Category: Contend for the Faith

The Simplicity of Melchizedek’s Priesthood (P3)

Every Wind of Doctrine . . . Part 3

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does YHWH require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” Micah 6:8

“The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O Elohim, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 — i think it is important to define contrite — “feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions, etc.” Merriam-Webster

Could it be that walking in line with Yahoshua’s Word, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) is walking in line with Micah 6:8 and Psalm 51:17? The idea that Paul was getting at in his letter to the Ephesians, “That we may not longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the heard, Messiah.” Is this idea that we are to walk in Messiah, and as Messiah, in that we imitate Him in word, and in action, what fulfilling the law means? Well, of course it is.

You see Messiah Yahoshua, our High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, walked in the fullness of the Torah, the Instruction of Elohim while at the same time fulfilling that which we were incapable. Not to remove it but in order to write it on our hearts and minds. No longer written only on tablets of stone or parchment, but on the very heart of the believer. On the hearts of those whom, with a contrite heart, do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Elohim. Not seeking our own will but the will of the Father in Heaven. “Not My will but Yours be done.” “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

The counsels and the priesthood had developed their own way, their own will, their own priorities. Yahoshua, as part of His ministry was restoring the simplicity of a broken and contrite heart, that leads to — Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Elohim.

“‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares YHWH, ‘I will put My law (Torah/Instruction) within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.’” Jeremiah 31:33

“‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says YHWH: ‘I will put My law (Torah/Instruction) into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.’” Hebrews 8:10

In a sermon given circa 1890 by Reverend Louis Albert Banks, he said; “We are each to be what Christ would be if He were in our place. As Dr. Greer of New York said to some young preachers not long since: ‘It is not enough that you preach Jesus Christ. You must be, each in His place and according to his ability, a Jesus Christ.’ And that is not applicable to preachers only, but to every one who has found in Jesus a divine Savior from his sins. Let us thank God we have so high and glorious an ideal. Let nobody say the ideal is too high. It is the very glory of our Christianity that it puts before us this sublime ideal and inspires poor human hearts, whose courage has been broken by sin, to struggle after it in brave and heroic effort.”

This is the contrite heart that seeks after our Messiah. We are to be like Him. We are to be the ones who pray, “Not my will but Yours be done.” We are to cry out, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” We are to be like Paul who said, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” And as Abraham, who sought the High Priest and brought his offering to Melchizedek. So too, we should seek after the High Priest in the Order Melchizedek, to offer up our broken and contrite hearts and our lives as living sacrifices for His Kingdom.

You see there is no one good, no not one. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Elohim. But in His (Elohim) infinite love for us made a way for us to become children of Elohim and brothers/sisters of Yahoshua, and joint-heirs with Messiah. We must believe in our hearts (broken and contrite), we must confess with our mouths that Yahoshua is Adonai, and if we truly love Him . . . We will obey His commandments. What does it look like to walk as Yahoshua?

i don’t know fully, but i am gonna dig into it and write again.

You are loved,
cj

Levitical priesthood < Melchizedek (p2)

Every Wind of Doctrine Part 2

In understanding the hesitation of the Levitical priests, and the Sanhedrin we need to understand their recipe and ingredients. Over time, even though, “for from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the Synagogues.” —Acts 15:21— (The Torah along with the prophets these two make up the Tanakh.) Much had been added which is now collected in the writing of the Talmud and other Rabbinical writings. These added ingredients tainted the original recipe and cluttered the menu of YHWH’s banquet table. This in part, along with pride, made Yahoshua unrecognizable to the religious leaders of the day. i fear the same would be true today with the many denominations we have teaching for the most part the doctrines of man.

