Weekly Reflections of Christ

The gospel in a nutshell...

2012-01-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/1-john/3-4.html
http://bible.cc/1_john/3-4.htm

Whosoever is committing sin is also transgressing the Torah: for sin is the transgression of the Torah. - 1 John 3:4

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/romans/3.html

There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that is understanding, there is none that is seeking after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that is doing good, no, there is not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:10-18 (Psalm 14 and 53)

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/romans/3-23.html
http://bible.cc/romans/3-23.htm

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God... - Romans 3:23

So here's the good news, in a nutshell, none of us (except for the man Messiah Yahshua) have even kept all the Torah of ourselves; no, not a single one. So Y'Hovah came down to earth as a man to die, in our place, for our sins (transgressions of the Torah); and, then He filled us with His Holy Spirit, and changed our hearts, so that we (by His Spirit within us) could live a life that fulfills Torah!

That's what Paul was trying to communicate to us in Romans 3, and that why it's so important for us to understand the Torah, for the Torah is the good that God has ordained that we should walk in by Him (His Holy Spirit) inside of us. The good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them by His Spirit in us once we have been born again (been made a new creation, given a new heart, given the mind of Messiah by which we understand the Torah), is the Torah itself.

The good news is that God has given us this sacrifice, that way to be made into a new creation by grace and through faith, so that we could actually do what the Torah requires by His Holy Spirit within us! And in that way, of a truth, keeping the Torah is not legalism; for we are not keeping the Torah to be saved but, of a truth, we're doing it by Him in us because we are saved. For His desire for us, from the very beginning, is that we would live out His Torah; that's still His desire for us today, it has not changed, and He has given us a way to do it! For it is clear that if we walk by His Holy Spirit, in His understanding of His Torah, that we are fulfilling it; for, by His Holy Spirit we bear the fruit against which there is nothing in the Torah at all (Galatians 5).

Romans 3 (Complete Jewish Bible)

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? What is the value of being circumcised? 2 Much in every way! In the first place, the Jews were entrusted with the very words of God. 3 If some of them were unfaithful, so what? Does their faithlessness cancel God's faithfulness? 4 Heaven forbid! God would be true even if everyone were a liar! - as the Tanakh says, "so that you, God, may be proved right in your words and win the verdict when you are put on trial."g 5 Now if our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness, what should we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict his anger on us? (I am speaking here the way people commonly do.) 6 Heaven forbid! Else, how could God judge the world? 7 "But," you say, "if, through my lie, God's truth is enhanced and brings him greater glory, why am I still judged merely for being a sinner?" 8 Indeed! Why not say (as some people slander us by claiming we do say), "Let us do evil, so that good may come of it"? Against them the judgment is a just one! 9 So are we Jews better off? Not entirely; for I have already made the charge that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are controlled by sin. 10 As the Tanakh puts it, "There is no one righteous, not even one! No one understands, 11 no one seeks God, 12 all have turned away and at the same time become useless; there is no one who shows kindness, not a single one! 13 "Their throats are open graves, they use their tongues to deceive. Vipers' venom is under their lips. 14 Their mouths are full of curses and bitterness. 15 "Their feet rush to shed blood, 16 in their ways are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of shalom they do not know. 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah, in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be shown to deserve God's adverse judgment. 20 For in his sight no one alive will be considered righteousn on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, because what Torah really does is show people how sinful they are. 21 But now, quite apart from Torah, God's way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear - although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well - 22 and it is a righteousness that comes from God, through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, 23 since all have sinned and come short of earning God's praise. 24 By God's grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua. 25 God put Yeshua forward as the kapparah for sin through his faithfulness in respect to his bloody sacrificial death. This vindicated God's righteousness; because, in his forbearance, he had passed over [with neither punishment nor remission] the sins people had committed in the past; 26 and it vindicates his righteousness in the present age by showing that he is righteous himself and is also the one who makes people righteous on the ground of Yeshua's faithfulness. 27 So what room is left for boasting? None at all! What kind of Torah excludes it? One that has to do with legalistic observance of rules? No, rather, a Torah that has to do with trusting. 28 Therefore, we hold the view that a person comes to be considered righteous by God on the ground of trusting, which has nothing to do with legalistic observance of Torah commands. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is indeed the God of the Gentiles; 30 because, as you will admit, God is one. Therefore, he will consider righteous the circumcised on the ground of trusting and the uncircumcised through that same trusting. 31 Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.

My newest project - Univera

2011-10-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

http://teddycraig.myunivera.com/about

As you can see from my new website, my about page, I have just started in on the Univera 90 day challenge; but, I already feel different. And in 90 days I will come back here and reveal to all of you my new weight; right now I am 400 pounds!

http://teddycraig.myunivera.com/

So what, you may ask, got me interested in this company and their products.

http://teddycraig.myunivera.com/company

The short and sweet of the story is this: I was invited to come and experience the company and one of it core products by a close friend of mine and I went. I tasted the product, decided that I liked the taste of it and the attitude of leadership which spoke about, and signed up to do the 90 day challenge! Why? Because the journey of 1000 miles must begin with a first step in the right direction; and, this for me is that first step.

Experience Renewal

In the past, 25 percent of all drugs originally came from plants and yet, only one-half of one percent of the world's 256,000 plant species have been evaluated for their medicinal properties. Imagine the potential!

Univera is a leader in the quest to understand the role of nutritional and botanical supplements and apply the knowledge to health and wellness.

Univera is a health and wellness company that gives you the opportunity to enhance and change your life and the lives of others with patented and proprietary nutritional products that have clinically proven health benefits.

We are one of those rare companies that measures success not by the revenue streams we create, but more importantly, by the lives we improve and inspire.

At our core is an unshakable commitment to physical, financial, and cultural renewal.

My goal, in the next 90 days, is to lose weight and have more energy; and, I am convinced that the products I am taking will help me to do so. Why? Because of the vision/goals of the owner of the company itself.

The vision was to extract the best of nature and then bring the benefits to the world.

Today, Univera is the central piece of a large global organization, the ECONET, but in the beginning it was one man with a vision. The man was YunHo Lee, a successful Korean businessman. Univera was founded as a result of a simple gift. And that model is still what we emulate today.

Mr. Lee had long suffered from poor health and found no relief in conventional medicine. When a dear friend gave him the gift of an Aloe vera plant, Lee was skeptical. But he tried taking the Aloe vera and the result was, in his words, "a miraculous recovery."

Amazed, he used his financial success to invest in exploring the ethnobotanical properties of the plant kingdom. His goal was to discover more about the connection between the medicinal power of nature's bounty and the body's incredible power of renewal and to bring that power to the world. He had no idea of how successful he'd be.

His team of scientists made discovery after discovery, each more compelling than the last. Science validated what his own experience had made clear — with the help of certain elements found in nature, the human body had the ability to renew itself.

And the phenomenon that is Univera grew from the seed he planted three decades ago. Lee committed himself to creating a company with the tools, expertise and resources to unlock the amazing secrets hiding inside of nature`s bounty. The results have changed countless lives.

Will yours be one of them?

I like that the founder of this company was motivated to share what he found with others because of the impact it had on his life; and, that the decisions which his son (the current owner of the company today) take as also based on that same desire. But don't a lot of other companies do the same things? Yes, in many ways they do, but Univera is unique!

What Makes Us Special? Five things.

They are relatively simple, but when combined, they become an empowering force that can transform lives.

Visionary, proven leadership
Worldwide resources
Products based on integrative 21st century science
Lucrative compensation plan
Proven business model
Visionary, Proven Leadership

It's a nice phrase " "visionary, proven leadership" " but what does it really mean? Does it mean leading with a higher purpose in mind? Planning for the future? Or creating long-term income streams vs. pursuing short-term profits? The leadership team at Univera believes it is all of these things. We are committed to fulfilling the mission of our company chairman, Bill Lee and his father YunHo Lee "Bringing the best of nature to humankind." For more than 30 years, we have called forth the best in people and brought them together around this shared sense of purpose and pride.

Relationship Marketing Model

One of our core beliefs is that "the greatest gift you can provide is opportunity." With a 100-year plan in place, Univera continues to be a social innovator and change agent by taking a long-term view of the health and wellness industry and thinking strategically. That is one of the reasons we sell and distribute products through a relationship marketing model, which is a category within direct selling. The most important factor in the effectiveness and success of this type of business model is the willingness of individuals to trust and believe in each other. At Univera, trust and integrity are of paramount importance and serve as the building blocks for your renewal.

Culture

Our company's culture is rooted in caring for self, for nature, for the world, and for the community. That culture is expressed on a daily basis as the company provides people with the opportunity to pursue their dreams while adhering to the highest standards of innovation, service, and customer care.

"Univera" literally translated means one (uni) and truth (vera); and the One Truth is "We believe that the human body is a miracle, containing the power to renew itself through the secrets revealed by medicinal plants and botanicals found in nature." - Quote from Univera site

I believe the same thing; so, I'm in. How about you? To study Univera more, for yourself, visit my personal site listed above or http://us.univera.com/ (P.S., My associate ID number is 1428383; you can use it to order products or enroll in the program).

What is the point of Mark 11:11-14 and 20-22? The following study will delve into that topic and attempt to explain the real meaning of the verses!

2011-09-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

What is the point of Mark 11:11-14 and 20-22?

Mark 11:11-14
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 (A) Yahshua (i.e. Jesus) entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, (B)He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
12 (C)On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf (i.e. already in bloom out of season), He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Cross references:

A. Mark 11:11 : Matt 21:12
B. Mark 11:11 : Matt 21:17
C. Mark 11:12 : Mark 11:12-14, 20-24: Matt 21:18-22

Mark 11:20-22
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

20 (A)As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “(B)Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22 And Yahshua (i.e. Jesus) answered saying to them, “(C)Have faith in God.

Cross references:

A. Mark 11:20 : Mark 11:12-14, 20-24: Matt 21:19-22
B. Mark 11:21 : Matt 23:7
C. Mark 11:22 : Matt 17:20; 21:21f

Now, what was the problem with this fig tree; specifically, why did Yahshua curse it like He did?

If you guessed, as other Protestants in the past, that His cursing this fig tree was Him speaking against the Levitical/Aaronic priesthoods, or the Torah, or the Temple; then, you have made the same error in your theology as they did! Because this has nothing to do with speaking against the Torah, or the priesthood, or the Temple of Y'Hovah Elohiym in any way!

This passage has everything to do with someone who is misrepresenting themselves by having the right believes; but, not the fruit of the Holy Spirit of Yahshua! Remember, He came to it and found leaves but no fruit; so, it was most likely in full bloom. A fig tree in this stage should also have fruit on it; but, all this tree had was tons and tons of pretty leaves!

Matthew 7:15-23
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the (A)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are (B)ravenous wolves. 16 You will [a](C)know them by their fruit. [b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So (D)every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will [c]know them (F)by their fruit.
21 “(G)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 (H)Many will say to Me on (I)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [d]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; (J)DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Footnotes:

a. Matthew 7:16 Or recognize
b. Matthew 7:16 Lit They do not gather
c. Matthew 7:20 Or recognize
d. Matthew 7:22 Or works of power

Cross references:

A. Matthew 7:15 : Matt 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26; Acts 13:6; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10
B. Matthew 7:15 : Ezek 22:27; John 10:12; Acts 20:29
C. Matthew 7:16 : Matt 7:20; 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
D. Matthew 7:17 : Matt 12:33, 35
E. Matthew 7:19 : Matt 3:10; Luke 3:9; 13:7; John 15:2, 6
F. Matthew 7:20 : Matt 7:16; 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
G. Matthew 7:21 : Luke 6:46
H. Matthew 7:22 : Matt 25:11f; Luke 13:25ff
I. Matthew 7:22 : Matt 10:15
J. Matthew 7:23 : Ps 6:8; Matt 25:41; Luke 13:27

How do you know whether a person is a Christian or not? Is it by what they believe? NO! In Matthew 7, as you can clearly see, you know those who are and who are not Christians by whether or not they have the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives! No fruit means not a Christian; because, every tree is known by the fruit that comes from it! EVERY TREE, EVERY SINGLE TREE, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS! Now what about lawlessness, what exactly is that? That is someone who is without the teaching of God in their lives; or, in other words, not yoked to the Torah (teachings) of Y'Hovah God! And how does that relate to the fruit of the Holy Spirit? One aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is truth (Ephesians 5:9); so, those who have the Holy Spirit will love and walk by the Torah because it is the truth! For if you have the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life, as Galatians 5:23 says the fruit of the Holy Spirit is not against the Torah (and vice versa), then you will keep the Torah; so, those who have the Holy Spirit will have burning a desire to walk according to what is written in it! A lot of Protestants call that legalism, it is not (legalism is trying to keep the Torah to earn life and a place in the world to come; we can not do that), it is actually your way of showing forth your love of God! And why do I say that?

1 John 3:1-8
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Children of God Love One Another

1 See [a](A)how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called (B)children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because (C)it did not know Him. 2 (D)Beloved, now we are (E)children of God, and (F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (G)appears, we will be (H)like Him, because we will (I)see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this (J)hope fixed on Him (K)purifies himself, just as He is pure.

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and (L)sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He (M)appeared in order to (N)take away sins; and (O)in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him (P)sins; no one who sins has seen Him or [b](Q)knows Him. 7 (R)Little children, make sure no one (S)deceives you; (T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is (U)of the devil; for the devil [c]has sinned from the beginning. (V)The Son of God (W)appeared for this purpose, (X)to destroy the works of the devil.

Footnotes:

a. 1 John 3:1 Lit what kind of love
b. 1 John 3:6 Or has known
c. 1 John 3:8 Lit sins

Cross references:

A. 1 John 3:1 : John 3:16; 1 John 4:10
B. 1 John 3:1 : John 1:12; 11:52; Rom 8:16; 1 John 3:2, 10
C. 1 John 3:1 : John 15:18, 21; 16:3
D. 1 John 3:2 : 1 John 2:7
E. 1 John 3:2 : John 1:12; 11:52; Rom 8:16; 1 John 3:1, 10
F. 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:19, 23f
G. 1 John 3:2 : Luke 17:30; Col 3:4; 1 John 2:28
H. 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:29; 2 Pet 1:4
I. 1 John 3:2 : John 17:24; 2 Cor 3:18
J. 1 John 3:3 : Rom 15:12; 1 Pet 1:3
K. 1 John 3:3 : John 17:19; 2 Cor 7:1
L. 1 John 3:4 : Rom 4:15; 1 John 5:17
M. 1 John 3:5 : 1 John 1:2; 3:8
N. 1 John 3:5 : John 1:29; 1 Pet 1:18-20; 1 John 2:2
O. 1 John 3:5 : 2 Cor 5:21; 1 John 2:29
P. 1 John 3:6 : 1 John 3:9
Q. 1 John 3:6 : 1 John 2:3; 3 John 1:11
R. 1 John 3:7 : 1 John 2:1
S. 1 John 3:7 : 1 John 2:26
T. 1 John 3:7 : 1 John 2:29
U. 1 John 3:8 : Matt 13:38; John 8:44; 1 John 3:10
V. 1 John 3:8 : Matt 4:3
W. 1 John 3:8 : 1 John 3:5
X. 1 John 3:8 : John 12:31; 16:11

A better way of translating verse 4, from that passage of 1 John 3, is: "Whosoever is committing sin is also transgressing the Torah: for sin is the transgression of the Torah."; and, it then goes on to say that: "He that is committing sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning." Did you get that? Sin, lawlessness, is willfully walking in disobedience to the Torah; and, those who are doing that are not Christians! If you know that the Torah says "You shall shall not worship idols" (which, I will remind you, it does), and you worship/serve idols anyway, you are not a Christian; you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, you are not showing forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit, you are not walking in righteousness (i.e. obedience to what God has commanded us in the Torah) and thusly you are not a Christian! Because, if you were a Christian, then you walk in obedience to what is written in (and meant by) the things that are written in the Torah! For it is written...

Matthew 19:16-17
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Rich Young Ruler

16 (A)And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain (B)eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but (C)if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Cross references:

A. Matthew 19:16 : Matt 19:16-29: Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30; Luke 10:25-28
B. Matthew 19:16 : Matt 25:46
C. Matthew 19:17 : Lev 18:5; Neh 9:29; Ezek 20:21

(Note: My Bible says that Yahshua is the same yesterday, today, and forever; so, what He says is too! If you wish to enter into life KEEP, not just believe ... KEEP, the commandments! Tree that have lots of pretty leaves believe them; but, they certainly don't bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit that fulfills the commandments ... the Torah! You say you believe? Congratulations; the demons believe and tremble before the Almighty Y'Hovah Adonay! Your believe is worthless unless it is accompanied by a fulfillment, by a keeping, of the commandments in the Torah! For the love of Y'Hovah God will always lead the true Christian, who has true faith, to keep the things that are written in the Torah.)

John 14:15
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

15 “(A)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Cross references:

A. John 14:15 : John 14:21, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6

(Note: Here's another revelation from the Holy Spirit for everyone; all the commandment, in the Torah, are Yahshua's commandments? How? Yahshua is Y'Hovah God, and the commandments in the Torah as from Y'Hovah God, therefore all of the commandments in Torah are the commandments of Yahshua. And, as He clearly says to His people, if you love Me you will KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS! Not you MIGHT keep them, not you will THINK ABOUT keeping them, but you WILL KEEP them. Those who both have them, and keep them, are the trees who have both leaves and fruit; and, those who mere profess to believe/keep them are the others who are accursed of Him and will burn in the fire!)

John 14:21
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

21 (A)He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and (B)he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will (C)disclose Myself to him.”

Cross references:

A. John 14:21 : John 14:15, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6
B. John 14:21 : John 14:23; 16:27
C. John 14:21 : Ex 33:18f; Prov 8:17

(See? There it is again! He who has My commandments and keeps them is the tree that has both leaves and fruit! The tree with leaves, but no fruit, is the person who has them and does not keep them; that person is a "tree whose fruit is withering, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots" (Jude 1:12). That is, if they had any fruit (which they do not), it would be rotten fruit; but, they do not even have rotten fruit! Thus I can clearly say, without any shadow of doubt, that person is not of God; that, they are not a Christian no matter what they say they believe or what they actually do believe! Because they are not walk in the Holy Spirit and keeping the commandments! If they were a Christian, in reality and not just in name (declaration) alone, they would have (i.e. be doing) both; so, they are not!)

John 15:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10 (A)If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as (B)I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

Cross references:

A. John 15:10 : John 14:15
B. John 15:10 : John 8:29

(In other words... If you are truly a tree of righteousness, then, you will have both leaves and fruit; for Yahshua Himself, who came before you, had both leaves and fruit in His life. If you love Him you will do what He has told you to do in the Torah, the commandments, just as He Himself did everything that His Father dwelling inside of Him told/showed Him to do when He was here for around 34 years. For this is the love of Y'Hovah, that we should keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous! (1 John 5:3). Keeping His Torah is what shows you are a fruit bearing tree, that you are truly a Christian, and that is why keeping them is not a burden to those the who are His in truth!)

1 John 2:2-4
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 and He Himself is (A)the [a]propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also (B)for those of the whole world.

3 (C)By this we know that we have come to (D)know Him, if we (E)keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “(F)I have come to (G)know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a (H)liar, and (I)the truth is not in him;

Footnotes:

a. 1 John 2:2 Or satisfaction

Cross references:

A. 1 John 2:2 : Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 John 4:10
B. 1 John 2:2 : John 4:42; 11:51f; 1 John 4:14
C. 1 John 2:3 : 1 John 2:5; 3:24; 4:13; 5:2
D. 1 John 2:3 : 1 John 2:4; 3:6; 4:7f
E. 1 John 2:3 : John 14:15; 15:10; 1 John 3:22, 24; 5:3; Rev 12:17; 14:12
F. 1 John 2:4 : Titus 1:10
G. 1 John 2:4 : 1 John 3:6; 4:7f
H. 1 John 2:4 : 1 John 1:6
I. 1 John 2:4 : 1 John 1:8

(I could go on, and quote other passages which say the same thing, but I believe that those who love Yahshua will get the point by merely reading these passages in their proper context; if you are His, if you are a tree that has both leaves (faith) and fruit (works of faith), then you will not be cursed by Him when He comes to judge the world in righteousness (by the Torah of righteousness). And, if you are not, then all that awaits you is to be cursed, and wither, and be cut down and used only as fuel to fuel the fires of hell. And being fuel for those fires is not something you want to be. So you have to check yourself; is what you are doing in harmony with the Torah, with the word of God, or not; and if not, then why not? Because, as we can clearly see from these passages, if you are truly Spirit filled you will work the works of God: you will obey the commandments, you will do what is in the Torah, and show that you are truly His by your fruit of righteousness. For He does not profess as Him, of a truth, trees with leaves and no fruit on them; because if He did, if they were, He could not curse them! Amen.)

The sin against Joseph by his brethren is equal to the sin of Jews against their believing brethren to this very day!

2011-09-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Was Joseph a proud man?

Many "Christians" say he was; but, the Bible doesn't support that doctrine!

Proverbs 11:2
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 When (A)pride comes, then comes dishonor,
But with the humble is wisdom.

Cross references:
A. Proverbs 11:2 : Prov 16:18; 18:12; 29:23

Proverbs 16:18
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

18 (A)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

Cross references:
A. Proverbs 16:18 : Prov 11:2; 18:12; Jer 49:16; Obad 1:3, 4

I have heard a lot of people, who call themselves Christians, accuse my brother Joseph of being a proud man; and, of being boastful as well. They say that he was proud and boastful, to his brethren, about his dreams and visions; it's just too bad that not one single verse of scripture supports that accusation!

Read the text, read it carefully, and show me one instance of Y'Hovah God cursing Joseph! And don't use the instance of his brethren seizing him, stealing his coat, and throwing him into the pit; because, the wrath of men poured out upon the just man is not equal to a correction from the Almighty!

The reason that I say that it is not anywhere, in the text, is because I do not see one place where Joseph suffered by the hand of Y'Hovah God until he repented! All of his suffering was by the hands of those who hated him, and could not stand his because of what he believed, and acted against him in all kinds of negative and hurtful ways as a result of his beliefs!

Everywhere that Joseph went Y'Hovah God blessed him! He was blessed, and all those around him who treated him with love and tenderness were blessed, and that by the hand of Y'Hovah his God and King. And he was a wise man; for it Joseph who, by the wisdom he had of Y'Hovah God, instructed the king of Egypt and saved the world from being destroyed when the seven years of great famine came! So because of all that I can say, of a very truth, I find no pride in Joseph; no haughtiness in the blessed son of Israel! And if you read the text, with the vision and discernment of Y'Hovah God, neither will you!

So then, since there was no pride in Joseph, no haughtiness in the son of Israel; why then was Joseph despised, hated, and rejected by the rest of Israel?

For the same reason that Jews today, who accept Yahshua (i.e. "Jesus"; whom I call Yahh-Hoshea) as the Messiah, are despised, hated, and rejected by the rest of the Israeli people! He dared to believe something, that Y'Hovah revealed to him, which was utterly offensive to (and totally rejected by) his brethren!

Genesis 37:1-2
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Joseph reported the rebellion of his brethren to his father!

1 Now Jacob lived in (A)the land [a]where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, when (B)seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with (C)the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a (D)bad report about them to their father.

Footnotes:
a. Genesis 37:1 Lit of his father’s sojournings

Cross references:
A. Genesis 37:1 : Gen 17:8; 28:4
B. Genesis 37:2 : Gen 41:46
C. Genesis 37:2 : Gen 35:25, 26
D. Genesis 37:2 : 1 Sam 2:22-24

Joseph reported the rebellion of his brethren to his father! However, he did not do it to make himself look better than his brethren in the eyes of his father; he did so because what they were doing was wrong, and he desired that they would be corrected by his father so they could repent and be blessed, and thus he reported them! And they hated him as a result of that! However, he was only doing so because he had their best interests at heart!

Genesis 37:3-4
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Joseph was the dearly beloved of his father!

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was (A)the son of his old age; and he made him a [a](B)varicolored tunic. 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they (C)hated him and could not speak to him [b]on friendly terms.

Footnotes:
a. Genesis 37:3 Or full-length robe
b. Genesis 37:4 Lit in peace

Cross references:
A. Genesis 37:3 : Gen 44:20
B. Genesis 37:3 : Gen 37:23, 32
C. Genesis 37:4 : Gen 27:41; 1 Sam 17:28

Joseph was loved by his father; not because his reported the rebellious acts of his brethren, to his father, but because he was the son of his old age! He was the firstborn of Rachel, whom Israel loved, whom Israel served Laban fourteen years to be able to marry! And his brethren hated him as a result of that!

Genesis 37:5-11
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Joseph has two revelations of Y'Hovah about the coming Messiah!

5 Then Joseph [a](A)had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have [b]had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and (B)bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “(C)Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Now he [c]had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have [d]had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have [e]had? Shall I and your mother and (D)your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?” 11 (E)His brothers were jealous of him, but his father (F)kept the saying in mind.

Footnotes:
a. Genesis 37:5 Lit dreamed
b. Genesis 37:6 Lit dreamed
c. Genesis 37:9 Lit dreamed
d. Genesis 37:9 Lit dreamed
e. Genesis 37:10 Lit dreamed

Cross references:
A. Genesis 37:5 : Gen 28:12; 31:10, 11, 24
B. Genesis 37:7 : Gen 42:6, 9; 43:26; 44:14
C. Genesis 37:8 : Gen 49:26; Deut 33:16
D. Genesis 37:10 : Gen 27:29
E. Genesis 37:11 : Acts 7:9
F. Genesis 37:11 : Dan 7:28; Luke 2:19, 51

Joseph had two revelations from Y'Hovah about the coming Messiah of Israel, which also applied to him as a type of Him who was to come, even Yahshua who died and is risen from death to be the King of kings and Lord or lords (the ruler of all those on the earth, second to only God His Father, second to only the Father who dwells inside of Him and does all the works through Him which He does); and, because he had a revelation about the coming Messiah, of whom he was a type and a shadow, his brethren hated him even more and were jealous of him! They hated him because of all those things, which God revealed to him, which he believed and they rejected; and, they were jealous of him because he has vision and discernment of Y'Hovah to see the secret things of the Almighty and they could not see them as he did!

And this is still true, to this very day, for all those who have vision of Y'Hovah to see that Yahshua is the Messiah; who see what He has done, and is doing, and is about to do! They are hated of their brethren; and, they are also envied by some of them at the same time because they see something of Messiah that the others do not see at this time. For they see the wounds in His hands, without literally the sight of His hands and the wounds in them, and without a physical vision of them they still believe! While their brethren, according to the Prophet Zechariah, will only believe once He comes and shows them both His hands (to show that that He has a body of flesh and bone) and the wounds in them (to show them that He was placed on the cross in their place to die as the propitiation for their sins)! And then, when they see that He is Y'Hovah and they nailed Him to a cross the first time He came to them, they will mourn; but, He will speak kind and peaceable words to them and turn their mourning into dancing. Into a feast, and a good day, as in the days of Purim! Amen.

