Sunday, December 30, 2007

On Cutting

Imagine you're in a boat, sailing out on the ocean. The wind and the current are on your side, so it's going fairly smooth. Then, suddenly, a storm hits. Your boat is being thrashed around and you don't know what to do. It's all out of control!

That's how life is. Our boat can be sailing on the Sea of Life and everything will be just peachy. But eventually, we'll hit storms. The question is not how to avoid these storms, but how to deal with them. You see, when life seems out of control, the answer is ALWAYS G-d. The answer is NEVER doing something that gives a temporary feeling of control, and later guilt. Things such as this are cutting.

D'varim (Deuteronomy) 13:4
You are to follow Adonai your G-d, fear Him, obey His mitzvot, listen to what He says, serve Him and cling to Him...

Titus 2:11-12
For G-d's grace, which brings deliverance, has appeared to all people. It teaches us to renounce godlessness and worldly pleasures, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives now, in this age...

Colossians 3:2-3
Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in G-d.

As far as cutting goes, there are better and less-painful ways to be happy. G-d cares about you and loves you. He does not want to see any of His Children in pain, and it makes Him sad when we are. As such, G-d does not want us to hurt or damage our bodies, His Temple.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:28
Don't cut gashes in your flesh when someone dies or tattoo yourselves; I am Adonai.

Vayikra 20:23
Do not live by the regulations of the nation which I am expelling ahead of you; because they did all these things, which is why I detested them.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or don't you know that your body is a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside you, whom you received from G-d? The fact is, you don't belong to yourselves; for you were bought at a price. So use your bodies to glorify G-d.

Cutting is a TRAP. It causes you to lose confidence in G-d and give up His blessing.

2 Corinthians 11:3
...and I fear that somehow your minds be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness.

Cutting gives you but a false, temporary peace. It cannot benefit you at all and only hurts you. True peace, on the other hand, is lasting and genuine. It will last you all of eternity.

Yochanan (John) 14:27
What I am leaving you with is shalom -- I am giving you my shalom. I don't give the way the world gives. Don't let yourselves be upset or frightened.

Colossians 3:15-17
...and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body. And be thankful - let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to G-d in your hearts. That is, everything you do or say, do in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks through him to G-d the Father.

Change happens when we choose to think as G-d thinks about cutting.

Galatians 5:24
Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake, along with its passions and desires.

Romans 12:2
In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what G-d wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.

Colossians 3:5
Therefore, put to death the earthly parts of your nature - sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed (which is a form of idolatry)...

Submission to G-d and what He requires is crucial.

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 12:1
So remember your creator while you are young, before the evil days come, and the years approach when you will say, "They no longer give me pleasure"

Kohelet 12:14
For G-d will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad. [Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear G-d, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]

Ya'akov (James) 4:7
Therefore, submit to G-d. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you.

G-d is greater than anything, including your desire to cut.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and G-d can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure.

Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this: that the One who began a good work among you will keep it growing until it is completed on the Day of the Messiah Yeshua.

1 Yochanan 4:4
You, children, are from God and have overcome the false prophets, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

On Broken Hearts

In this message, I plan to present you with four points about broken hearts and how G-d cares. Hearts can be broken many ways. They can be broken by the death of a loved one, be they friend or family. They can be broken by having your feelings hurt. Or for those of you in a relationship or want a relationship with someone, that person doesn't want a relationship with you.

First of all, know that G-d cares about your broken heart. He loves and cares for us all and hates to see us in pain. That is why when we need it, His arms are outstretched and ready to take us in and comfort us. He is our Father, and we are His Children.

Tehillim (Psalms) 56:8
You have kept count of my wanderings; store my tears in your water-skin -aren't they already recorded in your book?

Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 61:1
The Spirit of Adonai ELOHIM is upon me, because ADONAI has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark...

Yesha'yahu 57:15
For thus says the High, Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.

Messiah has the same heart towards the downtrodden.

Yochanan (John) 11:33-36
When Yeshua saw her crying, and also the Judeans who came with her crying, he was deeply moved and also troubled. He said, Where have you buried him? They said, "Lord, come and see." Yeshua cried; so the Judeans there said, "See how he loved him!"