In part two of this series on “Every Wind of Doctrine” i want to take a step back, and yet still forward, as we look at what Yahoshua accomplished when He said, “It is finished.” i don’t know, but it seems to me that the argument that Yahoshua did away with the Law, or the Levitical Priesthood or that He just did away with the sacrificial system, all miss the mark. For it appears the Law is taught by the Apostles, we are all called priests and Kings, and sacrifice will return in the millennium. When we truly understand Torah, the Priesthood and the sacrificial system we also realize that they all point to giant banquets for the Most High on His feast days. Not only that but also a way for the Levitical priests in charge of the Temple to eat as they did their Temple duty rotations. However, now we see that there is no Temple, no Levitical priesthood, and no way or need to sacrifice. One of the misunderstandings of those who say the Torah is completely done away with is this idea of the sacrificial system. i don’t know but it seems misguided with the understanding of Yahoshua, and the High Priest duties in the order of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek is mentioned only a few times in Scripture.
Genesis 14:18 — “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a Priest of YHWH.” This is prior to the Torah or as described the Law of Moses.
Psalm 110:4 (a prophetic look at the coming Messiah) — “YHWH has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” This is after the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Tanakh and the Bible on your coffee table, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
Hebrews 7:1-3 (combining the understanding) — “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, Priest of YHWH, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is King of Peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of Elohim, he remains a priest perpetually.”
17-19 — “For it is attested of Him, ‘You are the Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to Elohim.”
28 — “For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.” (Following the ministry, death, and resurrection of Messiah Yahoshua)

Now, Yahoshua after the order of Melchizedek the High Priest forever, is the way the truth and the life. Through His blood we have redemption of sin, no longer daily, weekly, yearly sacrifices for sin no more redemption through another or priestly order of man. When one would sin or transgress the law they brought a sacrifice to the temple. Now we have Yahoshua our High Priest, who is constantly making intercession for us, and we bring His sacrifice to our Temple, the body, and He through His sacrifice cleanses us from sin. Our transgressions of the law (Torah) not the ordinances of man. Why? Because the law is now written on our hearts!

There is salvation in no other than Yahoshua Messiah. Although, the world would have you believe otherwise, He is the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Him. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. The author of the Law written on our hearts. The seal of the NEW Covenant found in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:7-12. The new ingredient isn’t new at all but rather implanted in our hearts and minds through Yahoshua. Are we still fallen creatures in a fallen world, full of sin and dysfunction? Yes, of course. Yet the recipe for salvation is still faith, still reckoned by obedience, as it was counted righteousness toward Abraham for his obedience by faith, solidified by the work of Yahoshua our King and High Priest.

It seems to me we need to get back to the original recipe of faith as found in Hebrews 11 and throughout the Scriptures in line with the order of Melchizedek. i don’t know but i am gonna dig around and write a part 3. Until then here is a Hymn written by James Montgomery, circa 1800’s —

“Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, ‘Behold he prays!’

“Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heaven with prayer.”

You are loved,
cj

Every wind of doctrine . . . part 1

Have you noticed that those foods, whether from a fast food place or a box of your favorite cereal, just doesn’t taste the same anymore? Some say it is because our tastebuds have changed over time. That may be partly true. However, ingredients have changed so much i am sure that plays a larger role in why foods taste different, and not for the better in most cases. Neither are they any healthier, in fact with near certainty i can say foods have become less healthy over time. The food industry in an attempt to reduce waste, and increase profit have tweaked recipes endlessly with little regard to original taste as long as it is “close”.

i for one am not a fan of change. Let’s look at my favorite fast food restaurant as an example, Taco Bell. They had an encharito, which was beef and beans, rolled in a soft corn tortilla, smothered in red sauce and covered in cheese, onions, and black olives. It was amazing! Through the years it lost its corn tortilla and became flour, this to some was a subtle change, but to me it was huge and not for the better. Then they ditched the black olives, another cost cutting effort i am sure. Over the years they changed their sauce ever so slightly, a little at a time. Today, if you did a taste test of sauce from 1980 and today, i bet not only would you not think that they were from the same restaurant, you would definitely notice the major differences between them and how newer is definitely not better. All of this is a moot point as Taco Bell no longer offers the encharito on their menu, nor their tostada, Bell-Beefer, or the All Beef Burrito. Change is not always good regardless of the motive behind it.

When restaurants, or food companies, make changes they are counting on the consumer not noticing or if they do notice, it will be so subtle that they will accept it. And in most instances if the price is right, change will be accepted regardless or how much change takes place. The proof is in the fact that we have become fatter, and overall, more unhealthy over time and much of it can be attributed to the food industries changes in ingredients. i am no health expert, i don’t pretend to eat all healthy, i enjoy a donut and ice cream now and then, however, i do try to buy and eat foods that are healthier. i cook most of my meals, i read labels, i try to eat in moderation or in healthy proportions.