Genesis 37:12-28
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in (A)Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “[a]I will go.” 14 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of (B)Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “[b]What are you looking for?” 16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 Then the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (C)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

The Plot against Joseph

18 [c]When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they (D)plotted against him to put him to death. 19 They said to one another, “[d]Here comes this dreamer! 20 Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and (E)we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” 21 But (F)Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not [e]take his life.” 22 Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father. 23 So it came about, when Joseph [f]reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his [g]tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat [h]a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of (G)Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing [i](H)aromatic gum and [j](I)balm and [k]myrrh, [l]on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and (J)cover up his blood? 27 (K)Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some (L)Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and (M)sold [m]him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus (N)they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Footnotes:
a. Genesis 37:13 Lit Behold me
b. Genesis 37:15 Lit saying, “What...?”
c. Genesis 37:18 Or And
d. Genesis 37:19 Lit Behold, this master of dreams comes
e. Genesis 37:21 Lit smite his soul
f. Genesis 37:23 Lit came to
g. Genesis 37:23 Or full-length robe
h. Genesis 37:25 Lit bread
i. Genesis 37:25 Or ladanum spice
j. Genesis 37:25 Or mastic
k. Genesis 37:25 Or resinous bark
l. Genesis 37:25 Lit going
m. Genesis 37:28 Lit Joseph

Cross references:
A. Genesis 37:13 : Gen 33:18-20
B. Genesis 37:14 : Gen 13:18; 23:2, 19; 35:27; Josh 14:14, 15; Judg 1:10
C. Genesis 37:17 : 2 Kin 6:13
D. Genesis 37:18 : Ps 31:13; 37:12, 32; Mark 14:1; John 11:53; Acts 23:12
E. Genesis 37:20 : Gen 37:32, 33
F. Genesis 37:21 : Gen 42:22
G. Genesis 37:25 : Gen 16:11, 12; 37:28; 39:1
H. Genesis 37:25 : Gen 43:11
I. Genesis 37:25 : Jer 8:22; 46:11
J. Genesis 37:26 : Gen 37:20
K. Genesis 37:27 : Gen 42:21
L. Genesis 37:28 : Gen 37:25; Judg 6:1-3; 8:22, 24
M. Genesis 37:28 : Gen 45:4, 5; Ps 105:17; Acts 7:9
N. Genesis 37:28 : Gen 39:1

Because they see Yahshua as the Messiah, and believe the things which Y'Hovah has shown them as Joseph believed, they like Joseph as mistreated by their community (by the rest of Israel); they are rejected by family and friends to the point they are accounted as dead to them, they are hated by the rest of the community and are cast out of the assemblies (i.e. the Synagogues), and they are forced to go and be among the Egyptians (i.e. gentiles) and fellowship in their assemblies (i.e. their churches)! They are misrepresented by their brethren as dead to their Father, they are treated like pieces of trash, they are ostracized and forgotten by those whom they love! And all that because they dared to believe that Yahshua is the Messiah!

And that's why may of those Jews who do believe, because they don't want to have a problem with the rest of the Jews and be cut off from their own people, are afraid to admit they have that revelation in the midst of their brethren; and, it was the same in the days when Yahshua Himself was here (both before and after His death on the Tav), for it is written...

John 7:1-13
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

They would not confess Him openly as the Messiah because of their fear of the wrath of the rest of the community, of their brethren (the house of Israel), and that is represented here with the phrase "the fear of the Jews"!

1 After these things Jesus (A)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because (B)the Jews (C)were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, (D)the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His (E)brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your (F)disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret [a]when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For not even His (G)brothers were believing in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “(H)My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 (I)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that (J)its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because (K)My time has not yet fully come.” 9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

10 But when His (L)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 (M)So the Jews (N)were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; (O)some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for (P)fear of the Jews.

Footnotes:
a. John 7:4 Lit and

Cross references:
A. John 7:1 : John 4:3; 6:1; 11:54
B. John 7:1 : John 1:19; 7:11, 13, 15, 35
C. John 7:1 : John 5:18; 7:19; 8:37, 40; 11:53
D. John 7:2 : Lev 23:34; Deut 16:13, 16; Zech 14:16-19
E. John 7:3 : Matt 12:46; Mark 3:21; John 7:5, 10
F. John 7:3 : John 6:60
G. John 7:5 : Matt 12:46; Mark 3:21; John 7:3, 10
H. John 7:6 : Matt 26:18; John 2:4; 7:8, 30
I. John 7:7 : John 15:18f
J. John 7:7 : John 3:19f
K. John 7:8 : John 7:6
L. John 7:10 : Matt 12:46; Mark 3:21; John 7:3, 5
M. John 7:11 : John 7:13, 15, 35
N. John 7:11 : John 11:56
O. John 7:12 : John 7:40-43
P. John 7:13 : John 9:22; 12:42; 19:38; 20:19

And again...

John 9
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Healing the Man Born Blind

1 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “(A)Rabbi, who sinned, (B)this man or his (C)parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so (D)that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me (E)as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am (F)the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He (G)spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in (H)the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and (I)washed, and (J)came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to (K)sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” [a]He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to (L)Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

13 They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 (M)Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 (N)Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He (O)does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such [b](P)signs?” And (Q)there was a division among them. 17 So they *said to the blind man (R)again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a (S)prophet.”

18 (T)The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they (U)were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews (V)had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be [c]Christ, (W)he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “(X)He is of age; ask him.”

24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “(Y)Give glory to God; we know that (Z)this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “(AA)I told you already and you did not (AB)listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but (AC)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, (AD)we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that (AE)God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32 [d]Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 (AF)If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “(AG)You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they (AH)put him out.

Jesus Affirms His Deity

35 Jesus heard that they had (AI)put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the (AJ)Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “(AK)Who is He, [e]Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and (AL)He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he (AM)worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “(AN)For judgment I came into this world, so that (AO)those who do not see may see, and that (AP)those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “(AQ)We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “(AR)If you were blind, you would have no sin; but [f]since you say, ‘(AS)We see,’ your sin remains.

Footnotes:
a. John 9:9 Lit That one
b. John 9:16 Or attesting miracles
c. John 9:22 I.e. the Messiah
d. John 9:32 Lit From the age it was not heard
e. John 9:36 Or Sir
f. John 9:41 Lit now

Cross references:
A. John 9:2 : Matt 23:7
B. John 9:2 : Luke 13:2; John 9:34; Acts 28:4
C. John 9:2 : Ex 20:5
D. John 9:3 : John 11:4
E. John 9:4 : John 7:33; 11:9; 12:35; Gal 6:10
F. John 9:5 : Matt 5:14; John 1:4; 8:12; 12:46
G. John 9:6 : Mark 7:33; 8:23
H. John 9:7 : Neh 3:15; Is 8:6; Luke 13:4; John 9:11
I. John 9:7 : 2 Kin 5:13f
J. John 9:7 : Is 29:18; 35:5; 42:7; Matt 11:5; John 11:37
K. John 9:8 : Acts 3:2, 10
L. John 9:11 : John 9:7
M. John 9:14 : John 5:9
N. John 9:15 : John 9:10
O. John 9:16 : Matt 12:2; Luke 13:14; John 5:10; 7:23
P. John 9:16 : John 2:11
Q. John 9:16 : John 6:52; 7:12, 43; 10:19
R. John 9:17 : John 9:15
S. John 9:17 : Deut 18:15; Matt 21:11
T. John 9:18 : John 1:19; 9:22
U. John 9:22 : John 7:13
V. John 9:22 : John 7:45-52
W. John 9:22 : Luke 6:22; John 12:42; 16:2
X. John 9:23 : John 9:21
Y. John 9:24 : Josh 7:19; Ezra 10:11; Rev 11:13
Z. John 9:24 : John 9:16
AA. John 9:27 : John 9:15
AB. John 9:27 : John 5:25
AC. John 9:28 : John 5:45; Rom 2:17
AD. John 9:29 : John 8:14
AE. John 9:31 : Job 27:8f; 35:13; Ps 34:15f; 66:18; 145:19; Prov 15:29; 28:9; Is 1:15; James 5:16ff
AF. John 9:33 : John 3:2; 9:16
AG. John 9:34 : John 9:2
AH. John 9:34 : John 9:22, 35; 3 John 1:10
AI. John 9:35 : John 9:22, 34; 3 John 1:10
AJ. John 9:35 : Matt 4:3
AK. John 9:36 : Rom 10:14
AL. John 9:37 : John 4:26
AM. John 9:38 : Matt 8:2
AN. John 9:39 : John 3:19; 5:22, 27
AO. John 9:39 : Luke 4:18
AP. John 9:39 : Matt 13:13; 15:14
AQ. John 9:40 : Rom 2:19
AR. John 9:41 : John 15:22, 24
AS. John 9:41 : Prov 26:12

And still again...

John 19:31-42
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Care of the Body of Yahshua

31 Then the Jews, because it was (A)the day of preparation, so that (B)the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath ([a]for that Sabbath was a (C)high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was (D)crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately (E)blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has (F)testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass (G)to fulfill the Scripture, “(H)NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE [b]BROKEN.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “(I)THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

38 (J)After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a (K)secret one for (L)fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 (M)Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, (N)bringing a [c]mixture of (O)myrrh and aloes, about a (P)hundred [d]pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and (Q)bound it in (R)linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a (S)new tomb (T)in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of (U)preparation, since the tomb was (V)nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Footnotes:
a. John 19:31 Lit for the day of that Sabbath was great
b. John 19:36 Or crushed or shattered
c. John 19:39 Two early mss read package of
d. John 19:39 Lit 100 litras (12 oz each)

Cross references:
A. John 19:31 : John 19:14, 42
B. John 19:31 : Deut 21:23; Josh 8:29; 10:26f
C. John 19:31 : Ex 12:16
D. John 19:32 : John 19:18
E. John 19:34 : 1 John 5:6, 8
F. John 19:35 : John 15:27; 21:24
G. John 19:36 : John 19:24, 28
H. John 19:36 : Ex 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20
I. John 19:37 : Zech 12:10; Rev 1:7
J. John 19:38 : John 19:38-42: Matt 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56
K. John 19:38 : Mark 15:43
L. John 19:38 : John 7:13
M. John 19:39 : John 3:1
N. John 19:39 : Mark 16:1
O. John 19:39 : Ps 45:8; Prov 7:17; Song 4:14; Matt 2:11
P. John 19:39 : John 12:3
Q. John 19:40 : Matt 26:12; Mark 14:8; John 11:44
R. John 19:40 : Luke 24:12; John 20:5, 7
S. John 19:41 : Matt 27:60
T. John 19:41 : Luke 23:53
U. John 19:42 : John 19:14, 31
V. John 19:42 : John 19:20, 41

All these witnesses, these three witnesses, are testifying the exact same thing! It was because they feared their brethren, of the house of Israel, that the people who believed He was the Messiah would not confess Him openly to the rest of their community; because they didn't want to be treated like you Jews are treating those who believe that Yahshua is the Messiah right now and to this very day! Nobody in their right mind wants to be rejected by their family and friends, be cast out of the fellowship of their brethren, and be ostracized by their whole community; so, because you are doing that, many of those in your midst who actually believe that He is the Messiah won't say so because they fear you. And right now, weather you are able to see it or not, because of how you Jews who can't see that Yahshua is the Messiah are treating your brethren who can; you are, in all truth, breaking Gods heart in what you are doing to them. And you need to repent!

You are guilty of the same hatred that the brethren of Joseph were guilty of, you are committing the same wrong against your brethren who believe that Yahshua is the Messiah as the rest of the house of Israel committed against their brother for the revelation of God which he believed and shared with them, it's the exact same sin; and, you need to repent! You are breaking the heart of Y'Hovah every time you do that; and, you need to repent!

Every time you put one of your brethren out of your fellowship, because they have a believe that Yahshua is the Messiah, you are actually persecuting Y'Hovah as you do that; and, you don't even know it! Now I know that most of you have done that in ignorance, that you have done it not realizing that you are committing the same sin that the rest of the house of Israel committed against Joseph; and, I pray the ones you hurt would be of the Spirit of Yahshua and forgive you for all that you have done! However, don't you think it's time to go to your friends and family who you have hurt, by hating them and casting them away, and embrace them again in the love of Y'Hovah your God; because, of a truth, that is how you unbreak His heart!

The reason that they leave the assembly (i.e. synagogue), and some stop observing all the things written in the Torah of Moshe as that do, is because you have done these things and they are cut off from your fellowship; so, the only way you can remedy that is by going back, apologizing for all you have said and done to them, and calling them to come back to the synagogue and to fully walking in the things in the Torah! And maybe, just maybe, you can talk with them about why they believe what they believe and understand where they are coming from in their walk with God Almighty; because, merely having the believe that Yahshua is the Messiah does not make someone an evil person or take away their Jewishness! Pray about it, and let God direct your step in His love, and may He (the power of love and reconciliation of Joseph with the rest of the house of Israel) cause you also to be reconciled to your loved one as well. Amen.

Richard Wurmbrand and His Letter... A scathing rebuke of the Leadership of the Seventh Day Adventist Church!

2011-09-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

[Note: I know that if he were still here, with us today, Dr. Wurmbrand would never say what I am about to say of him of himself; but, I will boast of what wonderful and awesome things Yahshua Messiah has done thru this man! This man was truly one of the lions of Yahshua, a man with a heart of courage like that of David when he slew Goliath, a true saint with a heart like Gods own heart! For he was a man with a heart for Y'Israel, and for Y'Hovah His Elohiym, and for Zion His holy mountain! May we come to have of the spirit that was upon this man, and have just a fraction of the zeal that he had for Y'Hovah and His people, for with just a fraction of it I am sure that we could/would change the world. Y'Hovah grant it to us, according to Your holy will, according to the desire of our hearts that You know right well. Amen, and amen.]

Because his story is about a Christian who suffered for his faith, and because of a letter he later wrote to our General Conference, we will here tell part of the Richard Wurmbrand story. His book, Tortured for Christ, is well known and you may already have read it. But few know the following story:

Richard Wurmbrand died on February 17, 2001 in Whittier, California, at the age of 91. A Romanian Jew, he and his wife converted to Christianity in 1936. When World War II ended, Wurmbrand pastored a church of 1,000, mostly of Jewish converts. He also printed and organized the distribution of a million Russian Gospels to the Russian troops that occupied Romania. He was fluent in nine languages, including English.

In 1947, two years after the war ended, Wurmbrand was arrested and imprisoned for 14 years for leading an underground Christian church and smuggling Bibles into Russia. His wife, also a Christian, was imprisoned for three years.

While in prision he converted several high-ranking secret police officers who helped provide his eventual release. In 1964, the Communist Government allowed him and his family to be ransomed for $10,000 by Norwegian Christians — and leave Romania.

In December 1965, the Wurmbrands arrived in Oslo, Norway. Not understanding Norwegian, on their first Sunday, they attended the American Lutheran Church. Impressed by the freedom of worship, they both cried uncontrollably during the entire service. The Lutheran pastor opened his home to the refugee family while he was checking through the U.S. embassy government connections, to verify Wurmbrand’s strange account of suffering and torture. People in the West did not know what was happening behind the newly formed Iron Curtain.

Wurmbrand’s contacts answered, “fully reliable,” and so he was invited to speak at the largest NATO base chapel meeting in Oslo. When the meeting was opened for quesetions, Colonel-Chaplain Cassius Study asked Pastor Wurmbrand why the West should or should not try to coexist with Communism. Wurmbrand, always dramatic in his behavior, quickly stepped off the podium, snatched the colonel’s wallet from his pocket and replied, “I took your money, your money is in my pocket. Let’s co-exist!”

Communism has taken over half the world, and now it wants coexistence. There might be no solution to cancer, he added, but no one has decided to coexist with cancer. Every thief would like to coexist with the police, but this is unacceptable, Wurmbrand said heatedly.

Colonel Sturdy stood up immediately; and, turning to the audience, he said, “Gentlemen, let’s send this man to America to snatch the wallets from all the leftists and open their eyes.” A collection was taken right then to pay Wurmbrand to go to the U.S.

An initial itinerary of several speaking engagements was prepared for him in the Eastern states. But, upon arriving alone in New York, most of the meetings were small military chapel gatherings; and, believing them to be unsuccessful, Wurmbrand scheduled an immediate return to Norway.

But, prior to his planned departure, he went to Philadelphia to visit the only friend he knew, a Jewish-Christian minister. His friend discouraged him from trying to stay in the United States, declaring that, after years of imprisonment and torture, Wurmbrand was too feeble to pastor a church. “You will not be able to raise a salary,” were his final words.

Before his departure for New York, to board a ship to Norway, Wurmbrand asked his friend to show him a little bit of Philadelphia. As they were walking down the street, they came upon a large anti-Vietnam rally. Out of curiosity, the two entered the large building where it was being held.

A Presbyterian minister was the main speaker, and he was telling the people that communist leaders, although atheists, were our friends and we should not oppose them.

Wurmbrand went straight for the microphone, shouting, “You know nothing of communism. I am a doctor [expert] in communism! You should be on the side of Communism’s victims, instead of defending their torturers.”

“How could you be a doctor in Communism,” was the sarcastic reply. “Here are my credentials,” answered Wurmbrand, as he took off his shirt to show deep torture scars on his trunk.

The police led Wurmbrand off the stage and told him to put his shirt back on. But not before newspaper reporters took dramatic photographs and asked him for interviews.

The next day, on page one of nearly all major newspapers in America and some overseas, were pictures of his torture scars. Requests for interviews and speaking engagements poured in.

Wurmbrand had to postpone his return to Norway for several months while he spoke in various parts of the nation. More speaking engagements followed afterward, and he had to return once again to America. In May 1966, he testified before the U.S. Senate’s Internal Security sub-committee. His testimony became the U.S. Government’s most sold publication during the next three years.

In November 1966, Wurmbrand immigrated with his family to the United States. Immediately, he started the Christan Missions to the Communist World (presently called The Voice of the Martyrs), a worldwide organization trying to help Christians persecuted by communist regimes. (After the fall of the Soviet Union, it switched its activities to helping persecuted Christians in Arab countries.) His book, Tortured for Christ, became one of the first books to alert the West as to what was taking place in Communist prisons.

In the years following, Wurmbrand spoke all over the world and helped many people. On one occasion, he was in the audience when Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the outspoken atheist, was speaking on a television broadcast. He rose and said, “I have traveled throughout the world and have seen many charitble works such as Christian hospitals and Jewish orphanages. Could you give me an example of one atheistic charitable establishment?” O’Hair was struck dumb and could not speak for three minutes. Whereupon, Allan Burke, the moderator, invited Wurmbrand into the debate.

He continued to travel and speak past his 85th birthday; but, during the last five years of his life, he was confined to his bed. On August 11, 2000, his wife, Sabina, died; and on February 17, 2001, Richard Wurmbrand died in Torrance, California.

Now you can better understand why he wrote the following letter to our church leaders. Wurmbrand knew a lot about our friendly relations with the communists.

"A Persecuted Christian Writes to the General Conference About Their Attitude Over Persecuted Adventists in Russia, and Their Attitude to the Persecuters!"

Richard Wurmbrand is a Jew who had been converted to Christianity. He had been living in Russia at the time of the following letter (while the iron-curtain was still firmly in place). He had since formed a mission in the United States dedicated to helping persecuted Christians in Communist countries.

Since he had been a persecuted Christian, he writes to the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists describing the persecution he saw Adventists were receiving and his astonishment at the attitude of the General Conference to the Communist authorities in Russia notwithstanding this persecution. In this letter, Mr. Wurmbrand comments about an article he saw in an official Seventh-day Adventist magazine:

"Dear Brethren:

Your article about depression was highly appreciated. I am a Jewish Christian pastor who have been persecuted since childhood for being a
Jew. Almost our entire family perished in the Holocaust. After I became a Christian and a pastor, I was in Nazi prisons, and then in Communist jails for 14 years. Now in America, I lead a mission which helps the Christians persecuted in Communist countries.

Every day I read reports about Christians who are imprisoned, tortured, and killed there. This does not depress me. What weighs upon me is the unloving attitude of American Christians toward their persecuted brethren.

Your magazine is an example of this. In your article about Russia, you find 'similarity between Marx and God's promises.' How can one be a
Christian teacher if he does not distinguish between what one says and what one does?

I send you my book 'Was Karl Marx a Satanist?', with plenty of quotations from Marx. He says verbatimly that he wishes to ruin the world. To succeed in this and to catch naives, they speak about beautiful plans for the world.

Are you not aware that the language of criminal seduction and that of love are the same? If I wish a girl for one night, to throw her away afterwards like a dirty rag, I will tell her, 'I love you.' I will say the same if I wish a girl for honest marriage. Before finding 'similarity between Marxism and God's promises,' you should have studied Marx and Lenin.

The latter wrote in a letter to Gorki:

'Thousands of natural catastrophes and epidemics are preferable to the slightest notion of God.' Thus, cancer is preferable to faith.'

This is the major difference between us and Marxists: love toward God and hatred toward Him.

I sent to brother Hegstad of your Department of Religious Liberty a bunch of material about Adventists in prison for their faith in Russia. Where was the liberty for the Adventist preacher Shelkov who died in jail after 24 years of detention? The same for many others of the underground and of the official Adventist Church.

It is simply a lie that the Adventist church lost its organization prior to World War II because of internal problems, as you assert. Did you not read 'the Gulag Archipelago'? [a work written by Solzhenitsyn]

It is not permissible to write about Adventism without having read Ellen White. It is not permissible to write about Russia without having read Solzhenitsyn. Don't you know that Stalin killed millions of Orthodox, Protestants, Adventists, Jews and that he destroyed church buildings? Where are the buildings the Adventist churches owned before? The Adventist church in Moscow must gather now with the Baptists in a building which belonged formerly to the Reformed church. Its pastor and all the congregation simply disappeared under Stalin's terror.

You praise the Russian Adventist leader Kulakov for urging cooperation with the government authorities. These are Marxists. Marx wrote in 'The Communist Manifesto' that his aim is to abolish all religion and morals. At what can Christians cooperate with them?

It was not the endeavors of Kulakov which sparked the reunification of your church. It was the fact that the KGB put in jail every Adventist who dared to say, "we do not collaborate with God-hating Communists.' On which side would Ellen White, the author of 'The Great Controversy," have been?

It is a shame that your General Conference supports the Russian Adventist preachers who had become stooges of Communists. The founder of Adventism, Ellen White, sided with Christians who worked underground against the Papacy.

The story of betrayal of Adventists by its leadership is old.

I remember the German Adventist leadership shouting, 'Heil Hitler!'

The General Conference collaborated with them, while true Adventists filled jails under Hitler and some of them were beheaded. I attended an Adventist congress in Roumania in which the dictator King Charles II was praised. Many Adventists were in jail at that time. The Adventist leadership of Roumania today also praises the Communist government.

I was at the same time in jail with many Adventists, offical and underground, beaten to the blood because they refused to work on Saturdays. In jail they ate almost nothing, fearing there might be some pork in the food. In times when we got one slice of bread a day, they gave tithe. They renounced to this bit of bread in favor of somebody who was older, sick, or weaker. Wherever you are, you are meant to seek Jesus. Jesus has given His address in Russia: 'I was in jail and you visited me not.'

Ellen White prophesied there will be a great persecution of Sabbath keepers in the USA. Suppose this will happen, will you be on the side of the Adventist, loyal to their faith, who will worship underground, or will you collaborate with the persecutors as your kin does in Russia?" - Letter to the General Conference from Richard Wurmbrand.

[As I read his words I am reminded of Hebrews 6; of those who denied Yahshua as the Messiah and King of Y'Israel for the sake of comfort, of ease, to have peace with sinful men around them instead of their sinless God who died for them on the tree! Let these words ring in your ears, all you who choose to betray Him so that you can escape the tribulations of men, for the tribulation which you will partake of (from the hand of Almighty God) will be far worse then anything these criminals could ever even think of doing to you! For it is written...

Hebrews 6:1-8 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Peril of Falling Away

1 Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of (E)instruction about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been (J)enlightened and have tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and have been made (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (M)have tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and [g]it ends up being burned.

Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
b. Hebrews 6:1 I.e. Messiah
c. Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
d. Hebrews 6:6 Or while
e. Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
f. Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
g. Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning

Cross references:
A. Hebrews 6:1 : Phil 3:13f
B. Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 5:12
C. Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 5:14
D. Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 9:14
E. Hebrews 6:2 : John 3:25; Acts 19:3f
F. Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 6:6
G. Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 17:31f
H. Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 17:31f
I. Hebrews 6:3 : Acts 18:21
J. Hebrews 6:4 : 2 Cor 4:4, 6; Heb 10:32
K. Hebrews 6:4 : John 4:10; Eph 2:8
L. Hebrews 6:4 : Gal 3:2; Heb 2:4
M. Hebrews 6:5 : 1 Pet 2:3
N. Hebrews 6:5 : Eph 6:17
O. Hebrews 6:5 : Heb 2:5
P. Hebrews 6:6 : Matt 19:26; Heb 10:26f; 2 Pet 2:21; 1 John 5:16
Q. Hebrews 6:6 : Heb 10:29
R. Hebrews 6:7 : 2 Tim 2:6
T. Hebrews 6:8 : Gen 3:17f; Deut 29:22ff

The end of you who side with the Antichrist against Israel, as those who sided with the Antichrist spirit in the likes of Hitler and Stalin and Marx, is to be consumed with fire; for Y'Hovah my Elohiym, of a truth, will not pour out anything but a curse of hellfire upon those who betray and murder Him (by supporting criminals who do evil against the least of His)! Standing against Israel, O dead fools, is what causes you to be accursed; standing against Israel, and all the true Christians who love and support her unto blood, is what brings the curse of Y'Hovah Elohiym upon you! For you I see a fire, and a fire, and an end; and, nothing else! Amen.]

Restoring the true meaning of the word Echad in the Shama (Deuteronomy 6:4)...

2011-08-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Note: Please note that since the Hebrew people, during the time of the giving of the Shama to them from Y'Hovah by the hand of Moshe (i.e. Moses), had no concept of a "Trinity" (i.e. of a "Triune" God who is three persons in one); that, this word (i.e. Echad) therefore has nothing at all to do with any concept of a "Holy Trinity"; and, that it isn't there to teach a Trinitarian theology. The purpose of the word Echad, in first line of the Shama (Deuteronomy 6:4), was to convey to the people the message that this paper will work to convey; the message that Y'Hovah, my Elohiym, has put upon my heart to restore to His people (in this message) this day! So please, as you read this, put all of your false notions that Y'Hovah is explaining a Trinitarian principle to them aside; because, of a truth, He is most certainly not speaking of a Trinity of anything through the use of this word Echad in this passage!

So, with all that said, let us begin to look at the word Echad by looking at the Shama; it says...

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Shama of the Torah...

4 “(A)Hear, O Israel! Y'Hovah is our God, (B)Y'Hovah is one! 5 (C)You shall love Y'Hovah your God (D)with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 (E)These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 (F)You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 (G)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as [a]frontals [b]on your forehead. 9 (H)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Footnotes:

a. Deuteronomy 6:8 Or frontlet bands

b. Deuteronomy 6:8 Lit between your eyes

Cross references:

A. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27

B. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Deut 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:6

C. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27

D. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Deut 4:29; 10:12

E. Deuteronomy 6:6 : Deut 11:18

F. Deuteronomy 6:7 : Deut 4:9; 11:19; Eph 6:4

G. Deuteronomy 6:8 : Ex 12:14; 13:9, 16; Deut 11:18; Prov 3:3; 6:21; 7:3

H. Deuteronomy 6:9 : Deut 11:20

That is the Shama of the Torah. It is called the Shama, of the Torah, after the first word of the prayer (i.e. Shama; which word itself means: to listen with the intention of both hearing and doing what one hears); and, in the Hebrew it reads: Shema (or, Shama) Y'Israel, Y'Hovah Eloheinu, Y'Hovah Echad. The balk of the rest of this paper will focus on defining what Y'Hovah meant to all the children of Y'Israel when He said Echad; however, let us now (before that for a moment) consider the word Eloheinu (as it is also often misunderstood by the Trinitarians).

The Hebrew word Eloheinu, as is clearly shown by the Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon, is from the Hebrew word Elohiym; and means, in its very essence as the word Echad does, one God who is many diverse things (who holds many diverse offices; i.e. He is the God of many titles and offices) all at the same time. Neither word, however, is saying that Y'Hovah is more than one single being; that was how Constantine defined it in his attempts to marry the Greek/Roman polytheistic and the Hebrew monotheistic beliefs into one system. However, as is clearly understood from a reading of the text itself, the words Eloheinu and Elohiym nowhere in their meanings speak of (or, even imply) the number three in any way! Y'Hovah is Eloheinu, yes He is Elohiym, both words mean that He is a diverse multitude of things and that He holds a diverse multitude of offices and titles; neither of those words are speaking of three anything, neither of them speak of three but of a multitude, and thus using them to support the doctrine of a Triune God is sheer folly at best.

