Misunderstood Even in His Day ~ Paul

What a perfect choice for one to teach the Gentiles about the Kingdom to Come. What a perfect example of sin, forgiveness, repentance and faith for us all.  Paul's life and times reflect in our lives to one degree or another. He was 'blinded' and had to rely on faith to find his way back. Paul was directly convicted by Y'shua on that road to Damascus. Afterwards, he delayed in approaching the established Apostles for three years and even then they were afraid and suspicious of him - they all remembered who he was and what he was capable of. If we don't see our own sinful past in his story then we've misunderstood Paul just as he was misunderstood in his own time. I believe this is why so many 'believers' cast a scornful eye upon the writings of Paul.... he hits too close to home.

Acts Chapter 8 

Paul was a participant in the murder of Stephen as well as part of the great persecution going on towards the congregation of the followers of Y'shua in Jerusalem.  He was part of those who persecuted the congregation of Yahweh. He entered homes and dragged out the men and women and took them to prison.  Chapter 9 - Paul was full of intimidation and the fury of murder towards the disciples of our Master Y'shua.  Paul asked for letters from the chief priests to take to the assemblies in Damascus giving him permission to arrest any followers he may find there and bring them to Jerusalem. On the road to Damascus a light from heaven suddenly shone upon him, and he was thrown to the ground. He heard a voice saying to him, "Shaul! Shaul! Why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick the stakes."  

Paul asks, Who are you my Master? I am Y'shua the Nasraya, he whom you persecute! But rise up and enter into the city, and there you will be told what you should do. 

The men who were travelling with Paul were amazed because they heard only a sound but no man was visible to them. Paul got up from the ground and was no longer able to see, even though his eyes were open.  The men guided him as they continued to Damascus. Paul was unable to see for three days and neither did he eat or drink during this time.  (a very humbling experience)
In Damascus was a disciple named Khanan-Yah whom had a vision wherein Yahweh told him to go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judah for Paul from Tarsus. While this Paul was praying he had a vision of you coming to him, placing your hand upon him so that his eyes would be opened."  Khanan-Yah is afraid of Paul because they all know about him and how much evil he had inflicted on Yah's Set Apart believers in Jerusalem.  Yahweh tells him to get up and go because Paul is a vessel chosen by Him to carry His Name among the Gentiles and kings and among the sons of Israel. "For I will reveal to him how much he will suffer because of My Name."  Khanan-Yah went.
He went to the house and placed a hand upon him saying, Paul, my brother, our Master Y'shua has sent me. He who appeared to you on the road while you were coming here, that your eyes might be opened and that you might be filled with the Set Apart Spirit of Yahweh.  At once something like scales fell from Paul's eyes and his eyes were opened. Paul got up and went to be immersed. He ate and was strengthened and gathered with the disciples that were there in Damascus.  Immediately he began preaching about Y'shua that he was the Son of Elohim.  Everyone who heard him were amazed because they knew he was the one persecuting those in Jerusalem and knew he had come to Damascus for the same reason.  After many days the Jews there wanted to kill him. The plot was shown to Paul that they were keeping watch of the gates of the city day and night to kill him.  The disciples ended up placing him in a basket and lowered him down from the wall during the night.  Paul went to Jerusalem desiring to join the disciples there but all of them were afraid of him.  They did not believe that he had become one of them.  Bar-Naba ended up taking him to the Schlichim and explained to them what had happened. They let him in with them and they went out into Jerusalem. Paul was boldly speaking in the name of Y'shua and disputing with those Jews who spoke Greek and they desired to kill him.  When the brothers  knew this they brought Paul  to Caesarea by night and sent him to Tarsus... nevertheless, the assembly that was in all Judah and Galilee and Shamrin now had peace in them.  The assembly grew, built up and instructed in the fear of Yahweh and in the comfort of the Ruach haKodesh.

(Moses was also placed in a basket and saved from death)

Paul describes himself in Philippeans 3:5- "Circumcised when eight days old; of the stock of Israel; of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew, descendant of Hebrews; in regards to Torah, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the assembly of Messianic believers; and as to the righteousness of the oral Torah, I was without fault." (Oral Law is rabbinic tradition). Paul's attitude about himself and all he had mastered dramatically changed after he saw the superior knowledge of Y'shua and learned that his own righteousness came from Faith in the Messiah and the righteousness which is from Yahweh, and not of himself. Paul was not a 'Jew' pretending to be a Greek, but was well aware of his heritage as a descendant of Abraham. His Hebrew name, Saul, was taken from the first king of Israel, who was from the tribe of Benjamin, and Paul's teacher, Gamaliel, was also from the tribe of Benjamin. They were Jews by location, not by birth or religious affiliation, although Paul was under the influence of religion before Y'shua called him out. What a wonderful example for all of us!

