I ask myself that question? Do I stand out enough from the world for the world to persecute me for who I am – a follower of Messiah Yeshua? If someone were to look at how I spend my days, how I live my life would they see me any different than everyone else around me?
I read a passage by someone who was into Satanism and the occult recently. They related that they all looked at Christians strangely because they keep the same pagan holidays, celebrate the pagan sun god day (Sunday), live their lives the same exact way the Satanists do with one exception, they’ve said a little prayer. Is that difference enough to change their eternal destination?
The Word of Yehoveh tells us that there will be a great deception put upon the congregation in the last days. Those last days, the days of the gentiles, have been the last 2000 years since Yeshua was crucified. That great deception is growing darker by the day. That deception is that the Torah is no longer valid for us, that since Yeshua died He took that so-called burden away from us and that to keep it makes us “legalistic”. That deception is that all someone has to do these days to get into heaven is “say a little prayer and believe in Jesus”.
Well congregation of believers that is false teaching. Yeshua Himself taught right in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17, 18 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah – not until everything that must happen has happened.” And in Romans 3:31 we read “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.”
Torah is what shows the world how we are set-apart for Yehoveh. How we are different. How we are NOT like the world. That we keep the Sabbath Holy for Him, that we don’t celebrate pagan holidays and how we eat and drink differently. If we do everything the same way that unbelievers do then why in the world would Messiah have died for us? What are we doing that is so different?
Legalism is a word that came to the church early on when they wanted to distance themselves from the Jews. Keeping Torah is not legalistic. It wasn’t legalistic for the Israelites. What became legalistic were the hundreds of extra laws that the Pharisees added to the Torah. These were not set down by Yehoveh and they became a heavy burden to the people. Keeping the Torah is being obedient to our Creator who gave them to us as a gift to separate us from the rest of the world. When we throw them out then we throw out any chance of being different.
The pagan holidays all have their roots in Satanism. Satan is the father of them all. He is the master deceiver and the father of lies. He has convinced the world that evil is good and that good is evil and the church has gone right along with him.
In Joshua chapter 24 Joshua asks the people whom they will serve. The gods of the world or Almighty Yehoveh who brought them out of captivity and gave them their own land. We have that same choice put before us. Will we continue to serve the gods of this world or will we choose Yehoveh? As for me and my house, we will choose to serve Yehoveh. No matter what!
So to get back to my original question, am I enough of a follower of Messiah to invite persecution? That is a question every believer should ask themselves? If I keep the same holidays, go to church on the sun day, don’t keep Torah, don’t even know what a feast day is, etc. there is no reason for anyone to persecute me because I am the same as they are.
Here is a test. Tell someone that you have decided to keep Torah and to stop celebrating the pagan holiday of christmas (not capitalized on purpose) and see what the response is. If you find that they look at your strangely and tell you that you are crazy or worse then you’ll know that you are on the right path. It won’t be easy and that in itself is a sign that you are doing the right thing.
He is coming back soon. The signs are all around us. He will be looking for His set-apart people, His sheep. Are you different than the world? Different enough to be persecuted like He was?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Why Do Believers Celebrate Pagan Holidays?
Our family used to say that Halloween was our favorite holiday. We worked for a month to decorate our yard with homemade tombstones and even a homemade coffin. We had spooky sounds, lights, skulls and blood everywhere. We won the neighborhood award for the best decorations. People would come from other neighborhoods to see our yard every night. We dressed up and gave out loads of candy.
Then something happened. We accepted Yeshua/Jesus as our Savior and over some time He convicted us that we should not have anything to do with Halloween any more.
Halloween, all hallows eve, ghosts, goblins, witches, werewolves, blood, skulls, skeletons, death, evil, fear and more. Just looking at these things in the light of Yeshua Messiah’s Holy Light, and comparing these things to Him, made us realize that there is nothing in this so called celebration that we should have anything to do with.
I have written several posts about how the Church in general has adopted so many pagan celebrations. I’ve heard it said by other believers that we’ve turned them into something good so they are OK now. Halloween is fun, the children dress up and get candy and it’s just a good time. Even churches have gotten in on it with fall celebrations and selling pumpkins to be made into jack-o-lanterns as a fundraiser. Some even say that with candy they give out tracts and so they are using it to witness to others.
We used to do the same – doing our own version of turning something evil into something Holy. Problem is only He can make something Holy – we can’t. We were not being a good witness by keeping the same holiday that unbelievers were keeping. We were doing exactly what the world was doing. Exactly what He tells us not to do. We are to be in the world but not of the world. If we are doing what everyone else does then how are we His set-apart people?
As I’ve said so many times before, this is exactly what the Israelites used to do before Messiah came. They used to take pagan Ba’al celebrations and put a godly spin on them and still worship Yehoveh through these celebrations. He did not accept that and when they didn’t stop He judged them and sent them into captivity. It is not that they stopped worshiping Him it is that they were using pagan celebrations to do so. It was unacceptable to Him.
We are doing the same thing when we take on pagan holidays and attempt to turn them into something fun and good and we call them all sorts of things to make us feel better about doing it.