Y'Hovah does hold the offices and titles of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; however, a clear reading of the Torah itself shows all who do so, with a vision of what the text means (i.e. with His understand of it), that He is far more to us then these three things. Thus, to restrict the words Eloheinu and Elohiym to mean only a plurality of three (no more and no less) is a clear distortion of both the text and the words themselves; because using the plural word Gods, to refer to Y'Hovah, had nothing at all to do with the number three. The word Gods, the plural word, doesn't specify three; and thus in all truth, restricting it to mean a certain number when the Hebrew words behind it don't specify a certain number, is a twisting and perverting of the plain meaning of the text! So when you hear those words, Eloheinu and Elohiym, and you automatically see them as referring to three things (no more and no less); then, you have of yourself put a numerical value on those words that the very words don't put on themselves: and, when you do that, you have failed to understand them in their plain meaning!

And just as the Hebrews words Eloheinu and Elohiym do not specify of any numerical value of themselves, including the numerical value of three, so to does the Hebrew word Echad not mean/specify any numerical value of/for itself as well. Thus, setting a numerical value of three upon the work Echad is just as erroneous as setting a numerical value of three upon the plural words Elohiym and Eloheinu in the text; because none of them, of/by themselves in any way, restrict themselves to mean (refer to) only a plurality of three things or people or anything else for that matter.

So if Echad is a plural (which it most certainly is), and if it is not specifying a certain numerical value like the numerical value of three (which it most certainly is not), then what does Y'Hovah mean in the Shama when He tells Y'israel He is Echad? Very simply this; He means that He, Himself alone, is the God of all things! He is the God of them all, and all of them are under His authority, and all of them do His good will and pleasure; He is the God of them all, and all of them belong to Him, and all of them obey His voice!

Y'Hovah is both the God of the mountains and the God of the valleys; an example of the meaning of the word Echad from 1 Kings 20 (specifically from verses 23-29).

1 Kings 20:23-29 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “(A)Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. 24 Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25 and [a]muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

Another Aramean War

26 (B)At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to (C)Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, (D)but the Arameans filled the country. 28 Then (E)a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says Y'Hovah, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “(F)Y'Hovah is the God (Elohiym) of the mountains, but He is not the God (Elohiym) of the valleys,” therefore (G)I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am Y'Hovah.’” 29 So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel [b]killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.

Footnotes:

a. 1 Kings 20:25 Lit number

b. 1 Kings 20:29 Lit smote

Cross references:

A. 1 Kings 20:23 : 1 Kin 14:23; Jer 16:19-21; Rom 1:21-23

B. 1 Kings 20:26 : 1 Kin 20:22

C. 1 Kings 20:26 : 2 Kin 13:17

D. 1 Kings 20:27 : Judg 6:3-5; 1 Sam 13:5-8

E. 1 Kings 20:28 : 1 Kin 17:18

F. 1 Kings 20:28 : 1 Kin 20:23

G. 1 Kings 20:28 : 1 Kin 20:13

So what was Y'Hovah saying to Y'Israel by this? Simply this, I am Echad; I am the God of all that exists, both seen and unseen, I alone and none else; I am the God of the mountains, I am the God of the valleys, and I am the God of all things in between! I am Echad; for I am the God of all things, all that are seen and unseen, and yet I am only one being! I am the God of all; and, yet, I am a single being who is the God of them all - all by Myself!

Y'Hovah is the God of all things, seen and unseen, all by Himself; an example of the meaning of the word Echad from the ten plagues of the exodus of the children of Y'Israel from the land of Egypt as seen in the book of Exodus 7:14 thru 12:30.

The first of the ten plagues, against Hapi, the plague of turning the water in the Nile to blood; by this Y'Hovah showed His people, and all the Egyptians, that He was the true God of the waters (of all waters).

Exodus 7:14-25 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Water Is Turned to Blood

14 Then Y'Hovah said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is [a]stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning [b]as (A)he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand (B)the staff that was turned into a serpent. 16 (C)You shall say to him, ‘Y'Hovah, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “(D)Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” 17 Thus says Y'Hovah, “(E)By this you shall know that I am Y'Hovah: behold, I will strike [c]the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and (F)it will be turned to blood. 18 (G)The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will [d]become foul, and the Egyptians will [e](H)find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 Then Y'Hovah said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and (I)stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their [f]streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

20 So Moses and Aaron did even as Y'Hovah had commanded. And he lifted up [g](J)the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and (K)all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile [h]became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22 (L)But the [i]magicians of Egypt did [j]the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was [k]hardened, and he did not listen to them, as Y'Hovah had said. 23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house [l]with no concern even for this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25 Seven days [m]passed after Y'Hovah had struck the Nile.

Footnotes:

a. Exodus 7:14 Or hard; lit heavy

b. Exodus 7:15 Lit behold

c. Exodus 7:17 Lit upon the waters

d. Exodus 7:18 I.e. have a bad smell

e. Exodus 7:18 Or be weary of

f. Exodus 7:19 Or canals

g. Exodus 7:20 Lit with the staff

h. Exodus 7:21 I.e. had a bad smell

i. Exodus 7:22 Or soothsayer priests

j. Exodus 7:22 Lit thus

k. Exodus 7:22 Lit strong

l. Exodus 7:23 Lit and he did not set his heart even to this

m. Exodus 7:25 Lit were fulfilled

Cross references:

A. Exodus 7:15 : Ex 2:5; 8:20

B. Exodus 7:15 : Ex 4:2, 3; 7:10

C. Exodus 7:16 : Ex 3:13, 18; 4:22; 5:1

D. Exodus 7:16 : Ex 4:23; 5:1, 3

E. Exodus 7:17 : Ex 5:2; 7:5; 10:2; Ps 9:16; Ezek 25:17

F. Exodus 7:17 : Ex 4:9; 7:20; Rev 11:6; 16:4, 6

G. Exodus 7:18 : Ex 7:21

H. Exodus 7:18 : Ex 7:24

I. Exodus 7:19 : Ex 8:5, 6, 16; 9:22; 10:12, 21; 14:21, 26

J. Exodus 7:20 : Ex 17:5

K. Exodus 7:20 : Ps 78:44; 105:29

L. Exodus 7:22 : Ex 7:11; 8:7

The last of the ten plagues, against the Pharoah himself, the plague of the death of the firstborn by the hand of Y'Hovah; by this Y'Hovah showed His people, and all the Egyptians, that He was the true God of all lords and kings of the earth. That He alone is the God of gods; for, it is of Him that they have the authority to exercise rule in the earth! And it is of Him alone that His saints have authority to command the work of His hands!

Exodus 11-12:30 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Exodus 11

The Last Plague

1 Now Y'Hovah said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; (A)after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. 2 Speak now in the [a]hearing of the people that (B)each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” 3 (C)Y'Hovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. (D)Furthermore, the man Moses himself was [b]greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

4 Moses said, “Thus says Y'Hovah, ‘About (E)midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, 5 and (F)all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 Moreover, there shall be (G)a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. 7 (H)But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even [c]bark, whether against man or beast, that you may [d]understand how Y'Hovah makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 8 (I)All these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves [e]before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who [f]follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” (J)And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

9 Then Y'Hovah said to Moses, “(K)Pharaoh will not listen to you, so (L)that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 (M)Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet (N)Y'Hovah [g]hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

Exodus 12

The Passover Lamb

1 Now Y'Hovah said to Moses and Aaron in the land of [h]Egypt, 2 “(O)This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a [i]lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a [j]lamb for [k]each household. 4 Now if the household is too small for a [l]lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the [m]number of persons in them; according to [n]what each man should eat, you are to [o]divide the lamb. 5 Your [p]lamb shall be (P)an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 [q]You shall keep it until the (Q)fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it [r](R)at twilight. 7 (S)Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel [s]of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh (T)that same night, (U)roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with (V)unleavened bread [t](W)and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather (X)roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with (Y)its entrails. 10 (Z)And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is (AA)Y'Hovah’S Passover. 12 For (AB)I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and (AC)against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—(AD)I am Y'Hovah. 13 (AE)The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you [u]live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you [v]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Feast of Unleavened Bread

14 ‘Now (AF)this day will be (AG)a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to Y'Hovah; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as [w](AH)a permanent ordinance. 15 (AI)Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall [x]remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, (AJ)that [y]person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 (AK)On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten [z]by every person, that alone may be [aa]prepared by you. 17 You shall also observe (AL)the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this (AM)very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as (AN)a [ab]permanent ordinance. 18 (AO)In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 (AP)Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that [ac](AQ)person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. 20 You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

21 Then (AR)Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “[ad]Go and (AS)take for yourselves [ae]lambs according to your families, and slay (AT)the Passover lamb. 22 (AU)You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and [af]apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.

A Memorial of Redemption

23 For (AV)Y'Hovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, Y'Hovah will pass over the door and will (AW)not allow the (AX)destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. 24 And (AY)you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. 25 When you enter the land which Y'Hovah will give you, as He has [ag]promised, you shall observe this [ah]rite. 26 (AZ)And when your children say to you, ‘[ai]What does this rite mean to you?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to (BA)Y'Hovah [aj]who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but [ak]spared our homes.’” (BB)And the people bowed low and worshiped.

28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as Y'Hovah had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

29 Now it came about at (BC)midnight that (BD)Y'Hovah struck all (BE)the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of (BF)cattle. 30 Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was (BG)a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead.

Footnotes:

a. Exodus 11:2 Lit ears

b. Exodus 11:3 Lit very great

c. Exodus 11:7 Lit sharpen his tongue

d. Exodus 11:7 Lit know

e. Exodus 11:8 Lit to

f. Exodus 11:8 Lit are at your feet

g. Exodus 11:10 Lit made strong

h. Exodus 12:1 Lit Egypt, saying

i. Exodus 12:3 Or kid

j. Exodus 12:3 Or kid

k. Exodus 12:3 Lit the

l. Exodus 12:4 Or kid

m. Exodus 12:4 Or amount

n. Exodus 12:4 Lit each man’s eating

o. Exodus 12:4 Lit compute for

p. Exodus 12:5 Or kid

q. Exodus 12:6 Lit It shall be to you for a guarding

r. Exodus 12:6 Lit between the two evenings

s. Exodus 12:7 Lit upon

t. Exodus 12:8 Lit in addition to

u. Exodus 12:13 Lit are

v. Exodus 12:13 Lit for destruction

w. Exodus 12:14 Or an eternal

x. Exodus 12:15 Lit cause to cease

y. Exodus 12:15 Lit soul

z. Exodus 12:16 Lit pertaining to

aa. Exodus 12:16 Lit done

ab. Exodus 12:17 Or eternal

ac. Exodus 12:19 Lit soul

ad. Exodus 12:21 Lit Draw out

ae. Exodus 12:21 Lit sheep

af. Exodus 12:22 Lit cause to touch

ag. Exodus 12:25 Lit spoken

ah. Exodus 12:25 Lit service

ai. Exodus 12:26 Lit What is this service to you?

aj. Exodus 12:27 Lit because He

ak. Exodus 12:27 Lit delivered

Cross references:

A. Exodus 11:1 : Ex 12:31, 33, 39

B. Exodus 11:2 : Ex 3:22; 12:35, 36

C. Exodus 11:3 : Ex 3:21; 12:36; Ps 106:46

D. Exodus 11:3 : Deut 34:10-12

E. Exodus 11:4 : Ex 12:29

F. Exodus 11:5 : Ex 12:12, 29; Ps 78:51; 105:36; 135:8; 136:10

G. Exodus 11:6 : Ex 12:30

H. Exodus 11:7 : Ex 8:22; Josh 10:21

I. Exodus 11:8 : Ex 12:31-33

J. Exodus 11:8 : Heb 11:27

K. Exodus 11:9 : Ex 7:4

L. Exodus 11:9 : Ex 7:3

M. Exodus 11:10 : Ex 4:21

N. Exodus 11:10 : Ex 7:3; 9:12; 10:20, 27; Josh 11:20; Is 63:17; John 12:40

O. Exodus 12:2 : Ex 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut 16:1

P. Exodus 12:5 : Lev 22:18-21; 23:12; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:19

Q. Exodus 12:6 : Ex 12:14, 17; Lev 23:5; Num 9:1-3, 11; 28:16

R. Exodus 12:6 : Ex 16:12; Deut 16:4, 6

S. Exodus 12:7 : Ex 12:22

T. Exodus 12:8 : Ex 34:25; Num 9:12

U. Exodus 12:8 : Deut 16:7

V. Exodus 12:8 : Deut 16:3, 4; 1 Cor 5:8

W. Exodus 12:8 : Num 9:11

X. Exodus 12:9 : Ex 12:8

Y. Exodus 12:9 : Ex 29:13, 17, 22

Z. Exodus 12:10 : Ex 16:19; 23:18; 34:25

AA. Exodus 12:11 : Ex 12:13, 21, 27, 43

AB. Exodus 12:12 : Ex 11:4, 5

AC. Exodus 12:12 : Num 33:4; Ps 82:1

AD. Exodus 12:12 : Ex 6:2

AE. Exodus 12:13 : Heb 11:28

AF. Exodus 12:14 : Ex 12:6; Lev 23:4, 5; 2 Kin 23:21

AG. Exodus 12:14 : Ex 13:9

AH. Exodus 12:14 : Ex 12:17, 24; 13:10

AI. Exodus 12:15 : Ex 13:6, 7; 23:15; 34:18; Lev 23:6; Num 28:17; Deut 16:3, 8

AJ. Exodus 12:15 : Gen 17:14; Ex 12:19; Num 9:13

AK. Exodus 12:16 : Lev 23:7, 8; Num 28:18, 25

AL. Exodus 12:17 : Deut 16:3-8

AM. Exodus 12:17 : Ex 12:41

AN. Exodus 12:17 : Ex 12:14; 13:3, 10

AO. Exodus 12:18 : Ex 12:2; Lev 23:5-8; Num 28:16-25

AP. Exodus 12:19 : Ex 12:15; 23:15; 34:18

AQ. Exodus 12:19 : Num 9:13

AR. Exodus 12:21 : Num 9:4; Heb 11:28

AS. Exodus 12:21 : Ex 12:3

AT. Exodus 12:21 : Ex 12:11

AU. Exodus 12:22 : Ex 12:7

AV. Exodus 12:23 : Ex 11:4; 12:12, 13

AW. Exodus 12:23 : Rev 7:3; 9:4

AX. Exodus 12:23 : 1 Cor 10:10; Heb 11:28

AY. Exodus 12:24 : Ex 12:14, 17; 13:5, 10

AZ. Exodus 12:26 : Ex 10:2; 13:8, 14, 15; Deut 32:7; Josh 4:6; Ps 78:6

BA. Exodus 12:27 : Ex 12:11

BB. Exodus 12:27 : Ex 4:31

BC. Exodus 12:29 : Ex 11:4, 5

BD. Exodus 12:29 : Num 8:17; 33:4; Ps 135:8; 136:10

BE. Exodus 12:29 : Ex 4:23; Ps 78:51; 105:36

BF. Exodus 12:29 : Ex 9:6

BG. Exodus 12:30 : Ex 11:6

Y'Hovah is the true God of the rivers, of fertility and renewal, of the earth (of the creation, of the movement of the planets, and of rebirth in the sense of being born again), the God of all "magic" (i.e. the God of all power that is exorcised in this world and the spirit world), of the resurrection from the dead, of love and protection, of health and wisdom and peace, of the sky (of refreshing) and of the sun and moon (of all the heavens), of protection from famine, of the Sun (i.e. of all heat, and light, and life), and of all the lords and kings of all the earth from the greatest to the least; so the ten plagues are an example of that. The meaning of the word Echad, from the ten plagues of the exodus from Egypt, is that Y'Hovah alone is the God of all those things; none of the other gods, which are worshipped as gods, are gods at all; only He is God of all that is.

So what was Y'Hovah saying to Y'Israel by all this? Simply this, I am Echad; I am the God of all that exists, both seen and unseen, I alone and none else; I am the God of the mountains, I am the God of the valleys, and I am the God of all things in between! I am Echad; for I am the God of all things, all that are seen and unseen, and yet I am only one being! I am the God of all; and, yet, I am a single being who is the God of them all - all by Myself!

[P.S., I only quoted the first and the last of the ten plagues here; but, you can see the rest of them in this study and in Exodus 7:14 thru 12:30.]

http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_1.html

http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_2.html

http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_3.html

http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/history/gods_of_egypt.pdf

http://inthedoghouse.hubpages.com/hub/Ten-Plagues-For-Ten-Gods

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagues_of_Egypt

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_Egyptian_gods

Hidden in the Torah, between love Y'Hovah God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself, there is a third commandment equal to those two!

2011-08-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

The two greatest commandments of the Torah...

Love Y'hovah your God with all your being (i.e. heart, soul, mind, and strength); and, love your neighbor as you love yourself!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Footnotes:
a. Deuteronomy 6:8 Or frontlet bands
b. Deuteronomy 6:8 Lit between your eyes

A. Cross references:
B. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27
C. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Deut 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:6
D. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
E. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Deut 4:29; 10:12
F. Deuteronomy 6:6 : Deut 11:18
G. Deuteronomy 6:7 : Deut 4:9; 11:19; Eph 6:4
H. Deuteronomy 6:8 : Ex 12:14; 13:9, 16; Deut 11:18; Prov 3:3; 6:21; 7:3
I. Deuteronomy 6:9 : Deut 11:20

Leviticus 19:17-18 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 ‘You (A)shall not hate your [a]fellow countryman in your heart; you (B)may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18 (C)You shall not take vengeance, (D)nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but (E)you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Y'Hovah.

Footnotes:

a. Leviticus 19:17 Lit brother

Cross references:

A. Leviticus 19:17 : 1 John 2:9, 11; 3:15

B. Leviticus 19:17 : Matt 18:15; Luke 17:3

C. Leviticus 19:18 : Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30

D. Leviticus 19:18 : Ps 103:9

E. Leviticus 19:18 : Matt 19:19; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; James 2:8

Luke 10:22-28 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

22 (A)All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and (B)no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

23 (C)Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, 24 for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

25 (D)And a [a](E)lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Torah? [b]How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “(F)YOU SHALL LOVE Y'HOVAH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; (G)DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”

Footnotes:

a. Luke 10:25 I.e. an expert in the Mosaic Law

b. Luke 10:26 Lit How do you read?

Cross references:

A. Luke 10:22 : John 3:35

B. Luke 10:22 : John 10:15

C. Luke 10:23 : Luke 10:23-24: Matt 13:16, 17

D. Luke 10:25 : Luke 10:25-28: Matt 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-31; Matt 19:16-19

E. Luke 10:25 : Matt 22:35

F. Luke 10:27 : Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18

G. Luke 10:28 : Lev 18:5; Ezek 20:11; Matt 19:17

Quite obviously, because Yah-hoshua Himself said it, the two greatest of all the commandments in the Torah are: 1. You will love Y'Hovah your Elohiym with all your being (i.e. heart, soul, mind, and strength); and, 2. You will love your neighbor as yourself; that's absolutely the truth. However, for those of us who are truly Christians (i.e. truly members of the body/bride of Messiah Yah-hoshua) there's a third commandment, which is equal to those two, that we are instructed by Him to place in the midst of those two; and, that is this...

The third (i.e. the "hidden") commandment...

You will love one another as I have loved you!

John 13:33-35 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

33 (A)Little children, I am with you (B)a little while longer. (C)You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 A (D)new commandment I give to you, (E)that you love one another, (F)even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 (G)By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Cross references:
A. John 13:33 : 1 John 2:1
B. John 13:33 : John 7:33
C. John 13:33 : John 7:34
D. John 13:34 : John 15:12, 17; 1 John 2:7f; 3:11, 23; 2 John 1:5
E. John 13:34 : Lev 19:18; Matt 5:44; Gal 5:14; 1 Thess 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22; 1 John 4:7
F. John 13:34 : Eph 5:2; 1 John 4:10f
G. John 13:35 : 1 John 3:14; 4:20

Hidden in the Torah of Y'Hovah Elohiym, from ages and generations, there is a commandment which falls between "Love Y'Hovah with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength" and "Love your neighbor as you love yourself"; and, this is that commandment if you can receive it!

This "new" (i.e. restored) commandment...

It's not greater than the other two; but, it's as great!

Mark 12:28-34 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

28 (A)One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and (B)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [a]foremost of all?” 29 Yah-hoshua (Jesus) answered, “The foremost is, ‘(C)HEAR, O ISRAEL! Y'HOVAH OUR GOD, Y'HOVAH IS ONE; 30 (D)AND YOU SHALL LOVE Y'HOVAH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 The second is this, ‘(E)YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that (F)HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; 33 (G)AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, (H)is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Yah-hoshua (Jesus) saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (I)After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

Footnotes:
a. Mark 12:28 Or first

Cross references:
A. Mark 12:28 : Mark 12:28-34: Matt 22:34-40; Luke 10:25-28; 20:39f
B. Mark 12:28 : Matt 22:34; Luke 20:39
C. Mark 12:29 : Deut 6:4
D. Mark 12:30 : Deut 6:5
E. Mark 12:31 : Lev 19:18
F. Mark 12:32 : Deut 4:35
G. Mark 12:33 : Deut 6:5
H. Mark 12:33 : 1 Sam 15:22; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6-8; Matt 9:13; 12:7
I. Mark 12:34 : Matt 22:46

Saying that there's no other commandment greater than the two He restated to the man, of a truth, is absolutely the truth; for, this third commandment, which fits between those two, is not greater than them. However, it is equal to them both; and, it is to us and not to the world that it is revealed by/in Him! This commandment is not for the world, nor is it for the false converts which stand in the midst of the true members of the body/bride of Messiah, but it is for those who are part of His body/bride alone that it is revealed by His presence of Holy Spirit; it's for the members of His body and bride alone, and not for those others in the midst of them, that this commandment is restored so that we might understand how we're to treat one another in Him! And, it is repeated in several places in the "New Testament" writings; here, for your reading pleasure, are a few of those passages...

John 15:11-15 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 (A)These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your (B)joy may be made full.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

12 “This is (C)My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 (D)Greater love has no one than this, that one (E)lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My (F)friends if (G)you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for (H)all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Cross references:

A. John 15:11 : John 17:13

B. John 15:11 : John 3:29

C. John 15:12 : John 13:34; 15:17; 1 John 3:23; 2 John 1:5

D. John 15:13 : Rom 5:7f

E. John 15:13 : John 10:11

F. John 15:14 : Luke 12:4

G. John 15:14 : Matt 12:50

H. John 15:15 : John 8:26; 16:12

John 15:16-18 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

16 (A)You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and (B)bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that (C)whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This (D)I command you, that you love one another.

Disciples’ Relation to the World

18 “(E)If the world hates you, [a]you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

Footnotes:

a. John 15:18 Or (imperative) know that

Cross references:

A. John 15:16 : John 6:70; 13:18; 15:19

B. John 15:16 : John 15:5

C. John 15:16 : John 14:13; 15:7; 16:23

D. John 15:17 : John 15:12
E. John 15:18 : John 7:7; 1 John 3:13

1 John 3:9-12 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 No one who is [a](A)born of God (B)practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is [b]born of God. 10 By this the (C)children of God and the (D)children of the devil are obvious: [c]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who (E)does not love his (F)brother.

11 (G)For this is the message (H)which you have heard from the beginning, (I)that we should love one another; 12 not as (J)Cain, who was of (K)the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because (L)his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

Footnotes:

a. 1 John 3:9 Or begotten

b. 1 John 3:9 Or begotten

c. 1 John 3:10 Lit everyone

Cross references:

A. 1 John 3:9 : John 1:13; 3:3; 1 John 2:29; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18; 3 John 1:11

B. 1 John 3:9 : 1 Pet 1:23; 1 John 3:6; 5:18

C. 1 John 3:10 : John 1:12; 11:52; Rom 8:16; 1 John 3:1, 2

D. 1 John 3:10 : Matt 13:38; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8

E. 1 John 3:10 : Rom 13:8ff; Col 3:14; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 John 4:8

F. 1 John 3:10 : 1 John 2:9

G. 1 John 3:11 : 1 John 1:5

H. 1 John 3:11 : 1 John 2:7

I. 1 John 3:11 : John 13:4f; 15:12; 1 John 4:7, 11f, 21; 2 John 1:5

J. 1 John 3:12 : Gen 4:8

K. 1 John 3:12 : Matt 5:37; 1 John 2:13f

L. 1 John 3:12 : Ps 38:20; Prov 29:10; John 8:40, 41

1 John 3:22-24 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

22 and (A)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we (B)keep His commandments and do (C)the things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 This is His commandment, that we [a](D)believe in (E)the name of His Son Yah-hoshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), and love one another, just as (F)He [b]commanded us. 24 The one who (G)keeps His commandments (H)abides in Him, and He in him. (I)We know by this that (J)He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Footnotes:

a. 1 John 3:23 Or believe the name

b. 1 John 3:23 Lit gave us a commandment

Cross references:

A. 1 John 3:22 : Job 22:26f; Matt 7:7; 21:22; John 9:31

B. 1 John 3:22 : 1 John 2:3

C. 1 John 3:22 : John 8:29; Heb 13:21

D. 1 John 3:23 : John 6:29

E. 1 John 3:23 : John 1:12; 2:23; 3:18

F. 1 John 3:23 : John 13:34; 15:12; 1 John 2:8

G. 1 John 3:24 : 1 John 2:3

H. 1 John 3:24 : John 6:56; 10:38; 1 John 2:6, 24; 4:15

I. 1 John 3:24 : John 14:17; Rom 8:9, 14, 16; 1 Thess 4:8; 1 John 4:13

J. 1 John 3:24 : 1 John 2:5

1 John 4:7-12 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

God Is Love

7 (A)Beloved, let us (B)love one another, for love is from God; and (C)everyone who loves is [a](D)born of God and (E)knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for (F)God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested [b](G)in us, that (H)God has sent His [c]only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, (I)not that we loved God, but that (J)He loved us and sent His Son to be (K)the propitiation for our sins. 11 (L)Beloved, if God so loved us, (M)we also ought to love one another. 12 (N)No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His (O)love is perfected in us.

Footnotes:

a. 1 John 4:7 Or begotten

b. 1 John 4:9 Or in our case

c. 1 John 4:9 Or unique, only one of His kind

Cross references:

A. 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 2:7

B. 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 3:11

C. 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 5:1

D. 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 2:29

E. 1 John 4:7 : 1 Cor 8:3; 1 John 2:3

F. 1 John 4:8 : 1 John 4:7, 16

G. 1 John 4:9 : John 9:3; 1 John 4:16

H. 1 John 4:9 : John 3:16f; 1 John 4:10; 5:11

I. 1 John 4:10 : Rom 5:8, 10; 1 John 4:19

J. 1 John 4:10 : John 3:16f; 1 John 4:9; 5:11

K. 1 John 4:10 : 1 John 2:2

L. 1 John 4:11 : 1 John 2:7

M. 1 John 4:11 : 1 John 4:7

N. 1 John 4:12 : John 1:18; 1 Tim 6:16; 1 John 4:20

O. 1 John 4:12 : 1 John 2:5; 4:17f

2 John 1:4-6 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 (A)I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, (B)not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had (C)from the beginning, that we (D)love one another. 6 And (E)this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, (F)just as you have heard (G)from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

Cross references:

A. 2 John 1:4 : 3 John 1:3f

B. 2 John 1:5 : 1 John 2:7

C. 2 John 1:5 : 1 John 2:7

D. 2 John 1:5 : John 13:34, 35; 15:12, 17; 1 John 3:11; 4:7, 11

E. 2 John 1:6 : 1 John 2:5; 5:3

F. 2 John 1:6 : 1 John 2:24

G. 2 John 1:6 : 1 John 2:7

So let us hear the whole conclusion of the matter...

The entire essence of Torah taught in less than a minute!

This new commandment, that Yah-hoshua has given to us in Him, does not change the essence of the core message of the Torah; for, the core message is still love. Thus, in closing, I relate to you the entire essence of the Torah in less than a minute; and, that is this...

You will love Y'Hovah your God with all your being (i.e. heart, soul, mind, and strength), you will love each other in Y'Hovah as He has loved you, and you will love your neighbor as you love yourself; the rest of the Torah, it is a commentary on how to do these three things, now go and learn it! Amen.

The Forgotten People - Christianity and the Holocaust

2011-08-16T02:53:00.000-07:00

The following are links to the video, in three parts, and an interview which she did about the movie.

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEr07OCbIw
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwt66GrPfnI
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9LQMTAtnD8
Interview - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiX0Zl_qlyc

August 6, 2010: "Replacement Theology" from El Shaddai Ministries on Vimeo.

