Subscription Lists

When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named JESUS--the name given by the angel before He was conceived. And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male will be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons). – Luke 2:21-24 HCSB

Wise men rarely claim to be wise. Knowledgeable teachers…  ( Click for more )

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. So Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit… When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did…  ( Click for more )

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel's consolation, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation……  ( Click for more )

Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. – Exodus 20:12 HCSB

A long-standing legend has circulated among middle-eastern and western cultures since around the third century of a mystical Fountain of Youth. It probably originated in a collection of fables, poems and tall tales called the Alexander Romance. In this fantastic work, Alexander the Great crossed the Land of Darkness and discovered this fabled spring. The tale was popular among the Spanish Moors and probably spawned Ponce de Leon’s…  ( Click for more )

Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will punish anyone who misuses His name. – Exodus 20:7 HCSB

I have discussed often in my writings the concept of Kiddush Hashem, or sanctifying God’s Name. I want you to now consider the ramifications of that concept regarding the third of the Ten Commandments.

Many English translations render it “do not take the name” or in the case of the HCSB “do not misuse the name” causing many to apply only the most superficial interpretation consisting of a prohibition on using God’s…  ( Click for more )

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. He is the radiance of His glory, the exact expression of His nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. – Hebrews 1:1-3 HCSB

Thousands of years ago, God told Moses to set aside his brother, Aaron, to be the first appointed kohen.[1] In fact, he was…  ( Click for more )

This is what the Lord says: The wise must not boast in his wisdom; the mighty must not boast in his might; the rich must not boast in his riches. But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me - that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things.[This is] the Lord's declaration. – Jeremiah 9:23-24 HCSB

Have you ever had anyone ask you, “What does a papaya taste like?” Or, “What was it like, jumping out of an airplane?” There are some things that simply beggar…  ( Click for more )

You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? [Why] do the treacherous live at ease? – Jeremiah 12:1 HCSB

Everyone knows that God expects us to be holy. He said, “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good.”[1] So far, that sounds like pretty standard fare. It’s what our ancestors heard thundering from the pulpits for centuries.

Yet, Elohim went on: “Learn to do what is good. Seek justice.…  ( Click for more )

Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God. – Genesis 6:8-9 HCSB

There is a misconception among many Christians that the tzaddikim try to correct. It is the mistaken belief that the Old Testament is about harsh law and the New Testament is about sweet grace. To hold to this fallacy is to do a disservice to El Olam who never changes.[1]

The word ch’ane means favor or grace and is pronounced kind of like “hane”. The word is…  ( Click for more )

So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. "Get up," he said. "Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. At the crack of dawn the angels urged Lot on: "Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." But he hesitated, so because of the Lord's compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters. And they brought him out and left him…  ( Click for more )

Then the angels said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here: a son-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of this place, for we are about to destroy this place because the outcry against its people is great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it." So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. "Get up," he said. "Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. – Genesis 19:12-14…  ( Click for more )

“The children are obstinate and hardhearted. I am sending you to them, and you must say to them: This is what the Lord God says. Whether they listen or refuse [to listen] -for they are a rebellious house-they will know that a prophet has been among them." – Ezekiel 2:4-5 HCSB

Ministry is not for the faint of heart. You must combine the sensitivity of a trained, empathic counselor with the thick-skinned tenacity of a prophet. You must be passionate about speaking the truth, but you must learn to do so with love and grace[1]. You must be “one of the people”[2]…  ( Click for more )

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27 HCSB

What does God’s voice sound like? Throughout the Bible, many people heard it with their physical ears. Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze and in their sin-ridden guilt hid from His calling voice.[1] Their son, Cain, also heard from God after he had killed his own brother in a jealous rage.[2]

Lest we think God only shows up when we’ve messed up, we need to recall the Lord’s wonderful call to Abraham that included Yahweh’s promise…  ( Click for more )

The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age are more astute than the sons of light in dealing with their own people. – Luke 16:8 HCSB

Over the centuries, many Christians have failed to seek new and better ways to improve the resources God has given them. In their zeal to “remain on the old paths”[1], they failed to notice that the prophet Jeremiah’s comments dealt with teaching false doctrine, not adhering to technological obsolescence.

Take the use of musical instruments in worship as an example.…  ( Click for more )

We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed…He commanded our fathers to teach to their children so that a future generation- children yet to be born-might know. They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God's works, but keep His commandments. – Psalm 78:4,6-7 HCSB

There once was a good and moral man who lived an exemplary life. He had a son who watched and learned to imitate his righteous father.…  ( Click for more )

Then the Lord said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. This is how the Lord will fulfill to Abraham what He promised him." – Genesis 18:17-19 HCSB

God looked throughout the world[1] for someone who would help Him accomplish His mission. He had all the kingdoms, empires, languages and cultures…  ( Click for more )

Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful. – James 5:14-16 HCSB

As an elder of Yeshua’s church, some people have deeply desired my prayers when they were hurting. Some have…  ( Click for more )

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. – 2 Timothy 2:2

There are two Jewish words for tradition – kabalah (which is not the same thing as the Jewish mysticism the pop-singer Madonna follows called Kabbalah) and masoret. Kabalah is what we receive and masoret is what we pass on to others.

All of us are steeped in some form of kabalah. We have a history that is uniquely American. Another people have a culture that is uniquely Iranian. Ours is a religious…  ( Click for more )

“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. For I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”… Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. – Jonah 1:12,17

Jonah was trying to take credit for the storm. “Don’t you mean ‘took the blame’?” you ask. No – I mean the credit. Jonah had a serious pride problem. It was always about his reputation. Apparently, he was something of a national hero, having successfully…  ( Click for more )

It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment – Hebrews 9:27

I live every day with the effects of a terrible tropical disease contracted while living in Africa. I am going deaf, am often completely crippled and live in constant pain. But one of the most vexing effects is to my heart. Because of the damage to my nervous system, I sometimes have arrhythmias. Someday, the signal to my heart may be so mixed up that it might simply stop beating.

So I go to sleep every night and awake every morning with the thought that my heart could stop beating at any…  ( Click for more )

In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, where she entered Zachariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your offspring! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me! Blessed is she who has believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord…  ( Click for more )

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing those from whom you learned, and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:14-17 HCSB

There is a Hebrew phrase concerning the Scriptures that goes “Hafokh ba, v’hafokh ba k’kula…  ( Click for more )

Still, you did well by sharing with me in my hardship. And you, Philippians, know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided--a fragrant offering, a welcome sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will…  ( Click for more )

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity to show it. I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:10-13 HCSB

Paul experienced trials that would…  ( Click for more )