The Reason not to be of The Season

Many years ago I became interested in learning about our family traditions, from whence they originated and why we celebrate these assorted holidays.  One major holiday is Christmas and that is where I began. The results I share in this study are from Scriptures and information gleaned from other research on this same topic by many others. Don't take my word for it always study it out for yourselves.

"Christ" is not the reason for the season.

Jesus Christ is not his name.  He had Hebrew parents who gave him a Hebrew name: Yah-shua (Y'shua).  He was born about 6 months after his cousin, John. This is an historically correct fact.

In the story leading up to Y'shua's inception, his mother-to-be, Mary, came to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with John. It is through this account, found in Luke, chapter 1, that we are able to more closely fix the date of the birth of Messiah.

Luke indicates that Elizabeth’s husband was Zechariah and a priest of the course of Abia. While on duty, as a priest, he was visited by an angel and informed his wife was to have a son to be named John. After his obligations to the ministry ended, he departed to his house. He and Elizabeth conceived a child.

During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, the angel Gabriel visited Mary and informed her she was going to have a son. Mary goes to visit her cousin, and stayed with her about three months.

In order to fix the time of conception, one must look to the time of Zachariah's ministry. At that time, the priests were divided into 24 classes and it is known that each class officiated at the Temple in turn for a week. If it is known when the course of Abia was when Zachariah  officiated, one can trace the times of the succession of courses backward or forward. I trust the research of those who traced this time line and were able to calculate the beginning of Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy began in the fourth week of December, when Mary came to visit.

Using Zachariah’s ministry, Elizabeth’s pregnancy term and Mary’s visit at the start of her sixth month, this shows the conception of Y'shua in the first part of the last week of December and His birth occurring on or around September 29, 2 BC - not December 25.

🚧__🚧__🚧 

 

There is a common defense put forth by folks who celebrate x-mas when it has been pointed out that Y'shua was not born on Dec. 25th... they say 'any time is a good time to honor christ...' Our Father in Heaven clearly points out not to have any thing to do with idols or heathen traditions like cutting down a tree and putting it up in your home, decorating it and bowing down before it (the act of placing gifts beneath the tree).  These things do not honor our Creator.  We must not celebrate christmas. It has nothing to do with Yahweh the Father, Yahshua the Son but falls under the heading of Abominations.

IF you really want to honor Yahweh, then do as He says, not what man says. Give up man made traditions and Y'shua will fill those spaces with His Set Apart Spirit.

Yahweh is not slow in keeping his promise,
as some understand slowness.
He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
 but everyone to come to repentance. [2 Peter 3:9]

Here are assorted links that delve into the origins of other man made traditions as well as days our Father set as holy. I pray you find time to check them out, do a little searching on your own and you will find the truth really will set you free. You'll be free of worries, anxiety, insecurity, and loneliness just to name a few!

I try to maintain link lists, but if you come across one that no longer works, I'd appreciate it if you would let me know so that I may remove it.

Easter

Palm Sunday

Passover 

Exodus

1599 Geneva Bible (the one before King James)

Holidays

One Stop Scripture Spot

Genesis

Faith> Grace> Works

A study I've been working on compelled me to look up the definition of 'Grace' in the Webster dictionary:

Pleasing quality; favor; thanks; A sense of what is right and proper; the unmerited love and favor of The Creator towards mankind; divine influence acting in a person to make the person pure (righteous/clean/set apart); morally strong; a special virtue, gift or help given to a person by Elohim.

Grace is a gift from Elohim that does not replace Torah. Torah is the set of instructions to show us what is right and proper. Grace shows His favor towards us, in that through His Set Apart Spirit He helps us to understand His commands and how to apply them to our lives that we may be righteous, morally strong.   YHWH, by His Grace, gave us the gift of His Laws and free will to choose Life eternal by obeying, keeping, observing and living by them.

There is a point of contention among 'believers' in regards to being 'saved'. There is the 'once saved always saved' mindset along with being 'saved by grace' and the 'saved by faith' and the 'saved by works' facets of this one topic.  

Acts 2:38 tells us in order to be saved (from the curse of eternal death) that we are to repent (return to Yah, turn from our sinful ways) and be immersed (mikveh/baptised/ritually cleansed) so that we may receive the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit). 

If we do turn away from our sinful ways and return to the Creator and His Teachings and be immersed symbolizing our intentions, then we are ready to receive the gift of His Set Apart Spirit.  If we make the first move then Yah will follow up, giving us His unmerited love and favor.  It is a process, not an end-all.  We never stop learning until the day He restores all things!

2 Thessalonians 2:16

And may our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach himself, and Elohim our Father who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and a good hope through His grace, comfort your hearts and establish yourselves in every good word and in every good work.

In the letter to the Romans, Paul refers to himself as a servant of Y'shua, who was called, sent and separated to the Good News of Elohim and acknowledges it is from Him whom we have received grace and a mission... to the end that all may obey the faith among whom are called by Y'shua.

Grace doesn't just happen - it is a result of our Faith.  Faith is our belief, our trust in YHWH Elohim.  In trusting Him we choose to obey His Instructions. The result is Righteousness - we become morally justified and freed from sin.

Hebrews 11

Now faith is the persuasion of the things that are in hope as if they were an actual fact, and it is the manifesting of the things not seen. For by faith we understand that the worlds were shaped by the Word of Elohim and that things seen originated from those that are not seen.

By faith, Abel offered to Elohim a better sacrifice ... and on account of it he is testified of being righteous... By faith, Enoch was translated and did not taste death ... there was testimony of him that he pleased Elohim.