August 13, 2010 - Lauri Cardoza-Moore - "The Forgotten People" from El Shaddai Ministries on Vimeo.

Many of you people, who have bought into the lies about the Jews and about what the true Christians refer to as "Replacement Theology", will doubtlessly make the argument to me that "The Jews killed MY Jesus and so He has forsaken and forgotten them!". And, to answer that railing accusation (which is nothing more or less than a lie of the Devil), I could go into details about how that flies in the face of the scriptures, especially and specifically Matthew 25:31-46 (which I have tagged to the end of this study), as there were no such thing as Christians at that point and the people who He was pointed to as He said that were the Jews (even and especially the least of those who are His); He was pointing to His brethren, of the Israel of God, every one from the least to the greatest, and saying that what you are doing and/or not doing to them you are actually doing and/or not doing to Him! But I won't do that as this time. I will merely point out to you some facts, about His crucifixion, and see if you're wise enough to connect the dots!

1. The man the Messiah Yahshua actually came here to DIE! He was born to DIE for the sins of all mankind, once for all, so that all who believe might be partakers of His sacrifice and Holy Spirit by grace and through faith! For the Jew first, and also for the Gentile, according to the physical birth! He was born as a Jew! And He lived His whole life out as a Jew! He died as a Jew! He was buried as a Jew! When He rose from the dead He was STILL A JEW! He ascended up into heaven to be seated at the right hand of His Father as a Jew! And He will return to rule over all mankind (which survive the days, the seven years, of His wrath), from Jerusalem, as a Jew!

So as I hear people who call themselves Christians, who claim to be His and yet hate His own, speak of the Jews with such contempt as can be heard in the doctrine of "Replacement Theology"; then, I'm both sickened and saddened at the exact same time! You can't hate the least of His brethren and be a Christian, you can't do evil or fail to do good to one of the least of His people and be a Christian, you can't be full of pride and boasting and say that you (the wild branches) have now replaced them (the natural branches) and that all the promises He once spoke to them now only apply to you and be a Christian! For, of a truth, if you say such things; then, I am telling of a truth you that you're not a Christian! And, in all reality, that you never were one either!

2. Yahshua Himself said, concerning His death, "I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father is knowing Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore, therefore does my Father love Me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man is taking it from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." He said that He had power to lay down His life and pick it up again, and that if He wanted to stop the crucifixion He could call down 12 legions of angels (Matthew 26:51-54; that would have been more than enough to kill all the people on the earth in a moment of time if you can receive it), so obviously all the talk I hear coming from you Catholics and Protestants about His being some kind of "Sacred VICTIM" is sheer nonsense! He was, and is, and always will be a victor! He was never a victim; as, victims don't choose when and where and how and why and for whom they are going to die! But He did; so, even implying that He was a victim (and not a victor) is bordering on being a statement which is both a heresy and a blasphemy; and, which is certainly an abomination to Him!

3. As is clearly seen by an elementary reading of the four gospels, unless one is willingly ignorant and/or strongly deluded, the Romans has an equal part to play in His crucifixion with the Jews; so, it was all the descendants of Noah's sons He allowed to put Him on the cross and not just the descendants of 1 or 2 of the 3 of them! Don't understand what I'm talking about? Go back and read Genesis 10, to see what I am saying, that Noah had three sons; and, that all mankind came from one or more of these three! So because all the descendants of Noah, of a truth, were part of the crucifixion; they all, without exception, put Him on that cross according to His own will and the will of His Father! Thus saying that Jews (the offspring of Shem) were the only ones who had a part in it, of a truth, is so ignorant that I can't even speak to those who preach such garbage until they repent!

4. Even if you say that the Jews, before Pilate, claimed responsibility for His crucifixion by saying "His blood be on us, and on our children."; I will simply turn around, to you, and cast this verse into your teeth: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). Father forgive them is a prayer that I would expect to hear from the mouth of the King of kings, the King of the Jews, who loves Him people Israel very dearly and who desires only their greatest good; yes, it is the prayer I would expect to hear from a loving Father, who will not leave nor forsake His people, who will not fail to fulfill all of the promises which He has made to them in the days to come! It isn't a prayer I would expect to hear from the mouth of a God who has forsaken them, and cut them off of the tree forever, and has decided to give the promises He made to their fathers to others instead of them! Right after He takes the goats, the people who hate them and thus Him, and cuts them off from the face of the earth, He will fulfill all of the promises His has made to their fathers through them! So I would not want to be you who have spoken against them (and thus Him), on that day of justice, because I see that you will drink of the cup of wrath that is in His hand; and, truly, you will not inherit a place in the world which is to come!

5. When the disciples, in the book of Acts, asked Yahshua if He would restore the kingdom to Israel at that time (Acts 1:6), He didn't say that it would not happen! Nope, nope, what He said in reply to them was "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power."; meaning, for all you obtuse people who didn't quite get it yet, that He is going to do just that at the time which has been appointed by His Father! And that scripture alone, by itself, is a witness against all of you who ignorantly claim He has forgotten His own and that His promises no longer pertain to them; for Yahshua never said either one of those things in any place in His teachings, not one place, and you are walking in the spirit of the Antichrist when you teach such things!

6. Yahshua (i.e. Jesus) was a Jew, all of the 12 He called were Jews, all of the seventy He send out were Jews, all those who heard and believed the message which was proclaimed by the Holy Spirit through Peter on the day of Pentecost were Jews (Acts 2), all of the 5,000 who were converted after that first 3,000 of Acts 2 (see Acts 4:4) were Jews, and when the apostle Paul had returned to Jerusalem (right before he was taken captive and shipped off to Rome) he was told by the apostles there, that there were myriads (that means tens of thousands) of Jews who had accepted Yahshua as their Messiah and who were still zealous for the Torah! And, he was told at that same time, that many of those who had converted were priests and elders among the people!

Please show me, in any of that, where Messiah said He was forsaking the Jews; or, that He was not going to keep the promises, which He made with their fathers, with them! I will tell you now, to save you wasting hours and hours of your time, on so futile a quest as that, that no place in the word does He ever say that He is done with the Jewish people and that He won't keep the promises He has made to them! He will keep EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PROMISES, which He has made, with His people; and, those who are trying to stand in His way, to hinder Him from doing that, will be (and, of a truth, are already now) accursed of themselves by choosing to STAND IN HIS WAY! You want to be on His way; but, you must certainly don't want to be standing IN HIS WAY! For He will move you aside, and you will be ashamed, and your shame will be eternal; for in doing that, of a truth, you show that you have NEVER KNOWN HIM AT ALL! (Luke 13:22-32; Matthew 7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv64BiSiiuk

Note: One of the things that the man gets wrong, in the above video, is the name of Messiah Yahshua; as, He was never called Jesus by anyone during His lifetime nor during the days of the saints of that first church age; He was not called "Jesus" until the way was corrupted by those who were of the assembly (i.e. the church) of Satan! Who brought in all kinds of sinful doctrines which caused the wild branches to hate and mistreat the natural ones! So if you examine your worship and service of Him, with what is written in the Bible, with His understanding of it, you will see that a great many of the things you are partaking in are not in His word! The word says that we are supposed to be as He is, in this world, and He walked by the Holy Spirit in the truths of the Torah; He fulfilled all that was written in the Torah, He didn't call it legalism and tell people that it's something they can now freely ignore as a result of His crucifixion, and those who teach such things are liars and thieves of a truth! Liars because they are bear a false testimony; and, thieves because by doing so they are robbing you of the joy that comes by walking by the strength of the Holy Spirit in the righteousness of that expressed will of His - which, of a truth, is His Torah!

The other thing he gets wrong is what role the hatred of the Jewish people preached by Martin Luther, in his sermons against them, played in the things that Hitler did in Germany! Hitler was certainly not a disciple of Luther; but, he was still able to use those hate filled words that Luther spoke, against the Jews, to convince the Germans that what he was doing was merely what was called for by Luther in those Antichrist sermons of his! And, for that reason, the blood of all those Jews is on the hands of Luther as well; for, if Luther would not have preached such hateful things, against them, Hitler couldn't have used them to stir up so many of the merely professing Christians that respected and followed his doctrines to help him do what he did! Thus I can say that Hitler merely watered the seed; but, it was Luther was planted it in the first place! And many of you merely professing Christians, in what you're saying in your books and sermons today, are guilty of doing the same thing; and, all the Muslims (who take the Koran seriously) are more than willing to water the seeds of your wickedness! You will stand before His judgment seat, in the day, and you will be called to give an account for that; and, my believe is that you will stand speechless before Him when that happens! And that you will then, as a result of what you inspired others to do to His brethren, be cast off forever as those who hated Him through hating the least of His!

Matthew 25:31-46 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Judgment

31 “But when (A)the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then (B)He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be (C)gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, (D)as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep (E)on His right, and the goats (F)on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, (G)inherit the kingdom prepared for you (H)from the foundation of the world. 35 For (I)I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; (J)I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 (K)naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you (L)visited Me; (M)I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Y'Hovah, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 (N)The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, (O)to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘(P)Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the (Q)eternal fire which has been prepared for (R)the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Jehovah, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [a]take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into (S)eternal punishment, but the righteous into (T)eternal life.”

Footnotes:
a. Matthew 25:44 Or serve

Cross references:
A. Matthew 25:31 : Matt 16:27f; 1 Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 1:7; Heb 9:28; Jude 1:14; Rev 1:7
B. Matthew 25:31 : Matt 19:28
C. Matthew 25:32 : Matt 13:49; 2 Cor 5:10
D. Matthew 25:32 : Ezek 34:17, 20
E. Matthew 25:33 : 1 Kin 2:19; Ps 45:9
F. Matthew 25:33 : Eccl 10:2
G. Matthew 25:34 : Matt 5:3; 19:29; Luke 12:32; 1 Cor 6:9; 15:50; Gal 5:21; James 2:5
H. Matthew 25:34 : Matt 13:35; Luke 11:50; John 17:24; Eph 1:4; Heb 4:3; 9:26; 1 Pet 1:20; Rev 13:8; 17:8
I. Matthew 25:35 : Is 58:7; Ezek 18:7, 16; James 2:15, 16
J. Matthew 25:35 : Job 31:32; Heb 13:2
K. Matthew 25:36 : Is 58:7; Ezek 18:7, 16; James 2:15, 16
L. Matthew 25:36 : James 1:27
M. Matthew 25:36 : 2 Tim 1:16f
N. Matthew 25:40 : Matt 25:34; Luke 19:38; Rev 17:14; 19:16
O. Matthew 25:40 : Prov 19:17; Matt 10:42; Heb 6:10
P. Matthew 25:41 : Matt 7:23
Q. Matthew 25:41 : Mark 9:48; Luke 16:24; Jude 1:7
R. Matthew 25:41 : Matt 4:10; Rev 12:9
S. Matthew 25:46 : Dan 12:2; John 5:29; Acts 24:15
T. Matthew 25:46 : Matt 19:29; John 3:15f, 36; 5:24; 6:27, 40, 47, 54; 17:2f; Acts 13:46, 48; Rom 2:7; 5:21; 6:23; Gal 6:8; 1 John 5:11

Hear O Israel, my flesh and my bones, do not trust in this broken staff called America! She will betray you in the end; of her you will not be saved!

2011-08-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength...

2 Chronicles 16:7-14 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Asa Imprisons the Prophet

7 At that time (A)Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “(B)Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on Y'Hovah your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand. 8 Were not (C)the Ethiopians and the Lubim (D)an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet (E)because you relied on Y'Hovah, He delivered them into your hand. 9 For (F)the eyes of Y'Hovah move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those (G)whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in [a]prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
11 (H)Now, the acts of Asa from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he (I)did not seek Y'Hovah, but the physicians. 13 So Asa slept with his fathers, [b]having died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled (J)with spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and (K)they made a very great fire for him.

Footnotes:
a. 2 Chronicles 16:10 Lit the house of the stocks
b. 2 Chronicles 16:13 Lit and

Cross references:
A. 2 Chronicles 16:7 : 1 Kin 16:1; 2 Chr 19:2
B. 2 Chronicles 16:7 : 2 Chr 14:11; 32:7, 8
C. 2 Chronicles 16:8 : 2 Chr 14:9
D. 2 Chronicles 16:8 : 2 Chr 12:3
E. 2 Chronicles 16:8 : 2 Chr 13:16, 18
F. 2 Chronicles 16:9 : Prov 15:3; Jer 16:17; Zech 4:10
G. 2 Chronicles 16:9 : 2 Chr 15:17
H. 2 Chronicles 16:11 : 1 Kin 15:23, 24
I. 2 Chronicles 16:12 : Jer 17:5
J. 2 Chronicles 16:14 : Gen 50:2; John 19:39, 40
K. 2 Chronicles 16:14 : 2 Chr 21:19

Jeremiah 17:5 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Thus says Y'Hovah,
“(A)Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes (B)flesh his [a]strength,
And whose heart turns away from Y'Hovah.

Footnotes:
a. Jeremiah 17:5 Lit arm

Cross references:
A. Jeremiah 17:5 : Ps 146:3; Is 2:22; 30:1; Ezek 29:7
B. Jeremiah 17:5 : 2 Chr 32:8; Is 31:3

When we, as the children of Y'Hovah God, refuse to allow Him to be part of everything that is going on in our lives (by seeking Him, through prayers and supplications, to be a part of it all and help us with all of it) we are doing foolishly! For our Father wants to be involved with every area, in every aspect, of our lives; and when we refuse to allow Him to do that, and trust in ourselves or others to fix problems that He wants to fix for us to give us a greater testimony of His presence and almighty power, then we bring the curse (and not His blessings) upon ourselves!

Telling others that you want to handle the many problem that arise in your life yourself, because they are not His problems and you don't want to pray to Him for help, might be pious sounding to those around you; however, it certainly does not align with the word of God!

It goes along with this erroneous line of thought that teaches “God helps those who help themselves”; which in all reality, if you think about it, is another way of saying that God will bless those who trust in themselves and make their own flesh their strength! But the reality of the word of God, which is exactly opposite to that statement, is that Y'Hovah is blessing those who bring every single need to Him (by prayers and supplications before His throne); and that those who refuse to do so, and think that He will bless them as they trust in their own flesh instead of Him, are actually bringing the curse upon themselves spoken of in Jeremiah 17:5

Read 2 Chronicles 16:12 very carefully and prayerfully! The words “yet even in his disease he did not seek Y'Hovah” imply that God had allowed many things to happen in his life, before that point, and that he just kept on trusting in himself and those around him to help him get through them instead of putting them into the hands of Y'Hovah. So finally, when Y'Hovah put something in his life that nobody else but He Himself could remedy to get him to repent, Asa refused to do so and died in his sin! For he would not!

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.

Isaiah 7:10-16 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Child Immanuel

10 Then Y'Hovah spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a (A)sign for yourself from Y'Hovah your God; [a]make it deep as Sheol or high as [b]heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test Y'Hovah!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, O (B)house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will (C)try the patience of (D)my God as well? 14 Therefore Y'Hovah Himself will give you a sign: Behold, (E)a [c]virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name [d](F)Immanuel. 15 He will eat (G)curds and honey [e]at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 (H)For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, (I)the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 7:11 So with the versions; M.T. make the request deep or high
b. Isaiah 7:11 Lit heights
c. Isaiah 7:14 Or maiden
d. Isaiah 7:14 I.e. God is with us
e. Isaiah 7:15 Lit with respect to his knowing

Cross references:
A. Isaiah 7:11 : 2 Kin 19:29; Is 37:30; 38:7, 8; 55:13
B. Isaiah 7:13 : Is 7:2
C. Isaiah 7:13 : Is 1:14; 43:24
D. Isaiah 7:13 : Is 25:1
E. Isaiah 7:14 : Matt 1:23
F. Isaiah 7:14 : Is 8:8, 10
G. Isaiah 7:15 : Is 7:22
H. Isaiah 7:16 : Is 8:4
I. Isaiah 7:16 : Is 8:14; 17:3; Jer 7:15; Hos 5:3, 9, 14; Amos 1:3-5

Psalm 55:22 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

22 (A)Cast [a]your burden upon Y'Hovah and He will sustain you;
(B)He will never allow the righteous to [b](C)be shaken.

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 55:22 Or what He has given you
b. Psalm 55:22 Or totter

Cross references:
A. Psalm 55:22 : Ps 37:5; 1 Pet 5:7
B. Psalm 55:22 : Ps 37:24
C. Psalm 55:22 : Ps 15:5; 112:6

1 Peter 5:6-7 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

6 Therefore (A)humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your (B)anxiety (i.e. cares) on Him, because He cares for you.

Cross references:
A. 1 Peter 5:6 : Matt 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14; James 4:10
B. 1 Peter 5:7 : Ps 55:22; Matt 6:25

It doesn't take a lot of humility to try and handle the things which you face in your life, on a daily basis, of your own wisdom and skills and strength; any fool can walk in that way with ease! However, it takes quite a bit of humility for you to come before Y'Hovah and present all those things to Him, that you are experiencing, and trust in Him to walk with you and help you with them according to His will for you!

Satan wants you to go in the way of Jeremiah 17:5, and bring the curse upon yourself by not allowing Y'Hovah to walk with you and work your greatest good by His unlimited resources in your life by those things which you experience, that he might cause you to bring the curse upon yourself; so, he tries to get you to think that committing the sin of Jeremiah 17:5 makes you better than others, who refuse to do so, who surrender all that they face in their lives into the hands of Y'Hovah God! However, that's a outright lie!

When you do that you end up being like Ahaz, in Isaiah 7:13, who refused ask Y'Hovah for what He wanted him to have of His hands; and, in doing so, you are literally trying the patience of God as he did!

Do you not understand that the Son Himself, when He was here upon the earth, relied on the power of His Father in everything He suffered to help Him to withstand and stand?

If He who is above the angels, had to rely upon His Father to walk with Him and to help Him to endure all that came upon Him; then what makes you think, that you a mere man who was born a sinner (who stands only by grace and through faith which are both of Him and not of yourself), that you don't need to place everything into His hands and rely upon Him alone to do what only He can do for you (in your life) according to His word!

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke 11:5-10 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Then He said to them, “[a]Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children [b]and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet (A)because of his [c]persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “So I say to you, [d](B)ask, and it will be given to you; [e]seek, and you will find; [f]knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

Footnotes:
a. Luke 11:5 Lit Which one of you will have
b. Luke 11:7 Lit with me
c. Luke 11:8 Lit shamelessness
d. Luke 11:9 Or keep asking
e. Luke 11:9 Or keep seeking
f. Luke 11:9 Or keep knocking

Cross references:
A. Luke 11:8 : Luke 18:1-5
B. Luke 11:9 : Luke 11:9-13: Matt 7:7-11

There is only one sure fire way of not receiving of Him, in your life, what He wants to provide for you; don't ask Him for it! There is only one sure fire way of not finding from Him, in your life, what He has set aside for you and wants to give you; don't seek it of Him! There is only one sure fire way of not have the door of heaven opened unto you, in your life by Him, so that He can abundantly pour out upon you (upon your head) all that He has for you; don't knock on His door! Or, in other words, don't diligently trust Him!

P.S., This passage of scripture, like the passage of Luke 18, is saying that those who ask, and keep persistently asking until they get what they need, receive; that those who seek, and keep persistently seeking until they find what He has for them, find; that those who knock, and keep persistently knocking until He has answered the door, have it opened to them! So, you have a choice, rely on self or rely on Him in/for all things! It's up to you!

Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

So a curse without cause does (will) not come upon you!

Proverbs 26:2 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 Like a (A)sparrow in its [a]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

So a (B)curse without cause does not [b]alight.

Footnotes:

a. Proverbs 26:2 Lit wandering

b. Proverbs 26:2 Lit come

Cross references:

A. Proverbs 26:2 : Prov 27:8; Is 16:2

B. Proverbs 26:2 : Num 23:8; Deut 23:5; 2 Sam 16:12

Numbers 23:8 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

8 “(A)How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?

And how can I denounce whom Y'Hovah has not denounced?

Cross references:

A. Numbers 23:8 : Num 22:12

Deuteronomy 23:5 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Nevertheless, Y'Hovah your Elohiym was not willing to listen to Balaam, but Y'Hovah your God (A)turned the curse into a blessing for you because Y'Hovah your God (B)loves you.

Cross references:

A. Deuteronomy 23:5 : Prov 26:2

B. Deuteronomy 23:5 : Deut 4:37

Numbers 25:1-8 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Sin of Peor

1 While Israel remained at (A)Shittim, the people began (B)to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For (C)they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So (D)Israel joined themselves to [a]Baal of Peor, and Y'Hovah was angry against Israel. 4 Y'Hovah said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them [b]in broad daylight before Y'Hovah, (E)so that the fierce anger of Y'Hovah may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you (F)slay his men who have joined themselves to [c]Baal of Peor.”

6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his [d]relatives a (G)Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, (H)while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 7 (I)When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 8 and he went after the man of Israel into the [e]tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the [f]body. (J)So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

Footnotes:

a. Numbers 25:3 Or Baal-peor

b. Numbers 25:4 Lit in front of the sun

c. Numbers 25:5 Or Baal-peor

d. Numbers 25:6 Lit brothers

e. Numbers 25:8 Or inner rooms

f. Numbers 25:8 Or belly

Cross references:

A. Numbers 25:1 : Num 33:49; Josh 2:1

B. Numbers 25:1 : Num 31:16; 1 Cor 10:8; Rev 2:14

C. Numbers 25:2 : Ex 34:15; Deut 32:38

D. Numbers 25:3 : Ps 106:28, 29; Hos 9:10

E. Numbers 25:4 : Deut 13:17

F. Numbers 25:5 : Ex 32:27

G. Numbers 25:6 : Num 22:4

H. Numbers 25:6 : Joel 2:17

I. Numbers 25:7 : Ps 106:30

J. Numbers 25:8 : Num 16:46-48

There has never, in the history of the heavens and the earth, been a curse which has come upon any person, or group, or nation without a cause!

The "Roman Catholic Church", the whore and mother of all harlots and abominations of the earth of Revelation 17 and 18, for what she has done to the Jews and the true Christians; and, the Protestant "Churches" for (through following in her footsteps) by what most of them have said and done against the Jews as well! Your "Replacement Theology" is a stench in the nostrils of Y'Hovah God!

And even on the Jews themselves, who have refused to be doers of the will of Y'Hovah (Shama His Torah of truth); for making leagues with these pagans, and for trusting in pagans as their strength and safety and not Y'Hovah, and for breaking the Torah of Y'Hovah Elohiym to please all these heathens who are raging against Him! For the causeless curse does not exist; yes, it never has and never will!

Balaam Peor could not curse Israel, for each time he opened his mouth Yahh put a blessing and not a curse in his tongue; however, he could get Israel to bring a curse upon herself by getting some of her leaders to compromise His (Y'Hovah's) Torah of truth! And, that's exactly what he did, for he taught the heathen king Balak to seduce them and to bring them into a curse! For they made a league with the pagans, and bowed to their idols and partook of their pagan offerings, and the curse came and consumed them until they repented!

So what am I saying; and, what does that mean for the leaders of Israel today you ask? When you make a league with America, and you compromise Torah for the sake of pleasing the heathens running that nation, you are destroying the Torah; and, you are bringing a curse and not a blessing upon His people!

You are guilty of a great iniquity against Him, you are bringing His wrath on His people, and you will have to give an account for it when you stand before Him at the judgment seat! I would not want to be in your shoes on that day!

And besides all that, you are walking is folly, for America will help you in the days of trouble; America will not be your strength, nor cause you to dwell in safety, for Y'Hovah (who name is jealous) will set America on fire for all that she has done against Him, in causing you to sin against Him, and trust is lies! Neither will any covenant that you make with the heathen, whom Y'Hovah is hating all the day long, stand; for, as the tower of Babel He will tear it down and then punish those who built it up in the first place! Separate yourself, O sons of Israel, for that company; do not be joined to them or partake of their wicked works: for He will destroy them, and all that is of them, and they and all that is of them will be blotted out forever from under heaven!

Note: I said it several times in the past, and I will say it again here, if America does not stand against (or, God forbid, actually supports) a Palestinian state in the vote that is coming up; then, that will be the last nail in the coffin of it! All that will be left, after that day for it, is for Y'Hovah to set it on fire as an example to all the other nations; for the wicked shall be set ablaze, and all of the nations that forget to Shama Y'Hovah, and then be forgotten forever! The mouth of Y'Hovah has spoken it! Amen.

Exodus 20:1-6 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Ten WORDS (i.e. Commandments)

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “(A)I am Y'Hovah your God, (B)who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [a]slavery.

3 “(C)You shall have no other (D)gods [b]before Me.

4 “(E)You shall not make for yourself [c]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 (F)You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, Y'Hovah your God, am a (G)jealous God, (H)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to (I)thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Footnotes:

a. Exodus 20:2 Lit slaves

b. Exodus 20:3 Or besides Me

c. Exodus 20:4 Or a graven image

Cross references:

A. Exodus 20:2 : Lev 26:1; Deut 5:6; Ps 81:10

B. Exodus 20:2 : Ex 13:3; 15:13, 16; Deut 7:8

C. Exodus 20:3 : Deut 6:14; 2 Kin 17:35; Jer 25:6; 35:15

D. Exodus 20:3 : Ex 15:11; 20:23

E. Exodus 20:4 : Lev 19:4; 26:1; Deut 4:15-19; 27:15

F. Exodus 20:5 : Ex 23:24; Josh 23:7; 2 Kin 17:35

G. Exodus 20:5 : Ex 34:14; Deut 4:24; Josh 24:19; Nah 1:2

H. Exodus 20:5 : Ex 34:6, 7; Num 14:18, 33; Deut 5:9, 10; 1 Kin 21:29; Jer 32:18

I. Exodus 20:6 : Deut 7:9

Psalm 9:17 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 The wicked will [a](A)return to [b]Sheol,

Even all the nations who (B)forget (c)God.

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 9:17 Or be turned

b. Psalm 9:17 Or Gehenna; a burning trash heap!

c. Psalm 9:17 Specifically Y'hovah Elohiym (i.e. God)

Cross references:

A. Psalm 9:17 : Ps 49:14

B. Psalm 9:17 : Job 8:13; Ps 50:22

Who is like unto You, oh Y'Hovah, among the gods? Who fulfills the Torah? Who builds things which endure forever like You do?

2011-08-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Who is like unto You, oh Y'Hovah, among the gods?

Exodus 15:11 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 “(A)Who is like You among the gods, O Y'Hovah?
Who is like You, (B)majestic in holiness,
(C)Awesome in praises, (D)working wonders?

A. Cross references:
Exodus 15:11 : Ex 8:10; 9:14; Deut 3:24; 2 Sam 7:22; 1 Kin 8:23; Ps 71:19; 86:8; Mic 7:18
B. Exodus 15:11 : Is 6:3; Rev 4:8
C. Exodus 15:11 : Ps 22:23
D. Exodus 15:11 : Ps 72:18; 136:4

John 10:34-38 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

34 Yah-Hoshue answered them, “Has it not been written in (A)your (B)teachings, ‘(C)I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father (D)sanctified and (E)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘(F)I am the Son of God’? 37 (G)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe (H)the works, so that you may [a]know and understand that (I)the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

Footnotes:
a. John 10:38 Lit know and continue knowing

Cross references:
A. John 10:34 : John 8:17
B. John 10:34 : John 12:34; 15:25; Rom 3:19; 1 Cor 14:21
C. John 10:34 : Ps 82:6
D. John 10:36 : Jer 1:5; John 6:69
E. John 10:36 : John 3:17
F. John 10:36 : John 5:17f; 10:30
G. John 10:37 : John 10:25; 15:24
H. John 10:38 : John 10:25; 14:11
I. John 10:38 : John 14:10f, 20; 17:21, 23

Many people, when they read those questions in Exodus 15:11, they automatically go on to assume (to say) the answer is nobody! However, the very Bible itself tells us that is incorrect! Y'Hovah asked those questions, through Moshe, to get us to ask Him to show us the answers; for, there's a body that's connected to its head and a heavenly bride who is one with her heavenly bridegroom! However it takes His Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of Y'Hovah (i.e. Yahh-Hoshea) to see who that great company is! May you read these words, and may you search for Him to show you who that is, and may you become a part of that band of believers by grace and through faith that are both of Him working in/through you!

