For those of you who aren’t familiar with Yiddish, tsouris means troubles or problems. If you are old enough or competent enough to understand what I just wrote, then you know what tsouris is like because life is full of tsouris.

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Despite how much tsouris we have to live with, we can look forward to the afterlife; at least, I believe in the afterlife, which is only natural since I believe in God and that Yeshua is the Messiah God promised to send throughout the Tanakh. It is through the sacrificial death Yeshua underwent that makes it possible for us to receive forgiveness of our sins; prior to him, the way we received forgiveness was to sacrifice an animal where God placed his name, which was the temple in Jerusalem. Well, as you know, that temple was destroyed in 73 A.D., so now the only way to receive forgiveness is by means of the sacrifice Yeshua made on our behalf.

You may be thinking that the Bible says that no one who loves the Lord has ever gone hungry or not had a place to sleep (Psalm 37:25). Well, let’s get real, People- lovers of God are suffering every day, all over the world (especially in Third World countries), and many are going with little or no food for periods of days, and sleeping on the street.

Does that mean the Bible lied? I don’t think so; I think the Bible was talking in general terms.

One of the problems people have with understanding God, which is only done through understanding the Bible, is that we are mortal- we think in finite terms, and to us, this physical plane of existence is all we can relate to. Eternity sounds nice, but to truly relate and understand what it is, well… that’s like trying to picture one million people standing on each other’s shoulders.

Can’t be done.

God, on the other hand, doesn’t think in finite terms because he is not mortal. God sees everything from an eternal viewpoint, existing on a spiritual plane that is so far above our mortal existence that even though he knows and understands the physical (being omniscient helps, not to mention he created the universe) he is always thinking on an eternal level.

What I am saying is that even if we have to go hungry or not have a roof over our heads, once in a while, while we are alive, those who love the Lord will enter eternity in his presence and never again have that problem.

We need to remember that this existence is only temporary, but that the afterlife is forever.

Think of it this way- when we’re expecting something, time seems to go at… a… snail’s… pace, but when we look back on our life, things have happened at warp speed. But after we have been resurrected with the Messiah and on the new earth, under our own tree, enjoying our own wine, we will look back and if we remember anything at all, it will seem to have happened in the blink of an eye.

So, nu! Take solace in the fact that when you are having tsouris, as we all will more than once during our lives, it is only temporary. It may suck while you are going through it, but go through it, you will! And so long as you maintain your faith and persevere, when you are with the Lord things will be great!

The rewards for accepting Yeshua as your Messiah and spending your life obeying God’s instructions (in the Torah) as best as you can, will be more joyful and peaceful than you could ever imagine.

That’s it for today, so I look forward to any comments you may have and will end with l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

You know the type- they tell you what you must believe, they have their own ideas formed by taking verses or phrases out of context and forming an entirely different tenet based on it, and they also insult you, your beliefs, and even go as far as to tell you that you aren’t really saved or a true believer.

And what do they base all this on? A post you made on social media!

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I recently ran into one of these people, someone responding to one of my messages who insisted that if a person didn’t show the signs that are stated in Mark 16:17-18, then they aren’t a real believer.

It started with her questioning my tag line, “God has no religion“, and she asked me what religion I am. I replied that I don’t care for labels, but if I had to use one, Messianic Jewish man would be the one that fits, although I prefer “Believer” since I believe in God, Yeshua, and live my life as close to being Torah observant as I can.

When she asked me if I show the signs stated in Mark, I said I don’t play with snakes or drink poison, I am not an exorcist or a faith healer- I am just a teacher. I further explained that these signs are not an absolute necessity for accepting Yeshua as the Messiah, and they are not, in any way, a qualifier for the spiritual status of a person. I think I really ticked her off when I said I have never spoken in tongues, and don’t care if I ever do.

You see, over the past 1/4 century I have been a Messianic Jew/Believer, I have heard many people babble away “speaking in tongues”, or so it seems. But according to the Bible, if someone is truly speaking through the Spirit, unless there is someone else there who (by the same Spirit) interprets the message, then that person should remain silent (1 Corinthians 14:28). My experience in two different houses of worship- a Messianic synagogue and a Hebraic Roots church, is that when I hear people speaking in tongues, NO ONE HAS EVER INTERPRETED! There have been so many people so desperate to speak in tongues that I believe they do it themselves, convincing themselves that their babbling is really spirit-led, and they do so audibly.

