A Time to . . .

Verse of the Week

Teach me and I will be silent; and cause me to understand in what I have erred.

(Job 6:24)

Thought for the Week

If only mankind would listen. There is no doubt that knowledge and technology have exploded across the globe during the last century and some have equated this with progress. Yet with the unprecedented number of deaths in the last century from war, genocide, democide, famine, etc it makes one wonder why anyone would call it progress as well as giving one cause to pause and wonder how and why this could all happen.

The why seems simple enough - Satan and his evil machinations. With Satan's influence it seems man and evil are bound together like hand and glove. Then again gloves allow each digit to operate individually as well as to be individually encased so perhaps foot in sock is a better analogy. Evil it seems often flourishes best in a collective setting rather than an individual one - consider "mob mentality", "herd mentality", etc. In the war against evil we are all "socked" in by the evil around us and many are too engrossed in their own battles to offer aid to their neighbor - which leads us to the "how this has happened"

The how seems to be fairly simple too - death from disinterest or self-interests. Apathy is Satan's greatest defensive measure as it deters the collective will to act against evil. Sadly, though we are collectively surrounded by evil, most folks just "go along to get along" and are content as long as they have their own little space for wiggle room. And therein lays the danger because socks are a far more dangerous environment than gloves - consider the problem of athlete's foot but who has ever heard of athlete's hand. One dirty digit places us all at risk of succumbing to the fungus of evil that surrounds us.

The evil ones among us, like Satan, are knowledgeable about the Bible and are adept at citing Scripture in support of evil (e.g. Matthew 4:6); and, like Satan (and the mainstream media) they tend to pull things out context to suit their own views (e.g. Matthew 7:1/5). Knowledge, in and of itself, is neither good nor evil: The application of knowledge is; and, practically every bit of knowledge man has gained, even that designed for good, has been twisted to serve an evil purpose. This is in essence from a lack of wisdom - as if knowledge and wisdom held a relationship of inverse proportion and the more knowledgeable man becomes the more absurd he behaves.

The Word teaches us that fear (reverence) of YHWH is the beginning of both knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10, Psalms 111:10). From almost the very beginning man has sought knowledge at the expense of reverence and wisdom. Just as man's knowledge has grown exponentially during the last century so too has his reverence for his Creator decreased. Is it any wonder that wisdom is so lacking?

To understand and gain mastery in any endeavor, whether it is in a scientific field, a sport, a skill, etc., one must first learn, and then always apply, the basic fundamentals. Man, in his attempts to understand and gain mastery over himself and his environment, has strayed from the basic fundamentals - how and why he came to exist.

Man was created by and for YHWH. This knowledge, and the wisdom it brings, is the only source of protection from the evil that surrounds us. It is a vaccine against the rabid evil that is engulfing all of mankind. A person vaccinated against rabies may be safe from rabies but they are not safe from attack from an infected rabid person. The more people vaccinated the greater the level of individual protection. Have compassion on your fellow man, get involved, and help spread this knowledge, this understanding, this wisdom, before it is too late.

So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father in Heaven.

(Matthew 5:16)

Quote of the Week

Little did we guess that what has been called the century of the common man would witness as its outstanding feature more common men killing each other with greater facilities than any other five centuries together in the history of the world. -- Winston Churchill

Comment:

There is an old adage that says "hope for the best, prepare for the worst". We should never underestimate man's cruelty to man. History shows evil is increasing in its frequency, intensity, and scope. The children of YHWH hope for Jesus' quick return; but, we must be prepared to endure.

PS

- Churchill also said, "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else." I fear America's will to do the right thing has become so diluted by Muslims from the East, Catholics from the South, and homosexuals/liberals from within, that doing the right thing has become a thing of the past.

Did You Know

Democide: any murder by government - by officials acting under the authority of government. In the last century there have been an estimated 250 to 300 million deaths by democide. Comment: This also happens to be the estimated population of the entire world when Jesus was crucified (all these numbers are depending upon the source, of course).

Genocides from 1900 to 2000 claimed an estimated 45 to 50 million lives. Comment: This is a little more than the number of military deaths due to war over the last century.