Song: El Elyon Lyrics
Artist: Paul Wilbur Lyrics
Album: Miscellaneous Album Lyrics
Also in: The Watchman

You sit enthroned above the circle of the earth
Spreading out the heavens like a veil
You hold the universe so firmly in Your hand
Reaching out in love to all the world

El Elyon Most High God
Holy is Your Name

No one can know the secrets hidden in Your heart
Mysteries beyond the reach of man
No one else commands the sun to rise and then to fall
All creation heeds the great I AM

{By Your Spirit we can know the treasures in Your heart
Mysteries far beyond the reach of men
Only Yours in You command the works of Yours hands
And by grace through faith you answer them}

El Elyon Most High God
Holy is Your Name

Elohim El Shaddai
Yah-Hoshea Adonai
Let our glory of Your name be magnified
Yahh Most High

You sit enthroned above the circle of the earth
Stretching out the heavens like a veil
You hold the universe so firmly in Your hand
And by Your Spirit we prevail (x4)

Here you here the original lyrics to the song El Elyon; and, although I really like the song, I have a problem with some of these lyrics! And here's where I take issue with them...

The second verse starts by saying: "No one can know the secrets hidden in Your heart, Mysteries beyond the reach of man"; and, I don't believe that. I hear that and the Holy Spirit takes my heart back to His word, to Proverbs, which says...

Proverbs 25:2 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 It is the glory of Elohiym to (A)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (B)kings is to search out a matter.

Cross references:
A. Proverbs 25:2 : Deut 29:29; Rom 11:33
B. Proverbs 25:2 : Ezra 6:1

And, again, in another place it is said by Y'Hovah through Moshe...

Deuteronomy 29:29 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

29 “(A)The secret things belong to Y'Hovah our Elohiym, but (B)the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this Torah.

Cross references:
A. Deuteronomy 29:29 : Acts 1:7
B. Deuteronomy 29:29 : John 5:39; Acts 17:11; 2 Tim 3:16

If it were actually true that it's not possible for anyone to know what is in the heart of Y'Hovah (Yah-Hoshea), then these two verses (along with many others like them) would not be in the text! So, it should say, "By Your Spirit we can know the secrets hidden in Your heart, Mysteries beyond the reach of men".

The second verse end by saying: "No one else commands the sun to rise and then to fall, All creation heeds the great I AM"; and, while that's very poetic, it's also not true! I hear that and the Holy Spirit takes my heart back to His word, Joshua 10:9-14, which says...

Joshua 10:9-14 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly [a]by marching all night from Gilgal. 10 (A)And Y'Hovah confounded them before Israel, and He [b]slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, (B)Y'Hovah threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died [c]from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua (i.e. Yahhoshua) spoke to Y'Hovah in the day when Y'Hovah delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“O (C)sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”
13 (D)So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

Is it not written in (E)the book of Yashar? And (F)the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when Y'Hovah listened to the voice of a man; for (G)Y'Hovah fought for Israel.

Footnotes:
a. Joshua 10:9 Lit he went up
b. Joshua 10:10 Lit struck
c. Joshua 10:11 Lit with

Cross references:
A. Joshua 10:10 : Deut 7:23
B. Joshua 10:11 : Ps 18:12f; Is 28:2
C. Joshua 10:12 : Hab 3:11
D. Joshua 10:13 : Hab 3:11
E. Joshua 10:13 : 2 Sam 1:18
F. Joshua 10:13 : Is 38:8
G. Joshua 10:14 : Ex 14:14; Deut 1:30; Josh 10:42

And, again, in another place it is said by Y'Hovah through Isaiah...

Isaiah 45:11 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 Thus says (A)Y'Hovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his [a](B)Maker:

“[b](C)Ask Me about the things to come [c]concerning My (D)sons,
And concerning the work of My hands command you Me.

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 45:11 Lit Fashioner
b. Isaiah 45:11 Or Will you ask
c. Isaiah 45:11 Or upon

Cross references:
A. Isaiah 45:11 : Is 43:15; 48:17; Ezek 39:7
B. Isaiah 45:11 : Is 44:2; 54:5
C. Isaiah 45:11 : Is 8:19
D. Isaiah 45:11 : Jer 31:9

John 14:7-15 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Oneness with the Father

7 (A)If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you (B)know Him, and have (C)seen Him.”

8 (D)Philip said to Him, “Adonay, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Yahh-Hoshea said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? (E)He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that (F)I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? (G)The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me (i.e. dwelling inside of Me) does His works. 11 Believe Me that (H)I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise (I)believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and (J)greater works than these he will do; because (K)I go to the Father. 13 (L)Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that (M)the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything (N)in My name, I will do it.

15 “(O)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (i.e. fulfill the Torah).

Cross references:
A. John 14:7 : John 8:19
B. John 14:7 : 1 John 2:13
C. John 14:7 : John 6:46
D. John 14:8 : John 1:43
E. John 14:9 : John 1:14; 12:45; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3
F. John 14:10 : John 10:38; 14:11, 20
G. John 14:10 : John 5:19; 14:24
H. John 14:11 : John 10:38; 14:10, 20
I. John 14:11 : John 5:36
J. John 14:12 : John 4:37f; 5:20
K. John 14:12 : John 7:33; 14:28
L. John 14:13 : Matt 7:7
M. John 14:13 : John 13:31
N. John 14:14 : John 15:16; 16:23f
O. John 14:15 : John 14:21, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/yowm.html

So what about verse 14, of Joshua 10, you say? Where it says there was no day like that before or after it? That's very true! Nobody before that time, and not a one after that time, did that specific act by commanding the work of Y'Hovah's hands! However, that doesn't mean nobody else before or after did anything else through a commanding of the work of His hands! And, obviously, since Yahhoshua did it there, that makes the statement "No one else commands the sun to rise and then to fall" null and void; however, it's still very poetic! So, it should say, "Only Yours in You command the works of Yours hands, And by grace through faith you answer them".

So who is like You, oh Y'Hovah, among the gods?

Those who continually walk by You, in greater and greater depths and heights of holiness, as they exercise the authority which You have given to them to command the work of Your hands (i.e. to do the greater works).

Who fulfills the Torah, oh Y'Hovah, like You do?

Those who embrace, and teach, and walk in Your interpretation of Your Torah as You lead and guide them in doing so; those who walk humbly with You, according to Your presence and leadership (guidance), in Your way of holiness! For all of these, by You with/in them, can say: Your mind, thinking, understanding has been restored to me and Your thoughts are my thoughts; My will, determination, inclination has been restored to Yours and Your ways are now my ways! These understand, and teach, and do according to Your mind, concerning Your holy Torah, and by that show that they are Yours; they are the ones who fulfill, and not destroy, the Torah!

Who builds things which endure forever like You do?

Many cultures who have come and gone (the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romes to name just a few) have built things to cause them to endure on and on; for thinking they would be like them, and endure on and on as the things did, they build them; but, they are gone and only some of those marvels remain to testify against them! It is certain, therefore, that no man or nation of themselves builds anything that endures forever; and, that, no man or nation of themselves endures forever! By You oh Y'Hovah (Yah-Hoshea), by You alone, do we build upon the foundation which You have laid and are; by You alone, Oh Y'Hovah Elohiym our Adonay, do those who are Yours build up You those things that You empower them to build, that then go on to endure forever!

Young Israeli tent city protesters are showing their total lack of a proper understanding of the Torah!

2011-08-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

{My notes: As I read this article I am reminded, once again, of the words of the 1st verse of Psalm 2: Why do the heathen rage, and the PEOPLE imagine a vain thing! For in/by the Holy Spirit I do always see the heathen, in this verse, as the Gentile/pagan nations; and, the people (this word is Strong 03816, pronounced leh-ome'; and, the two Hebrew letters Lamed-Final Mem which make up the word mean "The authority (control) of chaos".) as those people of Israel by a birth and circumcision of the flesh and not the Spirit!

And the vain thing that they are imagining, that this verse speaks of, is that they can violate the Torah of Y'Hovah Elohiym by giving His land away to the heathen to appease them and have peace/rest (safety) as a result; which, as I have pointed out before here, is not possible! Y'Hovah Elohiym doesn't reward those who blatantly, of their own selfish desires/ambitions, chose to violate His Torah so they can achieve their desired ends; the entirety of the Tanakh is a witness of that fact for those who read it with His understanding!

You're sinning against Him, you're walking against His expressed will for you that's the Tanakh, to your own hurt and shame; for He will utterly overthrow all the works of the Gentiles and those who are Jews according to the flesh, who hate Him by doing that which is contrary to all that He has said, and none of those men will be partakers of His shalom or the rest/safety in the days of His reign over all the earth for a 1,000 years with His rod of iron!

P.S., The prayer of the disciples, in Acts which quotes Psalm 2:1 in part, clearly shows us that the same spirit which caused those Jews who were only so according to the flesh to place the man Y'Hovah on the Tav (cross); that it's the same spirit, which is causing these to lash out against the Torah, in this day! It's the spirit that we call the Devil and Satan! And they as their leaders who placed the man Y'Hovah on the Tav (cross), in His day, are also the serpents seed!

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? - Matthew 3:7

O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth is speaking. - Matthew 12:34 (Thus this implied that all they were saying was a lie, spoken out of their selfish ambitions/desires and not out of pure/honest hearts, for that's how their father the Devil is speaking as well; out of a deceitful and lying tongue! John 8!)

You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? - Matthew 23:33 (Malachi 4:5 declares how! You have to come to how the mind, thoughts, understand of Yahh and your will, desire, determination, efforts need to be turned to walking according to His heart! Onside of that, outside of that, it is impossible for you people who imaging vain things to escape the damnation of hell! Amen.)}

"Young Israeli 'Tent city' protesters ape Arab Revolt, go political -
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis July 27, 2011, 1:26 PM (GMT+02:00)

Two weeks ago, a motley group of youngish people set up a "tent city"in the high-end Tel Aviv Rothschild Boulevard to protest the unavailability of affordable housing in the city and other parts of the country. Since then, the movement, although never acquiring the same dimensions or fury, has assumed three attributes of the uprisings in Arab lands: It enjoys backstage foreign political support, some from certain circles in Washington; it is exploiting genuine popular grievances for political capital; and it wants regime change, namely, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's head on a platter.

The common features stop there: Israel's democracy is alive and kicking with an over-abundance of parties, an active opposition, an independent judiciary, full employment (falling to 5.7 percent in May) and a thriving entrepreneurial and innovative economy.

The protest movement grew out of the fragile underpinnings of that economy – an underpaid, overtaxed workforce; a professional 20-50 aged class that can't make ends meet between overpriced food, housing (rents or mortgages) and schooling for their children; no prospects of change and the widest social gap in the Western world.

A group of impatient, twenty-something Tel Avivians started out by spearheading social struggle for a bigger slice of the economic pie for the disadvantaged. Today, they have shifted into parroting political watchwords borrowed from the lexicons of the Arab Revolt and left-wing extremism.

Self-appointed organizer Dafna Lief shouted through a bullhorn that the revolution had begun. Housing was not the issue, she said, a comprehensive package of benefits must be forthcoming "at once." Another called for the market economy to be abolished along with the regime because only the tycoons benefit. Others declared there is no point in waiting another 60 years; the time for action is now, and: "Mubarak is waiting for Bibi!"

These slogans with boos, hoots and rude gestures were their response to the ambitious reform program for helping the hard-up attain cheap homes which Netanyahu sketched out in broad lines Tuesday, July 27.

He promised new legislation before the Knesset's summer recess to cut the red tape which routinely holds up building permission for five to ten years; release state land at cut-prices for 50,000 new apartments on which building will start over the next 18 months; cheap land for developers guaranteeing to pass the saving onto renters and purchasers; free state land for building 10,000 new student dorms and half-fares on public transport for students living far from universities and colleges.

Bibi believed his initiative would take the wind out of the protesters' sails. He was wrong. Their leaders accused him of divide and rule tactics and the students, the only organized, elected body represented, decided that although he was offering the best deal they had ever had, they would not break ranks with fellow protesters.

And the protesters don't talk about electons or putting forward a program for social reform. Instead, they are waging a war of attrition to keep Bibi off-balance: They plan to reject every concession he makes to their demands as spin, then come back with a new one.

Interestingly, while the media record its every move, politicians on both sides of the Knesset have tended to keep their distance from the tent city. Even social crusaders like Labor MKs Amir Peretz and Shelli Yachimovitch, are careful not to be identified with what looks like an off-the-wall fringe group before they see which way it goes.

Ofer Eini, chairman of the Histadrut Trade Unions Federation waited until Tuesday, July 26, before commenting that his members also had grievances. But he did not mention the demonstrators.

Those politicians are canny enough to grasp that if they make common cause with the nascent revolt, they could end up at the wrong end of it like Bibi.

In Egypt, the protesters got rid of Hosni Mubarak only to be stuck with a military junta with no intention of implementing promised reforms. Riots have flared up again in Tahrir Square under the slogan "They have stolen our revolution."

Israel once had model public welfare institutions which too were stolen in the 90s when public services were indiscriminately privatized by the very leaders of the day who now head the opposition and were then inspired by Bill Clinton's free global economy.

Turning the clock back is not an option. But the classes with legitimate claims are beginning to see that the Tel Aviv tent leaders have gone off on a tangent into revolutionary politics with no real social agenda beyond Bibi's removal.

The mess in the hospital and medical services today resulted from the reckless reforms of two decades ago. In between dead-end negotiations with the government, Israel's public sector doctors have been striking for 120 days for better conditions and more staff.

The Netanyahu coalition government enjoys a stable parliamentary majority. But if the protest movement gathers steam and he continues to pour out generous benefits to shut them up, the economy may start cracking. Investors will lose confidence and flee and the shekel, one of the strongest currencies today, will plummet.

The price of a sagging economy will not be paid by the banks and corporations but by the classes who are already finding it hard to eke a living.

The Tel Aviv tent movement might be more believable if it turned its ire against Israel's cartels and corporate bandits including the banks - as well as the government. But its main thrust is clearly political and points strongly to a political motive underlying its campaign.

Take a look at the timing. The tent-protesters plan to keep going through August towards a peak which they schedule to occur just before the Palestinians plan to ask for United Nations recognition of their state.

According to this scenario, the Netanyahu government is doomed to fall on the eve of the UN vote. The political havoc in Israel will persuade many countries to give their votes to the Palestinians. A new Israeli government will recognize Palestinian independence within the 1967 boundaries, reversing the Netanyahu government's firm rejection of this formula.

It is no accident that, as the Rothschild Blvd. protest gathers momentum this week, a group of Israeli ex-officers who once held high security service ranks is paying a visit Washington with a message for the Obama administration: Keep up the heat on the Netanyahu government and make him agree to Israel's withdrawal to the 1967 boundaries. Once that is in the bag, the Rothschild Blvd. tent city will scatter to the four winds."

The Elite Is Revolting -- An excursion into a universe that is nothing like our own.

2011-08-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

{My Notes: When the people on the left, who have billions of dollars, stop spending their money to destroy America; at that point, and not before then, I will listen to them and take them seriously about their complaints about the "Right wing rich" who are spending their own money to do the exact same thing!
for Example: MYSTERY FIRM GIVES ROMNEY A HELPING HAND...

But, until they do that, their just a bunch of hypocrites; because they themselves, by using their money to support the clowns in D.C. who got us into the mess we are in, are just as wrong as the people on the right who support the other clowns that helped to get us into the mess that we are in! You, Al Whore (i.e. Gore), in spending your money to fund Liberals (i.e. Progressives) who're working to destroy the nation from the inside out, are just as guilty (if not more so) than the "Evil right wing rich" who do the same thing with their money that you and Soros and you ilk are doing with your money; so, please, JUST SHUT UP!

Stop the blame games, and the hype, because we who have eyes to see all that you are doing ARE NOT buying your MANURE; we know ALL OF YOU ELITES, who are trying to bring the US into a New World Order, are working toward the same ends! We have left the Matrix, we see the puppet masters, and we know who is the grand leader of all of you; his name is HaSatan (i.e. the Devil)!

May Y'Hovah give you the desire of your hearts; and, then, send the leanness into your souls that you deserve for all that you have done against truth, liberty, justice, and freedom! May Y'Hovah "bless" you with the NWO you desire; and, may all of you who support that evil end game CHOKE ON IT! Because that's what you have earned, as a reward, for all your lies; may it come upon you swiftly and suddenly!}

"The Elite Is Revolting -- An excursion into a universe that is nothing like our own. By JAMES TARANTO

Remember Al Gore? He's best known as the losing appellee in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Bush v. Gore (2000). But back in his day, he was a somewhat prominent politician: U.S. senator from Tennessee, 1988 presidential candidate, vice president. He even won a Grammy Award. The high point of his career was the day he almost became president. Alas, he missed his opportunity by an agonizing 17 votes in the Senate.

After retiring from politics, Gore cashed in on various global-warming schemes and became wealthy. But he missed the spotlight, so he used some of his riches to start a cable TV network and hire a former MSNBC host (albeit one who was with that network before it elevated its standards by hiring Al Sharpton) to interview him.

In one such interview Tuesday night, The Daily Caller reports, Gore talked, as he put it, "about using the wonderful digital tools that are newly available for the reinvigoration of democracy." Ah, yes! This newfangled Internet thingy is a wonder, isn't it? Whoever invented it must be a rich man.

"We need to have an American spring--you know, the Arab spring," Gore said. "The nonviolent part of it isn't finished yet, but we need to have an American spring, a kind of an American nonviolent change where people on the grass roots get involved again."

Current TV/DailyCaller.com

Gore made a direct appeal to somebody named Keith: "I want to tell you, Keith, this country is in trouble. Our democracy has been withering on the vine. It really has been. This has been going on for some time. But this is not an event that can be taken lightly. I know it's difficult to imagine that people who care about the values that this country was based on will rise up and get much more involved in the democratic process. But that is exactly what we need, and that is the only thing that can get our country back on the right track."

Ah yes, the Tea Party. Or not: "Not the, you know, not in the Tea Party-style," Gore clarified. To explain his objection to the Tea Party, he recited a list of left-liberal-progressive demon figures: "right-wing billionaires, the Koch Brothers ... Fox News ... the wealthiest Americans ... powerful corporations and special interests ... and the Supreme Court." He must be a corporate jet owner, or he'd have mentioned them too.

Gore exemplifies what political scientist Peter Berkowitz describes as "the ambiguity of progressivism's opinions about democracy and reform":

In the annals of American progressivism, Obama's predicament is hardly unique. Indeed, the mismatch between leaders who put forward partisan ambitions in the name of the people and majority sentiment reflects an enduring paradox with deep roots in the progressive tradition. Like Obama's new progressivism, the old or original progressivism championed a vision of democracy that sometimes conflicted with ordinary people's opinions and preferences. The old progressives often realized it and said as much, clearly and with a clear conscience. One of the distinguishing marks of the new progressivism at whose head Obama stands is the determination to conceal the gap between what majorities want and what progressive leaders want to enact in their name while insisting proudly on the purity of their democratic credentials.

To put it more succinctly if a tad less high-mindedly, Gore is calling for a revolt of the asses, not the masses. He wants the elites to take to the streets. (Hey, we're a poet, and we didn't even know it.)

The odd thing is, the prog elites are already revolting. And not just against Kochfoxspecialinterestscorporatejetowners but against their own leaders and institutions. Take former Enron adviser Paul Krugman. (Please.) In an extraordinary rant on the New York Times website, Krugman takes Obama to task for his economic leadership (or lack thereof). He quotes Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, as saying, "We do not believe that there is a threat of a double-dip recession," and responds:

For two years the White House has been determinedly cheerful, always declaring that the recovery was on track, that its policies were working fine. And all it did was squander its credibility. Maybe admitting the truth, saying that in fact we hadn't done nearly enough, would not have helped get useful legislation through Congress. But at least it would have conveyed the message that the WH was living in the same reality as ordinary workers.

Now they're doing it again. To what purpose? Do they think the markets will be reassured? Do they think consumers will be reassured? At this point, after the "summer of recovery" came and went a whole year ago?

Spin is part of politics. But sometimes you have to know when to stop.
Krugman is almost always wrong, but this is one of the other times. It reminded us, though, of something he wrote all the way back in September 2005, a few days after Hurricane Katrina:

The federal government's lethal ineptitude wasn't just a consequence of Mr. Bush's personal inadequacy; it was a consequence of ideological hostility to the very idea of using government to serve the public good. For 25 years the right has been denigrating the public sector, telling us that government is always the problem, not the solution. Why should we be surprised that when we needed a government solution, it wasn't forthcoming?

In 2005, in Krugman's view, the ineptitude of the government was a product of ideology: Men who did not believe in government were incapable of administering it competently. Well, in 2008, we elected a man who believes fervently in government. How's that hopey-changey stuff workin' out for ya? The answer is in the headline of Krugman's post from yesterday: "Hope Is Not a Plan."

Krugman's response to this is to deny that Obama is liberal or progressive at all. Krugman calls the president a "moderate conservative." These labels are relative, of course, but if Krugman lives in a country where Obama is a moderate conservative, he does not live in America.

One more look at the alternative universe comes from TheHill.com and also involves Krugman. You'll never believe whom Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is blaming for the Republicans' having (mostly) prevailed in the debt ceiling fight:

Reid appeared frustrated Tuesday afternoon that the media was not critical enough of House GOP tactics during the debt-limit debate...

On Tuesday Reid read on the Senate floor an op-ed by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman that was critical of the media's reluctance to judge Tea Party tactics.

"If one party declared that the earth was flat, the headlines would read 'Views Differ on Shape of Planet,' " Reid said, quoting Krugman. "But would that cult still rule in a situation as stark as the one we now face, in which one party is clearly engaged in blackmail and the other is dickering over the size of the ransom?

"The answer, it turns out, is yes. And this is no laughing matter: The cult of balance has played an important role in bringing us to the edge of disaster."
So here we have the star columnist for the New York Times railing against media bias as if he were the 21st century's version of Reed Irvine. If you'd fallen asleep 25 years ago and woken up to this, you really would think you were living in an alternative universe.

Stuck With Obama

Another man of the left who is unhappy with President Obama is Washington Post columnist Harold Meyerson, one of about three self-described socialists in America. "President Obama is faring poorly these days," Meyerson observes, "but he can console himself with the fact that he'll probably be spared the fate of previous presidents who fell on hard times: a primary challenge."

Meyerson identifies two reasons for this. The first is that among the left, antipathy toward the Republicans outweighs dissatisfaction with the president. The second is interesting:

The other reason Obama hasn't faced a challenge, and isn't likely to, is that he's black. Any Democrat who would challenge Obama, whatever the basis of his or her candidacy, would almost surely encounter intense opposition from the party's African American base, the one group in Democrats' orbit that regularly votes Democratic at a 90 percent rate. Such a challenge could create a rift that might take decades to heal.

Yesterday we examined, and rejected, the proposition that racism is to blame for Obama's troubles. Here is a man of the left arguing that Obama is benefitting politically from race-based solicitude because he is black. #BeforeBlackPresidents, a failed president had to worry about a primary challenge.

Spoiler Alert

If you haven't seen "The Usual Suspects" and don't want to know how it ends, please skip to the next item. Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post offers some truly strange advice to the president. He tells the president to respond to the Tea Party in the manner of Keyser Söze:

If you've seen the brilliant movie "The Usual Suspects," you know who this diabolical character is and what he did to gain mythical status. Suffice it to say that Söze so out-crazied the crazies that he became a person not to be messed with--a symbol of fear and grudging respect.

In the coming fights over the next budget, unemployment benefits and payroll tax cuts, I want Obama to show the Republican Party in general and the Tea Party in particular that he isn't afraid to out-crazy the crazies. If that means vetoing bills, taking the fight to individual districts, shutting down the government, so be it.

No doubt out-crazying the crazies would help Obama with the all-important emotionally overwrought gay Italian national vote, on whose pulse Capehart has his finger. But the one thing Capehart doesn't mention is that at the end of "The Usual Suspects," it turns out that Keyser Söze is not a real character but rather, as Wikipedia puts it, "an elaborate and improvised concoction, made up of strung-together details culled from a crowded bulletin board in the office where the interrogation took place."

Though come to think of it, Obama would be a lot more appealing if he turned out to be real."

Join in on the great Shama weekend, August 13th and 14th, and let us sound a shout to Y'Hovah our Elohiym in one accord!

2011-07-27T00:26:00.000-07:00

Join in on the great Shama weekend, August 13th and 14th, and let us sound a shout to Y'Hovah our Elohiym in one accord! Y'Hovah Elohiym is literally reaching out to us, to show our unity with His land and people, and He's watching to see what our response will be; and, we don't want to miss this opportunity to declare which side we are taking in the debate on who is the rightful inhabitants of His land!

Sing unto Elohiym, sing praises to His name: extol Him that rides upon the heavens by His name YAHH, and rejoice before Him. (Psalms 68:4)

Our Goal:

In a show of solidarity with the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the following churches and organizations will read what Yeshua (Jesus) called the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:28-30) from the Torah during their weekend service this coming August 13th or 14th. This weekend was chosen for several reasons. The Torah portion that will be read in every synagogue around the world for that weekend will be from Deuteronomy 3:23 through chapter 7:11 (Audio for this portion).

The suggested reading from this Torah portion is the greatest commandment found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 that we love Y'Hovah with all our heart, mind soul and strength. It is known in Judaism as the Shama and begins with asking Israel to hear and obey Y'Hovah and realize He is the one and only God. So Christians will literally be joining a chorus of voices proclaiming on earth and to the heavens that the God of Israel is the One and Only God.

Below is the verse in English as well as transliterated Hebrew.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 “(A)Hear, O Israel! Y'Hovah is our Elohiym, (B)Y'Hovah is one! 5 (C)You shall love Y'Hovah your Elohiym (D)with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 (E)These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 (F)You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 (G)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as [a]frontals [b]on your forehead. 9 (H)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Footnotes:
a. Deuteronomy 6:8 Or frontlet bands; Lit. for a reminder
b. Deuteronomy 6:8 Lit between your eyes

Cross references:
A. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27
B. Deuteronomy 6:4 : Deut 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:6
C. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
D. Deuteronomy 6:5 : Deut 4:29; 10:12
E. Deuteronomy 6:6 : Deut 11:18
F. Deuteronomy 6:7 : Deut 4:9; 11:19; Eph 6:4
G. Deuteronomy 6:8 : Ex 12:14; 13:9, 16; Deut 11:18; Prov 3:3; 6:21; 7:3
H. Deuteronomy 6:9 : Deut 11:20

If you have a congregation which chooses not to be a part of this event, and you still want to be a part of it, I suggest that you invite a small group of friends from your assembly over to your house; and, then sign up to do so in the name of the church you attend. Nothing should stop those who love Israel, and the Y'Hovah Elohiym of Israel, for gathering together to sing and read the greatest command in the scripture on that day the Torah portion it's in is being read by Jews all over the world!

Hear the Shema spoken at the following link

Read or Submit the Greatest Commandment in your language

That weekend also is known as the Sabbath of Comfort as it follows the three week period known as the dire straits. It begins with the 17th of Tammuz, July 19th this year, when historically Moses destroyed the golden calf and ends with the 9th of Av, August 9th this year when the spies rejected the Promised Land. So that very weekend begins the time when we are to speak comfort to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 40:1-5 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Greatness of God

1 “(A)Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
2 “(B)Speak [a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [b](C)warfare has ended,
That her [c](D)iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of Y'Hovahs hand
(E)Double for all her sins.”
3 (F)A voice [d]is calling,
“(G)Clear the way for Y'Hovah in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
4 “Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 [e]Then the (H)glory of Y'Hovah will be revealed,
And (I)all flesh will see it together;
For the (J)mouth of Y'Hovah has spoken.”

Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of
b. Isaiah 40:2 Or hard service
c. Isaiah 40:2 Or penalty of iniquity accepted as paid off
d. Isaiah 40:3 Or of one calling out
e. Isaiah 40:5 Or In order that the

Cross references:
A. Isaiah 40:1 : Is 12:1; 49:13; 51:3, 12; 52:9; 61:2; 66:13; Jer 31:10-14; Zeph 3:14-17; 2 Cor 1:4
B. Isaiah 40:2 : Is 35:4; Zech 1:13
C. Isaiah 40:2 : Is 41:11-13; 49:25; 54:15, 17
D. Isaiah 40:2 : Is 33:24; 53:5, 6, 11
E. Isaiah 40:2 : Jer 16:18; Zech 9:12; Rev 18:6
F. Isaiah 40:3 : Matt 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23
G. Isaiah 40:3 : Mal 3:1; 4:5, 6
H. Isaiah 40:5 : Is 6:3; Hab 2:14
I. Isaiah 40:5 : Is 52:10; Joel 2:28
J. Isaiah 40:5 : Is 1:20; 34:16; 58:14

The Bible says to give Y'Hovah no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Isaiah 62:6-7 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed (A)watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent.
You who (B)remind Y'Hovah, take no rest for yourselves;
7 And (C)give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes (D)Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Cross references:
A. Isaiah 62:6 : Is 52:8; Jer 6:17; Ezek 3:17; 33:7
B. Isaiah 62:6 : Ps 74:2; Jer 14:21; Lam 5:1, 20
C. Isaiah 62:7 : Luke 18:1-8
D. Isaiah 62:7 : Is 60:18; Jer 33:9; Zeph 3:19, 20

It is the time for Christians, that make mention of Y'Hovah to not keep silent! For those congregations who dare to take a stand only for the God of Israel you may sign up here.

Be Blessed!
Pastor Mark Biltz

Watch this inspirational musical video (above; or, via this link on YouTube) where the Shama is being sung and the legend told of a Rabbi looking for scattered Jewish children after the Holocaust of WW II.

Congregations Worldwide,
Jews and Non-Jews
PRAISING THE GOD OF ISRAEL
In Unison From the Torah
On August 13 or 14, 2011

Click HERE to see a list of all participating congregations

We encourage members of the believing community to forward this web page to your pastor or congregational leader so they can take a stand for Y'Hovahs Word and the God of Israel.

Surprise, Surprise... Brian McLaren aligns with New Age Leaders!

2011-07-24T01:42:00.000-07:00

Surprise, Surprise...
Brian McLaren aligns with New Age Leaders
By Eric Barger
http://www.ericbarger.com/

For over three years now there has been a presentation slide in my seminar, " The Errors of the Emergent Church," stating the following: "Emergent leaders believe that Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism have failed them and have instead chosen mystic ideas that more closely align with New Age philosophy than biblical Christianity." From the mountain of material I had read and researched I knew this conclusion was true. Now we see my observations substantiated as absolute fact.

Getting further away from Christianity every day, Emergent guru, Brian McLaren, has joined the throng of apostates, earth worshippers, environmental nut cases, New Age leaders, and outright occultists in something called "The Vision Project" (www.thevisionproject.org). Their website is a compilation of essays fit for, well, the Antichrist. Surprised? No. Troubled? Absolutely.

Here are a few of McLaren's fellow travelers in The Vision Project:

Maurice Albertson, Founder, Village Earth, USA (Globalist)

A. T. Ariyaratne, Founder, Sarvodaya Shramadana, Sri Lanka (Buddhist)

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General UN, Ghana (Globalist)

Bono, Lead singer, U2, activist for the poor, Ireland (Globalist)

Andrew Cohen, Spiritual teacher, editor of What Is Enlightenment? magazine, USA (New Age Leader)

Michael Dowd, Evolutionary Christianity, USA *

The Earth Charter Initiative (A key Globalist/New World Order group)

Joseph Goldstein, Insight Meditation Society, USA (New Age Leader and Buddhist)

Barbara Marx Hubbard, Founder, The Foundation for Conscious Evolution, USA (Perhaps the most influential New Age author alive today!)

Joseph Jaworski, Global Leadership Initiative, USA (Globalist)

Michael Lerner, Tikkun, USA (New Ager and former guru to Hillary Clinton)

Leane Roffey Line, Emergent Mind, USA

Sara McKechnie, President, Lucis Trust, USA (Originally named "The Lucifer Publishing Company," Lucis trust was founded to be a publishing arm for the works of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the infamous Russian telepathic spiritualist and medium, known as the god-mother of the modern occultic New Age Movement.)

Dale McKechnie, Vice-president, Lucis Trust, USA

Robert Muller, UN University for Peace, Costa Rica (One of the 20th century's most important Globalists.)

David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine monk, USA

Heidi Rose Robbins, Astrologer and poet, USA

* Dowd is perhaps the foremost leader endorsing evolution to Christians. Amazingly, he is a graduate of Evangel University of the Assemblies of God and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He's an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and along with his wife, Connie Barlow, teaches "Evolutionary Christianity" to diverse groups, including those identified as Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Unity Church, Free Thinkers, Religious Science, secular humanists, and Religious Naturalists. He readily associates with Buddhist teaching.

This isn't all of the participants in The Vision Project but I believe you get the idea. These people are, as we ex-hippies used to say, "far out!"

Keep in mind, McLaren is continually referred to as an "evangelical." He is published by allegedly Christian publishers like Zondervan, and is sought after as a speaker, being regularly invited to address Christian churches, Bible colleges, and universities. Why would anyone who seriously studies and believes the Bible care to glean anything from the likes of Brian McLaren? The answer to this, of course, is that the last-days deception is in full swing around us. The Church at large has had its spiritual senses so dulled that now anyone who dares suggest that the teachings of McLaren and other emergent sages be biblically tested are themselves immediately targeted with accusations, accusing them of being "unloving," "narrow minded," and "antiquated." What is actually going on around us is liberalism round two, repackaged. Those perpetrating it detest examination.

The fact is that Emergent Christianity isn't really Christianity at all! How tragic that so few people around the Church these days seem to notice or care. Its touted as the latest wave; the newest innovation; the future of the Church. But in reality, it will be the very demise of Christianity unless there is a resounding wake-up, probably accompanied by a housecleaning from top to bottom in many local churches and even entire denominations.

Brian McLaren and other Emergent leaders, authors, and speakers should come clean and admit they are really interested in a universalistic world religion focusing only on here-and-now experiences and not on eternity. In actuality, this is what they are doing and I for one am not going to relent, saying so in hopes that some of their confused disciples might actually come and follow the Bible - something McLaren and the others had abandoned long ago.

(Thanks to www.nowtheendbegins.com for source material.)

Read more about the Emergent Church here.

The Emergent Mormon Church

Written by ed decker

Friday, 11 february 2011 19:02

The Emergent Mormon Church

Ed Decker

I have been quietly spending a great deal of time lately on ‘unofficial’ Mormon websites, forums and blog sites, and communicating with so many Mormons, [under a pseudonym, obviously].

I didn’t do this to argue or debate. I wanted to listen, to feel the pulse of regular Mormon people.

What I have found is an astonishing discovery of something I have already suspected for some time.

The LDS Brethren have been trying to align themselves with general Christianity for the last decade or so. It was never clearer than when Mitt Romney ran for President.

It rose up to a crashing crescendo when Glenn Beck gathered up groups of Christian leaders and put on his “We are All One’ party at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.

Mormonism can never align itself with Orthodox, biblically based Christianity for many reasons, yet the Mormon people want to be known as true Christians.

What these Mormons are saying on their forums, blogs and FB pages is that most of them generally pick and choose what they want to be the focus of their ‘religious’ experience in the Church.

They just junk the parts that make them feel uncomfortable. Sort of what American Catholics and ala-carte’ Christians have been doing for years?

Now, this is true across the general population within the LDS church. It isn’t a segment of the members; it is widespread among them.

On the part of the leadership, we see another anomaly. Rarely, if ever, are the deviant doctrines preached from the pulpits anymore.

The preaching is a feel good set of messages meant to make the members and their families happy to be there and smiling when they leave.

We talk to recent converts about some of these strange doctrines and they look at us like we are crazy. They haven’t been taught about their Mother in Heaven, or the black skin curse, or Jesus and Lucifer being brothers, as examples.

The LDS Church leadership has recently made great strides in cuddling up to the Christian body, but it isn’t where you would think, understanding the conservative DNA of Mormonism.

They are copying and using the same methods and techniques as the Seeker Friendly and Emergent Church groups and finding that they have strong compatibilities.

They also see that the leaders of these groups accept them at smiley face value and would never think to challenge them doctrinally. A Tinker Bell and Peter Pan relationship.

A Mormon could go to any one of such a church type and be openly welcomed, accepted as a Mormon ‘believer’ and be extremely comfortable… while never challenged spiritually. And leave church feeling really good.

Except for the weekly Wonder Bread and Water Sacrament, the Mormon can feel right at home…at any Seeker Friendly or Emergent church gathering.

One recent forum thread was about which non-LDS churches they felt comfortable attending.

This is what one of our Board members, Eric Barger has to say about the Emergent Church.

Look at the Emergent Mormonism parallels at www.ericbarger.com

Yahh-Hoshea HaMashiach is Y@hovah (Yahweh)... A study which reveals who Yahshua is!

2011-07-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Yahh-Hoshea`

Ha'Mashiach

is Y@hovah

(i.e. Yahweh)

Zechariah 14:9 - King James Version (KJV)

And Y@hovah (i.e. Yahweh) shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Y@hovah (i.e. Yahweh), and His name one.

Philippians 2:9-11 - King James Version (KJV)

Wherefore God (Elohiym) also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 45:23 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

23 “(A)I have sworn by Myself, The (B)word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me (C)every knee will bow, every tongue will (D)swear allegiance.

Cross references:

A. Isaiah 45:23 : Gen 22:16; Is 62:8; Heb 6:13

B. Isaiah 45:23 : Is 55:11

C. Isaiah 45:23 : Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10

D. Isaiah 45:23 : Deut 6:13; Ps 63:11; Is 19:18; 65:16

Romans 14:11 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 For it is written, “(A)AS I LIVE, SAYS Y@HOVAH (i.e. YAHWEH), (B)EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL [a]GIVE PRAISE TO ELOHIYM.”

Footnotes:

a. Romans 14:11 Or confess

Cross references:

A. Romans 14:11 : Is 45:23

B. Romans 14:11 : Phil 2:10f

Philippians 2:9-11 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 (A)For this reason also, Elohiym (B)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him (C)the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of (a)Yahh-(b)Hoshea` (D)EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of (E)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that (c)Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach (i.e. the Messiah) is (F)Y@HOVAH (i.e. YAHWEH), to the glory of God the Father.

Footnotes:

a. Philippians 2:10 Strong's Number 03050, Yahh, pronounced Yaw (Psalm 68:4)

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/psalms/68-4.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/yahh.html

b. Philippians 2:10 Strong's Number 01954, Howshea`, pronounces ho-shay'-ah (Hosea 1:1,2)

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/hosea/passage.aspx?q=hosea+1:1-2

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/howshea.html

c. If you look at Matthew 1:21 you will see that the Greek word Iesous (pronounced as ee-ay-sooce'), which basically means Y@hovah salvation, is from the Hebrew word Y@howshuwa` (Strong's number 03091; pronounced as y@h-ho-shoo'-ah). It's a form of the name Yahh-Hoshea`, and thus it is interchangable, because they both basically mean the same thing: Y@hovah Saviour/Salvation.

Cross references:

A. Philippians 2:9 : Heb 1:9

B. Philippians 2:9 : Matt 28:18; Acts 2:33; Heb 2:9

C. Philippians 2:9 : Eph 1:21

D. Philippians 2:10 : Is 45:23; Rom 14:11

E. Philippians 2:10 : Eph 1:10

F. Philippians 2:11 : John 13:13; Rom 10:9; 14:9

So, with all that said, lets go back and look at a few different translations of this verse (Philippians 2:9-11) with the names properly represented in the text. As you read these translations please remember that His name Yahh-Hoshea` is properly pronounced as either Y@h-ho-shoo`-ah or Y@w-ho-shay`-ah (as both words are saying/meaning basically the same thing in/from the Hebrew).

Philippians 2:9-11 - King James Version (KJV)

Wherefore God (Elohiym) also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 - American Standard Version (ASV)

Wherefore also God (Elohiym) highly exalted Him, and gave unto Him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 - Amplified Bible (AMP)

Therefore [because He stooped so low] God (Elohiym) has highly exalted Him and has [a]freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, That in (at) the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) every knee [b]should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, And every tongue [[c]frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Footnotes:

a. Philippians 2:9 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.

b. Philippians 2:10 "Should" is the past tense of "shall," implying authority or compulsion.

c. Philippians 2:11 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.

Philippians 2:9-11 - Common English Bible (CEB)

Therefore, God (Elohiym) highly honored Him and gave Him a name above all names, so that at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Then God (Elohiym) gave Christ (Messiah; i.e. Yahh-Hoshea`) the highest place and honored His name above all others. So at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, "Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh)!"

Philippians 2:9-11 - Darby Translation (DARBY)

Wherefore also God (Elohiym) highly exalted Him, and granted Him a name, that which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`) every knee should bow, of heavenly and earthly and infernal [beings], and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) [is] LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh) to God [the] Father's glory.

Philippians 2:9-11 - English Standard Version (ESV)

9 (A) Therefore(B) God has(C) highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him(D) the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus (Yahh-Hoshea`)(E) every knee should bow,(F) in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and(G) every tongue confess that Jesus Christ (Yahh-Hoshea` Ha'Mashiach) is(H) LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), to the glory of God the Father.

Cross references:

A. Philippians 2:9 : John 10:17; Isa 52:13; 53:12; Heb 2:9

B. Philippians 2:9 : Matt 28:18

C. Philippians 2:9 : Acts 2:33

D. Philippians 2:9 : Eph 1:21; Heb 1:4; Acts 5:41

E. Philippians 2:10 : Isa 45:23; Rom 14:11

F. Philippians 2:10 : Rev 5:3, 13; Eph 1:10

G. Philippians 2:11 : Rom 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3

H. Philippians 2:11 : Rom 14:9; John 13:13

I could go on and on, with several other translations, and show you that they all are saying the exact same thing; they all contain the exact same though, in them, no matter how they are expressing it: that Yahh-Hoshea` is Y@hovah! (Yahweh!) And thus Yahh-Hoshea` Himself said this of His relationship with His Father...

John 10:30 - English Standard Version (ESV)

30(A) I and the Father are one."

Cross references:

A. John 10:30 : John 17:11, 22; John 5:19; 14:9

One how you ask? Well, He explains that oneness to the twelve when He says...

John 14:10 - English Standard Version (ESV)

10 Do you not believe that(A) I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you(B) I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does His works (i.e. the Father who is God, the Holy Spirit, dwelling inside of Me the man the Messiah Yahh-Hoshea`, He is the one who is speaking and doing these things through Me).

Cross references:

John 14:10 : John 10:38

John 14:10 : John 5:19, 20

But, you will say to me, how can that be? And I will show you in His word...

Genesis 1:26-27 - English Standard Version (ESV)

26Then God (Elohiym) said,(A) "Let us make man[a] in our image,(B) after our likeness. And(C) let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27So God (Elohiym) created man in His own image,

in the image of God He created him;

(D) male and female He created them.

Footnotes:

a. Genesis 1:26 The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and becomes the proper name Adam

Cross references:

A. Genesis 1:26 : Genesis 3:22; 11:7; Isa 6:8

B. Genesis 1:26 : Genesis 5:1; 9:6; 1 Cor 11:7; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10; James 3:9

C. Genesis 1:26 : Genesis 9:2; Psalm 8:6-8; James 3:7

D. Genesis 1:27 : Genesis 2:18, 21-23; 5:2; Mal 2:15; Matt 19:4; Mark 10:6

To understand that passage you have to understand who is speaking to whom!

It's not God speaking to angels, it's the Son speaking to His Father dwelling inside of Him, and the Father saying “Yes” and “Amen”; and, thus, the Son by the power (authority) of the Father in Him speaks, and the Father makes it happen, and it is!

See? God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One LORD (Y@hovah; or, Yahweh), one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6). For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, THE MAN Christ Jesus (Ha'Mashiach Yahh-Hoshea`); Who gave Himself as the ransom for all, to be testified of in due time (1 Timothy 2:5,6). Zechariah 14:9...

Yes see, my dear friends, there's only one Y@hovah (Yahweh), and His name is one name, for no matter which of the seven main compound forms of that name you speak (that you call Him by) the base is always Y@hovah (Yahweh). Amen!

Now lets take a look at the seven compound names of Y@hovah (i.e. Yahweh), the meanings of the Paleo-Hebrew letters put together, for a moment; I think you will be surprised at what they're telling us!

1. Y@hovah Yireh (Genesis 22:14) - “Yahweh will provide a sacrifice”

http://biblos.com/genesis/22-14.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Yod-Reysh-Aleph-Hey means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scar; or, wounds) revealed; the hands of the highest (i.e. the head), the leader (i.e. the first), revealed!” See Zechariah 13:6

2. Y@hovah Rapha (Exodus 15:26) - “Yahweh our Healer”

http://biblos.com/exodus/15-26.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Reysh-Pey-Aleph means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; the highest (i.e. the head), the word, is the leader (i.e. the first).” See John 1:1-12

3. Y@hovah Nissi (Exodus 17:15) - “Yahweh our Banner”

http://biblos.com/exodus/17-15.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Nun-Samek-Yod means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; the life supporting hands!” See Isaiah 49

4. Y@hovah Shalom (Judges 6:24) - “Yahweh our Peace”

http://biblos.com/judges/6-24.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Shin-Lamed-Vav-Mem means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; to consume (destroy) the power (authority) which has established chaos.” See Genesis 315; Isaiah 52:13-15

5. Y@hovah Ra`ah (Psalms 23:1) - “Yahweh our Shepherd (i.e. Overseer)”

http://biblos.com/psalms/23-1.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Reysh-Ayin-Hey means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; the highest (i.e. the head) see (i.e. seer) revealed.” See 1 Samuel 9:9-11,18,19; 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel; 1 Chronicles 29:29; Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19; John 6:14; and John 9:17

6. Y@hovah Tsidkenu (Jeremiah 23:6) - “Yahweh our Righteousness”

http://biblos.com/jeremiah/23-6.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Tzaddi-Dalet-Quph-Noon means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; the hook and door behind (i.e. of the least is; or, of the last is) life. See John 12:23-33; John 10:1-18

7. Y@hovah Shammah (Ezekiel 48:35) - “Yahweh is Present”

http://biblos.com/ezekiel/48-35.htm

Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey Shin-Mem-Hey means “The hands revealed, the nails (i.e. nail scars; or, wounds) revealed; to devour (consume) the chaos to reveal...” See Isaiah 53. He was wounded to consume chaos (sin and death), which kept us from life, to reveal to all mankind that He is Y@hovah (i.e. Yahweh) to the glory of His Father.

And thus we sing of Yahweh (Y@hovah) Hoshua saying...

http://youtu.be/_guvjMANAKs
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/d/f/h/dfhglory.htm
Down from His glory
– Words by William E. Booth-Clibborn, 1921.

Down from His glory,
Ever living story,
Yahweh my Saviour came,
Yahh-Hoshea` is His Name.
Born in a manger,
To His own a stranger,
A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.

Refrain

O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all.
The great Creator became my Savior,
And all God’s fullness is dwelling in Him.

What condescension,
Bringing us redemption;
That in the dead of night,
Not one faint hope in sight,
Yahh, gracious, tender,
Laid aside His splendor,
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.

Refrain

Without reluctance,
Flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man,
Revealed the hidden plan,
O glorious mystery
Sacrifice of Calvary,
And now I know You are that great “I AM.”

Refrain

And Yahweh (i.e. Y@hovah) spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying … Speak you unto all the congregation of Israel, saying , In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house... And thus shall you eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Y@HOVAH'S passover. - see Exodus 12:1-11

Re-write of Deeper by Paul Cardall
www.reverbnation.com/artist/song_details/3167729

Yahweh above, He's the God of love;
He knows your name, and wants to give you freedom...
He's not ashamed of who you are;
Where you've been, or just how far you've run...

Yahweh will be your lamb ... if you'll let Him;
The sacrifice that purifies your heart...

Your love, O Yahweh, is deeper;
The Aleph, on the Tav, You died for all our sin!

Give up your sin, and let Him in;
Loose yourself, and you'll find shalowm...
Take up the Tav, and follow Him;
The sinless Yahh, who rose to give you life...

Yahweh will be your ram ... if you'll let Him;
And reveal to you what He purposed in His heart...

Your love, O Yahweh, is deeper;
The Aleph, on the Tav, You died for all our sin!

Your love, O Yahweh, is deeper;
The Aleph, on the Tav, You died for all our sin!
Your love, O Yahweh, is greater;
You hung, on the cross, so we could be born again...

Yahweh above, He's the God of love;
He knows your name, and wants to give you freedom...
Wants to give you freedom - to give you freedom.

Defining terms...

GOD = Elohim = The Almighty God

LORD God = Y@hovah (i.e. Yahweh) Elohim = The Self-existent one who reveals Himself.

Yahh-Hoshea` = Y@hovah Hoshea (the shortened form is Yahshua)

Ha'Mashiach = The Messiah (Ha is the, Mashiach is Messiah)

The Redemptive Name of God...

Lord GOD = Adonai Y@hovah = Master-Owner who is Self existent

Y@HOVAH (i.e. YAHWEH) = The eternal Self existent One in his Fullness

NOTE: You can download this study from my cloud drive (Box.net) as either an OpenOffice or PDF format and make/distribute as many copies of it as you want; all I ask is that you not sell the information - but only give it away!

In Progress: The Building of the New World Religion by Heidi Swander (olivetreeviews.org)

2011-07-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

[The following article was sent to me in an email by Olive Tree Ministries. I am reposting this here, because it relates to what we are seeing happening right now in the world, for the NWO is coming soon! Today is the 18th of July, i.e. the 16th of Tammuz, and tonight marks the beginning of the three week period on the Hebrew calendar known as the "Dire Straits"; this three week period usually sees events happen that effect the Jewish people in major ways; and, we are entering this time period in the US with a debt ceiling battle that is itself in that condition!

P.S., A default on the debt by the US, or a collapse in the US Dollar, would have a profound impact on the nation of Israel (on the Jewish people); so, this debt ceiling battle will be one to watch for the next three weeks or so! I really do believe that we are going to see the NWO elites pull the plug on America, and make their move toward a NWO, very soon; and, I am hoping/praying that Yahweh God allows them to do just that! Why? Because the Bible says it has to happen before the end comes; and, I want to come into that 1,000 year rule of Messiah over all the earth from Israel A.S.A.P.]

Note from Jan: I endorse all of Heidi's comments below in this e-newsletter. E-mail after call after letter we receive requests information on a sound and safe church to attend in hometowns across America. What has happened? When did the breakdown begin? How is deception on overdrive in most churches that were solid just 20 years ago?

Part of the mystery is revealed in the DVD, "Agenda: Grinding America Down," and the frosting on the cake is applied by Caryl Matrisciana in her new film, "Wide is the Gate: The Emerging New Christianity." This DVD is in five parts, suitable for Sunday school, mid-week service, home fellowships, etc. Please note that we have an introductory price that is 25% off the retail price. We have it marked down to $30 for the four-hour presentation. You might not agree with every word, but at least be open to seeing the bottom line issue Heidi has drafted: The formation of the one-world religion is now in process. Christian leaders you may admire are players on the scorecard whether they know it or not.

In Progress: The Building of the NWR
(i.e. The global religion part of the NWO)
By Heidi Swander - www.olivetreeviews.org

July 18, 2011

"The New Age is upon us and we are witnessing the birth pangs of the new culture and the new civilization. This is now in progress. That which is old and undesirable must go . . . The spirit has gone out of the old faiths and the true spiritual light is transferring itself into a new form which will manifest on Earth eventually as the New World Religion." So said occultist Alice Bailey (1880-1949) while under the influence of her spirit guide, Djwal Khul. As I wrote in an article last March, Bailey and her demonic counterpart actually laid the foundation for the New World Order. The New World Religion piece of that coming global order is advancing successfully on at least three fronts:

The Media

In her newest, brilliant documentary, Wide is the Gate: The Emerging New Christianity, Caryl Matrisciana takes great pains to explain the underpinnings of the New Age movement and its progression through the last six or seven decades. As the film explains, the movement continues to morph over time to fit the perceived needs of the masses in order for them to accept the message. In terms of the media, Caryl traces the path from the Beatles' embrace of Transcendental Meditation (and their desire to properly learn it so they could "propagate and sell the idea to everyone") to Oprah Winfrey who, as author and former occultist Johanna Michaelsen explains, "has become one of the main proponents of New Age occult meditation and Eastern mystical techniques."

WIDE IS THE GATE:
The Emerging New Christianity

Wikipedia observes that, "Since the 1950s, in the countries that have reached a high level of industrialization, the mass media of cinema, radio and TV have a key role in political power." This observation is intriguing in light of Bailey's comment above. To reach the entire Earth with the New Age message, the means used to broadcast the message would be necessarily extensive. And so it is.

Of the media's influence in the last 40+ years, Ray Yungen (www.atimeofdeparting.com) says, "In the 2000s I had a sense that some kind of threshold had been crossed; that Alice Bailey's vision of a new world was actually coming into being in a full sense. I could clearly understand that the public -- which had been conditioned through the 70s, 80s and 90s with this constant flow of self-help books based on metaphysics -- was ripe, and a threshold had been crossed where now the New Age was going from a minority view to a majority view."

The School

An article entitled, "A Religion for the New Age" by John Dunphy in a 1983 edition of the magazine, The Humanist, states, "The battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith. The classroom must and will become the arena of conflict between the old and the new . . . the rotting corpse of Christianity and the new faith of Humanism."

Wide is the Gate demonstrates that presently, "Children and naïve young people are being targeted in the classroom, indoctrinated with an anti-biblical worldview, yet taught to embrace a global, one-world spirituality."

Johanna explains that, "They have been carefully programming the children in the perspective of a one-world government for many generations. But now they also understand that they need to give the children a mystical experience. The purpose of bringing in these ancient occult practices into the school is very simple. If you can give a child an experience -- a spiritual experience -- at an early age, then you have likely got him for life. He will be converted. If you can program him into your way of thinking from the time he's young, you will indeed find it very difficult to see him depart from it as he grows older."

Does this principle sound familiar? It should. It's one God set out in His Word, and we know that the enemy of our souls is very adroit at taking our Father's principles and turning them against Him.

Additionally, hitting the schools with such metaphysical philosophy is another avenue from which to capture the loyalty of a wide swath of humanity.

The Church

The big holdout to this spiritual takeover had been the church: Had been. But now, as we are well aware, a vast majority of churches have succumbed to the wiles of the New Age to one degree or another.

As Caryl states in her film, "Many evangelical leaders in the church today have unknowingly taken it upon themselves to further Alice Bailey's esoteric teachings and are calling for changes in so-called "old-fashioned" Christianity. At its core is an ominous rejection of the Creator God. With such presumption comes the idea that we, the people, are going to usurp God's authority, take over His role and rethink, redesign and reinvent biblical Christianity and usher in a Christianized, all-embracing New Spirituality."

Christian author and former New Age follower Warren Smith (www.deceivedonpurpose.com) actually draws a timeline in this documentary, showing the progression from occultist Alice Bailey to some of the leaders of today's New Spirituality: "You go back to Norman Vincent Peale. He says that god is in you in The Power of Positive Thinking. Then, you look back and see that he was influenced by occult New Agers. We have a stream going from the occult to Peale to Schuller to Rick Warren to this Emerging Church, and I would suggest that with the connections that Rick Warren has with all of these people, he is really the CEO of an apostate church."

Conclusion

As we see this cloud of New Age spirituality descending on our world in every major medium, what can we do?

What we must do, as Christians, is ensure that we and our children are immersed in and insulated by Scripture. Yahh-Hoshua (i.e. Jesus) said that it is the truth that will set us free, and that truth is found in the pages of the Bible.

Caryl's documentary concludes by exhorting viewers, "If Christians aren't serious about the Bible, they will seriously be deluded with the deception that is permeating our society. The Bible warns us that we must have a love of the Bible or we, too, will become prey to the delusion that's taking place."

