THEIR WORKS FOLLOW THEM
And I heard a voice from heaven saying
unto me, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Sovereign from
henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they rest from their labours; and their works do follow them’,” Rev. 14:13.
The
following story is taken from a computer Bible that I purchased some time ago.
Each day of the year, this Bible has a short story of works of faith which have
been undertaken by others. Many of these stories are most inspiring and
uplifting revealing a faith and love that is incomprehensible and almost
impossible to find in today’s world.
As a child John Hunt often sat by the fire, engrossed in his father’s
tales of military adventure. At 16 he nearly died of “brain fever.”
Recovering, he found the Lord in a Methodist chapel. He later married Hanna
Summers, and on December 22, 1838 they arrived on the Fiji islands as
missionaries.
They
shuddered at the sight. Two-thirds of all children were boiled and eaten. Every
village had its human butcher. Aged parents were butchered and eaten by their
children. A man would often cook his best wife or most tender child as a feast
for his closest friends.
Some
time after their arrival the chief’s youngest son was lost at sea. Seventeen
women were killed and roasted as a result, and Hanna was forced to watch. The
islanders then insisted the missionaries leave. But the Hunts refused. They
found increasing numbers willing to listen. The queen of Viwa came under such
conviction that she fainted twice, then, coming to, pleaded for mercy. A revival
swept her village, then others.
Hunt
translated the New Testament into Fijian and kept preaching fearlessly. Converts
increased and chapels were built. At length, Hunt’s health broke, and when the
islanders realized their missionary was ill, they flocked to the chapels to pray
for him. “O Lord,” cried one of them, Elijah Verani, “We know we are very
bad; but spare thy servant. If one must die, take me! Take ten of us! But spare
thy servant to preach Christ.”
But
Hunt realized he was dying. He committed his wife to the Lord and began crying,
“Lord, bless Fiji! Save Fiji!” Later, turning to Hanna, he said, “If this
be dying, praise the Lord!” “I want strength to praise him abundantly. …
Hallelujah!”
With
that he breathed his last. The island was moved by his death, and even the
wicked King Thakombau confessed Christ openly. Much of Fiji was transformed,
causing one missionary historian to call Fiji a “jewel in the missionary
diadem.”
(Taken
from the Libronix Digital Bible)
There
are several questions that we need to ask at this juncture:
1. How many of us, in what we understand is the
true faith, would be willing to remain among these people for one moment after
we saw them kill and eat their own parents, wives or children?
2. What motivated this couple to continue doing a
work among these people when they witnessed such gruesome acts and were even
compelled to leave?
3. What redeeming values did this couple see in
these people?
In
addressing question #1 I wonder how many of us in the faith would witness one
episode of these people’s cannibalism before we would remove ourselves from
them and their island never to return again. After all, these people lived in
such unclean manners and their practices were abominable. Revelation 18:4-5
comes to mind, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of
her, My People, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of
here plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and Yahweh hath remembered
her iniquities.”
Would
we, in the spirit of Isa. 65:5, declare, “Stand by thyself, come not near to
me; for I am holier than thou?” Would we be able to bear witness to these
unclean practices for one moment in time? Would we be fleeing to a place, a
colony, a community where there would be other believers like ourselves so we
could comfort and encourage ourselves in our own holiness and condemn these
people in their uncleanness?
Question
#2: But this couple continued with these barbaric people undaunted. What
motivated them to remain and do a work among these people? It had to be a love
for their Creator, His Son the Messiah, their word of truth, and the kingdom of
heaven! It also had to be because of a love for others more than themselves.
Granted,
their knowledge of the truth concerning the names of our heavenly father and His
beloved son was lacking. I am also sure that their knowledge concerning all of
the commandments was somewhat lacking. We also know that the Scriptures that
they carried with them had been polluted, corrupted and changed. They didn’t
understand this. They only knew that they had the word of God in their hands and
they were going to declare it to the ends of the earth. The power of their love
and faith caused them to continue to do a work among these people that
eventually paid off!
Question
#3: What redeeming values did this couple see in these people? They were men,
created in the image of Elohim. While their practices were abominable, they
wanted to sow the good news among these people. They wanted them to get to know
their Creator and His Messiah. They wanted these people to experience the hope
and promises of the kingdom of heaven. They wanted them to get prepared for the
return of the Messiah so that they would be received in everlasting habitations.
After
all, don’t we have Yahshua’s example to look to? The Apostle writes, “Let
this mind be in you, which was also in the Messiah Yahshua: Who being in the
form of Elohim, thought it not robbery to be equal with Elohim: But made Himself
of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” Phil. 2:5-8.
Whether
you believe what these Scriptures are saying or not, this author happens to
believe them. Before His human birth, Yahshua existed as Elohim. He had power,
honor, glory, majesty, riches untold. He had eternal life. He was holy (Heb. =
qodesh = clean, pure, set aside in sanctification). He sat at the right hand of
the Heavenly Father, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
[Gk. = pros = a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the
genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative
case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the
relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated) Strong’s Exhaustive
Concordance.] Elohim. All
things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was
made….He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew
him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of Elohim, even to them
that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Elohim. And the Word was made (became)
flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth,” Jn. 1:1-3, 10-14.
