Antifa throws flash bombs at children, injures pastor at Christian prayer event in Portland

Natan’s comments:

The story below is very alarming and only the beginning of what is to come. 

I live 20 minutes from this park. In the past, I have preached the gospel there.

What is the sickest part of it all is that the police did not show up to protect the Christians from the lawless Satanists. In the past when we street preached in Portland, the police were there to help keep the peace. The leftist thugs have now replaced the police. These Antifa goons have become the SA Brownshirts warlords in control of the Portland streets, and no one, not even the police, are able to stand up to them or stop them. This is because the politicians have defanged the police and rendered them impotent. 

The church is largely impotent to do anything as well. I used to preach to skinhead gangs and the like in downtown Portland. The anointing of Elohim was all over us when we did it. When the gangs and Satanist came against me, I’d lift up the name of Yeshua and they’d back off. They couldn’t touch me. We saw miracle after miracle. Now all the Christians do is stand around with their fingers in their mouth and say “peace in the name of Jesus” as the thugs mace them and toss their sound equipment in the river.

Moreover, where are the preachers to preach sin and repentance at that moment to these Satanist? Signs and wonders follow the preaching of the gospel, not thumb sucking and Kumbaya singing Christians. That’s what we used to do and YHVH was there to protect us. Now all these impotent Christians can do is stand there with their fingers in their mouths and sing Kumbaya. Sick and sad how the church as devolved. 

YHVH bless any Christians that may not have been in the videos who stood up and preached the gospel as Yeshua commissioned us to do.

And what’s with the sissy pastor standing in his slick suit off to the side looking all dapper, but saying and doing nothing? As I’ve said many times, as long as the pastors are behind their acrylic pulpits in the safety of their churches standing behind their security detail, they’re powerful “men of God.” But get them out into the streets, and they wilt like the real pansies that most of them are. I stood behind a pulpit for 18 years, and I also spent years on the streets preaching the gospel, so I know what I’m talking about. — Natan


From https://www.christianpost.com/news/antifa-assaults-kids-injures-pastor-at-portland-prayer-event.html.

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor | Monday, August 09, 2021FacebookTwitterEmailPrintMenuComment158

Antifa
Antifa members assaulting a prayer and worship event in downtown Portland, Oregon. | YouTube/Mary Todd

Dozens of black-clad Antifa militants carrying shields and melee weapons on Saturday assaulted Christians, including children, who were attending a prayer and worship event in downtown Portland, Oregon, featuring Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski.

Portland police looked on as Antifa bear-sprayed Christians and their children, lobbed “flash bombs” into the crowd, and reportedly threw the sound equipment being used for the prayer event into the Willamette River, PJ Media reported.

In black bloc and riot gear, armed Antifa could be seen in a video physically confronting the Christian attendees. One of the members sprayed a congregant with what appeared to be pepper spray. The attendees stepped back to evade the assault, The Post Millennial reported.

“Where is your God now?” one of the Antifa members can be heard shouting in the video.

A woman attending the prayer event described the group as “ruthless.”

“Antifa just rolled in like an angry mob, started throwing flash bombs at everybody, macing everybody … rotten eggs,” CBN News quoted her as saying. “They threw a flash bomb into a group of kids that were out there from 4 months old to like 10.”

Pawlowski, who serves as pastor of Street Church and Cave of Adullam Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has been seen in viral videos documenting his encounters with law enforcement over COVID-19 restrictions, was also sprayed in the face with mace.

An attendee who helped the pastor was quoted as saying, “Walked up to ask them to stop throwing things at the children. There’s kids down there. I mean, they’re toddlers and they sprayed me too.”

“Welcome to Portland. You won’t like it here, pastor,” tweeted an Antifa member, who identifies herself as Melissa Lewis on Twitter.

In an earlier interview with The Christian Post, Pawlowski spoke about his interactions with authorities over the past year and doubled down on his characterization of local law enforcement as Nazis and communists.

Pawlowski has compared the measures taken by law enforcement officials to enforce novel coronavirus restrictions on churches to the actions taken by authorities in his native Poland when it was under communist rule.

