Category: A Drash to Start the Day

Salvation Can Be Earned

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I know, I know…you have always been taught that salvation is a free gift from God and cannot be bought or earned.

Now, the part about salvation being a free gift from God and impossible to be purchased is true; however, according to what God tells us, salvation can be earned!

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

How can I say salvation can be earned when all our religious leaders tell us it can’t? And even more than that, what justification do I have to claim that God, himself, tells us we can earn salvation?

I’m glad you asked.

God gave us the Torah, which tells us, in simple to understand language, what he wants us to do. And, if we do what he wants us to do, then we are righteous in his eyes. And, if we are righteous in his eyes, then we will be saved, i.e., we will not face the second death but instead be in God’s presence for all eternity.

I believe that is what we refer to as “salvation”, is it not?

And, if you need more proof, then I present to you the Messiah, Yeshua.

Here is a man, 100% human, who lived his entire life in perfect accordance with the Torah. And, after he died, he was resurrected and allowed into the presence of the Lord. In fact, more than just allowed to be there- he sits at God’s right hand!

For those of you who are members of this ministry, you will no doubt recall that when I refer to the Torah I rarely refer to it as commandments or law, but more often than not as God’s instructions.

The Torah was given to us by God (and I do not mean just us Jews, but to US: everyone throughout the world) so that we would know exactly how to worship him, how to treat each other, how to conduct business, how to punish those who do wrong, and how to conduct our interpersonal (intimate) relationships.

And in Deuteronomy 28, he tells us that when we do what he says, he will bless us; but, if we refuse to do as he says, we will suffer curses galore.

God also tells us, more than once, that we must not add to or take away from any of the instructions he gave us.

It is obvious that God gave us the Torah so we could know what he wants us to do in order to receive salvation.

So, nu? If this is true, then why have religious leaders told us for generations on end that no one can earn salvation?

I’m glad you asked.

The answer is simple: except for Yeshua, no one has been able to follow every instruction in the Torah because (as the Bible tells us, many, many times) we are all born sinners: we have, we do, and we always will sin.

It is this inability of humans to not sin that keeps us from being in accordance with the Torah, and as such, makes it impossible for us to earn the salvation that the Torah provides.

Maybe what they should be teaching is that salvation is possible if we live every day, for our entire lives, in perfect accord with the instructions God gave in the Torah, but so far (except for one, and we know who he is) no one has ever been able to do that because of our inescapable iniquity (the desire to sin).

God gave us his instructions on how we can earn salvation through sinless living, but he also knew that we wouldn’t be able to do that, so he took a lesson from school teachers…when a teacher has a course that is a very difficult subject to learn, but there has to be a test on it, the teacher will grade the test on a “curve”, which is sort of like a handicap in golf.

God gave us a difficult task, which is to obey his instructions, and he knew that it would be nearly impossible, so he grades us on a curve- that curve is the Messiah. By accepting Yeshua as your Messiah, STILL trying to live as God said to live, when you fail, the Messiah is your handicap, bringing you back to “par” with God.

BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO TRY TO LIVE AS GOD SAID YOU SHOULD!

Following standard Christian teaching that Yeshua did away with God’s instructions will not help at all, and the test paper you turn in will come back with a big, fat “F” on it!

And for us Jews, when we follow Talmudic Halacha as more important than God’s instructions (which is one of the things Yeshua chided the Pharisees about), we are adding to what he said, which is (by definition) a sin.

Accept Yeshua (Jesus) as your Messiah, then read what God says you should do- not what some human created religion tells you to do!

And you know what? You don’t even have to read the entire Torah: just read Leviticus and Deuteronomy and you will know all you need to know to take that salvation test and pass.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to this ministry on both my website and YouTube channels. Also join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word”, but please make sure you read and agree to the rules.

And if you like what you get here, you will like my books, as well, which are available in both paperback and digital formats: you can buy them through my website or go to Amazon books.

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

I Hate to Disagree, But the Flesh is Not Weak

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We all know the narrative about when Yeshua was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, asking the three talmudim with him to stay awake while he prayed.

Of course, they were full of lamb and wine after the Pesach Seder, so they fell right off to sleep.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Yeshua came back to see them asleep, and after this happened twice, he said that the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.