Secondly, G-d is in charge of everything in our lives. He knows what is best. We just have to trust him in that. We have to put our trust in Him when we are going through troubles, and we must cry out to Him. He is faithful to save us. His arms are outstretched. We have but to reach out and accept His loving embrace.

Mishlei (Proverbs) 19:21
One can devise many plans in one's mind, but ADONAI's plan will prevail.

Yesha'yahu 25:1
ADONAI, you are my G-d. I exalt you, I praise your name. For you have accomplished marvels, [fulfilled] ancient plans faithfully and truly.

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 29:11-13
For I know what plans I have in mind for you,' says ADONAI,'plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly...

Tehillim 33:11
But the counsel of ADONAI stands forever, his heart's plans are for all generations.

Third, G-d will respond to our needs. Relief WILL come. If you call out to Him, He will come running to help you. He will lift up your head and give you reasons to smile and be happy. He can mend your broken heart with more than a temporary band-aid fix. He's got your hear in His hands, and He will work to heal it if you call on His Name.

Tehillim 34:18
ADONAI is near those with broken hearts; he saves those whose spirit is crushed.

Tehillim 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 3:11
He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can't fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things G-d does.

Yochanan (John) 14:1, 27
Don't let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in G-d and trust in me...What I am leaving with you is shalom -- I am giving you my shalom. I don't give the way the world gives. Don't let yourselves be upset or frightened.

Finally, when we are hurting, G-d can use that pain and the comfort He gives us to help others who are in pain. And He may use YOU to bring that comfort to others in pain. For G-d comforts us all in our troubles, He mends our broken hearts, He has compassion on us when we are sad, and He equips us with the ability to do the same to others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-6
Grace to you and shalom from G-d our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. I thank my G-d always for you because of G-d's love and kindness given to you through the Messiah Yeshua, in that you have been enriched by him in so many ways, particularly in power of speech and depth of knowledge.

On Dating

In biblical times, the selection of a mate involved arranged marriages. For younger readers, an arranged marriage is when your parents and you mate's parents decide that you will get married. You could be a 14 year old girl and end up marrying a 42-year old man. It was life.

Today, most Western cultures are very different. This time, YOU choose who you are going to marry, parental approval or not. However, when searching for a mate, you MUST follow five steps. These steps are completely Scriptural and VERY wise.

First, you MUST make sure that G-d is guiding you in your search. This is perhaps the MOST CRUCIAL part of the whole process. If G-d is NOT in it, it will NOT turn out well.

Tehillim (Psalm) 37:3-4
Trust in ADONAI, and do good; settle in the land, and feed on faithfulness. Then you will delight yourself in ADONAI, and he will give you your heart's desire.

If you put your trust in G-d, you will NOT fail. If He is guiding your steps, you will NOT trip.

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 12:1
So remember your creator while you are young, before the evil days come, and the years approach when you will say, "They no longer give me pleasure"...

My personal method for dating is to pray constantly to G-d. Whenever I have feelings for a girl, the first thing I do is pray and ask G-d if she is the one. If He says no, I never have those feelings again for that girl. Eventually, G-d will either say, "You will remain single in order to do My Work." or "Yes, My Child, she is the one." Follow this method and you will NEVER go wrong.

Step Two: Make sure your parents are supportive of your decision.

Mishlei (Proverbs) 6:20-24
My son, obey your father's command, and don't abandon your mother's teaching. Bind them always on your heart, tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will talk with you. For the mitzvah is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs that discipline are the way to life. They keep you from an evil woman, from a loose woman's seductive tongue.

You're probably thinking something along the lines of the fact that you're parents won't let you do anything. But if you sit down with them and talk, staying calm and respectful no matter WHAT they say, you'll eventually win them over. With G-d's help, of course. But you MUST have parental involvement. G-d is your first guide, your parents are your second.

Ephesians 6:2-3
"Honor your father and mother" - this is the first commandment that embodies a promise - "so that it may go well with you, and you may live long in the Land."

Step Three: Marriage should ONLY be with another believer.