Take a moment and Google the origin of Halloween. It dates back over 2000 years to the Celts bringing back ghosts and spirits of the dead. They would contact them to get predictions on what the next year would be like. November 1st was their new year and they believed that the night before the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead were blurred so that the Druids, the Celtic priests, could more easily be in contact with these sprirts.
The Word of Yehoveh tells us that to try and contact the dead is against His Word. Ghosts and spirits are Satan’s evil demons. He is constantly working to pull us his way and away from Yehoveh God. He does it through seemingly innocent ways. He doesn’t stand there and say, hey I’m Satan and I want you to come and follow me and leave God. He says, oh isn’t that a cute little princess costume. Let’s do Halloween and go trick or treating. One more step in his direction. A slippery slope.
To even try to mix what is Holy and Righteous with this evil and call it fun and harmless is just plain deceptive. Whatever name is put on it, however it is described, its roots are evil and that evil cannot be changed into good. There is no place in His Word where His people have been able to do that. Holy is Holy and evil is evil and they cannot mix.
In these end of days just before He returns to earth to claim His own it is critical that believers live their day to day lives in a Holy manner in all things. He was very clear that many who think they are His will be told “I don’t know you” when He comes back. When we constantly do what is right in our own sight instead of following what is in His Word then why would He choose us to be with Him for all eternity? He wants true followers, not just those who mouth the right words. As His Word says, we shall know them by their fruit.
He is coming back. He is coming back soon. We are in the end of the end of days. The world as it has been is crumbling apart. Are you ready? Are you living your life as if He is soon to be here? Are you showing others around you that you are just the same as they are or are you different? Are you different enough to be noticed? Perhaps different enough to be persecuted for how you are living your life? If you aren’t, then perhaps now is the time to make some changes. Repent of the pagan ways you have adopted into your life and ask Him to forgive you. Start living your life Holy for Him. It will mean a difference for all eternity.
Then something happened. We accepted Yeshua/Jesus as our Savior and over some time He convicted us that we should not have anything to do with Halloween any more.
Halloween, all hallows eve, ghosts, goblins, witches, werewolves, blood, skulls, skeletons, death, evil, fear and more. Just looking at these things in the light of Yeshua Messiah’s Holy Light, and comparing these things to Him, made us realize that there is nothing in this so called celebration that we should have anything to do with.
I have written several posts about how the Church in general has adopted so many pagan celebrations. I’ve heard it said by other believers that we’ve turned them into something good so they are OK now. Halloween is fun, the children dress up and get candy and it’s just a good time. Even churches have gotten in on it with fall celebrations and selling pumpkins to be made into jack-o-lanterns as a fundraiser. Some even say that with candy they give out tracts and so they are using it to witness to others.
We used to do the same – doing our own version of turning something evil into something Holy. Problem is only He can make something Holy – we can’t. We were not being a good witness by keeping the same holiday that unbelievers were keeping. We were doing exactly what the world was doing. Exactly what He tells us not to do. We are to be in the world but not of the world. If we are doing what everyone else does then how are we His set-apart people?
As I’ve said so many times before, this is exactly what the Israelites used to do before Messiah came. They used to take pagan Ba’al celebrations and put a godly spin on them and still worship Yehoveh through these celebrations. He did not accept that and when they didn’t stop He judged them and sent them into captivity. It is not that they stopped worshiping Him it is that they were using pagan celebrations to do so. It was unacceptable to Him.
We are doing the same thing when we take on pagan holidays and attempt to turn them into something fun and good and we call them all sorts of things to make us feel better about doing it.
Take a moment and Google the origin of Halloween. It dates back over 2000 years to the Celts bringing back ghosts and spirits of the dead. They would contact them to get predictions on what the next year would be like. November 1st was their new year and they believed that the night before the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead were blurred so that the Druids, the Celtic priests, could more easily be in contact with these sprirts.
The Word of Yehoveh tells us that to try and contact the dead is against His Word. Ghosts and spirits are Satan’s evil demons. He is constantly working to pull us his way and away from Yehoveh God. He does it through seemingly innocent ways. He doesn’t stand there and say, hey I’m Satan and I want you to come and follow me and leave God. He says, oh isn’t that a cute little princess costume. Let’s do Halloween and go trick or treating. One more step in his direction. A slippery slope.
To even try to mix what is Holy and Righteous with this evil and call it fun and harmless is just plain deceptive. Whatever name is put on it, however it is described, its roots are evil and that evil cannot be changed into good. There is no place in His Word where His people have been able to do that. Holy is Holy and evil is evil and they cannot mix.
In these end of days just before He returns to earth to claim His own it is critical that believers live their day to day lives in a Holy manner in all things. He was very clear that many who think they are His will be told “I don’t know you” when He comes back. When we constantly do what is right in our own sight instead of following what is in His Word then why would He choose us to be with Him for all eternity? He wants true followers, not just those who mouth the right words. As His Word says, we shall know them by their fruit.
