Light on the Rock Blogs

The blogs are short articles, almost like a “sermonette” compared to a sermon. They are on a variety of topics, please enjoy.

Our focus has always been on the Rock (who is Christ) and on the Light of the world (who is Christ), and on our heavenly Abba, our Father.  So this site is not about us but the website software requires some kind of bio. We felt led in 2004 to share Bible studies with others and to help people whom God was calling to come to their Messiah, and this website was born.

Philip was ordained in 1976 and has served sabbath-keeping congregations in Canada and the USA. He runs his own long-term care insurance agency along with his wife, Carole. Philip and Carole met in 1971 and have been happily married since 1975.  God has blessed them with three children and a total of SEVEN grandchildren:  5 in FL and 2 in WA. 

Philip lives now in Leesburg, FL so they can be closer to their four grandsons and 1 granddaughter and his second daughter and her husband.  Philip and his website also support a group of 28 orphan children in Kenya.

How are we treating Yeshua, the Son of God?  

As you look over the title of this short article, you might well feel you treat your Savior Yeshua (Jesus) very well. After all, you worship Him formally each day and each week.  You praise him and probably openly profess your love for him, but are you so sure the Son of God always feels loved and appreciated by you?  Do we actually treat the Son of God with the respect, honor, worship and regard that we think we are – and should?  

This might be eye-opening to some of you if you haven’t dwelt on this topic lately. I might even give this topic full attention in a sermon in the near future.

The members of the ekklesia—the called-out ones from the world – are called parts of the body of Christ. Paul says some are like the hands, the feet, the mouth or even the “unseemly parts” of the body of Christ – but all are needed. It would be a great review to read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26.  Paul concludes that section by saying when one part of the body suffers, all suffer.  You see, we belong to one another, even as we belong to the Christ.

What does this have to do with how Jesus (Yeshua) feels when we are kind and do good to one another – or if we hurt, gossip about and attack one another?   So here’s one way (there are many potential points) that shows how we’re actually treating Yeshua.

*** Yeshua loves God’s family very, very deeply. The way we treat Yeshua’s brothers and sisters will be the way He feels we are treating HIM. 

Read that again and ponder it.  Here are a couple of textbook examples of this.

Do you remember the story of when God called the Pharisee Saul (later called “Paul”) as he raced up the road to Damascus to imprison new Christian Jews?  Remember the bright light and how Saul heard the voice speaking in Hebrew to him?  Now do you remember what Yeshua said to Paul?  Also Acts 26:12-18.

Acts 9:3-5

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?"
And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"
Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

Where do we read any time that Paul had been persecuting Christ directly? It’s not there in scripture.  Paul was persecuting the brethren – but not directly Jesus Christ. But Christ – Yeshua—took it very personally as Paul shackled, beat, imprisoned and humiliated new believers. Some even ended up like Stephen – dead.

If you stomp on my feet, I feel the pain – for my feet are a part of me.  If you stab my back, I will not enjoy what you’re doing to me.  It’s the same with Christ and how he feels about the way we treat his body, the believers. 

My point is simple:  when you and I gossip against brethren, when we hurt brethren by word or deed, when we selfishly forget to pray for one another or when we do things that show we disrespect and dishonor one another – Yeshua takes that personally. Start with your own family. If we stab a sister or brother – maybe a literal brother or sister or dad or mom – in the back, Christ takes it personally. When you holler at your wife, you’ve hollered at Christ. 

Yes, I see myself in these things too. I’ve had to repent of unkind things I’ve done, apparently against my Savior.  You see, WE – and other believers – make up the BODY of Christ.  So as Paul punched, pummeled and shackled the brethren of the church, Christ himself felt like he himself was being punched, pummeled and shackled – by Paul. Hence his question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting…ME?”  And again, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”

OK, so you don’t physically hurt other believers, but we do gossip. Some groups calling themselves a branch of the church of God refuses fellowship with other brethren. Some write scathing articles and letters against fellow believers and ministers.  Please understand:  the Son of God feels all that being said about HIM.  That is why I personally don’t support or get involved in groups that attack other believers – often by NAME, and in print! 

On the other hand, when we pray for one another, say encouraging things about one another, help one another, lift each other up and do everything in our power to leave a wonderful sense of joy and peace among the children of God – wow, we’re doing that to Yeshua the Son of God himself as well!    

Another famous example of this is in Matthew 25:31-46, where Yeshua speaks of gathering everyone before him as sheep and goats.  The “sheep” are the righteous who helped HIM when he needed help. They dug into their own pockets and bought some clothes for HIM when he was naked.  They made sure HE had something to eat. When he was an awkward newcomer to the group, the sheep-type welcomed him and showed him around and introduced him to the others and made him feel at home.

The righteous “sheep” said they didn’t remember ever doing all that. Let’s read that part in Matthew 25:39-40 -- “Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

So with that in mind, I praise, thank and pray for all of you for example, who help us with the orphan children in Kenya whose parents have died of AIDS.  Our pastor over there has a poor church and he and his wife now feed and care for 30 children now – ages 7-17 now after all these years.  Because of you righteous sheep, we’re even able to send them all to school the last few years – including their required uniforms, fees, dues, school lunches, shoes, supplies, etc. Not to mention their bedding, their well, a home, land – a new shot at a great life in a poor country. We do not wish to perpetuate the cycle of poverty often exacerbated by illiteracy.  In fact many of our students there place in the top 5 of their class! 

The Messiah is saying to you:  “I was hungry, and you gave ME healthy food – when you made it possible for a bunch of orphans to realize there really are people who care for them.  As you do it for them, I take that personally. Well done, well done, and I’ll make sure you have a great reward in my kingdom to come.” 

But you see, it’s not just orphans in Kenya. It’s also about how we treat our fellow believers right here where we live, or in the other group over across town.  It involves your literal dad, your mom, your brother and sister – I mean your siblings. This includes how we treat our husband or wife. 

We are supposed to be the very embodiment of Yeshua walking here on earth through you and me. We are growing to look and be more and more like him.  So when we’re hurt, we say –as HE did – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  When we have an opportunity, we bless and share what we have.

We want to be a part of a ministry that leads people to love God and love each other – the two greatest commandments.

