The Road to God Ministry

Reminder and Invitation

2013-12-07T21:39:00.002-05:00

Just a quick reminder that The Road to God Ministry website is no longer operating. Everything that was on that site is now on here at this blog.

Shalom!

Steve

Survey From Chosen People Ministries Regarding Modern Jewish Belief

2013-10-08T00:28:00.000-04:00

I found this survey with some Fascinating Results!

Shalom!

Just a few days ago, some amazing statistics were published regarding the significant changes in the lives of Jewish people in America.

This survey was conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project – and the results are stunning!

One of the most interesting points is that over 30% of the Jewish people surveyed affirmed that believing in Jesus is NOT incompatible with being Jewish!

As a Messianic Jew and leader of Chosen People Ministries, it is incredible to think that hundreds of thousands of Jewish people in the United States are now open to the concept that you can be Jewish and believe in Jesus. This is a dramatic change from the times when I first became a follower of Jesus in 1970.

Over the years, I and many others in our ministry have labored to challenge the long-held concept that Jewishness and belief in Jesus were incompatible – so I am greatly encouraged by these findings, and I believe that this is just one step closer for many Jewish people to explore and even accept the claims of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.

Further, the survey indicated that 1.7 million Jewish people identify themselves as Christians. This is absolutely staggering to me! However, the number of these individuals who might be considered 'Christians by conviction' remains to be seen.

At the same time, I am concerned about other aspects of the survey results, because it revealed that many Jewish people are no longer interested in practicing the Jewish religion, or even in being Jewish.

Two-thirds of Jews do not belong to a synagogue, and one-fourth does not even believe in God!

This trend seems to be intensifying among members of the younger generation. According to the survey, 32% of those born after 1980 say they have no religion. Rather, their “Jewish identification” expresses itself culturally and politically – especially in support of Israel.

Clearly, these trends might indicate a greater openness among the Jewish people to consider belief in Jesus as the Messiah, yet as a Messianic Jew I also believe in the importance of sustaining the uniqueness of the Jewish people as described in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Though I am glad to see Jewish people coming to faith, I am also troubled to see that the Jewish community is fragmenting and becoming more secular.

According to the Bible, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob established the Jewish people as a nation to glorify Him and to serve His holy purposes (Genesis 12:1-3, Deuteronomy 7:7-8). Even the great Apostle Paul viewed himself as a both a Jewish person and a follower of Jesus the Messiah, and maintained that those Jews who believed in Jesus remained part of the Jewish community (Romans 11:1-5).

Leading by his example, I believe Paul encouraged Jewish followers of Jesus to be a visible and vocal part of the broader Jewish community. Further, the Bible does not distinguish between having a relationship with God and maintaining community loyalties as a Jew. In fact, the Bible views being a "good Jew" as one who has faith in God and desires to be obedient to His expectations outlined in the Scriptures – both the Old and New Testaments.

As Messianic Jews, we understand that Jesus is the Messiah and that the God of Israel wants us to follow the Messiah of Israel – as Jews! This will obviously be interpreted and expressed differently by Jewish believers. Some will express their love for God and His Messiah in more traditionally observant Jewish ways, and others in a manner that is more culturally and community oriented.

The survey also highlighted the large dichotomy between the more Orthodox Jews who are remaining loyal to the Jewish religion, and the younger generation that is beginning to search for answers outside of Orthodoxy. This is one more reason why the new Charles Feinberg Messianic Jewish Center in the heart of Orthodox Jewish Brooklyn is needed, as our outreach will appeal to both groups.

Furthermore, about 10% of the Jewish people in American – more than half a million – are Russian Jews. The largest concentration of Russian Jews, numbering over 300,000, happens to be within a few miles of our new Brooklyn Center.

In sum, the survey is indeed fascinating and will have a profound influence on the Jewish community in the days ahead. I will continue reflecting on its implications, especially the impact it will leave on the movement of Jewish people believing in Jesus. Perhaps the remnant Paul describes in Romans 11:5 is larger than we thought!

You can click here to read the full survey.

Quick Easter Prayer

2013-03-30T01:49:00.002-04:00

As we approach the Feast of First Fruits (Easter) I really wanted to add a prayer.

Precious Lord, I thank you for enduring the pain of sacrifice you made for us 2,000 + years ago. The exciting time of First Fruits is my chance to say thank you for your mighty deeds. I love you Lord.

Lighten Up, It's Pesach

2013-03-28T13:03:00.000-04:00

Ancient Pesach Seder

Hello everyone and shalom:

Tonight my family and I are going to a Pesach (Passover) Seder. In itself that's no big thing, after all I am Jewish! Biblically, my daughter is Jewish also, regardless of the Talmudic (oral traditions) and Rabbinical Judaism's definition of a Jew. We have only one Holy Book my friends and that is the Bible, the Word of God. The TANAKH (Old Testament) and Brit Chadashah (the New Covenant or Testament) is the one and only true Word of God . If you would like me to prove ask me later. But I digress...

Whats unique about the Seder tonight is that we are going to join a Messianic Jewish congregation. In fact, it is my old congregation before leaving for a variety of issues, both personal and doctrinal. I have history with this Messianic Jewish Congregation. Yet, the Rabbi and I have said our peace and our apologies, more then that, we are at shalom. So why is my family we going? The answer is my daughter. My immediate nuclear family is almost an orthodox-secular Jewish family, and though I mean no disrespect, they have a very limited understanding of modern or Biblical Jewish doctrines. Furthermore, over the year, I attempted to have Pesach Seders at my Independent Baptist church, but after the first year, which was a great success, the church lost their interest and I let it go. Today, I am unfortunately suffering gastroparesis and their is no way I have the strength to prepare a Seder at home. Yet, as Deuteronomy 6 states:

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; 15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. 16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

Deut 6:4-16 (KJV)

One of the greatest mitvahs (commandments) we can follow as the Children of the Most High is to teach the next generations of youth the Truth of what our God did for us all; both during the Exodus and even more importantly what the True Pesach Lamb, Yeshua (Jesus) did by being sacrificed on a Cross. The true purpose of Pesach Seders is to teach our children, plain and simple. Yet,
I must admit that Matzoh Ball Soup is one of my favorites things to eat.

Thus going to the Seder tonight I will be able to pass on much of what I know to my daughter, a feat which has become more and more difficult as I deal with my digestive issues. Regardless of doctrinal differences my daughter will be immersed in a Jewish rite as old as Moshe (Moses) himself.

I look forward to it. Please pray for the rumbly-in-my-tummy.

Thank you for the continued prayers!

Day After Update:

The Seder was great! My daughter keeps asking me if we can do this every year. I love it!!!!

Sitting next to me was a man named Mike. Mike was a Muslim brought up in a religious Muslim family. Yet, he is now Saved, washed in the Blood of the Lamb! The only words that came to mind was, "HOW EXCITING!" Perhaps he will consent to write up his testimony.

The rest of the time I conversed with a nice United Methodist Pastor and a man named Chris. I kept myself from mentioning anything that might be misconstrued. I only gave Mike my information. The purpose of going to the Seder was so my daughter can be immersed once more in her Jewish Christian culture, and it was a success. My purpose was not to preach Olive Tree Theology or become a proselytizer. By the way, whether or not he knows it Mike follows Olive Tree Theology.

My wife commented on the way home how my face lit up and how I was not ill during any of the debates. She was very happy to see that.

The Rabbis and I had cordial greetings, it was good seeing him. I was careful throughout the night to keep from discussing Olive Tree Theology. I failed.

Oh, I did have to leave early late in the Seder, after all I still have that Rumbly-in-my-Tumbly going on.

Eternal Father, I thank you for the miracle you gave my family last night. Thank you for that peace of mind that was granted when I spoke of your true Word. Thank you for my daughter's wishes to be more Jewish. I thank you for a wife that puts up with a fool like me. I thank you for allowing me to serve You. Adonai, I even thank you for the gastroparesis. I don't enjoy it in any fashion, but I do have faith that something wonderful will come of it. After all, for each and every terrible event in my life I can point to the good that You granted me. I thank you for introducing me to Mike, it was exciting! Most of all I thank you for the Blessed Assurance I have that regardless of what happens in my life, I WILL SEE YOU IN THE END!

In the name of Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Christ).

Amen

Agree to Disagree

2013-02-20T15:32:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has read one of my posts or pages should know how I feel about the modern doctrines within the modern Messianic Jewish movement. The entire ideology of Olive Tree Theology speaks against the current Messianic worship system. It is not just the Messianic movement that has me concerned, I also take issue to Roman Catholicism and their un-Biblical forms of worship. I am an Arminian, so I am often at odds with Calvinist Christians like the Presbyterian church.

Let me state here that through I am disgusted with what I see as serious errors in today's Christian theology, I would never question the salvation of any Christian no matter what denomination they are. It is the sin I hate, not the sinner.

Thus when it comes to differing doctrinal issues I really don't get that worried. The perfect example of this is the varying views on Creation. Some believe in a 6-day Creation, some adhere to Gap Theory Creation, where the world was created twice, once for the angels and once for humans. Some aren't sure what they believe. It is my feeling that this is not an issue where one's salvation is at stake. Yes I am a Bible Literalist, so my views tend toward the 6-day Creation whereas my wife is a bit of a Gap Theorist. My point is that it does not matter what you believe as long as you are SAVED by the blood of Yeshua ha Mashiach.

I will leave it at that.

The Idols of Our Lives

2013-02-17T13:08:00.001-05:00

I had to miss morning services at church today, I was simply too sick. I find it a bit amazing how I manage to make it through without Yehsua (Jesus) day-to-day. The truth is that pharmaceutical treatment have been the focus of my life since I was properly diagnosed in 2011. Just so you know, I plan to go to church tonight, regardless of how I feel (unless I am actively vomiting). I find it makes a huge difference in my wellbeing.

What I have just recently discovered within my self is that all of my various medications have become a spiritual idol. Over the past year I have relied solely on my medications in hopes of finding relief from nausea. Nausea relief had become the whole of my life. For more days then I can remember I have LIVED in my recliner, rocking, reading and retching.

I know that there is nothing to be done about my prescription-usage. I know I have five choices in front of me. They are: continue as I have been for the last 20 months; get a feeding tube inserted; find a gasteroenterologist who will implant the nuerotransmitter to make my stomach work correctly; switch to a all-liquid diet (my wife wants me to do this), always liquid, never to eat solid food; or, return to Adonai (the Lord) with my whole, body and soul. My hope to both return to God, which I have already done. My hope is also for the nuerotransmitter placed on the outside of the stomach.

The truth is anytime we place anything earthly, including our own bodies, between ourselves and God we are placing an idol between us and the Holy Spirit. The more we become entrapped by our own lives, the farther away will be God; at least it will feel like that. Believe me, even as a active minister, I found my self moving farther and farther away from God. The one activity that I had was my archery. Shooting at my archery club, Royal Oak Archers, I have had the ability to lose my symptoms for a short-while while actively shooting.

My goal for 2013 is too not lose myself in my ailments. My goal is to keep Yeshua always first in my life. If these kind of issues have ever happened to you the please leave a comment and tell me about it.

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I am a Jew, part 2

2013-02-16T11:16:00.003-05:00

Who am I?

I am a Jew. I was born and raised Jewish, secular or non-practicing, but still Jewish. I lived and grew up as a “good Jewish boy.” Most of my friends and neighbors on the block were Jewish and my family lived in a community (Lathrup Village, Michigan) in which many other Jewish families lived. My Bubbie (Yiddish for grandma) and aunts who had escaped the Holocaust in Poland and Russia at the beginnings of World War II spoke often in Yiddish. I was taken out of Hebrew school early so I never had a Bar Mitzvah, but I would have had one otherwise. I guess in retrospect that the only events in my life that were not Jewish were that some of the girls I had a romantic interest in my youth were non-Jewish, I ended up married to a Gentile, and that my wedding ceremony was secular, being performed by a Circuit Court Judge of Appeals. Yet today, I feel more Jewish than ever before. I feel and connect with other Jews around the world in a form of solidarity. Though I have never been there, Israel is my homeland and I empathize with the plight of many of my brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. Now after all of these statements about of me being Jewish, can there be any doubt of who and what I am? To be honest, unless you know me, I would have a hard time believing it. Yet there is one statement that may make you change your mind. A statement that will make you forget everything I have previously said about myself. Ready? I believe in my body, mind, heart, and to the core of my soul that the man known as Yeshua Ben Yosef or Jesus son of Joseph was and is the Jewish Messiah.

So what does this mean? Am I no longer Jewish and a full-fledged Christian? Am I now a Gentile? Am I part of some sort of hybrid between the two? Am I part of some strange and twisted cult? Or is what I follow and believe part of Scripture? I guess the answer will really depend upon who is reading this. If you are a Jew, and I am speaking of Rabbinical Jews, I am sure it means that I have converted to a new religion forsaking the old, becoming an apostate. They may think I am a hypocrite, a fool, or even a traitor. If you are a secular Jew and you don’t believe in the spiritual and religious side of Judaism then it may mean that I am attempting to make a happy medium between my wife’s religion and my own? If you are a member of my family you might even consider this a form of betrayal against the memory of my elders. Yet for me it changes nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am still Jewish. The only thing that has changed is the definitions of what Jews and Christians were 2000 years ago and what they are today.

It is amazing how we define words. What was once the common definition for a word can easily change over time. Now, I hardly claim knowledge in regards to this field of study. To be honest, I am not even sure what the subject is called (possibly linguistics), and I can only guess as to how it may work; yet I know that time changes language. It was this scenario that occurred with Jews and Gentiles of the past two millennial David Chernoff, one of my favorite Messianic Jewish authors, wrote of this subject in his book Yeshua the Messiah by saying, “What began historically and biblical as a Jewish faith has been transformed in the years after His life into what is perceived today as a “non-Jewish” faith, with Yeshua Himself being perceived as being “non-Jewish.” (Chernoff 14) Note Chernoff’s use of the word perceived, for this is the exact point I am attempting to make, for perception is the key of defining who we are and the way people see us. The same theorem also applies to the terms Christian and Jew. In the years after Jesus’ death nobody questioned that the believers of Him were Jewish. After all, the early church was a Jewish church, that is historical fact. Actually, according to the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Romans and Galatians, many followers of Yeshua felt that you actually had to convert to Judaism to become a true believer. Yet today the opposite is true. To believe in Jesus today is defined as non-Jewish and that is what Christianity has come to be known as, the Gentile (non-Jewish) faith in Jesus. Today, Replacement Theories are abounding in the Gentile Christian world. This false theory states that the Jews had their chance at the Messiah and they blew it, therefore Yeshua is no longer the Jews Messiah, but the Gentiles who are the new Israel. Sounds pretty spoiled doesn’t it? It sometimes gets even worse when many Gentile scholars continue to change many historical facts including those of an ancient Jewish sects like the Essene’s who created the Dead Sea Scrolls. This religious group is now being portrayed as budding Christians instead of Ultra-Orthodox Jews who isolated themselves from other Jews. The Essene’s sole purpose of their xenophobic behavior was to protect themselves from Israel’s emerging Hellenistic lifestyles as well as protecting their own purity which they felt would be damaged by the receiving of any self gratification or pleasure which they deemed as sinful.

