Jesus

The Base

by ladypbwiggins

noun – the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported.”she sat down at the base of a tree”

verb -have as the foundation for (something); use as a point from which (something) can develop.”the film is based on a novel by Pat Conroy”

Whether noun or verb the word base describes something that something else is built on. It always seems to imply a foundation of sorts. If the base is damaged that which is built upon it is unstable. If a work is based on another work which is weak then that which is developed has less of a chance for success or credibilty. It is of great concern and attention that the base in building or developing something is strong and stable. No corners are cut. No second rate materials are used. Just watch advertisements for products. Much attention is given to assuring us that the best materials were used and the quality is unsurpassed.

Now some have said that we are a base people; my people, black people; people of African descent. Does this mean we are the lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported. Are other people in this country resting on us? Are we supporting them. Are things being developed with us as the foundation? I can empahtically answer yes. I can with a resounding voice say YES! There are other people groups in this country that were considered a part of this base but have been allowed to advance or build upon themselves to no longer be the base. So I am not ignoring their contributions. I am speaking about my people because they are my people. It is my experience. (Indigenous people may be included with the black experience for the sake of being held to the base. There has been some progress made in my lifetime but this country is digressing. Much of what was fought for in the 50’s and 60’s is being reversed. Attitudes toward us as base are returning to those decades and our fight continues. The difference is as a people we understand our importance. Atttending to the health of the BASE is necessary . If the base is neglected that which is built upon it is unstable. If Black people are in bad, mental and emotional health every institution developed in this country is unstable. The White people who hate us and are trying to subjugate us as they make America great again don’t realize that as they hurt us, they hurt themselves. The attempt to destroy us, they destroy the America that they want to make great.

Now I know someone is saying Black people are not the foundation or base that this country is built upon. It is the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Until the tenets of those documents are applied to the Black community as they are for the white community, the strength of those documents will be weak. Hence, that which is developed upon them, that which they support is unstable. America shore up your base by living up to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Treat us as what we are..citizens of this country with the same birthright as yours.

And if you call yourself a Chrisitan, read the Book. Read the teachings of Yeshua. Read his geneology and research the ethnicity of each member. You may be quite surprised. At the very least it is clear he was born of a Hebrew woman which rules out a European appearance. He worked as a carpenter with no electrical tools in the heat of Nazareth. He was likely muscular and tan, not frail and fair complexioned. But most important is how he treated people and how he instructed us to treat each other. Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two hang the law and prophets. These two embody all that God has declared and require of His people. So where do you stand? Do you destroy your Black neighbor or do you Love them? Do you help make the Base healthy or do you injure it?

Remember the health and strength of the Base has a direct effect on that which is supported by it or that which is developed on it. The health and the strength of the Base affects you.

Trying To Lift Without Leverage

by ladypbwiggins

A few minutes ago I was trying to help lift my husband from a very soft sofa. For those who know us know that is no easy feat. He is 6’7″ at 240lbs and I am 5’4″ and we want talk about the other 😂. We have a system and he wasn’t using it. He removed my leverage. Once we got back on the same page I was able to help him stand.

I began thinking about this principal’s application in other areas of my life, our lives. No matter how hard we try we can not be lifted nor can we lift anyone else without proper leverage. There are different leverages:money, knowledge, physical strength, strategy and the Word and Spirit of God.

For those of us who are believers of the teachings of Yeshua, I believe we have the ultimate, the maximum leverage. The power promised to us is our leverage. This power is based and saturated in love but it should be handled with care. It is as explosive as nitroglycerin.

Let’s learn to use this powerful leverage with knowledge and wisdom, compassion, empathy and love. Not just for fellow believers but for those who don’t believe His teachings; for those who hate us; for those who live by different lifestyles or rules. This leverage does not give us the right or responsibility to condemn those that may have a different belief system. Yeshua said to share His teachings and love and He would draw all to Himself.

With this leverage we can lift many and ourselves to higher heights.

I’m What?

by ladypbwiggins

I have been called many things in my life and told who and what I was suppose to be but these last few months have been quite interesting. I was told I wasn’t a Christian. I was told I was a communist liberal. I was a fraud. All of this because I didn’t agree with some things some other Christians believed or said. So you know I couldn’t just let that sit there. What exactly did these words mean? I know how they are portrayed but what do they mean?

Liberal – 1.open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.

2. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.

Conservative – disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.

Progressive – favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters:

Communism – a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

So from the Merriam Webster Dictionary and Dictionary.com,

I am open to new behavior or opinions and willing to get rid of traditional values to reform or progress society rather than leaving conditions and limiting change as they traditionally are and I want to hold all property in common for the community.