What is the original recipe of the Ecclesia (Ekklesia – the assembly of the sect of the Nazarene in and around Greece), the people of the Way? The word ἐκκλησία means, “called out ones” or “set apart ones”. Today we say church, a weaker ingredient if you ask me. If you are a Christian, regardless of your brand, wouldn’t you want to be most like the original recipe as you could? Don’t you want to read labels, check recipes, scour menus for imperfections and lesser ingredients? We are called to be Berean’s who in Acts are described as more noble because they received the Word with gladness and then searched the Scriptures to see whether what they were hearing was true. They were hearing the gospel message, and verifying it within the Torah and the Profits writings. Interesting.

The Berean’s did this because they didn’t want a counterfeit religion they wanted the original recipe. Over time things were added to the faith of YHWH. There was an oral tradition which was later written known as the Talmud full of extra laws and regulations and ordinances, that the religious leaders elevated above the Torah, above the Prophets, above the Word of YHWH. It was subtle, over time, a little here and a little there until faith in YHWH was unrecognizable. i look at the many buildings in my town serving an unhealthy version of the original and because it has been done subtly over time most don’t even know it. It’s sad because it would only take someone doing a little digging to see that what they are doing, hearing, and being taught doesn’t look anything like that of the Way. (Where are the Pastors?)

i feel like we have lost the Berean spirit. We have substituted a curious mind for a mindset that says, “tell me what to think, tell me what to believe.” Not everyone, everywhere, but definitely a majority. Ask yourself this question with all the flavors available on Sunday, who has been swept away, blown about by the winds of change? Taking Ephesians 4:14-15 for a spin around your neighborhood. “That we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the heard, Messiah.” While you consider this remember these passages of Scripture as well, and on this theme do some digging.

Numbers 23:19
“Elohim is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?”

James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Hebrews 13:8
“Yahoshua Messah is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

John 1:1, 14
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.”
“The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw His glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

What inspired this post? Well, on my planner, yes i still use a paper binder planner, over the past several weeks i have written the following;

Yahoshua said that He is
The Way, The Truth, The Life

The Torah is described as
The Path/Way/Instruction
The Truth, what is truth? Your Word is Truth
The Life, man shall not live by bread alone BUT
By every Word of Elohim

Yahoshua is The Word made flesh

With this in mind i began reading from Wesley’s works again. It is one of the collection of books i have kept. To be honest, mainly for the binding and how cool they look on my bookshelf. However, i do enjoy the information written within them . . . Not over Scripture of course and as many will concur, i don’t agree with everything he said either. Now with that disclaimer, it did stir the Berean heart within me to really think about the idea found in Ephesians 4:14

“. . . tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”

i don’t know about that, but i am gonna dig around and write a part two.

You are loved,
cj

Journey Update 3 Love

i have always said that love is a choice it is not an emotion or feeling. However, there are blocks to love which are emotions, and feelings based on experience unforgiveness, anger, and hurt. The opposite is also true, good experiences and positive emotions and feelings like joy, happiness, and forgiveness. These are gateways that make choosing love easy. The devil does his best to accuse Elohim in our hearts. To get you to be angry at Him and others. Satan knows this well. If he can make you angry and dwell in hurt, your heart will harden. Then, choosing love will be nearly impossible. Because love blossoms out of forgiveness.

Humanity is a willing, unwilling, and unaware participant in Satan’s plan. So it’s easy to be angry even cynical of all of this . . . the world, politics, family, friends, life. Yet, even with such an advisory we are told to love. When Yahoshua was asked what the greatest commandment was He said, “30 Love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) He was referencing Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

The definition of love found in a dictionary is unbelievably mangled. As it will define it from loving one’s family, pet, or food, to intercourse, and a love affair. This definition is why society is so lost. We have taken the very thing Elohim rates at the top of His list for humanity and we have diluted it in a cesspool. There are different words for love within the recorded texts of Scripture, Storge, Phileo, Eros, and Agape. (The following definitions are from the website Biblestudytools.com)

  1. Storge: Storge love is the care that exists between family members, friends, or companions. Longer-lasting, it goes beyond an initial infatuation or attraction. Built on a familiarity between people, the emphasis of storge is on devotion and intimacy that develops over time.
  2. Phileo: Phileo most often describes a relationship between people, one of generous warmth for another. But in a broader sense, it can also apply to churches and even cities. The basis of this common bond is shared beliefs, values or interests.
  3. Eros: Eros love is a the kind of affection meant to describe a healthy, sensual love between husband and wife. Romance and physical attraction play a part in it. God [Elohim] gave us this kind of desire with the clear instruction to express it only within the bonds of marriage.
  4. Agape: Agape love is probably the most talked about of the four kinds of love. It is the highest, most complete form of affection. God’s [Elohim’s] love for us is the foundation of this love. And Jesus [Yahoshua] gave us many lessons about and examples of agape – a strong, selfless and sacrificial love – during His earthly ministry.