In March 2020, he was informed that Street Church would have to “shut down and stop taking care of the poor.” Pawlowski refused to obey that order, concluding that by issuing “orders to stop feeding them [and] giving them necessities of life, they were sentencing them to death. [And] some of them did die.”

“All of those people wandering the streets, if I don’t feed them or someone like me does not feed them … they’re going to attack your house or break into your car,” he added. “You got to provide people with food if they cannot get it on their own for whatever reason. … Addictions or mental illness or whatever it is, those people will eat this way or that way. I prefer to feed them instead of letting them go and hurt other people to get what they need.”

The Saturday prayer and worship event in Portland was announced a month ago, which gave Antifa enough time to plan the attack.

Antifa has also attacked several churches in Portland.


For more video on Antifa violence against Christians in Oregon, go to: https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1424172330629009412%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithwire.com%2F2021%2F08%2F09%2Fwe-didnt-back-down-christians-respond-to-portland-antifa-attack-with-massive-worship-rally%2F

 

Ecclesiastes 7 and 8—More Deep Insights on Life from the Wise Preacher

As I rapidly move through my sixth decade of life, I have watched many people come and go, rise and fall, live and die. I have travelled to more than 20 countries on four continents, 25 U.S. states, lived in Europe, started businesses and ministries, been married for decades, raised four children, pastored a church for years, and written and published many writings. I have traversed, climbed and skied the mountains, hung from dizzying heights on ropes, swam in rivers, lakes and oceans, climbed 15 to 20 thousand trees, encountered demons, stared death in the face too many times to remember, and even been sprayed by a skunk. I have been loved as well as hated by those I thought were my friends. Much water has passed under the bridge called life, and now it is time to ponder it all.

Each of us has a story to tell, and as we grow older, we feel the need to share it, but why bother? Who will listen to it anyway? Most people are too wrapped in their own lives to care. Nevertheless, this all causes us to keep searching for meaning and purpose for our existence. And this compels me to return again and again to the Rock of Ages—the Bible, the Word of Elohim and to the source of the Truth that is above and way beyond each of us, for understanding and wisdom in order that I may more fully comprehend the complexities, that is, the whys and wherefores of life. 

This all brings me to the book of Ecclesiastes (in Hebrew Kohelet meaning “the Preacher”) to hear from a wise man who had done it all. Here are my recent reflections on the wisdom found in this often overlooked and forgotten book of the Bible. Please enjoy and maybe something said will resonate and bless the reader. —Natan

Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes 7:1–15, Practical keys to lessening the vanity or emptiness of life. So far the Preacher has taught us that life’s endeavors ultimately amount to vanity or nothingness. In spite of this, he has also taught us how to find some meaningful, though temporal, enjoyment in this physical life although all humans are in the endless cycles of this earthly prison of time and space. Now the preacher gives us some more practical wisdom on how to squeeze some meaning out of an ultimately meaningless existence (if this physical life is all that there is).

Ecclesiastes 7:16–17, Do not be overly. Moderation in all things is a key to happiness and will help to prolong life.

Ecclesiastes 7:18, He who fears Elohim. The fear of Elohim is a recurring them in Ecclesiastes. It is as if the Preacher is toying with the reader to provoke him to look beyond the ultimately meaningless existence of this physical life. He seems to be teasing us with the proverbial carrot on a stick in front of the mule routine. Despite the ultimated meaninglessness of life on this earth, in the Preacher’s mind there must be some over-arching benefit to both acknowledging and fearing the Creator. Is this perhaps a key that unlocks the iron door to the prison called life and is the only means to escape the empty vanity and meaninglessness of it all?

Ecclesiastes 7:19–24, More practical keys to lessening the vanity or emptiness of life.

Ecclesiastes 7:27–29, Here is what I found. The Preacher sums up what he has found to this point in diligently seeking to find the meaning of life. The more he searches, the deeper he drills down to find the answer to this perennial and universal questions as to the meaning of life, the more the answer still eludes him.