Liberal, Progressive, Communist. Based on the definition that sounds like a description of Yeshua aka Jesus and the Apostles. Yeshua shook up the Pharisees (Conservatives) world. They taught the Mosaic law but did not live the spirit of the law. They even created new law restrictions that they say were extensions of the original. These were very pious men who exacted judgement on the people with little to no compassion or intent to help them change. They were more concerned with appearances than the truly living the Law. They would swallow a camel and strain at a gnat. Check out Matthew 23 to see just what Yeshua said about their hypocrisy. Yeshua even told his followers not to pray like them. There were so many things they did that violated the very law they sought to preserve. Here’s an example. Just one example. The woman caught in adultery. The Law said both the woman and the man were to be stoned but they only brought the woman. They asked Yeshua what to do. He said very matter-of-fact, let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Now if they had done nothing else they had sinned by not bringing the man. He did not violate or change the law but he did open up some new behavior pathways. Stone her but be sure you are guiltless. You want another one. Okay. All that dining with the sinners like Matthew and Zaccheaus. How about hanging out with the prostitute Mary Magdeline. And that unclean woman that touched him, how dare he let her do that and not stone her? Oh and how about turning over the money changers tables in the temple? Now that was a non–conservative act if every they saw one. You don’t mess with temple, church, money.

His 3 year minitry was one of reform and making progress toward that reform. He gave us instructions that were all based on Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor. That LOVE would reform and change the traditional behavior. If the Pharisees had taught that then Love would have been the traditional behavior. What we have now is “if your like me love”. If you meet my criteria love. If you are gay, I can’t show you love. If you are black, brown, white, immigrant, poor, rich, skinny, fat, whatever the reason not like me, I can’t show you love. Yeshua sought reformation on that thinking then and we need to reform our thinking now. Loving does not mean I agree with the person. Loving means I will care for you, I will share the Biblical truth with you and accept your decision. I will respect you and seek understanding of your perspective. I will offer you a safe space free from judgement. In that space I will show you His love; I will live my Biblical truth toward you. I will leave the judgement or condemnation to God. After all, according to Paul’s letter to the Corithians, that’s God’s job not mine. According to Yeshua’s commands we must love. Genuinely love. In fact the sum of His command was Go, teach and love. Oh, but first you had to live it. This was His progressive, liberal stance.

Now to that communism part. Yeshua took a little boy’s lunch and fed 5000 men. That count did not include the women and children that were fed. All things common so know one lacked anything. When the first century church sold all their possessions and brought them to the Apostles so that everyone’s needs were met, wasn’t that communism according to the definition? Hmm.

Now I know the purest form of these definitions have been perverted, but what if they weren’t? What if we were liberal enough to be open to progressive acts that would change our behavior to be more aligned with the Word of God. He said Love. Love would change this country. These religious mandates and judgments have only resulted in fear, anger and hatred. Yeshua showed Mary Magdaline love and forgiveness and she changed. He sat down in Matthew’s home and spoke truth with respect and love, and he changed. The same with Zacchaeus. He did not offer this selectively. Your sin is greater so I won’t deal with you. That’s not God’s love. The Law stayed unchanged but the improvement and reformation of peoples lives were changed forever. If we who say we follow Yeshua would be that kind of liberal, what we see being played out would not be necessary. So you conservatives who want everything to stay the same, your tradition stay that way if you like but I invite you to the freedom in being the kind of liberal Yeshua was. It is life reforming.

Yeshua was the most famous liberal, progressive, communist that ever walked this earth. So to you who thought you were insulting me, it was really the best compliment you could give me. Thank you. This is company I like being in.

Y’shua’s Gospel

by ladypbwiggins

We would do Well to Remember!

One day I decided to study the gospels, you know, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, with the purpose of determining the gospel message according to Y’shua (Jesus). We have so many people telling us what the gospel is in sermon, song, or behavior. Their versions have just gotten so anti-everything, except what I can get for “me”. Now I am not new to the scriptures but I wanted a fresh look. I set aside everything I knew or thought I knew and approached the investigation with fresh eyes.
The question I wanted answered was “what is the gospel according to Y’shua?”  Remember He had not died and resurrected, so that could not be His gospel.
Also, why were the religious leaders so angry with Him? You would think they’d be supportive after He read Isaiah in the synagogue. After all, they had been, supposedly, awaiting with great expectation the Messiah”s appearance on the scene.