He is coming back. He is coming back soon. We are in the end of the end of days. The world as it has been is crumbling apart. Are you ready? Are you living your life as if He is soon to be here? Are you showing others around you that you are just the same as they are or are you different? Are you different enough to be noticed? Perhaps different enough to be persecuted for how you are living your life? If you aren’t, then perhaps now is the time to make some changes. Repent of the pagan ways you have adopted into your life and ask Him to forgive you. Start living your life Holy for Him. It will mean a difference for all eternity.
Friday, October 2, 2009
How Much Time Do You Spend?
A few years ago I had the opportunity to spend some time in Australia attending the wedding of my son and daughter-in-law. I stayed at an amazing bed and breakfast just off of Bondi beach just outside of Sydney. There is an indescribable coastal walk that goes from Bondi beach to Maroubra beach. It is 7.4 miles one way hopping from one gorgeous beach to the next with wild and wonderful coastline in between. It takes about 4 hours to walk each way so there is plenty of time to enjoy Yehoveh’s amazing creation and do a lot of thinking as well.
One day as I was walking along I started thinking about Yehoveh’s Word – commonly called the Bible. I had read bits and pieces, even whole chapters but had never read it through entirely. Something spoke to me while I was staring out at His enormous ocean, waves crashing on the cliffs below me, that one day I would be standing in front of Him, the author of this incredible book and what would I say if He asked me, “Have you ever read my book through start to finish?” It hit me that I would be so ashamed at that moment. Everything that He did to give it to me and I didn’t care enough to even read it.
That moment I made the decision that no matter what I was going to start at the beginning and read it straight through. Every single word, name, number, no matter how confusing or boring it might be in places. As soon as I got back to my room that day I opened it up to Genesis 1:1 and started reading. No studying it, just reading, like I would any other novel or book. It took me 4 months and I finished up at Revelation 22:21.
WOW! The picture became very clear. I could see Yehoveh’s plan completely laid out from the very beginning. It all came together so perfectly. It strengthened my faith in ways I cannot even count. To read story after story of how He protected, saved and rescued person and nation time and after time when none of them deserved it was so inspiring.
I could see His plan for the nation of Israel and how He so perfectly opened the door to gentiles to become a part of it and how it was His plan all along. That from the first moment He prepared to send His Son, Yeshua Messiah, to complete the sacrificial system that He began at Mt. Sinai. WOW! That piece by piece He put the puzzle together, bringing mankind along the journey of knowing Him.
Since then reading the bible through has become a normal habit to me. I finish up with Revelation and start right again with Genesis. As many times as I have done it over the past few years there is always something that I read that jumps out at me as if I had never read it before. The picture becomes clearer every time.
For those of you who have never read the Word of Yehoveh through I encourage it. It will bring you so much peace and understanding. A while ago I came across a webpage about reading the bible through. It had an online booklet written by Phillip Green. http://www.kjv-asia.com/read_your_bible_.htm
This is how I have broken down my time in His Word:
1. Spending time daily just reading through the bible.
2. Spending time daily doing a specific bible study – currently I am working through the Torah and Old Testament doing a free online study at www.torahclass.com
Now I can stand before Him and at least I can say yes I have read your book. And I cannot wait to spend time with Him discussing the things I have read.
One day as I was walking along I started thinking about Yehoveh’s Word – commonly called the Bible. I had read bits and pieces, even whole chapters but had never read it through entirely. Something spoke to me while I was staring out at His enormous ocean, waves crashing on the cliffs below me, that one day I would be standing in front of Him, the author of this incredible book and what would I say if He asked me, “Have you ever read my book through start to finish?” It hit me that I would be so ashamed at that moment. Everything that He did to give it to me and I didn’t care enough to even read it.
That moment I made the decision that no matter what I was going to start at the beginning and read it straight through. Every single word, name, number, no matter how confusing or boring it might be in places. As soon as I got back to my room that day I opened it up to Genesis 1:1 and started reading. No studying it, just reading, like I would any other novel or book. It took me 4 months and I finished up at Revelation 22:21.
WOW! The picture became very clear. I could see Yehoveh’s plan completely laid out from the very beginning. It all came together so perfectly. It strengthened my faith in ways I cannot even count. To read story after story of how He protected, saved and rescued person and nation time and after time when none of them deserved it was so inspiring.
I could see His plan for the nation of Israel and how He so perfectly opened the door to gentiles to become a part of it and how it was His plan all along. That from the first moment He prepared to send His Son, Yeshua Messiah, to complete the sacrificial system that He began at Mt. Sinai. WOW! That piece by piece He put the puzzle together, bringing mankind along the journey of knowing Him.
Since then reading the bible through has become a normal habit to me. I finish up with Revelation and start right again with Genesis. As many times as I have done it over the past few years there is always something that I read that jumps out at me as if I had never read it before. The picture becomes clearer every time.
For those of you who have never read the Word of Yehoveh through I encourage it. It will bring you so much peace and understanding. A while ago I came across a webpage about reading the bible through. It had an online booklet written by Phillip Green. http://www.kjv-asia.com/read_your_bible_.htm
This is how I have broken down my time in His Word:
1. Spending time daily just reading through the bible.
2. Spending time daily doing a specific bible study – currently I am working through the Torah and Old Testament doing a free online study at www.torahclass.com
Now I can stand before Him and at least I can say yes I have read your book. And I cannot wait to spend time with Him discussing the things I have read.