Based on the greatest commandment to Love [Agape] Elohim with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second love [Storge/Phileo] your neighbor you can see how this becomes more of a choice than an emotion. One must choose to love and in order to choose love, one must remove the obstacles that would hinder the ability to love as commanded.

If human love flows from forgiveness then perhaps this is why Yahoshua prayed, “forgive us our sins as we forgive . . .” those who trespass or are in debt to us so that we can love. Divine love flows from gratitude. Therefore it requires counting our blessings. However, if Satan can make you miserable, unforgiving, and fearful, it becomes nearly impossible to love your neighbor. He creates doubt and grievances, making it hard to love your enemy. Not to mention it makes it challenging to love Elohim with every fiber of your being.

i am not dismissing the difficulty in forgiveness, especially when one has been hurt, emotionally, physically, or both. i am not dismissing the difficulty in forgiving one’s self for failure. It is challenging to forgive oneself for hurting someone emotionally or physically. Experiencing loss tragically or unexpectedly adds to the difficulty. For all the barriers of choosing love, choosing forgiveness is the hardest. It isn’t just forgiving others, one must also forgive themselves. Satan works extremely hard to get one to believe they are not deserving of forgiveness. This belief makes one feel as if they are unlovable. This internal struggle stems from ones heart whether anger, fear, hurt, or trauma. And if one is unloved or unlovable, it is nearly impossible for them to love others.

Here is the good news, in Yahoshua Messiah, there is forgiveness for He loves you! One only needs to recognize that in Yahoshua there is the fullness of Agape love. It is complete with forgiveness, and then accept it. If you can understand this then you are on the road to wholeness. i have found that when one truly seeks to Agape Elohim with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength it becomes necessary to evaluate life from HIS perspective.

If all of the law and the prophets (what we call the Old Testament). Hangs on these two, love Elohim and love your neighbor. Knowing what that means from the beginning is vital. Micah 6:8 says, “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the YHWH requires of you: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” If Elohim is the same yesterday, today, and forever, learning His ways as one grafted into Israel is a sign of affection. it is Agape. As a member of Israel by way of graft i am part of the new covenant which is spelled out in Jeremiah and Hebrews.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 —
31 Look, the days are coming” — this is YHWH’s declaration — “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 “This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt — my covenant that they broke even though I am their husband”— YHWH’s declaration. 33 “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” — YHWH’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their Elohim, and they will be my people. 34 “No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know YHWH,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them” — this is YHWH’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.”

Hebrews 8:7-13 —
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. 8 But finding fault with his people, he says: “See, the days are coming, says YHWH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah —9 not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. I showed no concern for them, says YHWH, because they did not continue in my covenant. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says YHWH: I will put my Torah into their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their Elohim, and they will be my people. 11 And each person will not teach his fellow citizen, and each his brother or sister, saying, “Know YHWH,” because they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.13 By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.”

The old covenant written on tablets and parchment. It has been rewritten on the hearts and the minds of the people of Elohim. The prophets taught the people to obey the very Torah. Yahoshua, the WORD made flesh, also taught His disciples to obey it. This Torah is written on the heart and mind of the people of Elohim. If we love Him we will obey Him, we are not a people of lawlessness but a people of Elohim. Set apart and marked by His covenant and sealed with the signs of His commandments, His feasts, His Torah.

i am forgiven, learning to forgive myself, learning to forgive others . . . Choosing to love Elohim and my neighbor. Learning to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my Elohim. Agreeing with the accuser, satan, as he accuses me before the Father. Yet, holding fast to my Advocate, my High Priest, my Savior, Yahoshua Ha’Mashiah.