Once he was called out of Judaism and Roman law Paul did not hesitate nor make the excuse that 'we're all on different parts of the path' .

This statement always tugs on my very soul whenever I read it. It was said by the Apostle Paul and I offer it as a prayer for all who are ready to come into covenant with our Creator today. I pray for all fellow Set Apart believers that we may become one people with one understanding, and of one faith under one Elohim. By this we will come to know the unsearchable riches of Y'shua the Anointed One. It is through us that the manifold wisdom of our Creator becomes known. Lets take that seriously and act accordingly.

Ephesians 3 ~ To me, Paul, who am the least of all the Set Apart believers, has this grace been given that I should announce among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of the Mashiyach, and should show to all men what is the architecture of the mystery which for ages was hid in Elohim the Creator of all things, so that by means of the assembly (of Set Apart believers) the manifold wisdom of Elohim might become known - which He arranged ages before and worked it through Y'shua our Master. 
Therefore I pray - and I bow my knees to the Father of our Master Y'shua from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit; that in your inner man the Anointed One may dwell by faith, and in your hearts by love while your root and foundation increases greatly in strength; and that you may be able to explore, with all the Set Apart believers, what is the height and depth and length and breadth, and may know the greatness of Y'shua's love and that you may be filled with all the fullness of Yahweh.

Apostle Peter pointed out that Paul's letters were not easy to understand, but were “twisted” by those who were untaught (2 Peter 3:15,16). Peter warned us to watch, lest we be led away to destruction by the delusion of the lawless. He didn’t include Paul as a lawless one, but stated that his letters were being twisted, as were “the other Writings”. For those who have interpreted that Paul wrote of an “end to the law”, Peter’s warning was written directly to those who live without the Torah.

We were once carnal unbelievers raised up in false religions enjoying the imaginations of other men. 

Lost Tribes of Israel - Another Piece of the Delusion

Many people entertain the idea that ten tribes of Israel migrated to the Americas and like to believe that the Indian tribes are descendants of these Israelites. We've heard of artifacts inscribed with Hebrew letters found in different places and maybe some are from days gone by but lets not forget Joseph Smith (a Freemason) and his man-made religion, Mormonism, believed that they were descendants of Lehi an Israelite and were to build the New Jerusalem here on earth. Today in Salt Lake City many members of the Latter Day Saints call themselves 'Jews'. Is it not possible that some of these artifacts were made by early Mormons? 

Everybody wants to be chosen 

but no one really wants to discover the truth.

Joseph Smith claims that when was 14 he experienced a vision in which God the Father instructed him that all churches were wrong. Three years later, an angel named Moroni visited Smith several times. This would lead to Smith recovering engraved golden plates in the woods near his home, written in a language he called “Reformed Egyptian”. He allegedly translated these golden plates into English which is now known as the Book of Mormon. This wasn’t printed until 1830. Smith claims that in 1829, John the Baptist gave to him the Aaronic Priesthood, establishing Joseph Smith as the leader of the new movement.

I have read that Mormons have been looking for archaeological evidence to support their Book of Mormon for years. Occasionally they will promote some type of archaeological artifact that is similar to something built or written by Hebrew people to try to validate their claim that the Book of Mormon people were indeed from the land of Israel.

Several archaeological digs made in the area surrounding the Hill Cumorah in upstate New York (Joseph Smith's home area) have yet to yielded even one artifact to back up the Book of Mormon claims concerning the numerous people and wars that allegedly transpired in that area. One can try to refute every “so called” evidence that Mormons present to try to substantiate the Book of Mormon, but both internal and external evidence shows that the book is an 18th century invention. Some of the Archaeological Evidence that goes against the Book of Mormon claims include: 

DNA EVIDENCE: The Book of Mormon claims that Jewish ancestry formed the majority of pre-Columbian inhabitants of America. Yet, 99.4% of the DNA research done on thousands of Native American Indians from over 150 tribes shows a direct link to Asia and 0.6% points to Europe or Africa, not Israel. Thus, there is NO evidence whatsoever to suggest a Jewish or Middle-Eastern migration to America. To excuse away the DNA evidence against this Book of Mormon claim, Mormon apologists have resorted to the idea that the Jewish Book of Mormon immigrants to America (the Nephites and the Lamanites) comprised only a relative small group of ancient inhabitants of America. Rather than finding supportive evidence for these Book of Mormon historical claims and artifacts, Mormon scholars have been forced to retreat from traditional interpretations of the words and phrases in the Book of Mormon and have developed unconventional explanations to reconcile these conflicted Book of Mormon texts with ancient Native American artifacts. 