Monday, September 28, 2009
To Obey or to Disobey - That is the Question!
Mark 7:6-13
6 And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocites, as it is written, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of Yehoveh and hold to the tradition of men.”
9And He said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of Yehoveh in order to establish your tradition!
10 For Moses said, “Honor your father and mother; and, Whoever reviles father and mother must surely die.’
11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” (that is, given to Yehoveh) –
12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
13 thus making void the Word of Yehoveh by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
I was having a conversation the other day with another Christian. We were discussing Christians celebrating the traditions of christmas and easter. (Not capitalized on purpose). Her stance was that it was OK to have those traditions because Christians took those pagan holidays and turned them into something good for God. I disagree on several points.
1. Only Yehoveh can turn something made for evil into something for good and only if He chooses to do so. We do not have the right to do anything of the sort. Humans cannot make something Holy – only Yehoveh can do that.
2. The Torah gives us the proper way to worship Yehoveh in His own words. There is no adding to or subtracting from that. Many Christians have been taught that the Torah has no use for us because Yeshua came. Even He said this about Torah:
Matthew 5:17 - 18:
17 Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. (Your Bible may say fulfill).
18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah – not until everything that must happen has happened.
Does that sound to you that we should abolish the Torah? What it means is that Messiah Yeshua fulfilled the ultimate sacrifice to atone for sin and that there is no need for the sacrificial system. But how do we even know what sin is without Torah to tell us. We honor the Ten Commandments but those are just the basis for the 613 Torah laws. How can we do some without doing all and especially when Yeshua tells us that until He returns it will all still be valid?
3. This is what we (Israelites and Christians) have done since the beginning. Take pagan worship rituals and use them to worship the Almighty Yehoveh. He didn't like it when the Israelites did it and He doesn't like it when we do it today.
The bible is filled with testimony from the prophets warning Israel to give up the traditions of worshiping using pagan rituals. Most think that the Israelites got into trouble from Yehoveh because they were worshiping false idols. That is false for the most part. They were using the Ashteroth pole and other things to worship Yehoveh. They mixed it all up.
Read through Isaiah, Hosea and the other prophets. Warning Israel and Judah to give up those worship practices or else. The "Or Else" happened, first to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and then to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Even after Judah came back from Babylon it happened again and as you can see by the opening verse in Mark, it was happening in Yeshua's time. Traditions of man had replaced Torah and the Bible.
We, as Christians, have the choice to obey or disobey Yehoveh. His Word clearly speaks the truth of what He wants from us. The Torah was written to believers. It was a message on how a believer should live their life in worship to Him who created us.
We can choose to learn what He wants from us and obey - by the way this is the hard choice. It may mean giving up things you love, distancing yourself from people you care about and even being persecuted. (hmmmm...didn't Yeshua say that if you follow Him to expect that?) Or you can choose to keep your traditions. Most will choose this path because it is easy and you can justify it through many means. (One person recently said, well we have to keep our ham easter dinner because we need to be a good witness for our unsaved son. UGH! How in the world is keeping a pagan ritual and eating unclean food that Yeshua wouldn't ever touch a witness for Him?)
Justify it all you want. There is Yehoveh's truth and there is your justification for disobeying it. Yehoveh's Word constantly talks about the remnant and the narrow path. How many pagan rituals can you still keep and be on that narrow path?
If you would like to learn more about Torah and what it means to Christians today please visit www.torahclass.com and click on Old Testament studies. You can do free studies starting in Genesis all the way through Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy).
As Joshua said, “As for me and my house we will choose to serve Yehoveh”.
6 And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocites, as it is written, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of Yehoveh and hold to the tradition of men.”
9And He said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of Yehoveh in order to establish your tradition!
10 For Moses said, “Honor your father and mother; and, Whoever reviles father and mother must surely die.’
11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” (that is, given to Yehoveh) –
12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
13 thus making void the Word of Yehoveh by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
I was having a conversation the other day with another Christian. We were discussing Christians celebrating the traditions of christmas and easter. (Not capitalized on purpose). Her stance was that it was OK to have those traditions because Christians took those pagan holidays and turned them into something good for God. I disagree on several points.
1. Only Yehoveh can turn something made for evil into something for good and only if He chooses to do so. We do not have the right to do anything of the sort. Humans cannot make something Holy – only Yehoveh can do that.
2. The Torah gives us the proper way to worship Yehoveh in His own words. There is no adding to or subtracting from that. Many Christians have been taught that the Torah has no use for us because Yeshua came. Even He said this about Torah:
Matthew 5:17 - 18:
17 Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. (Your Bible may say fulfill).
18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah – not until everything that must happen has happened.
Does that sound to you that we should abolish the Torah? What it means is that Messiah Yeshua fulfilled the ultimate sacrifice to atone for sin and that there is no need for the sacrificial system. But how do we even know what sin is without Torah to tell us. We honor the Ten Commandments but those are just the basis for the 613 Torah laws. How can we do some without doing all and especially when Yeshua tells us that until He returns it will all still be valid?