You are loved,
cj

Journey Update (part 2)

What i have come to understand about shadows and prophecy, fullness and fulfillment. In part 2 of my Journey update i want to explore these things and encourage you to be a Berean and explore them for yourself as well…

There was a time that i worked at DIA (Denver International Airport) as a ramp agent, affectionately known among peers as ramp rats. We made a song, don’t ask me to sing it, not that it was vulgar, they all knew of and respected my faith. First, i don’t remember most of it and two i was once asked if i was tone deaf after singing. Anyway, it was a pretty cool gig. Besides all the cool benefits it was just fun work, physically tiring, but fun. One of the cool parts of working there was all the sights of various planes taking off and landing. The shadow of a plane on the ground as it came in getting larger and larger until it merged with the wheels on the runway as if Tinker Bell had sown them together. Revealing the fullness of the shadow in the presence of the plane.

The shadow of the plane on the ground looks like a plane. You can hear the plane, and see its shadow, an image of what is to come. As the object gets closer, the shadow grows in size until the fullness of the image casting the shadow arrives. The shadow doesn’t change it becomes more full when the substance of the shadow, the plane arrives. The planes shadow is an image of what is to come and when the substance arrives it reveals the fullness of the casted shadow. The shadow becomes something that you can enter into in its complete form.

John 1:1-3

“In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with Elohim,
and the Word was Elohim.

He existed in the beginning with Elohim.

Elohim created everything through Him,
Fore nothing was created except through Him.”

Yahoshua is the fullness, He is the substance of the shadow of what was to come. The Word casted its shadow on humanity, through Israel. Yahoshua, the Word made flesh, was the arrival of the Torah. The instruction (Torah) known as the Word, a shadow of things to come, arrived as the Word became flesh, Yahoshua Messiah. As Paul writes to the Colossians: “which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah’s.” (Colossians 2:17)

Yahoshua is the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s Prophecy in 31:31-34– “Behold, the days are coming, declares YHWH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares YHWH. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares YHWH: I will put My law (Torah) within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘know YHWH,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares YHWH. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” In Hebrews this is brought up as fulfilled in Messiah. (See Hebrews 8)

The Word didn’t change. The Torah didn’t change. Elohim didn’t change. His instruction didn’t change. The method of delivery changed. The Holy Spirit is the written Torah, the written WORD, on the hearts of those within the Nation of Israel, whether by birth or by adoption, grafted into . . . There is one Torah for the native and for those who adjoin themselves to the people of Elohim. When we enter into the fullness of Messiah we are no longer Gentiles or Jews but we are one people, the people of Elohim, we are the bride. As gentiles (any nation of people not of the 12 tribes of Israel) can not live outside the foundation and root of the Hebrew Nation which is founded on the Word of Elohim, who was made flesh and dwelt among us, and now resides in the heart of the believer through the Holy Spirit. The written Word on our Hearts does not free us from Torah but empowers us to live it!

Yahoshua didn’t come and die for our sin so that we could live a life of sin. Sin as defined by 1 John 2:3-6 —
“This is how we know that we know Him: if we keep his commands. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His Word (Torah), truly in him the love of Elohim is made complete. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.” He came to reconcile us to the Father, take the punishment of our disobedience, and show us how to live. Paul, says, “imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” We also need to understand what John was referring to when he says, the word, and His commandments. As Paul instructs Timothy in his 2nd letter to him: “All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Neither Paul or John were in anyway referring to their own letters or the Gospels, but the written Word of Elohim of the day, the Tanakh, which includes the Torah, or instruction, which has been translated, Law.

The shadow of things to come, has come in fullness through Yahoshua. And in the millennium, we will continue to live these instructions of Elohim. We will observe the Sabbath, the Feast Days, and the commandments of Elohim. As we have been taught to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” May we through the power of the Holy Spirit begin to live our lives in the pattern of Yahoshua Messiah, imitating Him as Paul demonstrates.

You are loved,
cj

Journey Update (part 1)

As the blog heading says, this is my journey with Yahoshua and in the description i mention that the writings you will read here are inspired by that journey. So i thought i would share an update on where i am on this journey; What is it that i believe and why i believe. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he writes, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12 ESV) This passage and this one from Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does YHWH require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” Are my starting points. We are called to be like Him, “Be holy for I am Holy,” and as Paul also writes, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.”

Back in 2017 i put down most commentaries when reading and picked up a regular dictionary and a strongs as well as an interlinear concordance. In 2020 i put down nearly the rest of the commentaries i was still using and really began word studies and reading more history. What i began to discover was that i relied on the interpretations and customs of man which is exactly what the Pharisees had done and it was what Yahoshua was calling them out on . . . Not the observance of Torah, but of the traditions of man.