Passages from the Book of Mormon assert that no other people existed in America prior to Mormon migrations. These passages claim that these Book of Mormon Jewish pilgrims grew “exceedingly numerous” to “cover the face” of the “whole” land.

I didn't mean to go off on a Mormon tangent, although I did need to present my grounds for supposing some "ancient" artifacts found in the US that have Hebrew writings on them most likely were crafted by Mormons and not 'first peoples'.  Also we know that Spain expelled Jews from their country in 1492, some of which signed on with Colombus.

Quote: “After the Spanish monarchs had expell­ed all the Jews from all their kingdoms and lands,” Columbus recorded,” they commissioned me to undertake the voyage to India with a equipped fleet.” The scheduled date of sailing, August 2, was also the deadline for Jewish departure. Scores of vessels, with thousands of Jews packed into their holds, congested Palos de la Frontera, the maritime inlet of the Gulf of Cadiz. Here, too, Columbus gathered his fleet of three little caravels. (1492)

Quote: When Hernan Cortés first conquered Mexico for Spain in 1521, he did so with a number of secret Jews amongst his men. Judaism was banned at the time in Spain, and soon many secret Spanish Jews departed for “Nueve Espana” in the New World to try and live a more Jewish life. In fact, Spain’s first Viceroy in Mexico, Antonio de Mendoza, possessed a Jewish surname, and historians suggest he was possibly one of the secret Jews who moved to the new territory.
Quote: Ashkenazi Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe came in the 1880s, establishing Mexico’s first synagogue in Mexico City, in 1885. Sephardi Jews soon followed, fleeing persecution in the crumbling Ottoman Empire.

It appears to be only those who claim to be Jewish or practice the religion of Judaism who have been settling in South and Central America - no mention of the 11 other tribes. If these Jews secretly practiced their religion until they could openly be themselves again, wouldn't it make sense that the 'lost tribes' would have held onto their faith as well, keeping their identity?

At what point in time did these ten tribes of Israel (aka the Northern Kingdom) become lost? We read in Scriptures they shall be scattered and they were scattered, and not really lost but perhaps assimilated into the surroundings to which they were scattered. Who came up with the idea, that they were lost? It is a heavy theme among many who 'stand with Israel' these days. Supposed discoveries of artifacts and Hebrew writing seen in caves and found on boulders in America only feed the story. 

In 2 Kings 17 we read about Hoshea becoming king over Israel in Samaria. He held that position for nine years. He became a vassal to the king of Assyria who eventually marched against the whole land, captured Samaria and deported the Israelites from Samaria to Assyria, settling them in Halah, at the River Habor, at the River Gozan and in the towns of Media. This happened because the Israelites sinned against Yahweh. Nor did Judah keep the commandments of Yahweh and they followed the customs that Israel practiced. Yahweh let them fall into the hands of plunderers and finally cast them from His presence. (When you have time, continuing reading on from verse 21) 

King Shalmaneser invaded what was left of Israel. He sacked and destroyed the city of Shechem and the old Israelite capital of Tirzah. He also hit Hazor, tearing down the walls of the city before he besieged the capital of Israel, Samaria, for three years. Shalmaneser is recorded to have taken Samaria “On the 27th of Tebet Shalmaneser ascended the throne in Assyria and Babylonia. He shattered Samaria .” 

Quote: The mystery of the lost ten tribes of Israel endures in legend today, but evidence does show that those who had a military occupation and served the Assyrian army as auxiliary units seemed to have retained their identity. It appears that the so-called “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel” were never lost. Instead, they served, and over a generation or two, integrated within the local Assyrian populations, eventually losing their identity. 

From the Encyclopedia Britannica:

In 930 BC the 10 tribes formed the independent Kingdom of Israel in the north and the two other tribes, Judah and Benjamin, set up the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Following the conquest of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians in 721 BC, the 10 tribes were gradually assimilated by other peoples and thus disappeared from history. 

James 1 ~ James, a servant of Elohim, 

and of our Master Y'shua the Anointed One; 

to the twelve tribes dispersed among the peoples; greetings.

I conclude that there is no such thing as the lost tribes of Israel.  They did not board ships and sail to the future new world and become various Indian tribes.  I realize there is 'scientific research' galore speculating on the first people to migrate via a land bridge to Alaska and beyond; and there are even scientist who think the first people came by way of the Pacific coast.  None of that matters; what our Creator says is what we should be paying attention to. 

What we read in Scriptures :

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. 