3. This is what we (Israelites and Christians) have done since the beginning. Take pagan worship rituals and use them to worship the Almighty Yehoveh. He didn't like it when the Israelites did it and He doesn't like it when we do it today.
The bible is filled with testimony from the prophets warning Israel to give up the traditions of worshiping using pagan rituals. Most think that the Israelites got into trouble from Yehoveh because they were worshiping false idols. That is false for the most part. They were using the Ashteroth pole and other things to worship Yehoveh. They mixed it all up.
Read through Isaiah, Hosea and the other prophets. Warning Israel and Judah to give up those worship practices or else. The "Or Else" happened, first to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and then to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Even after Judah came back from Babylon it happened again and as you can see by the opening verse in Mark, it was happening in Yeshua's time. Traditions of man had replaced Torah and the Bible.
We, as Christians, have the choice to obey or disobey Yehoveh. His Word clearly speaks the truth of what He wants from us. The Torah was written to believers. It was a message on how a believer should live their life in worship to Him who created us.
We can choose to learn what He wants from us and obey - by the way this is the hard choice. It may mean giving up things you love, distancing yourself from people you care about and even being persecuted. (hmmmm...didn't Yeshua say that if you follow Him to expect that?) Or you can choose to keep your traditions. Most will choose this path because it is easy and you can justify it through many means. (One person recently said, well we have to keep our ham easter dinner because we need to be a good witness for our unsaved son. UGH! How in the world is keeping a pagan ritual and eating unclean food that Yeshua wouldn't ever touch a witness for Him?)
Justify it all you want. There is Yehoveh's truth and there is your justification for disobeying it. Yehoveh's Word constantly talks about the remnant and the narrow path. How many pagan rituals can you still keep and be on that narrow path?
If you would like to learn more about Torah and what it means to Christians today please visit www.torahclass.com and click on Old Testament studies. You can do free studies starting in Genesis all the way through Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy).
As Joshua said, “As for me and my house we will choose to serve Yehoveh”.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
No Matter What!!
I'm a little riled up today. OK, OK so that is normal for me. You can laugh. Go ahead. I get riled up when church doctrine gets thrown in my face and made out to be more important than the Word of Yehoveh. Yes, that's right. Man vs. God and I'm supposed to just be quiet and do what I'm told. Sorry, you picked the wrong person. I've committed to standing up for the truth of His Word no matter what. I don't care who you are, what church you are, how long you have been in ministry, that you went to seminary, what kind of ministry you have, how long you've been a Christian, or whatever. If you want me to bow down to church doctrine and it goes against His Word then a big NO to you! And I don't care what it costs me. Ban me, kick me out, ask me to leave, ignore me, delete me from being your "friend", whatever.
You say, well what could be upsetting you so? The fact is that the church who is supposed to worship our Savior, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Christ, is so attached to their doctrines and their celebrations and their holidays that they can't stand for someone to tell them that what they are doing is against God's Will. I've written about this before and I'm sure I will again. The festivals that Christians love so much, christmas and easter, are NOT in the bible. Jesus did not celebrate them. The apostles did not celebrate them. In fact, do a google search on the history of them. The history is that they are celebrations of false gods since the time of the Tower of Babel with Nimrod. Just handed down century after century and given new names depending on the culture of the time. Satan is very subtle and doesn't change his mode of operation. He just gives it new names.
And to go it one further, when reading the bible you come to understand very quickly that Yehoveh HATED these false gods and celebrations, and hated how the Israelites adopted so many of them into their worship of Him, that He exiled them. First the Northern Kingdom of the ten tribes and then the Southern Kingdom into Babylon.
He has NOT changed. He is the same God today that He was then. He has NOT changed His mind on how to worship Him. He does NOT want pagan celebrations attached to His Name.
Do what you want to me. I will continue to stand up for the truth of His Word no matter what. If you don't like what I'm saying then take it up with Him. Ask Him what He thinks and then read His Word about it. It is very clear.
Read my blog post about Syncretism. It is that very thing that has crept into the church and muddied it all up. The blending together of Christianity and paganism. We cannot just put a new name on something and it becomes Holy. Only Yehoveh can deem something Holy. And He never did that with christmas or easter.
Church we are in the last days according to the prophet Daniel. We are in the "time of the end". This is not the time to be playing around with pagan celebrations. Please open the Bible and read how He wants us to worship Him. Get prepared. The Kingdom of God is at hand.
You say, well what could be upsetting you so? The fact is that the church who is supposed to worship our Savior, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Christ, is so attached to their doctrines and their celebrations and their holidays that they can't stand for someone to tell them that what they are doing is against God's Will. I've written about this before and I'm sure I will again. The festivals that Christians love so much, christmas and easter, are NOT in the bible. Jesus did not celebrate them. The apostles did not celebrate them. In fact, do a google search on the history of them. The history is that they are celebrations of false gods since the time of the Tower of Babel with Nimrod. Just handed down century after century and given new names depending on the culture of the time. Satan is very subtle and doesn't change his mode of operation. He just gives it new names.