Without faith, man cannot please Elohim.

He who draws near to Elohim must believe His existence

and that He will recompense those who seek Him.

By faith, Noah when he was told of the things not seen, obeyed Yahweh and made an ark... and became righteous which is by faith.  By faith, Abraham, when called, obeyed... departed to the place of his inheritance while he had no idea where he was going. By faith he became a resident in the land that was promised... All these died in faith and did not receive their promise but they saw it from a distance and rejoiced in it, and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

1 Peter 1:6-9 ... when you are under some pressure by the various trials that pass over you (it is) so that the proof of your faith may appear more precious than refined gold that is tested by fire, to glory and honor and praise at the manifestation of Y'shua: whom having not seen, you love; and in the faith of whom you rejoice with the joy that is glorious and beyond expression, that you many receive the reward of your faith, the life of your souls...

Faith and Grace are part of a harmonious connection between us and YHWH.

Paul's desire is to give the gift of the Spirit through which we become established and find comfort together in faith. The Good News reveals the righteousness of Elohim, from faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous by faith will live.'

We find in the writings of James chapter 2:

What is the use if a man says 'I have faith' yet he has no works? Can his faith restore life?" James continues to give the example of a fellow believer who is cold and hungry and another says to him, 'go in peace...warm yourself and be full', then he does not give him the necessities (clothing and food), what is the use? Consoling a person without providing the need is faith without works... whereas providing the need, whether food, clothing or shelter, is 'works' which reveals faith.

James 2:17 reads: 

"So also faith alone, without works, is dead. For a man may say you have faith and I have works; show me your faith that is without works and I will show you my faith by my works."

James 2:24 

You see that by works a man is justified and not by faith alone.

Galatians 3:23 

"But before faith came, Torah was guarding us while we were confined from the faith about to be revealed." 

Andrew Gabriel Roth offers insight: 

In this regard "Torah" can be compared with any righteous values a soul voluntarily imposes upon himself. However, as a spiritual relationship is established with YHWH and Y'shua, a soul is elevated to much higher levels of spiritual awareness and accountability.

Galatians 3:12 

Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it. (Leviticus 18:5: You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which if a man does, he shall live in them...) 

John 20:29 

Y'shua said to him, "Now that you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who do not see me and believe."

If you continue to study Scripture then Knowledge and Understanding will increase, baggage falls away, the narrow gate opens and the straight path is revealed. Halleluyah! and praise Elohim for His steadfast love that all would have the opportunity and choose to turn from sin and return to Him - the One who created us!  This is the path we journey along towards our real home. We come across many stepping stones as well as stumbling blocks, but our Faith keeps us steady.

By our Faith we receive His Grace as we live by His Instructions.  It is just natural to follow up caring for fellow believers and by doing these good works we are morally justified, accounted as righteous.

Nothing Has Changed

Right off the bat we are told it is Satan 
who causes us to doubt the Word of Yah. 

This doubt causes division among His People. 

If we aren't of one mind how can we be a Light unto others?

If we won't accept the written word as truth, 

if we doubt that Yahweh says what He means 
and does what He says, 

then we fall into that same trap Satan 
set in the Garden of long ago.

Nothing has changed. 

The rules are the same and the consequences are the same.

It is up to us to seek Him as if looking for treasure. 
By seeking YHWH we follow the trail 
and avoid those stumbling blocks
of bad translations, doctrines of man 
and those wolves in sheep's clothing.

Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, 
is our road map out of the world system
that we may find our way back home 
returning to our Creator.

We know God speaks to His People as it is written in Scriptures. We also know even those who witnessed His Works first hand eventually fell away from following His Teachings.

In the beginning Yahweh established Himself as the Creator of: Light; Sky; Earth; Lights in the Sky; Sea Creatures; Birds that Fly; Animals, insects and man. Then He blesses the 7th day and rests. Many years later He tells us to remember the 7th day, to rest and do no work on that day (commandment #4 of the 10.) We obey this instruction as a 'sign' that we have chosen to be Set Apart because our Creator is Set Apart.

YHWH has told us the end from the beginning so we will recognize that when these events occur, it was He, the Living Elohim, who told us beforehand. We can trust that Yah is the One True God. 

YHWH Elohim provides the instructions needed that all will be well for us. His Instructions are recorded in Genesis through Deuteronomy.  If we read Scriptures every day His Spirit will begin to reveal the Truth of His Word and we shall gain understanding. This is the path of righteousness we choose to travel.

God placed man in the Garden to tend it. He put us in His Creation to take care of things until the Time of the End (of life as we know it.)   The Adversary, Satan, has been corrupting the system ever since he caused Eve to doubt the Word of God by asking: Did God really say...? Doubt causes division and Satan uses that same tactic against us in this day and age.

If we continue to read and study Scriptures our understanding will increase and give way to wisdom that we may discern the times we are in and not fall victim to Satan's deceits. Satan has a counterfeit for everything God put in place.

We can say anything, profess to be believers, but it is the intentions of our heart that will be eventually revealed. YHWH's People are recognized as Set Apart because not only do they 'talk the talk' by they 'walk the walk'.

Our lifestyle becomes Set Apart by our choice to obey YHWH and live according to His rules. This is what it means to be a Light unto the Nations (other peoples).

If we love Elohim the Creator whose name is YHWH, then we obey His Instructions. He, in turn, keeps His promise made to Abraham so many years ago: Yah will gather us from the corners of the earth, from the places we have been scattered and set us on the Promised Land of Canaan.

We trust our Heavenly Father that we will find ourselves back in that Garden.