Global death from famine in 2000 was about the same ratio wise as it was in 1900 - about 3 per 100,000 people. Comment: Deaths from famine seem worse today because the population is greater - from just over 1 billion in 1900 to almost 7 billion in 2000 - so the number of deaths in 2000 were higher even though the ratio was the same (1900 versus 2000). Note also that this varies widely, for example death by famine during the last century peaked in the 1920's at 814 per 100,000.

Back in the 1960's a Norwegian statistician added up all of the wars through history. The total was 14,531. Comment: There have been more than 264 wars recorded in the last century. That would be about a 10% increase over the average of 242 (14,531 divided by 60 centuries of recorded history).

US Downfall vs Nazification

Verse of the Week

                    Rejoice not against me, my enemy; for if I fall, I shall arise. For if I sit in darkness,

                    YAHWEH is a light to me.

                    (Micah 7:8)

Thought for the Week

          It is not hard these days to find articles comparing the US to either Rome before it fell or to Germany when the Nazi's began to seize power; and, ironically there are indeed many similarities to both comparisons. There are many reasons why Rome fell as a superpower as well as why Germany fell under Nazi sway but in both cases there was a very simple underlying factor - the people themselves allowed it. It is well known that Rome had deteriorated within into a corrupt welfare state under the sway of dictators and freeloaders long before the empire was attacked from without. As for Germany it is common these days to point at the Nazi's as if they conquered Germany but that is untrue - a few wanted power and most of the rest submitted in their own selfish interests.

           Among many of the  eerie similarities between Nazi Germany and the present US is the wandervogel of Germany in the 1920's and the hippies of the 1960's in the US. Many of the youth of the wandervogel later became right wing Nazi leaders - just as most of the hippies have become left wing socialists and now lead the US.

          The right wing fanatics of Germany that blamed all their ills on Jewry are mirrored today in the US by the left wing fanatics who blame all their ills on Christians. Sadly the US has a triple dose of fanatics when you add the right wing racists who still blame the Jews and then also add the Muslims who blame Jews and Christian alike.

          Make no mistake these left wingers are fanatics and anyone who believes the left wing liberals are for "peace and love" and are anti-violence is suffering under a delusion - consider animal rights/environmental terrorists, black lives matter advocates, millions of abortions, etc. And, the left wing fanatics today, like the Nazi's, understand the power of indoctrinating the next generation while propagandizing their view on the current generation.

          Consider that when the Nazi's attacked other nations they gained many allies against the Jews. In Lithuanian, which was predominately Roman Catholic, in what became known as the Kaunas Massacre, regular citizens beat dozens of Jews to death and then danced over the bodies to tunes from an accordion. At other massacres (e.g. at Butrimonys, Alytus, etc) the locals "worked for the Germans" just so they could have the Jew's property. In fact, in the Baltic States, 80% of the murders were done by local death squads.

           Mob mentality is as dangerous on a national level as it is in a local lynch mob. The Nazi's turned half the world into a lynch mob against Jews. Today the US left is doing the same but against Christians.

          Karl Jaspers, a Swiss-German scholar, made on observation after the defeat of the Nazi's:

                    "That which has happened is a warning. To forget it is guilt. It must be continually                                         remembered. It was possible for this to happen, and it remains possible for it

                    to happen again at any minute. Only in knowledge can it be prevented."

          Physical genocide against Christians is already becoming a reality in Africa and the Middle East. Just as the West ignored the plight of the Jews it is ignoring the plight of Christians. Left wing propaganda has created a bias against Christians, that is already running rampant in Europe and the US, that borders on Intellectual and emotional genocide. History has proven that when the masses are taught to hate the killing soon follows.

          The war of words is being lost, evil is winning. The Word of YHWH is already being banned from schools, the workplace, and the public square. And what is the next logical step? Well, does it not explain the left's rabid demands to disarm the public? The left knows it will not be able to completely ban the Bible unless they first ban the ability to keep it. The children of YHWH will triumph in the end when the Lord finally unleashes the wrath of YHWH! Until then . . .  Then they will deliver you up to affliction, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. And then many will be offended, and they will deliver up one another and will hate one another.