It is, in fact, this profound LOVE we have for one another that marks us as his disciples. You surely know the scripture – the one on John 13:34-35.  This is why I want nothing to do with groups that often badmouth other believers and other ministers – except that God soften their hearts and open their eyes and lead them to become truly loving people.  

John 13:34-35 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  35 By THIS all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Every group knows that passage, but few groups even come close to practicing it. Some do. Hallelujah.

Just think what we could accomplish as the body of Christ if we started celebrating the talents our heavenly Father has bestowed on each one and ENJOY each one letting God’s spirit flow out of them in good deeds and uplifting words.  It would be a real life “Dream team” that would bring Father and Saviour great, great joy.  That’s the way the church should be. We enjoy watching God’s people – all of them – using and maximizing what God’s spirit has given EACH ONE, without feeling envious or inferior. 

Finally, there is the “measure for measure” principle.  Our holy Master says that if we don’t forgive each other, he won’t forgive us either.  If we do forgive each other, he will forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).  Whom do you hate?  Do you still have any grudges you hang on to?  Don’t keep them in your heart.

Scripture is clear: if we are generous to the poor and needy, he takes that personally – and will be generous with us.  He calls it “lending to the Lord”.

He says the standard we use against one another or to help one another is the exact same standard he will use on us in the judgment.  Go read it yourself in Matthew 7:1-2

So I think it would behoove us to be kind and forgiving of one another.  Start at home with your wife or husband.  Or your dad. Marriage and family relationships were given to us as such great training grounds to practice love, forgiveness, kindness and hope – even when we’re not always receiving all of that. It’s a great place to practice living in the Kingdom.   I know I need a lot of forgiveness from God – so, I need to be compassionately forgiving you, my wife, my neighbor and all the other family of Christ I come in contact with.  In fact, like Christ, we are to forgive even our enemies.

Here’s the first point again:  However we are treating other fellow human beings, and especially fellow believers in the true God, is the way the Son of God will feel we are treating HIM. 

Of course there are OTHER ways we show we love the Messiah. This next point is worthy of a whole sermon, but let me mention it:  Christ also feels loved when we obey Him and his commandments – John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commandments.”   This point meshes well with the other one actually.

John 15:12-14 --- “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

John 14:15---"If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

So – a lot to ponder.  How well are we treating Yeshua, the Messiah – the Son of God?   Does he feel loved by you?

 

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What “apocalypse” really means  

We hear the words “apocalypse” or “apocalyptic” a lot. But what does “apocalypse” mean?  What do you think it means?  I had a dear friend send me a note about this and how revealing it was to learn the true meaning of the word. I thought it could make for an interesting blog. I’ve been aware of the real meaning for a long time, as we used to hear our human church leader often talk of it 30-40 years ago. But perhaps it’s not something you’re aware of. So let’s explore.

On the news or in movies, you’ll hear that word “apocalypse” used in a way that points to things happening of major catastrophic proportions. You’ll hear:  “The damage, carnage and destruction we see all around us right now with the hurricanes and tornadoes we’ve been through is nothing short of apocalyptic”.  Or you might hear this: “If war were to break out between the major super-powers right now, it would surely bring on the apocalypse and Armageddon”.  Yes, you’ll find the concept of Armageddon and Apocalypse often in the same sentence or paragraph. Armageddon of course is a description of a super-catastrophic end-time battle that ends with millions dead (see Revelation 16). 

This usage of the word “apocalypse”, I believe, can all be traced back to the horrendous visions of destruction, war and calamity that we can read about in the book of Revelation.  So I think people tend to use the word “apocalypse” to mean - - “events such as we see described in the book of Revelation”.  The word “apocalypse” comes from the Greek word apokalupsis. But the word does not mean “catastrophe” or destruction or a huge war at all. Not at all.

Click the “Continue reading” button below to finish this short blog. You’ll in for a real revelation.

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What did Yeshua (Jesus) have to say about Sodom?

(Note:  I will use the name Yeshua, the Hebrew given name for Jesus throughout)

A new friend asked me what to say to his gay friends who are being called by God when they ask if they as well as others being called, can be part of the new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).  He knows, we all know, that a practicing adulterer, liar, thief, extortioner, homosexual or abuser of himself with mankind, etc. etc. will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11).  But God IS calling sinners from all backgrounds, including gay men and women.  What does scripture say to them?  This is my encouraging answer.

We ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But WE like to categorize sinners and levels of sin into ‘not so bad – a sinner like me, much worse than me, unforgivably bad, so bad he/she should be banned from others for forever and ever”.  So we can end up feeling some people with sins in the last 2 categories we set up should never ever be allowed in church fellowship. 

That is so wrong. That is so un-Christ-like.  Let’s look into this. There was a Corinthian man who had done some sexual things so bad that it could barely be described – and he was thrown out of the fellowship (see 1 Corinthians 5).  But later Paul ordered the brethren to welcome him back in upon his repentance (2 Cor. 2).  I’m sure there were some there hoping they’d never have to see him again. Some could have argued he was too dangerous to allow back. Paul said – extend your love to him, welcome him back, lest Satan take advantage.

We can all easily end up a bit like the Pharisee who stood praying how grateful he was that he was not as bad as other people.  Yep, you’ve thought those thoughts; I’ve thought those thoughts, forgetting we all need the same forgiveness.  And we want nothing to do with someone who has issues going on that we hate.  So we might not want to be seen with repentant sinners who were hooked on porn, or who have tattoos all over their body, or who had been practicing homosexuals, or people who had committed serial adulteries.  No, those are not our friends as a rule of thumb.  We like to be seen with acceptable people.

I remember pastoring a church where we had some indigenous American Indians – Mohawks - attending with us.  Some voiced some concern. So in the next sermon I made a statement, “I would be so thrilled if ALL the Mohawk Indians from the reservation nearby would be called by God and start attending with us!”.  

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BORDERS – Did YHVH (GOD) create borders?

Any of you who have travelled abroad, realize you have to go through Customs, have a passport, in some cases show your visa as well, declare your purpose for coming into their country, answer a few questions – and then you can proceed. But we can’t just step into any other country without the proper paperwork and acknowledgement that we are entering as a foreigner into someone else’s country.