Galatians 3:28 ~ For there is neither Jew nor Aramean, nor slave or free, nor male nor female, but you are all one in Y'shua the Anointed One = and if we are one with Messiah then we are those spiritual seeds of Abraham and inheritors of the promise.

Colossians 3:8 suggests there will be no difference among us, who and where we come from, when that day comes if we are 'one' in Messiah. We are told to put away from us wrath, anger, malice, reviling, filthy talking and telling lies; to put off these old ways and be renewed in knowledge, after the likeness of our Creator in whom there is neither Jew nor Aramean, Greek nor barbarian, slave nor free, but the Messiah is all and in all.

James Strong's Discordance

In the process of another study I came across something very interesting...

Quote::

James Strong (1822-1894) was born in New York City and became a Methodist theologian and scholar. As with many scholars of his day his views concerning the inspiration and preservation of the Scriptures were quite liberal. As G.A. Riplinger states in one of her articles, Strong's liberal views got him a seat on the corrupt Revised Standard/American Standard Version committee. Westcott and Hort sought American Bible critics to join with them and work on their Revised Version. In 1870 the British Committee voted "to invite the cooperation of some American divines". Strong became "a member of the Old Testament company of revisers" (New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, Vol. XI, p. 115).

Strong was hand-selected by Phillip Schaff, new age Parliament of World Religions participant. Schaff was probably the most "esteemed" scholar of the 19th century. He was a prolific writer and a key element in the production of the ASV. Needless to say, Schaff was also an avowed liberal.

Philip Schaff denied the inspiration of the Bible and only chose committeemen who agreed that the Bible had never been inspired; he called 'inspiration,' "the moonshine theory of the inerrant apostolic autographs". Not only did they deny that God gave the Bible to man, but they denied that what they termed 'men's words' were preserved. Their ASV Preface jabbed that, "The Hebrew text is probably corrupt..."

Strong’s Concordance is not a translation of the Bible nor is it intended as a translation tool. The use of Strong’s numbers is not a substitute for professional translation of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English by those with formal training in ancient languages and the literature of the cultures in which the Bible was written.
Since Strong’s Concordance identifies the original words in Hebrew and Greek, Strong’s Numbers are sometimes misinterpreted by those without adequate training to change the Bible from its accurate meaning simply by taking the words out of cultural context.
The use of Strong’s numbers does not consider figures of speech, metaphors, idioms, common phrases, cultural references, references to historical events, or alternate meanings used by those of the time period to express their thoughts in their own language at the time. As such, professionals and amateurs alike must consult a number of contextual tools to reconstruct these cultural backgrounds.

Whew! Many a Hebrew Roots group hold Strong's Concordance along with a Hebrew Greek Interlinear up high right next to their copy of the Tanakh and will do a hour long study on one word accordingly. What a distraction from the true word of Yahweh.

Legalizing Marijuana

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in Yahweh with all your heart

and do not rely on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths smooth.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

fear Yahweh and shun evil.

- ⍃-⍄ -

Quote with included links to the source:

Through dialogue ("being positive and not negative"), social media (socialist media) negates the father's/Father's authority, creating a "new" world order of disobedient children, following after psychologists, group psychotherapists, facilitators, of 'change,' Transformational Marxists, ruling the world.

I am suspicious about the reasons for legalizing marijuana. The tactic of promoting it as a medicinal miracle I see as a tool used to touch one's heart and manipulate emotions and feelings, as well as promoting it as a big money source that can be used for community projects. It's the 'make ya feel good' approach.  It reminds me of what I once read years ago by Dean Gotcher from which I quoted above. Here is another quote from the same source:

Social media is the praxis of "Belial," which means "without a master," which symbolizes "true independence," "self sufficiency," and "personal accomplishment," which represents "the earth element," i.e., the child's carnal nature, Enlightenment in other words. "The ideas of the Enlightenment taught man that he could trust his own reason [his own feelings, i.e., sensuous needs and sense perception, i.e., sense experience, i.e., "self" 'justification'] as a guide to establishing valid ethical norms and that he could rely on himself, needing neither revelation [the Word of God, i.e., the father's/Father's commands, rules, facts, and truth] nor that authority of the church [the Son of God, Jesus Christ] in order to know good and evil." (Stephen Eric Bronner Of Critical Theory and Its Theorists) The Word of God warns us: "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness." Luke 11:35 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15

While reading that I thought of what Y'shua said as recorded in Revelation regarding the hatred towards the deeds of the Nicolaitans. They believed in the freedom of the flesh and taught that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and had no relation to salvation. They believed that faith alone, not obedience to the Instructions of Yahweh the Father, was necessary for salvation. They could behave anyway they liked as long as they claimed to have 'faith in god'. 