(Matthew 24:9-10)

Quote of the Week

          God protect and strengthen you for everything that still may come before this insanity in which we are forced to live reaches its end. -- Max Planck (winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918, founder of quantum mechanics)

          Comment: Planck wrote the above in a letter to a friend after learning the Nazis had executed his son Erwin for participating in an attempt to assassinate Hitler. The time is fast approaching in the US when the worshippers of YHWH, both Jew and Gentile, will face increasingly harsh persecution. Though the insanity has changed the evil driving it has not.

 

Did You Know

          In French Territories (e.g. Louisiana circa 1724) under the Code Noir (Black Code), Jews were banned (article 1) and it was illegal to practice any religion other than Roman Catholic (article 3). Decades later France passed an official government decree that God did not exist! Comment: Ever wondered why France fought so hard in WWI yet caved so easily in WWII?

          Christians top the list of persecuted faith groups worldwide, as per the International Society for Human Rights, 80% of all incidents of religious discrimination are committed against Christians.

          It has been estimated that 80-90% of arrests made by the Gestapo were the result of information voluntarily provided by regular citizens. Most surveillance was also conducted by neighbors at the Gestapo's request and not by the Gestapo officers themselves. For example: the Wurzburg region had only 28 Gestapo officers over a population of more than a million people. Denunciation (e.g. hostile gossip) was the weapon of choice for the State. Comment: When Uncle Sam abrogates the Second Amendment and starts kicking in doors looking for firearms it will not just be Federal and State databases they use to guide their footsteps. They will also use membership lists and internet searches/purchases as well; and, worse yet, they will use your family and your neighbors against you too. You have been warned.

          As late as 1940 the Nazi's where still trying to find a place to send the Jews (e.g. the Madagascar Plan to force France to surrender the island for Jewish resettlement). Comment: The entire world with one exception (the Dominican Republic), refused to aid the Jews and as such all share in the guilt of the Holocaust. Though the Nazi's wielded the knife the world helped corner the victim.

 

Standing as One - Strength in YHWH, not in numbers

Verse of the Week

                    For You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and

                    guide me.

                    (Psalms 31:3)

Thought for the Week

          For myself I find history fascinating, especially when it comes to the history of man and his dealings with YHWH. For over a thousand years the Catholic Church declared it a crime to possess or study the Bible, on pain of death. An organization declaring itself YHWH representative on Earth banned the reading of YHWH words! These minions of Satan declared that the study of YHWH words were too complicated for the average man to understand. Hmm, how hard is it to understand that He asks us to love Him above all else, to turn away from evil acts and thoughts, and to love our fellow man as ourselves? Is not the Gospel, reduced to its very core essence, reduced to that simple formula?  Did not Jesus himself say this was so (Matthew 22:37-40)?

          Granted Jesus did not mention repentance in those particular verses yet repentance was the subject of his first recorded words - the beginning of his ministry (see Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15). Did not John the Baptist also begin by preaching repentance (see Matthew 3:2)? When Jesus first sent his Apostles out to preach was not it repentance of which they spoke (Mark 6:12)? Did not Peter made repentance a precondition of receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)? So how hard is it to understand that we are asked to repent - to turn away from evil?

          Among the beauties of the Gospel are its simplicity and clarity. This is not to say that all the Scriptures offer such attributes. Jesus made it clear that many of the words would only be clear to those who truly worship YHWH. Some prophecies about the end times were not to be sealed at all (Revelation 22:10), but, some prophecies were meant to be sealed until the end times (Daniel 12:4), and, some prophecies about the end times are completely sealed up and unwritten (Revelation 10:4). So how were we to learn the meaning of such things according to Jesus? Did he say men would come to teach us? No! He said the Holy Spirit would teach us all things (John 14:26). Again, Jesus said we would learn even these things (things to come) from the Spirit, not man (John 16:13). In fact he warned us of the men who would come (Matthew 7:15, 24:24, etc). The Apostle John repeated this warning of the danger posed by the teachings and claims of men to come (1 John 4:1). Satan started spreading lies as soon as he could and has not stopped since (Acts 13:6, 2 Peter 2:1, etc).