Elohim made man upright. Man was initially created upright and righteous, but the serpent in the tree conned man into disobeying the Creator’s laws, and man has been scheming to circumvent them ever since.

Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes 8:1–17, More ponderings on the conundrums of life. In this chapter, the Preacher continues his musings trying to make sense of the injustices and ironies of life. But through it all he is certain of one thing: It will be well with those who fear Elohim, but it will not be well with the wicked (vv. 12–13). For certain, the Preacher knows that there is a wrong way and a right way to live one’s life, and that those who chose the path of good will be better off than those who do not. This may not seem like a stunning revelations, but a rather simple truth. But this truth escapes many people who blithely and thoughtlessly go about the business of life from day to day satiating the lust of the eyes and flesh and the pride of life and think nothing more about it.

So once again, the Preacher tosses into the mix a “God principle” to encourage us to take our eyes off of the mundaneness of the endless cycles life and begin to begin, if every so slightly, to fix our gaze heavenward.

 

19 Tips to Surviving Evil’s Onslaught Against Us

2 Timothy 3:1, Last days…perilous times.

Standing Like a Rock in the End Times! 

In these increasingly dark and evil days in which we are now living where evil is made to appear to be good, down is up and black is white, and where YHVH’s people are being increasingly marginalized, persecuted and even killed, what can and should we be doing in the face of evil’s onslaught against us? The following list provides the answers from the Scriptures.

Watch and pray (Matt 26:41; Mark 13:33; 14:38; Luke 21:36).

  • Pray that you might be counted worthy to escape YHVH’s judgments that will be coming on the earth because of wickedness (Luke 21:36).
  • Endure to the end (Matt 24:13; Mark 13:13).
  • Keep your eyes on Yeshua the Lamb and follow him wherever he goes (Rev 14:4).
  • Occupy until Yeshua comes (Luke 19:13). Be busy doing what Yeshua has called you to do to help advance his kingdom on earth.
  • Engage in intercessory prayer, though at this time, it may not do much good, since biblical prophecy has to be fulfilled as end time events occur. This means that things will be getting worse and worse until Yeshua returns and destroys Babylon the Great New World Order. We can still intercede for individuals however.
  • Be an overcomer in every way possible. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21). Those who overcome spiritual evil will experience great rewards (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21)
  • Be prepared to engage in civil disobedience as a last resort, if necessary. If civil laws violate YHVH’s laws, the Bible tells us to obey YHVH’s laws over men’s laws (Acts 4:19; 5:29; Ps 94:16).
  • Be prepared to help persecuted brothers and sisters in any way possible. You might be next the next one to be persecuted and may find yourself needing help from others, so pay it forward! If you sow, you will reap.
  • Continue to be salt and light to those around you in every way possible (Matt 5:13–16).
  • Don’t expect things on earth to get better. Yeshua never said it would get better, but only darker before his return. He’s coming at the midnight hour when evil will be the most pervasive and rampant on the earth.
  • Expect intense persecution of Bible believers (2 Tim 3:12; Matt 5:10–12; 10:22–25; 23:34; Mark 10:30; John 15:19–21; 16:2, 33; 17:14; 1 Thess 3:3–4; 1 Pet 4:12–16; Rev 7:14). Yeshua in the book of Revelation prophesies that this will occur in the end times.
  • Be wise as serpents (Matt 10:16). Find ingenious ways to circumvent Caesar’s evil and unbiblical mandates without getting caught, while at the same time being obedient to YHVH’s higher laws.
  • Love not your lives unto death (Rev 12:11). Be willing to lose some or all of yourself for Yeshua including your material possessions. Greater rewards await you for your faithful obedience to Yeshua (Matt 10:39; 16:25).
  • Be inspired by the great faith of the biblical and Christian heros who have gone before us (Heb 11).
  • Come out of the end times Babylon the Great world system more completely (Rev 18:4) starting with the spiritual aspects of this evil and ungodly worldwide system.  Eventually, this may mean leaving the cities and going into communal situations into the wilderness with other like-minded believers. Some of the Roman Catholic monasteries were started by those fleeing the corruption of Rome.
  • The more evil intensifies against you, love the light of YHVH’s truth, love Yeshua more and run to him and hold on to him—the Rock of your salvation—more tightly.
  • Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you and pray for them (Matt 5:44).
  • And finally…

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love (1 Cor 16:13).  Let the following scriptures admonish you:

“Put on the whole armor of Elohim, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of Elohim, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Elohim; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints….” (Eph 6:11–18)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in Elohim for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Elohim, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Messiah, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Cor 10:3–6)

 

Do YOU need the gift of repentance? (We all do!)

