Penned By Jen

I’m Not Buying What You’re Selling

How barbaric, disgusting, revolting and just plain weird would it be if people walked around with miniature guillotines on their necks and had replicas of them built on the tops of religious buildings? What if it was a noose or electric chair instead?

May 29, 2020 Penned by JenLeave a comment

It’s 2020 and we’ve reached the point where you can buy almost anything imaginable. For instance, I found the pendant below for sale online.

And it’s not even the creepiest one. On Etsy you can buy a similar pendant that appears to be functional. I’m trying to imagine why someone would want to display a guillotine around their neck. But yet, people all over the world wear something similar around their necks proudly, as symbols of their faith.

I used to be one of those people. I thought wearing an execution stake or cross was a way to declare my belief sand silently share my faith. Instead I was party to a horrendous misunderstanding and a collective misuse of an object that has continued unquestioned for centuries.

Did you know that crosses were used for religious worship around the world long before Christianity existed?

The Golden Calf Incident

Even if you can overlook its pagan origins and how it became a symbol of oppression and exploitation for thousands of years, you can’t deny that wearing an execution stake contradicts the word of G-d.

You remember what happened in the book of Shemot (Exodus) after the Lord delivered the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt, right? They were hanging out at the base of Mt. Sinai waiting for Moshe to come down with the Torah. He’d been gone for over a month and they got impatient. So, they asked Aaron to make a tangible object for them to worship—a golden calf. Not unlike the one pictured below in New York City, but that’s another blog post.

Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull or the Bowling Green Bull, is a bronze sculpture that stands on Broadway just north of Bowling Green in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City.

Some people think the mixed multitude had completely forgotten about G-d and returned to their Egyptian-style of worship. I think they just wanted something close to them that they could touch and feel, something to remind them of G-d who seemed far off. They were trying to worship G-d indirectly via a tangible object. But then, of course, things got out of control and their worship devolved into pagan debauchery.

Well, the execution stake (a.k.a. cross) is nothing more than a miniature golden calf. Instead of praying to the Father in the name of the Yeshua as they’re instructed, followers of the Jewish Messiah pray to a graven image that they claim represents him. But they are really just bowing, praying, kissing, kneeling in front of, lauding and worshiping a graven image.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
Exodus 20:4

And what is a cross anyway? It’s a weapon for state-sanctioned killing (a.k.a. an execution stake). How barbaric, disgusting, revolting and just plain weird would it be if people walked around with miniature guillotines on their necks and had replicas of them built on the tops of religious buildings? What if it was a noose or electric chair instead?

If the Messiah were here in person, would he be pleased? The idea of dying on an execution stake caused him to sweat literal drops of blood. And yet, people are worshiping the weapon used to kill him.

Everything Yeshua did was to bring honor and glory to his Father. Does wearing an execution stake honor Yeshua or his Father? Absolutely not. People are breaking the second commandment in an insanely backwards, illogical attempt to show their love for the Messiah and the Father.

Yeshua said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” I don’t think he’d be any happier about people breaking the second commandment to honor him than he would about people breaking the fourth commandment to celebrate his resurrection. But that, too, is a blog post for another day. 😊

13865290 – marble with ten commandments, jerusalem, israel

Final Thoughts

The ten commandments are still in effect (all of them). The Most High wrote them in stone (and later in our hearts) because they were meant to be permanent. They were not meant to be changed by us. As Bereans, we should examine all of our traditions under the light of G-d’s word.

In summary, don’t let your traditions lead you into a ditch. It’s time to ditch the golden calf hanging from your neck and decorating your houses of worship. They are not adding anything to your faith (See Romans 10:17). And they are probably hurting your efforts to be salt and light. The same thing goes for the little fish symbol, too.

!חג שמח

Happy Pentecost!

You Say Exercise, I Say Exorcise!

Words are powerful things. The Most High spoke the heavens and the earth into existence with just His words. The associations and history of words are important, too. There’s a reason you don’t meet many people named Jezebel, Gomer, Rahab, or Ahab.

August 23, 2020August 29, 2020 Penned by JenLeave a comment

Two for the Price of One

How would you react if a friend said, “Hey _____, a neighborhood temple just opened up their services to the public for a small donation of $20. A guide leads synchronized rituals to help you summon, greet, and worship different spirits. If you’re lucky, you can even form a union with one. After every session I feel like a new person. Wanna join me sometime?

