Tzephanyahu

Shalom @Peteros So you prayed to get in the first school and then they called you saying you got in? You have to ask yourself why you prayed for it in the first place if you were only going to doubt the answer as a test. But let's look at the matter objectively for a moment. Let's say the first school called you up tomorrow and said "we made a mistake, you don't have a seat!" how would you feel? A) relieved, okay B) disappointed, gutted If you would feel 'A', I would say stay with the second school. If you would feel 'B', then go with the first school. Sometimes we don't know how to make a decision until an option is taken away. But onto Yahweh testing you now, let's consider this. Would a good, kind father hear a request from his son and use it as an opportunity to test him? No, not likely. So how can we think this of our perfectly kind, loving, merciful and gracious Father - who has encouraged us to ask of Him things in the Messiah's name. Now, you will be tested in your life, many times, but it's highly unlikely that you'll notice it until AFTER it happens. Yahweh's thoughts and methods are higher than ours and so He will test us in ways that we cannot detect beforehand, so that He can see what's really in our hearts. Therefore, the chances are that if you are guessing it's a test, it's probably not! I hope this helps in some way brother. Stay in prayer and in His Word as much as you can. You will hear His voice by doing this. Love & Shalom

@saved34 Well, that's why I wrote 'personally'.

I'd personally accept the writings of the early church fathers over modern scholarship though. Modern scholars who are "wise" enough to think there are two Isaiahs or multiple authors of the Torah. I think such writings are a great insight into the past and worthy for serious consideration but not necessarily "gospel" for faith adjustment.

Shalom Nobleseed, If playing them makes you react, visualise or think violently - then it will be a stumbling block for you, leading to sin. In the same way, anything can be a stumbling block if your motivations aren't good or if that thing corrupts your motivations. You'll know yourself better on this matter than anyone else in this forum. Love & Shalom

And then to do what, practically? Simply look or follow?

I agree @Debp, it's heartbreaking. All of Creation is groaning.

Shalom @Hntr You are seeking a great thing. I applaud you for your goal and honesty. The answer is within the Word. Once you form a "healthy relationship" with the Bible, it will both help you get closer to Him and help you to know Him better. The whole Bible, not just the New Testament. As you do this, the Holy Spirit will teach you things you didn't see in the text before - continually. You can learn more about how this works and about Biblical Mediation, which will also help you, by visiting: faithandtheword.com/bother/reading/ Keep asking, seeking and knocking. I think you are on the verge of breakthrough to another level. Stay persistent seeking His face. Love & Shalom

Shalom @Melinda12 I don't know about you, but I personally sick and tired of hearing preachers say "No one can keep the 10 commandments! We all fail!" It comes under the guise of humility but ultimately the message does not serve Yahweh's plan, but the enemy's. The Holy Spirit transforms us, a step at a time, making us into a new creation. Paul also advises us to renew our mind as well, to compliment the work the Spirit is doing within us. Therefore, it is possible to obey the 10 commandments in deed and mind. People in the Bible are recorded doing so as well. I absolutely refute the idea that it's impossible as a deception. A humble-sounding deception. I have noticed the change in me over the years of reducing thoughts that would count as a trespass. The closer I draw to Him, by focussing on Him and His Word, the more possible this is, by His Grace. Yes, we will all fail from time to time and yes, we will make mistakes. But by saying "No one can keep them! All is lost! We are utter sinners!" it's encouraging to accept failure, wallow in your sins, and giving up. What? Should we think that Yahweh and the Lord Jesus are just dangling the 10 commandments in front of us like a carrot on fishing line before us? Was the Father thinking "They could never obey these commands, but I will ask them to anyway and judge them when they can't!" Or was the Messiah thinking "I'll teach them how to correctly follow the commands by heart, but not that it matters! None of them can do it anyway, but let's just rub their faces in it!" I don't believe my God is the type to show us how righteous He is by giving us mock-rules that He knows we can't follow. I believe He is merciful and wants to help and teach us how to walk righteously before Him. The 10 commandments (actually the 10 "words" in Hebrew), is a requirement of the covenant with Israel, and the renewed covenant with the Gentiles. As an example, literally avoiding murder is obeying in deed only, but removing hatred in your heart is the true obedience. If Christians can't accomplish removing hatred from their heart, they are on a road heading for discipline. But, if these preachers are correct, is it fair that Yahweh disciplines us when ultimately we have no hope of obedience? Consider these two passages, with this in mind... My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 1:2-11 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him.... [the passage continues but note the Lord did accuse him of being a liar] Mark 10:17-21a Let everyone have faith in Him, that He will work in us by His Spirit, so that we can follow the 10 naturally. But don't defeat yourself by looking down and not up. Or even worse, take pride in appearing as a humble sinner, like some of these preachers. Acknowledge your failure is growth. Accepting it as the norm is stagnating. Love & Shalom

