What Does 'being saved' Mean

Have we been misled by the doctrine of 'eternal security'?

Have we been mesmerized by the chanting of 'once saved always saved'?

It has been taught that  "... eternal security is that work of God in which He guarantees that the gift of salvation once received is possessed forever and cannot be lost."

If we take the time to read Scriptures for ourselves we learn that this is not the case.  We cannot continue to 'sin' and expect that our salvation won't be affected. We continue to have personal responsibility in our relationship with YHWH as per coming into covenant with Him.

Hebrews 3:13 - But look deeply into yourselves all the days, during the day which is called today and let none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have part with the Mashiyach, if we endure in this firm confidence, from the beginning to the end, as it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, and do not harden your hearts, to anger him.

Jude 1:5 - Let me remind you that Elohim, after once rescuing (saving) the people from Egypt, again destroyed them who did not believe.

Guess that kind of flies in the face of 'once saved always saved', don't it?

So what is salvation and what are we saved from?

Acts 2:38 tells us in order to be saved (from the curse of eternal death) that we are to repent (return to Yah, turning away from our old sin nature) and be immersed (ritually cleansed) so that we may receive the Ruach haKodesh (The Set Apart Spirit of YHWH). 

This goes all the way back to Exodus and Deuteronomy in regards to choosing between the Blessing and the Curse:

​Exodus 15:26 - If you will diligently listen to the voice of ​YHWH your Elohim, and do that which is right in ​H​is eyes, and give ear to ​H​is commandments and keep all ​H​is statutes, He will put none of the diseases on you that He put on the Egyptians, (for I am ​Yahweh​, your healer).

Deuteronomy 11:26 - See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

Deuteronomy 30:15 - See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity. For I command you this day to love Yahweh your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His laws, and His rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that He may bless you... But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish... I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Chose life by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure...

Deuteronomy 30:19- I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life if you and your offspring would live by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and long endure.

In these verses we are being told we have a choice to make between the blessing and the curse = eternal life in His Kingdom or eternal death spent in Fire Lake. If we choose life we place our Creator first and foremost in our lives and teach our children well.  Because of our love for our heavenly Father we obey His Instructions and in return we receive the blessing.  That sounds like 'salvation' to me and we achieve it by Faith - committing ourselves to our Creator.

We are not automatically 'filled with the spirit' nor 'baptized in the spirit' but are made ready to receive it. We prepare for the indwelling of Yah's Set Apart Spirit by spending every day in the Word of Elohim, reading and studying and learning Scriptures. Even the apostles who were taught by Y'shua face to face for three years were not filled with the Spirit until 50 days after the death of Y'shua - specifically ten days after the resurrected Son of Elohim was taken up and placed at the Right hand of the Father (Shavuot). Being baptized by a preacher in any church does not make one 'saved' but does show an outward appearance of one's desire to accept Y'shua and walk the Path of Righteousness from then on forward.  If we fall for temptations afterwards, we will loose our footing and salvation becomes a mute point. Being tested by difficult times is for the sake of our refinement.  

Deuteronomy 8: You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to posses the land that YHWH Elohim promised on oath to your fathers. Remember the long way that YHWH your Elohim has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years, that He might test you by hardships to learn what was in your hearts: whether you would keep His commandments or not.... Romans 2:5 - But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when Yah's righteous judgment will be revealed.

If we turn away from our old sinful ways and return to the Creator, learn 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! His Spirit continues to reveal and comfort us with His Truth providing we continue on His Path of Righteousness. He is our salvation through the testimony of His Son. 

Today means today for anyone in any day who reads this and chooses Life, and begins to obey the Instructions given by our Creator. The blessing or the curse is the result of our choice in this lifetime. People ask why there is so much pain and suffering in the world and why bad things seem to happen to good people. Read those above quoted Scripture verses again. We made the choice to obey the one who spoke creation into existence and we are expected to follow through, abiding by the terms of the covenant.