This one is a bit more lenient. For example, I could see myself marrying a Christian girl despite the fact that I am not a Christian. Likewise, I could see a Christian marrying a Jew. But that is as far as it should go.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers. For how can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony can there be between the Messiah and B'liya'al? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Step Four: Intermarriage was a VERY serious problem in the Tanakh and is an excellent example of what to avoid today.

While today interracial marriage is perfectly alright and acceptable, interfaith marriage can be a bad thing. As I said, Jew-Christian or Christian-Jew marriages are perfectly acceptable. The only difference between the two is that one believes Messiah has come and is coming again, the other believes that Messiah hasn't come.

Shof'tim (Judges) 3:6-7
So the people of Isra'el lived among the Kena'ani, Hitti, Emori, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi; taking their daughters as their wives, giving their own daughters to their sons and serving their gods. Thus the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, forgot ADONAI their G-d, and served the ba'alim and asherim.

Sometimes, interfaith marriages can bring you down. Do NOT let that happen! The WORST thing a person can do is turn their back on G-d. Take for example Rivkah in B'resheet (Genesis) 24. Avraham told his servant to find a wife for his son Yitz'chak NOT from the people of Kena'an, the land they were living in, but from his OWN land and his OWN people. Also take a look at Rivkah's character. She was a kind girl, very loving and caring. Avraham's servant wanted a drink, and she gave it to him. No questions asked.

Step Five: Make sure you set high standards and guidelines for your relationship.

You must set very high standards and guidelines for your relationship. Make sure you both go into it knowing each other's boundaries. Personally, since I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy, I don't think you should go any farther than holding hands and a kiss. Then after you know each other for a while, you can get into other stuff. But if you feel aroused, BACK UP!

Iyov (Job) 31:1
I made a covenant with my eyes not to let them lust after any girl.

2 Timothy 2:22
So, flee the passions of youth; and, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love and peace.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
What G-d wants is that you be holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to manage his sexual impulses in a holy and honorable manner, without giving in to lustful desires, like the pagans who don't know G-d.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Salvation is by faith!

…or, is it?

I’m sure we’re all familiar with that famous quote from one of Paul’s writings that states we are saved by faith and NOT by works. While I agree with brother Paul TO AN EXTENT, I believe he was missing a vital part, a part I will attempt to show you by using both Scripture and non-Scripture.

First of all, are we saved by faith? Absolutely! Paul was not wrong there. Salvation comes by faith in Messiah and his death on the execution stake for our transgressions. As it is written:

Ephesians 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.


While yes, we are saved by faith…is that all there is to it? Do we merely have to put our faith and trust in Messiah and instantly have our names written in the Book of Life? Or is there ANOTHER step?

There is. While we are saved by faith, works DO play a VERY big part in our salvation. Basically, we’re saved by faith but without works your faith is dead, and so are you. Ya’akov says it best:

Ya’akov (James) 2:14
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such "faith" able to save him?

Ya’akov 2:17
Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead.


Faith is worthless if not followed by actions. Our actions are to be those which please G-d. What actions please G-d? Messiah, who speaks on behalf of G-d, said this:

Yochanan (John) 14:15
If you love me, you will keep my commands…


What are Messiah’s commands?

Mark 12:29-31
Yeshua answered, The most important is, `Sh'ma Yisra'el, ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, O Isra'el, the L-RD our G-d, the L-RD is one], and you are to love ADONAI your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.' The second is this: `You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other mitzvah greater than these.


Love G-d with everything. Likewise, love your neighbor the same as you love yourself. Now, this is where conflict arises. Many believe that these two commands replace Torah, but this is not the case. Scripture supports this:

Mattityahu (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.


He didn't come to take away Torah. He DID come to strengthen it. Later on, in verses 19-20, Messiah clearly tells us to strive to continue in Torah observance, but to observe it the way he said: with all love for G-d, and with all love for our neighbors. He didn't replace Torah with those two laws, he just added to it.

You see, the Pharisees of the time observed Torah the wrong way. They paid full attention to the words of Torah, but the spirit of Torah was lost on them. So when Messiah came and gave those new commandments, he wasn't trying to replace Torah but EXPLAIN it. See, Torah is absolute law given from G-d Himself. Thus Messiah, being the Son of G-d and acting on G-d's behalf, would never replace it because even HE said that we wasn't replacing anything, and that Torah would endure until the end of time.