If you believe in and worship the G-d of the bible, you already know that worshiping other deities and summoning spirits are both big no-no’s. Yet, people make propositions like the one above all the time. They’re just worded differently. “Hey _____, a new yoga studio opened up nearby. The classes are only $20 and they’re freakin awesome! You’ll leave a completely different person. Wanna check it out?

Despite its many followers and enthusiasts, yoga will always be a no-go for me. I can’t ignore its meaning, history, and associations. And I won’t compromise my beliefs for the sake of a “great” workout.

Disclaimer: If your belief system (or lack thereof if you’re agnostic or atheist) allows you to engage in any spiritual activity without restriction and does not prohibit the worship of multiple deities or the practice of divination, this post was neither written for you nor is it directed directed at you.

What’s in a Name?

A lot of friends and family claim that yoga is just a form of exercise and is harmless. But if they knew the meaning of the word yoga and it’s history, they might not see it that way. Words are powerful things. The Most High spoke the heavens and the earth into existence with just His words. The associations and history of words are important, too. There’s a reason you don’t meet many people named Jezebel, Gomer, Rahab, or Ahab.

For better or worse, the English language has a habit of borrowing words from other languages. When you embrace terminology without fully understanding the meaning behind it, you can end up “embracing” way more than you bargained for, literally.

You’ve heard people say I know “just enough to be dangerous” when referring to their language fluency, right? Well, the photo below proves that ignorance of the meaning of words can be both dangerous and painful. Ouch!

What Does Yoga Really Mean?

According to yogopedia, “the word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root word “yug,” which literally means to yoke or unite…The union that the word yoga is referring to is that of uniting individual consciousness (our individual experience of reality) with Divine consciousness.”

An article on yoga states,”to those in the know, … the yogic asanas, or positions, retain elements of their earlier spiritual meanings – the Surya namaskar is a series of positions designed to greet Surya, the Hindu Sun God.”

Yoga’s Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation)

If you look at the series of poses, you can see the similarities to bowing and prostrating. Deuteronomy 4:19 says, “And when you look up to the sky and behold the sun and the moon and the stars, the whole heavenly host, you must not be lured into bowing down to them or serving them.” The series of poses is called “sun salutations.” If that’s not bowing to the sun, I don’t know what is.

Who or What Is Surya?

According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, Surya is the Hindu god of the sun (and a minor deity in Buddhism) who travels across the sky in his golden chariot pulled by seven horses each day.

Statue of Surya, from 10th century found in Basalt, Bihar

So, in essence, when you practice yoga. you are worshiping the sun or a sun god or both.

Chakra Con

But what about other forms of yoga? Have you ever heard anyone talk about their “chakras” (i.e. energy centers)? I met a woman at a time that I was trying to get over a guy that I had really liked who had ghosted me. She told me that my chakras were out of alignment. Her prescription was a combination of crystals and casual sex to help me “open up” my “chakras.” I am happy to report that I passed on both. Drawing closer to the Most High and His Word along with some high intensity hikes in nearby regional parks were all I needed. However, you should be aware that chakras refer to another form of yoga–Kundalini yoga.

Kundalini means “coiled like a serpent” in Sanskrit. Kundalini energy refers to the coiled up energy that lies at the base of the spine. When released, this energy moves from the base of the spine through the seven chakras (or energy centers) in the spine.
yogapedia.com

Silhouette of woman meditating, Kundalini energy . Energy in the form of the snake, rising upward..

Unsurprisingly, each “chakra” in Kundalini yoga is associated with a different deity.

Why would someone who claims to love the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob be okay with worshiping the sun or another deity? Why would they be okay with inviting spirits (including one that resembles a serpent) to move through or take up residence in his or her body? Kundalini is about as far from the Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit of the bible as you can get.

“Did God Really Say…?”

Don’t let the enemy use your ignorance of other languages, cultures, and religion (or scripture for that matter) to trick you into idolatry (i.e. worshiping false gods) or divination (i.e. summoning or speaking to spirits).

The enemy is clever. He’s updated his bag of tricks to appeal to the modern and the health-conscious. He’s found a way to market idolatry and divination so that they appeal to the masses while seeming harmless (e.g. yoga, avatars, horoscopes, fortune telling, mediums, talismans, magic, witchcraft, vampires, zombies, the occult, etc.).