I smoked pot in my younger years; I grew it in my backyard on occasion; I drank and partied with the best of them. It was a 'feel good' drug that made the world go away.  Just like alcohol consumption, smoking pot definitely impairs one's decision making abilities. Marijuana alters one's usual thought processes, diminishes moral attitude and opens one up to suggestions. It fades away inhibitions and blurs any vision of righteousness in the eyes of our Creator, among other things. In viewing this issue from my past years of experience, I cannot support legalizing it for any reason. It will be detrimental to society one way or another. I cannot help but think that there is a sinister reason for this to even be a topic of consideration. Americans have been dumbed-down and now TPTB want to dope up the rest.  If people are stoned, laid back without a care, lost in music or art or each other, TPTB can carry on with their plans of world dominance without any interference. Fake News will be just that much more believable to a bunch of stoners. I believe that the USofA is the 'superpower' the rest of the world wants to see come to an end, and drugs could be part of the plan.

"We know how to change the opinions of an individual in a selected direction, without his ever becoming aware of the stimuli which changed his opinion." "We know how to influence the ... behavior of individuals by setting up conditions which provide satisfaction for needs of which they are unconscious, but which we have been able to determine." "If we have the power or authority to establish the necessary conditions, the predicted behaviors [our potential ability to influence or control the behavior of groups] will follow." "We can choose to use our growing knowledge to enslave people in ways never dreamed of before, depersonalizing them, controlling them by means so carefully selected that they will perhaps never be aware of their loss of personhood." (Carl Rogers, on becoming a person: A Therapist View of Psychotherapy)

Stumbling Blocks

We are being called - we have been told to come out of 'Babylon' - we have read that our Creator wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth and not get wrapped up in traditions of man.

Since discovering the Hebrew origins of Scriptures -- beginning with Abraham the Hebrew and continuing through the descendants of Jacob in which the Hebrews became known as the House of Israel -- many have be led to align themselves with today's Jews, completely ignoring the other eleven tribes, a serious side-effect of many Hebrew Roots teachers and those they teach.

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, for some have obtained entrance who, from the beginning, were registered beforehand under this condemnation: wicked men who pervert the grace of Yahweh to impurity and deny him who is the only MarYah Elohim and our Master, Y'shua the Anointed One. And I wish to remind you, though you all know it, that Yahweh, after once rescuing the people from Egypt, again destroyed them who did not believe.

I want to touch on the subject of religion because I know there are still folks coming out of Churchianity as they seek the truth of Yah's Word and have gotten too comfortable with the Hebrew roots of things. I know, I was there once upon a time. It is, however, one of the best stepping stones we have leading us in the right direction. But that is where many people take the rabbit trail leading them into another religion instead of the faith once delivered.

Yahweh's Word has been messed with for a long time:

Mark 7:5 ~ The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and have embraced the tradition of men. ... And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..."

Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, "Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"

Written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees who were nullifying the Word of YHWH by those traditions and Yahshua would not instruct his followers to do likewise. What we have ended up with is a term, "Judeo-Christian", which is a mix of Jewish Tradition and Christianity with all of its denominations.

Isaiah 48:17 ~ Yahweh our Redeemer, the Set Apart One of Israel said:
I am MarYah your Elohim, instructing you for your own benefit. Guiding you in the way you should go.  If only you would heed My commands!  Then your prosperity would be like a river, your triumph like the waves of the sea. Your offspring would be as many as the sand, their issue as many as its grains. Their name would never be cut off or obliterated from before Me. Go forth from Babylon, flee from Chaldea! Declare this with loud shouting, announce this, bring out the word to the ends of the earth! Say: "Yah has redeemed His servant Jacob!"  They have known no thirst though He led them through parched places; He made water flow for them from the rock; He cleaved the rock and water gushed forth.  There is no safety, said Yahweh, for the wicked.

In Jeremiah 4 we read that Yahweh told His people:

If you return to Me.... If you remove your abominations from My presence and do not waver, and swear "As Yah lives," in sincerity, justice and righteousness (you shall be a blessing to others).  He tells us we should not plant seeds among thorns and to open our hearts to Him.

This rings true as I realize that there is no getting through to some 'believers' who hold strong to man's opinions about our Creator and His Son. We should be able to discern falsehoods by now and stop trying to 'save' those who adamantly refuse the truth. Salvation is not our job but spreading the Good News of the kingdom to come is one of our requirements. 