Hebrews 13:13- Look deeply into yourselves all the days, during the day which is called today; and let none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Scriptures as a Doorway

I was having a conversation with a friend who gave an analogy of Scriptures "as a door we can open and see the wonder of everything" Yah created. I think that is a beautiful way to visualize it. Yet my friend does not think everything can be found in Scriptures, as in finding answers to our questions.  She sees Yah as a "mystic one".  That concerned me a bit at first but I think it is because we had different definitions of the word 'mystic'. To me it points directly to pagan mysticism. My friend clarified what she meant by asking if we can comprehend Him, as if to say He is mysterious.

Our Creator gave us His Instructions - His Owner's Manual - so that we would have everything we need to live according to His plan.  The first five books of the old testament contain His directions, decision making guidelines, decrees, instructions and teachings so we would lack for nothing and includes examples so that we wouldn't make the same mistakes as our ancestors did.  Every answer can be found in Scriptures - and it isn't always a fast and easy task. It's akin to searching for YHWH as if looking for treasure.  I have done over 200 studies in the past eleven years and every one has its foundation in Scriptures which eventually revealed the truth via His Set Apart Spirit.  I am convinced we, as Set Apart believers, can find the answers to all of our questions in Scriptures.

The Written Word has replaced the Urim and Thummin as our instrument of decision.

There are many things we have learned about our Creator, much revealed by His Son. There are dimensions of Yah we simply cannot comprehend as mere mortals in this day and age.  This does not mean we are not to search Him out.  In asking questions and continuing our study of Scriptures we are in essence searching for Yah and His treasure trove of answers.  We should see a mirror of ourselves in Job when he said to YHWH: I know that You can do everything, that nothing you propose is impossible for You. Who (am I) who obscures counsel without knowledge? Indeed, I spoke without understanding of things beyond me, which I did not know. Hear me now and I will speak; I will ask and You will inform me. I had heard You with my ears, but now I see You with my eyes; therefore, I recant and relent, being but dust and ashes."

We are still in the learning stages of our life and we need each other.  The gifts of the Spirit are different for each of us, but finite, and work together as a whole. In 1 Corinthians 12 we read: There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Elohim. There are different ways of working, but the same Elohim works all things in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various (languages), and to still another the interpretation of (languages).  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.

The body is a unit, though it is comprised of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Y'shua. For in one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, (regardless of bloodline or nationality), slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

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Scriptures are a door and not everyone who opens it will see the path that lies ahead. Some who see the path will choose not to follow it.  In John 10 Y'shua says that he is the door and all who enter through him shall be saved. In Revelation 3:20  Y'shua says ~ I have been standing at the door, and I will knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.

Keep Searching for the Truth

How do we know if we are descended from the tribes of Jacob (The Sheep) or grafted in (Those Other Sheep) and does it matter whether we know or not? Is it pride and arrogance that gets in the way and drives one to the point of submitting their DNA without question? Really, we should just live according to Yah's Instructions in order to be part of His gathering at the sounding of the 7th shofar. Y'shua will make us all one flock, one people of one faith with one Master because His Father pays no attention to our background, genetic or otherwise, once we come into covenant with Him. 

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 along with those who have been adopted in.

Click here to go to my study Who Is Israel

Click here to go to my study 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Ask questions. Continue to search out the truth and always take what you hear back to YHWH by reading Scriptures in order to discern the truth of all things through His Set Apart Spirit.

The End from the Beginning

Many of us have heard this said:

"He has told us the end from the beginning..."

Can that statement be found in Scripture? 

Yes indeed:

Isaiah 46:9 ~ Bear in mind what happened of old; for I am YHWH Elohim and there is none else, I am divine and there is none like Me. I foretell the end from the beginning, and from the start, things that had not occurred. I say My plan shall be fulfilled; I will do all I have purposed.

This got me to wondering if I could find clues pertaining to what might be the 'strong delusion' that comes our way as part of the end times scenario. A delusion is defined as:

• something that is falsely believed or propagated
• a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary; also : the abnormal state marked by such beliefs

This delusion will be such that even folks like you and me might fall for it. That's pretty serious, to think that our faith could be challenged in such a way. So lets go back to the beginning to see a glimpse of the end, shall we?