“These
words spake Yahshua, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the
hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast
given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as
Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the
only true Elohim, and Yahshua the Messiah, Whom Thou hast sent, I have glorified
Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify
Thou Me with Thine own Self with
the glory which I had with Thee before the world was,” Jn. 17:1-5.
These
Scriptures here are such a tremendous and powerful part of the good news. Yahweh
Elohim offered the man Adam life, but he chose death. He again offered Israel
life, but they followed Adam their forefather in choosing death. When left to
himself, man is unfaithful. Man miserably fails. At the appointed time, the
Elohim Who sat beside the Heavenly Father, emptied Himself becoming flesh in
order to serve unfaithful man thereby providing him a way to escape from the
power of the grave and death.
John
says, “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not,” Jn. 1:10-11. “For when we were yet
without strength, in due time the Messiah died for the unrighteous. For scarcely for a righteous man will one
die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But Yahweh
commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we
were reconciled to Yahweh by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His
life,” Ro. 5:6-10.
Consider
how much more horrible it was for Yahshua to walk among sinners and enemies than
for the Hunts to dwell among those cannibals! He had existed in the holiness,
cleanness, purity, power, riches and majesty of Elohim for all eternity. Yes, He
did come to a people who had His word, His law. But these people were going
about seeking to establish their own righteousness which is as filthy rags to Yahweh (Isa. 64:6).
The
Pharisees complained to Yahshua’s disciples, “Why eateth your Master with
publicans and sinners?’ But when Yahshua heard that, He said unto them,
‘They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye
and learn what that meaneth, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:’ for I
am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” Mat. 9:11-13.
The
Pharisees trusted in their own righteousness, “And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the
one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, ‘Elohim, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the
week, I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the publican, standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, ‘Elohim be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be
exalted’,” Lk. 18:9-14.
The
Apostle Paul was a Pharisee. He wrote, “Though I might also have confidence in
the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the
flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe
of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; touching the rightousness which is in the law, blameless,” Phil. 3:4-8.
Notice
that he declared that he was blameless according to the righteousness which is
in the law! Yet, he wrote to Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy
of all acceptation, that the Messiah Yahshua came into the
world to save sinners; of whom I am chief,” 1 Tim. 1:15.
Paul,
as a Pharisee, was as righteous as a man could be in the law by the power of his
own strength. But when Yahshua revealed Himself to him, he came to realize that
his own righteousness was nothing in comparison to the righteousness that is in
the Messiah Yahshua. Therefore, he wrote, “But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for the Messiah. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of the Messiah Yahshua my Sovereign:
for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung,
that I may win the Messiah, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of the Messiah, the righteousness which is of Yahweh by
faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being made comformable unto His death; if by any
means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had
already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may
apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of the Messiah Yahshua,” Phil.
3:8-12.
Paul
put away the things of the flesh. He wrote, “For we are the circumcision,
which worship Yahweh in the spirit, and rejoice in the Messiah Yahshua, and have no confidence in the
flesh,” Phil. 3:3.
The
Pharisees who were supposedly in the faith, continually caused problems for Paul
and Barnabas for they went to areas where they had been doing a tremendous work
in the power of the spirit for the Messiah and they declared, “Except ye be
circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved…But there rose up
certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful
to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses,” Acts 15:1,
5. Paul and Barnabas withstood this teaching to the point of having to call a
conference with the apostles in Jerusalem. (Acts 15).
The council responded with a letter which said, “The apostles and
elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in
Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: forasmuch as we have heard that certain which
went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying,
‘Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law:’ to whom we gave no such
commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send
chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded
their lives for the name of our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah. We have sent
therefoe Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For
it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and
from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye
keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well,” Acts 15:23-29.
How were the Hunt’s so
successful in their attempts to serve the people of Fiji? Isn’t it because
they put into practice the three greatest ingredients, faith, hope and charity
(love)?
FAITH:
Faith
is a very powerful factor in any situation. After all, look at what faith has
done for the United States. Look at the society that has been built in America
through the use of pieces of paper, i.e., the American greenback dollar.
Paper
is just that, paper. But send it to the printers with the authority of the
Federal Reserve System, put the combination of primarily black and green ink on
it and bingo, you have something of value. Some of those pieces of paper will
have a one (1), others five (5), others ten (10), others twenty (20), others
fifty (50), others one hundred (100), others one thousand (1,000). They (the
Federal Reserve) can take one huge roll of paper, print these different
denominations on the same roll. Cut them into their various units and the same
paper will have varying values.
People
spend their whole lifetime working for these greenbacks. Stash a great number of
these pieces of paper in the bank, savings and loan, or even in a mattress and
you are considered to be very wealthy. Some will do everything they can to
extort these greenbacks from your possession. They will lie, cheat, steal and
even kill for pieces of paper, PIECES OF PAPER!!!!!
Most
in today’s world have so much more faith in the American greenback than they
do their own Creator. They will spend almost all of their time seeking the
greenback while neglecting the more important things of the kingdom of heaven.
Many have even forsaken any kind of faith in a Creator. They only believe in the
American dollar! But then, the Scriptures do say that men pursue vanity, don’t
they? (Isa. 59:4, Jer. 2:5, etc.)