 

I start with this because for some reason, some in this country want us to act like we have no border. Even the former president of Mexico recently made the statement “God did not create borders”. 

 

My wife and I immediately reacted to that. Obviously he doesn’t know the Bible very well. Scripture is clear:  GOD created borders.  Let me show you

 

What’s the first “border” you can think of that is clearly mentioned in scripture; a border that YHVH himself imposed?  I’ll grant you, some can make a case for much earlier borders than what I’m about to mention.

 

The Garden of Eden. When our ancient parents transgressed the Almighty’s command – they were ejected from the Garden.  But then what?  YHVH placed cherubs (cherubim is plural) with a flaming sword at the ONE entrance to the garden, keeping out anyone unauthorized to enter.  This is something GOD did, folks.  So our God clearly intended to enforce his borders. Let’s read it:

 

Genesis 3:24  -- “So He (YHVH)  drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

A case can be made there was a prior illegal border crossing. See Jude 6, which gives us a hint that the first unauthorized border crossing was when Heylel (improperly called Lucifer) and his rebellious angels left their proper domain and attempted the first coup d’état against God himself.

 

Scripture mentions “border” or “borders” close to 200 times. Here’s one. 

Genesis 10:19--- “And the BORDER of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” 

 

Did God create boundaries and borders?  How about these:

Deuteronomy 32:7-8 -- "Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations.  Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you:  When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when HE separated the sons of Adam, HE set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.”

 

Acts 17:24-26 -- “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings…”

Next let’s look at Numbers 34, where indeed the Almighty HIMSELF specifies the borders and boundaries for each of the tribes of Israel.

 

Numbers 34:1-12   “Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Command the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance — the land of Canaan to its boundaries. 3 Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea; 4 your border shall turn from the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and be on the south of Kadesh Barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar Addar, and continue to Azmon; 5 the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the Sea.

 

6 'As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border; this shall be your western border.   [The Mediterranean Sea]

7 'And this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor; 8 from Mount Hor you shall mark out your border to the entrance of Hamath; then the direction of the border shall be toward Zedad; 9 the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your northern border.

 

10 'You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; 11 the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; the border shall go down and reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth; 12 the border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries.'"

 

That was YHVH – Yehovah himself speaking there!  So did GOD create borders?  Pretty clear, isn’t it.  He updates Israel’s borders for a future time in Ezekiel 47 and 48. Check it out. 

 

Asaph wrote in Psalm 74:17 the following:  “YOU have set all the borders of the earth;  You have made summer and winter.”

So you see, the former president of Mexico was dead wrong when he said “God did not create borders.” 

Now, having borders does not mean we should not allow visitors, immigrants and new citizens.  But borders are of God. They should be respected.  And foreigners are to be loved and respected  - but they must abide by the same laws that existing citizens have to obey.

 

For a full discussion according to Scripture on what our attitude should be towards foreigners, please check out my sermon on it:

 

It is titled “God’s Word on Foreigners and Aliens” and was given 08/08/2015.   Just click on the link below.   I think it will be thought-provoking for you. 

 

http://www.lightontherock.org/index.php/message/god-s-word-on-foreigners-aliens 

 

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Did Yeshua (Jesus) really say these?

In this recent Christmas season, there was a lot of talk of “baby Jesus”.  Some even use that as an expression.  Many speak of “sweet Jesus”.  Certainly, he was a baby. Certainly, he is kind.

Some of the most often cited scriptures in the entire Bible are His words about being our Shepherd, a good one at that.  And that His Father so loved all of us that he sent his one and only son – Yeshua – to die for us so that any who believe in him would be saved, and not perish.  You know many more verses about him being the Way, the truth and the life. He was the perfect son of God. He is our Lord. He’s great, he’s love, he’s terrific, he’s kind and he’s forgiving.  All that is absolutely true.   

But how often does your pastor ever preach these other verses that are also words spoken by the son of God?  Paul and Peter and others certainly did. Paul spoke of the “severity of God”, as well as his goodness. God is love.  But God is also just. Sometimes his justice frankly can be severe, especially at people who don’t believe or won’t obey.  And faith/belief and obedience go hand in hand, frankly. 

Paul didn’t mince his words. In talking to the Romans – and you can go back and get the entire context about the Olive tree analogy – look what Apostle Paul says:

Romans 11:21-22

For if God did not spare the natural branches [the Jews], He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness AND severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, IF you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

Ministers love the gentle verses about forgiveness, patience, grace, and God’s patience and so on.  And so do I.  I love to preach of God’s grace and his imputed righteousness we receive by faith, as so many scriptures teach.  But I also want to be sure to give you, what Paul calls “the WHOLE counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).  So this blog – which could develop into an even more exhaustive sermon on the topic – will do just that:  talk about other words of Yeshua that are just as true and pertinent as the ones which are often quoted. 

Again, how often do you ever hear these scriptures used in church or on the radio?  Brace yourself. You may be surprised these words came from Yeshua.  But remember: he is a loving king and Savior to those who seek Him and submit to him as Lord of lords, king of kings.  But to those who carelessly believe they don’t need to change, don’t need to overcome, don't need to be prepared and ready for his coming, and don’t need to seek him with all their might – they WILL be in for a big surprise.  So here we go; remember these are Yeshua’s OWN words!  Check them out! 

Luke 12:45-48 -- “But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Have I made my point?  “Jesus said that?”   I can hear people thinking that already. Yes he did.  Yeshua spoke of beating ineffective servants with stripes?  Yes.   Click on “continue reading” to read a few more tough sayings of our King.   This should help you understand that our king is not just a “baby Jesus” or always a “sweet Jesus”.  If we don’t obey him or prepare for him, his coming will be a very, very sharp wake-up call for many – including many who call themselves his followers, as you shall see.

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If you could ask the Son of God three questions ….

If you had the opportunity right now to be in front of your Saviour, and you were promised a definite and audible answer directly from him for any three questions you have, what would they be?  What would be the most pressing questions on your mind? 

Pause reading this for a minute and just ask yourself that question, and what do you instantly come up with?  Write down your instant answers before continuing.