In Genesis chapters one and two we read that Yah sees that everything about His creation is good. Specific mention is made in Chapter 2 verse 9 of the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and bad. Yah tells Adam that he may eat from every tree in the garden except for the tree of knowledge of good and bad because as soon as he would eat of it he will die.  

We know the story well. That shrewd serpent said to the woman: Did God really say you shall not eat of any tree of the garden?  She explains to the serpent that they may eat of the other trees of the garden, but it is only the tree in the middle of the garden that God said not eat of or touch it, lest we die.  (Notice here that she added to the Word of God saying 'or touch it').  The serpent caused her to doubt the command of YHWH Elohim when it further influenced her by offering assurance that she wouldn't die but even God knew that if they ate of this tree their eyes would be opened and they would be like the divine beings who know good and bad. Well, their eyes were opened and they saw their own nakedness and tried to hide themselves from the Creator.

After Yahweh learned of their disobedience, He cursed the serpent, made child bearing for the woman a painful experience and cursed the ground so the man has to work for a living.  He said, "Now that man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should also eat from the tree of life and live forever!" So he banished them from the Garden and stationed cherubim along with the fiery ever-turning sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

• Shrewd: mischievous; abusive; dangerous; marked by clever awareness
• Dupe: to misguide or mislead; delude; string along
• Doubt: to call into question the truth of; to be uncertain; lack confidence in
• Deception: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid

The example in The Garden is of one doubting the command given by the Creator and causing another to do the same, so would it be fair to apply that tactic to us? I would say Yes because that exact thing has been going on for years: Christians believe The Law has been nailed to the cross in effect making Torah, Yah's Instructions in Righteousness, null and void and teaching others this same false doctrine. They have called into question the truth of our Father and caused people to be uncertain of what is written in Scriptures.  Many Christians teach that the New Testament is for new believers.

Do we read Scriptures and take them to heart or do we ignore the truth, treat some of it as story-telling and teach our ideas to others? Are we truly trying to abide by His Commandments or making excuses, teaching others it's alright because we're all on different parts of the path.  When the serpent steps up and asks us 'Did God really say...' we better know the answer. Our Faith should be so that no doubt would be able to enter. For example, remember when Y'shua was seen walking on the water and called Peter to come out of the boat to him. Peter did but once he realized what was happening he began to sink.  Y'shua says "Oh you of little faith! Why did you doubt me?" (Matthew 14:30)

If the Pope asked the world Did God really say those things recorded in our Bibles, and then offered an alternative ear-tickling version, how many people do you think would believe him? I can see it already happening in today's world with various religious leaders and politicians joining together with the Pope, calling all beliefs the same under the New World Religion (World Council of Churches). He believes it doesn't matter which 'god' one believes in because they are all just different names for the same God and all roads lead to heaven...  This Is A Lie and could be The Lie.

Folks who do not love the truth will fall for this lie, and perish.

Doubting YHWH Elohim and His Son will be the chink in our armor which will give way, letting that strong delusion cause us to falter - if it is possible. We might want to consider the book of Job as well. It was YHWH who removed His hedge of protection from Job so that Satan could test him, trying to make a liar out of Yah. Job had everything a good life could consist of and lost it all but never once blamed YHWH or doubted His Word. He was later restored to a better life than what he had lost. We, too, will inherit a better life if we endure these days trusting our Creator to do as He said He would.

We have some trying times ahead, my friends, and our faith, our commitment to YHWH Elohim will see us through.

Never doubt the Commandments given us by our Creator as they were given for our benefit; abide by them best you can, have the testimony of His Son and continue to love and search out the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:9

For the coming of that Evil One is the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all the deceptiveness of iniquity in them that perish because they did not receive the love of the truth by which they might have life. Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe a lie, and that they all may be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in iniquity. 