Do
you see how powerful the works of faith can be? The American dollar will soon
fail. The people will learn how vain and empty their faith has been in these
multitudinous mountains of paper. Another currency will be needed to replace the
American dollar. That currency will also fail. But the Creator Yahweh exists
forever. While the Hunts didn’t know the Creator as Yahweh, the last word out
of the mouth of John Hunt was HalleluYah! (Praise ye Yahweh)
The faith that pleases Yahweh is described in
the Scriptures, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Heb. 11:1.
“Substance” is translated from the Greek
word “hupostasis” which is defined as, a setting under (support), i.e.
(figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively). It is
generally translated as, confidence, confident, person, substance (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance).
“Evidence” is translated from the Greek
word “elegchos” which is defined as, proof, conviction (IBID).
Therefore, we can deduct
that faith is the assurance/confidence of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen.
The Apostle Paul writes in support of this
concept, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
which are not seen are eternal,” 2 Cor. 4:18.
Again, he writes, “(For we walk by faith,
not by sight),” 2 Cor. 5:7.
The Hunts had to have a very deep faith in
order to do the work that was done in converting a people who were savage and
barbaric. They didn’t walk by sight. They walked by faith
HOPE:
John
and Hanna weren’t seeking the compilation of riches, honor and glory in this
world. Their work was not only a work of faith, but of hope. Paul says that we
are saved by hope, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet
hope for?” Ro. 8:24.
Paul
continues, “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of
Yahweh which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of Yahweh; even the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to His saints, to whom Yahweh would make known what is the riches of
the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is the Messiah in you, the hope of
glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in the
Messiah Yahshua: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working,
which worketh in me mightily,” Col. 1:27.
This
was the hope that the Hunts had. They not only had the hope of the Messiah in
themselves, but they were hoping for that to take place even in these savage
cannibals.
Again,
Paul writes, “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith,” Gal. 5:5. When one learns to trust in the Messiah Yahshua, he repents
of his sins, is baptized for the remission of sins and is sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise (Eph. 11-13). We wait for the hope of righteousness through
faith! We must be careful to not begin a Pharisaical walk that causes us to
trust in our own righteousness and despise others.
He
writes, “Now our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah Himself, and Yahweh even our
Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in
every good word and work,” 2 Thes. 2:16-17.
Too
many are twisting the writings and words of the apostles in order to place
Yahweh’s people back under a great burden that neither Judah, Israel, nor the
apostles themselves were able to bear. Yes, we are to keep Yahweh’s ten
commandments. After all, they describe to us what sin is and sin is the
transgression of the law. But Paul and the apostles understood that the hope of
our calling, glory, inheritance, grace and righteousness was for the Messiah
Yahshua to live in us through the earnest of the Spirit. But Paul declares
“Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, the Messiah shall
profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that
he is a debtor to do the whole law,” Gal. 5:2-3.
Here
is the gist of the situation. We have just quoted where Paul says that the
things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
For a man to be physically circumcised is a temporal act. Why? Because flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. 15:50). The flesh is
physical, temporal, mortal and corruptible. Therefore, it cannot inherit the
kingdom of heaven as Paul declares in verse 50, the flesh is corruptible so it
can’t inherit incorruption.
When
we receive the Spirit of grace given to us through Yahshua the Messiah, we
receive an earnest of that Spirit which resides in us imparting the hope of the
most precious inheritance. We must treasure it and cling to it with all of the
strength that we can muster, and trust and look to Yahweh to further strengthen
us in all of our areas of weakness.
CHARITY (LOVE):
Whether
many realize it or not, even in their somewhat spiritual ignorance, the Hunts
were exhibiting charity or love. Yahshua was tested, “But when the Pharisees
had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and
saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Yahshua said unto him, Thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” Mt.
22:34-40.
Mark
records, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning
together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the
first commandment of all? And Yahshua answered him, The first of all the
commandments is, Hear, O Israel; Yahweh Our Elohim is one Yahweh: And thou shalt
love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the
second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is
none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well,
Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one Elohim; and there is none
other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And
when Yahshua saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far
from the kingdom of Elohim. And no man after that durst ask him any question,”
Mk. 12:28-34.
Luke
records, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying,
Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he
answering said, Thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy
neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do,
and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Yahshua, And
who is my neighbour? And Yahshua answering said, A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment,
and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came
down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other
side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him,
and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came
where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him,
and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast,
and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he
departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him,
Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that
fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said
Yahshua unto him, Go, and do thou likewise,” Lk. 10:25-37.
Look
at this! The priests were to be teachers of the law that instructs us to Love
Yahweh and our neighbor, yet he refused to show love by rendering aid. Also, the
Levites served in the temple of Yahweh, yet the Levite refused to show love by
rendering aid. Then comes a lowly, hated and despised Samaritan who had
compassion. He is the one who exhibited true love toward his Creator and his
neighbor.
The
Hunts didn’t worship Yahweh in name, nor did they proclaim the Savior’s true
name. They weren’t Sabbath keepers and probably ate unclean foods, etc. This
would cause most Yahwists to despise them, yet they exhibited the true love of
the Father and the Son because of their selflessness and desire to see their
fellow man come to some semblance of the truth. It was all of the truth that
they knew of, maybe a good bit less than what we understand, but they exhibited
true love!