Partly due to these false theories, being a Jewish believer has become an enigma to both Rabbinical Jews and Gentile Christians. For some reason it is wrong to be a Jewish Christian today. Chernoff says it perfectly when he states, “This is particularly ironic in the light of the fact that Yeshua was Jewish, as were His disciples, all the writers of the New Covenant (Testament), the apostles and all of Yeshua’s initial followers!!!” (Chernoff 5) Karen Armstrong, the highly acclaimed theologian and author of the book, A History of God: The 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, also spoke of this evolving aspect of the Christian religion when she wrote,

His [Yeshua] disciples believed that he would return to inaugurate the Messianic kingdom of God, and, since there was nothing heretical about such a belief, their sect was accepted as authentically Jewish by no less than Rabbi Gamaliel, the grandson of Hillel and one of the greatest of the tannamin [Rabbi creators of the Mishnah]. His followers worshiped in the Temple every day as fully observant Jews. Ultimately, however, the New Israel, inspired by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, would become a Gentile faith, which would evolve its own distinctive conception of God (p. 79-80).

It is also important to note that the term “Christian” was originally used to describe a certain sect of Jewish followers of Yeshua, not Gentile. It was only after the Temple destruction in 70 A.D., and the Jewish revolt in Israel 125 A.D., which began the Diaspora (Dispersion, Exile), that the definition of the word changed. In that time period the term would have fit quite easily into a list of sects at that time: Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Christians, Hasidim, etc.

I find it extremely ironic that when many people think of Yeshua today, they picture Him as a young Caucasian tanned and clean, with His brown hair and beard kept nice and neat. Yeshua is often depicted wearing long and elegant looking white or scarlet robes and wearing an outer garment of the same color. Does anybody truly think that this is what the historical Yeshua would have appeared like? By all accounts Yeshua and all of His 12 disciples were fanatical Orthodox Jews. Being Orthodox Jews and by the fact that Yeshua followed Torah or the Law to the letter, it is logical that they would have all been attired as Orthodox Jews. They each would have worn tallits (prayer shawls) and the other accouterments worn by the Orthodox (i.e. phylacteries). As they were travelers of long distances they would have most often been dust covered with their legs and feet covered in grime and muck. Being born in Israel, Yeshua would not have been a Caucasian at all, but would have had the features and coloring of most individuals in that region. His Semite coloring would have included dark hair, most likely black or very dark brown. His skin would have been naturally dark instead of a tanned white. As I said in part one of this blog that people see what they want to see, not necessarily by what is true, even if the evidence proves it. The evidence for Yeshua’s appearance has existed for hundreds of years, yet people still wish to see him resemble themselves as close as possible. A great example of this is some of the depiction’s I have seen of Yeshua as an African-American or even as a Latino. Let us set the matter straight, Yeshua was a born and bred Israeli and He would have appeared so.

So now that we have an understanding of who Yeshua was and they way the term Christian was meant to be defined we need to know how I define myself. I am and like to be known as a Jewish Christian or a Hebrew Christian. I consider the term Christian to have three meanings. The first connotation is the technical sense of the word; to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ. In that aspect of the word that is exactly what I am. In the second definition, to be a Christian means to be a Gentile believer in Christ. In the third meaning it is defined as a non-Jew. So which holds true for me? Definitely definition one, but never two or three!

So where does this lead us? To the term so many Jewish believers love, being a Completed Jew. After all, we feel that we are the completion of centuries of messianic prophecy. We feel we are the “Remnant of the Children of Israel” spoken by Paul in Romans 11:1-5. We are those have remained faithful to the Lord. We live in the Time of the Gentiles, the Temple no longer stands, the temple grounds are trampled upon everyday by our enemies, and we have become Isaiah and Ezekiel’s get and the prophets’ fulfillment of their predicted future events. Now, as previously mentioned; perception is the key to defining the term. Therefore, I perceive myself to be a Hebrew or a Completed Jew, while other may simply see me as just a Jew, others may consider me a false Jew. Yet notice, I am still a Jew.

So can the issue of my Jewishness be disputed any further? Of course, there are always varying opinions, yet ask yourself a set of questions. Where the Jewish followers of the false- messiah Bar-Kochba (son of a star), false Messiah who led the revolt that resulted the destruction of Jerusalem in 125 A.D., he has never been considered being non-Jewish, even by other Jews who acknowledged him as a false Messiah. How about those Babylonian Jews who believed the Persian king, Cyrus, to be the Messiah? Where the Jews who broke off and formed the sect known as the Essene’s, who created the Dead Sea Scrolls ever considered non-Jews? If they were not, then neither should we believers of Messiah Jesus. After all some Jews are Zionists while others are not. Some Jews are Humanistic and do not even believe in the Messiah as an individual, only as a concept and a philosophical argument, yet they are still Jewish. If they are, then so are we. So add a new term to the list: Jew, Orthodox Jew, Chasidic Jew, Conservative Jew, Reform Jew, Humanistic Jew, Messianic Jew, Hebrew Jew, etc.

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I Am a Jew, part 1

2013-02-15T11:17:00.001-05:00

I Am a Jew, part 1

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

Isaiah 10:20-22 (KJV)

YUYUY

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Romans 11:1-5 (KJV)

UYUYU

Defining the Term Jewish:

How do you define someone as Jewish? What parameters does one have to fulfill to be an authentic Jew? Is a person who is descended from Abraham truly Jewish? Does someone who has his or her lineage from one of the 12 Tribes of Israel Jewish? Maybe it is only somebody who keeps, kashrut or kosher? Is a Jew only someone who lives by the orthodox oral traditions of Mishnah, Midrash and Talmud? Perhaps a Jew can only be someone who fanatically studies Torah? Is a person Jewish if they do not believe in Rabbinical Judaism? Or is someone only Jewish if they live in Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel? Maybe a Jew is someone who refuses to accept Yeshua as Messiah or Mohammed as a prophet?

Well… Do you have an answer? Allow me to make the question a little more difficult…

If an acknowledged Jew (Rabbinical approved) decided to follow the practices and meditations of Buddha or Tao, would they still be Jewish? How about if they believe in ghosts and spirits? What are the criteria to distinguish who is and who is not Jewish? Can you tell me? It is not so easy an answer, is it?

The fact is that there are so many possible ways to say that someone is a Jew or is Jewish. Yet, always one statement must stand true: JEWISH DOES NOT EQUATE TO JUDAISM (Orthodox, Chasidic, Humanistic, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionists, etc.). Just as an Irishman could never stop being what his lineage is so to a Jewish person cannot be “de-Jew’d.”

Part of the problem is that so many throughout the world define Jewish or Jew in a variety of ways. Think about it, to be Jewish can be defined as: a bloodline or lineage, a nationality, a culture, a tradition, obviously a religion, and it can also mean to be a non-Christian or a non-Muslim. So before we go any further I think it essential that we define what is a Jew.

Unfortunately, many Jews and Gentiles today believe the following is an applicable definition for Jewish and Judaism,

Judaism may be defined as the religious expression of the Jewish people based upon the Torah (Pentateuch) believed given them by God and on the teachings of this Torah elaborated by trained sages (the Talmud) for the sake of sanctifying human behavior and guiding nearness to God” (Fishbane, 18).

Personally, I feel that definition is much too narrow, not to mention incorrect. Why should the defining aspect of Judaism be based upon the Talmud, which are the admitted oral interpretations of ancient rabbi’s and not divine scripture? It has been fully documented in several sources that the Talmud and its forerunner, the Mishnah, were both heavily influenced by Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian exile. It was this predominance; along with both Persian and Hellenistic influences that helped to change the way Judaism was to be interpreted by the trained sages who created the first books of the Talmud. Therefore, instead of keeping Judaism a religion based upon the Torah we now had a new movement, based on oral Torah interpretations, instructing Jews on how they should live their daily lives. It was this exact form of legalism that Yeshua was denouncing in his sermons. Yeshua stated time and again that legalism is not what God wants; he wants faith and love in Him, not rituals and liturgy.

I believe the same theory holds true in regards to many Jewish traditions including Secularism. Being a secular Jew often holds the greatest danger of misinterpreting the truths of Jewish traditions. I always joke and say that as a kid my family would hold a Pesach (Passover) seder by throwing on a VHS of “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston as Moses. Whatever Jewish denomination we may refer to the simple truth is that these traditions have in many ways become more important then all other aspects of the religion. This means that as observant Jews we must perform traditional acts of faith in certain specific ways because that is what has been passed down from father to son to grandson to great-grandson to great great grandson. The purpose behind performing these traditions is many times not even for the purpose of reaching towards God’s nearness, but instead to keep Judaism as a cohesive religion and to keep the newest generations from assimilating into other religions and cultures. For example, where in the Torah or the Talmud does it state that Jewish men must wear a yarmulke (skullcap)? The answer is nowhere; yet can you find a Rabbinical Jewish service without a man wearing one? Of course not, and that is because the tradition of men wearing the yarmulke have superseded the laws we were originally given by Moses. Now please keep in mind that by stating this I am not denouncing any Jewish tradition; I am only stating my belief that the traditions of Judaism has become the focal point of the religion. I always sat hate the sin and love the sinner.

So what is my opinion on who is Jewish? I believe a Jew to be someone who is a descendant of one of the 12 Tribes of Israel and who lives by edicts of Biblical Judaism. You do not have to follow the Talmud’s legalistic laws or every Jewish tradition to be Jewish; rather you must follow the Torah exclusively. For example, as stated earlier, I am against wearing a yarmulke during prayer or services, for nowhere in the Tanakh, or even in the Talmud does it say to do so. On the other hand, I am for wearing the tallit (prayer shawl) during prayer and religious services. Yet, keep in mind that when I say that Jews must follow the Torah, I do not mean that they must follow the Law to the letter. Instead, I believe that to be a Jew you must live with the Torah in your heart, with the Shema always in the forefront your mind, Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. That ladies and gentlemen, is my definition of a Jew. It does not matter what else they do, think, or believe, they are Jewish and nobody can take that away from them; not a country, not a family, and most definitely not any member of another system of belief.

Ends Part 1

Back to Adonai (the Lord)

2013-02-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

I have a new outlook on life. Just recently I have been feeling a strong connection continuing to grow to Adonai (the Lord). It has been a long time since I felt this way and I must say I am enjoying it immensely. Physically, I remain a mess, a disaster really, but Yeshua (Jesus) is holding my head for me as I continue to live day-in and day-out. I don't have to hold to the feeling that I am all alone with my medical condition, for I know Mashiach (Messiah, Christ) is present even at the worst of my ailment. I know he will never give me more then I can handle. I trust in Him.

That's all, I just wanted to comment on how good it feels to be present with Adonai.

Holy Father. I thank you for staying with me and leading me out of the pit I live in day to day. May I be like Jeremiah whereas I may emerge from a pit to speak the Word of God to all the people I may meet. Lord, I pray that I am never ashamed to speak Your truths through the Bible. I pray that I may become a vessel for the Holy Spirit. I pray in the name of our Risen Lord and King Yeshua ha Mashiach.

The Messed Up Holiday Known as Valentine's Day

2013-02-14T12:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentines Day everyone...yeah, right?!? (heavy sarcasm here) Now please do not mistake me as anti-romance, I love wooing and being wooed. I will must admit that I refuse, simply refuse to do anything on the Fall marketing holiday known as Sweetest Day. On Valentines Day, it is something different, something worth noticing. First, long before I even read the New Covenant, Valentines Day was the wedding anniversary of my Bubbie and Zaddie (Yiddish for grandma and grandpa). When I was young and in elementary school Valentines Day was a day when all the students had a brown lunch bag with everybody's name on the outside. The entire class would then dispense one generic card to each lunch bag. Silly I know, but it defiantly beat being picked last in gym!

As for my daughter-Valentine, we went for the fifth year to the local Daddy-Daughter Dance. SF will always be my Valentine. I always cry, actually we both cried as we danced to "Butterfly Kisses . I know, aaahhhhhhhhh. For my beautiful wife I assembled an assortment of cool things, and of course chocolate; if she doesn't eat I will!

Even though we are passing gifts this year, we are not a couple that usually does this, exchanging gifts. For me Valentines Day is an extremely "messed up with the facts" day. Today is one of those failed experiments created when the early Church merged a pagan holiday to a Christian theme. Read this blog by the NPR for a great short history of Valentines Day. Dark Origins of Valentines Day. You see?

Still, if we recognize today, then we must go to 1 Corinthians for a true look at love & charity. Never forget that charity is love.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1 Cor 13:1-10 (KJV)

Who Am I?

2013-02-12T17:07:00.001-05:00

Eliyahu (Elijah)

At times I wonder if I am a denominationaly-insane Christian. In July of 1968, when I was a newborn Jew, a Jew with all the proper "Jewish credentials", no one ever denied my Jewishness A little known fact is that I truly considered going to a yeshiva (Reform Jewish seminary) in Cincinnati, Ohio until my senior year in high school. That is where I first read the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), and that is where my 20 years of religious study began.

After I publicly declared my faith in Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ), I became an intense Messianic Jew (denomination). There I was a Jewish believer in Yeshua and I was in a congregation that had other Jewish believers and I was overjoyed. Even though my new wife refused to attend worship services due to the lack of her understanding of Hebrew in the worship liturgy I continued to attend the congregation each shabbat. I became friends with the Messianic Rabbi and I was even granted a special ministerial post to reach the addicted. It was during this time that I began preaching. But as I continued to study and read Scripture I found what I think of as (I hate to say this word) hypocrisy in the movement.

MJAA Worship

Each Sabbath the congregation would gather and go through a "Rabbinical Jewish-like" liturgy. High Holiday worship services praised often and lovingly of Yeshua, but I always believed that the liturgy was "off" in some manner Biblicaly. You see, like many present day Jewish Christians I do not adhere to any of the many volumes of the Jewish Midrash, Mishnah or Talmud. These works, all of them, are not the Word of God; rather they are simply the interpretations of Torah written down by the Rabbis. The Oral Traditions as these works are called where first created during the Babylonian Exile in 586 BCE. It was a manner to hold together the Jewish nation when they were in Exile. It was the only way they could think of as they had no way to sacrifice to the Father. These works of the ancient Rabbi's should be prized; culturally and historically. Thus came about my first issue with the the entire worship service. If we, as Jewish Christians, disbelieve in the Oral Traditions then why are they such a huge part of Messianic worship today? The answer will often be that they still practice Rabbinical rites and customs in the hope that they will remain Jewish to those non-believing Jews. To show the non-believing Jewish community that they can accept Messiah Yeshua and remain Jewish. That is hypocrisy.

The second odd practice was with the Messianic Jewish movement as a whole. Though it is contrary to everything within Scripture the Messianic Jewish denominations of today worships in divisions with their Gentile counterparts. It has been inferred that there needs to be a division between believing Jews and Gentiles. The rationale says that as Jews we should have our own Messianic Synagogue and the Gentiles may have whatever denominational church they so wish. I am a firm believer in Olive Tree Theology, the belief that Jews and Gentiles can and should be worshiping together without fear of assimilation or cultural assassination. I declare openly that I became a far better Jew after coming to Yeshua. In fact, I am the most Jewish member of my immediate family.