Don’t be fooled. Watered-down idolatry is still idolatry. And modern forms of idolatry (e.g. positive energy/Buddhism) and divination (e.g. social media quizzes to predict your future) are still idolatry and divination. Not recognizing them is not an excuse. The Creator hates idolatry and divination as much today as He did thousands of years ago when people first began to practice them.

What’s a Yoke Between Friends?

The bible is full of warnings about not mixing things that don’t belong together–plowing with an ox and a donkey, sowing a field with two kinds of seed, wearing a garment with wool and linen, mixing the clean with the unclean, etc. These physical examples of separation are to drive home the idea that the children of the Most High must separate themselves from the practices of (and also intimate relationships with) people who practice idolatry and divination. Do you think it’s a coincidence that the word “yoga” means union or yoke?

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.“
2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Be Holy, for I Am Holy

Don’t be like flies who are just as happy with warm feces as they are with rancid butter. Go after (fresh) milk and honey and “the fountain of living waters.” You can’t be both a temple of the living G-d and a temple of chakras. Leviticus 11:44 says, “For I the LORD am your God: you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy.”

Monarch on Thistle. A large monarch butterfly on purple thistle

Final Thoughts

If you want to get your blood pumping, go for a vigorous walk in a hilly area. Or go biking or swimming. If you want to be more limber and flexible, try ballet. You can borrow a DVD at your local library or purchase a used one online for less than the cost of one yoga class. A personal trainer or physical therapist can teach you how to stretch different muscle groups without using yoga poses. There are many options to help you achieve your fitness goals that won’t necessitate an exorcism at a later date.

O Say Can You See

When The Most High writes what is basically His Ketubah (marriage contract) with the Children of Israel in stone, with His own finger, it’s evident it was not meant to be changed by anyone.

July 3, 2020September 8, 2020 Penned by JenLeave a comment

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when people are trying to come up with an idea (be it prose, arithmetic, or a drawing), they’ll write it with a pencil and paper first? It’s because they know they’re still in the drafting phase and that it will likely change or they may discard it and start over. When they get closer to the final version, they may use a pen and write on higher quality paper.

The more important something is, the more people personalize it and use more durable materials (e.g. the paper used for books is different than regular notebook paper). Wedding invitations are sometimes done in calligraphy on special paper, but the date and time can still change. Anyone who planned a wedding after March of 2020 can attest to that.

However, a wedding contract or ketubah, is unlikely to change after the marriage has taken place unless there is a divorce. And therefore, it’s not something that’s typically written in pencil. You wouldn’t want your spouse to arbitrarily go back and make changes to it without your consent.

How would you capture a really important and binding contract, something you don’t want erased or changed? You could have it engraved if it’s short. If you wanted to personalize it, you could write in your own handwriting, thus providing proof that you wrote it.

Did you know that Kings of Israel were required to write out a copy of the Torah in their own handwriting? (Deut. 17:18)

So, when The Most High writes what is basically His ketubah (marriage contract) with the Children of Israel (His bride) in stone with His own finger, it’s evident He did not want the words to be changed by anyone, not even to “honor” Him or His son.

But yet, many people blindly accept the notion that the first century apostles and followers of the Jewish Messiah did exactly that—they started breaking the fourth commandment to honor the Messiah. And if they did it (or at least someone convinces you they did it), then it must be okay. Did your parents ever lecture you about blindly following your friends? Yeshua said:

“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides.[a] If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” – Matthew 15:13-14

Am I calling the disciples of Yeshua and the Apostle Paul blind guides? No. But if you automatically accept someone else’s explanation or interpretation of scripture and you:

Never use a concordance and tools to study the original text (Greek or Hebrew),
Don’t investigate the scriptures that people used to justify breaking the fourth commandment,
Ignore the historical and political context of a state-adopted religion
Ignore the culture of the early pagan converts who were being courted and the culture of the Jews who were being persecuted

Then you are spiritually impaired.

If the Most High writes something on stone with His finger, who are people to erase and then re-write something He wrote? Think about that. Really think about that. And then go back and study the scriptures for yourself.

I think anyone who’s attended a religious service, a funeral or even a conference has heard a speaker go over his or her allotted time. If you grew up in certain Christian denominations, you may have spent all day in church, gone home to eat dinner and then come back. Just because the Apostle Paul often taught and preached on Saturday evening after the Sabbath ended (technically referred to as the first day of the week in Jewish culture) and into the wee hours of the night, that does not mean that he did not keep the Sabbath. It’s a GALACTIC leap to make that claim.