2 Timothy 2:25–26, Grant them repentance.This verse indicates that sinful humans can’t even repent of sin properly on their own strength. Repentance is a gift that YHVH grants to those who have a heart for it—that they will come to their senses and turn from falling prey to the snares of the devil that have bound them in sin. Moreover, verse 25 indicates that YHVH may or may not grant people this gift. 

Elsewhere we read that YHVH is not willing that anyone should perish, but desires that all men everywhere come to repentance (Acts 17:30; 2 Pet 3:9). From these scriptures, we may conclude that whether YHVH grants the gift of repentance or not depends on whether a person is sick enough of his sin to cry out to YHVH for help in desperation for deliverance. 

This gift of repentance can occur at the beginning of one’s spiritual walk as they are coming to faith, or later down the road when one is repenting of reoccurring sin that, in their own strength, they feel powerless to overcome. 

This gift comes as a result of trusting YHVH completely and not relying on one’s own strength to overcome sin. Faith in Elohim and humility on the part of the sinner is the key that unlocks access to the gift of repentance.

 

Deuteronomy 21–Natan’s Commentary Notes

Deuteronomy 21–25

This section of the Torah (Deut 21:10–25:19) contains 72 commandments, which is more than in any other Torah portion. In this passage there are rules pertaining to all aspects of human relations showing that the “Torah deals with the real world. It does not present a world where all people get along with one another or rush to take care of one another’s property. Instead, it ‘takes into account the grim reality that people do not achieve the desired observance of “you shall not hate others in your heart”’” (A Torah Commentary For Our Time vol. 3, p. 150). 

In studying this portion, one can easily miss the point of a particular command if one views it strictly in its pashat (most literal) meaning. For these commands to have relevance in our day, one must view them as principles that have a broad range of applications. The specific examples Torah gives are merely representative of one of but many life situations to which the principle behind the example could apply. Keeping this in mind, this Torah portion will give you much to ponder pertaining to your day-to-day walk (or halakhah).

In these chapters we see a plethora of laws concerning many seemingly small details regarding human life. Many people in the church have the tendency to broadly sweep away these commandments with such dismissive cliches as, “We’re now under grace…,” or “We’re not under the law anymore….” But please observe how many of the civil laws of our nation regulating actions between various members of society are based upon YHVH’s laws found in the Torah. 

As many of us make our way back to a more biblical truth-based lifestyle and orientation, we begin to see that (a) YHVH cares about the details of our lives, and (b) these laws, while sometimes hard to understand, are for our own well-being and blessing. Do you still nurse a “pick and choose” or “have it your own way” mentality with regard to YHVH’s biblical commandments choosing to follow the ones you want and making excuses why you can’t (or don’t want to) follow the rest? By doing so, what blessings are you depriving yourself of, and how are you hindering your love relationship with YHVH?

Some of the laws in these chapters may be hard to observe nowadays. With others, due to our church background, we may have the tendency to spiritualize them away, thus, in essence, rendering them of non‑effect in our lives and thereby placing ourselves above YHVH’s Torah-law thus becoming a law unto ourselves. Not a good thing! This is what Adam and Eve did in the garden at the tree of knowledge. Is this not humanism: every man doing what is right in his own eyes instead of obeying YHVH whatever the cost? Who is the Master of your life? You or YHVH? Let us not forget the words of Yeshua, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21), and “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

How do you view laws about women wearing men-type clothing, wearing fringes on the corners of your garments, mixing certain types of fibers in your clothing, lending money without interest, caring for the widows and orphans, personal hygiene, the family purity laws (e.g. men not having sexual relations with their wives during their monthly cycles), removing blood from all meat before eating it, men wearing beards, faithfully tithing, following the biblical dietary laws, and observing YHVH’s Sabbaths (weekly and annual), etc.? These are lifestyle-changing laws, many of which go contrary to the current mores of our society. 