First lets talk about the name Jesus. This one had me spun for some time. Why do we use the name Jesus, when we also translate the name into English with the name Joshua? And why do we use those names at all when we know His Hebrew name is יֵשׁוּעַ which would be transliterated in modern Hebrew to Yeshua? This led me down another path on language. The letter J didn’t come into existence until 1650 and when it did it had a soft Y sound. Therefore the name Jesus as we know it today would have sounded more like its origin Yeshua, Yesus, a deeper study led me to the fact that in the Greek the S on the end (Ιησούς prior to 1650 transliterated Iesus) would have been silent so it would sound like, Yesu, which if we equate it to modern English it would be like calling a person named Joshua, Josh.

Somewhere along the line, much like the game operator, where you start by whispering something in the ear of one person. Who then whispers it into another until it goes around the circle. When it gets back to the beginning its more likely than not something different, even if its close, to the original. We have been playing operator and few seem to care about the original because they have become accustomed to the alternate. Yet we still use the excuse of transliteration, when its the evolution of language. i had to ask myself if i had gone on a long vacation and while i was away the sound of CH in my name went from K to M and the R became silent and suddenly everyone was reading my name off my passport and calling me Mistopher, would i know they were talking to me?

Yes, Yahoshua, this is how scholars render the name for Joshua son of Nun, who we understand to have the same given name as our Savior. This is why i use this spelling. Also, it has a pretty cool story of development which leads me to believe it was no coincidence. (See this Post, ‘Why Yahoshua, and other names and titles’ for a starting point on reasons why i choose Yahoshua), is the Word made flesh, He was in the beginning and He is at the end, the Aleph – Tav or the Alpha – Omega, so i am pretty sure He knows who we are talking about. However, with that i also believe that as we grow in knowledge and understanding we should take into account the commandment; “You shall not take the name of YHWH your Elohim in vain, for YHWH will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

We have made this to mean simply, by using the name Jesus or saying God in slang or a curse word is taking His name in vain. Although, partially true, it is much deeper than this. It also, includes, attributing sayings to Him, “Thus says the Lord . . .” Etc. that He did not say or believing that His Word is inconsequential as Israel did often, “Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26). They would justify this by saying they haven’t been punished, when it was simply Elohim’s patience, that sought from them a repentant heart. His NAME is Holy! Isaiah (9:6) writes, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Did you read that, “Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father,” this is specifically talking about Yahoshua, who most modern Christians call Jesus. Now i came to know Yahoshua through the name Jesus, i appreciate the name Jesus, i believe in the Power of the Name of the Word made flesh, the Lamb of Elohim, Emmanuel which means Elohim (God) with us. However, knowing what i know now makes it difficult for me call the Messiah anything other than His given name, Yahoshua. Even saying, Yesu, seems disrespectful to me. He is Mighty Elohim! The I AM!

i hope this makes sense to you, really i do. In the coming posts i will be discussing my beliefs on the Sabbath, Feast Days, Torah, among other things. Although, you can go into my archives and read about them there here, i will be spelling out the “WHY.” Anyway, i hope this at least gets you to ask the question, “WHY?” Just like when you were a kid and your parent told you to do something and you asked, “Why, why, why?” May you be so curious . . . For it is this curiosity that has made me to fall in love with Yahoshua ha’Mashiah all over again and in a much deeper way than ever before.

You are loved,
cj

Contend for the Faith (Torah)

“All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Elohim may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

If Paul was writing to Timothy that all Scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness . . . Surely he was also referring to Ezekiel and Ezekiel records this:

“Her priests have done violence to My Torah and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded My sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” Ezekiel 22:26

The thing i am finding more and more frustrating with modern translations is their separation from Israel, and by this separation the changing of and diluting of Elohim’s word. If you open your modern translation for Ezekiel 22:26 it will read, “Her priests have done violence to my law.” In our westernized, hyper grace way of thinking it is easy to disregard the word ‘law’ as outdated and done away with. However, the word is Torah and it refers to HIS WORD. His written word and if Yahoshua is the WORD made flesh it even sets Him aside.

“In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with Elohim, and the WORD was Elohim. He was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” . . . “And the WORD become flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5,14

Yahoshua, declared, “I and My Father, are one.” “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” “I can do nothing of Myself. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” What is the will of the Father? Well, according to Ezekiel YHWH, the Father, was calling out Israel for what they had allowed to happen among them. Violence towards the Torah, profaning the Holy things of Elohim, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded the sabbaths.