ONE is not a Lonely Number

Quotes from the AENT and Andrew G. Roth 

and composed by yours truly.

-_-_-

In the beginning was the Miltha, the instance of the manifestation of the Word in its substance: Yahweh.

In Him was Life and the life was the Light of men: Yahshua.

The Light was of Truth that shines on all who come into the world, but not all receive him or believe in his name.

The Word is the Manifestation of the Ruach haKodesh (Spirit of Elohim) within Y'shua.

This Light of Truth is the substance of Yahweh which He caused to become flesh, born of a pure woman.  Yahweh is full of Grace and Truth and His Glory is seen in His Son. Torah (Instructions given to us from Yahweh) is the Word of Yahweh but Grace and Truth revealed in Y'shua are the impelling forces that uphold all righteousness and keep the Word of Elohim positioned in our hearts;  these are complimentary, not opposite, nor does one replace the other.   It is according to the Grace of the Father that Messiah is revealed in a person's heart.

Yahweh keeps us by His Name (YAH) which He gave to His Son (YAHshua) that we may be One as they are One.  

When we call upon YHWH in Y'shua's name we are calling on YHWH for Salvation.  Y'shua pleads for us because YHWH gave us to him, those who have kept the Word of Elohim.

As followers of Y'shua we are to walk according to his righteousness, observe the Father's Instructions and walk in the anointing of the Ruach haKodesh as Mashiyach demonstrated for us.

Father, sanctify us by your Truth, for Your Word is Truth.

John 16:27 ...the Father loves you because you have loved me and you have believed that I have proceeded from the presence of the Father... and have come into the world and will return to the Father.  :31 ... Believe. For behold the hour is coming... :33 I have spoken these things to you that (you may find peace in me).  In the world will be affliction but take courage, I have conquered the world.

John 17: Y'shua says, " My Father the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son might glorify You." 

Elohim has given all authority to Y'shua by which we gain life that is eternal.  Verse 3 tells us that Life that is Eternal is that we come to know YHWH the Elohim of Truth and know that He alone set Y'shua  who has glorified YWHW on earth.  The Work Yah gave His Son to do is finished.  Through Y'shua Messiah we come to know YHWH Elohim and if we choose to follow Y'shua, love the Father and obey His Commandments, we gain Life Eternal.

Yahweh created all things.  Part of His plan of salvation was to send Y'shua to do His Work.  The Father is telling His Son, "I am going to give you My People who are lost - they have forgotten Me and the promise I made to Abraham.  I give you these people, and I want you to show them who I am, teach them My Ways and remind them where they came from and where they are  going .  Reveal the Truth by shinning Light in to the darkness."

I am inspired to write my short summary from these related writings found in:

Numbers 1:1- 4:20; Hosea 2:1-11 and Revelation 7:1-17.

We, in order to function as one people, are designated, each to our abilities, duties ascribed by our Creator, that we may live as Set Apart people (to Him) and be an example to the nations/world; a light showing the Way as we follow His Son.  When we function in an orderly way we move according to His Will.  His shalom/peace is apparent through our harmonious behavior.

YHWH is at the center of our lives just as the Tabernacle, His Tent of Meeting, was at the center of the camp during the 40 years the Hebrews spent traveling the wilderness. Everyone knew their place and their responsibilities. They trusted YHWH, His instructions given through Moses, and obeyed out of reverence and love.

In this day many still want their ears tickled instead of hearing the harsh truth and many have gone a-whoring after false gods, idols and follow the doctrines of men. YHWH our Elohim will end all our rejoicing, our festivals, new moons and sabbaths, all our festive seasons because of it.

We must become as little children, void of worldly pollution, mind altering ways, and man made distractions, if we desire to see His Way, know His path, trust His Word and choose to follow His Son.

YHWH will coax us back, guide us through this wilderness and eventually restore all things. We will be, once again, His People, lovingly accepted. It's His promise but our choice.

Who is Israel?

When the truth was revealed that 'biblical' Israel refers to 'the people', the original Twelve Tribes and the descendants thereof AND includes those outsiders who chose to accept the God of the Hebrews, I knew I needed a deeper study of Scriptures in an attempt to find where the idea came from that the 'Jews are God's Chosen People' as well as why folks think prophecy was fulfilled when Israel became a state in 1948.

Let me be clear about my intentions with this study: 

I am not disrespecting the Jews nor the trials they have been through, especially during the reign of Hitler.  Those were heart breaking times (to put it lightly) and an extreme example to all of us as to just how evil the heart of man can be.  I am not prejudice against anyone who claims to be Jewish. Rather, I have become aware of a clash of ideas from various people in regards to the State of Israel and its inhabitants.  There are those who promote the 'Stand with Israel' and 'United with Israel' agendas which seem sincere and may have originated in their hearts, but are inspired by the lack of understanding Scriptures and spurred on by their own 'feel good' egos. Don't get me wrong! I would love the visit Israel and walk where our Messiah walked. But I know my time will come, as will everyone's, those who obey YHWH Elohim and have the testimony of His Son, as we continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  

Many have been led astray by false teachers, wolves in sheep clothing.  I pray this study will help clarify who Israel is according to our Creator.

***Note: I respectfully use the Name of God in the Hebrew language, which is - YHWH - (pronounce Yah-weh); Elohim is the Hebrew word for God; Y'shua (pronounced Yah-shua) is the name of His Son; Ruach haKodesh is the original Hebrew word poorly translated as 'holy ghost/spirit'...***

The Study 

Would you be surprised to learn that the Jews are not God's chosen people and that the modern day state of Israel is not prophecy fulfilled, as many claim?  Fact is, back in the days after the Hebrews fell into slavery in Egypt, a 'mixed multitude' became united as One People by their Faith and Trust in the One True Living God, aka: The Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Elohim had changed Jacob's name to Israel).  This multitude became The House of Israel = YHWH's Set Apart people.  These people are the 'elect' of YHWH, those who obey His commandments, laws and teachings (which are written in the first 5 books of the old testament, known as Torah). These are the same people His Son, Y'shua, refers to as his sheep.