I noticed that Y’shua challenged the practices of the religious leaders with his every act and word. The religious leaders prayed in public so everyone could observe their piety. But where was the submission to Yahweh? Y’shua taught his disciples not to pray like the Pharisees who had a semblance of holiness. He taught them to respect and yield to Yahweh’s sovereignty when they prayed. They wanted the law to be obeyed without compassion for the person. He taught obedience to the law wrapped in love. Take the women caught in adultery. The law said both the man and the woman should be stoned but only the woman was brought before him. He did not condone the woman’s behavior. Instead, He asked her where are your accusers. He did not condemn her, instead he showed her compassion and to sin no more. His response also cast a light on their hypocrisy and disobedience. He who has no sin cast the first stone. We would do well to remember.

I could go on but I will stop here with examples. It is my opinion that HIS GOSPEL, HIS GOOD NEWS was
1. Freedom from legalism, religiosity,selective judgement, man-made traditions
2. Freedom to love their God, themselves and their neighbors.

Yes, Yahweh’s law was to be obeyed. Yes, Yahweh’s messages through the prophets were to be listened to. Y’shua reminded them that the law and the prophets hung on the commandment to love God (Yahweh) and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22:35-40 (KJV)
35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38  This is the first and great commandment.
39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

In everything He said and did, Yahweh’s Love was the why. His expression or example of righteous Love is the how. Love in all circumstances was His message; His GOSPEL; HIS GOOD NEWS.

We would do well to remember what is most important.

LOVE!

A Second Touch

by ladypbwiggins

This morning my bible study covered the account of Y’shua (Jesus) healing a blind man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26). The man’s friends begged  Yshua to heal him. Y’shua took the blind man by the hand and led him outside of the village. He spat on his eyes and then touched them. He asked him if he could see anything. The man said I see people but they look like trees walking. Y’shua then touched him again. It is reported after the second touch the blind man’s sight was restored and he could see all things clearly.

In my humanness, my first reaction was to him spitting in his eyes. I have a real serious issue with people spitting on me. But putting that aside, I wondered why a second touch needed. I know He was powerful enough to heal on the first touch. He had done it before. That question lingered in my mind through the rest of the study.  A second touch was required to complete the healing. Why? Was it the man’s lack of faith? Was it the disciple’s lack of faith and understanding? Was it necessary to teach that sometimes a process is needed for healing? Was it to teach the disciples the difference in seeing and seeing clearly? In light of the disciples’ lack of understanding about the Pharisee’s leaven, maybe Y’shua had to show them how blind they were and that they had a need to see clearly and that He was the source of that clarity. Hmm.

Some of you know my husband and I went through a horrendous year in 2015. I was faced with his death. While the EMTs worked to resuscitate him, I prayed, LORD if it is his time, take him because I don’t want him to suffer but if it isn’t, please heal him completely. As soon as I finished my request, he began to breath. I believe that was God’s answer that He would heal him completely. When he left the house he was breathing on his own. Here we are almost a year since he came home from rehab for the third time. He has made tremendous progress but he is not completely healed. He is walking with a cane and his memory is still shaky. I have asked God why hasn’t he healed him completely yet?  Why hasn’t He restored him to good health mentally and physically? What are we not doing that we should be doing? What do we need to see clearly? To what am I blind? Could it be that a second touch is needed?

LORD, I pray that you touch us again with your healing hands. I ask that you restore Carl’s body and mind to be better than before. We believe you allowed him to stay here because you still had a job for him to do. Touch me and teach me what you desire of me. LORD give us a second touch.

Do you need a second touch?

I just can’t see My Leftovers

by ladypbwiggins

It is so easy to fall back into bad habits and worry. I have a mountainous list of things to do in a short period of time. “I just can’t see how” it will all get done. There is a financial component that “I just can’t see how” I will get it paid on time. The problem here is not how it will get done or the cost. The problem is “I just can’t see.” My answer to my real problem popped up in my bible study this morning.

Mark 8:18-21. My paraphrase

Y’shua (Jesus) said to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” They thought he was talking about bread. They forgot to get some for the trip. Y’shua knowing this asked them, when he fed the 4000 and the 5000 what happened? He reminded them that not only did he supply the need but there was an abundance of leftovers. The unspoken questions, I believe, are why would I be warning you about the Pharisees’ bread. Even more so, why are you worrying about not bringing any. Don’t you yet know, I will supply the need?

That was the message to me. With all that I have done for you, especially in the last year and half, all the miracles you have experienced, all the needs met, why are you worried about all you have to get done and how much it will cost? Don’t you yet understand WHO your supplier is? I have supplied your need and you have had an abundance of leftovers. 