Well, as much as I hate to disagree with my Messiah, I would prefer that he said the spirit is willing, but the flesh is too strong!

As I see it, it isn’t our spirit that gets us in trouble, but our flesh does.

Throughout the Bible we are told that everyone sins, and in modern terms, sinfulness is built into our DNA. That is a fact of life.

However, it doesn’t excuse sin, and it can be overcome with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. But, that is very hard to do.

And when I say it is hard to overcome sin, that is a statement I am sure you all can relate to.

When I used to preach about sin, I would tell my congregation that I am an expert on sin: not because I have overcome it, but because of how often I do it; and, as they say, practice makes perfect.

Our flesh is what we have to live in for the time being, and its influence on us is extremely strong. If we think otherwise, it will overcome us and we will apostatize without even realizing that we have done so!

For example, have you ever rationalized doing something that your spirit tells you that you really shouldn’t do? I have, and I confess that I still argue with that little guy on my shoulder in the white robe with the harp.

The other guy, the red-suited fellow with the horns, doesn’t win as often as he used to, but he still makes what sounds like a convincing argument, using biblical passages (or should I say, misusing them) to justify his arguments.

And you know what? That is what “religion” has been doing for centuries on end.

So, the bottom line is that Yeshua was not incorrect when he said his talmudim wanted to stay awake with him, but I have to disagree that their flesh was weak, because it was their flesh that overcame their spiritual desire to stay awake.

Your flesh is strong, my flesh is strong, and we need to admit that to ourselves if we want to overcome it.

Ignoring the potential for your flesh to overpower your spiritual desire to be obedient is foolish, and might result in your straying off the path of righteousness without ever knowing you did!

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to both my website ministry and my YouTube channel. I have a Facebook discussion group called “Just God’s Word” and I would love it if you joined that- I only need you to read and agree to the rules.

I have written a few books and if you like what you get here, you will like the books, as well. They are available on Amazon or through the links on my website, and they come in in both paperback and digital formats, the digital ones costing just a couple of bucks… vot a deal!

And remember that I always welcome your comments.

That’s it for now, so l’hitraot and Baruch haShem!

Discuss, Debate, Disagree, Demean

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I’ve been on a three day high school reunion- our 50th, but now I am back and ready to preach!

We all know the Bible…well, actually, we all THINK we know the Bible.

We think we know what God wants, but in reality most people only know what they have been told God wants.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

I am not going to discuss what God wants, but rather what happens when people start to talk to each other about what God wants.

My experience, after some 25 plus years of being a Believer, is that people start out easily talking about God, and soon they find there are some things in which they have a slightly different understanding.

This then becomes a discussion that turns into a bit of a debate, in that each side wants to explain their side and challenge the other side to disprove them.

And this is the place where one of two things happen: the two people respectfully agree to disagree, or the conversation takes a nosedive from nice to nasty, and I have identified this change from edifying each other to demeaning each other happening in four, distinct stages.

Stage 1: we start by talking about God and begin to discuss a specific topic about God, or what God wants.

Stage 2: as we continue with the discussion, a different understanding of that topic emerges, and now we debate what God really said or what he really meant.

Stage 3: we realize that we actually disagree.

Stage 4: one or both stop attacking the argument and begin to attack the person.

This is not the result of a godly call to help someone know God better: it is nothing more than pridefulness rearing itself up and changing the dynamic from trying to determine God’s truth to working for the Enemy of God to cause dissension.

If the people involved are spiritually and/or emotionally mature, they can respect each other’s right to their opinion and agree to disagree.

However, way too often, one or more of those involved begin demeaning the other because they will not change their mind.

There is no reason or justification, EVER, for demeaning or insulting anyone just because they disagree with you.

When you find yourself in a discussion that has turned the corner from mature argumentation to personal insult, you have only one option: get out of it.

No matter how passionate you may be about helping someone to know God better, when the talk has gone from explaining to insulting, it is time to go home.

They say the three topics you should never bring up in a conversation are family, politics, and religion. I think there is a lot of truth to that, but it should not stop you from trying.

The trick is knowing when to stop; it is as simple as that, and that is all I wanted to talk about today.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to my website and my YouTube channel as well. By the way, when you are on the website, please buy my books- if you like what you get here, you will like my books.