After I decided to leave the Messianic Congregation, I worshiped at an United Methodist and a Pentecostal church. Neither church felt right, so we (now as a family) began to tour church's in our area. Long story shortened we ended up in Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church. My wife and I love it spiritually, but the true gift was that this church was eager to learn the Jewish roots of Christianity. The pastor and I became good friends. I know that there are some church members who thinks I am a IFB and that I am just hanging on to my Jewishness and that I am at risk of becoming a Judaizer. This line of thinking has never bothered me.

That leads up to when I got sick. Keep in mind that I have always been a bit sickly. But it was 19 months ago the the gastroparesis started, that's when my life changed, vomiting two or three time a day does that to a person. It has only been over the past week that I have begun to feel spiritually healed. Physically I am a mess. The issue here is that during these past 19 months I have turned off everything in my life. Except for archery shoot here and there, there was nothing to aid my health, but I will continue. La Chaim! (to Life!)

Now this absence for 19 months have left a noticeable change in my family. It centers around a question of identity. What is my family? Are we a Messianic Jewish family? No way ho-zay! I believe my wife considers herself an IFB, same with my daughter. But I am not sure what I am. I know that I am part Jewish, part IFB. So what could I call myself but a Jewish Christian. I also like Hebrew Christian. But make no mistake, of all the Gentile and Jewish churches available my belief structure is definitely IFB. Call me an IFB-Jew. lol

Victory is Mine!

2013-02-10T17:24:00.001-05:00

Today was a momentous day for me! I made it to Sunday worship at church! I know that doesn't sound too exciting. Anyone, and I do mean anyone who suffers from gastroparesis (GP) will often believe that leaving the house is quite "dangerous", as we GPers will often randomly vomit. This factor has been the central reason I have been absent from church. Still, it was great to be there! Victory!!

I must admit that there where other reasons I was not attending church. One reason is the aforementioned random puking. Another reason was due to a "barrier" or "wall" that I placed between the Holy Spirit and myself I have known all along that this rift between God and I was of my own making. I always knew it was not Adonai's fault for my condition, the fault arises through sin. "It rains on the rich as well as the poor." My only excuse is that I have been a washed in a sea of digestive illness for over 18 months. What I label as my daily stomach flu. All I could think about is the next five minutes, just get through the next five. Yet, through my GP symptoms I have learned a huge lesson on humility and the destruction of pride. Believe me, you can be in no humbler of a state when your sleeping on the bathroom floor at four o' clock in the morning. Victory!

Finally, I was also absent from the church because of certain individuals I was having trouble with (not the pastor). One of the good things about my condition (which are hard to find) was the lesson that feelings, factual or imaginary, are meaningless in our love, fear and worship of the Lord. We cannot allow ourselves to become in fear of anyone at any church. So I stopped it. Victory!

With that in mind please note that I take it as a special event when I can get out the house. Thus making it to church today was so uplifting for me. Make no mistake, I did run to the bathroom to vomit once. But regardless, I WAS THERE!

I want to especially thank KM for her help with the Ministry's blog. Your kindness really did help in breaking down that barrier between the Spirit and I. Thank you for bringing back Victory to the Ministry.

Be sure to checkout our FACEBOOK page @:

The Road to God Ministry Facebook page

A Braveheart Morning

2013-02-08T12:32:00.001-05:00

As I sit here, having another "green" morning (my self-wit for nausea) I have found myself watching the movie "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson. Now I am not particularly fond of Mel Gibson as I know him to be anti-Semitic. OK let's not bandy words here, I seriously dislike him. His one redeeming feature, his one act of repentance was the movie Mel created called "Passion of the Christ." But I digress...

Something came to mind as I was sitting and watching this movie. The first is that we as human beings often seem to remember the good times just as we often unconsciously forget the rough times in our lives. Of course we can remember the big life events, whether they be positive or negative. It is the small, the day-to-day negative events that we forget. It's human nature to do this, after all we are all sinners (see Romans 3:10-11). I have come to the realization that every time we forget the bad and only recollect the good then we are in truth stepping away the "perfect" life that Mashiach (Messiah) lived. Are we not to be Christ-like in all that we do?

Now I know that some naysayers would argue that I am being to "Steve", to philosophical about this subject. Let me defend myself by stating that I do not refer to lost battles or even the loss of a loved one. I am not referring to those poor soldiers who come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This need to remember the bad times must include those little things in our lives. For example, this movie I keep referring to, "Braveheart", I am not thinking of the main movie characters and their loss. Rather, I cannot help thinking about those family members who have lost their loved ones. How will they survive without their husbands and sons? How will they go on?

It's the bad times that makes the good times so special.

For example, this weekend I am taking my daughter to a Daddy-Daughter Dance, our fifth year. For me it is the past 19 months of digestive-illness that will make this weekend so wonderful. And I cannot even dance!

Precious Father, I know I have been absent over the past year and a half, dwelling in my infirmities. Yet I KNOW that you have been with me. I know that you will never give me more then I can bare. Adonai, I pray that I can keep my family's faith pure and true. Lord, I pray that you be with the following: Cliff, Tom, Dana, KM & CM and their families. Father, I pray you be with my nephew and niece Jeremy and Ann as they continue to serve in the military in both the United Sates and in Afghanistan. Please be with my family, with all of my loved ones. I pray you touch the hearts of all my Lost family members. Open their hearts to the truth of Mashiach. This I pray in the name of our Risen King Yeshua ha Mashiach. Amen.

Ministry New Update

2013-02-06T19:32:00.002-05:00

As anyone who is a fan of the Ministry currently knows, there is no longer a The Road to God Ministry (TRTGM) website. The Ministry is going through many changes in the days and weeks ahead. You may come across the words "Site Under Construction" so I pray that you do not become discouraged with the Ministry as a whole. I have two advisers on aiding the reconstruction of the Ministry blog, one a young wife/mother/and all-around blog guru. Thank you in advance KM.

I also need to mention some friends at First General Baptist Church as they travel to the Dominican Republic. May they be safe and may the Harvest be overwhelming. Here is a link to the Inside the Box Fair Ministry web page.

God Bless you all!

Ahmadinjad Finally Receives an Insult From Other Muslims

2013-02-06T19:20:00.003-05:00

For sometime now I have wondered why we seldom see any Islamic protest over Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinjad. After all he is not the most popular guy in the Western world culture. He takes the vital resources that is sent as aid to Iran and keeps it for himself. I have always believed that the man was filled with the spirit of the anti-Christ (I am not saying Ahmadinjad is the anti-Christ, only that he often acts in that evil manner. So when I read the following article I will admit that I was well pleased.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Has Shoes Thrown at Him

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

2013-01-30T00:18:00.001-05:00

Frequently Asked Questions

The Road to God Ministry is often asked many questions concerning Messiah Yeshua, Judaism, eternal salvation, Olive Tree Theology, and the true connection that lies between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. This page has been created to help answer some of those inquiries.

What is Olive Tree Theology?

Does Olive Tree Theology promote Jewish conversion into Gentile Churches? Won't Jews, through Olive Tree Theology lose their Jewish heritage?

What is dispensationalism?

Why dispensationalism is false under Olive Tree Theology?

What is Olive Tree Theology? Answering a question like this can traverse several paths. The first path can lead to long discussions utilizing large theological terms such as 'replacement theology' and 'supersessionism' or 'dispensationalism' and the ins and outs of the terms' of the historical creation of the modern church. Instead, the easier path to answer this question of what Olive Tree Theology is all about is simply to look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 11. In this chapter Paul spoke of the unifying Olive Tree where the Jewish and Gentile branches (believers of Messiah Yeshua) were all re-grafted onto the Olive tree, and thus reborn unto eternal life. Thus Olive Tree Theology is simply the belief that Jews and Gentiles can worship Messiah Yeshua together in unity while still maintaining their own cultural and traditional distinctiveness. The idea that Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians must worship apart from one another is truly contrary to the entire idea of Olive Tree Theology. Olive Tree Theology calls for a clear distinction between Israel and the church. There has always been a TRUE FAITHFUL ISRAEL present in the form of the Messianic Jewish population just as there has been a TRUE FAITHFUL GENTILE present in the form of the church. The two are clearly distinctive and separated; YET LOVED AS ONE!

Does Olive Tree Theology promote Jewish conversion into Gentile Churches? Won't Jews, through Olive Tree Theology lose their Jewish heritage? This question really is 100% dependent upon the Jewish believer. Olive Tree Theology states that a Jew and a Gentile can worship in the same of house of God; whether that be a Gentile church or a Messianic synagogue. The point is is that there should not be two houses of worship. As true Christians we need to recognize the LITERAL BIBLICAL FACT and that is, is that there is no place in the New Testament that gives us instructions to separate Jewish and Gentile believers. In fact, to do so will only breed distrust and false doctrine like Replacement Theology. As for our Jewish culture and heritage, it is up to us as Jews to maintain our lifestyles and our heritage. Yes, there is no denying the fact that this would be easier in a Jewish congregation, but is it biblical? No.

What is dispensationalism? Dispensationalism is a Protestant, Christian, evangelical tradition and theology. The name derives from the concept of a "dispensation" or administration. Dispensationalists hold that there are a series of chronologically successive dispensations, that emphasize certain Biblical covenants, and that the nation of Israel is distinct from the Church. Wikipedia® http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispensationalism

Why dispensationalism is false under Olive Tree Theology? Of course it is historically logical that the bible was written for certain individuals during during time periods. But that was only by the men who penned the book for the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit). The Bible WAS WRITTEN FOR ALL MEN AND FOR ALL TIME. Just as Yeshua's sacrifice upon the cross was a propitiation for those who were living in 33 A.D. through the Last Day so the Bible is given to all People as a Truth and a Form of Scripture to provide us Salvation to the Last Day,. not just certain groups of people. The Epistle of James, though written for just the Messianic Jews of that time is not meant just for the Messianic Jews; but for everyone. The same thing stands for the Epistle to the Hebrews. The entire Torah (the Law) is meant for the Jewish people; yet it is also a living purpose for every person upon the earth! No the idea of dispensationalism goes too far.

Reasoning With God (Spanish)

2013-01-30T00:16:00.001-05:00

RAZONANDO CON DIOS Por el Dr. Ron Dobbs

RAZONANDO CON DIOS Por el Dr. Ron Dobbs

ISAIAS 1:18

»Venid luego, dice Jehová y estemos a cuenta: aunque vuestros pecados sean como la grana, como la nieve serán emblanquecidos; aunque sean rojos como el carmesí, vendrán a ser como blanca lana.”

ISAIAH 59:1-2

He aquí que no se ha acortado la mano de Jehová para salvar, ni se ha endurecido su oído para oír; pero vuestras iniquidades han hecho división entre vosotros y vuestro Dios y vuestros pecados han hecho que oculte de vosotros su rostro para no oíros.”

RAZONAMOS CON DIOS (CON SU PALABRA), NO CON EL HOMBRE.

GENESIS 2:7

Entonces Jehová Dios formó al hombre del polvo de la tierra, sopló en su nariz aliento de vida y fue el hombre un ser viviente.

SI TU ALMA VIVE PARA SIEMPRE, DEBE TENER UN LUGAR EN EL QUE VIVIR.

HAY DOS LUGARES.

JUAN 14:1-3

(UN LUGAR EN LOS CIELOS) »No se turbe vuestro corazón; creéis en Dios, creed también en mí. En la casa de mi Padre muchas moradas hay; si así no fuera, yo os lo hubiera dicho; voy, pues, a preparar lugar para vosotros. Y si me voy y os preparo lugar, vendré otra vez[b] y os tomaré a mí mismo, para que donde yo esté, vosotros también estéis.

APOCALIPSIS 20:12-15

(UN LUGAR EN EL INFIERNO) Y vi los muertos, grandes y pequeños, de pie ante Dios. Los libros fueron abiertos, y otro libro fue abierto, el cual es el libro de la vida. Y fueron juzgados los muertos por las cosas que estaban escritas en los libros, según sus obras. El mar entregó los muertos que había en él, y la muerte y el Hades entregaron los muertos que había en ellos, y fueron juzgados cada uno según sus obras. La muerte y el Hades fueron lanzados al lago de fuego. Esta es la muerte segunda. El que no se halló inscrito en el libro de la vida, fue lanzado al lago de fuego.

ES PRECISO QUE EN CADA LUGAR HAYA UNA PERSONA EN AUTORIDAD SOBRE EL.

EXISTEN DOS SEÑORES...

JUAN 10:27, 28a

(CRISTO el Señor) Mis ovejas oyen mi voz y yo las conozco, y me siguen; yo les doy vida eterna y no perecerán jamás, ni nadie las arrebatará de mi mano.

JUAN 8:44

(SATANAS como señor) Vosotros sois de vuestro padre el diablo, y los deseos de vuestro padre queréis hacer.

ES PRECISO QUE CADA LUGAR TENGA UN CAMINO QUE LLEVE A EL

EXISTEN DOS CAMINOS

MATEO 7:13

(El Camino Ancho de la Destrucción) “Entrad por la puerta angosta, porque ancha es la puerta y espacioso el camino que lleva a la perdición, y muchos son los que entran por ella.”

MATEO 7:14

(El estrecho y angosto) Pero angosta es la puerta y angosto el camino que lleva a la vida, y pocos son los que la hallan.

¿COMO PUEDES TU SABER CUAL ES EL CAMINO CORRECTO A LOS CIELOS?

JUAN 16:6

Jesús le dijo: Yo soy EL CAMINO, LA VERDAD y LA VIDA, nadie viene al Padre sino por mi.

TODO EL MUNDO ES PECADOR

ROMANOS 3:23

Por cuanto todos pecaron y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios.

TODO EL MUNDO TIENE QUE PAGAR POR SU PECADO O COLOCARLO A LOS PIES DE JESUS

ROMANOS 6:23

Porque la paga del pecado es muerte, pero la dádiva de Dios es vida eterna en Cristo Jesús, Señor nuestro.

TODO EL MUNDO NECESITA VOLVER A CRISTO

RAZONANDO CON DIOS

Si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor[a] y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de entre los muertos, serás salvo.

TODO EL MUNDO PUEDE SER SALVO

ROMANOS 10:13

Ya que todo aquel que invoque el nombre del Señor, será salvo.

¡RAZONA AHORA CON DIOS! HAZ ESTA ORACION...

Querido Señor, ten misericordia de mi que soy un pecador. Según tu PALABRA, mi única esperanza es la sangre de tu Hijo. Confieso mi pecado y te pido que me perdones. Amado Señor, por favor acéptame ahora mismo como tu hijo, yo te acepto a ti Padre celestial, mi Señor y Salvador. Quiero darte las gracias Señor por no echarme, sino por salvarme, amén.

Traducido por: Ms. Rhode Flores rhode@florestranslations.net

Reasoning With God

2013-01-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

Reasoning With God by Dr. Ron Dobbs

ISAIAH 1:18

Come now, and LET US REASON TOGETHER, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; thou they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

ISAIAH 59:1-2

Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear you.

YOU REASON WITH GOD (GOD'S WORD), NOT MAN.

GENESIS 2:7

And the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living soul.

IF YOUR SOUL LIVES FOREVER, IT MUST HAVE A PLACE TO DWELL.

THERE ARE TWO PLACES.