Shalom all, Just my two cents... His true name was highly likely to be Yahushua, and not Jesus (obviously) or Yeshua, which is the Aramaic form or the Hebrew Yahushua. For authority on this matter from Scripture alone, one should look at the prophetic actions of the prophet Zechariah. In Zech 6:11-15, the prophet crowns the High Priest Yahushua like a king, and associates his name with "the Branch", a Messianic title. Yahushua was also the one who came after Moses literally (Joshua), but also symbolically, as a signpost for the next great leader Israel were waiting for. That said, over the many years of refusing to say Jesus Christ, I felt the Father took me through some serious lessons to shake that out of me. I came to see that context is what really matters. For example, if I type into an internet search Jesus Christ, who will I learn about straight away? How about typing Yeshua HaMashiach? Or how about Yahushua HaMashiach? Either will bring me to the truth of His life and message. In the same way, if I'm speaking to a Christian I say "Jesus", if a Jew "Yeshua" or, if it's my preference, "Yahushua". The person knows who I am referring too, and that's the important part. If there was ambiguity that would of course be a problem. But even the most atheist person will know who you mean when you say Jesus Christ. What then? Are we to expect the internet, believers and non-believers correctly understand the context but not God? Should we be expecting God to be eager to catch us out, saying "Aha! You said Jesus! I assign you to deception and darkness! You should have said the right word!" I don't think so. Therefore, go easy on each other with the name. Be cool. If some haven't had the draw to use His real name, so be it, as long as they walk according to His ways. If some have had the conviction to use His real name, let them, they're only doing what they feel is right, as long as they walk according to His ways. BUT, if we fall out with each other (or even speak harshly) over pronunciations and names, you are walking contrary to His ways. Such a person could be in danger of the Judge saying "So you judged others over terminology and names did you? Fine, now let's examine how well YOU did with this". Oye. Let's hope we all avoid be judged by our own short-sighted standards. Love & Shalom to you all, in the name of our Lord Yahushua, aka Yeshua HaMashiach and known worldwide as Jesus Christ.

Shalom @Filip I believe the answer is a lot easier than you think. All the things you are searching for can be found in reading the Bible with the right heart attitude... Please check out this webpage for a full but brief breakdown to get you out of this rut. https://faithandtheword.com/bother/reading/ With the right dedication and heart towards His Word, you will get closer to Him, know His Will, be led by Him and rejoice in your spirit every day. It definitely will happen but not if we're too passive to His Word. Hopefully the webpage will help you understand that point. Take courage. The moment you posted such a worthy thread, the closer you are to the solution, so good job. He will see your heart on this matter and will reward you, if you continue to seek Him with your all. Love & Shalom

Great job @bcbsr!

Shalom ReneeIW, Yes, that's kinda how I believe it is meant to be understood. This was a type of covenant cutting ceremony that would have been very familiar with Abraham. Typically, both parties of the covenant would pass through the divided animals when making the covenant, as if to say "may the same happen to me if I violate the terms of this covenant". In this instance, only Yahweh passed through the the divided animals, effectively making it no risk promise for Abraham. But Yahweh would not be punished if Abraham broke his end of the covenant, as you suggested. Yahweh would only be at consequence if He did keep His end of the deal - which of course is absurd to think He wouldn't. Another way to sum up this scene is like Yahweh saying to Abraham: "I promise you, as I live, that I will do this. You need only to have faith in me" Love & Shalom