          I am not a teacher, a preacher, or a shepherd though I do strive to serve YHWH by passing along the thoughts I have been blessed with in the hope they may assist another in honoring YHWH (1 Peter 4:11). I cannot count the number of subjects I have started to write on and not posted them because I was not led to continue. I have often not started writing until a post was "due". I am not perfect but I do strive to follow a guide that is (Matthew 10:19/20). There is one thing I pray for continually and that is to never say, do, or write anything that is, can be, or will become, a stumbling block for another (Matthew 18:7).

          To know what is expected of us is not difficult (Matthew 11:30). What does our Lord say about being as a child (Matthew 18:4, Mark 10:15, etc)? Beware any man who claims to teach as if the knowledge he offers to share was learned by him because of his own efforts or abilities. The Word of YHWH contains no snares for His children. Such difficulties arise only in the minds of men who would ensnare children in the ways of man.

          Seek YHWH's guidance and follow no man - not Paul, or a pope, or Joseph Smith, or me. We should walk abreast each other in this life, not behind one another. If you follow another man his back will block the view of the only safe guides we have been given - YHWH's Holy Spirit and YHWH's Son Jesus the Christ. We, the children of YHWH, do not ask a loved one to walk behind us in subservience. We walk equally: hand in hand, arm in arm, in love and obedience, for His glory, towards His glory.

                    But you are not to be called Master, for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.

                    (Matthew 23:8)

Quote of the Week

          One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organizations do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.

-- Aiden Wilson Tozer

          Comment: Do you belong to a "church" or to YHWH? Are you "one" with the Lord? If the life you are living now is not with YHWH then why expect Him to give you a second life to ignore Him again?

 

Did You Know

The word "one" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a pronoun.

          The number 1 (one) was once considered prime by mathematicians (divisible only by one and itself); but, since this complicated the modern fundamental theorem of arithmetic mathematicians declared it (the number 1) as not being prime. Comment: As so often is the case in modern science (e.g. Theory of Evolution, global warming, etc) if the data does fit the theory ignore the data.

          Science tells us that the future of the universe is not yet proven, but according to the currently accepted ΛCDM (Lambda cold dark matter) or Lambda-CDM model it will continue expanding forever. Comment: This model has too many issues to get into!

               NY, Atlanta, Denver, and Minneapolis have all signed contracts to be members of the UN's Strong Cities Network. Comment: That means they can bypass the US Constitution and use UN troops to enforce "law & order". If the "thin blue line" of US law enforcement is not up to the task of enforcing tyranny the UN Blue Helmets will!

 

Missing the mark -- Mark of the Beast?

Verse of the Week

                    This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast's number, for it is                       man's number, and his number is 666.

                    (Revelation 13:18) (NET Bible)

Thought for the Week

          If a person studies history there are a few things that tend to stand out. One of which is that mankind will never solve the problems of war, hunger, disease, etc. Another thing that stands out is that man seems to know good from evil - even if he does not refrain from evil. For example, most societies and religions condemn or prohibit murder, theft, many forms of "bearing false witness" (e.g. perjury), etc. Even respect for elders (Honor your parents), though the practice is diminishing, has been the norm in most cultures throughout history. Mankind also seems to recognize the hazards involved with jealousy and envy (coveting) - especially when it comes to maintaining family integrity (e. g. condemning adultery - see NOTE). These practices and beliefs have historically dominated most societies East and West. For most of mankind's history he has recognized a "right way" and a "wrong way" to deal with his fellow man. For many readers there is something familiar about all this - YHWH's Law.

          Man has a penchant to organize and categorize information to supposedly make study and understanding easier. Regarding YHWH's Law as per the Ten Commandments this is often done by dividing them into two categories, 1) dealing with man's relationship with God, and 2) dealing with man's relationship to his fellow man. Mankind appears to acknowledge the second section even though many do not acknowledge the source of this knowledge. It is the first section though that mankind has the most difficulty acknowledging and even more difficulty in practicing.

          Sadly, even among many so called Christians it is a popular refrain today to hear the claim that the Law is done away with and has been "nail to the cross". This even though YHWH said His Law would be forever and that it would be written on His people's hearts. Since most of the second part is written in man's law too what this boils down to is rather disturbing. These so called Christians are proclaiming they will deal with their fellow man according to their own laws - even when those laws begin to drift away from YHWH's Law and purposes. Worse, these so called Christians are also proclaiming they will not listen to YHWH's Law even in their dealings with Him.