Micah records YHWH saying, “I have told you o’man what is good and what does YHWH require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” It isn’t so much a set of rules as it is acting justly by following the decrees of Elohim, it is loving mercy, and walking humbly. Not by our own will or understanding but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Elohim. Yahoshua is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He and the Father are one what is the writer of Hebrews saying? Malachi writes, “For I YHWH do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the WORD of our Elohim will stand forever.” Matthew writes, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My WORDS will not pass away.” John in the book of Revelation records Yahoshua saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega (Aleph—Tav), the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Has the WORD been done away with? Are we now outside of Torah? Are we allowed to live lawlessly? By all means NOT! But Yahoshua, writes the Torah on our hearts and through the Holy Spirit we are empowered to live for Him, not under the punishment of the law but by faith we must be obedient to the WORD made flesh. “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:18-19 — His coming, was the fulfillment of the Torah and the prophets not the dissolving of them. He states that Moses wrote about Him, He reads Isaiah in the Temple and declares, “Today this verse is fulfilled in your eyes.” He is the promised Messiah. In Him is healing and forgiveness, “Behold the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world.”

There is coming a separation of the sheep and the goats. The sheep will enter through the narrow gate. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14 The idea of being a sheep is a reoccurring theme, in John, Yahoshua is recorded as saying, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and THEY will listen to My voice. So there will be ONE FLOCK, ONE SHEPHERD.” Messiah is not divided, nor are we two different nations, but we are one people, with one Shepard.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Adonai, Adonai,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 —If profaning the sabbath, and treating the holy things of Elohim as common, and putting that which is unclean in place of that which is clean was detestable in the days of Ezekiel, then they are detestable today. Oh yes, thank Adonai for favor, for grace, for forgiveness, but grace does not excuse our lawlessness or better our Tora’lessness. Obedience is righteousness, FAITH drives our obedience.

In a world hell bent on excluding Elohim, we the PEOPLE of Elohim, need to stand up, stand apart, and live our lives in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Yahoshua said, “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love Him and manifest Myself to him.” . . . “If anyone loves Me, he will KEEP MY WORD, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does NOT love me does NOT keep My words. And the word that you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” . . . “But the HELPER, the HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:20-21, 23-24, 26

Many will hear Yahoshua say, “Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” The Greek “Anomos,” means, “Destitute of Mosaic Law” or Tora’lessness, being without or outside of Torah. Yahoshua is the doorway by which we enter into relationship with Elohim. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, the very WORD of Elohim, in the flesh.

Time is short—

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve YHWH, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH.” Joshua 24:15

You are loved,
cj

Contend for the Faith

“See that no one leads you astray.” Matthew 24:4
“And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.” Matthew 24:10
“I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Luke 18:8
“Why do you call Me ‘Master, Master,’ and not do what I tell you?” Luke 6:46

“And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying, ‘This Yahoshua, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah.’” Acts 17:2-3
“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Acts 18:4

Everywhere we read, “Scriptures,” in the New Testament, it is referring to the Old, every, single, time. The Scriptures in the New support the Old, they do not contradict them. If what you read in the New seems to contradict or change the Old, you need to re-examine your understanding. Unfortunately, for many the Old is done away with which allows them to make the New say anything they want in order to justify their way of living. Beginning with this post i will be diving into the idea of being ready to give an answer to everyone who asks and contend for the faith of those in Messiah Yahoshua. Today i want to point out the idea of the Sabbath.

Paul, was in the synagogues every Sabbath as was his custom. There he reasoned with both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), using the Scriptures to show that Yahoshua was the Messiah. The Apostles, understood the significance of the Sabbath. In fact you wont find a scripture in which they were not honoring or reasoning, or teaching on the Sabbath. In Exodus 20:8-11 we read:

“REMEMBER the Sabbath day, to keep it HOLY. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to YHWH your Elohim. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day and made it HOLY.”