JOHN 14:1-3

(PLACE: HEAVEN) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

REVELATION 20:12-15

(PLACE: HELL) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into a lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

EVERY PLACE MUST HAVE A PERSON OF AUTHORITY OVER IT.

THERE ARE TWO MASTERS...

JOHN 10:27, 28a

(Master: CHRIST) My sheep hear my voice, and I know the, and they follow me: And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.

JOHN 8:44

(Master: SATAN) Your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

EVERY PLACE MUST HAVE A ROAD THAT LEADS THERE

THERE ARE TWO ROADS

MATTHEW 7:13

(The Broad Path to Destruction) Enter ye in at the strait gate" for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in threat:

MATTHEW 7:14

(Straight & Narrow) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE RIGHT ROAD TO HEAVEN?

JOHN 16:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

EVERYONE IS A SINNER

ROMANS 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

EVERYONE MUST PAY FOR HIS SIN OR LAY IT ON JESUS

ROMANS 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO TURN TO CHRIST

ROMANS 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thin heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

EVERYONE CAN BE SAVED

ROMANS 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

REASAON WITH GOD NOW! PRAY THIS PRAYER...

Dear Lord, be merciful to me, I'm a sinner. According to your WORD, my only hope is the blood of your son. I confess my sin and I ask you to forgive me. Dear Lord, Please accept me right now as your child, I accept you as my Heavenly Father, my Lord and Saviour. I want to thank you Lord for not casting me out, but for saving me. Amen.

To Die Without Messiah (Spanish)

2013-01-30T00:10:00.001-05:00

Morir sin el Mesías

MORIR SIN HABER OIDO EL EVANGELIO DE JESUS DE NAZARET

Una de las muchas difíciles preguntas teológicas que se hacen a sí mismos hoy en día los cristianos evangélicos es la del destino eterno de aquellos que han muerto sin haber oído hablar jamás acerca del Evangelio de Jesucristo de Nazaret. ¿Sería capaz un Dios amoroso y bondadoso de enviar a aquellas almas que llevaron vidas moralmente correctas, sabiendo que sus caminos espirituales fueron equivocados, a pesar de lo cual estas personas no se vieron nunca expuestas al Evangelio? ¿Acaso serán juzgadas en el Ultimo Día y serán enviadas al infierno por toda la eternidad? ¿Encaja esta idea con el tema de un Dios amoroso y justo, que envió a su Hijo unigénito en propiciación por toda la raza humana?

Las preguntas se vuelven incluso más difíciles cuando los pasajes de la Biblia empiezan a interferir con estos temas. Hay pasajes que dicen, por ejemplo: "El que me rechaza y no recibe mis palabras, tiene quien lo juzgue: la palabra que he hablado, ella lo juzgará en el día final. Yo no he hablado por mi propia cuenta; el Padre, que me envió, él me dio mandamiento de lo que he de decir y de lo que he de hablar.” (Juan 12:48-49).

Además: “Respondió Jesús: --De cierto, de cierto te digo que el que no nace de agua y del Espíritu no puede entrar en el reino de Dios. Lo que nace de la carne, carne es; y lo que nace del Espíritu, espíritu es.” Y hay otro versículo que dice: “Jesús le dijo: yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida, nadie viene al Padre, sino por me.” Estos versículos proceden directamente de los labios mismos de Cristo y con frecuencia se confunden con y se malinterpretan como parte de otros pasajes que hablan acerca de punto de vistas contrarios.

Podemos encontrar un ejemplo de este punto de vista divergente en la Epístola de Pablo a la iglesia romana en la que escribe: "Cuando los gentiles que no tienen la ley hacen por naturaleza lo que es de la Ley, estos aunque no tengan la Ley, son ley para sí mismos.”4 Las diferentes denominaciones cristianas e incluso los diferentes cleros en el Cristianismo han tenido diferentes puntos de vista respecto a este tema. Una de las perspectivas concretas es que a aquellos que se convierten en una ley para sí mismos se les permitirá entrar en el Rey de Dios como 'invitados," tal vez como aquellos “invitados” a los que se refirió Jesús en Su parábola acerca de la fiesta de las bodas que relata en el Evangelio de Mateo capítulo 22:1-14.

Yo llego a la conclusión de que cualquier hombre o mujer que pueda decidir por medio de su libre albedrío (esto excluye a los niños y aquellos que son mentalmente inestables, etc. etc.) deben hacer una profesión de fe en Jesucristo de Nazaret antes de su muerte física a fin de que se puedan salvar sus almas. Este es un punto de vista firme, tanto si estas personas han estado o no expuestas al Evangelio de Cristo o si siguen siendo ignorantes en lo que se refiere a la Palabra.

A lo largo de los Evangelios y de las Epístolas está muy claro que en el caso de aquellas personas que han escuchado las Buenas Nuevas de Jesús y han rechazado la oferta de salvación que Dios les hace, su destino eterno ha quedado sellado. Tanto si las personas son religiosas y o moralmente Íntegras dentro de su propia cultura es algo que carece de importancia. La Biblia es inconfundible en su declaración respecto a que si usted rechaza a Cristo, usted va a tener que enfrentarse con un juicio de condenación.

Jesús se refiere a esto en su parábola de una casa que fue construida sobre un fundamento inapropiado: " »A cualquiera, pues, que me oye estas palabras y las pone en práctica, lo compararé a un hombre prudente que edificó su casa sobre la roca. Descendió la lluvia, vinieron ríos, soplaron vientos y golpearon contra aquella casa; pero no cayó, porque estaba cimentada sobre la roca. Pero a cualquiera que me oye estas palabras y no las practica, lo compararé a un hombre insensato que edificó su casa sobre la arena. Descendió la lluvia, vinieron ríos, soplaron vientos y dieron con ímpetu contra aquella casa; y cayó, y fue grande su ruina». 5 Es evidente que Jesús está hablando sobre aquellos que han escuchado sus palabras, pero que a pesar de ello se niegan a aceptarlas como la verdad y rehusan profesar abiertamente su fe. Al hacerlo han creado una profecía que se cumple en ellos respecto a su propio juicio y condenación.

Sin embargo, al referirse a aquellos que no han escuchado nunca el Evangelio ¿cómo se puede justificar la posibilidad de crear esa profecía que se cumple en ellos? El primer factor que es preciso tratar para responder a este dilema es destacar el hecho de que el escuchar el Evangelio no tiene nada que ver con el tema de la salvación. "Las personas no van al infierno sencillamente por haber rechazado a Jesús; van al infierno porque son pecadoras. El hecho de que no crean en Jesús sencillamente sella su destino."6 Es importante ser plenamente conscientes de que como humanos que somos cada uno de nosotros nace en pecado por medio de Adán, nuestro primer antepasado. Debido a ello, no hay manera de que podamos ser justificados o purificados de nuestros pecados por medio de la Ley aparte del uso de un sacrificio de sangre realizado bien en el Tabernáculo o en el Templo en Jerusalén y es evidente que ninguno de los dos existen ya.

De modo que sin el sacrificio perfecto de Jesús el Mesías e Hijo de Dios cada uno de nosotros continuaríamos viviendo y muriendo en nuestros pecados, tanto si hemos oído como si no, el Evangelio durante nuestra vida. "Eso significa que en realidad no existe una persona que sea verdaderamente “inocente” o un pagano que sea verdaderamente "inocente." Las personas no son inocentes ante Dios, normalmente son culpables de rechazar la verdad acerca de Dios. Cuando las personas que no han oído hablar nunca del evangelio se mueren, su destino eterno no queda determinado por si rechazaron o no a Jesús porque no se puede rechazar a una persona acerca de la cual no han oído hablar para empezar.7

Lee Strobel, periodista y autor, trata acerca de este tema cuando habla sobre el acalorado tema con el Dr. Ravi Zacharias de los Ministerios Internacionales de Ravi Zacharias acerca del debate del Apóstol Pablo con los filósofos griegos en Atenas, "…está apuntando al hecho de que existe un plan soberano en la creación, a la cual se asigna a cada persona un lugar en el que nacer. Dios sabe dónde naceremos y nos criaremos y El nos coloca en una posición en la que podamos buscarle a El. Se nos dice claramente que dondequiera que vivamos, sea cual fuere nuestra cultura o nación, El está al alcance de cada uno de nosotros."8 Esta línea de pensamiento continua en la entrevista que le hace Strobel al Dr. J.P. Moreland de la Escuela de Teología Talbot que afirma: "Si todo cuanto una persona pudiera necesitar fuese un poco más de tiempo para venir a Cristo, entonces Dios extendería el tiempo de esa persona en esta tierra a fin de concederle esa oportunidad. El hecho sencillo es que Dios recompensa a aquellos que le buscan.”9

La Biblia vuelve repetidamente a hacer una afirmación muy fuerte y manifiesta, de que no existe excusa suficientemente buena para no tener una fe que nos permita aceptar a Cristo. El primer capítulo del libro de Romanos es uno de entre los varios ejemplos a lo largo de todas las Escrituras en los que se habla al respecto. Dios ha sido revelado por medio de la creación: "Lo invisible de él, su eterno poder y su deidad, se hacen claramente visibles desde la creación del mundo y se puede discernir por medio de las cosas hechas. Por lo tanto, no tienen excusa.”10 Yo estoy convencido de que Dios siempre proveerá las respuestas a aquellos que puedan estar buscando más respuestas.

Esta provisión divina posiblemente no aparezca en el formato de un papel de cebolla que les sea entregada a ellos por un misionero cristiano, pero si existe la menor posibilidad de que un pagano acepte a Cristo como su propiciación antes de su muerte, no me cabe duda de que Dios encontrará la manera de salvar a esa alma.

El Dr. Elmer Towns, decano de la Escuela Universitaria de Religión Liberty estuvo de acuerdo con estos puntos de vista doctrinales cuando afirmó: "Aunque Dios no tiene el menor deseo de mandar a las personas al infierno, los hombres no le dejan opción alguna cuando rechazan continuamente el evangelio. Incluso el hombre que no ha escuchado nunca la predicación del Evangelio ha rechazado otros intentos realizados por Dios para mostrarle el camino a la salvación. Si el hombre respondiese de manera positiva a estos llamamientos, Dios proveería un predicador del evangelio para guiarle a la salvación."11 La doctrina cristiana afirma claramente que aquellos que no escuchen al evangelio no se salvarán. "Es preciso que primero la persona conozca el evangelio, que significa que posee un conocimiento intelectual de la salvación.”12

Así que es necesario preguntar de nuevo, ¿qué sucederá con aquellos paganos que es posible que no hayan escuchado el Evangelio? Como ya hemos preguntado con anterioridad, ¿acaso se convierten estos ateos moralmente íntegros en una "ley para sí mismos" y debido a ello se les concede la entrada en el Reino de los Cielos, aunque no sea más que como "invitados" tal vez como aquellos acerca de los cuales habló Jesús en la parábola de la fiesta de las bodas en Mateo 22:1-14. Esta teoría no tiene validez alguna por una serie de motivos. En primer lugar, aunque sean una “ley para sí mismos, la ley no puede sencillamente salvar a nadie. Es solamente por medio de la gracia y la fe en Jesucristo que la persona puede ser salva. Cuando uno intenta ser salvo por medio de la ley dicha persona será juzgada por la ley; de modo que si alguien se convierte en una ley para sí mismo, sucederá que esa persona será juzgada por esa ley en la que se han convertido y como nos enseñan las Escrituras, es imposible cumplir la ley de la salvación a la perfección.

Por lo tanto, es preciso que dependamos de nuestra fe en aquel que envió para liberarnos de estas leyes y salvar nuestras almas eternas. "La fe viene por el oír y el oír por la Palabra de Dios.”13 Es la fe la que nos guía. “Porque con el corazón se cree para justicia, pero con la boca se confiesa para salvación.” ([Romanos] 10:9,10)."14 El apóstol Pablo citó al profeta Habacuc del Antiguo Testamento en Romanos 1:17 diciendo: “el justo vivirá por la fe.”

El segundo factor importante cuando tratamos del tema de la salvación de aquellos que posiblemente sean ignorantes en lo que se refiere al Evangelio es la pregunta de a quienes considera Dios realmente responsables de la falta de conocimiento de los paganos. Para empezar y lo que es más importante, a este autor le resulta prácticamente imposible comprender cómo cualquier cristiano puede malentender o tener un conflicto en lo que se refiere a las instrucciones que dio Jesús en los últimos versículos del Evangelio de Mateo, que también se conocen como la Gran Comisión: "Id, pues, y enseñad a todas las naciones, bautizándoles en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo.”15 Cuando este versículo va acompañado de las palabras del post exilico profeta Ezequiel en el capítulo 33, queda totalmente claro a quiénes Dios considerará responsables de la falta de conocimiento de las Buenas Nuevas de su Hijo Jesús: "y él vea venir la espada sobre la tierra, y toque la trompeta y avise al pueblo, cualquiera que oiga el sonido de la trompeta y no se prepare, y viniendo la espada lo hiera, su sangre será sobre su cabeza.

El sonido de la trompeta oyó, pero no se preparó: su sangre será sobre él; pero el que se prepare, salvará su vida. Pero si el centinela ve venir la espada y no toca la trompeta, y el pueblo no se prepara, y viniendo la espada, hiere a alguno de ellos, este fue tomado por causa de su pecado, pero demandaré su sangre de mano del centinela.”16 Este pasaje del profeta Ezequiel se considera con frecuencia de la “máxima” importancia, pues estos son los versículos que explican la necesidad que tienen los cristianos de evangelizar y de dar testimonio del Evangelio hasta lo último de la tierra.

Algunos cristianos consideran que estas palabras de Ezequiel son verdad tan solo para aquellos que puedan vivirlas y tenerlas muy cerca de sus corazones, como puedan ser familiares y amigos. Sin embargo, se nos dice de una manera muy concreta que es nuestra responsabilidad como cristianos difundir y proclamar la Palabra de las Buenas Nuevas a los paganos y cuando no lo hacemos, es nuestra responsabilidad como cristianos por el hecho de que a los paganos no les es posible tener el conocimiento de Jesucristo. Yo no creo sinceramente que esta responsabilidad afecte nuestra propia salvación como creyentes, pero sí determinará el nivel en el que cada uno será juzgado y considerado al sernos delegados a cada uno de nosotros las tareas y los lugares que ocuparemos en los cielos. Tal y como se nos ha dicho: “segaremos lo que hayamos sembrado.”

El tercer y último factor que es preciso examinar cuando estudiamos estos temas tan importantes es cuál es la definición del término "evangelio." Si traducimos la palabra "evangelio" quiere decir sencillamente "las buenas nuevas." Pero la pregunta es, ¿las buenas nuevas de qué? Que los seres humanos pueden recuperar la Gracia de Dios que se perdió a causa del pecado de Adán y posteriormente fue expiada por medio del sacrificio de la sangre de Jesucristo. En otras palabras por medio de la fe en Jesucristo los seres humanos pueden ser justificados o espiritualmente perfectos a los ojos de Dios.