I have to ask myself why they go against what Paul says, especially since so much of Christian teaching is that Paul is really who they should listen to, and my answer is that they speak in tongues out loud so they can receive the honor of people. And we all know (or should know) what Yeshua said about that.

So, nu? What’s my point? It’s this: do not throw pearls before swine; if you meet someone who thinks they are God, in that they can determine the true level of your spiritual being through reading something you post, block them! You will never get through to them, and all you will receive for your efforts to prove yourself truly a God-fearing man or woman will be insults and frustration, both of which lead to unrighteous anger.

Truthfully, I feel sorry for those types, because despite how holy and spiritually gifted they think they are, when they come before God, he will strip the skin of self-righteousness they have from their bodies, and his judgement of them will be like pouring lemon juice on that now raw and exposed skin.

Can anyone really judge a person’s relationship with God from a Facebook post? I don’t think so! And when someone goes as far as to judge your relationship with God, deny that you really do believe in Messiah Yeshua, and refute what you say about your level of biblical obedience, well…I’ve just gotta ask: who made them God?

Thank you for being here and remember I do welcome your comments, except not so much the nasty ones.

That’s it for this week, so l’hitraot and (an early) Shabbat Shalom!

First off, let’s set the record straight- heaven is the domain and abode of God and the angels. According to everything we read, especially in Revelation, we who are written in the Book of Life will be on a new Earth, with a new Jerusalem lowered from the heavens.

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Okay, then- how do I know there are sinners in heaven, or more correctly, that there will be people who have sinned but will still be in the Book of life, and a member of that fraternity which will live eternally in the presence of the LORD?

Simple…Yeshua tells us it will be this way.

In Matthew 5:17-19, what must be one of the MOST misinterpreted, misused, and misunderstood verses in the entire word of God, he tells us that he hasn’t come to change anything, especially not the Torah or the requirements to obey the Torah, and as he finishes telling us that, he also warns that anyone who tries to change even so much as a letter in the Torah, and then teaches others to do so, will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. But those who obey the Torah and teach others to do so will be considered greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Besides this clear statement that there will be those who disobey the Torah, yet will still be allowed into the kingdom of heaven, is the undeniable truth that every single one of us, even those written in the Book of Life, are still sinners, and will continue to be sinners

We can’t help it- it is the Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) that we are all born with, also called Iniquity (the desire to sin), and Christianity calls it Original Sin. Any way you look at it, we are all sinners (Oy! How many times are we told that in the Bible, right?) and we will continue to sin throughout our lifetimes.

That’s why God sent the Messiah- he is our only hope for finding forgiveness when we accept him as our messiah and, by means of his sinless life and sacrifice, we can be washed clean of the stain of sin by his blood, shed for all.

Now, does this mean that you do not have to obey the Torah, at all? Of course not! Just because we are all sinners, and those who disobey Torah can still be a member of the kingdom of God, that’s no excuse to purposefully disobey.

In Leviticus Chapter 4, God talks about the way people can be forgiven for inadvertently sinning, and I believe that God considers his sacrificial system based on people sinning by accident, or in ignorance. In fact, he also includes a means for receiving forgiveness when a sin is committed, but the person is unaware of it.

Here’s what scary about that- even if someone sins by accident, or is unaware of their sin, they are still guilty! When they are made aware of it, then they must do what God commands, under the sacrificial system- which still exists! The only difference is that instead of sacrificing an animal at the temple in Jerusalem, which was the Torah commandment, Yeshua’s sacrifice has replaced that step. However, still need to confess the sin, repent of it, and ask forgiveness.

As for me, to be safe I ask for forgiveness of whatever sins I have committed against God every, single morning. I think this is a really good idea, and strongly recommend you do the same.

You are asking yourself now:

“So, what is the requirement? Do I have to obey the Torah completely or not?”

I wish I could give you an absolute answer, and even if I think I know, I am going to say, simply, that the choice is up to you.