Paul
declared to the men of Athens, “Yahweh that made the world and all things
therein, seeing that he is Sovereign of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in
temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he
needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And
hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their
habitation; That they should seek Yahweh, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and
move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we
are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of Elohim, we
ought not to think that the Deity is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven
by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance Yahweh winked at; but
now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day,
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
him from the dead,” Acts 17:24-31.
Paul
also wrote, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is
due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man
any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled
the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou
shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if
there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his
neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” Ro. 13:7-10.
The
Hunts fulfilled the law through the love that they had for these people.
THE AUTHOR OF LOVE
John
states, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of Yahweh; and every
one that loveth is born of Yahweh, and knoweth Yahweh. He that loveth not
knoweth not Yahweh; for Yahweh is love,” 1 Jn. 4:7-8.
The
Hebrew language is so amazing and awesome. The Hebrew word for father is Ab (ba). (Note: in some dialects it is Av.) The aleph (a) is an hieroglyphic for the head of an ox. The aleph, therefore, represents
that, or he which is first, chief, a leader, a head. The beit (b) is an hieroglyphic for a house, tent, temple, or family. Thus, the Father
(ba) is the first, chief, leader, head of the house, home, or family.
The aleph (a) and beit (b) are the first and second letters of the Hebrew alphabet just as the A and
B are the first and second letters of the English alphabet. This denotes the
prime importance of the Father.
The
Hebrew word for love is bha (ahab or ahav depending on the dialect.) The hei (h) is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is an
hieroglyphic for lo, behold, revelation, etc. Love (bha) is the Hebrew word for Father (ba) with the hei (h) placed in the middle, the heart. Love is the Heavenly Father revealed! It
reveals what is on His heart.
Furthermore,
in the spiritual significance of numbers, five (h) is the number for grace. What does John continue to say? “In this was
manifested the love of Yahweh toward us, because that Yahweh sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not
that we loved Yahweh, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins,” 1 Jn. 4:9-10.
Again
John writes, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down
from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For Yahweh
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For Yahweh sent not his Son
into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of Elohim. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil,” Jn.
3:13-19.
Paul
writes, “But Yahweh commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, the Messiah died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to Yahweh by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in
Yahweh through our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah, by whom we have now received
the atonement,” Ro. 5:8-11.
Weren’t
the cannibals great sinners and enemies of the Heavenly Father Yahweh just as we
all were before our marvelous calling? Didn’t Yahshua say that He came to save
sinners? Sin is the transgression of the law. We must go forth and declare to
sinners what sin is and get them focused on repentance, salvation, and the
kingdom of heaven. The Hunts certainly did this for the people of Fiji, yes, to
a point, but look at the changes that were made in their lives.
What
about our world? We live in what is called a capitalistic society, but in
capitalism there is always a battle going on to sell goods and one company seeks
to exalt itself over others who produce like products through advertising and
many other schemes. Have you heard the phrase that “this is a dog eat dog
world?”
Did
you know that through competition many lives are overthrown and destroyed?
Competition really breeds hatred. Look at the enmity that is brought about
between cities through professional sports. Look at the enmity that is brought
about through politics, religion, schools, colleges, even countries.
A NEW BEGINNING
It
is interesting that the basic Hebrew word for love is ahab (bha). The aleph (a) equals one (1), the hei equals five (5), and the beit equals two (2). Adding this up 1 + 5 + 2 = 8 (eight). In the spiritual
significance of numbers eight (8) is the number for new beginnings. The number
seven (7) is the number for spiritual perfection, completion, peace, and rest.
When
one receives the Spirit of Yahweh he becomes a new man. Paul writes, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in
time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is
called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were
without the Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Yahweh in the world:
But now in the Messiah Yahshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of the Messiah. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to
make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto Elohim in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of Yahweh; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Yahshua the Messiah himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all
the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Master: In
whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of Yahweh through the
Spirit,” Eph. 2:11-22.
Again,
he writes, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Master, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of Yahweh through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being
past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned the Messiah; If so be
that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Yahshua:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And
that ye put on the new man, which after Yahweh is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we
are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down
upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no
more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good,
that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that
it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of
Yahweh, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,
and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with
all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as Yahweh for Messiah's sake hath forgiven you,” Eph. 4:17-32.
Finally,
he says, “If ye then be risen with the Messiah, seek those things which are
above, where the Messiah sitteth on the right hand of Yahweh. Set your affection
on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is
hid with the Messiah in Yahweh.When the Messiah, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil
concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the
wrath of Yahweh cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also
walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these;
anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not
one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have
put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but the
Messiah is all, and in all,” Col. 3:1-11.
Yahshua,
of course, is the most perfect example to look to. He came to raise up a new
people wherein the Heavenly Father could dwell. His work has been and will
continue to be a lasting work. The Hunts, however, came in that same spirit of
dedication and love that made a lasting impact on the people of Fiji, despised
sinning cannibals.
What
about us? Are we exhibiting that same love of dedication and self sacrifice that
Heavenly Father, Yahshua, the apostles, the prophets and other disciples of the
Messiah have exhibited? Will you and I be ones who will be included in this
saying, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of Yahweh, and the faith of Yahshua. And I heard a voice from
heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Master from
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them?” Rev. 14:12-13.