2 Thessalonians 2:7

For the mystery of the Evil One already begins to be operative and only if that which now hinders will be taken from the midst, then at length will that Evil One be revealed who Master Y'shua will consume by the breath of his mouth and will bring to nothing by the visibility of his coming.

Matthew 24:24 ~ False Messiahs and lying prophets will arise and they will produce signs and great wonders in order to deceive if possible even the chosen... I have told you beforehand.... 

Mark 13:21 ~ If at that time a man should say to you Look! Here is the Messiah! or Look! There he is! do not believe him for false Messiahs and lying prophets will give signs and wonders and will deceive even the elect if it is possible. But you take heed - I have told you everything beforehand.

We have been told the end from the beginning so we would know what to expect and be able to discern the truth from the lies.  Those of us alive during the final years of the end times scenario will see things that will blow our minds and pierce our hearts. Remember to stand strong in the Faith once delivered to the Set Apart believers. By this we shall know that YHWH Elohim most certainly Did Say.... 

Click Here to go to my study Love Truth

Click Here to go to my study Patience of Job

Click Here to go to my study Name Above All

Jude 1:3 ~ While I take all pains to write to you of our common life, it is needful for me to write to you, encouraging you to maintain a conflict for the faith which was once delivered to the Set Apart believers.
What does that mean, the faith once delivered, and why do we need to fight for it?  Keep reading:
Jude 1:4 ~ For some have obtained entrance who, from the beginning, were registered beforehand under this condemnation: wicked men who pervert the grace of Elohim to impurity and deny Him who is the only MarYah (Master YHWH), and our Master, Y'shua the Mashiyach.

Love the Truth or Be Deceived

In this study I have lightly paraphrased some of the Scripture quotes in order to keep on point; and, as always, I remind you to read them (now or later) from your own copy of Scriptures for the full impact ~ Candus

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What is Love? 

Second John Verse 6 ~ And this is love, that we walk according to the Commandments.

Why should we follow the Commandments?

.... you have heard from the beginning, that we should walk in it because many seducers have gone forth into the world who do not confess that Y'shua the Anointed One has come in the flesh.

What is Truth?

John 8:20-21* (31-32) ~ And Y'shua said to those Yehudeans who believed in him, "If you should abide by my words, truly you are my disciples. And you will know the Truth and that Truth will set you free."

John 17:17 ~ Father sanctify them by your Truth, for Your Word is Truth. As You have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world and I fear for their sake. I sanctify myself so that they may also be sanctified by Truth.

Y'shua says his Father's Word is Truth... what is the Word?

John 1 ~ In the beginning was the Miltha (Word) and that Miltha was with Elohim and He was that Miltha. This was with Elohim in the beginning. Everything existed through His hands and without Him not even one thing existed of the things which have existed. In Him was life and the life was the light of men which shines in the darkness not to be overtaken. 9 ~ The Light  was of Truth which shines on all who come into the world.  He was in the world and it did not know him. He came to his own and they did  not receive him. But those who did receive him to them he gave authority that they might be the sons of Elohim, those who believed in His Name. 14 ~ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory as the Only Begotten  who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth. 17 ~ Torah was given through Moses but truth and grace through Y'shua who is the Mashiyach (Anointed One).

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

Quote: The writings of Moses (aka Torah) is the Word of Elohim, but grace and truth revealed in Y'shua are the impelling forces that uphold all righteousness and keep the Word of YHWH positioned in our hearts - these are complimentary and not opposites. It is according to the grace of the Father that Y'shua is revealed in a person's heart. (John 17:9, 10)

If we do not love Truth then we won't search it out, we won't study the first five books of the OT in order to understand what Moses was writing about, nor shall we read the writings of the prophets. Without reading the Old Testament (Tanakh) we cannot fully grasp the writings in the New Testament. We won't know what or who the Word of God is and will continue to remain slaves to the system being seduced: deceived by false teachers, preacher, ministers, pastors, Hollywood, main stream media and others who profess to be Bible-smart God-fearing Torah-observant people.