Are we not called to be a kadosh, set-apart, special and peculiar (i.e. treasured) people before YHVH? Following these laws to the best of our ability will help us to be the people that YHVH has called us to be. What progress are you making to bring your life into conformity to his standards of righteousness?

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (Heb 12:14)

[B]ut as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Pet 1:15–16)

Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21:18–21, Stubborn and rebellious son.Many of the laws of YHVH’s penal code are preventative in nature. Such is the case with the wayward and rebellious son. In ancient Israel, there were no prisons, since it was the goal of YHVH’s Torah-laws to root out evil before it spread like a cancerous disease endangering society. In the case of the law of the rebellious son, parents’ love for YHVH must supersede even that of their children. This will help to insure that children will remain on the straight and narrow path when they become adults. What steps are you taking with regard to your children to prevent them from going down the path of faithlessness and rebellion?

Deuteronomy 21:22, Put to death…hang him on a tree.A man condemned of a crime worthy of capital punishment is to be put to death, and then hung on a tree. He is not killed by hanging. According to S. A. Hirsch, for two crimes only (blasphemy and idol worship) was the command given to hang the bodies. Even though these crimes brought on such an ignominious and shameful end as being hanged, Elohim still requires that the corpse—even of a criminal—to be honored by burial because it was still the life a human, who was made in the image of Elohim. As Hirsch notes, an unburied corpse is to be considered a disgrace and a degradation to all living humans. It also defiles the land, as this verse says. This commandment gives us some insight into how YHVH views the sanctity of life. The abhorrent practice of abortion, for example, degrades life in many ways. This not only includes how the baby is murdered in the mother’s womb, but how it is disposed of afterwards.

Deuteronomy 21:23, For a hanging person is a curse of Elohim.Compare this passage with Paul’s statements in Galatians 3:13 and then consider both of these passages in light of Isaiah 53:4–10. Rashi, a medieval Jewish Bible commentator, has an interesting comment on Deuteronomy 21:23. “For a hanging person is an insult of God. It is a degradation of the King, for man is made in the likeness of His image, and Israel are His sons. This can be compared to two twin brothers who resembled each other. One became a king, while one became ensnared in banditry, and was hung. Whoever would see him hanging would say, ‘The king is hanging!’” The rabbinical commentary on Rashi’s commentary ponders the meaning of Rashi’s statement as follows: “[Rashi’s] parable seems difficult. Could people really look at a hanging corpse and think that the King of kings [sic] is hanging? Also, what does Rashi add by noting that ‘Israel are his sons’? And finally, why does Rashi say that ‘one became a king,’ rather than ‘one was a king’ After all, God cannot be said to ‘have become’ a king” (The ArtScroll Sapirstein Edition Rashi/Deuteronomy, p. 227). These comments are curious in light of the fact that these Jewish sages were not believers in Yeshua the Messiah. How would you answer the commentator’s question from a Messianic perspective as pertaining to Yeshua?

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 8-8 Through 8-14-21

Aside

Parashat Shoftim — Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9
Haftarah — Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12
Prophets — Hosea 3:1 – 12:14
Writings — 1 Chronicles 16:1 – 22:19
Testimony — 1 Timothy 1:1 – 6:21; 2 Timothy 1

Our annual Scripture Reading Schedule for 2020-2021 with daily readings that began on 10/11/20 is available to download and print. The link to the previous 2019-2020’s Scripture Reading Schedule will still be available on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links” into next year. If you are using a mobile device or tablet, the link may be below, meaning you’ll need to scroll down instead.

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link or the “share your thoughts” box below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 8/8 through 8/14/2021.

 

Natan’s Notes on 2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1:6, Stir up. What in us needs stirring up from time to time? Simply this: boldness to share the gospel with those around us as we discuss in the next verse. 