And join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word”- please make sure you read and agree to the rules.

So, until next time, l’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!

People Who are Overly Spiritual are Useless to God

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What do I mean by “overly spiritual”?

I am talking about those people who cannot make conversation without speaking in spiritual terms which the average person cannot relate to.

I am talking about those people who cannot talk to you without pronouncing that they love you, even though they have no idea who you are.

I am talking about those people who tell you that Jesus is the way and the truth and the light, when all you did was ask them for directions to someplace.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video

Now, I am not trying to insult these people, or deny that they are wonderful examples of how joyful one can be when you have the indwelling Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), but…if people are so spiritually oriented that they cannot have a “normal” conversation, then they will not be able to do what we are supposed to do, which is effectively spread the word of God.

“But wait a minute, Steve! People who are constantly talking about God are spreading the word, aren’t they? “

Maybe, but there is a difference between spreading the word of God and throwing pearls before swine. And what determines that is how effectively you can get your point across to your audience.

The double-edged sword of spirituality is that on one side, you are able to understand God’s word better; but, the other side is that without the Holy Spirit, people can’t understand God’s word as well, if at all!

Overly spiritual people can speak all they want, but their problem is that they are speaking the way they want to, in a way they are able to understand, and that is NOT how to reach people who are still in the dark.

Let me put it to you this way: if I cannot communicate with my audience in a way that they can understand what I am saying, then I might as well be speaking in a foreign language.

That is why overly spiritual people are useless to God, in that they are not able to help those in the dark to understand what they are talking about.

Shaul (Paul) is a perfect example of “working your audience”, and he tells us that in 1 Corinthians 9:19, where he says he will be all things to all people. He is spreading the word of God in an effective way because he relates to his audience, and makes sure they can relate to him.

Yeshua was the most spiritually filled person that ever existed, yet he was able to get people to understand what he was saying.

Yes, he often talked in parables (which fulfilled the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 6:9), which did confuse many people, but those who had ears to hear, heard; and those who had eyes to see, saw.

That is what we need to do when we are trying to spread the word of God- we need to speak in a way that the person we are talking to can understand.

You don’t need to learn different languages, you need to simply observe the type of person you are talking to and speak in a way they can understand, i.e., using terms and references that they are comfortable with.

When I was a salesman, going to people’s homes and selling them siding, windows, and kitchen replacements, I learned very quickly that I needed to ask them about themselves (people will always be willing to talk about themselves or their children) in order to determine the best way to communicate with them. I found that by using terms and mental images they are comfortable with, that allowed me to bond with them quickly, resulting in both gaining their trust and, even more important, getting them to not just listen but understand me.

When we talk about God to people, those who cannot get their heads out of the clouds make no headway- they are speaking God’s truth to a wall.

That is why no matter how “into” the Lord you are, you need to step it down when speaking to people who are not that way so they can understand and relate to what you are saying.

And NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! tell anyone what they must do or what they must believe- the best way to get people to listen to you is first to ask them what they feel they are missing in their life. Then you can tell them why YOU don’t have those problems because you accepted Yeshua, and then let them decide for themself if they want to be better off, too.

I confess I am somewhat envious of people who are continually happy and spirit-filled, but when it comes down to helping those who are not believers, if they can’t come down out of the clouds and walk the same earth those people do, speak their language and relate to them, then whatever they say or do or teach will be useless to spreading God’s word.

And, in the long run, they are more likely to turn people away from God than turn them to God, and that would be a sin.

Thank you for being here, and please share these messages with everyone you know, subscribe to my website and YouTube channel, buy my books and after reading them, leave them in your church or synagogue for others to read, and next time you’re on Facebook, join my group called “Just God’s Word” (please make sure you read and agree to the rules, first).

And remember this: I always welcome your comments.

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

Yeshua: Is He Isaac or Absalom?

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You may be thinking:

“What does Steve mean? Isaac was the son of Abraham, and Absalom was the son of David, but Yeshua is the son of God, right? So, nu? What’s the story?”

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Here’s the story, and I expect it will have one of three responses:

  1. Some will adamantly reject what I say in defense of their religion;
  2. Some will agree whole-heartedly; and
  3. Most (hopefully) will read this carefully and think it over for themselves, researching the Bible to verify my statements.