And to go it one further, when reading the bible you come to understand very quickly that Yehoveh HATED these false gods and celebrations, and hated how the Israelites adopted so many of them into their worship of Him, that He exiled them. First the Northern Kingdom of the ten tribes and then the Southern Kingdom into Babylon.
He has NOT changed. He is the same God today that He was then. He has NOT changed His mind on how to worship Him. He does NOT want pagan celebrations attached to His Name.
Do what you want to me. I will continue to stand up for the truth of His Word no matter what. If you don't like what I'm saying then take it up with Him. Ask Him what He thinks and then read His Word about it. It is very clear.
Read my blog post about Syncretism. It is that very thing that has crept into the church and muddied it all up. The blending together of Christianity and paganism. We cannot just put a new name on something and it becomes Holy. Only Yehoveh can deem something Holy. And He never did that with christmas or easter.
Church we are in the last days according to the prophet Daniel. We are in the "time of the end". This is not the time to be playing around with pagan celebrations. Please open the Bible and read how He wants us to worship Him. Get prepared. The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
When Do You Call on the Lord?
I was listening to a teaching on Zechariah this morning on my walk. The teacher asked a question. "Do you call on the Lord only in times of trouble?" What he meant by that is, what kind of relationship do you have with Him? Is it only when you need Him or is it an every day relationship?
Even pagans - those without God - will call on Him when they think it is their last resort. We've all heard stories of even atheists calling out to God when death is certain or a loved one is in serious condition. That isn't relationship, that is idol worship. Yehoveh wants more than that from us, His chosen people. He has mercy on us not just because He can give that to us, but because He wants to be in relationship with us. That is called grace. Grace is mercy given for a reason and His reason is relationship.
In many cultures it is common that in times of trouble, the family idols are brought out, prayed to and asked for help. If we only talk to Yehoveh in challenging times how is that any different?
I always like to compare it to the relationship that I have with my husband. I love him and love being in relationship with him. Because of that I like talking to him, being with him and all that goes with being in a relationship. What kind of relationship would it be if I saw him only when I was in trouble and needed him? Or said the same words to him every day at the same time and without really feeling anything? More duty than love? It's obvious that we wouldn't have much of a relationship at all. In fact, it is a relationship like this that often leads to divorce.
What kind of relationship do I have with Yehoveh? Is it the same boring stuff day after day, or even going days without speaking to Him or reading His Word? How long would my marriage last if I went days without speaking to my husband or listening to him speak to me? Not long I would think. How long will my relationship last with my Lord if I rarely speak to Him, think about Him or read His words to me? Not long I would think. That is called walking away from Him.
The time is short in this world. The times He tells us about in His Word are upon us. The time to spend building a relationship with Him is almost over. Please don't waste one more minute living for this world. Lift your eyes up to Him and tell Him that more than anything else you want to be in a fantastic relationship with Him for now and for all eternity. Talk to Him and read His Word.
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Even pagans - those without God - will call on Him when they think it is their last resort. We've all heard stories of even atheists calling out to God when death is certain or a loved one is in serious condition. That isn't relationship, that is idol worship. Yehoveh wants more than that from us, His chosen people. He has mercy on us not just because He can give that to us, but because He wants to be in relationship with us. That is called grace. Grace is mercy given for a reason and His reason is relationship.
In many cultures it is common that in times of trouble, the family idols are brought out, prayed to and asked for help. If we only talk to Yehoveh in challenging times how is that any different?
I always like to compare it to the relationship that I have with my husband. I love him and love being in relationship with him. Because of that I like talking to him, being with him and all that goes with being in a relationship. What kind of relationship would it be if I saw him only when I was in trouble and needed him? Or said the same words to him every day at the same time and without really feeling anything? More duty than love? It's obvious that we wouldn't have much of a relationship at all. In fact, it is a relationship like this that often leads to divorce.
What kind of relationship do I have with Yehoveh? Is it the same boring stuff day after day, or even going days without speaking to Him or reading His Word? How long would my marriage last if I went days without speaking to my husband or listening to him speak to me? Not long I would think. How long will my relationship last with my Lord if I rarely speak to Him, think about Him or read His words to me? Not long I would think. That is called walking away from Him.
The time is short in this world. The times He tells us about in His Word are upon us. The time to spend building a relationship with Him is almost over. Please don't waste one more minute living for this world. Lift your eyes up to Him and tell Him that more than anything else you want to be in a fantastic relationship with Him for now and for all eternity. Talk to Him and read His Word.
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Friday, August 14, 2009
Looby Loo!
Remember the game we used to play as children called Looby Loo? Put your left foot in, take your left foot out, put your whole self in, take your whole self out, etc. I believe that many Christians play this game with their faith. These past few days I've been re-evaluating my walk and realized that it is so easy to have one foot in and one foot out at the same time. This world is so challenging right now that we have our hands full just trying to manage and get through our days.
You want to please those around you; your family, your boss, your friends, your co-workers, etc. The question we rarely ask ourselves is are we pleasing Yehoveh God? Are we putting the way people think about us above what He thinks about us.