Sin embargo actualmente el término "evangelio" se ha generalizado a fin de convertirse en un término que representa los Evangelios Sinópticos del Nuevo Testamento (Mateo, Marcos, Lucas y Juan). Pero si hemos de decir la verdad todo el evangelio habla acerca del conocimiento de la salvación por medio de Jesucristo. El conocimiento intelectual acerca de cómo perdimos el favor a los ojos de Dios por causa del pecado de Adán no es una parte necesaria para que nadie sea salvo o justificado. Solo una cosa es necesaria, la profesión de fe en Jesucristo de Nazaret. Por lo tanto, cuando yo afirmo que el Evangelio de Jesucristo de Nazaret debe ser predicado a los paganos no estoy afirmando que solo los seres humanos poseen la capacidad para predicar las buenas nuevas.

Estoy firmemente convencido de que el autor mismo de las Escrituras, el Espíritu Santo, tiene la capacidad para revelar el evangelio según desee, conforme a su voluntad, a quienquiera que considere merecedor. Gracias a este hecho, el evangelio se extenderá hasta los últimos rincones de la tierra. “Nadie tiene una excusa válida para rechazar el evangelio."17

Ahora que hemos llegado a la conclusión de que los paganos serán considerados "no salvos" creo que es esencial que hablemos sobre la naturaleza misma del infierno. ¿Es el infierno verdaderamente un lago de fuego y azufre o es algo totalmente diferente? La verdad es que este es un tema difícil de examinar, es un tema que podría convertirse en el tema de una tesis por sí mismo. Los diferentes eruditos poseen cada uno de ellos su propia opinión en cuanto a la naturaleza del infierno. Desde el punto de vista judío el infierno no es un lago de fuego, sino que existe con el Seol, el lugar de espera para los muertos. De hecho, según la auténtica creencia judía rabínica no existe el concepto de un infierno eterno. Actualmente algunos eruditos cristianos conservadores siguen afirmando el punto de vista de que el infierno es verdaderamente un lago de fuego y azufre, uno en el que todos los condenados tendrán que entrar, sea cuales fueren sus pecados.

Pero al mismo tiempo están surgiendo cristianos más liberales que enseñan que el infierno no es ni siquiera un lugar real, sino sencillamente un estado mental o algo inventado por la psiquis, donde existirá el alma eterna sin el beneficio de conocer o de tener comunión con Dios de ninguna manera. Hasta la Iglesia Católico Romana posee sus propios punto de vista al respecto, uno de los cuales se puede ver en los escritos del poeta clásico italiano Dante Aligheri en su obra El Infierno. En este caso, aquellos que hayan llevado una vida moralmente correcta y que no hayan oído el Evangelio de Jesucristo estarían condenados a pasar la eternidad en el segundo círculo del infierno, también conocido como el Limbo, que es el lugar reservado para los paganos virtuosos.

En ese lugar las almas condenadas no serían objeto de castigo por su falta de fe en Cristo, pero al mismo tiempo no recibirían jamás ninguna forma de felicidad, puesto que nunca conocerían a Dios. Según un punto de vista final, algunos eruditos son de la opinión de que los aniquiladores que creen muy en serio que aquellas almas que han sido condenadas a una eternidad en el infierno serán borradas totalmente de la existencia, en lugar de ser eternamente castigadas por su falta de fe. La verdad es que yo no me siento muy seguro en cuanto a lo que creo respecto a la estructura y la naturaleza del infierno.

Sí creo que existe un lago de fuego y de azufre que le espera a Satanás y a sus ángeles caídos así como al anticristo, el falso profeta y muchas almas malvadas a lo largo de toda la historia, pero no estoy realmente seguro en lo que se refiere al destino de otros. Admito que me cuesta entender cómo Dios puede mandar a una mujer judía moralmente correcta, que creía realmente en su religión, sin tener malicia alguna hacia Cristo o los cristianos situándola al mismo nivel de castigo que pondría a alguien como Adolfo Hitler, Aman el agagita o a Cain el hijo de Adán. En lo que a mi se refiere, no puedo evitar refugiarme en un solo versículo bíblico que continua sirviéndome de consuelo en aquellas ocasiones en las que sé que me siento realmente incapaz de entender los planes definitivos de Dios, "Las cosas secretas le pertenecen al Señor nuestro Dios."18 Teniendo ese versículo en cuenta recuerdo que no necesito saber todas las cosas, que lo importante es que Dios sabe lo que está haciendo y los planes que tiene. Con frecuencia siento que las disputas teológicas acerca de la naturaleza del infierno son más psicológicas que teológicas en su naturaleza, basándose principalmente en la emoción y no en la doctrina bíblica.

El hecho es que Dios nos ha dado una información bastante bien expresada acerca del infierno. A pesar de lo cual y de lo que he dicho al principio de este artículo, es difícil racionalizar cómo un Dios amoroso podría atormentar por toda una eternidad a las almas sencillamente por su incredulidad. Esto me recuerda una lección que aprendí hace veinte años cuando aún estaba buscando la verdad acerca de Jesús como mi Salvador. "¡Dios no dijo nunca que nos tuviese que gustar, solo dijo que teníamos que hacerlo!"

Sin duda alguna estoy convencido de que sin haber oído el Evangelio de Jesucristo de Nazaret y sin haber hecho profesión de fe antes de la muerte física, el alma humana no puede salvarse del infierno. Es prácticamente imposible escapar a los hechos de la doctrina bíblica y de los versículos claramente expresados según las palabras de Cristo mismo en Juan 14:6: "Jesús le dijo: yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida, nadie viene al Padre sino por mi.” 19

Referencias Epp, Theodore H. How God Makes Bad Men Good. The Good News Broadcasting Association, Inc.: Lincoln, Nebraska. 1978. Pritchard, Dr. Ray. (2000). ¿Y qué sucede con aquellos que nunca han oído el Evangelio? http://members.aol.com/OrthodoxUM/SalvationPritchard1.html Strobel, Larry. The Case for Faith. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, Michigan. 2000. The King James Study Bible. Thomas Nelson & Liberty University. 1988. Towns, Dr. Elmer L. Concise Bible Doctrines. AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2006.

Traducido por: Ms. Rhode Flores rhode@florestranslations.net

Jewish Road to God (Spanish)

2013-01-30T00:07:00.002-05:00

El camino judío hacia Dios

¿Han perdido los judíos de la actual cultura popular su camino hacia el SEÑOR?

Esta es una difícil pregunta que hacer, especialmente para una persona judía no practicante en el actual mundo modernizado. Las tradiciones olvidadas juntamente con los tabús étnicos y culturales se encuentran enlazados de tal manera que muchos judíos ni siquiera saben ya por qué están haciendo algo o actuando conforme a una tradición en particular. Pero a fin de permanecer en el camino que nos lleva hacia ADONAI, el SEÑOR, es preciso que mantengamos la vista y la mente centrados en la Biblia judía, el TANAKH.

Es por medio de la Biblia judía que podemos encontrar los siete pasos que mantendrán a los judíos, a todos los judíos, en el camino correcto hacia ADONAI.

"Y lo sacó Jehová del huerto de Edén, para que labrara la tierra de la que fue tomado. Echó, pues, fuera al hombre, y puso querubines al oriente del huerto de Edén, y una espada encendida que se revolvía por todos lados para guardar el camino del árbol de la vida.” (Gén. 3:23-24).

2. Es preciso que cada uno de nosotros entendamos que no hay nada que nosotros podamos hacer para eliminar esa barrera entre el hombre y Dios.

“He aquí que no se ha acortado la mano de Jehová para salvar, ni se ha endurecido su oído para oír; pero vuestras iniquidades han hecho división entre vosotros y vuestro Dios y vuestros pecados han hecho que oculte de vosotros su rostro para no oíros.” (Isaías 59:1-2).

3. Por lo tanto, es preciso que cada uno de nosotros entendamos que es solo por medio del derramamiento de sangre que se puede realmente hacer expiación por el pecado a los ojos de Dios.

"Porque la vida de la carne en la sangre está, y yo os la he dado para hacer expiación sobre el altar por vuestras almas, pues la misma sangre es la que hace expiación por la persona.” (Levítico 17:11).

4. Así que debemos entender que Dios proveyó para el pueblo judío los medios y las oportunidades para que pudiesen expiar sus pecados cuando le entregó la TORAH (la Ley) a Moisés.

"Habla tú con nosotros” le dijeron a Moisés, y nosotros oiremos.” (Ex 20:19)

5. Debemos entender que las acciones de la nación judía durante el Exodo demostraron sin lugar a dudas que al pueblo judío le resultó imposible guardar la TORAH de una manera perfecta.

"Entonces Jehová dijo a Moisés: --Anda, desciende, porque tu pueblo, el que sacaste de la tierra de Egipto, se ha corrompido. Pronto se han apartado del camino que yo les mandé; se han hecho un becerro de fundición, lo han adorado, le han ofrecido sacrificios y han dicho: "¡Israel, estos son tus dioses, que te sacaron de la tierra de Egipto!" (Exodo 32:7-8).

“Pero se desanimó el pueblo y comenzó a hablar contra Dios y contra Moisés.” (Num 21:4b-5a)

6. Es necesario que cada uno de nosotros entendamos que Dios prometió enviar al pueblo judío su Mesías, que sería quien realizaría la expiación de la sangre por el pueblo judío.

«Vendrá el Redentor a Sión y a los que se vuelven de la iniquidad en Jacob», dice Jehová.” (Isaías 59:20)

“Mas él fue herido por nuestras rebeliones, molido por nuestros pecados. Por darnos la paz, cayó sobre él el castigo, y por sus llagas fuimos nosotros curados. Todos nosotros nos descarriamos como ovejas, cada cual se apartó por su camino; mas Jehová cargó en él el pecado de todos nosotros.” (Isaías 53:5-6).

7. Es preciso que todos entendamos que solo ha habido una figura en la historia que ha cumplido la multitud de profecías bíblicas judías relacionadas con la identidad del Mesías.

*El Mesìas regresará antes de que sea destruido el segundo Tenmplo. (Daniel 9:26)

*El Mesías sería divino. (Isaías 9:5-6)

*El Mesías había de morir siendo crucificado. (Salmos 22:14-17)

*El Mesías había de resucitar. (Isaías 53:10)

*El Mesías debía de nacer en Belén (Miqueas 5:1-2)

*El Mesías nacería de una virgen. (Isaías 7:14)

Estas son tan solo siete profecías de las muchas que existen por toda la Biblia judía.

Al final, la lógica nos dice que solo puede haber una respuesta sencilla. ¡Yeshua (Jesús) de Nazaret debe ser el Mesías judío! Eso significa que siendo el Mesías judío es por medio de la sangre de Yeshua, que sacrificó siendo crucificado en el primer día de la Pascua en el año 33 A.D. cada uno de nosotros hemos sido limpios o hemos hecho expiación por nuestros pecados (Levítico 17:11). ¡A pesar de lo cual, Yeshua hizo mucho más que eso por nosotros! Porque en el tercer día de la Pascua, en la Fiesta de los Primeros Frutos, resucitó de entre los muertos y al hacerlo nos dio a cada uno de nosotros, los que hemos creído en El la promesa de la vida eterna.

Es sencillo aceptar estos preciados regalos y al hacerlo está usted cumpliendo con su papel como Hijo de Israel. ¡No se equivoque usted, nunca dejará usted de ser judío!

Para aceptar hoy al Mesías haga usted la siguiente oración:

ADONAI ELOHIM, te bendigo y te doy gracias. Confieso mis pecados y te pido perdón al mismo tiempo que acepto al Mesías Yeshua en mi vida, pues ahora vivo para servir y obedecer su voluntad. Te lo pido en el nombre de Yeshua haMashiach. Amén.

Si ha hecho usted esa oración con fe, ahora sus pecados han sido expiados y usted va de camino a Dios.

MAZEL TOV!

Traducido por: Ms. Rhode Flores rhode@florestranslations.net

All language translations where done at the request of The Road to God Ministry.

Worldwide Prayer Page, 01/27/2013

2013-01-27T17:09:00.002-05:00

Worldwide Prayer Page as of 01-27-2013

Prayers Around the World

Due to overwhelming requests The Road to God Ministry has created this prayer page to help fulfill the spiritual needs of believers across the world. If you have an urgent prayer request or if you would like to add or remove a name from this page, please send an e-mail to theroadtogodministry@gmail.com.

United States of America

Please keep the following Jewish ministry's in your prayers: The Road to God Ministry, Chosen People Ministries, & Lamb & Lion Ministries. Please pray for Olive Tree congregations like First General Baptist Church of Waterford, Charity Baptist Church of Oxford, & Bethany Baptist of Clawson. All of these ministries, churches and congregations are in USA.

Please pray for both Steven and Kolleen Hendin. Steven is suffering from complications of cirrhosis of the liver. Kolleen injured her back months ago and the pain is return exponentially.

Please pray for Pastor James Howie of Bethany Baptist Church of Clawson, Michigan. Pastor Jim's health has been suffering from his exposure to Agent Orange while he served his tour of duty in the Vietnam War. The Road to God Ministry hopes you will join us in praying that Pastor Howie will continue to lead his congregation honestly and in the true spirit of the Word of God.

Let us pray for Leroy DeMasellis who is Pastor of Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. He is suffering from cancer and is in need of all of our prayers.

Kyle Duplessie, a sister in Christ at First General Baptist Church of Waterford, Michigan, needs our prayers desparetly as she had her thyroid removed and is still attempting to recover.

Please keep the following people in your prayers: Tony Jenkins, Clifford Wade and Lt. Jeremy Kline.

Please keep 2nd Lt Jeremy Kline. This Army Ranger is being deployed to Afghanistan. Be safe L-T!

Haiti

Please pray for all of those who have suffered from the recent devastation in the Haiti earthquakes. The Road to God Ministry will continue to pray for all of those who have been effected by this natural disaster and pray that through this tribulation that many will come to see the glory and truth of the Lord Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Christ).

Israel

Please pray for Sholomo C. and other Messianic Jews sharing the Good News of Yeshua in Eretz Yisrael. We pray that the shalom (peace) that can only come from our Adonai Yeshua (Lord Jesus) will rest upon Israel and keep all Isaelis safe.

Please pray for the peace of the city of David. The Road to God Ministry is and always will be a strong supporter of Israel as is dictated by Scripture. Yet, we pray for the peace and safety of ALL inhabitants of the Holy Land; whether they be Jew, Gentile, or Arab. May the peace that can only come from the Prince of Peace settle upon the land of our fathers.

France

Sarah & Paul M in Paris have been dealing with antisemitism. Please keep them and all French Jews dealing with this issue in your prayers.

India

Please keep Malaty in your prayers. She lives in Chene near Medras and we all pray for her salvation. We also pray for all Christians and all Christian missionaries in your in the hopes of their continued safety from religious persecution.

China

Please keep all the Christian missionaries throughout the land of China in your prayers in hope of keeps them safe from persecution. Please keep Josh & Patricia Hammonds in your prayers.

Saipan

Please pray for the Greg & Sandy Dickerman.

Philippines

Please pray for David, Carol & Michael Taylor and Kenny & Genny Burns.

Australia

Please keep Marlena J in your prayers. Marlena is a Messianic Jew living far outside Sydney where there are any other Jewish believers and she is desperate for the community and fellowship that comes from the faith in Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Christ).