So, why am I comparing Yeshua to these two sons of famous Jewish leaders?

Because they both represent a type of son, and Yeshua represents each type, although in the case of Absalom, Christians do not even realize the association that traditional Christian teachings have created, to the detriment of Yeshua’s name.

Let’s start with Isaac.

He wasn’t some pre-teen boy when he followed Abraham to Mount Moriah. In truth, most biblical scholars agree that he was probably in his late 20s to early 30s at that time. And, even though he was full grown and more than capable of defending himself and preventing Abraham from harming him, he was totally obedient to his father’s wishes, yes- even unto death!

There can be no doubt that Isaac already suspected something when he asked Abraham where the sacrificial animal was as they approached the mountain alone, and by the time Abie was bringing the rope over and said something to the effect of, “Please lay down on this rock”, I figure Isaac knew what was what.

Yet, he was the obedient son.

Yeshua was the obedient son, also, even to the point of death. God didn’t tie him to a rock, but when he was approaching Jerusalem, Yeshua knew what was to happen. It is also pretty certain that when he was on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, he was getting a pep talk from the guys, helping him to psyche himself up for what was to come.

OK- that’s simple enough, right? Isaac obeyed his father’s wishes to the point of death, and Yeshua did the same.

Now for Absalom: by the by, if you don’t recall all about Absalom, before you go any further please open your Bible and read 2nd Samuel, Chapters 15 to 20.

Absalom was not an obedient son, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, he was a subversive, traitorous and disobedient son who first tried to undermine his father’s popularity by placing himself in a position where he told the people they would get justice and fair treatment from him, implying they couldn’t count on it from his father.

Then, after forming a rather large number of followers, he then rebelled against his father, the King, and took over the kingdom, causing David to flee for his very life.

So how can I even think Yeshua was anything like Absalom?

Personally, I don’t think Yeshua was anything like Absalom, but Christianity does.

The traditional Christian teaching is that Yeshua did away with the law, i.e. the Torah, which is God’s instructions to ALL people regarding how to worship him and how to treat each other. It is not just for Jews- never was, isn’t now, and God never intended it ever should be.

Actually, the Torah is the ONLY place, throughout the entire Bible, where God, himself, tells us what we must do. He commands that no one should ever add to or take away from any of his instructions to us, and there is not one place, anywhere, throughout all the letters and gospels in the New Covenant where God says anything against his Torah.

In fact, God doesn’t even speak in the New Covenant, except at the transfiguration on the mountain where he tells the two Disciples that Yeshua is his son, and to listen to him.

So, if the law was done away with by Yeshua, that means he rebelled against his father’s laws and undermined the followers of God by turning them to worship him, not God, telling them that all they have to do is believe in him (whatever the heck that means) to be saved.

In other words, Christian doctrine has rebranded Yeshua from the obedient son (Isaac) to the rebellious son (Absalom), who stole his father’s kingdom in order that people would worship him.

Wrong, you say? Yeshua never rebelled? Christianity never said Jesus was a traitor to God?

Let me ask you something…how many people do you know who pray to Jesus? Or, worse yet, to Mary, or Joseph, or any number of saints, instead of praying to God?

And how many people do you know who thank Jesus for the blessings they receive? Isn’t Jesus an Intercessor? Doesn’t that mean he doesn’t answer prayers but, instead, brings them before his father?

Sorry to burst bubbles, but Jesus doesn’t answer prayers or hand out blessings- as the Messiah, he is the one who implores his father to do so.

And now here’s the ultimate rebellion: many, if not most, of the Christian religions say that Jesus IS God, and if that ain’t a case of the son taking over the kingdom of the father, well…I don’t know! What else could it be!

So, there you have it!

Yeshua can’t be both an Isaac and an Absalom, so you need to decide for yourself which he is: is Yeshua the obedient son who does as his father says, or is he the rebellious son who rejects his father’s authority so people will follow him as he takes over the kingdom?

And understand this- whatever you decide, that decision will likely have eternal consequences!

Thank you for being here and please share these messages with everyone you know to help this ministry grow. Subscribe to my website (while there howzabout buying my books?) and my YouTube channel, and join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word” (please read and agree to the rules).

And remember: I always welcome your comments.