CASTING
DOWN IMAGINATIONS
By David Douglas
In 2 Cor. 10:3-6 the Apostle Shaul (Paul) gives strong exhortation regarding
casting down imaginations, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through Elohim to the pulling
down of strongholds; casting down imagination, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of Elohim, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of the Messiah; and having in readiness to
revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
In this world life without war
and warfare is impossible. And Shaul is admonishing us about “our warfare,”
that is, our spiritual warfare. Yahweh will not bring our thoughts into
captivity; we must do that part. We must learn how to use our weapons, and
recognize that our imagination is a gift and a weapon in part of our training
and learning process. Everyone of us is in “spiritual boot camp” and our
goal is to turn our natural lives into spiritual lives by training our
imagination through a series of moral choices made in agreement with the
righteous instructions of Yahweh. These choices are made with our mind and our
heart.
Concerning the heart, this
common statement is heard often: “Yahweh/God knows my heart!” He certainly
does. He is all-knowing – omniscient! Ask yourself this question: Do I trust
my heart…or do I trust Yahweh? In Jeremiah 17:9-10 this is what Yahweh says
about the human heart, “The (human) heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it? I Yahweh search the heart, I try the reins,
even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings.”
This is exactly why we all need
a “new heart” and why we must be forgiven and enter into a marriage covenant
with Yahshua. When we do, He gives us a “new heart,” and He will put His
torot/laws into our mind and write them in our “new heart.” (See: Hebrews
8:10; 10:16-22; Jer. 31:33). Then, and only then, do we have the true standard
of values and truth to base our actions on. Yahweh’s word/Torah/law is the
truth (Psa. 119:142), and now you are equipped to train your thoughts, ideas,
imagination to align with the words of Yahweh.
Everyone in the whole world
needs the TRUTH. (Ref. Psa. 119:89, 151, 160). The doctrine that every man or
woman can decide what the “truth” is, i.e. that truth is subjective, is a
doctrine from Ha Shatan, the father of all liars! Yahshua is the truth…(Jn.
14:6). The Torah/law (of Yahweh) is the truth…(Psa. 119:142). The Ruach Ha
Kodesh/The Holy Spirit is the truth…(1 Jn. 5:6). Eternal truth is the
yardstick by which everything must be measured. Without “Truth” as the
standard, i.e. without Yahshua, no means exists to determine right from wrong;
to differentiate good from evil. Without absolute truth, nothing can be
discerned fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading.
Therefore…TRUTH should be our
#1 priority! And yes, Yahweh does know your heart, and whether you have the
Truth/Yahshua in your heart! “The Word of Elohim is quick (alive), and
powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a DISCERNER OF
THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART.” (Heb. 4:12; emphasis added). Yahweh is
omniscient, and He judges our ways in righteousness. Yahweh the Father and
Yahweh the Son do not change; HalleluYah!!! (See Heb. 13:8; Mal. 4:6)
We must change. And we must
make no compromise with our imaginations, but we must take every thought captive
to the obedience of Yahshua the Messiah. We must take very serious the command
to demolish/ tear down every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of
Elohim. Another specific part of our training is to take nothing serious except
the Word of Yahweh, and lean not to our own ideas, thoughts and imaginations,
but train our imagination to lead us into faith and faithfulness. Remember…Jer.
17:9 means the “human heart” can hinder us from being one with Yahweh, and
we would be deceiving ourselves if we imagine something else. The natural man via the human heart receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of Yahweh. (1 Cor. 2:14).
Yahweh does not condemn or
judge us for having an imagination, only when we misuse our gift. And please
note: We cannot serve and worship Yahweh through our imagination. We must submit
our thoughts, ideas and ways to Him, and bring every thought captive to the
obedience of the Messiah. Prov. 3:1, 3-7 says: “My son forget not my Torah;
but let thine heart keep my commandments:…trust in Yahweh with all thine
heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear Yahweh, and
depart from evil.”
A lot of people deceive
themselves by imagining they are workers for Yahweh, but their “human projects” are not being
made captive to the obedience of the Messiah. Solomon addressed the issue of men
and women doing their own thing in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25… “There is a way
which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
“Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom
is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (Yacob/James 1:17) The gift of
imagination imitates a characteristic of Yahweh. When Yahweh creates, He forms
pictures, thoughts, ideas in His mind of things that are not present, and speaks
them into existence. I honestly cannot conceive/imagine what kind of power and
authority that represents…can you? When Yahweh Eloheinu imagined and spoke,
the heavens and the earth were created, and they were “very good.” (Gen.
1:31). So we see that Yahweh’s imagination was very powerful, productive, and
positive. This is contrasted greatly when men use their gift in a negative
manner by following after the imagination of their evil heart. (See: Jer. 3:17;
7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; and 23:17). It is also interesting to
note that the Hebrew word sheriyruwth, #8307 (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) – for imagination means
“stubbornness, imagination, lust” in seven of the eight times Jeremiah used
it.
So in context, when the Prophet
Yiremyahu/Jeremiah presented his strong message against Judah regarding the fall
of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., he was rebuking them for their idolatry – serving
other Elohim – and for their obstinate disobedience and stubbornness [that] they devised in the imagination of their evil hearts which was
against the instructions of Yahweh.