I don’t know that there is a “right” or “wrong” answer to this.  You’ll find there are questions that just immediately pop up. But the more you let this marinate in your mind, you’ll find other questions, deeper questions, start to surface. 

Many would express the perennial questions like “Why did you have to create – mosquitoes?”  (Or other annoyances – fire ants, poisonous snakes, any biting insects, etc).  

But then far more serious questions you’d like to ask would also bubble up – like “Why did you let my little baby die?”  and variations on that theme: 

**  “Why didn’t you heal so-and-so when so many were praying for healing?” 

**   “Why don’t you intervene more in wars that hurt and kill so many innocent people?”

**   “Why do you let horrible and evil dictators and drug lords continue in their deadly ways?”

Click on “continue reading” to examine other concepts you’ll want to be considering as you ponder this topic today.  It’s an important question – “What would you ask Yeshua (Jesus) if you had that opportunity to see him and receive his clear and audible answers today?” 

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Hanukkah. Is it OK for believers in Yeshua to keep it?

I first posted this blog in December 2012 but felt it warranted being posted again.

Hanukkah is here. What is it? Why are more and more Christians, even Sabbath keepers, recognizing and keeping Hanukkah?  Some feel it is merely a Jewish counterbalance to Christmas. Others believe it is a Jewish festivity not mentioned in Scripture. What’s true? Should you and I – believers in Yeshua - -keep Hanukkah?  What did Jesus do about Hanukkah? Yes, we’re actually told in Scripture! 

Read the rest of this blog to learn what Hanukkah is about, what Yeshua did during Hanukkah, whether or not believers can participate in some way and what lessons we can learn from this holiday.

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Woe to those who call evil – good. Isaiah 5:20

I was listening to some young people talking the other day and someone was describing a great and fun and wonderful time they had had at such-and-such a place.  “Aw man, it was wicked.  It was so much fun.” 

I don’t think the young man speaking meant “It was evil” – but that it was great, it was fun in his eyes. Later on, I heard someone else say, “Ohh…you’re bad! But that’s what I like about you”.  He didn’t mean the guy was really bad, as in evil, but that he was good.

In Isaiah 5:20 the Everliving One warns us:   “WOE to those who call evil good, and good evil…”

So please don’t think of these as harmless expressions.  Our Creator specifically tells us to have no part in using expressions or language that perverts a word’s meaning! 

It’s happening so clearly in our society today. It’s literally happening.  What is truly righteous is being called evil hate speech or something equivalent. And what is truly pure evil is being called good. 

Click on “Continue reading” for more language twists we’re hearing today that we should be fully aware of – and not letting them in any way become a part of us.

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The DUMB “smart phone”

We call it a “smart phone” but in many ways, if we don’t control the use of it and who can have one– it can be one of the dumbest things we’re involved with. I mean this blog to be an alert and I might even develop this into a full sermon on this site. Should children and teens have “smart phones”?

Sure, it’s great having a little phone that is so great that most people have now cancelled their land line phones. These “Smart phone” we each have is:

*** Also is a portable powerful computer with computing power that used to take a room full of big machinery and spinning reels. Good news:  it allows us quick access to so many things.  Bad news:  it allows quick access to so many things – even for your children and teens when they use their smart phone.

***Sure it’s great that these phones that even children now have are also high quality cameras and movie cameras.

***It’s a flashlight. It’s a compass.  It can show us details of someone’s street anywhere in the world. It’s capable of games and videos. We can learn how to play chess better (as I learned when my grandson beat me for the first – and then a second time.  HE’S been practicing.)  We can look at the night sky and find and identify planets, stars and constellations. We can learn to cook, learn to paint, learn to – just about anything.  We can view just about anything as well.  We can access any song ever written and hear it blare out or blare into our ear pieces, and some play it so loudly into their ears that we now know many will go prematurely deaf or suffer tinnitus later.

***And we can communicate as never before – and send e-mails with it. And of course now we also get a lot of JUNK email, just like the old fashioned post office junk mail.  We can text people around the world with it. We can go on Facebook and see what our family and friends are up to and enjoy their latest photos. We can instantly export pictures of anything and anyone we want all over the world in a split second.  Stock trading and investment planning is easy with a smart phone. You can learn new languages more easily with it.  You all know I could go on for pages on what the Smart phone has done for us.   Young people today wonder how we ever survived without it! Wow, you had to put money into a “pay phone” to call someone? 

            So there’s a lot to like about smart phones, so don’t get me wrong. 

            But it also can ruin your present and future life.

So WHY would I call this piece of absolute marvel – a DUMB and even dangerous phone?

Please click on “Continue reading” to see the answer and I hope it will make us all think about the dangerous consequences of the smart phone too, if we don’t curtail how we use it.  I’m talking about dangers so great it can affect our future, our reward in the kingdom and much more. 


OK, so how can the smart phone be such a dumb phone?

It’s ironic. It allows us to interact with far more people, instantly, than ever before, and yet so many are feeling more alone than ever before. Why?  I’m concerned with the younger generation (anyone younger than I am).

Do we know how to converse in voice – anymore, speaking to and listening to one another, in front of each other, with facial expressions and vocal tones? 

I was watching a group of school teens walking home – and I could find NO ONE talking to anyone beside them. NO ONE.  They all were transfixed with their cell phone messages, Facebook, Instagram pictures, emails and what not – and nobody was talking. 

We’re losing the ability to just TALK and just LISTEN to one another.  I’ve had many grandparents complain that their grandkids never CALL anymore. They text – and in short 2-5 word clips.  They don’t seem to understand the need for their grandparents and older people – to just let them hear their voices.

It’s a DUMB phone when not controlled because it’s depersonalizing us. 

Young people are forgetting the beauty of – QUIET.  Can someone (again, especially the young) just go for a walk in silence anymore – without their cell phone, or weed their garden in silence and just meditate, just let the moment envelope them?

Smart phones are being used to bully teens and children – en masse – in large groups, instantly.  Photos are added. Information is given. Within seconds the vilest things said and depicted can be sent to thousands – about your child or about you. Some recent stories on the news reveal some bullied children even ended their lives – because, ultimately, of smart phones being used for very evil purposes.