People wrongly assume that the modern day State of Israel is the same Israel written of in Scriptures and that today's population of Jews are Elohim's chosen people.  The current and changing borders of Israel do not represent the Promised Land as described by Elohim to Abraham, and, there are 11 other tribes that make up the whole House of Israel along with Judah.  Also, anyone of any background or nationality or false belief system who leave their pagan ways behind and come to YHWH Elohim, to keep His commandments, laws, rules and Teaching and have the testimony of His Son, Y'shua the Anointed One, they become adopted, grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel.  Y'shua refers to these folks who choose YHWH as their Elohim as the 'other sheep' that he has come to gather.

The Family Tree

In Genesis 12 YHWH tells Abram the Hebrew from Chaldea that He will make a great nation from him, from his offspring.  He tells him his name will be great, that he shall be a standard by which blessing is invoked.  YHWH later promises Abram that the land of Canaan will be given to his offspring.

Genesis 13:14 YHWH shows Abram the land and has him walk about the land.

Genesis 15:18 YHWH makes a covenant with Abram and once again denotes the area of land promised to his descendants, which is from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates including the territories therein.

Genesis 17:2 The promise is remembered and established forever - All the land of Canaan an everlasting holding and He shall be their Elohim.  With this YHWH changes Abram's name to Abraham because he will be a father of nations.

=> Fast forward a bit to Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

In Genesis 28:13 YHWH lets Jacob know that He is the Elohim of his father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac and proceed to tell Jacob about the land deal and his own descendants and the blessing, the everlasting covenant.

Genesis 29 through 35 is the account of Jacob's life.

Genesis 32:29 is when Jacob's name is changed to Israel.

Genesis 35:23 lists the sons of Israel and they are 12 in number.

Short Story of the 12 Tribes

In Genesis 41:12 we read about Jacob's (Israel's) sons who each became heads of their clans: The Twelve Tribes of Israel.  Each tribe was named after each son, carrying on the Hebrew lineage: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher = The House of Israel.  These are the offspring YHWH told Abraham the Hebrew about so long ago that would eventually be as numerous as the stars, if stars could be counted.  These are the ones to whom the land of Canaan is promised.

 

Lets pick this up again at the life and times of Joseph, Jacob's favorite son.  His brothers sold him to a caravan of Ishmalites who sold him as a Hebrew slave in Egypt to Pharaoh's chief steward.  Joseph is later falsely accused of molesting Potiphar's wife, spent time in jail, was later recognized as an  interpreter of dreams, won favor with Pharaoh (who recognized the God of Joseph was with him) and eventually Joseph was put in charge of almost everything in Egypt - he was 2nd in command to Pharaoh. 

(Genesis 39 through 41)

Due to a famine in the land and the position of authority given to Joseph, he was able to send for his family: his father Israel, his brothers and all their households came to live in Egypt in the region of Goshen.  Thus in Genesis 46 we are told that Israel and all that was his, all his offspring, came to Egypt.  They were know as Hebrews.  After the original families eventually die and are forgotten, and a new generation arises, a new Pharaoh also takes his position.  He doesn't know or remember anything about Joseph or know his God or how the Hebrews came to be in his territory. But he does know he wants to get rid of them. He puts task masters over them which in turn becomes plain old slavery.  He tries to prevent male babies from surviving.

=> Fast forward  now to the time of the exodus, when the Hebrews along with that mixed multitude were led out of slavery, out of bondage in Egypt.  The mixed multitude consisted of folks other than Hebrews who had come to YHWH Elohim and attached themselves to the Israelites - they 'crossed over' and were adopted into the House of Israel and became heirs to the promised land.  Scripture says 600,000 men plus women and children along with the mixed multitude left Egypt that day.  YHWH's Chosen People, led by Moses, Aaron his brother, and Miriam his sister. They are of the tribe of Levi.

We establish early on that Israel is a people, not a place.  The land Elohim promised consists of what is the boundaries of Canaan - much more land than what is known as the State of Israel today.  All of YHWH's rules, laws, teachings and commandments apply to the entire commonwealth of Israel: the descendants of the House of Israel (the sheep) and those adopted in (those other sheep).  They ALL abide by Elohim's Instructions (Torah). His covenant is everlasting, for all generations.  All the way up until the reign of Solomon, they were a Hebrew nation.  Jerusalem is where YHWH attached His Name, which is in the territory of the tribe of Yehuda/Judah.

The Israelites are the offspring of Jacob/Israel, descendants of Abraham, who was a Hebrew.  These are they who YHWH Elohim chose to be Set Apart as He is Set Apart, through whom nations would be blessed.  The promised land of Canaan was divided among them but eventually, through a series of events, they were split into 2 groups of which 10 Tribes went northwards. Later on the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (along with some Levites and a few others) were taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon.  Toward the end of this time period King Cyrus of Persia was responsible for the release of the Israelites from Babylon, who returned to the area called Judea (the territory that was named after one of the 12 sons of Jacob: Judah). Those of the Ten Tribes who went northwards eventually scattered among the nations.