In our present world, anyone
who is not “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the
Messiah” warrants a similar rebuke. When we misuse our imagination and devise
our own plans by focusing on idols – other Elohim and misplaced priorities –
we rob ourselves of many intimate times with our Heavenly Father, and one reason
our walk and witness lacks is because we do not train and use our imagination
right. For example, when we imagine our power – which is nothing, instead of
His power in us – which is ALL POWERFULL! Yahshua’s
words in John Chapter 15 are absolutely true: “…For without Me, ye can do
nothing.” (Jn. 15:5)
Imagination is the act or power
of forming mental images of what is not present. (Dictionary definition)
Therefore…imagination is not revelation, i.e. we do not get revelation by
thinking/ imagining. We are given revelation as we submit and obey the righteous
instructions of Yahweh. And the Holy Spirit – Ruach Ha Kodesh – does the
revealing. This means as we cast down wayward imaginations and take every
thought captive to the obedience of the Messiah we achieve our goal: to pull
down strongholds!
A stronghold is a highly
fortified rampart, like a castle wall built to keep people and things out. An
idol can be like a very strong wall against the words and instructions of
Yahweh, and sometimes that wall/stronghold must be destroyed violently, i.e.
torn down because it is exalting itself against the knowledge of Elohim.
It is also important to know
and understand that when we received forgiveness of our sins…we were not
delivered from our human nature or our ability to think and imagine.
Therefore…we all need to practice bringing into captivity every thought that
could cause us to sin into obedience to the Messiah.
Freewill is always active in us
regarding our imagination…and we need spiritual focus
to cast down our wayward imaginations and to bring itself against the
knowledge of Elohim.
Beloved brethren…if you have
been bringing every thought captive to the obedience of the Messiah Yahshua, it
will be one of your greatest assets in your faith building process. Then, when
tribulations and temptations threaten to overtake you, your training and
practice will kick in and your obedience, empowered by the Ruach Ha Kodesh will
work in unity. And the Messiah will be manifested in you and through you for the
world to see. HalleluYah!!!
Brethren, do not look at your own ideas, thoughts, and imaginations as though they are your guiding light. Yahshua is the TRUE LIGHT, and we must use our imagination rightly by allowing Him to lead and guide us always. Do your part: cast down everything and every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of Elohim, and bring into captivity every thought you have to the obedience of the Messiah. Be obedient and be blessed!
To
the Editor Jerry Healan. Greetings in the matchless name of Yahshua. I have a
question for you. Would it be possible to hear from you? For 11 years I’ve
been incarcerated with hundreds of inmates around me with hundreds of different
teachings. Currently, an inmate here from the “Biblical Christian Church of
God” of California states that the YHWH name comes from the Canaanite god that
is false and that we shouldn’t use that name or the name of Yahshua since the
name Jesus came to us in Greek only; being the New Covenant language. It’s a
difficult matter with these attacks going on as this person believes in
everything we believe in – the Holy days & Feasts, the Sabbaths and
commandments – except the Sacred Name. I would like to hear your take on this
as I find myself not too popular just now. To be popular isn’t my goal anyway
but to know and do the truth by speech and deed. By the way, this Christian
Biblical Church of God has split off from the Worldwide Church of God which has
splintered. I’m sure you’re aware of this. Your comments please.
GB/NM
Dear
Gary,
Shalom and greetings in Yahshua our Messiah. Gary, thanks for your
comments on the correspondence quiz sheet. I do understand that the Biblical
Christian Church of God came out of the Worldwide Church of God. I was also a
member of WWCG from 1970-1988. I know their teachings and I also know of the
erroneous ideas that they have. What this minister is not telling you is the
fact that before he died, Herbert W. Armstrong commissioned a panel to search
into what the name of the Heavenly Father was. This took place in the early
1980’s and he personally announced that the findings and determination of the
panel was that the name of the Heavenly Father is Yahweh. Either this man is
hiding this information and fact as are all of the other Worldwide Church of God
groups are doing or he is ignorant of this fact. I know what happened because I
was sitting in their assemblage when he announced that he was commissioning the
panel and also when he announced the results.
I am not saying that everything they (WWCG) believe is false and
erroneous, but the simple fact of the matter is that the original Scriptures,
both Old and New Testaments were written to Hebrews and they were written in the
Hebrew language. The original New Testament assembly was headed up by people of
Hebrew descent, that is, until the Bar Kochba rebellion 132-135 CE. Rabbi Akiva
declared Bar Kochba to be the Messiah, which devastated the Hebrews of the
assembly. They couldn’t join in the fight with Akiva and Bar Kochba against
the Romans because they knew that Bar Kochba wasn’t the true messiah. The
Jews/Hebrews required their brethren to either join in the battle or to be
slain. The Romans also did their best to destroy any and all Jews/Hebrews. This
effectively ended the Jewish/Hebrew leadership in the assembly and it became
Gentile/non-Hebrew in nature. This information is easily obtained for those who
are searching for it, and this should include that very same Church of God and
her many erroneous sisters who have split away from WWCG and also split apart
from each other.