          Yet most of these so called Christians do say it is wrong to murder, steal etc. They even say it is wrong to worship idols or Satan or to take YHWH's name in vain. At first blush it seems that these so called Christians follow the Law of YHWH despite what they claim; but, if you look closely you will find that they still ignore the only Law YHWH demanded His People remember - Keeping His Sabbath. They ignore the only Law that YHWH said would be a sign of those that are His People - Keeping His Sabbath.

          If you read some of the literature these folks hand out you will see that that proclaim if you have ever told a lie you are a liar and need Jesus. They repeat this for stealing, coveting, adultery, etc; but, one thing you will not see them proclaiming is that if you have ever profaned YHWH's Sabbath you need Jesus. These folks often say things such as, "What a wonderful world it would be if only everyone would follow Jesus' example. No more killing, or stealing, or lying." They never mention keeping the Sabbath - which Jesus always kept.

          Would Satan mind if everyone quit killing, lying and stealing? Many people are not murders, liars or thieves anyway; but, Satan hates it when people remember YHWH's Sabbath. Satan knows that keeping the Sabbath is the only law YHWH proclaimed as a sign for His people. If you keep YHWH's Sabbath it as a sign to Satan and the world you consider yourself YHWH's. If you do not keep YHWH's Sabbath then that too is a sign to Satan and to the world that you are not YHWH's.

          The seven day week, recognized worldwide by mankind, is the only division of the calendar that is not based on the cycles of the Sun or the Moon. It is also the only division of time proscribed by YHWH. Satan has six days a week for his people - Sunday thru Friday. YHWH has one day for His People, His seventh day Sabbath - aka Saturday. The mark of Satan is 666. Do you mark yourself with Satan? Are his 6 days a week in your past, his 6 days a week in your present, and his 6 days a week in your future? Are you Satan's, past, present, and future - 666?

          Or are you YHWH's? Only the 7^th marks you as YHWH's.

 

NOTE: Biblically adultery is sex between a married woman and any man not her husband - it is not adultery for a married man to have sex with an unmarried woman.

 

Quote of the Week

          If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath day by God is Saturday. In keeping the Sunday, they are following a law of the Catholic Church. -- Chancellor Albert Smith, February 10, 1920

          The Bible says, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” but the Catholic Church says, “No, keep the first day of the week,” and the whole world bows in obedience. -- Catholic Priest T. Enright, Feb 18, 1884

          Comment: You have been warned:

                    And I heard another voice out of Heaven saying, My people, come out of her, that you may                     not share in her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues.

                    (Revelation 18:4)

Did You Know

          In A.D. 325, Pope Sylvester officially named Sunday “the Lord’s Day”.

          In A.D. 338, Eusebius, the court bishop of Constantine, wrote, “All things whatsoever that it was the duty to do on the Sabbath (the seventh day of the week) we (Constantine, Eusebius, and other bishops) have transferred to the Lord’s Day (the first day of the week) as more appropriately belonging to it.”

          From the Augsburg Confession: They (the Catholics) allege the Sabbath changed into Sunday, the Lord’s day, contrary to the Decalogue, as it appears; neither is there any example more boasted of than the changing of the Sabbath day. Great, they say, is the power and authority of the church, since it dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments. -- Article 28

On Time and Tyrants

Verse of the Week

                    The crown has fallen from our head. Woe now to us, for we have sinned!

                    (Lamentations 5:16)

Thought for the Week

          There can be little doubt that the US, as a political entity, has rejected YHWH and His ways. Sadly it seems that most US citizens concur with this rejection. You reap what you sow. As the US as a nation and a people turn their face away from YHWH it is also becoming evident that YHWH is reciprocating and turning His face from them.

          It is not just the morals that are in shambles. Secularly the work ethic is pathetic and the economy reflects it. The US was once an industrial powerhouse but is now a mere shadow of its former self. The physical resources are still available; the will to employ them is not. The people, as a whole, have surrendered their will, not to YHWH as He asks, but to a tyrannical welfare state Government.