Over and over the past few days Yehoveh has put His Word in front of me with the answer. He has put people in my path with the answer. The answer is that I have been more concerned with what others think of me than I have with being obedient to Him. I have thought about and worried what they might think of me, how they might treat me, if they would like me anymore or even walk away from me if I stood up for truth. Would I lose business? Would I lose a friendship? Would I lose a close family member? Would I get ridiculed, laughed at, ignored, hated, called names, rejected? Would they remove me as a friend from Facebook - sad, but true.
I had one foot in with Yehoveh and the other one firmly in the world. This morning He led me to the first three chapters in Revelation. He made me realize that living that way leads to destruction. Those three chapters are written to His believing church. They were not written to the unbelievers of the world or even seekers. He was admonishing His people to step up and do right by Him, not right by the world. He also let them know quite frankly that if they didn't, the consequences would be severe. Eternity without Him.
Gasp! Yes - contrary to the popular belief that is taught in today's churches, you can walk away from Him. You have free will and can choose your eternity. Messiah Yeshua spoke about this very issue in Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!"
He was not talking to unbelievers. Unbelievers don't do these things. He was talking to people who were doing things in His Holy name. Believers.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!
In the time of John the word hear did not just mean to hear something, it was an action word. It meant that you had to DO something to show that you heard and understood. If you trust Yeshua/Jesus then hear and obey! If you have a foot in the world NOW is the time to pull it out and firmly stand on the Rock of Salvation. It's all or nothing - you can't have it both ways.
Joshua 24: 14-15 Therefore fear Yehoveh, and serve Him truly and sincerely. Put away the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Yehoveh! 15 If it seems bad to you to serve Yehoveh, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living?
You want to please those around you; your family, your boss, your friends, your co-workers, etc. The question we rarely ask ourselves is are we pleasing Yehoveh God? Are we putting the way people think about us above what He thinks about us.
Over and over the past few days Yehoveh has put His Word in front of me with the answer. He has put people in my path with the answer. The answer is that I have been more concerned with what others think of me than I have with being obedient to Him. I have thought about and worried what they might think of me, how they might treat me, if they would like me anymore or even walk away from me if I stood up for truth. Would I lose business? Would I lose a friendship? Would I lose a close family member? Would I get ridiculed, laughed at, ignored, hated, called names, rejected? Would they remove me as a friend from Facebook - sad, but true.
I had one foot in with Yehoveh and the other one firmly in the world. This morning He led me to the first three chapters in Revelation. He made me realize that living that way leads to destruction. Those three chapters are written to His believing church. They were not written to the unbelievers of the world or even seekers. He was admonishing His people to step up and do right by Him, not right by the world. He also let them know quite frankly that if they didn't, the consequences would be severe. Eternity without Him.
Gasp! Yes - contrary to the popular belief that is taught in today's churches, you can walk away from Him. You have free will and can choose your eternity. Messiah Yeshua spoke about this very issue in Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!"
He was not talking to unbelievers. Unbelievers don't do these things. He was talking to people who were doing things in His Holy name. Believers.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!
In the time of John the word hear did not just mean to hear something, it was an action word. It meant that you had to DO something to show that you heard and understood. If you trust Yeshua/Jesus then hear and obey! If you have a foot in the world NOW is the time to pull it out and firmly stand on the Rock of Salvation. It's all or nothing - you can't have it both ways.
Joshua 24: 14-15 Therefore fear Yehoveh, and serve Him truly and sincerely. Put away the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Yehoveh! 15 If it seems bad to you to serve Yehoveh, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living?
As for me and my household, we will serve Yehoveh!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What's in a Word? - SYNCRETISM
According to the American Heritage Dictionary the definition of syncretism is "Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous".
I recently finished a study on the book of Judges. It is a good example of syncretism. Yehovah instructed Joshua to enter Canaan and give the people living there a choice. Either pack up and leave or die. There was no middle ground. He did not want His chosen people to live with people who held other beliefs and other gods. Syncretism happened because Israel did not obey God. Instead they decided to tolerate the Canaanites and allowed them to live along side of the Hebrews. They tolerated the many gods including Baal and Ashteroth.
It didn't take long for syncretism to rear its ugly head. It happened very quickly and before the Israelites knew what happened to them they were worshiping not only Yehovah but the gods of the Canaanites as well. They worked together, worshiped together, married each other and so on. The Torah was not being followed and the priesthood and sacrificial system set up by Yehovah at Mt. Sinai was completely watered down.
Today we are seeing the same thing happen to both the Jews and the Christian church. Instead of following Yehovah's Word, we are building churches based on doctrine. Doctrine that in many cases has no real basis in the Bible. Doctrine that is falling short of readying the church for the fast approaching Kingdom of Yehovah.
The church has adopted the ways of the world to such an extent that it's hard to tell the difference between the two. When a person listens to the same music, watches the same movies and television shows, reads the same books, talks the same talk and basically lives the same life as someone who doesn't know Messiah Yeshua, how are they living the life of a set-apart people?