The apostles wrote to peoples who were meeting in synagogues. The
tradition of the synagogues was to preserve the Hebrew scriptures and the Hebrew
language. However, the Jews that were left were those who refused to receive
Yahshua, so they destroyed all of the New Testament documents they could find,
as well as did the Romans, especially in Constantine’s time. There are
references in the Talmud where the Jews discussed how to destroy the documents
since they did contain the Sacred Name. No one wanted to be found guilty of
destroying the Name. In some instances they discussed cutting the Sacred Name
out of those documents, burn the documents and bury the pieces that the Sacred
Name was written on in order to allow the earth to destroy it.
Constantine is the one who had the complete Scriptures converted to the
Greek language. He donated 50 copies of them to the Greek Churches of
Constantinople. This caused the New Testament Scriptures to be more readily
accepted in the Greek and also the Latin. With the Muslim conquering of the Holy
Land, the knowledge of the Aramaic and Syriac versions of the Scriptures was
lost. Yet, there are portions of Aramaic versions that have been discovered that
are older than the oldest Greek documents.
Anyway, the Old Testament Scriptures have been carefully preserved by the
Jews and guess what, the name YHWH (hwhy) is
preserved therein. Also, there are various stones upon which
historical events were recorded in the ancient days of Israel and her neighbors
and the tetragrammaton (four letter name of Yahweh [YHWH]) was utilized, not for
the gods of the Canaanites, but for the Elohim of Israel.
Whoever the minister is that has told you these things is giving out
false information, or is simply ignorant of the truth. While the Greek Iesous
was utilized for the Septuagint, the situation is that the scribes who converted
the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek language were utilizing
Iesous to try to transliterate the Hebrew name Yahshua into their Greek
language. Thus, the original Greek would have been pronounced Yasua (Yah-soo-a)
because there is no “sh” sound in the Greek. Today it has been reduced to
Y’shua by the Jews and Yesus in the Latin. Since there has never been a
“J” in the Hebrew or the Greek languages, and not even in the English until
the seventeenth century, the name Jesus is definitely a latter day corruption.
I am sending you a couple of pages of my Hebrew-English Interlinear
Bible. It contains the whole chapters of Gen. 2 and 3 with a small portion of
chapter 1 and 4. The fact of the matter is that the name Yahweh (hwhy) does not appear in Genesis chapter one at
all. The only term that is utilized for the Creator is Elohim. But chapters 2
and 3 bring into reality the name Yahweh Elohim (~yhla hwhy). I know that the Interlinear utilizes Jehovah,
but Jehovah is an erroneous rendering according to the encyclopedias and
dictionaries. Most scholars prefer Yahweh and even the Jehovah’s Witnesses
admit that Yahweh is a better rendering than Jehovah.
Here is what the Cumash, a Rabbinic Commentary on the Torah
(first five books of the Bible) says about the first appearance of the
tetragrammaton in Gen. 2:4, “~yhla yh – HASHEM
God. This is the first mention in the Torah of the Hebrew Four-letter Name h-w-h-y, which
denotes God in His Attribute of Mercy. At first, God created the world
exclusively with the Attribute of Justice [Elohim],
because the ideal state is for Man to be judged according to his deeds, without
a need for special mercy, but God knew that Man cannot survive without mercy and
forbearance. Therefore He added the Name signifying mercy, to teach that He
would temper justice with compassion (Rashi
to 1:1). The Name h-w-h-y, also signifies the eternity of God, because its
letters are also those of the words hyhyw hwh hyh, He was, is,
and will be. In the words of Rambam’s fourth principle of faith, God “is the
very first and the very last.” Everything in the created universe must have a
moment when it came into existence, but God is infinite; He transcends time. In
recognition of this concept, the Four-letter Name is often translated the
Eternal One. This is also the proper Name of God. In respect for its intense
holiness, it is not pronounced as it is spelled. In prayer or when reciting a
complete verse of the Torah, it is pronounced Adonoy.
Otherwise, it is referred to as HASHEM, or the Name.” (p. 11/bereishis/Genesis)
Let’s analyze what is said here. The name Yahweh (hwhy) is the name for mercy! Our English equivalent
to the word Elohim is God (according to most scholars and almost every
religion’s or faith’s usage, including Islam). If such is the case, then
when we are utilizing only God, we are incurring the attribute of
justice/judgment, not mercy. Also, when we address Him by His true name Yahweh,
we are in effect addressing Him as He who is eternal, He who lives forever.
We are to call upon His name for salvation, “And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved,” Acts 2:21.
The Apostle Peter is making this announcement under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, which is a quote from Joel 2:32.
You can show these things to your friends and also that minister.
Confront them with the truth. Their falsehoods will have to flee away.
In
Yahshua,
Jerry
Dear
YEA: I am writing to be taken off of your mailing list. Your “elder” Jerry
Healan is teaching that Yahweh is Yahshua, which is heresy. If you do not
believe me, please see pages seven and eight of the Nov-Dec 2008 magazine. May
Yahweh give you the courage to get those out of the assembly who have ulterior
motives, or are teaching falsehoods.