I will say this, though: I believe that God is more concerned with our desire to be obedient than the actual act of obedience. He states clearly, in Isaiah 1:11-17, that just going through the motions, without really feeling or desiring to do as he says, is meaningless to him. In fact, not just meaningless, but he says they are a stench in his nostrils, and the reason for his disgust is this (Isa. 1:12):

“Who wants your sacrifices when you have no sorrow for your sins? “

This is all I have to say on this topic, at least for now. The bottom line is this: as I see it, the Bible is clear that trying to be Torah observant is more important to God than actually being in complete accordance with the Torah. The fact that no one can obey Torah completely, for more than a minute or so, is why he sent Yeshua, who also is very clear that obedience to his father’s commandments is still important until everything has come to pass.

And it seems pretty obvious that the kingdom of God is still coming, so I would suggest you listen to Yeshua and not some religion.

Unless you would rather be assigned a seat at the kiddie table on the new Earth.

That’s it for this week, so l’hitraot and (an early) Shabbat Shalom!

We are told that God knows the heart and mind of everyone (Chronicles 28:9, Jeremiah 17:10), so if he is able to know what we are thinking and feeling, why then do we need to speak to him in prayer?

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I have always been reluctant to pray from the Siddur (prayer book) because I felt that if God really wants me to speak to him, why use someone else’s words? How can I make a heartfelt prayer when the words aren’t even mine?

This has always been an issue with my prayer life. And recently I have come to understand the value of praying to God, even though he already knows what it is I want, how I feel, and, much better than me, what I need.

The reason we need to pray to God, even if we use someone else’s words (although I still prefer to use my own) is to establish that personal relationship, a relationship that isn’t just one-sided. You see, if we don’t speak to God, purposefully letting him know what we want and how we feel, as well as thanking him, then the relationship is really one-sided: God to us, but not us to God.

We need to acknowledge who God is, how he has helped our lives to be better, and to allow him to hear our voice- even if it is a silent prayer- because that is our communication to, and with, him.

True, for 99.99999% of the time (5-9’s after the decimal point is an IT thing) God will be listening without responding- at least, not verbally- to us when we pray, but it is not a one-sided thing because we are both involved in specific and directed communication.

We pray: God listens; we wait for an answer: he does.

Sometimes it’s exactly what we want; sometimes it isn’t what we want but it is what we need; sometimes it comes when we ask for it; sometimes it comes when we least expect it; and sometimes it is just, plain “No.”

But whatever we pray for, and whichever way God answers, the important thing is to establish and maintain that interpersonal communication, which strengthens our relationship.

Even within human interpersonal relationships, talking to each other is essential to create and maintain that intimacy. Sharing our thoughts, desires, and problems helps us to strengthen the bonds of love between ourselves.

That is why prayer is so essential in our relationship with God, and why I pray every single day.

I started to do this when I first wanted to test if God really existed, and there was no answer for months, Then, one day, at Shabbat services in aa Messianic temple I was attending, I was ready to accept Yeshua as my Messiah; the Rabbi anointed me, and I felt the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) enter my body. It was a life-changing experience, and even though it was more than a quarter of a century ago, I still get chills when I recount it to myself or others.

That was the answer to my prayers. At that moment I knew- absolutely- that God existed, Yeshua was the Messiah he promised to send, and since that day I have received answers to prayer. And I know he is listening.

So even though God knows what we want, what we need, and what is truly in our hearts, we MUST pray to him to maintain that interpersonal relationship. Often enough, when I talk to God, I know even if he doesn’t reply, that I am not just talking to him, but with him because he is listening, compassionately, lovingly, and intently.

How he can do that, hear me among the billions of people all praying at the same time, and give each and every one of us the same level of attention, well…it’s beyond me.

But, then again, he is God, isn’t he?

Thank you for being here and please remember that I always welcome your comments.

That’s it for today, so L’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

In Numbers 15:32-41, we read about a man who was out gathering sticks on the Shabbat, well after the commandment about not doing any work on the Shabbat was known to all, and he did this in full view of all the people. His punishment, which Moses asked God to proclaim, was to be taken outside of the camp and then stoned to death by all the people.

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Many years later, after the people had entered the land and destroyed Jericho, in Joshua 7 we read about a man named Akhan who disobeyed God’s commandment regarding the booty of Jericho, which resulted in God abandoning the people at their very next encounter during their attack on the city of Ai, causing the death of 36 Israelites.