The time of Solomon, son of David, and the Division of the Tribes

The division of the House of Israel was a result of Solomon's sin against Elohim.  Solomon married many women, had many concubines - he had fallen "headlong into unreasonable pleasures" - married outside of his own people and began to worship the gods of these women, against the Will of YHWH.  Because of this, YHWH, as He promised David, would not withdraw all the people from Solomon, but would give Ten Tribes to a servant of his and leave only Two Tribes to David's grandson, Rehoboam, for his sake, because David did love Elohim, and for the sake of Jerusalem wherein He should have a temple.

Jeroboam, son of Nebat, received a prophecy from Ahijah about the parting of the dominion of Solomon and is told to be righteous and keep the laws of Elohim.  Jeroboam lived in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

David's grandson, Rehoboam, became king, but was not wise.  His behavior caused a rebellion which caused him to flee to Jerusalem where the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin ordained him king.  The rest of the multitude appointed Jeroboam to be ruler of their public affairs. (Rehoboam is king of 2 tribes, King of Judah and Jeroboam is king of 10 tribes, King of Israel).

Now when the Feast of Tabernacles drew near, Jeroboam feared if he let the people go to Jerusalem to celebrate (as per the command of YHWH) that he would lose them and perhaps lose his own life. So he had 2 temples built - one near Bethel and one near Dan - and made Two Golden Heifers, one in each temple and convinced the people that God was everywhere and hears and sees those who worship him and that it was OK if they didn't go to Jerusalem to worship Elohim according to His rules but could worship him the way they saw fit.  Jeroboam succeeded in deluding the people which caused them to go against Elohim and transgress Torah.  This was the beginning of miseries for the Hebrews.  Jeroboam had made himself High Priest as well. Over the next 3 years, the priests and Levites and the good and the righteous of Israel left and gathered together with Rehoboam because they wanted to worship Elohim in Jerusalem, as it is written.  They were not willing to worship the idols made by Jeroboam.

Rehoboam's kingdom grew in number- it's greatness and prosperity became a transgression to men.  Rehoboam strayed from The Path, the right way of Elohim and gave into unrighteousness and pagan practices. He began to despise YHWH and eventually the people began to imitate his wicked actions.

I want to point out that having Faith in the Word of Elohim (Scriptures) is not about being Jewish, acting Jewish, following orthodox Jewish traditions, the Talmud or Kabbalah. YHWH did not set apart the Jews only, but the entire House of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel. YHWH's set apart times, The Feast Days, are not Jewish holidays, but intended for all His people.  Man tends to skew the Word of God under the influence of Satan.  There's more to this story, but I will stick with pointing out who Israel is (for now).

It is so important to read Scriptures every day so that we may gain understanding and insight to the events happening today, in order to peel away the layers of deceptions and expose the lies that have been handed down through the generations.  This is the path leading out of the world system (Egypt and Babylon are examples of world systems and how we become enslaved).  When we come out of this man made system, this is what helps us to become Set Apart as He is Set Apart and makes us a Light unto others.  It's not about 'loving the Jews' or the 'Stand with Israel' mind set of today - it is about obeying YHWH Elohim and our Faith in Y'shua and allowing the Ruach haKodesh (Spirit of the Heavenly Father) to write Torah upon our hearts.  This is what it has been about from the very beginning.

Part Two - 

The Gathering of YHWH's people is an End Times scenario and did not occur in 1948.

Jeremiah 32:37 "Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. :38 "They shall be My people, and I will be their Elohim…"

Ezekiel 28:25 'Thus says YHWH your Elohim, "When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob."

Jeremiah 23:3 "Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture..."

To wrap this up, here is the Sheep allegory in relation to the House of Israel and those who are adopted in, as Y'shua relates it:

John 10:11 (Y'shua says) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the flock. But a hireling who is not the shepherd nor are the sheep his, when he sees a wolf coming he leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf comes and plunders and scatters the flock.

John 10:14 I am the Good Shepherd and I know those who are mine. And those who are mine know me.

John 10:16 And I also have other sheep, those who were not from this sheepfold. And also them, it is necessary for me to bring them and they will hear my voice and all the flocks will become one. And there will be One Shepherd.

YHWH's Chosen People are the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, and those who have been adopted in.

The story of Ruth the Moabite is another good example of one choosing Yah as their Elohim. In Chapter 1 verse 16 Ruth is pleading with her mother-in-law Naomi: "Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God..." Ruth ends up marrying Boaz. She is grafted into the House of Israel by loyalty and faith. She gives birth to Obed who begat Jesse who begat David.... the royal lineage into which Yahshua is adopted.

As always, take what you hear or read or have been taught and take it to Scriptures where the Truth is waiting to Revealed by the Comforter = The Ruach haKodesh. 

Shabbat Shalom, Y'all 

Our Creator rested on the seventh day after He saw all He created was good. 

The 4th Commandment of the Ten tells us to Observe the sabbath day and keep it Set Apart (holy). Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to Elohim (God); you shall not do any work, none of you.  Remember you were a slave in Egypt  and YHWH freed you from bondage, therefore observe the sabbath day.

He set His people free from slavery in Egypt back in the day. In the time of Messiah, He set His people free from bondage to sin, as it is with us today if we choose to follow Y'shua Messiah.  By keeping the seventh day set apart God will see the intention of our heart and He will begin to reveal the Truth that will makes us free from bondage to the world system.

"Shabbat is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The Hebrew word 'Shabbat' comes from the root Shin-Beit-Tav, meaning to cease, to end, or to rest. "

The seventh day is what most know as satur-day, but don't stop there! Learn how our Creator counts the days and the months - click here.