2 Timothy 1:7, Spirit of fear [Gr. deilia]. Deilia denotes “timidity or cowardice.” The opposite of deilia is shame (v. 8), but shame of what? The context is clear here. It shame of the testimony or gospel of Yeshua and of standing up for those who are being persecuted for preaching the gospel (v. 8). For fear of what others will think, too many believers fail to share the gospel with those around them. Yeshua referred to this as putting one’s lamp under a bushel basket when, instead, he called his disciples to be like light on a hill (Matt 5:13–15) and commissioned them to take the gospel to the world (Matt 28:18–20; Mark 16:14–18). For too many saints, the great commission has become the great omission!

For the sons of Elohim, there is nothing to fear!

What have the saints to fear when Yeshua has given them the victory over sin and death (1 Cor 15:54–56)? Nay, through Yeshua the Messiah, the saint can do all things (Phil 4:13), and has become more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37), for greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). After all, if Elohim is for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31)? This means that YHVH will give us the boldness to share the gospel message with those around us, even as he gave the early disciples the boldness to do so when they asked him for it in the face of life threatening persecution (Acts 4:23–31).

Power [Gr. dunamis]…love [Gr. agapē]…sound mind [Gr. sōphronismos]. Dunamis refers to miraculous power or strength. Agape denotes “affection or benevolence” and, in Scripture, refers to the love of Elohim for his Son, for the human race, believers for Yeshua, the saints for one another, and is a fruit of the Spirit. 

Sōphronismos denotes “a well-balanced, self-controlled or disciplined mind.” In other words, YHVH has equipped the saint with everything he needs to counteract the natural tendency toward fear in difficult situations. We have the miraculous power of the Spirit of Elohim working within us, the fruit of the Spirit of love, and a well-balanced and self disciplined mental state that will give in neither to irrational nor to naturally occurring human fear in the face of difficult situations. 

What is Paul saying here in contrast to the spirit of fear or timidity and being ashamed of the testimony of Yeshua (v. 8)? He is declaring that Elohim has given his saints the means, power and ability to share the gospel with those around them and to stand up for the testimony of Yeshua in the face of persecution rather than succumbing to the natural tendency to pull away in timidity or cowardice. 

Elsewhere, John declare that there is no fear in love, that perfect love casts out fear, and that the saint’s source of love is from the Father in heaven (1 John 4:18–19). If we are full of the love of Yeshua for others, then we will neither be afraid of what they think nor will we be ashamed to share the gospel with them, for our desire to see them saved will override all fear including that of criticism, mocking or rejection by others. The example of this can be illustrated by a house that is on fire and that contains sleeping occupants who are unaware of the fire that is about to kill them. Without thinking and in total boldness, a good Samaritan will break into the house, rush in yelling and screaming for the people to wake up and escape. He will do so boldly and without concern for what those in the house may think. In a sense, this should be our approach to those around us who are spiritually lost and in danger of being cast into the lake of fire.

2 Timothy 1:9, Before time began.YHVH Elohim established his plan of salvation for mankind through the redemptive life and death of Yeshua the Messiah before the world began (Rev 17:8; Acts 15:18; Rom 16:25; Tit 1:2; 1 Pet 1:20). Additionally, YHVH has chosen each saint through Yeshua before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:14; Rom 87:29–30; 11:2; Acts 18:38). That is, he knew each person by name who would accept his gift of salvation (Rev 13:8; 17:8) and, by implication, he also knew those who wouldn’t. Moreover, the kingdom of Elohim or heaven has been prepared for the saints from or before the foundation of the world (Matt 25:35).

2 Timothy 1:10, Life [Gr. zoe] and immortality [Gr. aphtharsia]. Zoe refers to life in it all of its aspects both in physical and spiritual dimensions. Aphtharsia denotes “incorruptibility or generally unending existence.” Through Yeshua, the saint has both physical and spiritual life that will extend past the final curtain of physical death and will continue unendingly into eternity. This is the message and power of the gospel in a person’s life through a relationship with Yeshua.