Get acquainted with Understanding the Times radio now heard in 416 radio outlets. All programming done Saturday, 9 to 11 a.m. CDT out of Minneapolis/St. Paul, is posted to our "radio archives" on Sunday. If we don't air in your neighborhood on one of our 416 markets, you can also "listen live" at WWTC-The Patriot or AM980 KKMS in the Twin Cities area. Visit this link for info on podcasting via iTunes.

Note our new office number: 763-559-4444.

Our post office box has not changed.
Always looking up!

Heidi Swander
Personal Assistant to Jan Markell

You may pass on these items or have people sign up on our Web site. You can access our radio programming from the last three years on Radio Archives. Also see the Web site for other options to catch our program, Understanding the Times. Also, we truly appreciate those who remember us prayerfully and financially. Donate on our Web site (gifts are tax-deductible with receipts sent out in January).

Are we committing economic suicide? Yes, and it's all a part of the plan to assimilate America into the coming NWO (i.e. New World Order)...

2011-07-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

"Poor will be standard by the time Obama’s through, Re: Standard & Poor’s downgrades entire nation’s financial health, American Thinker, April 18, 2011

Standard & Poor’s has downgraded the United States long-term debt rating from stable to negative as a direct result of President Obama’s failed economic policies. Standard & Poor’s is an international credit rating and financial services organization with an impeccable reputation whose pronouncements profoundly influence public and private financial decisions around the world. Their downgrading is a very serious matter and bodes ill for the U.S. economy, or what’s left of it. The organization criticized the very large and growing budget deficits and increasing government debt in America and said that it failed to see how these problems would be dealt with. As soon as the announcement was made markets tumbled, the dollar fell and and the price of gold rose to new records.

Ordinary Americans don’t need Standard & Poor’s to tell them that Obama’s economic policies and performance have been disastrous and have put the country in a fiscal shambles. They know full well that their personal financial health has diminished considerably since Obama took office and that the overall economy is diminishing at an unheard of pace according to virtually every indicator there is, despite the phony rosy picture painted by the White House. America and Americans are becoming poorer every day and Obama’s policies will not do anything to mitigate the slide. They are what caused it in the first place and will do nothing but make things worse. Mitigate no, exacerbate yes. That’s dead certain. America is committing economic suicide under Obama. That’s dead certain too.

Poor really is becoming the new standard in the United States. The implications of that are beyond disastrous. They’re catastrophic." - Mostly Middle East America

Look behind the curtain of the elites pulling the strings, pressing us toward the Global Government, Currency, and Religion of the Antichrist (i.e. the NWO or New World Order), and you will find the Devil himself; and, by saying that, I do mean to say that Satan is literally the one who is using the wicked men in power throughout the world to set up the NWO!

He is doing so because the majority of people have chosen lies over the truth, and slavery over freedom, yes evil over good; and, thus, Yahweh God is allowing him to deceive the whole world and lead all those who hate Him into eternal damnation!

What you are seeing before you, with Barrack Obama, started years ago under Woodrow Wilson and has been progressing ever since; and, Barrack Obama is just the endgame of it! Satan's using them, and their using Barrack Obama, to destroy the USA from the inside out! And, so, this bankrupting of it is only part of the plan!
A prudent man is foreseeing the evil, and is hiding himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. - Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 27:12 KJV

Proverbs 22:3 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

3 The (A)prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the [a]naive go on, and are punished for it.

Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 22:3 Lit simple

Cross references:
A. Proverbs 22:3 : Prov 14:16; 27:12; Is 26:20

Proverbs 27:12 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The [a]naive proceed and pay the penalty.

Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 27:12 Lit simple

If you're highly invested in US Dollars, and you don't move your assets to silver or gold (or to another precious metal / material), you're going to lose everything when the collapse happens; and, that's why you need to re-position yourself right now while you can! Don't let the yo-yo prices of gold and silver fool you, this is just the elites trying to drive people out of those markets, because they want to be the ones with all the money (and thus all the power) when the dust settles! Do not let them fool you, don't be deceived, if you pull out of gold and silver back into US Dollars before the collapse (which is standing before us at the door) then you will be very sorry!

The three represent the common people. The city represents the NWO elites. And the taxes and fees represent their global governance. And the police are the enforcers of their wickedness. The main victims in this are liberty and freedom! And the one who is behind the whole mess is the Devil (who is also called Satan). This is the sound of liberty and freedom dying before our eyes; watch closely, and remember it well, for this is what you get for rejecting the realities of God! You don't break the realities of Yahweh; no, the realities of Yahweh break you! We have turned our ears from reason (the truth), and embraced fables, and we will reap evil; and, the harvest, the harvest, is standing at the door! Amen.

Link and copy of article referenced above...
S&P Affirms US AAA Rating, Cuts Outlook to Negative
Published: Monday, 18 Apr 2011 | 10:43 AM ET

Standard & Poor's on Monday downgraded the outlook for the United States to negative, saying it believes there's a risk U.S. policymakers may not reach agreement on how to address the country's long-term fiscal pressures.

"Because the U.S. has, relative to its 'AAA' peers, what we consider to be very large budget deficits and rising government indebtedness and the path to addressing these is not clear to us, we have revised our outlook on the long-term rating to negative from stable," the agency said in a statement.

In an interview with CNBC, David Beers, S&P's global head of sovereign ratings, said the agency has been "struck increasingly by the difference in how other governments are dealing with fiscal consolidation."

"The U.S. to us looks to be an increasing outlier in that context," Beers added.

Rival ratings agencies Fitch and Moody's [MCO 36.45 0.13 (+0.36%) ] maintained their respective outlooks on the United States, according to statements made to CNBC.

"Moody’s is not reacting to S&P's move. Moody’s outlook for the US Aaa rating remains stable," Moody's spokesman Eduardo Barker said in an email.

The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled more than 200 points on word of the revision, while gold prices hit a new record above $1,496 an ounce before paring some gains. The dollar index moved higher in New York trade.

The S&P said the move signals there's at least a one-in-three likelihood that it could lower its long-term rating on the United States within two years.

The Worst Hyperinflation Situations of All Time

In an interview with CNBC, Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, characterized the S&P move as a "political judgement."

"What the S&P is doing is making a political judgement and it's one we don't agree with, and it appeared to me that Moody's and some others don't agree with that judgement," Goolsbee said.

The U.S. Treasury also voiced disagreement with the S&P revision.

"...We believe S&P's negative outlook underestimates the ability of America's leaders to come together to address the difficult fiscal challenges facing the nation," Treasury Assistant Secretary Mary Miller said in a statement.

The last time the United States was placed on a negative watch was in January 1996. Moody's made the call at that time, after congressional Republicans refused a vote on the U.S. debt ceiling, a topic that is once again at the center of debate in Washington.

Earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told Congress that a failure to raise the U.S. debt ceiling would touch off a "financial crisis potentially more severe than the crisis from which we are only starting to recover."

Why Perilous Times Are in Overdrive

2011-07-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Why Perilous Times Are in Overdrive
By Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
www.olivetreeviews.org

July 7, 2011

The US president appears to have embarked on a deliberate strategy to embrace radical Islam by partnering with Islamic organizations calling for the demise of the United States, and by assigning Islamists to key strategic positions that oversee the security of the nation, aspects of the judiciary, and as intimate aides to high level administration appointees. The Administration's public position is that these relationships are in the best interest of the United States in promoting tolerance in America and democracy in the Middle East. In reality, they raise poignant and unthinkable questions as to whether this president has violated his oath of office and several U.S. laws by facilitating an Islamic takeover of America.

One need look no further than the Administration's embracing of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and high level appointments of Muslims who are directly associated with the MB or have ties to organizations associated with the MB. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's top aid since 1996 is Huma Abedin. Former Palestinian terrorist now converted Christian Walid Shoebat says that Abedin was never properly screened.

Shoebat reports that Abedin "is closely associated with her Muslim Brotherhood family and even joined Clinton at an event with her mother, Saleha Abedin, at Dar El-Hekma College in Saudi Arabia. Also present was a close associate of Saleha Abedin -- Suheir Qureshi. Qureshi's name later appeared in several prominent Arab newspapers when it was revealed that she belonged to a list of 63 members of the secret arm of the Muslim Brotherhood called The Sisterhood. The full list was later revealed -- Huma Abedin's mother is on it. Huma's brother -- Hassan Abedin -- also collaborates with Omar Naseef and Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, two of the most influential terror supporters in the world."

Clinton recently overruled the Immigration and Nationality Act by allowing Tariq Ramadan entry into the United States. Ramadan, described as an independent power center within the MB, is the grandson of the founder of the MB. He has been banned from traveling in the US since 2004 for his contributions to Hamas and links to radical Islamists.

Clinton also announced on the eve of the July 4th holiday that the United States welcomes dialogue with the MB, prompting this response from Frank Gaffney, Jr. at the Center for Security Policy: "The Obama administration chose the eve of the holiday marking our nation's birth to acknowledge publicly behavior in which it has long been stealthily engaged to the United States' extreme detriment: Its officials now admit that they are embracing the Muslim Brotherhood (MB or Ikhwan in Arabic). That would be the same international Islamist organization that has the destruction of the United States, Israel and all other parts of the Free World as its explicit objective."

The MB was founded in 1928 to establish global Sharia Law through jihad. The Administration states that the MB denounces violence and promotes democracy. In reality, the MB is the umbrella organization that supports various terrorist groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda. For example, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's new commander, joined the MB when he was 14. The MB also has an extensive network in the United States through various vassal organizations including: Muslim American Society, Islamic Society of North America, Muslim Students Association, Muslim Businessmen Association, Muslim Youth of North America, Mercy International Association, Islamic Circle of North America, Muslim Arab Youth Association, The Association of Muslim Social Scientists. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is closely associated with many of these organizations.

The MB, with a public facade of non-violence, promotes democracy as a landing point to gain political control and establish Sharia Law, as its supported terrorist groups did so aptly in Gaza with Hamas and in Lebanon with Hezbollah. Currently, its targets are Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, and the United States of America.

The MB was exposed in the Holy Land Foundation trial in 2007. Documents provided as evidence in the trial indicated a plan to take over the United States. The plan, written in 1991, calls for Islamists to colonize America with Islamic Centers, schools, elected officials, and court cases. It seeks to establish a "civilization-jihadist process." It outlines how "work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house..." The plan is using so-called "moderate" Muslim groups to establish a beachhead in the U.S. and then radical elements to take over.

MB-supported elected officials are found across America in local offices. At the national level, the first Muslim elected to Congress, Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, is an MB-supported candidate. The Muslim American Society (aka MB) paid for Ellison's Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. The MB ties also extended deep into then-Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In October 2008, Fox News reported that the Obama campaign was filled with associates of the MB. Fox reported that Minha Husaini replaced Mazen Asbahi as Obama's Muslim liaison after Asbahi resigned over revelations that groups linked to the MB featured him as a speaker. Fox reported that Husaini also met with groups tied to the MB and Hamas in Virginia on September 15, 2008.

Since the campaign, the Administration has redoubled its efforts to appoint Muslims to high government positions. The Congressional Muslim Staffers Association, now disbanded because of its ties to radical Islamists, vetted potential appointments "under the radar," according to J. Saleh Williams, who headed the effort.

The result is a tremendous number of Islamists sitting at key strategic positions in the federal government and on the judiciary. Included are: David Heyman, nominated as Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and at the same agency, Secretary Janet Napolitano has appointed Arif Alikhan as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development. According to Newsmax, "both men are devout, Shariah Law Muslims, and in her announcement, Napolitano made that very clear...Alikan is associated with the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) "a public service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims." BOTH men will have top security clearances. Several Muslims at the DHS who have top security clearances are associated with groups that claim Hamas and Hezbollah are "humanitarian" organizations.

And such appointments continue. The president has appointed Hezbollah favorite Abed Hammoud as Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In the past, he has said that Israelis are like Nazis. He has led marches against Israel. The pro-Hezbollah Arab-American News in Dearborn, Mi reported that Hammoud led marchers against Israel who were chanting "Down, down Israel!" and "Death to Israel!" The newspaper quoted Hammoud saying, "Other than our own leaders, Israel pulls us together like no one else can." Hammoud added to cheers, "We don't believe Hezbullah is a terrorist organization. We obey the law, we don't give them financial support or provide them with aid, but we think this law needs to be changed."

Israel National News (INN) reported on June 20 that the president appointed Azizah al-Hibri to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. al-Hibri believes that Sharia Law is superior to Western Law, no surprise since she sat on the National Advisory Board of the American Muslim Council. INN reported that in 2001, "Al-Hibri traveled to the Afghan border and criticized the Western press for 'sensationalizing' Taliban atrocities and using them 'as an opportunity to attack Islam'. After the attacks of September 11, she cautioned against bombing Al-Qaeda and Taliban targets during Ramadan."

Former CIA agent and current professor for the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, Clare Lopez, concludes that the Administration has quietly installed Islamists in key security and foreign policy positions who are now directing the Middle East foreign policy of the United States.

The evidence appears overwhelming that the radical Islamist influence assembled by this White House is in lock step with the Muslim Brotherhood plan to takeover America. Perhaps the unthinkable has become reality. As the prophet Jeremiah spoke of ancient Babylon that had many of the same traits of today's post-moral America, "Surely I will fill thee with men, as with locusts; and they shall raise a battle cry against thee" (Jer.51:14). The evidence is in plain sight, but how long will it take for America to awaken from her politically correct slumber?

"Know this, that in the last days, perilous times shall come" (II Timothy 3:1).

[Update: Here's another article detailing the history of the MB...
July 17, 2011 - Has the Muslim Brotherhood Changed? - By Jerrold L. Sobel]

[Update: Here's another article dealing with CAIR and the Islamic agenda...
July 17, 2011 - Berkeley-CAIR Islamophobia Report: 'No There, There' - By Stephen Schwartz]

All in the DYSFUNCTIONAL Family! The story of a world that has gone to the dogs! With quotes of James Taranto and the NY Times...

2011-06-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

''By JAMES TARANTO

Yesterday was Father's Day, and the New York Times observed the occasion by publishing a story about the family of a 3-year-old boy who, for reasons we'll explain below, we'll identify only by his first initial, G. (For the same reason, we're omitting the last names of the adults in the story.)

The headline is "And Baby Makes Four," although G. has no siblings. The headline on an earlier version of the story was more specific: "An American Family--Mom, Sperm Donor, Lover, Child."

G. lives with his mother, Carol, in Brooklyn, N.Y. His father, whom he knows as "Uncle George," is gay and lives with a man named Dave. Carol, unmarried and now 48, asked George to donate sperm so that she could have a baby. That is how G. came into the world.

Doubtless many people will find this whole arrangement repugnant, viewing Carol's decision to bear a child out of wedlock as selfish and based on the false notion that fathers are expendable. Ironically, they will find support on yesterday's Times's op-ed page, where a high school senior named Colton Wooten describes the anguish of being the product of a donor and lacking a dad:

I call myself an only child, but I could very well be one of many siblings. I could even be predisposed to some potentially devastating disease. Because I do not know what my father looks like, I could never recognize him in a crowd of people. I am sometimes overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities, by the reality that my father could be anywhere: in the neighboring lane of traffic on a Friday during rush hour, behind me in line at the bank or the pharmacy, or even changing the oil in my car after many weeks of mechanical neglect.

I am sometimes at such a petrifying loss for words or emotions that make sense that I can only feel astonished by the fact that he could be anyone.

Of course, the "nontraditional" nature of G.'s family is part of what makes the story appealing to the Times. Its editors, writers and readers enjoy feeling superior to those they imagine are judgmental rubes who are troubled by what the paper calls "the hiccupping fluidity of the family in the modern world" and who probably hate gays too. The story even includes validation from an expert:

"Some of the strictures that were used to organize society don't fit human change and growth," said Ann Schranz, chairwoman of the Alternatives to Marriage Project, a 10-year-old organization. "What matters to us is the health of relationships, not the form of relationships."

And it must be said that unlike Colton Wooten, G. at least knows his father--although he doesn't know him as his father. There are other things he doesn't know, as the story makes clear:

At [Carol's] apartment in Brooklyn where George . . . spends four nights each week, he checked the clock: 7:09 p.m. Wasn't it 7:05 about 20 minutes ago?
Never had time moved so slowly. Was the clock even working?

They had tossed the ball around, chased each other, done the book about a bear. Now the dreaded bedtime video. Every night, [G.], who was 18 months old, insisted on this DVD about race cars, space ships and motorcycles, narrated by a saccharine pair named Dave and Becky. [George] found them galling. Once, while watching, he said, it made him "feel a profound despair like when I read 'The Bell Jar.' " . . .
[George] regarded [G.] and his curly blond hair. "He looks just like me when I was little," he said. "I don't feel paternal toward him. Yet it's odd when I look at him and I see me." . . .

At some point, [Carol] intends to tell her son the truth. [George] worries about that moment. He never wanted to be a parent; he saw the sperm donation as a favor to a friend. He did not attend the birth or [G.'s] first birthday party. His four sisters were trying to figure out whether they were aunts. . . .
"I certainly don't want to be the child's parent," he said.

When G. is old enough, Carol plans to tell him that "Uncle George" is actually his father. Fine, but will she also tell him that caring for G. causes George "a profound despair," that George doesn't "feel paternal toward" G. and "certainly" doesn't "want to be the child's parent"?

Because G. will find these things out in due course. This isn't the 1950s anymore, when to find old newspaper stories one had to spend hours going through library stacks or microfilm reels. Unless the New York Times goes out of business and its website is shut down, this story will live forever on the Internet.

That means that as soon as G. can punch his name and his parents' names into Google, he will be able to read the cruel things his father said about him when he was 3. So, by the way, will his school friends--and enemies. That's why we left the names out of this column. We don't want him to find out from us.

One may sympathize with a middle-aged woman who desperately wants to be a mother and lacks the time and options to become one in the usual way. But there is no excuse for what Carol and George have done by allowing the Times to tell their story, which is to invade their son's privacy and compound his future emotional challenges.

Didn't any of this occur to reporter N.R. Kleinfeld or the Times's editors? Or are they so enamored of "alternative family structures" that an actual child who has to live with the consequences is in their minds a mere abstraction?'' - Best of the Web Article

And here's the original New York Times article...

''Baby Makes Four, and Complications

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

George Russell with Griffin, who is almost 3, in Brooklyn. Mr. Russell saw his sperm donation as a favor to Griffin's mother, Carol Einhorn, his friend.

AT the apartment in Brooklyn where George Russell spends four nights each week, he checked the clock: 7:09 p.m. Wasn’t it 7:05 about 20 minutes ago?

Never had time moved so slowly. Was the clock even working?

They had tossed the ball around, chased each other, done the book about a bear. Now the dreaded bedtime video. Every night, Griffin, who was 18 months old, insisted on this DVD about race cars, space ships and motorcycles, narrated by a saccharine pair named Dave and Becky. Mr. Russell found them galling. Once, while watching, he said, it made him “feel a profound despair like when I read ‘The Bell Jar.’ ”

He slid in the disc. Soon, his thumb was punching fast-forward. “It’s so much better at double speed, isn’t it, Griffin?”

Darkness had dropped softly. Rain drummed on Plaza Street East.

Mr. Russell regarded Griffin and his curly blond hair. “He looks just like me when I was little,” he said. “I don’t feel paternal toward him. Yet it’s odd when I look at him and I see me.”

The setup is complicated. Griffin’s mother, Carol Einhorn, a fund-raiser for a nonprofit group, is 48 and single. She conceived through in vitro fertilization with sperm from Mr. Russell, 49, a chiropractor and close friend. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights, Mr. Russell stays in the spare room of Ms. Einhorn’s apartment. The other three days he lives on President Street with his domestic partner, David Nimmons, 54, an administrator at a nonprofit. Most Sundays, they all have dinner together.

“It’s not like Heather has two mommies,” Mr. Russell said. “It’s George has two families.”

Two addresses, three adults, a winsome toddler and a mixed-breed dog officially named Buck the Dog. None of this was the familial configuration any of them had imagined, but it was, for the moment, their family. It was something they had stumbled into, yet had a certain revisionist logic.

Such is the hiccupping fluidity of the family in the modern world. Six years running now, according to census data, more households consist of the unmarried than the married. More people seem to be deciding that the contours of the traditional nuclear family do not work for them, spawning a profusion of cobbled-together networks in need of nomenclature. Unrelated parents living together, sharing chores and child-rearing. Friends who occupy separate homes but rely on each other for holidays, health care proxies, financial support.

“Some of the strictures that were used to organize society don’t fit human change and growth,” said Ann Schranz, chairwoman of the Alternatives to Marriage Project, a 10-year-old organization. “What matters to us is the health of relationships, not the form of relationships.”

And so here on Plaza Street, four people are testing the fuzzy boundaries of an age-old institution, knowing there is no single answer to what defines family or what defines love.

Griffin, now almost 3, calls Mr. Russell “Uncle George” and Mr. Nimmons “Dave.” At some point, Ms. Einhorn intends to tell her son the truth. Mr. Russell worries about that moment. He never wanted to be a parent; he saw the sperm donation as a favor to a friend. He did not attend the birth or Griffin’s first birthday party. His four sisters were trying to figure out whether they were aunts.

Once a week, Ms. Einhorn went out, and Mr. Russell baby-sat. But only after Griffin was asleep — Uncle George was like the night watchman. Until March 2010, when Mr. Russell agreed to put Griffin to bed and see how it went.

There was a routine that had to be followed or it was tantrum world. A bath, dinner, a story, the hated video, then a circuit of the apartment to say good night to everything.

Mr. Russell loathes television, an aversion he connects to his father’s seeming to have kept it on permanently. “Carol can watch, like, 52 ‘Law & Order’s back to back to relax,” he said. “She likes shows like ‘Army Wives.’ I can’t even say the words ‘Army Wives’ without irony or cringing.” He snapped off the television and announced, “It’s time to take a walk.”

Barefoot, he hoisted Griffin into his arms and felt the pleasant response. They said good night to the kitchen.

Good night, dining room.

Good night, plant.

Good night, George’s room.

Good night, outside world.

Mr. Russell gave Griffin a bottle, and lowered him into his crib.

Not bad at all. “I certainly don’t want to be the child’s parent,” he said. Then: “What can I say, it’s lovely to hold a child in your arms.”

CAROL EINHORN once wrote a song called “Canyon.” It addressed the void left by her father, who died when she was 5, after pancreatic cancer came without proper notice.

She and an older brother grew up on the Upper East Side. Both parents worked in finance; both had been only children. Mom remarried, but they broke up. That angered Ms. Einhorn, the small family always shrinking. For herself, she wanted two or three children, an orbit of relatives.

Ms. Einhorn went to Wesleyan University and became a singer and songwriter, once singing backup for Roberta Flack. (Ms. Einhorn’s professional name is Caroline Horn.) She quit performing in 1998, eventually becoming editorial director of a publication for young people, Music Alive! She nearly married a medical student, but reached her 40s with no Mr. Perfect or even Mr. Near-Perfect. In 2004, she decided to have a baby anyway, and began researching sperm donors.

Mr. Russell had been a year ahead at Wesleyan. They bumped into each other after graduation and became great friends. She thinks of him as a brother, especially since her actual brother is a troubled recluse she has no contact with.

Mr. Russell grew up in Connecticut, where his sisters teasingly called him the Godlet because they felt he was favored as the only boy.

His father worked at the State Department of Environmental Protection and now lives with dementia in a center in Baltimore. His mother, who died in 1999, professed to want 10 children, but, awakened by Betty Friedan, had her tubes tied after 5. She returned to school and became a college professor. Mr. Russell grew to view children as obstacles to ambition.

He came out in college, and afterward was a modern dancer, with a side job as a legal secretary. At 34, he returned to school, and four years later became a chiropractor.

He sees utility in odd rituals. Sometimes he asks clients to scribble what bothers them on a piece of paper, fold and staple it. Then he writes “Gone” or “Goodbye” on the papers, and either burns them and tosses the ashes in the river or drops them in a mailbox, no doubt baffling letter carriers.

When Ms. Einhorn told him her baby plans, Mr. Russell was shocked, wondering “if she wanted to be crawling around on the floor at 45.” Later, listening to her concern about “an empty space where the father would be,” Mr. Russell said, well, he would be the donor.

Getting pregnant was wrenching — a miscarriage, autoimmune issues leading to a trip to Mexico for a treatment unapproved in this country. The fifth round of IVF was to be the last. Griffin was born on Oct. 21, 2008.

Then came postpartum depression. Griffin was colicky. One day, Ms. Einhorn wrote in her journal, “I love my baby, I hate my life.”

THE double households began because of economics.

The tattered economy rocked Mr. Russell’s business — without jobs, people let their musculoskeletal systems go — and his loans became a $250,000 whirlpool of debt. He eventually filed for personal bankruptcy.

He had met Mr. Nimmons in 2007 at a retreat in upstate New York. One of four children of a New York public-relations man turned California college administrator and a homemaker, Mr. Nimmons describes his family as being “as close to the perfect American family as you could get.” He worked as a freelance writer, an editor at Playboy and a speechwriter for Geraldine Ferraro, and he wrote a book on gay life before becoming special projects director at the Family Center, a private agency helping families in crisis.

Mr. Nimmons lived on the bottom two floors of a brownstone he owned in Park Slope, Brooklyn. He and Mr. Russell each had recently ended a long relationship when they fell in love; they were not ready to cohabitate again full time. Ms. Einhorn said Mr. Russell could stay at her place part time. For Griffin, that would mean a visible male presence, the thing missing from her youth.

So in July 2009, the four of them embarked on a provisional commingling until whatever came next.

On President Street, the men split the grocery and cable bills. Mr. Russell covers the housekeeper ($70), since he’s fussier about unkemptness. Same with the electric bill, because he always leaves lights on. Mr. Nimmons handles the mortgage; Mr. Russell pays him some rent.

On Plaza Street, Mr. Russell gives Ms. Einhorn $100 a week for food and $60 of the $100 for her biweekly housekeeper. He bought an air-conditioner for his room; she paid for the installation. Keeping the refrigerator in balance with Mr. Russell there part time, Ms. Einhorn finds, “is like working an algebraic equation.”

MR. RUSSELL fixed the food: flounder and pizza. Ms. Einhorn wondered who was the edgiest person he could imagine as a Chia Pet. Mr. Russell offered, “Mother Teresa?”

It was family dinner night. Simon and Garfunkel oozed from the stereo. Mr. Nimmons was on his way; Mr. Russell mentioned something about trying not to shut him out of the conversation.

Griffin watched a Thomas the Tank Engine video. Checking it out with half an eye, Mr. Russell said, “I’m thinking of doing a doctoral dissertation on this.” He asked Ms. Einhorn, whose Music Alive! job had recently been eliminated, if she had considered working on the railroad.

They had so much fun together. They called each other Sweetie Cat and did cat riffs; when she learned she was pregnant, Ms. Einhorn texted: “I am with kitten.”

The Plaza Street apartment is elegant, a baby grand piano ruling the living room. Two bedrooms plus the pint-size office where Mr. Russell unfurled a bed on the floor, what he called his “camping existence,” until last April, when Ms. Einhorn bought him a trundle bed.

When Mr. Nimmons and Mr. Russell met, Project Griffin was already under way, which Mr. Nimmons said he saw as “another data point, and not a big one.” He and Ms. Einhorn like each other, but are not close. As for Griffin, Mr. Nimmons said, “I have a certain distant avuncular feeling.”

At dinner that Sunday, Ms. Einhorn veered into a story. Many years ago, her mother was giving a party and a soufflé didn’t rise because of the weather; she called Craig Claiborne, who actually answered, and told her to use cream of tartar.

“She was a pistol,” Ms. Einhorn said. “She sent a telegram to the White House when Ford pardoned Nixon.”

Ms. Einhorn asked Mr. Nimmons what was going on, and he said, “Oh, I’m working like a fiend.”

She told Mr. Russell she had gotten a light for him as well as the bed. “Not only did I make your bed with sheets and lay down the rug,” she added, “but I scrubbed the shower mat.”

He said, “You’re a good person.”

The night faded and Mr. Nimmons left. Ms. Einhorn and Mr. Russell liked to end evenings with a ritual. For a while, they recited “intentions,” lists of aspirations. Then they switched to “gratitudes.”