This, the fourth commandment is the one emphasized the most with the second being the 2nd commandment, regarding carved images and idol worship. Can you name a denomination that uses carved images and encourages praying to statues or idols? Hint, it is also the organization that claims its authority by way of its changing of the Sabbath day from the seventh day of the week to the first (See: “The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine” Rockford, IL: Tan Books & Publishing, 1977; pg. 50 — and —Catholic Catechism, Part Three, Section Two, Chapter One, Article 3- I, II). Interestingly enough the Catholic 10 commandments removes the second commandment which commands us not to carve images or worship idols, and expands the 10th Commandment into two, “You shall not covet your neighbors spouse,” and “You shall not covet your neighbors goods.” Not to be misunderstood while giving the 10 Commandments, which is better translated, 10 Words, YHWH reminded them, “But showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and KEEP My Commandments.” Daniel warns us this would happen, Daniel 7:25 says, “He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

Peter and the Apostles declared, “We must obey Elohim rather than men. The Elohim of our fathers raised Yahoshua, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. Elohim exalted Him at His right hand as King and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who OBEY HIM.” Acts 5:29-32. And Jude writes, “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our Elohim into sensuality and deny our only King and Master Yahoshua Messiah.” Jude 1:3-4

There is one Sabbath Day. Can we worship Elohim on any day? Yes, of course we can! However, if we are to emulate the Messiah, as Paul says, “imitate me as I imitate Messiah,” and both Yahoshua and Paul honored and kept the Sabbath day, should we then not also keep the Sabbath day as Elohim instructs us?

“REMEMBER the Sabbath day, to keep it HOLY. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to YHWH your Elohim. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days YHWH mad heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day and made it HOLY. (Exodus 20:8-11)

REMEMBER, you are loved,
cj

Why Passover Matters More Than Easter

Why Passover Matters More Than Easter

“Now, therefore, fear YHWH, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Serve YHWH, And if it seems evil to you to serve YHWH,, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH,.” Joshua 24:14-15

This is my yearly appeal to you, out of love, walk away from Easter and all of its pagan roots. We know it to be true that Yahoshua (Jesus) fulfilled the Passover. John the Baptist declared on the river’s edge, “Behold, the Lamb of Elohim! Who takes away the sin of the world!” Yahoshua is the final Passover Lamb. We should be honoring that and not the combination of a pagan festival mixed in. The richness of the Feast of Elohim that tears the vale and covers us in righteousness. It cleanses us from our sin. It is all that we should be remembering this time of year. For it is the Feast at the head of the year.

In Emperor Constantine’s letter to “all those not present at the council”. Following the Council of Nicea he wrote how it would be better to separate from Jewish custom. He called out the Jews for killing Yahoshua and in many instances called for antisemitism. For instance, he wrote, “We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews.”

He goes on to say, “They do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two Passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the Passover twice in one year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such wicked people [the Jews]. Besides, consider well, that in such an important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought not to be any division. Our Savior has left us only one festal day of our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired[to establish] only one Catholic Church.”

The question of whether or not Constantine truly converted to Christianity or not has been debated for centuries. However, we do know for a fact that rather than adhere strictly to Christian tradition and belief; for the sake of the unity of the empire, he combined the festal days of paganism and Christianity. His disdain for the Jews as represented in his letter, and his lack of judgment in establishing a new religion where we see the combination of paganism and Christianity should certainly call into question our adherence to these traditions.

“When Adonai your Elohim cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? —that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship Adonai your Elohim in that way, for every abominable thing that Adonai hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” Deuteronomy 12:29-32

i want to make a clarification here about Constantine’s reference to two Passover’s. Clearly he was unaware and sadly none of the scholars of his day enlightened him. In Numbers 9 we read of some men who were ceremonially unclean and therefore unable to bring the sacrifice of Passover. They inquired of Moses and Aaron on what to do. YHWH, told Moses to give this instruction: Numbers 9:10-11 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, if any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to YHWH,. In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. . .”

Concerning the idea that Passover or any of the Feast of Adonai are strictly Jewish, i present Leviticus 23:1-2 “Adonai spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, these are the appointed feasts of Adonai that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are MY appointed feasts.” Clearly they are HIS feasts, much like the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

Finally, let me close with this, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Messiah Yahoshua. And if you are Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:23) Passover this year begins at Sundown on Friday April 15, in line with Good Friday services, however, the tomb would not be discovered empty until Tuesday morning fulfilling the three days and three nights. Often Easter and Passover do not line up and occasionally are off by a months time. Although this year is very close in timing i will refuse to attend any church that is honoring Easter, hosting an egg hunt, or in any way mixing pagan tradition with this most Holy of Feasts, Passover.

You are loved,

cj