Government under Y'shua, Son of YHWH, as our king and priest, who rules by the Commandments of the Father, is what the writings of Moses foreshadow. 

'Types and Shadows' are not deeper things. They are examples written of (foretold) in the OT and usually revealed (fulfilled) in the NT, or yet to be fulfilled - this would be an example of Scripture interpreting itself and why we read the book as a whole. 

When we show YHWH our intent and abide by His Instructions, best we can in this day and age, He gives us understanding as we are comforted with the Truth revealed to us by His Ruach haKodesh (Set Apart Spirit).  Y'shua is the Word made Flesh by the Spirit of YHWH.  Believing in Y'shua and accepting his life, death, resurrection and why his blood needed to be shed, we become born again of the Spirit by which we enter his kingdom.  In a sense this is part of putting on the armor of YHWH where we find strength and protection... we shall not fall for the strong delusion.  Many have become delusional already.

Delusion defined: 

• something that is falsely believed or propagated
• a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary; also : the abnormal state marked by such beliefs

2 Thessalonians 2:9

For the coming of that Evil One is the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all the deceptiveness of iniquity in them that perish because they did not receive the love of the truth by which they might have life. Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe a lie, and that they all may be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in iniquity.

We are to Love YHWH first and foremost and not put ourselves first and then work Him into our schedule as we see fit. 

Mark 12:29 ~ Y'shua said the 1st Commandment is 'Shema (hear and obey) O Israel! Master YHWH is one - Love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, all your mind and strength. The 2nd is like it - Love your neighbor as yourself'. (Leviticus 19:18) 

And while we're at it:

Romans 12:9 ~ Let not your love be full of deceit, but be haters of evil things and adhere to good things. Love one another, honor one another, be active and not slothful. Be fervent in spirit. Work for Y'shua. Be joyful in your hope in the Good News. Be patient under your afflictions and preserving in prayer. Be communicators to the wants of the Set Apart believers. Be kind to strangers. Bless your persecutors, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with them who rejoice and weep with them who weep. Do not indulge in arrogant thoughts, but unite yourselves with the humble minded. Be not wise in your own estimations. Repay no man evil for evil but let it be to your study to do good before all men.

(ps.... As a side note: God YHWH has never been about religious organizations. There is no Scriptural authority for 'believers' to build churches, attend churches, or support churches and their various denominations (divisions). We should be gathering in assemblies with Set Apart believers in our communities, whenever possible, instead of joining churches with their con games, entertainment, rock bands, childishness and worldly nonsense.  This is part what His Truth sets us free from and will help keep us from falling for whatever the delusion is or will become.) 

Click Here to go to my study about The Church

Becoming Set Apart is not about places, buildings, or circles; rather, it is about unique and precious people. The Samaritan woman at the well changed the course of her discussion with Y'shua to places of worship. Y'shua turned that discussion toward people who would worship in spirit and in truth.

John 3- I tell you that unless a person is born again from above he cannot see the Kingdom of Elohim... unless a person is born from water and the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of Elohim.

Click Here for my study on Faith and Salvation 

*In later Greek translations a story appears in the text of a woman caught in adultery, which was inserted as verses 1-11. The story is nonexistent in the Peshitta and the Khabouris Codex and does not appear in the four earliest Greek manuscripts of John.

Memes Stuck in my Craw

I'm getting perturbed by reading various 'memes' that quote Buddha or Thich Nhat Hanh or the Dalai Lama, C.S. Lewis and others of the spiritual ilk. These are certainly feel-good sayings and quotes that appeal to human decency (nothing wrong with that) but they totally ignore the fact that our God Yahweh said these things First and they are recorded in Scriptures. I know this because back in my youth while searching for truth and meaning and 'God' I read many new age books, which basically revive the old age Eastern Mysticism mindset and make us feel good about ourselves; I read the autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda as I continued looking for enlightenment yet none of it persuaded me to submit. So you see, I have my old pagan ways to compare with Yah's truth by shining the Light of the World upon these matters - In looking for that supreme being I was putting myself first instead of setting my desires aside. All you morally upright meme posters are subconsciously searching for the one true God, Yahweh our Creator.... don't let Satan snare you with deceptions and ear-tickling quotes from folks who are not true believers. Take the time to read Scriptures because you obviously are reading everything else - I have literally been there and done that.