Ms. Einhorn started: “I had a really nice Saturday. I’m really grateful for both play dates. And I’m grateful that this was my last week of work at a place where I was underappreciated and underutilized. I’m grateful that I have a financial cushion. I’m grateful that Griffin has grown just as he should and is saying other words. ... I’m grateful that despite all the wacko middle-of-the night wake-ups, I haven’t gotten sick.”

Mr. Russell: “I’m grateful for the yummy dinner. I’m grateful that Dave is starting to understand my experiences and validate them rather than just listening and putting a checkmark. I’m grateful that business has gotten better. ... I’m grateful for my new bed and my light. I’m grateful that I don’t have to sit here with allergies.”

IT should be noted that Ms. Einhorn’s mother, Madeline Glick, who is 80 and lives on the Upper East Side, adores her grandson and visits frequently. Ms. Glick and her second husband don’t speak; Ms. Einhorn, though, regularly takes Griffin to visit him.

Though Ms. Glick finds Mr. Russell delightful, she views the whole arrangement as peculiar. “Though I recognize that male companionship is important to Carol, I think he’s a little bit taking advantage of it,” she said. “I think his coming and going at will is sponging off her. If he’s trying to figure out his relationship with Dave, he shouldn’t be using her place to figure it out.”

As for Griffin, Ms. Glick thinks Mr. Russell’s relationship to him should be as a trusted family friend, not as a father. “Maybe it’s narrow of me,” she said. “George is pursuing a gay lifestyle and all, and I kind of want Griffin to have a view of male masculinity greater than George.”

Thanksgiving got messy. Ms. Einhorn planned on dinner with her mother and Griffin; Mr. Nimmons and Mr. Russell had invited friends to President Street. Mr. Nimmons told Ms. Einhorn to drop over with Griffin, but not her mother. Ms. Einhorn was offended but said only that they would pass.

Then, a few days before the holiday, Mr. Nimmons asked Mr. Russell to see if Ms. Einhorn had a roasting pan he could borrow. She was furious — disrespecting her mother, then wanting a pan!

Mr. Nimmons wrote her an e-mail saying he didn’t remember saying he didn’t want her mother to come, and if he had, he hadn’t meant it. Ms. Einhorn did not think that was enough.

They had their separate Thanksgivings, and Mr. Nimmons skipped the next Sunday meal. He had lunch with Ms. Einhorn to smooth things over; she put it behind her, but was still uncomfortable that he had forgotten an important conversation.

Sunday dinners resumed.

YEARS ago, over the Internet, Mr. Russell became a minister of the Universal Life Church: a dozen couples owe married life to him. He adapts weddings to their wishes. Once he was told not to mention “lifetime commitment.” In another, one compulsory vow was never to watch a movie starring Helen Hunt. Last summer, on a lake in the Poconos, the groom came by rowboat, the bride by canoe.

On the way to the Poconos, Mr. Russell was moody and quiet, making Mr. Nimmons feel abandoned.

Mr. Russell has a deep playlist of anxieties. He is uneasy in public places (“I have a nervous system like an air-traffic controller”); begins days feeling dread (“I used to say I crawled up to self-esteem”); and feels the need to audibly criticize movies while in theaters. He is disorganized: he did not use a wallet until he was 45, because he found it hard to arrange.

He loses keys, phones, everything. He’ll neglect to insert coffee in the coffee maker and brew hot water. He left the stove on; forgot to baby-sit for Griffin. He is not shy about seeking help: “I’ve been going to therapy since God was a child. I think I actually counseled Freud.”

Mr. Russell finds Mr. Nimmons too upbeat about everything. Mr. Nimmons finds Mr. Russell too downbeat.

“George is vexed by things I don’t understand,” Mr. Nimmons said. “There was a time last year when I asked him how he was and he said, ‘I’m bleak, I’m despairing.’ I said, ‘Oh, my God, those are heavy words.’ ”

And: “There will be times I’ll say I notice we just spent 20 minutes talking about what happened to you today. I haven’t had a question yet. I had a day, too.”

Mr. Russell on Mr. Nimmons: “He wants to hear about the most interesting thing with me, and I want to vent.”

And: “I greatly admire and deeply love Dave. One of his deficits is his denial.”

IN the kitchen, at 6:30 a.m., Ms. Einhorn told Mr. Russell about her dream: “I was swimming in a pool and I looked up and saw a plane and I said, ‘What is that?’ and the woman said, ‘That’s the fighter jet.’ Not a fighter jet, the fighter jet. And then the fighter jet did a water landing.”

“Hmm,” Mr. Russell said.

“And I didn’t even watch ‘Army Wives.’ ”

Griffin smacked a plant standing on the countertop, and Ms. Einhorn told him not to assault plants.

She was a few weeks into a new job at Midori and Friends, a nonprofit agency that puts music programs in New York schools. She was eager to succeed.

Mr. Russell said, “One thing I’ve observed is that if every time you turn water into wine, it doesn’t go well. They don’t write a book about you or anything. They just keep on drinking.”

He tousled Griffin’s hair and said, “The question is, will the saintly little messiah eat fruit salad?”

“I doubt it,” Ms. Einhorn said.

Uncle George was drawing closer to Griffin. He had taken him to the botanic garden. Put his picture on Facebook, though the caption was cryptic: “He’s my nephew. But biologically he’s my son.”

It bothered Mr. Russell if Griffin was peremptory. He also did not appreciate the “chopped liver effect.” The other evening, he was reading a story when Griffin said, “I want Mommy.” Mr. Russell said, “Oh yeah, chopped liver moment.”

They will not be celebrating Father’s Day. For one thing, Mr. Russell does not think of himself as a father; what’s more, he views all holidays as “premeditated disappointments.” Years ago, he invented the Russell Alternative Holiday, observed on a floating date. He and Mr. Nimmons and some of his sisters marked the most recent R.A.H. by going to see a Revolutionary War re-enactment and parade. Actually, they were late, so they missed the re-enactment.

Ms. Einhorn and Mr. Russell joked about how they couldn’t believe they had not gotten sick of each other by now. Yes, sometimes he found her bossy and caustic. Sure, it annoyed her when he got didactic and made her feel talked down to. Yet they rarely argued.

The nanny arrived, and it was time to go to work. “We have had 1 hour and 20 minutes of playtime, and it’s not enough,” Mr. Russell said. “It’s a little like ‘Letterman’ when you have insomnia.”

“I FEEL I’m more involved with your friends than you are with my friends,” Mr. Nimmons said to Mr. Russell.

They were at the apartment on President Street. They made a point of having unexpurgated discussions about festering issues. Buck the Dog was stamping around.

Mr. Russell: “I never bring up your friends as your friends, but you always bring up my friends as my friends. It’s as if there was this big blackboard, this tit for tat, and it’s way loaded on my side. There’s this weird rhetoric where I feel I owe you something.”

Mr. Nimmons: “No, I just don’t get that much out of them. And they’re not all people I would spend that much time with.”

Mr. Russell: “I think you’re pretty good about refusing time with my friends you don’t like.”

Mr. Nimmons: “Well, this is not an attack.”

Mr. Russell: “It feels like it.”

Mr. Russell mentioned how unsettled he felt: “All my knickknacks and things are in the basement in boxes. I don’t see how there will ever be any place for them. But maybe I’ll never live here full time.”

Mr. Nimmons: “That’s funny, because as I look around I see a lot of things that aren’t mine.”

Mr. Russell: “Like what?”

Mr. Nimmons: “That couch.”

Mr. Russell: “But we never use it.”

Mr. Nimmons: “I look at this bookshelf and I’m not sure where my books are. The TV came with you. The cat lamp came with you. The box that it sits on came with you.”

Then Mr. Nimmons added: “I had two rules of relationships that we violated. One: It’s never a good idea to meld things into someone’s space. Two: You shouldn’t move in together until you’re absolutely sure you can’t not.”

So they talked about the future.

Mr. Russell: “I don’t really know what I want to happen. I’m grateful to spend time here with you, but this house doesn’t really pull me. There’s no space in this house that feels like my space.”

Mr. Nimmons: “To me, it’s less about the space than about how we’re developing as a couple.”

Mr. Russell: “To not even have a space is yucky. I don’t have a place at Carol’s that’s mine except a bed and a plastic box with my clothes in it.”

Then he said: “I like living partly with you and partly with Carol. I liked living by myself. But I actually think it’s healthier living around people. I didn’t expect that.”

Then Mr. Russell said he had to go to Plaza Street, his musical-house existence. He had laundry to fold.

MS. EINHORN unpacked the takeout Thai; she hadn’t the energy to cook. Mr. Russell and Mr. Nimmons were in Italy. Ms. Einhorn, who had not dated since getting pregnant, was missing her roommate.

Something was going on with her and this improvised family. She remembered the hollow feeling when Griffin’s birth certificate came with a blank space for father. She felt better when she included Mr. Russell on her census form.

They were soul mates, that was for sure. She remembered that first time she visited her father’s grave, in the icy rain, and he came along. The name on the tombstone was obscured by an overgrown bush. Mr. Russell knelt down and pruned it, making it right.

“I’ve ended up in an unconventional setup, and it’s a setup that agrees with me,” she said. “Sure I want love, I want intimacy, I want romance, but is this desire to get married a beautiful dress that just doesn’t fit? I look at my married friends and there aren’t many I’m jealous of. Some of them say they’re jealous of me.”

She added: “You know, I got this rustic cabinet for $10 and stored it in the office. When George came here one night, he said, ‘I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I love that cabinet.’ He said, ‘Never leave me.’ ”

Suddenly, one night, they were talking about it.

Ms. Einhorn: “So this was supposed to have been this little stopgap maneuver and now it’s, what, almost two years?”

Mr. Russell: “Yes. It’s really fun living over here.”

Her: “It’s fun having you. I don’t know if either of us has any urgency to change this arrangement.”

Him: “No. It’s outrageous — who would choose this, living in two people’s houses? But it’s only gotten better over time.”

Yes, but.

“You empty the dishwasher, you cook, but I wonder if you should do more things,” Ms. Einhorn said. “Like if a light went out, I don’t know if it would occur to you to change that light. Because you wouldn’t know where the light bulbs are. And that seems unusual.”

Him: “Well, if a light bulb went out, I would replace it. And I do know where the light bulbs are. But your point is well taken.”

Her: “How does what I say feel on your end?”

Him: “I don’t actually know.”

Her: “Do you feel like the helpful guest?”

Him: “Sort of.”

“I don’t have any time,” he added. “So the thought of doing more is very threatening.”

“It’s just conceptual,” she said.

ANOTHER evening slipped into dark on Plaza Street. Refreshed by seltzer, the cohabitants kept alive a conversation about the weirdness of a new opera centered on Anna Nicole Smith, and how there was once a musical about Hiroshima, and how good the movie about Joan Rivers was, and how Ms. Einhorn had never had escargots. Etc.

Mr. Russell had a headache and rattled out a couple of ibuprofen. He told Ms. Einhorn how smart it was that they had bought the big bottle.

Curled up in a crib in the other room was a small child who one day will find out that Uncle George is not exactly his uncle. “I’m fearful that he will be angry or demanding, either one of which would be hard for me,” Mr. Russell had said. “I’m worried he might say, ‘Well, why didn’t you decide to be my father, being that I don’t have a father?’ ”

They plopped down in the living room and played a poetry game. Each wrote a line and the other had to invent the next one, rhyming off the last word. They sniggered at the results, the nonsense of it all.

Then they prayed that Griffin would not awaken at the zombie hour of 4:45 as he had been. Mr. Russell hoped for 7:10. Ms. Einhorn, 7:12.

That bit of futility dispensed with, they turned to their bedtime ritual. Not the gratitude list. This time, they would sing. They chose “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya,” a Tibetan chant.

“Om namo,” they began. Their voices intersected and became one. Outside came the sough of wind. They kept going. They sang. Yes, they sang.''

This reminds me of how messed up the so-called ''churches'' are today. Look at the way ''church'' is being conducted, and compare it to the book of Acts, and you can see it's not the same! But, in the midst of it all, Yahweh God is making ready His bride! Amen.

Right now Yahweh God, in the midst of all the madness and the folly which is calling itself His ''church'', is pouring out of His Holy Spirit on His people and is calling us back to the walk of holiness which He desires of us before the harpazo! Amen.

Now is the time to make ready, for, He is coming! He is coming for His holy people indeed! HalleluYah. Amen.

The mouth of Yahweh has spoken it! This is THUS SAITH YAHWEH, to you, O stubborn and rebellious house! Amen.

2011-06-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

Episode #061511 Guest: Eddie Chumney

http://www.glc.us.com/site/watch.php?program=23&video=156

Thank you, Jeff Morton, for posting this video today...

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/hosanna/cev/Psa.81

When I got back into my room today after eating breakfast, and held my copy of the CEV Bible, it fell open to page 606 (Psalm 81); and, the first words which caught my eyes were these...

11 "But, My people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with Me!

12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me on this passage...

Then He led me to read verses 8 to 16. They say...

8 "Listen, My people,
while I, Yahweh,
correct you!

Israel, if you would only
pay attention to Me!

9 Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
you know nothing about.

When you put the quartet about Yahweh God, when you are listening to and obeying the leaders of the world about Him, you O Israel are doing just that! You are worshiping, you're bowing down to, foreign gods! Open your eyes!

10 I am Yahweh your God.
I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
whatever you need.

What is He saying? I am your Father, O Israel, and you have to ask Me for shalowm (peace) to have it! These other gods you serve, who are sinful men, can't do it! Only I Yah, Your Elohiym, can do that! Open your eyes!

11 "But, My people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with Me!

12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.

13 "My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
and do as I say!

14 I, Yahweh, would quickly
defeat your enemies
with My mighty power.

O Israel, Yahweh has said to me to tell you, today: If only you would listen and obey Me; if you would obey My Torah, if you would do what I am telling you to do to this day, then you would not have to go through the tribulation: but you've refused to do so and, thus, I am giving you over to it! To a peace which is no peace, and suffering with the heathen as My wrath is being poured out upon all the world, because of your failure to listen to Me and obey My will for you!

15 Everyone who hates Me
would come crawling,
and that would be the end
of them.

16 But I would feed you
with the finest bread
and with the best honey [c]
until you were full."

All the nations who are around you, who are rattling their swords in your ears, they would have been cut off; and, you would have been established in His shalowm without having to go through any tribulation at all! But you would not; so, it is your portion from Yahweh whom you refuse to hear and obey! If only you would have listened to His voice, His voice of truth, for He spoke to you through His prophet saying...

Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken (hear) than the fat of rams. - 1 Samuel 15:22

And again, in another place, He has said to you...

Woe unto you hypocrites who pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and omit the weightier matters of the Torah, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

You give to Him sacrifices, offerings, and many good things; but, you don't listen to Him, you don't obey Him, and that's better to Him than the others! Hearing what His will is, then doing it in His sight, is what He wanted from you most of all O Israel; but, since you refuse to do that you will suffer for that seven with the heathen who are raging against Him!

The mouth of Yahweh has spoken it! This is THUS SAITH YAHWEH, to you, O stubborn and rebellious house! Amen.

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/Matt.23

The lion has roared, who will not fear? Adonai Yahweh has spoken, who can but prophesy? - Amos 3:8

http://www.glc.us.com/site/watch.php?program=23&video=156

The sin of Korah, and his company, is being repeated right now by many in ''the church'' ... to their own hurt and shame!

2011-06-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is among them: wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of Yahweh?

And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even tomorrow Yahweh will reveal who are His, and who is holy; and will cause Him to come near unto Him: even Him whom He has chosen will He cause to come near unto Him. - Numbers 16:1-5

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/Num.16

Let me repeat a statement I made, by the Holy Spirit a few days ago, so that anyone who is reading this will understand why a whole lot of people who think their holy (who think they're going to be caught up unto Messiah in the rapture) won't be part of that harpazo of the church at all.

1. The bride of Christ is only a small part of His body. She's the part that is holy, she's the part that's taken unto Him to escape His wrath, she's the part that fully His. Just as only a part of the body of Adam, was taken out of Adam and was sanctified (holy), so it is with the bride; she's the part which is holy by the powerful moving of His Holy Spirit that she's walking in/by!

Then came to Yahshua (Jesus) scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For Yahweh God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, he that is cursing father or mother, let him die the death. But you say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever you might have been able to be profited by me; And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. - Matthew 15:1-6

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/Matt.15

2. The bride of Christ is holy. She's without spot, wrinkle, or blemish (or any such thing); you can't say the same thing of the rest of His body, because, frankly it's just not true! You add to His word, customs and traditions and doctrines which are of you, and you say that you're holy? You're made to be unholy by them; you can't add to His word, things which are of secular and pagan roots, and be holy! That doesn't work!

You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people is drawing near unto Me with their mouth, and is honoring Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. - Matthew 15:7-9

3. Only the bride of Christ is a partaker of the rapture (the harpazo), at it's appointed time, not the entire body. Many of you, who have polluted yourselves with customs and traditions and doctrines/commandments of men, won't be part of the harpazo; you think you're going to be, so you keep saying you are, but you're not; because, you are not holy unto Him! Why? You have changed His Sabbaths/feasts, you have added secular/pagan rites and rituals to what you are supposedly doing for Him (in His name) that He hates, and by doing that you've made yourself to be unholy! You're not walking according to His good, acceptable, perfect will!

And when His disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Yahshua (Jesus) said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Yahshua (Jesus) perceived, He said unto them, O you of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. - Matthew 16:5-12

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/Matt.16

Note: That's also the problem with a majority of people who are living, in Israel, right now; by what they're allowing, in their worship, they're making themselves to be unholy! Thus they, and most of those who say their a part of the church, will get to stay here for the seven years of tribulation (the wrath of God) which is about to come upon all the earth! So if you really want to be a partaker of the harpazo, then my suggestion would be to rid yourself of all that's contrary to the word which you are clinging to, because if you don't you won't be! And if you have no intention of doing that, then I would encourage you to pray about where to move, because the destruction of America (I fully believe) will happen at the start (and not at the end) of that seven years of wrath (tribulation).

America is going to be set on fire, by Yahweh, so either you prepare to be a part of the harpazo or you prepare to move; it's your choice! Amen.

Lets look and see what the definition of ''IS'' really is; i.e., adding to the word of God means just what it sounds like it means!

2011-06-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Hebrew Yeshua vs. the Greek Jesus by Nehemia Gordon
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2662031810327980639

If you want to know what the words of God mean, then, you should ask Yahweh God; for He's the author of them and He knows what He meant, by what He said, when/as He said it.

Adding to the word of God isn't hard to understand; it's just like it sounds, when you read it, it's adding customs, dogma (doctrines), and traditions to your worship. And, like those Pharisees, it's putting those doctrines, customs, traditions of men above the Bible (word of God). So why's that very bad?

1(A) Then Pharisees and(B) scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2(C) "Why do your disciples break(D) the tradition of the elders?(E) For they do not wash their hands when they eat." 3He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded,(F) 'Honor your father and your mother,' and,(G) 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"[a] 6he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have(H) made void the word[b] of God. 7(I) You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8(J) "'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9in vain do they worship me,
teaching as(K) doctrines the commandments of men.'" - Matthew 15:1-9 (ESV) Also see Mark 7.

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Matt.15
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Mark.7

Footnotes:
a. Matthew 15:5 Or is an offering
b. Matthew 15:6 Some manuscripts law
c. Matthew 15:14 Some manuscripts add of the blind
d. Matthew 15:17 Greek is expelled into the latrine
e. Matthew 15:28 Greek from that hour

Cross references:
A. Matthew 15:1 : For Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23
B. Matthew 15:1 : Mark 3:22
C. Matthew 15:2 : Matthew 9:11
D. Matthew 15:2 : Galatians 1:14; Colossians 2:8
E. Matthew 15:2 : Luke 11:38
F. Matthew 15:4 : Exodus 20:12
G. Matthew 15:4 : Exodus 21:17
H. Matthew 15:6 : Galatians 3:17 (Gk); Romans 2:23
I. Matthew 15:7 : Matthew 23:13
J. Matthew 15:8 : Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31
K. Matthew 15:9 : Colossians 2:22; Titus 1:14

So for the sake of your traditions, customs, and doctrines you have made null and void the word of God; and, if you are doing that (which most people are), you are not without spot, wrinkle, blemish, or any such thing (Ephesians 5:27). Baptism by sprinkling and pouring instead of full immersion, baptism in the titles and not the name of Yahshua Messiah, and all kinds of feasts (which you call holy days) that have their roots in paganism; if you do that, you're not a part of the bride, and you won't be a part of the harpazo (rapture).

Now, let's examine a verse that has been mistranslated, so we can understand the truth, because it's important that we understand it; the verse is Matthew 23:3, and, it says...

Then spake Yahshua (Jesus) to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever HE (Moses) bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not do. - Matthew 23:1-3

The word THEY, which was in the Greek translation, is an error in the translation - it's not written that way in the Hebrew; it says HE and not THEY. See? The Pharisees read the Torah to you, as they are supposed to, but then go on to bid you to keep all these customs, traditions, and doctrines that they have added that are of men and that cause you to violate the word that Yahweh has spoken! You can't do that, and not suffer for it, and most of what calls itself Messyanic Judaism, Rabbinical Judaism, and Christianity does exactly that on a daily basis!

P.S., When I spelled the word Messyanic, not Messianic, it wasn't a typo; I meant messy-anic Judaism!

[Note: I still fellowship with many in the Messy-anic (and Hebrew roots) communities; but, I have grown quite tired of the legalisms and debating within the movement itself. All of the straining at gnats, and swallowing of camels, it does nothing to help those who are looking for light in the midst of a very dark age; that will upset some of you, and it's a good thing that it does, because it upsets Yahweh too!]

Well, as I said before, I consider myself (as Paul) to be one of them who were called ''the sect of the Nazarenes'' (Acts 24:5). P.S., The word ''Christian'' isn't mentioned until Acts 11:26; so, that means, the disciples were called something else before that. I believe it was the sect of the Nazarenes; because, I now see the followers of Yahshua being looked on, by the Jews around them, as merely another sect of the Judaism of that day. However, I would also like to say...

I have, from the time I started attending church many years ago, always considered myself a disciple of Yahshua (Jesus) Messiah (Christ); and, I still consider myself to be that this day. However over the years, as Yahweh has revealed more and more things to me, from His word, some of the things I believed about the biblical texts have changed; and, I think that's a good thing. And one of the things which has changed is how I look at the harpazo of the bride of Messiah (Christ) that's coming soon; most people who think they are holy (a part of the bride that's without a spot, wrinkle, blemish, or any such thing) are not; and, thus, most of them won't be a part of the harpazo. They will know when they are still here, and the tribulation begins, that they have missed it; either that, or they will move to a mid-trib or post-trib doctrine, or they will fall away from Christ because they weren't ready.

But as for me, if I don't go in the harpazo, I won't be upset; I will know why, and I will accept that, and I'll continue tell all men that He (Yahshua) is coming at the end of the seven of Daniel to put down the NWO and rule over all the earth for His day (1,000 years). But let me ask you this, and all the others who read this comment: If you're still here, after the harpazo, will you be offended or will you press on in the truth of Christ no matter what? Because, from all I see from the word of Yahweh, there will be many who won't do the latter (thus the greatest falling away is still future; it's still yet to come).

For many, in those days, will blame God for their still being here and having to suffer the horrors of those days; but, it's not His fault, it's our own fault alone, for we are stiffnecked and hard headed and do always want to add things to what He has said which are contrary to His word! And that isn't conducive to a walk of holiness unto Yahweh! It's iniquity, is what it is, but it's most certainly not holiness.

Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, All saints day, All souls day, Lent, and such like things; we do always add to those things which He has spoken, in His word, and there has got to be a punishment for those who continue to do that and do not repent. Our customs, traditions, and doctrines which are of us, and violate His word, cause us to be unholy; no man will partake of the harpazo, the rapture, without holiness.

P.S., If I didn't believe that Yahshua was the Messiah, then, I would join myself to the Karaite sect; because, I believe there is only ONE God and ONE Torah (not two, just one of each). And, because they seem to be open minded, these Karaites, I have no problem discussing the Tanakh (Kara) with them. But I would not join myself to the Pharisees, or discuss the Torah with them, because they do always add to His word unto their own shame! Amen.

Now faith (i.e. true biblical faith) is the hupostasis (i.e. the FOUNDATION)...

2011-06-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1

So, if faith's a substance, why can't we see it you say? Well, maybe we should look at the Greek word that's translated as the word substance; it just might be important for us to see (understand) what it means.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/hupostasis.html

Now faith is the hupostasis (i.e. the substance)...

What is it? The Greek word hupostasis means...

1. a setting or placing under
2. thing put under, substructure, foundation
3. that which has foundation, is firm
4. that which has actual existence
5. a substance, real being
6. the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing
7. the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution
8. confidence, firm trust, assurance

Faith is the foundation; faith is the solid rock foundation upon which all else MUST BE built. That's why without faith it's impossible to please God, for without the very solid rock foundation which is faith we build on self (sinking sand), for without faith we build on the sand and everything that we do will be destroyed when it's tested; and, Yahweh God doesn't want that for any of us! He doesn't want us to build in vain, and be destroyed, because we did build upon the only solid rock foundation of faith (true biblical faith).

Hope which anchors us to Messiah, our propitiation, inside of the veil; and, His love, which He empowers us to be able to manifest to those around us: both of those must be built on the solid rock foundation of faith, true faith, to withstand and stand in the day of the trial of fire (the days of trouble that are standing before us right now). Without it you won't (you won't withstand, or stand, without true biblical faith)!

Thus true hope, and true love, can only be built upon true biblical faith!

The meanings of I AM and I AM THAT I AM

P.S., Tell them I AM sent you? And I AM THAT I AM? If you want to understand it, look in the Hebrew, for the language of Yahweh is Hebrew! This verse says far more than what you think it does! For it says...

http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/exodus/3-14.html

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus will you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you. - Exodus 3:14

http://biblos.com/exodus/3-14.htm

I AM (Aleph-Hay-Yod-Hay); I didn't see the Aleph in there until today! ''Leader Behold Hand(s) Behold'' is what I AM is; and, ''Leader Behold Hand(s) Behold'' (Aleph-Shin-Resh) ''First Devours [consumes] the head [a person]'' ''Leader Behold Hand(s) Behold'' is what I AM THAT I AM is.

So lets read it a little differently. For it means...

''God said unto Moses...

Look at Yahshua, look at His hands! By those scars, in His hands, is devoured the works and effects of Satan which in your life had held you back from true life! Look at Yahweh Hoshua (Yahweh your Saviour), look at His hands!

And He said, Thus will you say unto the children of Israel...

Look at Yahhoshua (Jesus), look at His hands!

...has sent me unto you!'' - Exodus 3:14

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5

And one shall say unto Him, What are these wounds in your hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. - Zechariah 13:6

When Yahhoshua (Yahshua, Jesus) therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished (i.e. PAID IN FULL): and He bowed His head, and gave up the Ghost (the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit). - John 19:30

For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My personal covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes for this cause: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. - Romans 11:25-29

I used to not like that term ''Holy Ghost'', for a long time I refused to use it to describe the ''Holy Spirit'', I thought it was wrong because a ghost is a disembodied spirit of one that is dead: I couldn't see how that could be a good word to use to describe what the Spirit is. I didn't realize that it's the perfect word, however, to describe what the Spirit of Christ was; for those days and nights, that His body was in the grave, He was the Holy Ghost when He went to preach to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:18-22).

Even when He was a Ghost, He was still Holy, for He never stopped being Holy! Once I saw that my mind was changed, and I accepted the truth, and my life was never the same; and when they (Israel) really see those scars, and finds out that Yahshua is Yahweh, theirs won't be either!

I can't show them that, all I can do is tell them that and show forth the Holy Ghost, only He can make that real to them; and one of my greatest desires to Him is, and my biggest thanks to Him is, that He will at the appointed time! Not at the rapture, when He has taken His bride, but at the end of the tribulation after all of the gentiles who are His have been saved, for that's when the fullest of the Gentiles will have come into Him! He won't show them therefore, as He has to the Gentiles, until then! Amen.