NP/OH
Dear
NP, You are correct in your assertion that we are teaching that Yahshua is
Yahweh, not Yahweh the Father, but the One Who is “the Word of Yahweh” (Dabar-Yahweh
[hwhy-rbd in Hebrew], “The Angel of Yahweh” (Malak-Yahweh [hwhy-klm in
Hebrew], the El Yahweh, or Yahweh El [hwhy lah
in Hebrew], etc., etc., ad-infinitum.
When
one looks at the Hebrew name Yahweh (efei)
in the Pictorial Hebrew it is discovered that the meaning is I = hand, e = behold, lo, revelation, f = nail, tent peg, and e - = behold, lo, revelation.
Meaning: Behold the hand, behold the nail, which is what Yahshua told the
disciple (later apostle) Thomas to do. Thomas fully understood who Yahshua was
when He beheld the imprint of the nails in His hands and the imprint of the
spear thrust in His side.
This
name applies to both the Father and the Son because Yahshua was originally at
the right hand of the Father before the world was created (Jn. 17:5). Thus,
Yahshua, the Father’s right hand, was pierced with the nails.
The
name Yahshua is quite revealing because in Pictorial Hebrew it is osefi, I = hand, f = nail, e = behold, s = teeth, o = fountain, which gives the
idea that once the nail has pierced the hands fei, His people can drink (s) of the fountain (o)
of living waters (the Holy Spirit).
We
regret that you are unable to understand, nor receive these truths, but this
does support Yahshua’s pre-existence, which so many deny, but the Scriptures
reveal in both Old and New Testaments.
We
will reveal much more of this in the next issue of Yahshua’s Witness Magazine
in an article entitled “Emmanuel”, which you will not be receiving because
you have requested to be taken off of our mailing list and we have complied with
your desires.
Greetings,
I have been blessed to read one of your magazines. It was one of the best
publications I have read in my life. The truth that I received in just one
magazine showed me so much about God’s word that I now can’t get enough, and
I thank you for that. You have pointed me toward the truth of God’s word in a
way that I never learned before. I am writing this letter to request that you
please send me something telling me how I can receive the “Yahshua’s Witness
Magazine.” Money is no option. Whatever it costs, I’ll send it and may our
Elohim restore to you 30, 60 and 100 fold that which you have poured out to
others.
JR/TX
Brother
Jerry Healan, greetings to you my brother and all the brothers and sisters in
the assembly at Atlanta. I pray this finds you well in mind, body, and in
spirit, and all is going well with you. All is well with me here at the Max. I
kept the feast days of Yahweh this past year and what a great joy it was!
Obedience has brought many blessings. Praise Yahweh for His goodness. Brother
Jerry, I just want you to know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart for
all that you have done for me. Your magazine, newsletter, and answers to my
questions on prayer and the articles that you write have been very enlightening
and I’ve learned a lot since I have been receiving your literature. I truly
thank Yahweh for you and your ministry, for you have been a blessing to me. I
pray that Father Yahweh will bless you for all that you do for inmates such as
myself, and I pray that he will keep you until Yahshua comes.
RB/AR
First
and foremost, I would like to give all praise and honor to yah the Most High
through His Messiah Yahshua. I’m truly grateful to have met you through your
literature, messages, scripture lessons, and history lessons. I was blessed to
read some articles such as, “Consider the Butterfly by Jerry Healan, Genetic
Engineering, and Just What Is The New Covenant?” by Donald Adkins, just to
name a few, loaned to me by a brother who studies and acknowledges your wisdom.
I’m
a young man who seeks to obtain the wisdom and knowledge that is necessary for
understanding my true heritage and purpose in life, through you and your
greatest purpose (delivering the truth). I thirst to obtain more and more. I’m
currently incarcerated for making some unwise decisions in my life. Now, I’m
in the process of correcting myself through righteousness. There are a lot of
things I have been unaware of since my upbringing in America, living in the
south as a young black man.
I
was raised by a single parent (mother) who taught me the traditional ways of
living in the south. Throughout my young adult life I’ve discovered there is
more to what I’m being led to believe. I understand that some people just
don’t know and are just not aware of their heritage, history of America, and
the history of civilization. The reason why I’m writing this letter is to ask,
“Would you help me close the gap on these must need to know topics listed
above & more? I’m searching and pressing toward the goal for which my
Messiah Yahshua has called of me. I’m carefully reading literature and going
back to the Scriptures for better understanding on my part. Through your
articles of literature, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication you have
put into your work. I’m overwhelmed with the wisdom and knowledge you possess.
I’m honored to have this opportunity to correspond with you and your staff and
I hope that you can send me some of your booklets, articles, and literature for
my growth of understanding. May blessings and peace (shalom) be upon you and
your family and staff.
RJ/GA
Peace
be unto you and to all the brethren that you may come in contact with. I write
to you with the love of the Father to just simply say I love you. I am very,
very thankful for your time, efforts, labor, love, and kindness that you’ve
put into this great work that Yah is doing through you. I have really been
blessed by your ministry. I am more than a subscriber, I am your brother in the
faith and hope that we have in our King Yahshua. Please be encouraged and
continue to be a vessel for the Spirit of Yah. I am looking forward to helping
you in this ministry when I am released. I want you to know that I love y’all
and I am counting on you to remain strong and faithful. May Yah bless you
abundantly according to the riches in glory. Praise Yah!
DM/TX
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