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

Let’s Talk Tithe

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One of the topics that preachers in all religions seem to bypass more often than any other biblical topic is the requirement to tithe.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

What is really interesting is that many Christian religions believe that because Yeshua referred to the tithe regarding the Pharisees and Mosaic Law, now under the “law of Christ” Christians do not have to tithe.

I always wondered what Christ’s law was: after all, isn’t he supposed to be the son of God? Wasn’t he supposed to live a sinless life? And wasn’t the only law when he lived the Mosaic Law?

So, if all those statements are true, then the law of Christ had to be the same Law of Moses, right? I mean, if Christ had done or taught or even implied people should not do what his father said they should, which is the same as teaching to reject God’s commandments, then wouldn’t that mean he sinned? Wouldn’t having those who followed him do differently than what God said to do be rebellion against God?

Well, that’s not really relevant to today’s topic, so let’s get back to tithing.

The Torah has many more forms of tithing than just the 10%, which (for the record) existing long before Moses wrote it down in the Torah. If you recall, Abraham gave a tenth of all he recovered when he saved Lot to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20), and Jacob promised God 10% of all he would give him on his way to Laban’s house (Gen 28:22).

There are, in fact, taxes, redemption fees, and a three-year collection of tithes for the Levite, foreigner, widow, and orphan (Deuteronomy 26:12-13).

In fact, the Torah has many different forms of taxes, tithes, and mandatory contributions, all of which really amount to the same thing- a required return of one’s income to God.

There is a tithe levied to the Levites which can be a 40th, 50th or sixtieth of one’s income, depending on your personal generosity; there is an annual 10% tithe on the produce; there is the requirement to leave gleanings for the poor; and there was a half-shekel tax to the temple for upkeep.

Not to mention there was a 5 shekel tax on the first born male, whether of human or animal, which God required as redemption for all the first-born he killed in Egypt.

In all, the Torah required about 25% of ones total income to be given back to God in any number of ways, such as tithes, temple tax, leaving produce in the fields (not harvesting the outer 10% of the crops and not going back to reap the harvest twice), first fruits, and voluntary offerings.

But Christians are told that because there is no specific requirement in the New Covenant to pay tithes, then Christians don’t have to tithe.

Some of the justifications they give for not having to tithe are as follows:

  • Believers are not under the Mosaic Covenant (the old lie that Jesus did away with the law)
  • What Abraham and Jacob did was not the norm
  • Tithes were for the Levites and priests and there are none of those in the New Covenant (I guess that since Yeshua is our High Priest, he doesn’t need any other priests to help him?)
  • The New Covenant doesn’t mention tithing when talking about giving generously

For the record, the Gospels and the Epistles and all the other stuff in the New Covenant are eye witness accounts written by human beings, not dictation from God. God doesn’t say anything in the New Covenant, except at the transformation on the mountain when he told the three disciples that Yeshua is his son and to listen to him.

The only place where God, himself, tells us what he wants us to do is in the Torah.

There are other excuses for not tithing, but they are just as unfounded as the ones I have listed here.

Why do I say they are unfounded? Simple: Yeshua lived the way God said to live, and so if we are to live as Yeshua lived, then we should also live the way God said to live, and that is in the Torah, and the Torah tells us to tithe.

As I explained above, there is no way that Yeshua could have ever, in any way, told people not to obey the Torah; otherwise, he would have been rejecting God, thereby a sinner, teaching others to sin, and his sacrifice could not be accepted.

Once people agree that some form of a tithe is required by God, then we start to argue is the 10% off the gross, net after taxes (to the government), or from disposable income?

The Torah says every 10th animal under the hook, but it also says to leave the outskirts of your field unharvested and do not gather the gleanings (Leviticus 23:22). So, if I do not gather those amounts, are they my tithe?

But, if I never gather them, then I never gathered that produce, then it was never income I received, so then should I tithe 10% from what I actually harvested and took for myself?

If I do that, then is what I took considered my gross or my net? After all, gross is everything produced, whether I end up with it or not, and net is what I end up with, so which is the one I tithe from: everything in my field, which is my gross, or only what I harvest, which is my net?

Confusing, isn’t it?

And now for the kicker: In Malachi 3:6-10, God says that when we do not bring the tithe to the temple we are stealing from him. And then he says if we do bring it in, he will open the floodgates of heaven and pour more blessings on us than we can imagine.