          Though the children of YHWH knew that peace was never possible with any man made government is all hope for the US as a nation lost? No. The US may have previously brought prosperity to many but it has never brought peace anyway. History does not regress but it often repeats itself. If the US were to experience a second civil war, a second revolution, perhaps there would be secular hope for freedom; but, without turning back to YHWH the outcome will be more of the same.

          These United States are no longer united by a people who share common morals and purpose. Since the last civil war the US has exchanged a bond of choice for a bond by force. As the Government grows the people continue to lose choice to force. Satan knows that choices and free will are dangerous. It is by freedom of choice that the number of followers of YHWH grows. It is by force that Satan wishes to suppress this growth.

          The choices the US Government is satisfied with leaving with the people is much the same as the choices allowed by ISIS - convert to our way of thinking or suffer the consequences. The people are "free" to choose between which evil they are more willing to practice. ISIS wants allegiance to Allah only. The US Government is not as harsh as they will allow allegiance to Allah or to man - just not to YHWH!

          It has been said that democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting for what to have for dinner. Though the US never was a democracy (it was designed as a Constitutional Republic) it is certainly applying this methodology when it comes to what "freedoms" are to be had. In this case it is becoming two atheists and a "christian" deciding.

          But the people that became the US have been here before in a manner of speaking. It was once two redcoats and an American voting on who was in charge and the redcoats lost. It is said that freedom must be earned. The people of the US once "earned" that freedom but it was more than a contest of arms. It was a contest of wills: One that pitted the freedom to serve YHWH against an obligation to serve a king. The people of the US again face a decision - will they stand up for the freedom to serve YHWH or will they bow to the whims of tyrants.

                    Return us to You, O YAHWEH, and we shall return. Renew our days as of old, for You have                    utterly rejected us; You are exceedingly angry against us.

                    (Lamentations 5:21-22)

          Only time will tell; but, I for one have no belief in the people of the US, as a whole, returning to YHWH. The cancer is too deep and too widespread. It is malignant and terminal. I do have a very strong belief though that some of us will continue to serve YHWH. As a nation dies around us we can still be a light of hope to those around us - a beacon to draw people away from the dangers that beckon on the horizon.

          If the US does not return to its humble beginnings she is doomed to experience the fate of the proud; and, with the way the US is using its power to spread evil it seems the sooner the US falls the better for the entire world. The children of YHWH in the US must work together - if they cannot help return their nation to YHWH then they must prepare to serve Him against that nation.

          There are no spectators or benchwarmers in this event. You either serve YHWH or you do not. Many are called but few chosen. Do you stand for YHWH? Or do you kneel to tyrants?

Quote of the Week

          We must never despair; our situation has been compromising before, and it has changed for the better; so I trust it will again. If difficulties arise, we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times. - George Washington

          Comment: Difficulties have certainly arisen. All that remains to be seen is if people still have the courage to face them.

Did You Know

              

          Historically there are many ways to approach the study of the Bible. In Judaism the term Pardes, also spelled PaRDeS, refers to four manners of biblical interpretation and study:

          Peshat: the "normal", obvious, literal, meaning

          Remez: the "hidden" or symbolic meaning.

          Derash: the comparative (midrashic) meaning as used in other similar occurrences.

          Sod: the "secret" meaning as given through inspiration or revelation.

          Intellistreets makes street lights that secretly record video and audio and can even be used to make public announcements! Comment: Just another new tool for Big Brother. These have already been installed in many major cities (e.g. Las Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, etc.)

Of Roots and Paths

Verse of the Week

                    And you shall say to this people, so says YAHWEH, Behold, I set before you the way of life                    and the way of death.

                  (Jeremiah 21:8)

Thought for the Week

          It seems the folks in the US have abandoned their roots and lost their way. For example few today probably realize that historically there was another name by which the followers of Jesus were first known. They were known as followers of "The Way". In Acts 9:2 and 22:4 this is how Saul of Tarsus referred to the followers of Jesus - the people Saul persecuted and even killed. Saul again referred to the followers of Jesus as the way in Acts 19:9, 19:23, and 24:14. In Acts 24:22 we see that even Felix may have referred to Jesus' followers as the Way. We also see that Luke uses the term the way in Acts 18:25 and 26.