These folks who claim to be 'believers' begin to embrace traditions as they adorn themselves with prayer shawls, colorful braided clip-on tzitzits, they collect shofars, menorahs and Israeli flags, wear pins and star of David jewelry, keep the 7th day rest every sat-day and keep Yah's feast days according to Jewish traditions. They follow the herd as they 'stand with Israel' not knowing today's modern day state of Israel is not Biblical Israel and they believe that today's Jews are God's chosen people who were gathered back to their land in 1948.  Some even go as far as to submit their DNA for analysis to see if they are blood relatives of the Jews. Sadly, they don't realize how much has been added to the Word via man's imagination; Christianity and all its divisions; and Judaism which includes the writings in the Talmud and the mystical Kabbalah. It's as if Satan is throwing one last big stumbling block out there for those of us seeking YHWH. We came out of the Babylonian religious systems but many are in danger of being snared by Judaism and all its customs.

Let's come back to the first five books of the Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy - long before Judaism or Christianity were invented - folks were either Set Apart believers in Yahweh or they were pagans. Folks either chose to obey His Instructions or follow after all the pagan traditions. Recorded in these writings are YHWH's plans for His people and the precise instructions to follow in order to live in a just and righteous fashion. They are called Torah in the Hebrew language and translate as Instructions in the English language. Christianity likes to call all of them Laws and put them under the heading of Legalism which makes it easier to promote the belief that Jesus 'nailed them to the cross' and did away with them (which is not true). Also, today's religion of Judaism likes to color Yah's Instructions with a paintbrush full of man-made traditions. Neither of these these religions honor our Creator by following His Instructions = choosing the Blessing of Life eternal. Both have mixed and mingled lies and deception with bits and pieces of Scriptures, perverting the Word of Yah.

Faith and not religion is what Y'shua asked about, wondering if any will be found on this earth when he returns (Luke 18:8). He spoke this parable against men who relied upon themselves thinking they were righteous, while despising everyone else.  Time and again while discussing 'religion', when I get to the part about Yahweh never being about 'religion', that His Instructions are the perfect guide for our governance, health and well being, this is the response:

"But - Jesus was a Jew!"

What is meant by this? Was he a Jew by birth? by heritage? or a Jew by religious tradition? Is he a Jew because some rabbi on TV says he is? If you read Scriptures you learn that he certainly did not practice Judaism. In fact he taught against it! As I mentioned above, Judaism is a religion spun off the Word of YHWH, mixed with man's own imagination, just as so many other religious belief systems which 'divide' people instead of bringing us together as One. Being a Jew would mean one is of the tribe of Judah and later referred to one who lives in the territory called Judah.

Quote: In the Bible the word "Jew" means a resident of the land of Judea regardless of their tribe, race or religion, just as an Australian or Englishman may in fact be a Chinese, Negro or an Eskimo, or perhaps a member of the tribe of Judah. (end quote)

I'm an American by location, a Michigander by birth, a Texan by choice and a Set Apart believer in the Creator and His Son. Religion has nothing to do with it other than being one of the biggest rabbit trails ever and I thank Yah for His patience waiting for me to see His Truth. I pray the same for anyone else still teetering on the edge.

Remember, the House of Israel began with Abraham the Hebrew. His offspring were Hebrews. His son, Jacob, carried on the Hebrew line. His name was changed to 'Israel' and his offspring were the House of Israel made up of his twelve sons and their offspring and all were descendants of Abraham the Hebrew.

In the days of Y'shua few of the citizens of Judea were 'Yehudeans'. Some belonged to other tribes of Israel, and many were descendants of Esau (Edomites) who had assimilated and become co-religionists with the Judahites and remnants of the other tribes in the hybrid religion of Pharisaism developed during the captivity in Babylon. This religion of the Talmud is called Judaism today.

In today's world, most people think of Jews as the people of Israel, but that is not correct. An Israelite was one who had descended from Jacob. In Y'shua's time individual Jews may or may not have descended from Jacob, but they did recognize Pharisaism and not the Instructions Yah had given, recorded in Genesis through Deuteronomy.

The point is that one who is called a "Jew" in the Bible is not necessarily a chosen man of God, or a member of the tribe of Judah, an Israelite, or even a Semite, but one who is a resident of Judea. A Judean. In my studies I learned that over time a "secondary meaning" for the new word "Jew" came about, which is not the understanding intended by the Scripture of truth. Those who call themselves Jews today falsely imply they are somehow descendants of the tribes of Israel and chosen of God. Yet few of them are Jews as they are not "Judeans," or residents of Judea. And let me remind you, this is not hate speech or antisemitism... it is fact and you can always research this topic for yourself, keeping Scriptures as your base of operations.