So, if I am a Christian and I happen to open that Jewish part of the Bible- you know, the part my pastor says I don’t have to worry about, and see that by tithing God will hand out a ton of blessings, since Christians are not subject to that Jewish stuff, does that mean only Jews can be blessed if they tithe?

Look, I won’t tell you what to do. After all, if someone refuses to do as God says they should, why would they listen to me?

Then again, maybe they would, if I told them what they wanted to hear. Isn’t that why so many religions are popular?

So choose the way you will serve God: as God says you should, or as some religion says you should.

Thank you for being here and please subscribe to my website and YouTube channel; buy my books and join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word” (please read and agree to the rules).

And remember that I always welcome your comments.

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

Is it an Angel, or is it God?

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There are any number of examples in the Bible, most of which are found in the Tanakh, where we read of an angel talking to someone, but then it suddenly seems to be God doing the talking.

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

For example, in Judges 2:1-4:

“Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, ‘I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you…'”

Here we are told this is an angel, yet he is talking in the first person singular, as if he was God.

In other words, we are told this is an angel, but he is talking as if he were God; I say this because God made the covenant with the people and God brought them out of Egypt, and only God did the other things referenced in that passage.

So, was it really an angel, or was it God?

Often we hear Moses go from “The Lord says…” to “I have told you..”

So, even though we are told it is Moses speaking, is it really God?

And these are just a few examples- there are many others, too numerous to list, where we read that it was an angel speaking, but the angel speaks as if he is God.

So how can that be?

I think the answer is simple: angels are the messengers of God, so when they speak, it is no different than if it was God, himself, because they are repeating what God said they should say.

The prophets are in the same boat: they repeat what God says using the first person, singular, but they (obviously) aren’t God: what they are doing is quoting God.

When I was in the Marine Corps, I served as the Executive Officer for the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion Headquarters and Support Company. I was not the CO, I was the XO- that means I was 2nd in command. As such, when I was performing administrative duties, I often had to sign documents that were supposed to be authorized by the CO.

So, when I did that, I signed my name, and underneath my signature I wrote, “By direction of the Commanding Officer”, or sometimes I just wrote “By Dir”.

That meant that even though I was the one giving the order or signing the document, it was no different than if the CO, himself, did it.

This is, I believe, why we read about angels speaking as if they were God, but all they were doing was using their “By Dir” authority.

So don’t be confused- unless the Bible clearly says it is God (as in Genesis 18), when angels talk as if they are God, it is just an angel speaking “By Dir”.

Thank you for being here, and please share these messages with everyone you know. Subscribe to my website, my YouTube channel, and buy my books- if you like what you get here, you will like my books, too. Guaranteed.

I also have a discussion group on Facebook called “Just God’s Word” that you are invited to join- but please make sure you read and agree to the rules.

And remember that I always welcome your comments.

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

You Cannot Forgive Without Humility

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When we read Matthew 6:14, we are told that if we do not forgive on earth, then our heavenly father will not forgive us.

That means being able to forgive is not just a nice thing to do, but is necessary for eternal life!

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Too many times people say that they just can’t forgive someone for the things they have done, or even worse, they say the person who did those things doesn’t deserve forgiveness.

Well, who the heck are you to say who does or who doesn’t deserve forgiveness? If God is willing- not just willing, but desiring- to forgive everyone (he says so in Ezekiel 18:23), then who are you or I or anyone, for that matter, to say someone doesn’t deserve to be forgiven?

But what about the person who is unrepentant? Certainly, if someone is a sinner, who sins on purpose and enjoys doing so, they don’t deserve to be forgiven, right?

Well, here’s the kicker, Folks- it doesn’t matter, one way or the other, if someone deserves to be forgiven, or wants forgiveness, or even cares about forgiveness, because you shouldn’t be worried about their relationship with God, but with yours!

Forgiveness of sin is between the sinner and God- no one else. Regarding the other side of this, meaning you, being the one who has been sinned against, God is concerned with how you react to that sinner.

Which brings us back to Matthew 6:14.

We are required to forgive; the sinner is not required to ask for forgiveness. Even though God has made forgiveness of sin available to everyone through the Messiah Yeshua, the onus is not on the sinner, but the one who has been sinned against.