Within seconds, children with these kinds of phones can access the most detailed and graphic pornography – going way beyond mere nudity, to actual sex acts, including hetero and homosexual sex acts, and even bestiality and worse.  On Laura Ingraham’s TV news show, she recently had two psychiatrists who said much of their practice is working now with children as young as 10 and 12, boys and girls, addicted to porn.  Some older teens 18 and over – are serving jail time because of what they’ve said and sent to minors, perhaps to a girl friend who was only 14 or 15, just a few years younger.  But they were accused and convicted of sending porn to a minor. 

So should you be letting your children and teens have these phones?  You can still find old “flip phones” that are not “smart phones” if you want them to have the ability to call out in emergencies and what not.

Access to computers also gives children and adults access to many video games, many of which are very explicit sexually and many get you involved in graphic violence. I believe these desensitize those who indulge in them so it means nothing to blow someone’s head off with their high powered e-gear, or to rip someone’s heart out or to rape or do other horrible acts – as these often can be part of the “game”.   In fact, the trend is to get into virtual sex as well, so you don’t need a real flesh and blood partner anymore.  I don’t understand this last part – but it’s apparently out there or coming soon.

PEOPLE are LOSING INHIBITIONS and right to privacy – as apps request your permission to access your phone’s pictures and photos, data, contacts and who know what else – and BILLIONS of people around the world, yes billions, are giving up all of that to the unknown robots that now can peer into your very personal life.  What do they do with that?  They share it with marketers around the world. So if you do a Search on a particular city, or search for cruises –you’re soon bombarded with ads about cruise lines and things to do in a certain city. How did they all know so quickly? 

The “cookies” and other things they have – often with your permission -- are sold to marketers, so now the whole world knows where you are or where you’re going, or that you’re away from home, or what you like, how old you are, your shopping habits, where you went to school, where you live, what your children look like, and who you’re with, etc., etc. 

So personally, I don’t give permission for various apps to have access to my data, photos, contacts and the many things they want from me, so I can use their app.  I don’t think that’s worth the risk to me.  Have YOU thought that through? 

I could go on and on.  I just want my readers to give thought to how you use these marvelous tools of technology and don’t forget to be human and to remember what counts most: your relationships.  Talk to them – live, by voice. Experience one another – for real.  GUARD the doors to your mind and refuse to use the phone for violent and sexual games, pornography and anything ungodly. And watch the TIME you’re putting into these phones.

Life is made up of time and how we use that time. Though these phones can save an enormous amount of time when rightly used, they can also use up your life, your time, and distract you from what you should be focused on right now. I’d like to see a study showing how much time people use daily on their phones – texting, reading emails, doing Facebook and Instagram etc , even while at work.   I often don’t even have my cell phone with me – on purpose – so I can really focus on what I’m doing right now.  You can be video recording an event so much that you miss the fuller experience of just putting the phone/camera down and relishing the full experience.

And no, I would NOT want my teens and children have a full-fledged smart phone yet. I’d give them a phone, but not one with computer abilities.  It’s just too dangerous and can ruin someone’s life for the rest of their lives. That’s not worth it. 

So USE your smart phone carefully.  And realize marketers and industry want all your data you’ll give them – before they spread it to anyone willing to pay for it. Don’t.  Don’t regret later what you give up today.

And don’t let your smart phone become your dumb phone – or allow it to ruin your life or the lives of the young ones in your family.

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Please, it’s not “Turkey Day”

One of my favorite traditions is the family get-together for Thanksgiving Day.

I know some will tie it to ancient pagan rituals, but the history of this day in the USA at least, is not one tied to pagans.  Not at all. It is a day when we remember how thankful the early Pilgrims to America were just to be alive, to have food, to have native America Indians show them how to plant corn and helped them survive in a new land.  And they certainly did express and show their deep thankfulness to God in heaven.

And – in that vein – it’s a day when we, as individuals and as a country pause as one, together, and look up to the Almighty and thank him for the wondrous blessings he’s poured out on us and on our country. 

I’m afraid much of the country no longer remembers to focus this day on thanking the great God we have above. Some don’t even call it “Thanksgiving Day” anymore.  They take away from expressions of thankfulness by calling it “Turkey Day”.  Many spend the day in shopping sprees.  I do commend the stores that close on this day and let their employees have a day with family.

So my family keeps this day and this tradition. We often start by everyone around the table discussing something, even any little thing, for which they are thankful. Even the three year olds and young children participate. We don’t just start eating when the meal is ready. Absolutely not. We thank our Father and Creator for providing us with food and a good land and for all his many blessings – then we can eat.

I hope you’ll remember Thanksgiving this year is a day of Thanksgiving. Don’t just make it a day of watching football and forgetting its real purpose.  Watch all the football you want – but first, praise and thank our dear Abba, YHVH the Great Almighty God we have.

And please – PEL-LEASE –PLEASE; don’t cheapen this beautiful tradition this year by just calling it “Turkey Day”.  Please don’t.  It’s so much richer and deeper in meaning than that.  I think we are taking away from the expression of great gratitude to Almighty God when we call it “Turkey Day”.

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Are we limiting God?

Are you and I limiting what the Great God of the universe could be doing in your life and mine?  I think the evidence is a resounding “Yes!”.  So what can we do about it?

In a recent sermon I gave, titled “One Voice” – within it is a quote from John 14 in the words of our Messiah. I’ve thought and thought: We surely must be limiting our Creator from what he can do and wants to do, because I sure don’t see happening today the things we read about in the book of Acts.

After Christ’s resurrection, we have several of the apostles raising the dead.  Peter’s shadow passing over someone was enough to heal that person (Acts 5:14-15).  Imagine that – without the person even asking Peter to lay hands on him and anoint him. Lots of people were brought to the apostles, and “they were all healed” (Acts 5:16).  Demons were cast out by Philip in Samaria in Acts 8.  Lame people – who were begging for money and not for healing – were leaping to their feet with a mere statement from Peter and John (Acts 3).  People had visions of angels and of the Lord himself.  Deadly snakes bit Paul, but he just shook them off.  Paul was left for dead after a vicious stoning, but rose again to continue preaching (Acts 14:19-20).