One reason Yehovah set down the Torah laws was to show how His people were different from all other peoples of the world. We are not supposed to be the same. We are different; set apart for a Holy God. That God expects His people to be different than the rest of the world.
I ask myself daily if someone was watching me could they tell by my actions that I am a follower of Messiah Yeshua. Am I keeping both feet where they belong or do I have one foot in this world?
Many Christians today are living a life of syncretism. They don't even realize that they have combined the world and their faith. I pray that you are keeping yourself set apart for Him.
I recently finished a study on the book of Judges. It is a good example of syncretism. Yehovah instructed Joshua to enter Canaan and give the people living there a choice. Either pack up and leave or die. There was no middle ground. He did not want His chosen people to live with people who held other beliefs and other gods. Syncretism happened because Israel did not obey God. Instead they decided to tolerate the Canaanites and allowed them to live along side of the Hebrews. They tolerated the many gods including Baal and Ashteroth.
It didn't take long for syncretism to rear its ugly head. It happened very quickly and before the Israelites knew what happened to them they were worshiping not only Yehovah but the gods of the Canaanites as well. They worked together, worshiped together, married each other and so on. The Torah was not being followed and the priesthood and sacrificial system set up by Yehovah at Mt. Sinai was completely watered down.
Today we are seeing the same thing happen to both the Jews and the Christian church. Instead of following Yehovah's Word, we are building churches based on doctrine. Doctrine that in many cases has no real basis in the Bible. Doctrine that is falling short of readying the church for the fast approaching Kingdom of Yehovah.
The church has adopted the ways of the world to such an extent that it's hard to tell the difference between the two. When a person listens to the same music, watches the same movies and television shows, reads the same books, talks the same talk and basically lives the same life as someone who doesn't know Messiah Yeshua, how are they living the life of a set-apart people?
One reason Yehovah set down the Torah laws was to show how His people were different from all other peoples of the world. We are not supposed to be the same. We are different; set apart for a Holy God. That God expects His people to be different than the rest of the world.
I ask myself daily if someone was watching me could they tell by my actions that I am a follower of Messiah Yeshua. Am I keeping both feet where they belong or do I have one foot in this world?
Many Christians today are living a life of syncretism. They don't even realize that they have combined the world and their faith. I pray that you are keeping yourself set apart for Him.
Monday, July 20, 2009
What in the world are they thinking?
As I drove into work this morning the news played a clip from the new Harry Potter movie that is all the rage and breaking box office records. I switched channels. When I opened my Facebook page this morning a post jumped out at me from a Christian who went to church then to see the HP movie, which they said was very good. A heaviness came down upon me so great that I cried out to Almighty Yehovah to please come back and come back soon as I didn't know how much more of this I could take. When Christians embrace a movie so steeped in the occult for entertainment, surely He isn't long in His return.
Is it that they just do not know how Yehovah God feels about this subject? Or do they know and they don't care? I am no biblical expert but I do spend time reading the Word daily and even I have read the passages about the occult and what God did to even His own people Israel because they dabbled in it. The most famous account is of King Saul speaking with a medium and what the repurcussions of that encounter brought to him.
Are we obeying our Savior King when we do exactly the opposite of what He commands us to do when it comes to witchcraft and the occult? Many will say "I love Jesus". But what good is that when you don't do as He says? That would be like my child saying I love my mom and dad but goes on to defy what we say. All words and no obedience. As James states in his letter, faith without works is dead. When we profess that we are followers of Messiah Yeshua but then fail to follow His commands we are having faith without works, which isn't really faith at all.
I've heard all of the excuses for seeing movies like HP. "I can handle it". "I know it's fiction:. "It's just a movie". "It's not really that bad". Etc. If Messiah Yeshua were going to the movie with you, would you take Him to HP? I highly doubt it.
Not to mention what kind of example are they setting for those non-Christians who are watching them? When a Christian acts just like a non-Christian there really is no difference between them.
The apostacy is full upon the church these days.
Is it that they just do not know how Yehovah God feels about this subject? Or do they know and they don't care? I am no biblical expert but I do spend time reading the Word daily and even I have read the passages about the occult and what God did to even His own people Israel because they dabbled in it. The most famous account is of King Saul speaking with a medium and what the repurcussions of that encounter brought to him.
Are we obeying our Savior King when we do exactly the opposite of what He commands us to do when it comes to witchcraft and the occult? Many will say "I love Jesus". But what good is that when you don't do as He says? That would be like my child saying I love my mom and dad but goes on to defy what we say. All words and no obedience. As James states in his letter, faith without works is dead. When we profess that we are followers of Messiah Yeshua but then fail to follow His commands we are having faith without works, which isn't really faith at all.
I've heard all of the excuses for seeing movies like HP. "I can handle it". "I know it's fiction:. "It's just a movie". "It's not really that bad". Etc. If Messiah Yeshua were going to the movie with you, would you take Him to HP? I highly doubt it.
Not to mention what kind of example are they setting for those non-Christians who are watching them? When a Christian acts just like a non-Christian there really is no difference between them.
The apostacy is full upon the church these days.
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