In today's world we see ‘intelligent’ people who worship false gods, or who deny Elohim’s existence entirely. It is no different from the days gone by and those pagan practices YHWH warned His people about. If you want to get to the heart of the matter, quote our heavenly Father and give credit where credit is due.  All praise belongs to Him.

Long before man invented religion our Creator laid out every thing we need to know and be reminded of; if you don't believe that then the rest of this won't matter; but I shall  continue to point out a few things.

For example, taken from the latest meme I saw that had an image of Buddha in the background: "Truth - Necessity - Kindness" are the suggested 'gates' one should consider before they say something, make a remark or speak out. However, Truth is the keyword most people overlook while accepting Buddha's concept as remarkable.  How is it folks tune into "inspired sayings" but shun Scriptures where we are originally instructed to love the truth, avoid unnecessary earthly desires and treat one another with love and respect?  Sounds like that's where Buddha got his ideas from.

Siddhartha Gautama would one day become known as Buddha ("enlightened one" or "the awakened"). He was born in Nepal in the 6th century B.C. and became a spiritual leader and teacher whose life serves as the foundation of the Buddhist religion. According to the most widely known story of his life, after experimenting with different teachings for years and finding none of them acceptable, Gautama spent a fateful night in deep meditation. During his meditation, all of the answers he had been seeking became clear, and he achieved full awareness, thereby becoming Buddha. 

To me, this sounds very similar to the early life of Mohammed and the beginnings of Islam. 

The current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in 1935 and recognized as the reincarnation of Thubten Gyatso at a young age. Reincarnation is not sound doctrine and has nothing to do with what is written in Scriptures.

Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyen Xuan Bao, in Central Vietnam in 1926. At the age of 16, he entered into a Zen Buddhist monastery and took the name Thich Nhat Hanh. In 1960 he moved to the US, where he studied comparative religion at Princeton University. He became fluent in several languages and was well versed in different religious traditions.

So, what is Buddhism?

.... it is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly, just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.  Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator god. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, caste, sexuality, or gender. It teaches practical methods which enable people to realize and use its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives.

Please note: Buddhism teaches practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. According to our Creator these qualities come from putting Him first in love and obedience.  Then it is His Spirit that gives gifts of understanding, awareness, knowledge and wisdom - not of our own doings but by the grace of YHWH.  This has been going on long before Buddha sat cross-legged in meditation. Our Father's Instructions are for all people irrespective of race, nationality, caste, sexuality, or gender.

C.S. Lewis is another favorite quoted by professed Christians. His desire to "combine religious enthusiasm with imagination are present in his works of Christian fiction. What he has done is to present Scriptural truth under a cloak of pagan mythology in order to give it popular appeal. Such an approach to Scripture is really just tampering with the word of Yahweh in an unacceptable fashion." This approach is no different than Emperor Constantine's mixing of pagan customs with church doctrine to get more people into the 'universal' religious system. There is nothing new under the sun, same rebellious house continuing to spurn our Creator. Lewis prayed for the dead, believed in purgatory and mystical experiences.

Quote:

C.S. Lewis’s personal religious beliefs are readily available to anyone who cares to know them. Therefore, it is assumed that anyone quoting him in a positive light is aware of these beliefs and by extension concurs with them. Similarly, fundamental Christians freely quote from the writings of C.H. Spurgeon or Matthew Henry because they agree with their Biblical positions and are not ashamed to identify with them. The simple old adage is still true: you are known by the company you keep. The same applies in the realm of citation. Quoting C.S. Lewis has become a sort of phenomenon in the evangelical world. One wonders if the purpose is to enjoy some sort of academic credibility. On the contrary, it only reveals ignorance: either of the man and what he believed or of the Scriptures of Truth.