Consider this: 

Y'shua was a "Jew" by location only -a resident- born in Bethehem, Judea. He was not a Jew by birth nor by religious affiliation. He was a Levite by blood (his mother was cousin to Elizabeth who was descended from Aaron - a Levite [Luke 1:5]) and from the House of Judah by adoption. All of this qualifies Y'shua to be King and High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. What a wonderful revelation!

Genesis 14:18- And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of Yahweh Elohim. He blessed Abram.

Isaiah 9:6- In token of abundant authority and of peace without limit upon David's throne and kingdom, that it may be firmly established in justice and in equity now and evermore.

Psalm 110:4- Yahweh has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever, a rightful king by My decree after the order of Melchizedek.' 

Hebrews 6:19- which is to us as an anchor that retains our soul so that it stays fixed; and it enters into that within the veil where Y'shua has previously entered for us and has become a priest forever, after the likeness of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:14- For it is manifest that our Master Y'shua arose from Yehuda, from a tribe of which Moses said noting concerning a priesthood. And this is further manifest from his saying that another priest will stand up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who was not according to the Torah of physical requirements, but according to the power of an indestructible life

To proclaim that 'Jesus is a Jew' is very misleading to many people who haven't read Scriptures for themselves. It is, however, in our obedience to The Creator, having the testimony of His Son, Y'shua the Anointed One, and our sharing the Good News of the kingdom that ensures our being gathered together when that day comes. We are grafted in, adopted just as Y'shua was adopted, into the House of Israel.  We become one people of one faith with one Master whom we worship in spirit and in truth.

There is more I could point out on this subject, but will wrap it up with this:

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Aramean, nor slave nor free, nor male nor female, but you are all one in Y'shua the Anointed One. And if you are of Y'shua then you are seeds of Abraham and inheritors by the promise.

All praise belongs to Yahweh, our Father in heaven, whose Name is Set Apart. His Kingdom is near - let us desire to do His will, as in heaven so shall it be on earth. Father, give us understanding and forgive us our wrongdoings as we have forgiven those who have done us wrong. We know You test us to reveal what is truly in our hearts, but please protect us from the Evil One; for we know that Yours is the power and the glory forever and ever.

We still are in His learning curve. Let's get rid of those snares and stumbling blocks thrown in our way by the Adversary and keep our focus on Yahweh and the Instructions He provided for us.

Pain and Suffering

I'm sure you have heard it asked or even said it yourself:

Why do bad things happen to good people?

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 Anointed One, 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.

There is a lot we do not know about those good people who are suffering from one thing or another but we do know what our Creator has told us, more than once, and it is about obedience.

​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)

If we do not pay attention to our Creator and continue to make excuses for why we cannot keep His Commandments, living life the way we see fit with no regard for His Instructions, we will experience afflictions of one sort or another.  Others may see us as good people but have no idea why bad things should happen to us. We won't even know why unless we read Scriptures and search out the Word of Yahweh which answers all of our questions; then it is up to us to change.  By loving Yahweh first and foremost we come to realize how we are to show our love for Him = obey His Instructions. In obedience we tune into His plan as peace and harmony begin to take over our lives, and this happens when His Set Apart Spirit finally gets a foothold within and we learn to listen and take heed.

Thank You Yahweh for Your Son Yahshua who made this possible for me as he gave us Your Spirit just as You had given it to him. I am beginning to understand that we are to worship You in Spirit and in Truth.

John 4:23 ~ But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, indeed. Yahweh seeks worshippers as these.  For Yah is Spirit, and those who worship must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

John 14:16 ~  And I will ask of my Father and He will give you another Redeemer who will be with your forever. The Spirit of Truth, he who the world is not able to receive because it has not seen Him nor knows Him. But you know Him for He dwells with you and He is in you.

John 15:26 ~ But when the Redeemer comes, he whom I will send to you from the presence of my Father, the Spirit of Truth, He who proceeds from the presence of my Father will witness concerning me.

In John 16:12 Yahshua said he has much to say to his Apostles but knew they couldn't quite grasp it yet. Verse 13 ~ But when the Spirit of Truth comes He will guide you in all truth. for He will not speak from Himself but He will speak everything that He hears. (Everything from the Ruach haKodesh comes directly from YHWH)

I have lightly paraphrased First John Chapter 4 from the Aramaic English New Testament (Andrew G. Roth et al) so please read it from your copy of Scriptures when you have time.