So how did this change? Who changed God's day of rest from the 7th day to the 1st day of the week and teach us that was the correct day?  He warned about taking from or adding to His Word which turns His Truth into a deception. His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. I have read that the Catholic church takes credit for changing our Creator's sabbath day from the 7th day to sun-day. 

Sun Worship was the official religion of the Roman Empire, known as Mithraism. It had its own organizations, temples, priesthood etc... and the first day of the week was when special homage was given to the sun, called The Venerable Day of the Sun. It is where the name Sunday comes from.

Now, Emperor Constantine, after seeing a 'vision' felt he must become a Christian and claimed all his pagan soldiers were, too, although they remained pagan at heart. In order to get all those pagan sun worshipers into the church, he accepted their day of worship, sun-day, instead of the seventh day sabbath kept by believers in God, followers of The Way taught by Y'shua Messiah.

So let's get back to the Truth of the Word of Yah and obey His commands. Changing what He says to fit man's perceived needs is wrong and probably an abomination to Him. False teachings have led many astray for many years. How on earth can we keep His commands if we won't take the time to discover what they are? Satan hopes we're too complacent to take notice.

Seek and ye shall find.

The Perfect Government System

My sister and I have been discussing the term 'legalistic' as it is used by Christians against keeping Torah.  My conclusion is that it is not about legalism but rather a free will choice: 

Obey His Commands or Don't obey His Commands, simple as that.

 

'Torah' is the Hebrew word and translates to the English word 'Instructions'.

Christians seem to think it is impossible to keep the Dos and Don'ts provide by The Father; His laws, rules and regulations, and would rather follow man made church traditions.  Without knowing it, most Christians keep about 200 of the 613 Commandments.  Of the 613, not all apply to you and me.  Some apply only to the Temple and Priests (n/a today because the Temple doesn't exist). Some apply only to Judges or agriculture, some for just men and some for just women.

Yah provided His Owner's Manual, His set of instructions in righteous living for His created.  It contains the terms and conditions of His Covenant between Himself and mankind - a contract.  His Instructions are found in Genesis through Deuteronomy and are meant for everyone.  It is YHWH's perfect system of government.  Spiritual guidelines make up His Faith conditional covenant which, through the observance of Messiah, brings blessings.  Reading Scriptures reveals the mystery of His Kingdom; provides a spiritual connection with Y'shua; provides prophetic discernment and is pleasing to YHWH our Creator and His Anointed One, Y'shua.

Yah's Instructions reveal sin as we learn right from wrong.  It specifies what is good and acceptable conduct according to our Creator and provides guidelines for righteousness and repentance.

Andrew G. Roth, in his Aramaic English New Testament, breaks down the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) into categories: The 248 Positive (Dos) and the 365 Negative (Don'ts).  I will list those categories here for you.

There are 248 Positive Commands as they pertain to these categories:

• YHWH
• Torah
• Temple and Priests
• Sacrifices
• Vows
• Ritual Purity
• Donations to Temple
• Sabbatical Year (Jubilee)
• Animals for food
• Festivals
• Community
• Idolatry
• War
• Social
• Family
• Judicial
• Slaves (bondservants)
• Torts

There are 365 Negative Commands and they pertain to:

• Related practices to idolatry
• Prohibitions resulting in historical events
• Blasphemy
• Temple, Sacrifices and Priests
• Dietary Laws
• Nazarites
• Agriculture
• Loans, Business, Treatment of Slaves
• Justice
• Incest and Forbidden Relationships
• The Monarchy

Yah's Commandments are common sense law for our health and well being.  We will experience this system after the return of Y'shua during his thousand year reign on this earth.  By reading and studying Scriptures now we will know what is expected of us.  He has shown us the End from the Beginning!

It is not up to us to decide how we should honor our Creator - it is about what He wants, not what we think and feel is the right thing.  If we love Him we keep His Commandments.  Even Y'shua said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)  Also, "He who has my Commandments with  him and keeps them (obeys the Word of God) is he who loves me and will be loved by my Father."  (John 14:21)  And, "If you keep my Commandments you will abide in my love, just as I have kept the Commandments of my Father...: (John 15:10).  Y'shua kept Torah.

 Our Father in heaven gave us free will.  He is long-suffering, waiting for us to choose to love Him and by keeping His Commandments we show that love.

Man Made Traditions

Every year I cringe when traditional holidays approach as they are most certainly not of our Creator.  Satan is the father of lies, the king of deception.  He wants to be worshipped as if he were a god, the god.  So it makes sense that he would devise alternative holy days to counterfeit Elohim's appointed times. Satan's holidays are pagan rituals which are not pleasing to YHWH and He has asked us to "come out" of Babylon (paganism), to leave these traditions behind. 

Below is a list of links for further research and study,  so that you may find this out for yourself, as I did, and leave them behind, never looking back or 'longing' for things of Satan.

It is not easy breaking these habits we were raised with, but it is possible with the help of Y'shua and with the support of like minded believers, friends and family.  Once we leave pagan traditions behind we will open up to keeping the Feasts of YHWH - another learning curve!

Please click on these links to learn of the lies we have inherited-

• Origins of Easter
• Lent
• Christmas - one way to look at it...
• Queen of Heaven
• Days and Months, even...

Fairy Tales

I was born in 1955. As a child I loved stories, especially fairy tales.  Mom had a book by The Brothers Grimm in which were stories like Rapunzel, The Three Billy Goat Gruff, Hanzel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, which I would read over and over - I had such an imagination that these stories played out in my head like a movie as I read them!  The pictures drawn to depict different scenes in each story intrigued me as well. I was fascinated and completely drawn into the stories which is why they were so popular - almost every child was enchanted by them!  These stories introduce fairies, gnomes, ghosts, goblins, giants, good witches and bad witches into our creative young minds.  And with that we were led away from God the Creator before we even got a chance to know Him.  This is the handiwork of Satan, the deceiver, that old serpent the devil.  With all this fantasia, who needs a god?