Honduras

Please pray for Julia Phillip; Rodney & Theresa Wall; David & Tania Willise; Brad & Cindy Taylor; and, Sid & Vicki Smith.

Mexico

Please pray for Roger & Linda Free and for Heather Pritchett.

Afghanistan

Pray for all the men and women in our military.

Bangladesh

Let us remember to pray for Bhabaranjan Bala and the New Church Planting Ministry as the continue to serve the Lord in Bangladesh.

Iran

Recently the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly has called for an end to the development of Christianity in Iran, and over the past few years, there have been several incidents of Iranian authorities raiding church services, detaining worshipers and church leaders, and harassing and threatening church members. Much worse atrocities have occurred. The WEA (World Evangelical Alliance) has officially denounced this statement. Please pray that that Iran will loosen it's hardened heart and allow Christianity to spread the truth throughout the modern Persian Empire.

Russia

Please pray for Vladimir W who hopes to raise enough funds to make aliyah (return) to Israel.

South Africa

The Graboan Family's youngest child Yochanan was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Please keep them in your prayers.

Kenya

Pastor Isaiah and the Imba Bible Fellowship. Please pray for all the congregations members, especially the 70 children in the congregation.

Please continue to pray for Isaac Mackenzie and his congregation in Mois Bridge, Kenya.

Pray for Reverend Bernard Khamala and his congregation.

Please pray for Pastor James Okunda and his congregation. They are in desperate need for supplies top help them practice their faith. I also pray that Pastor Okunda truly feels the presence of Adonai with him. Please pray for Pastor James Okunda and his congregation. They are in desperate need for supplies top help them practice their faith. I also pray that Pastor Okunda truly feels the presence of Adonai with him.

Sudan

Hira C & family has asked for prayer in regards to dealing with AIDS. Dwayne also has requested prayer; he is a volunteer worker with Christian Relief Ministries.

Global

As always, let us pray for the Lost that they may open their hearts to the gift of Salvation offered through Messiah Yeshua.

The Road to God Ministry

Please continue to keep The Road to God Ministry in your prayers. Pray for divine guidance as we reach hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Steven's Testimony (up until 2001)

2013-01-27T16:33:00.001-05:00

Steven's Personal Testimony

My Road to God

My Road to God has been a long and exhausting one. I’d say it has probably taken me around 28 years or so to travel to the point I am at right now, and I doubt it will ever truly end. My destination: inner peace, self-love, oneness with the Lord Almighty, a place by His side in Heaven, and a taste of the Tree of Life. My feelings, my emotions, and my views towards God, His Laws and wishes, His prophets, His Messiah, and the Bible were turbulent, emotional, and often painful to contemplate and decide upon. Many of the events in my life that have affected my views today had nothing to do with religion. My perception of myself and the world around me has obviously evolved with the more life I live. I will evidently have more wisdom ten years from now then I do today. Yet at this moment I feel that I have the knowledge and peace of mind to make decisions without other people, including family and friends, to make these eternity-altering decisions for me. I now have the wisdom and ability to choose how I live and what to believe. So as you read the following paragraphs and chapters of this book please keep in mind that they are my views, made after years of intensive research, study, discussions, prayer, and searches of my soul and myself. Today, I can honestly say that I love myself for the first time in my life, and it is because I know that God loves me and forgives me my sins and wrongdoings that I have committed against Him, other people, and myself.

The early years:

So we begin. I guess the first memory I have concerning religion would probably have to be about Christmas. After all, why do my friends and their families celebrate December 25th by giving presents, feasting, hanging lights and decorating Christmas trees, and all the other merry deeds while my family does nothing? Why are we so different? What do they have that we do not? Why can’t Santa Claus visit my brother and my sister and I just like everybody else? It was a tough set of questions my parents faced. Though both my Mom and Dad were raised in religious families, practicing a mix of Conservative and Reform Judaism, our house was most definitely a non-practicing or secular household. This means that though we did not practice any religion we did live in a Jewish lifestyle and culture. So how were my parents to respond? Well, they explained in the best way that they could that we were a Jewish family and that our family is descended from other Jews and Jews celebrate Chanukah, not Christmas. “So,” we would ask, “what is Chanukah and, more importantly, would we get any presents?” I would hazard a guess that it was probably around this time that my folks considered sending my brother and I to Hebrew school in hopes of learning more about our history, culture, and religion. My parents did end up choosing to send us to Hebrew school. Unfortunately, this was short-lived; after all private school was extremely expensive and my parents were told by our doctors that attending two school programs would hurt our learning ability in elementary and junior high. So our formal Hebrew education ended soon after it started and we learned next to nothing about Judaism. It was here in my earliest years of religious knowledge that four family members would influence me the most in my spiritual understanding. First would have to be my Bubby (Yiddish for Grandma); next would be my Bubby’s sister, my great aunt; and then her son, my first cousin; and finally, my Mom’s older brother. Each of these family members were practicing Jews to one extent or another and all had a deep feel for the Jewish culture. Yet even through them we were not taught the true meaning of being Jewish, except for the fact that we were different from Christians. This became the central fact of the religion in my early years. Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost were Christian holidays and as Jews do not celebrate or recognize them. Thinking back it seems that even then there was a underlying sense that we were special, or even better people, because we were Jewish. Now I think it is important that I intercede at this point to declare that I do not believe this is what my family had intended to impress upon us. There was, of course mention of God, the Old Testament, and certain holidays, yet we never were taught the meanings behind these items and what they meant to us as individuals, families and as Jews in general. In no way can I hold anyone at fault for the way I was spiritually raised, I always sensed that my immediate family, especially my mother, never really even believed in Judaism, at least in the religious sense of the word. My mother did believe in the customs of the Jewish lifestyle yet she chose to follow a secular life. There were two Jewish rites that my family sometimes practiced; we would sometimes light a menorah on Chanukah and we sometimes had a Passover Seder. Yet these observances were extremely rare, the Chanukah menorah lighting especially. As the years went by, the Passover Seders became more of a family get-together than any kind of religious event. When my Bubby was still living, we at least made an effort at performing the Holy Seder, yet after her death in 1986, this became less and less a spiritual event. It is my perception that if it weren’t for my first cousin and my Bubby’s sister, we would not even have picked up a Haggadah (prayer book) at all. Until my great aunt’s death in 2000 we would sometimes have dinner on Passover at her house, but that is what it was, a dinner, not the Holy Convocation that the Lord demands in the Torah. I sometimes joke that my family always celebrated Passover by breaking open a bottle of Mogen David Concord grape wine and putting on a video of the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brenner as the Pharaoh Ramses. It is a joke, yet it held a grain of truth. We loosely practiced Judaism by its customs, not by Torah or the Talmud.

Adolescence and Atheism:

As the years went by, I began to pick up more and more knowledge of the religion. After all, most of my friends were Jewish, and many of them were practicing, some even attending synagogues every Sabbath on Saturday. So as I assimilated parts of the religion I formed opinions and many of them were positive. I think for a while I started believing. Yet even then I knew something was missing. My sister has told me in the past that even in middle school I used to declare that I was going to Hell, and she was right. I knew something in the religion was wrong. Why would the Lord have us practice a religion that was so cold, unfeeling, and distant? Yet there was more to it. I knew that Jews in Ancient Israel practiced ritual animal sacrifice and when I looked further into it I found that we were being ordered to do so. How could we be forgiven without doing what the Lord commanded us to do? After all we were ordered to sacrifice as an atonement of our sins. I quickly realized that if we could not make that atonement we were still living in sin. I thought I was damned for sure. It was at this point that certain external events took place, which altered my emotions and reactions towards religion and God in general. My self-esteem, which was always extremely low, became non-existent. The event was when I started middle school and I started getting beat up. Not once or twice, but three or more times a day and everyday. I was terrified of school, and I performed the only defensive move I could, I lied. I lied and told my schoolmates outrageous stories about my family and myself. All the time these stories were being passed out I prayed, I prayed like I never thought possible. I pleaded with God for safety and peace. Yet like all lies, mine became publicly known, many of them in the worst possible ways and my beatings started all over again, a few times worse than most can imagine. I became angry, really angry, not with the kids doing the beatings or even my parents for sending me back to school; after all they had no idea what was happening to me each day. So my anger became directed at God for not protecting me. I felt that since I was pleading and praying with Him that I should be saved in some form, but I wasn’t. The beatings just continued. This horrid lifestyle took place for four years. My parents, thinking that I was simply lying to everyone had to have me transfer schools in the district. I was even held back a year. In the end I was even given special protection from the school. Though I was now safe from the physical abuse, I remained irrationally angry, and gradually I became severely depressed. To make the situation even worse I was hit by a car while riding a bicycle to school and I was thrown 15 feet landing hard onto the pavement. I ended up with hearing loss in one ear and reoccurring nightmares. Now I was both physically and mentally damaged and I hated God and myself for it. It was then and there that I declared myself an atheist and a mistake. I wasn’t a true atheist, after all I still believed that there was a God, I just hated Him. That was when I began thinking that I was never meant to be and I should never have been born. After all, “life’s a bitch and then you die.” I lived thinking this way for many years to come.

High School and Obsession:

Then I approached high school, where I learned several important factors of life: how to betray friendships, how to obsess over a girl, and how to fall deeper into a hole of overall despair anger, and depression. Yes, it sounds extremely sad, but I thought, isn’t that part of life? At the time I felt that God hated me as much as I did myself. This is not to say I did not have any happiness, because I did. My greatest love at this point in my life would have to be my running. I was a proud member of the track and cross-country team, a road racer and a marathon runner. I wasn’t a superstar of any sort, yet running helped to fill those empty spaces within me. Every time I went out for a three to ten mile run I had a short period of self-fulfilled happiness and peace. There was no one out there but myself to keep me moving on the road; every hill I passed was another accomplishment. When I was running I felt an inner peace and I believe in retrospect I felt God tying to rebuild self-esteem within me. It was towards the end of my first year in high school in which my past had once again come forward to repay me. Being hit by a car years ago had caused a cyst to form on my kneecap, which my doctors felt had to be removed and studied. This is no big deal except for the fact that I did not have any initiative to restart training afterwards, so what did I do? Stupidly, I started smoking cigarettes. As to be expected this ended my running career and my short stint at happiness. It was also in high school in which I formed relationships with four people who have affected my life and views on religion greatly: Jannie, Dan, Moe, and Carrie. Jannie and I were best friends until the end of my freshmen year of high school. Jannie and I were in love, not in the romantic way, but as friends and companions. It was because of our constant companionship that something stirred within me that started with my running, a hint of self-esteem and with it a return to wonder about God and my Jewish culture. Yet towards the end of the year I did something I would end up regretting for the rest of my life. Yet we must first speak of my meeting Dan and Moe. After Dan, Moe, and I were introduced we quickly became the “Three Amigos.” We did everything together, Dan and I started running together, we played basketball, all three of us talked constantly on the phone for hours, we went to movies, and we were continually together as a group. Yet we jealously fought for each other’s attention. Anytime Dan captured too much of Moe’s interest I had to grab it back, in any way I could. Remember, up to this point, except for Jannie, I had few to no friends, so when these steadfast companions came along I had to have their full attention. It was then that I hurt Jannie. Jannie was overweight and because of it many people, including Dan and Moe, teased her horribly. So I made the life-altering choice to end our friendship so I too can join in the “fun.” For the first time in my life I maliciously went out of my way to hurt somebody, and I succeeded with flying colors. Jannie and I never spoke to each other again. I regretted it from the moment I did it and it just once again fulfilled the self-building prophecy that this is just the way life is and I was a horrid individual. No wonder God hated me so much. Dan, Moe, and I continued to be friends until the end of my junior year, in which Moe and I decided to “x-out” our friendship with Dan. Moe’s reasons were different then mine, but for me I felt that there was an actual motive for the conclusion of our friendship. As I mentioned earlier, the three of us fought for the attention of each other. In my mind, it was really Dan and I who fought for Moe’s awareness. Dan’s way of waging this war was to tease and mercilessly make fun of me in public, and my self esteem being where it was, his remarks hurt more than I could possibly articulate. I felt that I was being beat up in the same way as I was in middle school. Though Dan begged and pleaded to be given a second chance, I gleefully ended that relationship. After all, here was my chance to repay all those bullies that had previously hurt me. So entering my senior year it finally became Moe and I as best friends, a relationship that continues up to this day. This breaking up of friendships was something I felt was just part of living, nothing good in life lasts long after all, especially love, happiness, friendship, or contentment. God treated me badly, so why should I not treat everybody else in the same manner I was? The final high school relationship that affected my life was with Carrie. My feelings towards her were the beginnings of emotions that later turned into one of the two worst psychological periods of my life. Carrie was in the class below me and for me the sun raised every time I saw her coming down the hallway and my heart broke every time I saw her with another guy. I thought I had found true love. Yet what was built in my head as love turned into obsession. As most adults know, some of the most painful emotions are those we first experience in our adolescence. My first understanding of love was that it was that it impossible for someone like me to be romantically appreciated by somebody else. Carrie and I went out a few times and I thought it was the greatest experiences of my life, yet for her we were just friends. This was no big deal except I could not let it go. I knew in my heart that God was once again punishing me for not being someone worthwhile. I started hating myself more than I despised God.

College and Depression:

So I graduated high school in 1987 and moved on to college. Moe and I were still best friends, I was still obsessed with Carrie, and I still hated God and myself. Yet I started college with high hopes and a dream of breaking into radio broadcasting and letting my feelings for Carrie go. Attending the local community college I joined the school radio station and attempted to fulfill what I hoped to be my future career. Yet I quickly learned that I was only a mediocre broadcaster in a field filled with bright and talented individuals, Moe being one of them. At the same time I found myself jealous and envious of his natural talent and loathing myself for not being able to be as I wanted to be. It was a vicious circle that continued through college. Worse, I never let go of the obsessive feelings I had towards Carrie and I had hopes of telling her how I felt; yet I never did and this led to my feeling that I was a coward on top of everything else. The following year Moe and I attended Central Michigan University (CMU) two and half-hours away in Mt. Pleasant and roomed together in the dorms. Coed dormitories being what they are, with boys and girls being thrown together like a mixing bowl, we quickly made friendships with many other people. In fact, I quickly found myself with a girlfriend, a growing drug habit, and a never-ending stomachache. My friendship with Moe became solidified as we realized that so much of our lives were mirroring the others life. My girlfriend Merry was a new experience for me. I really did not have true romantic feelings for her, after all I still thought I loved Carrie; but with Merry I finally met someone who went out of their way to be near me. I just could not give that up. That’s when the drug usage started. I had experimented with marijuana and alcohol in high school, alcohol more than pot, yet it was here at CMU that I started smoking heavy. In retrospect the pot smoking was a self-medication I was giving to myself. You see, it was here, living in the dorms that I started experiencing continual stomach ailments like continual vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and a general queasy feeling. I thought I was dying. Every time I ate, worked, or partied, or participated in any social activity, my stomach would revolt. At the time my illness was unknown, yet in the next few years it would be clear what my illness was. But at this point, with no knowledge of what was happening to me, I had to leave school to get medically checked out. This, of course, destroyed every bit of self-esteem I had left. God had once again punished me for being alive. I was being separated from the only friends I had and returned to the only safe house I had, my parents. So I returned home, physically sicker than ever before. It took me a week to just get out of bed. My doctors were unsure as to what was occurring with me, they thought that I possibly had hepatitis, yet the tests were inconclusive. So I continued living. I lived the next six months in a continual state of despair and depression, my mood and will to live falling deeper and deeper into a black hole. I wanted to die, yet was afraid of going to Hell, and this made me feel a greater coward for having that fear. In hopes of helping myself I sent Carrie a five-page letter explaining how I felt about her and begging her to give me a chance. Today, I feel terrible and remorseful for ever sending that letter; for now I know that my feelings were never romantic towards her other than my having a “crush.” That letter tore her emotionally apart. She was unsure if she was leading me on, if there was a romantic relationship she missed, or if I was just some freak. So we went out again and we both discovered how wrong we were for each other. That experience, which should have helped me out of depression, just threw me even deeper down the hole. Not because we did not end up together, but because I had hurt another person again. The depression continued through the summer until my mother finally told me of the family history of clinical and manic depression. I immediately found medical help through outpatient treatments, learned I had clinical depression, and after a period of trial and error on medications I started to feel myself returning to life. All my stomach ailments were due to anxiety, panic attacks, and food allergies. There is a great debate in psychology whether depression and anxiety is a chemical imbalance or a pure psychological disorder. I believe that depression is an imbalance of neurons, yet it is so much more. If we look into the definition of possession we will find that it means to be taken over by an outside source. I am not saying I was Linda Blair from the Exorcist, but I was possessed by inner demons not of my own design, which were impossible for me to control. Yes, I obviously did need therapy of some sort, yet once the proper medications were taken, it was as if my self-esteem started rebuilding immediately. I finally felt a miracle was done by God to help me; maybe I was wrong about Him all along.