Shalom @ColorfulBlossoming I understand your heart on this matter. Although consider this - when praying the prayer again there are some implications you are making in doing so. The implications are: That you don't trust in Yahweh to answer your prayer That your previous commitment wasn't 100% That you can fall out of the hands of Yahweh so easily Although you may not realise it consciously, these are the implied statements in repeating the sinner's prayer, so it's not good to do this. This is the challenge of faith itself. Praying and trusting that Yah hears and that He will answer - especially if it's according to His promises. Now, you will have doubts and be rolled about by the waves but this is the refining and proving period of life, not the victorious period - that's still to come. Consider how Peter was called to walk on the water and he did, achieving the unbelievable. Then, Peter started to get distracted by the waves and wind and started to doubt and sink. Rather than praying a sinner's prayer, instead he called out to the Lord and the Lord saved him, guiding him safely back to the boat - and the storm calmed. In this same way, in our lives we can have storms and waves blasting us, indicating our sure doom - but we are never really in danger if we trust in the Lord. Indeed, such challenges are likely to be FROM Yahweh to test and refine us, to find out what's truly in our hearts. So have faith. You prayed the prayer and you can rely on that He has heard you. Trust. Still doubt? Well then, blaspheme! Speak rudely and disrespectfully of Him! What? Are you so certain that He is eager to hear every word when you are being sinful, but blocks His ears when you pray earnestly to Him? Therefore, trust in His goodness, not your weaknesses. Focus on the Lord and not the waves (easy as that sounds!) Why not? Are you waiting to be a better person before you serve Yahweh? Time is so short my friend, so short. I'm in need of a lot of work myself. I have a quick temper, I can be isolated, I can be selfish, I can stubborn and there are probably more things I don't realise! Nevertheless, I serve Yahweh in any way I can, in the way I feel He leads me (also in apologetics and exposition). So if you WANT and FEEL like you could serve in that way, do it my friend. Don't wait to feel better about yourself. You might only feel better when you are doing what you are suppose to be... No, I doubt it's satan. Like I said before, he has bigger stuff going on right now. An evil spirit? Possibly. Spiritual Warfare is a real thing. Or are these waves created by Yahweh to refine you? Consider Isaiah 45:7 "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, Yahweh, do all these things". Meditate upon this Scripture - when reading it gives you great peace, then you have understood it. In either situation, Spiritual Warfare or Yahweh's Refinement, the solution remains the same. Have faith in His words and promises, seek His will in the Scriptures, honour Him with words and deeds, and offer a continued sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him. Love & Shalom

Shalom Chuck, There is a great set of videos on Youtube you can work through by the Bible Project - example here. They cover all the books of the Bible, some useful concepts and even word studies. Perfect for young an old alike, and their doctrine is sound. This will give you a platform to jump off in your study together. As for approaching the Bible itself, I have found that the best way for the first study is to understand the epic of Israel's story. This will bring a nice crescendo to the New Testament. If you just drop in at the New Testament, he'll probably go on to have a lot of questions and definitely less understanding. Therefore, I tend to recommend this route for the first read through: Genesis Exodus Deuteronomy Joshua Judges 1 & 2 Samuel 1 & 2 Kings Ecclesiastes - This will leave the Old Testament hanging in the air needing a solution... Luke Acts Romans 1 Peter Revelation This will give your nephew the complete story, as basic as possible. It will also give him the blueprint of a timeline to fit in the prophets for a second read through. I'm currently developing a Bible Guide website. It's not quite ready yet, but if you have any specific questions on certain books, I might know of some more resources that could help. Love & Shalom

Shalom @ColorfulBlossoming Interesting, you may be facing such challenges to really test your faith, if you are destined to be an apologist... I would stop doing this. Have faith, my friend. If you have prayed it once and meant it, there's no need to do it again. My advice is to stop doing this as you will get you into a pattern of thinking you are losing salvation or even "earning" back by praying again. Don't concede to the temptation to do so. Stand strong with faith in the goodness of Yahweh. This sentence shows a lot of confusion my friend. You clearly believe in God and and love the Lord Jesus. That technically makes you a believer. I personally don't think you are being attacked by the devil. I think he has bigger fish to fry at this time. But your faith is suffering and it could be as a result of spiritual warfare or even directly from Yahweh. The good news is, in both cases, the fear and confusion will go the more your read and study His Word - which will give you similar situations, remind you of His promises, put discipleship into perspective and build your faith. Not just the New Testament, but the Old Testament as well. For the New makes less sense without the Old. Have faith my friend, have faith! This is a big challenge for you which may even get worse before it gets better but it will get better if you hold strong to your faith and do not doubt. As I said, this might be a training camp in preparation of your ministry as an apologist (in which your faith will be challenged regularly). Therefore, take courage and show Yahweh how much you love Him by having faith in His promises through the Lord Jesus. Recommended reading plan: Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Ephesians, 1 Peter, Revelation, Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah and Matthew. Then go through again but read every book with a guide to help you. Let me know if you need links to resources for this. Love & Shalom

Shalom @lattelily Suppose you have two children - Sam & Tim. You instruct them to behave whilst you are away and to not be rude to the babysitter. Whilst away, you watch a live CCTV of your home to observe the children. Sam was paranoid about being rude to the babysitter and, in panic, even said things irrationally whilst trying to fight the urge to misbehave. However, Sam was very saddened in her heart that she had unintentionally misbehaved and sat worrying in her room that she upset you, terrified at what you might say. Whereas Tim was rude to the babysitter, and felt no remorse whatsoever - thinking he was safely removed from your sight. He proudly stood by his actions and words without fear for your words. When you return home, which one do you discipline? Would you punish Sam like you would Tim? Yahweh is not unreasonable, nor is he jumping at the chance to catch you out! He understands things in context and He understands the heart. Our flesh can be excited to sin and rush to disobey Yahweh at the first chance it gets. But the key issue is the heart. If your heart wilfully sins and and blasphemes, then you are in trouble - but in such scenarios you wouldn't be scared but oblivious. So don't get convinced by the foolish acts and desires of the flesh. Trust in Yahweh. If when I, a mere man, read your message empathetically and in context, how much more the all loving and merciful God? "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." ~ Romans 7:14-25 Love & Shalom