In the mid-sixties, for me, fairy tales gave way to a love of science fiction (fairy tales for grown ups).  Dad had a collection of paperbacks, some by Isaac Asimov, and I read many of them. Sometimes Dad would plug in the small TV in our bedroom so we could watch late night sci-fi shows (in black and white) on Friday or Saturday nights. I remember watching the Twilight Zone, War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still and One Step Beyond. Mom didn't approve... she knew we'd have bad dreams!  But she didn't know how deeply those fairy tales and science fiction were forming my world.  

Outer Space was big food for my imagination! And there were more TV shows that kept me hooked- The Time Tunnel, Lost in Space, The Jetsons, The Thunderbirds, Superman, My Favorite Martian and many more.  Life on other planets beyond our galaxy was real to me.  I would stare out into the sky trying to see as deep into space as I could, both daylight hours and nighttime, wishing a starship would come and take me away. I use to draw pictures of flying saucers, beaming down a ray of light that would levitate frightened young girls, still in their night gowns, taking them up into their ships. I believed that aliens came to earth, genetically impregnated the apes, mixing their DNAs and created man, the man of evolution stature. Of course, at that time, I had no idea I was standing at the doorway and peering into the occult - a world without God the Creator.

As I got older- marijuana, alcohol and a mix of recreational drugs helped to fuel my already colorful imagination and push me through that doorway. The New Age movement became the next attractant for me, taking me deeper into science fiction, offering a way to 'live it' while embracing the Alien/Evolution theory (another fairy tale for adults). In my quest of self enlightenment I could even have 'out of body' experiences (one such event scared me so much that I never attempted to go further in that area).  Mom had a couple of books, one by Edgar Cayce and another by a channeler, Elizabeth (I forgot her last name) who were both psychics. They gained popularity in the late 60's early 70's, if I remember correctly. So ESP and other paranormal abilities fit right in with my conditioning. Television programs still played a part with shows like I Dream of Jeanie, Bewitched, Star Trek... my brain was ripe for the picking, but it was Satan doing the harvest.

Even though I'm using my own life as an example to put forth this 'pre-conditioning' idea as a technique to take us away from our Creator, I am not an isolated event... almost every child has been told fairy tales, but I cannot prove that every child found them as a Great Escape, as I did. Speaking of 'escapes', who didn't love the movie 'Wizard of Oz'? Innocent enough story, eh?  Consider this:

L. Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz was a member of the Theosophical Society, which is an organization based on occult research and the comparative study of religions.  Baum had a deep understanding of Theosophy and, consciously or not, created an allegory of Theosophic teachings when he wrote the Wizard of Oz.

The Theosophical Society is an occult organization, mainly based on the teachings of Helena P. Blavatsky, which seeks to extract the common roots of all religions in order to form a universal doctrine.

also:

The three declared objects of the original Theosophical Society as established by Blavatsky, Judge and Olcott (its founders) were as follows:

“First —To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.
Second — To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy, and Science.
Third — To investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.”

This is only one example of fairy tales being used to alter the thinking of young minds, but I believe all stories that ignore our Creator and dishonor Him are not beneficial for the development of a child.  And YES I enjoyed the movie Wizard of Oz and I'm no longer afraid of the flying monkeys, but... this is just one more fairy tale in a collection of many that are aimed at young minds with a possible controlled result.  Today we have Harry Potter, Avatar, Contact and other movies promoting transhumanism, without God or mixing Him with aliens.

What brought this on was, we watched 'Hook' the other night, (Robin Williams finds out he is really Peter Pan - Dustin Hoffman plays Capt. Hook) and in the back of my head I'm criticizing the flick for not honoring the Father. Sure it's an enjoyable film, a funny twist on an old fairy tale, harmless! But- as with most fairy tales, fables and other children's stories, belief in the One True God is absent. Is this by accident? Of course not. The Father of Lies, Satan, deliberately eliminated Adonai our God from these stories. We call it 'entertainment' - but it's nothing but a pack of creative lies.

Now, consider this:

The Torah (first five books of the Old Testament) if full of colorful events that would make wonderful stories to tell children. Each event is its own story: The Creation, Eden, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, The Nephilim, Noah and the Flood, Nimrod and Babylon, the life and times of Abraham, Sodom and Gomorrah, Ishamel and Isaac... these are but a fraction of the Word and barely touch the Good News of the Kingdom of YHWH our Creator. The gospels are historically true happenings as exciting and mesmerizing as any fairy tale and they honor Him! The stories include demons, witches, amazing feats, signs and wonders, tragic events and miracles that stir every emotion. When you tell these stories to your children they are given a sound foundation from which to develop into honest, fair and just adults who love God their Creator. Imagine the type of community that would arise from good folk like that?  There is no deception, no lies, no tricks to cause one to stumble and fail, rather, the gospels well equip one to survive against the constant attacks made by Satan and his minions. In other words, these stories prepare us for life!

I am ashamed that I wasted so many years avoiding Yahweh our Creator. I certainly would have been spared many unnecessary heartaches and pains.  Since that is not the case, my past is the basis for these writings - a comparison to ponder.  Yahweh our Creator will forgive us the follies of our youth.  His Son, Yahshua, shed his blood to atone for our sins. Together they shine their Light on the Path of Righteous Living on which the Set Apart Spirit of Father Yahweh leads us to understanding, wisdom and truth.