So the "new commandments" aren't really new at all. They were established when G-d gave Torah to Moshe. Messiah was just bringing them back into focus.

Torah is still just as valid today as it was when G-d gave it to Moshe, and it is valid to both Jew and Goy. TORAH is the “actions” that Ya’akov (James). TORAH is the commands that Messiah said we were to follow if we love him. TORAH is absolute Law from G-d, and without it, I would seriously pray that G-d has mercy on you.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

On Grammar and the Lack Thereof

There is a new, growing epidemic in the United States. Nay, it goes farther than that. This epidemic has overtaken the entire world. What is this epidemic, you ask? It goes by one name. One name that is so evil, so maniacal, so disturbing that it causes even the toughest professor, the strongest teacher, to collapse to their knees and beg for mercy from The Name. What is The Name? Actually, it's technically a word, thus making it The Word. Not to be confused with G-d's Word. Anyway, what is The Word? Illiteracy. The infamous, depressing word.

What is illiteracy? Anyone to whom The Word applies is illiterate, which means they pretty much can't read or write. Those are the people I deem unintelligent. They can't make the English language fit in their vocal cords, so they substitute the English language with their own, unique language. Here's an example:

Illiteratish: yo, d00d, u r so freak'n coo. r u tkn?
English Translation: Salutations, sir, you are very cool. Are you currently not involved in a relationship?

Naturally, to the illiterate, that doesn't sound "gangsta", so they toss it. Which is truly unfortunate that they would give up a simple chance at being intelligent just to sound "gangsta". I guess Darwin was wrong. We aren't evolving. We were at the height of the species when we were chimps.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Zionism: Good or Bad? Part 1

Is Zionism good, or bad? Many think Zionism is terrorism and a threat. Others find Zionism to be a good thing, something the whole world should indulge in. First, the definition of Zionism, from the American Heritage Dictionary:

A Jewish movement that arose in the late 19th century in response to growing anti-Semitism and sought to reestablish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Modern Zionism is concerned with the support and development of the state of Israel.

Does that honestly sound like terrorism to you? Let me take you back in history, way back to the beginning of Zionism.

Zionism first started in the time of Moshe and the giving of G-d's Torah. For four thousand years G-d's people, the Israelites, were bound in Egyptian chains. G-d had promised them a Deliverer, one who would rescue them from their Egyptian bondage. When that Deliverer, Moshe, came, the Israelites were freed from Egypt. Now, G-d gave them a new promise. They would now travel to the Promised Land, which G-d would give to them. So now, their sole desire was to get to the Land and keep it, establishing it as their home: a Jewish state. Thus, we have the birth of Zionism.

From that time to the present, this little Jewish state has seen it's hardships. There was the final expulsion of all Jews from Israel in 70 A.D. by the Romans. Later came the Crusades and other such conquests all the way up until the age of the British Empire. In the early-mid 1900s, there was a fairly large Jewish population in Israel, now called Palestine. The first Jewish defenders were known as Ha-Shomer, established in 1907. Ha-Shomer, which means "The Guild of Watchmen", guarded Jewish settlements in the Land for an annual fee. The number of Ha-Shomer's members never exceeded one-hundred.

After Ha-Shomer came the Haganah, which means "the Defense". Later, the Haganah would become Israel's military, the Israel Defense Force (IDF). The Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization. Another organization rose up in defense of Israel in the Haganah's time. It was known as the Irgun, which is short for Ha'Irgun Ha'Tsvai Ha'Leumi B'Eretz Yisrael, "National Military Organization in the Land of Israel". They resorted more toward violence, while the Haganah took the ideas of Ghandi by trying peaceful resistance. Eventually, when the British declared Palestine as the Jewish state and withdrew, both the Haganah (founded by Israel's Jewish leadership) and the Irgun (founded by Abraham Tehomi) allied together to fight the Arabs that were trying to run them out.

Now, Israel was the Jewish state once again. But, the conflict was not over yet. Later in it's history would come the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the Oslo Accords, the loss of both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and the recent Annapolis Conference. Since its founding on May 14, 1948, Israel has been fought over and divided. But through it all, it still remains the Jewish state and will forever remain the Jewish state.