Now I realize that not everyone’s prayer was always answered with a healing or the response desired. Paul was left with his “thorn in the side” issue. Timothy had an issue of “frequent infirmities”.  Many early disciples were severely beaten, tortured, imprisoned and killed. So don’t think I’m saying nothing “bad” will ever happen to us if we apply the message in this blog.

But still – where are these powerful signs and wonders and works being seen today. I realize, we shouldn’t be personally seeking for a sign, per Yeshua’s own words  (Matthew 12:39), and yet Yeshua himself promised that if we believe, “these signs shall surely follow”, and then he enumerates healings and more.  See Mark 16:17-18 – including casting out demons, speak new tongues, not be hurt by deadly serpents or poison, and after laying hands on the sick, they will recover.

Click on “Continue reading” to finish this blog and to see more intervention by God in your life.

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Why we won't honor Satan on Oct 31

Most of you who come to this website do not keep Halloween, I’m pretty sure.But others are new and are not sure if they should or not, or if there’s any harm in it.  It’s to you that I address this blog
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I’ve spoken and written about Halloween several times. Just write in the Search bar of this website – Halloween-- and you’ll see the other sermons and blogs on it.  This also applies to “All Saints Day” that many countries observe on Nov. 1.

We’re in the season now when most of the movies being shown on TV are of demons, vampires, chain saw massacres everything ungodly. To watch these, to participate in any way, is honoring Satan.  No thank you.  I hope you understand; there can be no ambiguity in this. I strongly urge you NOT to involve yourself in any Halloween decorating. Do not put up images of ghosts, demons, scary people or anything to do with this evil time.

Even adults now have Halloween parties, and usually dress up in ungodly and often immoral garb. God’s children have no part in this. Don’t do it. God’s children do not participate in the world’s pagan-originated holidays. We just don’t.

God’s TRUE children will have no part of HALLOWEEN (All Hallow’s Eve). 

Click on “Continue reading” for the rest of this very short, but to the point, blog and what God himself tells us.

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How 2 identical goats say a lot about our Savior

Throughout scripture we see how our Maker employs physical objects and animals to point to something spiritual. So we have different animals that were suitable for animal sacrifice – and each one pictured something different about the Messiah. The bull, goat, sheep and dove all represent different virtues. Our Creator didn’t just pick one animal – but different ones to more completely teach us about our Savior. 

On the Day of Atonement, we tend to think of the two perfect goats – without spot or broken bones or any blemish – that served different purposes on this solemn day of Coverings.  “Yom Kippur” means day of covering, and there were actually several coverings, so it’s often called Yom Kippurim by some. But besides the two goats, there was a bull, a ram, 7 sheep and so on. See Numbers 29:7-11.  Were you aware of that? We hardly talk about them.  Most sermons I’ve heard on Atonement don’t even say much about the goat which was killed and whose blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. It seems all the attention goes to the azazel – the goat of removal. 

So the controversial sacrifices were the two goats. It’s been taught in some circles for decades that the 2 goats were critical to the day. One goat, we were told, pictures Christ, and one goat pictures Satan. That’s right, on the day of ATONEMENT of all days – somehow Satan worms his way in there! Over the years, the entire sermon about the Day of Atonement was often all about the goat of removal – from the Hebrew word “azazel”. And azazel was capitalized, like this – Azazel - like it was a name of someone important, rather than keep it as a simple word meaning “removal”.  The word “azazel” is a function, not a name.  

Why were there 2 goats? And is there an example in scripture of 2 other identical animals that were part of a ceremony to show what God was doing?

Click on “Continue reading” to hear the rest of this teaching.

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LUCKY – or Give God the glory?

As you recount perilous times in your life that you went through, how do you describe it to others?

Assuming we can look back and see times where we had such a “close call” – and can see God’s intervention, do we give God the glory He deserves for answering prayer – or do we say things like, “Boy, were we ever LUCKY!” Or, “We sure dodged a bullet on that one”. I

In 2016, we had Hurricane Matthew – a Cat 3 that hugged the east coast of FL – when suddenly and unexpectedly, after much prayer, it hopped off eastward into the Atlantic 50 miles. Suddenly in the early morning hours. God spared Orange County/Orlando and millions of people. It was supposed to have 95-135 mph SUSTAINED winds for 12-14 hours and gusts higher than that. Our roofs and trees would not have survived. It was one of the most dramatic answers to prayer I’ve ever witnessed.

But after it was over, people were saying, “Boy, were we lucky!” I couldn’t help but jump in with a comment like “Luck had nothing to do with it. We had some powerful answer to earnest prayers going up. God saved us.” I was gratified to see a few signs up in front of people’s homes which said, “Thank you, God, for saving us.”

Then again, we just went through Irma. I can’t stand it when I hear people speak of being lucky. It wasn’t luck! People were beseeching our great God in heaven for days before. And we all watched as the forecasts and paths Irma was supposed to take, didn’t happen. God degraded Irma from what could have been a Cat 5 hurricane to hit FL – down to mostly Cat 2 for most of the state. I realize, many suffered through a Cat 3 and 4, but even then, a Cat 3 hurricane doesn’t begin to pack the wallop of a Cat 5 like the islanders went through.

God was with us. Those who have studied it carefully see how often this monster changed course and changed predictions. It could have been 50x worse in damages or more, if our great God hadn’t intervened. And THANK YOU to the thousands of you who prayed for us. YOUR PRAYERS WERE HEARD.

Click on “Continue reading” for important scriptures and points on this topic

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Are we aligned with God?

My brother Loren sent me this today: He mentioned a teacher who had said about our daily activities and decisions we make: “God has a part and you have a part. We cannot do God's part and God will NOT do our part. But God will help us do our part."

Then he added:

 Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  Loren added, “This does NOT mean He gives us what we want. It means He will align us to HIS will. He waits for us as He guides us until we are ready to yield ourselves to Him. Then His ways and thoughts eventually become ours in every matter as our desires become aligned with His desires for us. (See also Rom 8:28 - called for HIS purpose)

“He will align us to HIS will”. That’s a very deep statement, folks.  It’s full of meaning and rich in nuances to see what He is all about, and what our lives are truly all about.

I agree.  Click on “Continue reading” to finish this short blog.