Furthermore, the gospels say that Mary and Martha visited Yeshua’s tomb on Sunday morning and that it was empty. Nowhere in the bible does it say that Yeshua rose from the dead on Sunday morning. It could have happened Saturday evening before sunset (seventh day) or right after sunset (first day) or sometime before midnight (first day). The point is that we don’t actually know on what day Yeshua was resurrected. We only know what day it was that someone observed that his tomb was empty.

What’s the optical Rx for spiritual impairment? The bible also exhorts the followers of the Messiah to:

Be Bereans and “[search] the Scriptures daily” – Acts 17:11
“Study to show [yourself] approved” — 2 Timothy 2:15
“Rightly [divide] the word of truth” — 2 Timothy 2:15

Many followers of the Jewish Messiah have blindly followed and still follow the politically-inspired, anti-Semitic teachings of converted Pagan “bible authorities.” Many continue to follow lazy, blind or spineless theologians who followed them by upholding the transgression of G-d’s law and reinforcing this false teaching.

If someone with a fancy degree from a seminary could find scriptures to convince you that it’s okay to worship a graven image or commit adultery would you believe them? Why is it okay to break some of the “Ten Commandments” but not others? If God told you to do something a certain way, why would you not believe him? Why would you listen to someone else who contradicts or distorts what God told you? Have you learned nothing from Eve and the Serpent?

Great, Wonderful, Awesome

Isn’t it interesting that the same words we use to describe the most extraordinary characteristics of the one, true, living God, we also use to describe the most common and ordinary nouns?

February 24, 2020 Penned by JenLeave a comment

Having been born in the Midwest, but having grown up in Southern California, I was a “valley girl” before it was even a thing. Yes, I just dated myself. I cringe as I remember the “totallys,” the “likes,” and the “dudes.” And what is “tubular” anyway? I digress.

Slang has a way of seeping into our lives. I don’t know if it starts because we’re lazy or because we’re trying to be clever. Instead of saying someone is skilled, accomplished, adept, or adroit, we say they are “great,” “wonderful,” or “awesome.”

As followers of the Most High, we probably shouldn’t be following the crowd when it comes to our word choices.

Yaakov, the brother of Yeshua wrote:

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

Isn’t it interesting that the same words we use to describe the most extraordinary characteristics of the one, true, living God, we also use to describe the most common and ordinary nouns? I find myself doing it way too often.

Lately, I’m reminded about this when certain songs pop into my head. This morning it was, “How Great is Our God.” Yesterday, it was “Mi Chamocha.” It was the Sabbath, but I was home sick singing it by myself instead of with my congregation.

Another reason I was reminded of “Mi Chamocha” is because I studied the torah portion, “Beshalach” (Exodus 13:17–17:16), three weeks ago. Beshalach is the portion where Moshe was so filled with awe and joy at the deliverance of the Lord from the hands of the Egyptians when they drowned in the Red Sea, he burst into song. This song has now become a beloved prayer and a part of the liturgy for many Jewish and Messianic congregations.

מִי-כָמֹכָה

מִי-כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם יְהוָה,
מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ;
נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת, עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא.

Mi Chamocha

Mi chamocha Ba’elim Adonai?’
Mi kamocha ne’dar bakodesh;
Nora tehillot, oseh pheleh.

Who is like You

Who is like You, Oh Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You?
Lord there is none like You
You are awesome in praise
Doing wonders, oh Lord

What’s the big deal? Isn’t the entire bible translated? Different translations use different words, so why does it matter as long as people aren’t cursing or taking the Lord’s name in vain?

I’m suggesting that as children of God, we give care to words we use casually so that we don’t mix the Holy with the unholy and so that we don’t unintentionally yield the Lord’s glory or praise to something or someone unworthy.

I’ve spent decades listening to and repeating expressions without giving them any thought. And “old habits die hard” as the expression goes. However, there’s one area where I’m making a bit of progress. When someone compliments me using the words “awesome” or “great” (not because I did anything extraordinary but because those words have become a part of American slang), I’m slowly learning to redirect the praise to God.

Isaiah 42:8, says:

I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.

So, it’s not false humility or false modesty or even “word legalism” (I don’t even know if there’s such a thing, but before any tries to accuse me of it, I thought I’d address it.)

It’s just one way to honor God. Even if I’m made in the image of my creator and even if I have a skill, who made me and who gifted me with that skill? He did. So, shouldn’t He get the praise?

Like it says in Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”