God had told Joshua that no one was to take any of the booty from Jericho, it was all to be destroyed or dedicated to God. But Akhan took some silver, a block of gold, along with some nice clothing and buried them all in his tent.

The people didn’t know of this, and when they went to attack a much smaller, easier target – a town called Ai- they were routed, with 36 of the Israelites killed. After their miraculous victory at Jericho, this loss had them totally demoralized, wondering why God had abandoned them. Not only that, but now they were scared for their lives, knowing that once this defeat was known, the other people they were to fight would have a renewed sense of courage.

God told Joshua what had happened, and after throwing lots to find the one person responsible for this defeat, the lot fell to Akhan. The punishment decreed by God was to have him and his entire family stoned to death buy all the people, and then their remains and all their possessions burned to ashes.

What do these two seemingly different events have in common?

They both are examples of the first time someone disobeyed a direct commandment from God. And God came down hard- REALLY hard- to demonstrate to everyone else the terrible consequences of disobeying the LORD.

“But Steve, your title for this message is about God’s compassionate understanding. Sorry to say, he doesn’t sound very compassionate, or understanding from what he did to those people.”

You’re right- the punishment God exacted on those people was terribly harsh, but it was done to set an example for all the others. Although most “compassionate” people don’t want to accept this, the punishment was to show compassion for the rest of the people, in that by this example of the terrible consequences of disobedience, God might put the real fear of him into the people who were thinking they might do the same thing.

Let’s go back to the man stoned for collecting sticks. The very next commandment God gave Moses after they stoned the man was that everyone should make and wear tzitzit-

• because when everyone sees the other person’s tzitzit, they will all be reminded to obey God’s commands.

The compassionate understanding here is that God recognized our weak nature, and how easily we succumbed to “Out of sight, out of mind”, so he ordered us to wear the tzitzit to keep anyone else from making this mistake. He was protecting us from ourselves.

When Akhan took the booty that was to be dedicated to God, not only did he disobey God’s command, but he stole from God! That was a double-sin, and God made the punishment doubly terrible because he wanted the people to realize that even what is done in secret is known to God.

The man who collected sticks wasn’t sneaking out at night- he was in full public view. People could think it was easy for God to know about it. But what Akhan did was in secret, yet God was still well aware of what happened. The people needed to know that nothing- absolutely nothing- is unknown to God.

So where was God’s compassion after Akhan and his family were destroyed?

It was that God decreed that when the people destroy Ai, and from that point on, they may take whatever booty they want. Again, God recognized and compassionately allowed for our weak natures.

Clearly, if Akhan had gotten away with what he did, it would eventually become known, and then others would figure, “Hey! If he could do it, why not me?” So, God headed off that sin by allowing them to take the booty.

Now there will be those who disagree with my understanding, and that’s OK- I am not the “Duty Expert” on the Bible. And there are those people who say they don’t believe in God because he is supposed to be loving and compassionate, but he kills men, women, and children, so something is wrong. They come to their own conclusion that since God kills people, he isn’t compassionate and loving, and since he isn’t what they say he is, he must not be real.

God is compassionate and loving, and that is the very reason why he punishes those who disobey. I think the real reason people choose to reject God, thereby not having to practice any religion, is because they don’t like the idea of someone having absolute power over them.

Pridefulness and obstinacy are the main reasons many people will not have a very enjoyable eternity.

You can decide for yourself if God’s punishments were a loving or unloving thing to do, despite how terrible some of those punishments were. But remember this: God doesn’t exist on the same plane we do- he is eternal, we are mortal, and whereas we can’t really see beyond this existence, he sees things from an eternal viewpoint. As such, he isn’t so much concerned with how long we live this life as he is with where we spend eternity.

The bottom line is this, whether somebody likes it or not: God makes the rules, and we either obey them or get our tuchas in a sling.

The most compassionate and loving thing God has ever done was to send the Messiah to us, so that we have the ultimate means of receiving forgiveness when we repent of the sins we commit.

Thank you for being here, and please remember to subscribe, and I always welcome your comments.

That’s it for today, so l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!