          This reference to the "way" should come as no surprise since the way of God and the way of the Lord is mentioned in the Gospels almost a dozen times - along with the way of peace, the way of righteousness, etc. The way of YHWH is mentioned half a dozen times in the Original Scriptures (OT) and existed long before the Law was given to Moses (See Genesis 18:19). Knowing and keeping the way has always been essential and is seen as a test to man (Judges 2:22). Isaiah 35:8 tells us of The Way of Holiness as a way the redeemed will walk and enter but that the unclean cannot (refer to Revelations 21:27).  For those looking for confirmation via more (deeper?) parallels between the Old and New Testaments they can be found, regarding the way, by also looking at Exodus 23:20, Deuteronomy 30:15/16, etc. A very clear example is John the Baptist's comments regarding preparing the way (Matthew 3:3) and the Original Scriptures comments in way Isaiah 40:3. This theme, of "the way", is the primary theme of the Didache right from the very beginning. Didache 1:1 - There are two ways, one of life and one of death! and there is a great difference between the two ways. We also see that Jesus proclaims that he is "the way" in John 14:6.

          As a nation the US has lost its sense of direction and no longer follows the way - and mainstream churches own much of the blame. Although the US was founded upon Christian principles it has lost its sense of roots as well. Like a lost sailor the US is adrift and homesick: A homesickness that cannot be cured because the US has lost a sense of where home is - where its roots were planted. This is largely because mainstream Christianity has been fertilizing the soil with a load of manure that is packed full of weed seeds - and the trip these weeds take people on leads down a path called the way of death.

          Jesus, in the Parable of the Four Soils (aka the Parable of the Sower), refers to both roots and fruit. Unless our roots are in the right soil we cannot bear fruit. Jesus also tells us that an evil tree cannot produce good fruit. Is it any wonder that as the US grows more evil with every passing generation that "good fruit" is fast disappearing? The US is becoming a spiritual "dust bowl".

                    So, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and the flame burns up the chaff; their root                shall be like rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up like dust, because they have                       rejected the Law of YAHWEH of Hosts; and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.

                  (Isaiah 5:24)

          Without recognizing where its roots are and what path it is on the US is headed for destruction. This is true for individuals as well as nations. The bottom line is as we each travel our own path in life we have to choose the way we take and where we plant our roots. Where is your heart rooted? Are you following the way of life or of death?

                    Blessed is the man who trusts in YAHWEH, and YAHWEH is his refuge. For he shall be like a                   tree planted by the waters. It sends out its roots by the stream, and it will not fear when                     the heat comes; but its foliage will be green; and it is not anxious in the year of drought,              nor will it cease from yielding fruit.

                    (Jeremiah 17:7-8) (See also Psalm 1:1-3)

 

Quote of the Week

          Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots. - Victor Hugo, Intellectual Autobiography: Ideas on Literature, Philosophy and Religion

          Comment: The children of YHWH will always prevail because they are rooted in the Way of Life. If you have a neighbor, or even an enemy, that has lost their roots or lost their way do more than just pray for them: Actions speak louder than words and by these actions we bear fruit. Putting love into action not only helps spread the True Gospel but also, when it takes root in others, brings glory to where it belongs - to YHWH.

Did You Know

               According to astronomers the precession of the Earth's axis (the wobble) changes the position of the poles over the course of time. Our current "North Star", which is Polaris, will no longer be the "North Star" in about 500 years or so. COMMENT: It was also a different star a few thousand years ago. Only one light will always point the way - the Light of YHWH.

          The angle between the northern pole star and the observer's horizon is equal to the latitude of the observer.

          Roots provide four primary functions: Anchorage to the soil, Absorption of needed water, minerals, and nutrients, Conduction of water, minerals, and nutrients to where they are needed, and Storage of water, minerals, and nutrients for "hard times".

 

 

Force vs Freedom

Verse of the Week

                  The king is not saved by great force; a mighty man is not saved by great strength.