"Why is a man who devoted his life not to the study of theology but to ancient pagan mythology revered as the greatest Christian apologist in our century? Simple. Many 'Christians' have rejected their God-given heritage and are trading in the solid rock of the Word for the shifting sands of man’s intellectual conjecture."

Rev. Ivan Foster (The Burning Bush, May 2001) observed of C.S. Lewis: “A greater understanding of the man and his theology showed that he was not an advocate of the teachings of Holy Scripture but his own scholarly notions.

If you have spent time reading, learning or following any of these men and similar teachings, being caught by their gentleness, well meaning and love of humanity, now consider them as stepping stones towards the Truth of Yah's Word. These guys fall short of that Truth by embracing other gods, beliefs, religions and by man's own imagination which ultimately leads folks along the broad way to the wide gate, and many shall enter. (Matthew 7:13)

Yes, Yahweh is our Creator, but who is the Deceiver? Who has a counterfeit for almost everything Elohim put forth? Don't forget that time when Yah regretted He created man and sent a Flood to wash them off the face of the earth. 

We must be very careful when choosing something that sounds good but underneath is destructive to our soul. This is why we are instructed to read Scripture every day, study our Creator's Instructions day in and day out, teach it to our children, remember where we came from and where we want to go. We are called to come out of Mystery Babylon so as not to partake of her sins nor her plagues. Babylon was a hot bed of paganism so it should be no mystery as to why we are being called to come out of today's modern world -  a type and shadow of old world Babylon. It is no different for us now as it was for them. Everything was pretty much under the influence of paganism in the Land of Canaan prior to the Hebrews arrival to this promised land.

Leviticus 18:3 - You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived: and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes. 

Leviticus 20:23 - You are not to live by the customs of the nations, whom I've cast away right in front of you. Because they did all of these things, I detested them.

Quote: It is easy to talk about idolatry that happened way ‘back then’ and which we don’t (recognize) today. It is harder to examine our own tendency to idolize money and the things which it can buy, celebrity, youth, and health, just to name a few. Just because our idols aren’t statues doesn’t mean it’s less dishonoring to (YHWH) when they receive the devotion we should be giving to Him.

What Would YOU Do?

The Kingdom of Heaven is Near

If you knew the 'end of the world as we know it' would arrive in, oh, say the year 2055, what would you do to prepare? Would you do anything? Do you care? I suppose the answer would depend on your belief system or lack of belief. If you knew you could choose life after this life, would you pursue it? Would you seek out information on how to go about achieving this? Or would you choose to just wing it, go with the flow and wait to see what happens? Would you be concerned about what would happen to your children, parents, family and friends?

I am guessing that the majority of people who read this blog have heard about Scriptures as in Old and New Testaments, and have some knowledge about the events that are to take place at the end of days leading up to Judgment Day, even if some of this awareness has been learned from the movies. Most of us are familiar with the phrase, "Repent for the end is near!" Repent means to turn from sin. When you turn from sin you turn towards our Elohim/God, Yahweh. 'The end is near' has been a warning to people for thousand of years, so it's easy to see why many are indifferent or don't concern themselves with it because they don't think it could happen in their life time.

Lets say it does happen in our life time. Lets say several events that are unfolding in this day and age mimic events foretold by scriptures. People who study Scriptures are lining up current events with prophecy with accuracy. Key elements are being confirmed. Believers are on high alert, waiting for specific signs as told by Y'shua that are yet to be fulfilled. When this happens, the final time line begins and we will know there are seven years left until the end is finally here and the Thousand Year Reign of Y'Shua on earth begins.

If you don't believe in YHWH (Yahweh) Elohim (God) our Creator then none of this really matters. Yet He is giving the Gentiles (pagan, non believers) every opportunity to get on board. If you're not on board you'll find yourself in that lake of fire, for eternity. There will be and is a lot of deception going on. If you haven't prepared for the times to come, how will you know what to do and who to trust?

Just something to think about... and I pray you do.