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Do you LISTEN when you pray?

I assume most of you who read my blogs pray frequently.  Or maybe I shouldn’t assume that? A primary focus of this website is to help us all develop closeness with our Maker and to come to know Him, as Paul said also in Philippians 3.  I have a recent sermon on the power of even short, but frequent prayers. Plus another one on praying fervently. You see, we are the temple of the God’s Holy Spirit and the temple was called “the House of God” and the “House of Prayer for all nations”.  In “the old days”, people went to the temple to pray if they could. So if we’re the temple of the Spirit, our lives should be a living dwelling place for God via his spirit.  We should be His House of Prayer as well.

The temple was also where the Urim and the Thummin were, one method God used to communicate to his servants. Plus it was in the temple – or the Tabernacle before that – where God talked to Moses as a man does to his friend, or where God’s will was revealed.

What are your prayers like? The concept I want to convey in this article is this: Prayer is an interactive conversation with your Maker and Savior.  It’s not to be a recital of words someone else wrote a thousand or more years ago.  Nor should it be a monologue of words coming only from you as you monotonously run down your “Prayer List”. In my experience, conversations where one person does all the talking are not conversations at all -- but monologues – and frankly, these are often boring to the other party present.  The “other party present” in this case is your God, your King and your Maker.

So – this blog is about learning to let God speak to you as well, even as you have this conversation called “prayer” with YHVH.  This article is about learning to LISTEN when you pray. If you learn this well, your prayer life will be renewed and become so exciting as you start to “hear God’s voice”.  I’m convinced God wants to speak to his children, yes – to you – and does speak – but we are not tuned in to his “frequency” or even realize He is speaking, and so we miss his words to us.  How tragic. 

Please click on “Continue reading” to learn more about this vital tool in effective praying:

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“TAKE AWAY the stone…” John 11:39

We’re all familiar with the story of the resurrection of Lazarus in John 11. But have you given thought to the fact that before Yeshua says, “Lazarus, come forth”… Yeshua first gives another command?

 

Understanding this simple but profound lesson and its implications from our Master – can change the number of stunning miracles we get to personally experience. In fact, there are several dramatic lessons our Redeemer teaches us in this resurrection story.

What command did Yeshua issue prior to calling Lazarus back to life? Do you remember? 

Click on “continue reading” to finish the rest of the story and learn a profound lesson that can change your life.

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Sabbath day pow-wow

I gave a recent sermon about your weekly sabbath “date” with your Maker.  Imagine that? A personal, worshipful, refreshing, restful weekly appointment with your Creator.  In that sermon I give specific ideas of how to make that sacred time of the Sabbath – MORE.  More what?  More productive, more holy, more effective, more worshipful and happier –more of a great delight.

How about having a family or group discussion –or a “pow-wow” as we say here in America -- wherever you live on how you can make that sabbath date with your Maker more productive, more holy, more uplifting and more worthy of His name? 

On each 7th day Sabbath, we remember and memorialize who the Creator of everything in the universe really is.  This is especially important as we and our children are constantly bombarded with the false god of evolution. We are supposed to believe that all the intricate and sophisticated life we see around us all just evolved.  NONSENSE!   And professing to be wise, these professors who espouse this have become fools.  But not all. Albert Einstein, even as liberal as he was, when asked if he believed in God, said when he looked at the universe, it was just beyond believability that it could have all just happened without a Creator. 

So on sabbath day, on the right and only weekly sabbath day, we bow to and delight in the Creator, Life Giver, Universe Designer and Law Giver who brought this all into existence.  Worshiping the Creator and remembering HIM as the creator of all things is the sabbath’s original purpose.  Remember: We are to remember the sabbath – the day YHVH RESTED and STOPPED all his work and made the 7th day of each week HIS holy time. 

Frankly, I think many sabbath keepers – including me – have especially in recent  times become lax in keeping the sabbath holy, restful, worshipful and delightful --and to bring glory to our Maker. It has become to many more of a social club where we go to sabbath services more to meet up with people we haven’t seen for a week instead of focusing more on our Maker. 

The weekly sabbath is the appointment your Maker set with YOU and your family for his children to come and worship and be refreshed together.  It’s your “date” with your Beloved Messiah.  This appointment that HE set (Leviticus 23:3) and calls HIS feast day (moed – divine appointment) begins at sundown the end of the 6th day of the week and goes through sundown the 7th day.  Are you ready for your appointment, or are you still shopping somewhere, still have a long drive home after sundown, or are not ready to meet your Maker yet?  Remember the Sabbath – shabbat in Hebrew – means “rest”.  It’s our weekly stop sign.

Our God said that sabbath should also result in us feeling refreshed. 

Exodus 23:12  “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall REST, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.”

We know our Creator doesn’t need to rest, but he DID – perhaps as much as an example for us as well as the spiritual reminder that we must take time to rest from our work(s) and find refreshment in him.  I say again, be sure to read and hear the sermon posted recently about our weekly sabbath “date” with our Maker.  

Many teach the sabbath was given just to the Israelites or Jews.  But the first sabbath was given to Adam and Eve – ancestors of all mankind, at least 2000 years before Judah was even born! Yeshua himself said he made sabbath for MAN – all mankind – and not just the Jews.  Also remember in the new covenant we are all of Israel spiritually anyway. We who have His holy spirit are the “Israel of God” – a phrase especially applied to mostly-Gentile Galatians! 

In my sabbath series of sermons we’ve posted, I show numerous examples of Gentiles also being expected to keep the sabbath. BE sure to check those out. Strangers “within your gates”, residents of Israel – foreign or Israelite alike – were to keep the sabbath.

Sabbath was also to be one of the signs identifying the people of God.

Exodus 31:16-17  “Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days YHVH made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'"  (See also Genesis 2:1-3).

But back to my main point:  If you, your spouse or your children are not feeling refreshed and rejuvenated by the end of each sabbath day, something is terribly wrong in the way you’re keeping sabbath. 

Frankly the way sabbath ends up, many remark how tired they feel.  It’s been a long day. Especially those who don’t get to sleep in and have to attend morning services.  And if they have a long drive – it’s even harder to be rested and refreshed.  I recommend afternoon services where possible, to allow people to sleep a bit longer, to rest and be refreshed and even have time for family and for prayer.  And even then, many would admit that going to services ends up being a mad rush to avoid being late. 