Drug-Induced Fantasy:

As I returned to sanity and life I quickly decided to stay at my parents and attend school locally. I felt I needed a safe location to gather myself and find peace. Yet what I found was a new friend and a hope of rebuilding harmony within myself and with God. I met Tony while working at a local restaurant, he was the cook and I was a waiter. We hit it off immediately and we quickly found common factors we both loved; fantasy books, Dungeons and Dragons, and smoking dope. Before I knew it we were playing D & D constantly and with it I found myself smoking more and more marijuana. It seemed right and I thought I was happy. I want to interject here on a subject that has nothing to do with religion, my emotions, or my friends; I want to talk about marijuana. Though it is not as physically addicting as heroin or crack-cocaine, marijuana, to me, is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. Unlike hard-type drugs like heroin and crack-cocaine, which has obvious physical signs to show addiction, pot does not. It slowly, methodically, and with the greatest cunning changes our mentality of life. At first we may just have enjoyment of the artistic thought and of the peace of mind the pot brings. But slowly without us even knowing it, it will alter our desire to improve ourselves and worse it changes the way we hope to live in the future for it becomes impossible to complete anything we start. Pot literally becomes the future and we believe this is our own will, not the drugs or the addiction. I also think it important to mention that some people, very few actually, can smoke pot for long periods and just quit without any problem whatsoever. Tony was able to, he could quit anytime he wanted to without any physical or mental problems; I could not. So this is where I remained for years, living in fantasy and smoking pot. I also need to add that these deeds where not Tony’s doing or decision, but my own; these were my choices I made with free will. It was about halfway through this period of debauchery that one of my friends showed me something that changed me forever, the New Testament. Upon my first reading, several things happened to me all at once. First, I knew it instantly to be the truth; second, I knew that many people understood the Scripture incorrectly, for Jesus was a Jew and never stopped being so; third, I knew God wanted to save me from myself; and finally, I knew I had to get off the drugs. Yet, this was Christianity I was contemplating, the mere thought of it was the worst kind of betrayal against my family. The last thing I wanted to do was convert to a different religion, how could I dishonor my Bubby or my parents by doing that. I couldn’t, my fear of rejection was too great. God was an incorporable being and my family was real, so at the time there was no choice. Therefore, I chose to remain involved in fantasy and drugs. I even had the drug-induced fantasy that there may be many gods, an entire Pantheon of deities, and that they lived just like in D & D. This lifestyle continued to the mid-90’s. I attended several universities during this period in my life often switching schools after a single semester of attendance. Most of my courses were now based upon religion as I attempted to pick up as much knowledge on varying theology as possible. I took classes on the Old and New Testaments, Islam and Muslim cultures, Judaic studies, Christian studies, Greek and Norse Mythology, and a class on eastern philosophies. Every class just further proved to me the initial reactions I had to reading the New Testament. What I read was the truth and somehow I had to prove it to others. It seemed so obvious and I could not understand why everyone else could not see it to.

The Truth:

Then something miraculous occurred through the death of another individual. While attending a funeral of a distant relative I met my cousin Matt. Matt was considered an enigma and an outcast of the family. Matt was a Messianic Jew. It was something I never heard of and I was instantly intrigued. Here was an actual Jew, living his life as a Jew, yet believing in Jesus. I learned that Jesus, his Hebrew name being Yeshua (Hebrew for Salvation), is the prophesied Jewish messiah. His mission was to save the Jews from themselves and then to bring Gentiles into the family. It was as if a cloud had opened and the sun finally had shone upon me, and I knew it to be all true. In my heart and my soul I finally found what I had been searching for, and I wasn’t alone. Matt told me there was an actual synagogue of fellow believers in Yeshua and that most of them were Jewish. I wanted to find out more about this, yet I was still trapped by that sense of betrayal. To listen to my aunts and uncles talk of Matt it was easy to learn that he was an ostracized member of the family, continually laughed at behind his back. They joked and told each other that Messianic Judaism and groups like Jews for Jesus were cults and that they believed Jesus was a homosexual. They said anything possible to degrade the belief in Yeshua as the Messiah and any Jews who believe in Him. To them they were no longer Jews, but Christians, outcasts, and traitors to the faith. I couldn’t go through being an outcast myself; my family was the only refuge I had. But the calling of the Lord was strong and I wanted to know the truth so I told my folks I was just going to check out the services for educational purposes and I went to synagogue the following Sabbath. What I found shocked me and filled me with joy. There in the sanctuary of a Baptist church I found Congregation Shema Yisrael (Hear O’ Israel); a group of Jews and Gentiles who believe Yeshua is the prophesied Jewish Messiah and the Savior of mankind. I walked in, sat in the back row and watched. What I saw was a synagogue service filled with song and prayer towards Adonai (the Lord) and His Son Yeshua. The congregation’s leader, Rabbi Loren Jacobs, spoke with eloquence and confidence that moved me greatly. I will admit I was a little nervous at sight of the tambourines, for they put me in mind of the cult warnings I was given, but the message was clear. Belief in Yeshua is not and was never meant to be a Gentile religion alone, but the belief is a Jewish one altered to fit Gentiles. Yeshua, Peter (Kefa), John the Baptist (Yochanan the Immerser), and even Paul (Sha’ul) were all Orthodox Jews practicing Judaism. It wasn’t until over 75 years after the death and resurrection of Yeshua that the Jewish rites were being eradicated. Being eradicated by men, not by divine will. I soaked in everything I could from that service, I even had a meal with the Rabbi afterwards and then I took my leave. I remained absent for years.

Self-Love, Love, and Forgiveness:

I left Congregation Shema Yisrael finally knowing the truth, knowing that Yeshua is the true and only Messiah of the Lord Almighty and that He was sent by His Father to save each of us from our sins and ourselves. Yet now I had a huge job in front of me, I had to prove what I believed, and thus began my study of the Bible. I read Bible translations of every sort: the King James, the New English Revised, the New American Standard, the New International, the Amplified, the New Jerusalem, the Hebrew TANAKH, the Revised Standard, I even read a copy of the Douay Catholic Bible translated from the original Latin Vulgate in 1582. It was essential that I learn which one of these Bibles was the most accurate and the best copy of the original Codex’s. After finishing the Bibles I started reading the other religious materials available like the Gnostics including the Apocrypha and the Gospels of Thomas and Phillip; I also studied the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a small section from the Jewish Talmud. After these I started into the secular histories of the Jewish historian Josephus. What I found was simple; there was nothing, nothing, to disprove anything of what the New Testament says, there are only recorded events that prove what took place. There was a Yeshua, thousands of practicing Jews witnessed with their own eyes miracles being performed, and that Yeshua was followed and believed to be the Messiah by tens of thousands of Jews including many Essenes, Pharisees and members of the Sanhedrin council, as well as many of the Levites, priests, scribes, and rabbis. There is no question that He was crucified on the first day of Passover and that His body was found missing on the Feast of First Fruits (Easter Sunday). These facts are indisputable, even the Jewish Talmud substantiates them. Isn’t it remarkable that nothing has ever been scientifically or historically disproved from the Old or New Testaments? For example, scientists argued for years that there was never an ancient Amorite civilization. Guess what? In the late 1990’s an archaeologist discovered the ruins of an Amorite city. Or take a look at the findings released in October of 2002, where the bones of James, Yeshua’s brother were recovered from Jerusalem. For centuries, people have argued against the stories of David, Solomon and Elijah. Yet, a recent Time Magazine article substantiates the claim on the existence of the Queen of Sheba from the stories of King Solomon. For me, it is astounding that more Jews do not believe in their Messiah, yet we are taught not to, not because of facts or evidence, but because of the emotions involved. My emotions ruled me for my entire life, whether it was through obsession, depression, or drugs. I lived by what my emotions told me, not by the evidence at hand. If I had looked at the evidence I would have seen the truth about my feelings towards Carrie or the fantasy that marijuana had put me in. It seems that if I had done this religious study years before, I would have found the truth then; and I believe, the peace I was searching for. It is my perception that many people will feel that I believe in Yeshua for the wrong reasons. I can easily see my family members who learn of my views through this writing that I only believe what I do because my parents never raised me to practice Judaism. Others may feel that I only believe what I do to fill the “void” left by the usage of drugs and my fight with depression. I can see even others thinking my beliefs are based upon a judgment decision to compromise with my wife’s beliefs. I hope everyone will understand that my views and beliefs are based upon evidence. I refuse to believe in something just because I am told that’s the way it is. That is exactly the way I thought throughout my youth and look where that led. We may not like the truth that stands before us, but it doesn’t change it. I feel that many Jews refuse to even read the New Testament because to do so shows a possibility that we were wrong. We were! Look at it this way, every single time a prophet emerged in Israel his brethren have disputed him. Even the greatest prophets like Moses and Elijah were misunderstood for years. I am not going to spend tons of paper to preach the evidence to you, at least not in this chapter. Find out for yourself, the evidence is there. All I ask is for you to give it a chance, an objective chance. Read the New Testament; start with the Book of Matthew. He was writing to his fellow Jews, not to the Gentiles. In fact, all the Gospels are attempting to reach Jews. Paul’s letters where written for the Gentiles (with the exception of Hebrews, which is also for Jews), but do not misunderstand their purpose. Romans and Galatians, the two letters I feel are the most confusing, is not degrading Judaism; it is simply saying that the Gentiles do not need to become Jews to be believers. Why should an individual from Japan or Australia have to be circumcised to believe? All you must do is accept the truth in your heart. The letters are often considered to be stating that we no longer have to follow the Torah or the Law. This is not what it says! It says we cannot be saved by it for no one has ever fulfilled the Torah perfectly except for Yeshua, not even Moses did. Yet just because we cannot be perfect beings does not mean we should give up being the best people we can. It does not mean we should give up trying to perform Torah to the best of our ability. To do so would be childish and selfish and not living in the spirit that the Torah tells us to.

Business and Meetings:

So now I found myself in the year 1996. My drug usage had escalated from a social activity to a solitary one. I began living my life through a dugout, a small smokeless pipe used for single hits of weed. Everyday, I would put on a front of normalcy to others, and remember, by this point I was already quite a proficient liar, so no one had any idea of what was occurring. For the most part, between my daily medications and my drug usage I was remaining emotionally numb, yet still functional. I was still living in a world of D & D and refusing to move past my usage of drugs. In my heart I knew two things clearly: first, I knew that I could not betray my family and express my beliefs in Yeshua; and second, I knew it would be wrong for me to accept God while still using drugs. So life continued. It was at this point that another major event took place. My dad’s business partner, whom I was employed with, and my dad messily broke their business dealings and each went there own way. My dad who is and always has been a successful commercial photographer started his own small business working with digital photography. I was given a choice by my dad’s partner, to stay with him or leave with my dad. To me there was no choice, after all if I chose my folks over God, what decision needed to me made between a guy I really never liked and my family. So my dad and I started working together and for a month or so it was perfect. Yet soon after we started the firm, my dad had a mishap in surgery while having his lower spine fused and he was unable to return to work for a long, long time. So I jumped in and took over. It felt great to be in charge of the business, and for retail sales it was easy. But without my father being involved the commercial business started to die out and the business started falling in debt. Somehow I kept the business afloat and paying most of its bills, albeit some of them were being paid late, we remained open for business. Unfortunately, by the time he returned three severe problems existed: first, we were so far in debt it was beginning to be impossible to work with our vendors; second, our commercial clients continued to slowly leave our firm; and third, the authority I had went to my head. So when my father came back to work I started fighting with his return to authority. It was stupid and a waste of energy; my concentration should have remained on saving the business, yet I felt that since I had saved the business, I should be an official part of the corporation. Regardless of how I felt, the business started to die. So in conference with an attorney we decided to open a new business with myself as the corporation’s president and owner. So now we had a man already with a superiority complex being thrust to an even higher role in authority. My self-esteem was now higher than ever before; here I was actually running a business myself. Yet, I continued to make a huge error in my head, for the business was never mine except in legal terms. This led to huge misunderstandings and arguments between my parents and I and it eventually led to my leaving the corporation and finding new work. For a while my parents and I stopped talking too each other all together.