Do not believe all spirits but learn to recognize the difference among them, whether they are from Yahweh or not, for many false teachers have gone out into the world. This is how you know if one is of the Spirit of Yahweh: every spirit that confesses that Yahshua the Anointed One has come in the flesh is of Yahweh. Those that don't are not of Yahweh but are of the false messiah of whom you have heard will come and now is already in the world.  Those who are of the world speak worldly things and the world hears them. But we truly Set Apart believers are of Yahweh. Those who hear us are also Set Apart; those who refuse to listen are not of Yahweh and by this we know and see the difference between the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.
Let us love one another because love is from Master Yahweh and that is how we come to know Him. He showed us His love when He sent His only begotten Son into the world that we, by him, might live. This is love and it's not because we loved Yah but that He loved us and sent His Son as atonement for our sins. If our Creator has so loved us, we should also love one another. No one has ever seen Him but if we love one another, He abides in us and His love is perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him and the He abides in us, because He has given of His Spirit to us.
We have seen and do testify that the Father has sent His Son, a Redeemer for the world. Whoever confesses Y'shua to be the Son of Yahweh, Yahweh abides in him and he abides in Him. And we have believed and know the love which He has towards us for Yah is love and whoever abides in love abides in Him. And that is how His love is perfected with us, that we may not hide our faces in the day of judgment because just as Y'shua was in the world, so also are we in the world. In love there is no fear but perfect love casts out fear because fear exists in peril and he that fears is not perfected in love. Let us therefore love our Creator because He loved us first. We cannot say we love Yah if we hate our brother which makes us liars. If we cannot love our brother whom we see how can we love Yahweh whom we cannot see?  Whoever loves Yahweh must also love his brother.

There are many reasons why bad things happen to good people. Most of us recognize the obvious reasons, but there many subtle ones woven into daily life. It's up to us to change as we learn His ways, and align with the Creator's Instructions so that we may endure. 

Deuteronomy 11:26- See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of Yahweh 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...

We good people may think we are living our lives according to His Instructions yet still suffer from one thing or another, whether its medical, mental, financial or spiritual; or whether it's something major or several minor annoyances, so lets take a closer look.

Even though we Love YHWH with our entire being, and love our neighbor as our self, we are not keeping all His Commandments or properly applying His rules to our lives in today's world. His promise depends on our obedience.  Take this into consideration:

We call the months and days by names of which some are the names of pagan gods. Not only are we "not to make for yourself a sculptured image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them," we aren't even suppose to utter the names of no-gods: Exodus 23:13 "Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth."

We may have chosen the Blessing but we forgot the conditions of that choice. Then Satan, who is so subtle, slips in the names of those gods and they end up on the modern day Gregorian calendar, on tennis shoes and automobiles, constellations named after Roman gods, songs, movies etc....  When we become aware of this truth its time to change and we find it's not an easy thing to do when the rest of the world is scheduled by these names. (sigh) It is no wonder there are good people struggling with rough times and many folks suffering much worse. We can change. It's not always easy to come out of Mystery Babylon but if we truly love YHWH our Elohim, and we do not wish to partake of her plagues, we will make every effort to obey our Father in heaven, now and in this lifetime.

Me and mine are still deprogramming.

Denial

There were those who pretended they didn't know Y'shua after he had been captured and sentenced to death. They didn't want to end up being thrown in jail themselves, or killed. When asked, they denied knowing him.

In the end times scenario folks will be reporting perceived 'believers' to the authorities to save their own skin, whether they are Christian or Jewish or Mormon etc.... because by then the Image of the Beast will be the god folks are commanded to worship, bow down to or die. There will be 'believers' who will worship the beast in order to save their own lives. This includes 'taking the mark' in order to buy or sell.

If we truly are Set Apart Believers we must resist temptation in order for the devil to flee from us. It has been foretold that some of us will go to jail and be tormented ten days before being executed. Some of us will go to war against this final world system and die on the battle field. Some of us will perish because of the plagues that scourge the earth. Then there will be those who flee, head for the hills and are protected in the wilderness for those final three and a half years.  Whichever group we end up in it will be by our faith in Yahweh, the One True Elohim that we will be able to endure until the return of Yahshua, whether dead or alive.

The truth of His Instructions found in Scriptures is what gives the understanding we need in order to endure until the end. Yes folks, there is a dooms day yet to play out and the doom and gloom will be for anyone who rejects Yahweh as the Creator and denies the existence or purpose of His Son Yahshua.

There have been famines, wars and rumors of wars going on for a long time. Nations and kingdoms have risen up and fought each other as the years go by. There have been plagues and diseases then as well as now. The only thing different is that all these 'signs' have been getting worse, like labor pains which begin with a twinge now and again, becoming closer together and building in intensity as time goes by. Things are bad now, and will get worse. 

Through all that is yet to come, we must continue to stand strong in our faith in the Creator and not be afraid to share the Good News of the Kingdom to Come and not be deniers of Y'shua as the Son of our heavenly Father.