And the most important thing we need to have in order to forgive someone is…humility.

It is hard for us to forgive others because we, ourselves, are sinful, selfish, and self-centered animals. We don’t want to see that person who has hurt us get off- we want to see them suffer as we have- maybe even more than we have- and the only way we can get over that feeling is to be humble enough to care for that hurtful sinner more than we care for ourselves.

So now we have to leave Matthew and Ezekiel behind, and go to Leviticus; specifically, Leviticus 19:18 where you are told to love your neighbor as yourself.

Love should be selfless; as Shaul said it should be. You remember Shaul, right? That nice Pharisee tent-maker from Tarsus? He told the kehillah he formed in Corinth, in his first letter, that without love we are nothing. No matter how many gifts God has given us, without love we will never measure up.

And with love comes humility- the ability to put someone else’s needs and desires ahead of our own.

What? You think humility is just being meek or unpretentious?

Moses was said to be the most humble of men, yet he was certainly not weak. He stood up to Pharaoh, he stood up to the 250 men under the influence (or should I say, rebelliousness) of Korach, and he was emotionally strong enough to judge the people for 40 years.

Humility is not weakness, it is strength. Believe me, it takes a lot more strength- spiritual and emotional- to be humble than to be vengeful.

In order to forgive someone who has hurt you takes a deep, spiritual understanding of the relationship between you and God.

It doesn’t matter if the sinner wants forgiveness or cares about you, or God, or anything- that is between that person and God.

Between you and God, God wants you to forgive that person, which means you have to put your feelings behind you and think of that person’s eternal condition.

It is hard to forgive; to really forgive, like God forgives, like as far as the east is from west forgive, is almost impossible for most humans. I know, because I can’t do it any better than anyone else can. There are things from my past that I still feel the need for closure, and that (to me) means letting them know what they did, and getting my own two shekels in.

But that isn’t forgiveness, and despite what some psycho-babbler might say about releasing the anger to help heal, releasing that anger is nothing more than just “getting back” at them.

I can tell you, absolutely, from personal experience (both giving and receiving), that getting it “off your chest” isn’t releasing anything, or healing anything: it is actually just throwing fuel on the fire.

Humility allows you to let go of the hurt and the anger, and I have found the best way to do that is think about what that person will have to deal with when they face God.

And we all WILL face God, eventually.

What someone does to you during this lifetime will not matter to you at all in the eternal hereafter, but it will determine their fate, and if you think of the eternal suffering that person will have to endure, well, if you have any sense of love for anyone, you will have to feel bad for them.

Realize that someone who hurts others is in more pain than any pain they can dish out, and that has to create some sense of compassion for them; even though what they did hurts- maybe hurts a lot- they are ignorant of the eternal suffering what they do will cause them.

If you find it very hard to forgive someone, even when you want to, then here is a trick: pray for them. I have found that when I pray for someone who has hurt me, my anger fades away and my compassion for their soul grows.

It also helps me to not feel anger: I may still want some sense of closure, to have my side heard, but I have learned (through the love God has shown for us) to be humble enough to not be angry about it, anymore.

And that is, at least, a good start.

Thank you for being here and please share these messages with everyone you know to help this ministry continue to grow. Subscribe to my website, YouTube channel, buy my books, and join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word” (please make sure to read and agree to the rules).

And remember this: I always welcome your comments.

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


Is Anyone Really Waiting for Us in Heaven?

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Just about all religions have painted heaven as a wonderful place in the clouds, with winged angels and everyone you have every known and loved waiting, with open arms, to welcome you there when you die.

But is that really what awaits us?

If you prefer to watch a video, click on this link: Watch the video.

Yeshua tells us that there is no marriage in heaven (Matthew 22:30), so even if our dead spouses are there, the relationship we had when alive doesn’t exist anymore.

At the end of the Book of Revelation, the most definitive Bible book about the Acharit haYamim (End Days), we are told there will be a new earth and a new heaven, and that all things will be created, anew.

So, if earth and heaven are to be created new, not to mention that in 2 Corinthians Shaul says that we are a new creation in Messiah, as well, then it seems likely that all the earthly relationships will also be created new.