Life and Peace:

One of the top events in my life took place just before the business fell apart. This was when I met Kolleen (pronounced K’leen). This meeting actually took place through the break up of an old friendship and the ensuing will to change my life. You see, I had a close friend helping me at the company when my father was absent and when his employment did not work out things became disastrous. The firing of this friend was not what can be called a cordial event; we simply never spoke to each other ever again. But the experience made me feel that I had to make some changes in my life. I knew I couldn’t change my feelings towards God or my daily usage of pot smoking, so I changed what I could, namely my social life. I joined a dating service and I quickly found myself paired with a woman named Kolleen. As, one of the top automobile sales people in the nation; Kolleen had an extremely high level of self-esteem and I was instantly intrigued. Yet by our second or third date, I also began to sense a form of complexity between her strength of character and her emotional vulnerability; and I was attracted. We began to see more and more of each other and as we did my self-esteem grew to new levels. Without her ever being aware of it, she aided me in my confidence in myself. She knew some of my darkest and worst kept secrets and she still wanted to be with me. Yet Kolleen helped me in a way that was unexpected. She helped me realize who I wanted to be, not in the terms of a career or physically, but with my drug usage and with my connection to God and Yeshua. She knew of my messianic beliefs and how I felt about God. She helped me to understand that it wasn’t betrayal to my family to believe; it was a start to save them. Think of it this way. Say you have a family and you have an alcohol abuse problem. Would you not want to save your children from the same type of suffering that you now experience? In the same way, I feel my family members who have died and passed on to Sheol (Hades), now know the truth of Messiah and the way to Salvation. Out of love don’t you think that they would want better for their loved ones? I do and that is what Kolleen taught me without her ever saying a word. Kolleen also taught me that I needed to stop smoking dope. She helped me to understand that living with pot was causing more problems then I ever experienced without it. So I stopped cold turkey. In my mind it would be betrayal to continue smoking. It would be a betrayal to her and betrayal to Yeshua. I have not returned to marijuana once since. The mere thought of smoking terrifies me. All I have to do is remember what the first two weeks of quitting felt like, not to mention the guilt I lived with every day. Those are days and a lifestyle I never want to return to, and I never will; I simply would rather die than betray another again. I have spent so much of my life in a drug-induced fantasy of make believe, drugs, lies, and an overpowering sense of betraying my own family for my beliefs. It is not worth it. So I did the best thing I ever did in my life, I surrendered to Yeshua. The next Sabbath I returned to Congregation Shema Yisrael and Rabbi Loren Jacobs. I felt I was returning home. Surprisingly, he remembered my situation and he helped me understand many of the missing pieces. With my return to the Congregation my research in Bible study, Bible accuracy, and my studies of the different belief systems of both Judaism and Christianity intensified. As my theological knowledge increased a new desire arose in me, I wanted to be reborn into the Kingdom of God. Simply put, I wanted to be Immersed or Baptized. Bringing my feelings to Rabbi Loren he proved his true merit and calling by telling me no. He would not baptize me, at least not yet. Immersion was something that should only be undertaken after a careful analysis has been made of one’s soul. To use another analogy, I once went to the Colorado mountains with my family. Visiting a mountain lake I instantly noticed a boat rental facility offering tourists small sailboats to enjoy on the lake. After paying the fee I was told by the sailing guides that if I wanted to venture out into the waters I should probably get some instructions first. Yet I was not there for instructions, I was there to sail; so I sailed without waiting for any directions. Well, I got across that lake faster than many racecars probably could, but you know what? I had no idea how to return against the wind and I spent much of the day on that shore waiting for someone to pick me up. I believe that is exactly what Rabbi Loren did for me by telling me to wait being Immersed. Wait until I was instructed, not by him so to speak, but through my own soul searching with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Personally, I believe anyone who thinks Congregation Shema Yisrael is a cult looking for unsuspecting Jews is a fool. I was not brainwashed or rushed into anything, I was told specifically to think for myself and to evaluate my beliefs time and again. Time passed and Kolleen and I were married on October 2, 1999. This was the second best day of my entire life. Kolleen and I are perfect together; we are so much alike and different enough to allow our idiosyncrasies to compliment each other. Sure we may get on each other’s nerves once in awhile, but that is only natural. I love her a little more each and every day. The best day of my life occurred almost one year later on a sunny day in Brighton, Michigan, August 12, 2000. This was when Kolleen and I were Immersed together by Rabbi Loren, witnessed by my dear mother-in-law and many of the Congregation’s members. The feelings I experienced emerging from the waters are indescribable, unlike anything else I ever experienced. I physically felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest; spiritually I felt… Him, God, Yeshua. I cried, I couldn’t have stopped it if I wanted to. For the first time in my entire life my soul was 100% at peace without pain, guilt, nausea, anxiety, depression, or anything else negative. I felt the peace only He can bring and I love Him more than anything else in this universe for that tranquility He brought me that day. So that leads us to today. After telling my parents about my Baptism I promised I would never preach to them about Yeshua. Verbally I may never do so. Yet to be honest that is the real reason for these writings. My great aunt, my Bubby’s sister, died without me having the courage to try and save her from what I believe to be a judgment of eternal damnation. I cannot stand by and watch this for anyone else. Ezekiel 33 speaks of the watchman. Simply put, if my family and friends died condemned and they knew the truth before passing on it is there own fault. But if they were to die and they were never even told the truth, well, that is my fault. I spent too much of my life in guilt over the pain I have caused others, too long over pain I felt I caused for myself. No more. Open you hearts. Be objective. Read this testimony, and then figure it out for yourselves. Don’t believe something just because you are told that is the way it is and the way it always will be. The truth shall set us free.

TESTIMONY ENDS AT THE YEAR OF 2001, but SANCTIFICATION CONTINUES!!!!!!!!

Ministry Contact Information

2013-01-27T16:29:00.001-05:00

The Road to God Ministry

P.O. Box 300632

Drayton Plains , MI 48330-0632

Phone: 248-660-5525

E-Mail: theroadtogodministry@gmail.com

Becoming a Member of the Ministry

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Becoming a Member of the Ministry

The Road to God Ministry is now accepting applications from individuals and organizations who would like to join and/or partner with the ministry in it's continual mission to share the Gospel of Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) to the lost across the globe.
As a member of The Road to God Ministry be assured that you will never be obligated financially or in any other manner. What we do request as a member and partner of the ministry is your continued prayers for the ministry and for each of our partners that shall be listed on our partner list (see list below). We will, however, gladly accept any and all financial donations (please see financial donation page) which will aid the ministry in further spreading the Gospel. For those partners who desire to do so the ministry does offer mission tracts (both Jewish and Gentile) that you may distribute in your area. We will gladly ship these tracts to our partners free of charge. If you are interested in becoming a member or partner of The Road to God Ministry, simply send the ministry an e-mail with the following information: name, address, city, state, zip code, country, e-mail, name and type of organization, denomination, contact phone #, and what type of ministry work are you willing to do (prayer, financial, tracts, etc.). Someone from the ministry will contact you shortly.
FULL Member of The Road to God Ministry PARTNER of The Road to God Ministry
	FULL Member of The Road to God Ministry As a FULL Member of The Road to God Ministry you will become active in the many forms evangelism we take part in in the Southeastern Michigan. As a FULL member of the ministry you will have the option to be a part of the ministry's Board of Directors and take part of all ministry votes. You will need a willingness to serve the Lord Yeshua (Jesus) with a open heart and mind. You must have a desire to love the Lord with all you heart, mind and being (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The primary qualification for becoming a FULL Member of the ministry is: that you are WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE of First General Baptist Church of Waterford, Michigan (USA), that you have been saved by the Grace and blood of Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah that you agree with the MISSION STATEMENT of The Road to God Ministry. If you feel that you meet these qualifications, then please send us an e-mail today. God Bless You! Please Send Your Resume to: theroadtogodministry@gmail.com Back to Top
	PARTNER of The Road to God Ministry As a PARTNER of The Road to God Ministry you or your organization may or may not choose to participate in any of the ministry's evangalistic efforts. Our ministry's partners are those who come from locations around the globe, from Toledo, Ohio (USA) to Palida, India. Ministry PARTNERS have the free option to have tracts and Bibles to be mailed to them. There is only one requirement for becoming a partner with the ministry: solidarity with the ministry's MISSION STATEMENT As a partner we would hope and pray for a continued dialouge and prayers. Also, as a PARTNER you our welcome to recieve the ministry bi-monthly newsletter, "The Watchman". God Bless You! Please Send Your Resume to: theroadtogodministry@gmail.com

Olive Tree Theology

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Olive Tree Theology

Olive Tree Theology

One of the important doctrines that The Road to God Ministry (TRTGM) follows is called Olive Tree Theology. In fact, this religious viewpoint is our number three tenet in our Article of Faith. Unfortunately, Olive Tree Theology remains one of the most misunderstood doctrines throughout modern Biblical Judaism as it stands in contrast with many Messianic Jewish doctrines.

Olive Tree Theology, Part 1 & 2

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16 (KJV)

My Biblical life verse has given me spiritual direction throughout my Christian life. Even with my formal education almost over I still live day-to-day by the words of the Apostle Paul. The Road to God Ministry also works by following Romans 1:16. The ministry has a series of Articles of Faith and it is through these Articles that the ministry functions. I personally believe that the success of The Road to God Ministry has been because we follow our Articles of Faith to the letter.

Unfortunately, there is one article, the third that confuses many people; Believer and lost alike. Our third Article of Faith reads,

3. Adhere to the tenet of Olive Tree Theology; Jewish & Gentile Believers of Yeshua can worship together and maintain their own cultural distinctiveness.

This Article defines our belief and teachings of the doctrine entitled Olive Tree Theology. What is so unfortunate is that too many people have no idea what that is. Today, I will start a four-part series on the doctrine of Olive Tree Theology.

It took me over 20 years to convince myself tyhe truth of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus); that He is not only the Messiah, but the Son of God. These 20+ years where a time of intense study. I did everything I can to prove Christ false. In the end I could only prove Him the true Son of Adonai (the Lord). So when I finally made my confession in Yeshua that we are all commanded to do in Romans 10:9 I naturally made my way to a Messianic synagogue congregation. My first years there were one of hapiness, knowing that I could remain a Believer and a Jew at the same time. But what I saw at this congregation disturbed me as well.

What surprised me about my new congregation was that there where more Gentiles as members of the congregation then there where Messianic Jews. I also noticed, not at first but after a year or so, is that all of the sermons where Jewish oriented. Never did I hear a sermon diected towards the Gentile Believer. I also realized that every evangelical and witnessing effort was always for the Jew alone. An orthodox dispensational attmosphere was everywhere. After all, we were taught, that the New Covenant was written by Jews and for a Jewish audience. Again I could not see the Gentile in the "big picture."

This congregation is where The Road to God Ministry began. Yet it was unsuccessful, boring no fruit in any manner whatsoever. In retrospect I know this is because we where not following Scripture in a literal sense. Too many times the Bible was being taken in a contemporary fashion that allowed personal interpretations.

Thus I left the Messianic synagogue. Let me be clear in stating that these doctrine issue where only part of the reason I left for I had another personal reason. After a long trek to find a new spiritual home, my family ended up at a local General Baptist Church. It was here that I found a pastor who not only viewed the Bible literally, but held just about all the same doctrines that I did. It was also here that I began my formal education, attending semminary and receiving a BS in ministry and soon, with Adonai's aid a MA in pastoral ministry.

Thus we come to todays Olive Tree Thology teaching. One of the first things I learned at the Messianic congregation is that there is a true and important need for two houses of worship; a Messianic synagogue and a Gentile Church. Thus it was being taught that there is a desperate need for separation between saved Jews and Gentiles. At first I found this to be hypocritical since the majority of members of the Messianic congregation were Gentiles. But I also could not understand the purpose or the Scriptural calling for the division of Jew and Gentile. If anything this seemed straight out wrong. I could not, and still don't, know of any Scripture calling for the separation of Jews and Gentiles. If anything, there only lies a clear calling for the opposite.

Thus began my belief in Olive Tree Theology. This doctrine was originally created by Dr. David Stern, the translator to the Complete Jewish Bible. But as I have contemplated this doctrine over the past few years I have come to realize the true importance behind such a belief. Biblically there is no call for separation of Believers, in fact, Scripture gives us examples and commands to the opposite. In the Gospel of Matthew we read,

And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. Matthew 15:38-39

It is here that we not only see the separation between Man and God made with the tearing of the veil, but it also indicates all divisions to be nullified. In verse 39 we read of the centurion, a Gentile, who stands at the base of the cross, with many other Jewish Believers, declaring his faith in Yeshua.

Of greater impact comes the words of the Apostle Paul when he writes to the Church of Galatia. It reads,

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26-28 (KJV)

It is here that we are told specifically that all Believers stand equal in Christ. Some read these verses to mean that there no longer is a Jew in God's eyes, but this is simply not true. When you read the Bible literally you will find many indications of when a verse is literal and when it is to be taken as an analogy. In this case the verses are not only reading that there is no Jew or Gentile, but also that there is no longer any men or women. As we know that gender is for life, then so too does being a Jew or Gentile.

Yet what we can take from the passages in Galatians is that in Adonai's eyes there are no difference. All believers are loved as one. For once we become true Believers then all the God's sees when He looks at us is the perfect person of Yeshua (justification). If God sees us as one, then why are we working so hard to divide what He has brought together?

The usual response I would get to this line of thinking is that the Messianic synagogues are more concerned with all things Jewish and to combat Replacement Theology. My response is two-fold; for if we read the Bible as the literal words of Adonai then we have no choice but to worship as a single congregation or church. Also, though I agree in combating all things that relate to Replacement Theology, when worshiping in a single house of God one should be able to retain their Jewishness...I know I have. The key is having a church that takes the Bible literally.

The next part of this lesson will tackle the view that Messianic Jews (or saved Jews) must practice all the doctrines of Torah (the Law).

Blessings.

Olive Tree Theology, Part 2

In Part 1 of the Olive Tree Theology we discussed the false view that saved Jews (aka. Messianic Jews) and save Gentiles (Christians) should be separated in the houses of worship. Under the doctrine of Olive Tree Theology all Christians, Jew and Gentile, should worship in one congregation. In doing so, there should be no fear of losing ones cultural distinctiveness. As we are all baptized into one faith, so then we should all come together as one unified body of believers.

Today, we will discuss another dangerous trend that has emerged with the Messianic Jewish movement. This is strong need that many Messianic congregations have in observing Rabbinical Jewish traditions in the hope that this will show other Jews they are still Jewish. Now please do not mistake my point-of-view for as an evangelist to the Jewish people around the world (and also as my own growth as a Jew) there is a vital need to show other Jews we are still Jewish. In the steps of leading a Jew to Yeshua, the first step is often in establishing the precedent that they can be Jews and still believe in Messiah Yeshua. Yet, how do we do this? Do we establish our Jewishness by following rites and traditions we know to be false?

In my testimony of how I came to be a Believer in Mashiach I spent the past 30 years in study, both formal and informal. I have found that one of the greatest apostate falsehoods of Judaism is centered on the Oral Traditions (aka. Talmud). As believers we are told in Scripture that there is only one truth in our lives and that is the Word of God. But the Talmud are traditions and views held by the esteemed Rabbinical rabbi's since the Babylonian Exile. As a devout believer in Jesus I trust in God's Word. I came to the view that the Oral Traditions are just that traditions and not Scripture. I am not the only one who held this view, for Yeshua Himself denounced many of the traditions spoken by the early Jewish rabbi's.

So if we know that these traditions are simply the commentary of learned men and not Divine inspiration then why is it we continue to follow these traditions to the letter? Why is it many Messianic Jews of today (and not all by any means) feel they must act more like a Rabbinical Jew then their own family and friends? We must keep in mind that these traditions are each the viewpoint of a rabbi. Further commentary, by additional rabbis have continued to be made, often discussing the same thing! I just do not understand to the need to continue following false oral traditions. Allow me one further point. If we as saved Jews, continue practicing traditions that we know are false, will that not show are loved ones we are acting in a hypocritical fashion? I believe it is.

Under the view of Olive Tree Theology all Jewish Believers have the freedom to worship as they please as well celebrating Feast days. One of my favorite verses in Olive Tree Theology reads, Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Col 2:16-17 (KJV)

These verses simply state that we all have the freedom to be who we are as Believers if we are doing them "in Christ." For myself, the idea of following, preaching or teaching Talmudic views is a grave error on the part of many today. But if there are some who wish to do so, for the purpose of enrichment...more power to you. We just should never be preaching how wrong the Pharisees and Sadducees were while we continue to live as they did.