                  (Psalms 33:16)

Thought for the Week

          I am guessing this past week was an anniversary for the original movie Star Wars because I saw a lot of advertising regarding the movie's main catch phrase, "May the Force be with you". This seems rather apt timing since we are now seeing that even the US, an alleged bastion of religious freedom, is now using an elevated level of force to punish Christians for their religious beliefs.

          It is indeed sad to see that a clearly defined and expressed Constitutional right to the "freedom of religion AND the expression thereof" has been supplanted by an alleged "right" to socially benefit from being a part of a homosexual pairing - a "right" that is not defined or expressed in the Constitution or any logical penumbra thereof. Further, the US Government is wasting no time using incarceration to enforce its evil will upon the People. Politicians and law enforcement personnel that swore an oath to uphold the Constitution are now using the power of their offices to dismantle the document instead. Clearly a force is with these evils minions of Satan and that evil force is aimed at the destruction of the children of YHWH. The US Government is waging its own "War of Terror" on Christians just as surely as ISIS is - even if the methodologies differ - so far. (At least ISIS does not try to force Christians to support homosexual sin against YHWH!)

          As things get progressively worse we need to ensure that our focus remains where it should be - on service to YHWH and not on our own individual or collective freedoms or comforts. Jesus himself deftly avoided being captured and persecuted until his mission to establish a permanent cadre to spread the Gospel was achieved. Only then did he allow himself to be captured and make the ultimate sacrifice for us. No matter what the world does to us we too have this duty - to continue to serve YHWH and spread the gospel until we die.

          US pagans and politicians have only evil and their own pathetic exertions to rely on. The children of YHWH have the greatest Force in the Universe to rely on - the Holy Spirit of YHWH. At the same time though the children of YHWH know that just as Jesus was persecuted so too will we be treated - even unto death. It is our duty to work to protect and project not our lives or our will but our faith and YHWH's will. We, each of us individually, must balance our actions with the knowledge that even while enduring the heartache of a losing battle in the US we will be on the side of victory at wars end.

          We must stand together to serve and preserve His church no matter what rulings are made by man-made governments (AKA tyrants): Even as we are treated as the lowly nail, being pounded to its fullest extent, because it is the lowly nail which binds the frame of a house together. Our house is not built upon on, or dependent on, the sands of man and time: It is built on the eternal Rock of YHWH. And Uncle Sam, like ISIS, can huff and puff all it wants - they cannot blow this house down!

          Spread His Truth brothers & sisters - if not with a shout from the rooftops then at least with a whisper in the cellars. Never surrender the Sword of our Lord. Uncle Sam cannot take it - not even from your cold dead hands - if you have already shared it with the heart of another.

 

Quote of the Week

          Be like the cliff against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

          Comment: The world is awash in a sea of evil and the waves are increasing in size, intensity, and tempo. Is your life built on the shifting sands of man which wash away with the tide or on the timeless Rock of YHWH?

                             

Did You Know

          "Science" tells us it is a basic Law of Nature that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Comment: Why fight nature? Whatever amount of effort "they" act with to silence you put as much effort into an equal and opposite reaction: Speak Out!

 

          "Science" recognizes four forces interacting in our world:

          1. Gravity - This force acts between all mass in the existence. It has infinite range of influence.

          2. Electromagnetic - This force acts between electrically charged particles. Electricity, magnetism, and even light are all produced by this force. It too has infinite range.

          3. The Strong Force - This force binds neutrons and protons together in the cores of atoms. It has a short range of influence.

          4. Weak Force - This force causes Beta decay (the conversion of a neutron to a proton, an electron and an antineutrino). Some particles (the "strange" ones) are formed by strong interactions but decay via weak interactions (that's what's strange about "strangeness"). Like the strong force, the weak force is short range.

          Note: Science has yet to offer an intelligent theory to explain all four forces. The weak and electromagnetic interactions have been" unified" under electroweak theory. Theories have been put forth in an attempt to treat both strong and electroweak interactions under the same mathematical structure; but, all attempts at a Grand Unification Theory to include gravitation are acknowledged as complete failures. Comment: Gravity has been known to and used by man the longest of the four forces yet it still defies explanation. Gravity seems to defy science even as science relearns it cannot defy gravity.