Psalm 91

O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Yahweh- I say of Yahweh, my refuge and stronghold, my Elohim in whom I trust, that He will save you from the fowler's trap, from the destructive plague.  He will cover you with His pinions: you will find refuge under His wings; His fidelity (the quality or state of being faithful) is an encircling shield.  You need not fear the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day, the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the scourge that ravages at noon. A thousand may fall at your left side, ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.  You will see it with your eyes, you will witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you took Yahweh - my refuge, the Most High - as your haven, no harm will befall you, no disease touch your tent.  For He will order His angels to guard you wherever you go.  They will carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone.  You will tread on cubs and vipers, you will trample lions and asps.

Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him; I will keep him safe for he knows My Name.  When he calls on Me I will answer him, I will be with him in distress, I will rescue him and make him honored.  I will let him live to a ripe old age and show him my salvation -

 •••

Quoted from Mike Clayton

B'resheet is the Hebrew word for
"In the beginning"

The account of Genesis begins with how the heavens and the earth were created. Scripture tells us that it took six days for all the work to be done. At the end of those six days, Our Creator gave everyone a day off, including Himself. The world, the creatures and even the people were perfect in that day. It was a life you and I can only dream of, but never fully understand. It is a time we long to be restored to.

Into perfection came a lie from the enemy which when accepted by Eve brought doubt into her mind. Until this time she had never wondered for a moment if Yahweh really had done what He had said. In those cool-of-the-evening conversations she had just accepted the how and why He had created everything. Why should she have any doubts, because after all He was the only one she knew who had been there and witnessed these things.

When satan came to Eve his trickery was not about getting her to eat a piece of fruit, it was to plant a seed of doubt in her spirit. It was to make her doubt the words of her Creator. The words, "Did Elohim really say?" would not only cause her to eat of forbidden fruit, they would cause her and all her descendants to forever ask the question, "Did He really say?" It is a question which still plagues His family today.

No other passage of scripture has been picked apart and ridiculed as much as Genesis One. In this chapter we read of the creation of the heavens, the earth and all that is in them. We read the order of creation and the astounding words that it was done in six days. We then count from this time period using subsequent scripture and find all this was accomplished about six thousand years ago! Could that really be so? Could He really mean it as He states it here? Is this not merely code language for six million days or maybe six billion years? Did He really mean what He said? "Did He really say?"

Men have done their best through the years using junk science and fuzzy logic to ridicule and prove wrong the words of Genesis One. They have come up with evolution (which makes a monkey out of them), big bang theories and any number of ridiculous thoughts to place doubt in the words of Scripture. This so called teaching has produced a generation of Godless thought and Godless actions in the world around us.

Now you can call me simple if you desire, but I choose to read Genesis One the same as I do all of scripture. I choose to read it and believe it just as it is written. I am of the opinion that if Yahweh had meant six thousand or six billion years that is what He would have written. If He had chosen to bring us from slime ponds and monkeys that is what He would have said. If He had used a big bang, He would have told us so.

But “What is the difference?” you may ask. “Is it really important to believe Genesis one the way it is written?” “What about science today?” Let me take these one at a time.

Does it make a big difference how we treat the words of Genesis One? I believe the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” The attitude you take toward the first chapter is the attitude that will direct your thoughts through the rest of Scripture. If you have doubts about the first chapter, it would be safe to say you are still walking in that same doubt when you get to the words of Revelation. The only difference is the seed of doubt will have now been able to grow into a full size tree of doubt.

What about science today? Scientists today break their own rules when it comes to the creation of the world. In order for a scientific principle to be called true, it must be observed by the scientist. We do have some old scientists around today, but not one of them is six thousand years old. The only One we have Who was around at the time of creation states the world was created in six days and records it as being about six thousand years old. He is the only eyewitness we have. I choose to believe the One Who was there!

Through the years scientists have changed their theories and books every few years. Every time they are proven wrong, they simply come up with another theory to get them through to the next blunder. The Word of Yahweh has never been proven wrong nor has it ever needed a revision. What He said has always proven the test of time and always will.

Today, we may not understand all that went on during the days of creation, but one thing we have a choice in. We have a choice to begin our time in scripture with faith or with doubt, with faith in His Words, or with doubt based upon man’s words. The choice we make today will affect us from the very first chapter to the very last. (End Quote)

Update 09/11/2018 ~ I am keeping this quote because it is a great lesson, but I no longer follow the teachings of Mike Clayton.  He has gone the way of many other popular teachers who, after realizing that Torah was for everyone and reveals the Hebrew Roots of our Faith, have gone 'Jewish' by following the traditions of man.

YHWH is the name of our Creator

I grew up thinking that "God's name was God", but come to find out, God is what He is and YHWH is His name. He is known by various attributes, but Yah-weh is His Name.

I grew up thinking the name of His son was Jesus when in reality, his name is Y'shua, and he is our Messiah. His mother was instructed to name her son Yah-shua.

If we have accepted their names as 'God' and 'Jesus' without question, what else has been handed down through generations that we accept as true?

It is the traditions of man that we blindly follow because it's what our families have done for generations. Christmas, Easter, Halloween, to name a few. Scripture says we have inherited the lies of our fathers and I am seeing this to be true.

Update 10/27/2017 -- This was my opening post for this blog, published in 2008! I give thanks to Yahweh for the path He put me on and allowing His Spirit to Comfort me with the Truth.  It's a path that we move along, learning and gaining understanding each step of the way.

Read Scriptures Every Day

Study and Research to find Truth