull and two rams. They are a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet fragrance to Yahweh. And you shall offer one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old, as a peace offering. And the priest shall wave them, besides the bread of the first-fruits, as a wave offering before Yahweh, besides the two lambs. They are set-apart to Yahweh for the priest. And on this same day you shall proclaim a set-apart gathering for yourselves, you do no servile work on it – a law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

The beginning day of counting is critical.

And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths. Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days”

This reference to “the morrow after the Sabbath” cannot be referring to the weekly Sabbath (in the middle of Unleavened Bread observance), which occurred three days after The Messiah’s impalement on the fourth day of that week because of verse 14;

“And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”

Otherwise there would contradiction of verse 6;

“And on the fifteenth day of this month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to Yahweh – seven days you eat unleavened bread.”

So, this must be referring to the Sabbath AFTER the observance of the seven days of Unleavened Bread for us to begin counting seven completed Sabbaths (7X7 = 49 + 1 = 50 days).

Do you see why? In Leviticus 23:6 we are commanded for “seven days you eat unleavened bread.” In verse 14, we are commanded NOT to eat bread! Yahweh would not contradict Himself in His commands, so we must conclude that the day to begin counting, that we would also refer to as “First-Fruits”, has to be the first First Day after the conclusion of Unleavened Bread!

This also lines up with two other very important events!

In Leviticus 8-9:1 we see the anointing AND ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. (Pay particular attention to the length of time, (esp “8th day”), the anointing of the altar, the ordination of them into the priesthood and even them being “waved” as referenced in “First-Fruits!”

This event serves as an earthly “type” of what Yahshua, our Great High Priest actually did in “the true tabernacle” in heaven! Consider;

At the tomb after His resurrection in Joh 20:17 “Yahshua said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My Elohim and your Elohim.’ ”

See also Joh 20:19-23 where Yahshua reveals Himself to His taught ones later that day…

Then eight days pass without Him being seen until Joh 20:26 And after eight days His taught ones were again inside, and T’oma with them. Yahshua came, the doors having been shut, and He stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

I believe that HE took His own blood and did in the “true tent” (Heb. 8:2) what Moshe did to Aaron and his sons for them to serve as types of The True!

Now back to Shavuot…

This Feast is known by several names; Pentecost, Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. Historically it was during this one day observance when Moshe received The Law / Torah of Yahweh and upon bringing them down from the mountain found the children of Yisrael worshiping and dancing before the golden calf. He subsequently threw the stone tablets containing the Commandments of Yahweh to the ground in disgust. The result; Commandments broken, 3000 people were slain for their rebellious idolatry. (Exodus 32)

For us in The New Covenant this Feast was the day when The Set-Apart Spirit was poured out upon the 120 taught ones in the upper room who were waiting obediently to The Master’s Command to “wait for the Promise of The Father” and having received the infilling of the Set-Apart Spirit, their testimony caused no small stir on the streets of Yerushalyim and as Peter spoke in answer to the crowd’s question as to what it meant for the 120 to be supernaturally speaking in numerous languages the wonders and blessings of Yahweh, subsequently 3000 people were added to HIS Kingdom!

Luk 24:49 “And see, I am sending the Promise of My Father upon you, but you are to remain in the city of Yerushalayim until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Joh 14:15-17 “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Helper, to stay with you forever the Spirit of the Truth, whom the world is unable to receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, for He stays with you and shall be in you.” (See article on “Comparing The Old and New Covenant”)

Joh 14:26 “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.”

Act 1:4 And meeting with them, He (Yahshua) commanded them not to leave Yerushalayim, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which you have heard from Me…”

Act 2:1-8 “And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Set-apart Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak. Now in Yerushalayim there were dwelling Yehudah dedicated men from every nation under the heaven. And when this sound came to be, the crowd came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
And how do we hear, each one in our own language in which we were born?”

Act 2:41 Then those, indeed, who gladly received his word, were immersed. And on that day about three thousand beings were added to them.”

This day and culminating events are also significant because of The New Covenant that was promised in the following prophetic passages;

Yermiyah (Jeremiah) 31:31-37, Hezekiel (Ezekiel) 36:24-28

Lev 23:22 ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am Yahweh your Elohim.’ ”

Again proving that Yahweh’s heart has always been that of “inclusion” and not “exclusion!” The poor and those who were not Yisra’el, but were of the nations and tender towards the things of Yahweh, HE will not exclude from His Kingdom any who are lovers of Truth and believe!

May you be a lover of Truth and may you be walking in belief! As Yahweh gives revelation, we plan to have the 3rd article on the Fall Feasts posted soon!