Shalom @Repose A person receives the Holy Spirit as a gift. It cannot be earned, other than true repentance and acknowledging the Lord Jesus, as the son of Yahweh, and His atoning sacrifice for our sins. I wouldn’t say so. If you are unsure, as I once was, I would assume that you haven’t got the Holy Spirit with you. Seek to be baptized with Spirit above all things. When it does happen, you’ll know and feel different. You will no longer be wondering about the matter. You’ll know. Now, it might take a day, weeks, months or years – but seek this baptism above all things. There is nothing more important. When the time is right, you will receive the Holy Spirit, only don’t keep seeking, asking and praying until it happens – and don’t settle until you are certain that it has happened. Love & Shalom

Commandment 1 is in Deut 6:5. Commandment 2 is in Levi 19:18. If you're referring to the new commandment in John 13:34, that was not love your neighbour as yourself, part of the great two, but "love one another, as i have loved you". This was about the church. Whereas the example he uses for neighbour in a parable was practically a stranger. Then you haven't understood following the Torah by Spirit. I'm concerned if you have no part in them though, as even secular society still has a part in some of them. But I've been in this loop with you before, other one. I don't think there is much point going through it again. We can probably both predict how we will respond by now! If it works for you, it works for you.

Strange way to phrase it, as those two are in Torah, and are also the sum of the ten. Not new commands or like "HIS two". Probably just bad phrasing.

This verse is in reference to abstaining from eating and drinking on certain days, feasts, new moons and sabbaths, as was the practice of some at that time. Paul is said "let no man" judge you on such matters. The emergence of the church, and it's integration with the Jews, brought a lot of conflict over Jewish ceremonial and traditional laws, such as who was doing sabbath "correctly" and who was eating or fasting when they "should" etc. If Yahweh was going to annul the Sabbath, I'm sure He would have had the Messiah tell us and the apostles talk about it clearly. But let no man think that the great commandment of Yahweh (which began before Israel existed) was annulled by Paul in a short sentence, in a little letter to the church at Colossae! That's madness. The Sabbath command runs throughout the Bible, starting in Genesis 2:3 "God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation".... Until Paul came along in the first century and casually revealed to Colossae that it's not worth bothering with? I guess the Messiah forgot to give us the heads up as well? Oye... "....our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." ~ 2 Peter 3:15-16 I'm not having a go at you personally R.Hartono. We are ALL victims of misleading teachings and traditions in this day an age. I was convinced the Sabbath wasn't important for a long time until I read the Bible cover-to-cover, at face value, and ignored traditional interpretation. Then the truth was very clear and there were no "tricky passages" in the Bible to contend with. Traditions..pfft! The very same issue Paul was battling against in his day when writing to Colossae. Why do we let men interpret Scripture for us? Why do we follow the masses, as if there is safety and wisdom there? Again, nothing personal R.Hartono. I hope you see I'm venting against traditions, man-made doctrines and misleading teachings, not you my friend. Love & Shalom

Shalom @Leets Tricky situation. My heart goes out to you. I would advise posting this matter in the prayer request section. It's very hard to give advice on a family issue with little idea of context and history etc, and this sounds like a delicate situation. I think it would be wise to seek the Father for an answer, through one of our prayer warriors, or perhaps ask them to join you in prayer for divine intervention into the matter. Love & Shalom

Shalom @Tyler22 There are always answers. Can I ask, what is the biggest barrier for you in terms of believing? If you had to choose say 3 main reasons why it's tough to truly believe, then perhaps I can offer some advice? Love & Shalom

I know the feeling. It's very difficult to maintain patience when under great pressure - especially from people that know how to wind you up! Don't beat yourself up too much if your snap. You are only human and the flesh gets irritable very quickly - misleading our spirit in turn. The best thing to do is apologise to the parties you have overreacted to. Explain that it was wrong of you to lose your cool and that you need to work on your temper. I think this is the best way. In doing so, it kinda reminds me of these words from the Lord... "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 'I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?...” ~ Matthew 21-31 Therefore, I believe that doing the wrong thing in the heat of the moment (in this case overreacting) is forgivable and understandable by the Father, if later you correct your course. As for how to stop it happening in the future, I wish I had a full-proof method for you. However, it may help to see the situation and person soberly or objectively - trying to see them as the Lord might. Maybe even visualise the moment playing on a big screen before you and Yahweh on judgement day, and then try to consider your actions and reactions with that view, in real time. I hope that helps. Love & Shalom