I’m just saying and asking: what must be done in your household to start having sabbath day be enlightening, refreshing, restful, worshipful, holy and wonderful? 

Click on continue reading to for tips and ideas that can change your sabbath experience and make it more of a delight for you and your Maker.  Some of these ideas can help make the Sabbath a day you can’t wait for! 

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Why God, Why?

 In a most recent new sermon I recorded about overcoming worry and fear and even disappointment with God we sometimes feel – I talked about how we so often wish we could sit down with YHVH our God and just ask, “WHY?”  

We want to ask why He didn’t intervene and stop a terrible event. Why did He allow your son or daughter to die – and why did he allow the suffering to go on for so long? “Father, why can’t I find a job? Why aren’t you healing my cancer” or “why was I born deaf, or blind, or mute, why?” … fill in the blank.  So many “why” questions.  I hope you will carefully read this blog. It can change your life, I promise.

In this blog I just want to say a couple more things and explain why dwelling on the “Why, God?” question and frame of mind can be devastating to our faith and joy.  I will also explain about what we should do instead. 

The “Why” question is certainly commonly found even in the Psalms and it’s stated or implied throughout the Bible. So it’s “common to man” to ask this question. 

We certainly see this in Psalms 22:1 – My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me?”  and in verse 2 the psalmist implies “why” by asking why his God wasn’t hearing his pleas for help.   And as we continue in the Psalms, we read over and over implied statements of David feeling unheard.  Psalm 4:1 – he pleads with Almighty God to “hear my prayer”.  David at least gets it right when he has these questions – he usually later in that psalm of wondering where God is, states he has confidence God will hear his cry. 

Psalm 27 is another psalm where David strongly implies frustration with not hearing more directly from his Maker. “Do not hide your face from me …do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation” (verse 9).  But throughout he goes back and forth between questioning and reassuring himself with God’s promises.

Watch for these as you read through David’s psalms and prayers. In Psalm 39:12 he says “Hear my prayer, Yehovah, …do not be silent at my tears; I’m a stranger with you…”  So we feel David’s frustration at times, and perhaps this is why so many people relate to the Psalms.  It’s as if David is expressing our own thoughts.

But focusing on the “Why, God?” question can also be fraught with danger. 

Click here on “Continue reading” to learn why I feel dwelling on this question is not productive – and potentially very dangerous. 

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Don’t forget Wavesheaf Day

On the day after the weekly sabbath that falls during the days of Unleavened Bread, after the Passover, is a SPECIAL day. It’s always on the 1st day of the week –commonly called “Sunday”.  This year, and sometimes other years, it happens to coincide with Easter.  But we do not keep Easter, but the days our Creator specified in Leviticus 23. We know the New Covenant brethren after the resurrection of Messiah also kept these days.  In fact, the new covenant church of believers was founded on a festival holy day – the day of Pentecost, when they received God’s Holy Spirit – and the spiritual harvest of souls got underway.

The Wavesheaf Day was not a holyday, but the harvest of the barley could not begin until a ceremony was first performed. The High Priest would raise a specified amount of fine barley flour to be accepted by God “in behalf of the rest of the harvest.”  I HOPE you will spend a few minutes on it.  I hope pastors everywhere gave a sermon on the sabbath about the Wavesheaf Day.

For full details on this day, I recommend you hear the re-posting of my sermon on the Wavesheaf, originally given in 2014. Be sure to listen carefully especially to the last 40 minutes of that message.

The first barley Wavesheaf represented our Savior, Yeshua of Nazareth, son of God, son of man, our beloved Master. He is the ultimate firstfruit and once our Father in heaven accepted him in heaven, the rest of the spiritual harvest of human lives could begin.  Remember he told Mary of Magdala that she had to let him go as he had to go to “my father and your father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). That was the Wavesheaf he was fulfilling! 

The rest of the barley harvest resembled the first fruit that was waved up high. We too, must be in Him, copy him, live like him, let him be in us, and let his mind be our mind. We must come to him daily and eat of him – take him inside us, consciously – and ask him to live obediently in us the way he lived the first time on earth. He will.  And with every passing day, every passing year, we are to look more and more like Jesus (Yeshua). 

Yeshua gave one sign that he was the genuine Messiah.  He said he would be 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb and then be resurrected (Matthew 12:39-40).  Our Messiah was placed in to the earth – in a tomb – just before sundown of Passover day (John 19:41-42).  Remember the “next day” always began at sundown. That next day was a “high day” – a holy day, an annual sabbath (John 19:31).  Exactly 3 days and 3 nights later, to the minute they had put him in the tomb, his Father in heaven resurrected him.  So by the next morning, even before sunrise, the tomb was already empty. He had risen! 

But he did not go up to heaven to be accepted for our behalf until the actual ceremony by the high priest, which I believe was at 9 a.m.  After that ceremony, the rest of the harvest (a work day) could proceed.

So it’s not a rest day. It’s not a sabbath or holy day. But indeed, as I cover in depth in my sermon on it – it’s a very, very special day. Let’s not forget it.

My wife and I at 9 am on Wavesheaf day will say a thankful prayer for all that the son of GOD did for us and you – and we will thank our Father  for letting him live again. Without his resurrection, we would have no future (1 Cor. 15:13-17). 

Don’t miss Wavesheaf day.  It’s a wondrous day. This year it’s April 16, 2017.  In it, the victory over sin and Satan is complete. And Father accepted Yeshua’s perfect life for all of us who believe in him. 

Be sure to hear the latest sermon posted – the one about the Wavesheaf.  Some good reading this time of year – perhaps even as you thank him in prayer on Wavesheaf day – would be:

            1 Cor. 15:13-17

            Hebrews 9:22-28

            Hebrews 10: 4-12

            1 Peter 1:3, 21

Praise you Abba.  Praise you Yeshua.  What a perfect life you lived, and a perfect job you did, that we might all also live.  Thank you Father. Thank you – Son of God. 

(Note:  pass the word. Tell others about this day and how we glorify our God and Yeshua in this website). 

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