The Tanakh (Old Covenant) also has references to heaven, in the Psalms and some of the prophets, such as Daniel and Isaiah, although those references do not specify anything about meeting loved ones, or being in the clouds, or every time a bell rings someone in heaven gets their wings (good for you, Clarence!)

No.

In fact, there is no reference anywhere in the entire bible that tells us we will be floating in the clouds, or have halo’s, or playing harps, or for that matter being angels.

The angels are not human beings that go to heaven, the angels are created spiritual beings who are God’s messengers. Actually, we are a little lower than the angels; at least, according to David (Psalm 8:6), so if we are lower than the angels, where did people get the idea that we become angels?

And if the Bible doesn’t support any of the rose-colored glasses view of heaven that almost every Western religion has created, then why have the leaders of those religions told us this is what happens when we die?

Time Out: all religions are man-made because God never had, doesn’t have, and never wanted to have a “religion”. When God writes the Torah on our hearts, as he promises in the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31), then we will not be practicing a form of worship- we will be a living worship!)

My answer to why religious leaders have created the heaven we all hear about is the same reason they preach about all the wonderful things God will do for you: it is designed to get you to join their religion.

If you do as my religion says to do, and you love each other, and you are a good person, then you get to go to heaven, where all your loved ones are waiting for you with open arms and you will be happy, forever after.

Well, who wouldn’t want that?

Of course, if you actually read the Bible, you might recall Yeshua telling us about how many people get into heaven in Matthew 7:13-14, where he says the gate to destruction is wide and easy to enter, but the gate to salvation is narrow and the way is hard, and only a few will ever find it.

The truth, as uncomfortable as it may seem, is that when you get to heaven, assuming you make it, it is unlikely that many, if any, of the ones you have loved will be there.

Your religion has probably told you more lies about the afterlife than truth.

Wait a minute! How can that be? I trust my Rabbi/Pastor/Priest/Minister- they would never lie to me or mislead me!

True- they can be trusted to tell you what they have been taught, by those who were taught by those who were taught- all the same drek since Christ was Corporal (that’s a military saying for something that’s been around for a long time).

Very few religious leaders will tell you anything other than what they were taught when they were getting their certification.

The sad truth is that religion is a business, and to survive they need customers- people who buy their product, so the product has to be desirable.

Telling people that they have to give up worldly pleasure and follow the rules that God gave to us in the Torah, such as restricting our diet, taking one day a week to rest and not just go to shul or church in the morning, to treat others with kindness, and study God’s word is not very attractive to most people.

And, of course, to accept that Yeshua is the Messiah God sent is even harder to accept, especially for my Jewish brothers and sister because religions has corrupted who the Jewish Messiah is.

(Get my latest book, “The Good News About the Messiah For Jews- Debunking the Traditional Lies About the Jewish Messiah” to really understand why accepting Yeshua as the Messiah is so hard for Jews to do.)

Why do we have to accept Yeshua? Because every sin is a sin against God (Psalm 51) and must be repented, and in order to receive forgiveness we must present a sacrifice. That sacrifice can only be made where God places his name (Deuteronomy 12:11), which since the time of Solomon, has been the temple in Jerusalem. Well, ever since 174 CE there has been no temple to bring a sacrifice to, and the only way to be forgiven now is to accept Yeshua as your Messiah so that by means of his sacrifice you can receive forgiveness.

Look, here’s the bad news: because religions have so lied and misled people, causing them to reject God instead of embrace him, the hard truth is that most everyone you know and love will most likely NOT be waiting for you in the afterlife.

The good news is that because all things will be new, the way we now feel about people and things will be very different.

I believe it is more likely than not the way we feel now, as corporeal beings, will not exist anymore. We will be emotionally evolved beyond what we can feel now, overcoming the emotional limitations to love we are restricted to as fleshly beings.

So look forward to salvation, and work at it because it is NOT religion’s “come as you are” party: it is God’s “come as I say you must” party.

Most people you have ever known will not be invited, but if you are there, you will be so full of joy reveling in God’s presence, you won’t even miss them.

Thank you for being here and please share these messages with everyone you know to help this ministry continue to grow. Subscribe to my website and YouTube channel, buy my books, join my Facebook group called “Just God’s Word” (please read and agree to the rules), and remember that I always welcome your comments.

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