Do YOU need to be reminded of your leftovers? Are you worrying about things you know full well Y’shua has the authority to handle? STOP.

We have an abundance of leftovers.

When Enough is Enough

by ladypbwiggins

God’s Grace is not a new thing. From the very beginning, Yahwe has shown grace to mankind. When Adam sinned, He could have let him stay in the garden, eat from the tree of life, and live in separation from God forever. Can you imagine being spiritually or emotionally separated from someone you’ve enjoyed a peaceful, loving, fulfilling relationship with, but still in their presence, forever? Grace and love placed him in a position to be potentially forgiven and potentially having a restored relationship with his Creator.

When mankind decided to build a staircase to heaven, Yahwe could have wiped them out but when He decided enough was enough, He confused the languages instead.

The prophesy of Malachi tells the priests of Israel that God is not pleased with them. He gives them a warning of what would happen if they did not change their behavior. Essentially, when He had enough, He would send His messenger to alert them to His coming and His judgment. Grace.

When John the Baptizer and Y’shua came on the scene, grace abounded. Have you every wondered what specific sins might have been committed by the people that John so passionately cried out for the need for repentance? Have you ever wondered why Y’shua was so hard on the religious leaders? Everything enumerated in Malachi was being done in Israel at that time. Was it the first time? No. Why now? God decided He had Enough. When it is enough warning comes and then the judgement.

Grace gave the religious leaders three and a half years to change their way of thinking and their behavior. When enough was enough, Y’shua was crucified and then resurrected; the judgment.

So what was Israel doing that required Malachi’s warning? Stay tuned.

Tradition or Truth?

by ladypbwiggins

When I was a kid I asked my Sunday School teacher why did Herod kill all the children two years old and younger? If Jesus was a newborn, why didn’t he just kill newborns. I don’t remember her answer but I it must not have made sense to my young mind. I was persistent enough for an answer I could understand that it got me expelled from my class for being disruptive. I was keeping her from teaching her planned lesson.

That question remained until I research it for my self. Here is what I understand to be the reason he killed children as old as 2 years old.

If we think of this logically, whether they were coming from the Orient or Africa it took time to get to Jerusalem traveling by camel in a caravan. We don’t know how long they were in Jerusalem but it is conceivable that they did not see Herod on immediate arrival. After traveling a great distance it is likely they wanted to make themselves presentable, freshen up as it were, before they even went to request an audience. Then Herod had to grant it. Next Herod had to call the priests and scribes to get the information to give the wise men. The priests and scribes were sent away so he could ask the wise men in secret when they first saw the star. Then the wise men had to travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. That journey was 4.4 miles which took less than a day by camel caravan. Now we can speculate that it only took a few days for all of this. We can also speculate that they saw the star sooner than the birth night. But here is the clincher. In verse 16, we learn clearly that Herod made his decision to slay males 2 years old and under based on information gathered from the wise men. If it was the same night he was born that they left Jerusalem, why kill 2 year old males? Why not newborns? I believe they were not there on the night of his birth. Others have stated the same. I asked them why continue to promote the idea that they were present if we can see they weren’t. Tradition was their answer.

Tradition versus Truth: which is more important?

Matthew 2

  1. Yehoshuwa (Jesus)  was born during the reign of Herod the Great   Matt 2:1
  2. The wise men or magi saw the star in the east. (Were they in the east or the star east of them?  Matt 2:1
  3. The wise men went to Jerusalem to Herod to get the location of the child. Matt 2:2  Why didn’t they follow the star to Bethlehem? Apparently the star was not visible to them the entire trip. It made sense to go to the capital as it were to find the king. Could they have thought the child was the heir to the throne from the present king? Possibly.
  4. Herod sent for his priests to determine where the child would be born.  Matt 2:4-6 Why didn’t he know? Hadn’t at least heard the prophecy regarding the Messiah?
  5. He asked the magi when the star appeared. This gave Herod the first clue to when the child was born. Matt 2:7
  6. He sent them to Bethlehem based on the prophecy and instructed them to return to him with the exact location.  Matt 2:8
  7. The star reappeared to guide them to Yehoshuwa’s location  Matt 2:9
  8. The wise men entered the house where the young child and his mother were. Matt 2:11  House not stable.
  9. The wise men did not return to Herod and this angered him He gave orders to kill every child in Bethlehem, 2 years old and under, based on the time given to him by the wise men.  Matt 2:16

Matthew 2:16 (NKJV)
16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

What’s in A Name?

by ladypbwiggins

Before I begin, I want to state that I don’t believe there are any contradictions in the Bible. I do believe those things that appear to be contradictions are due to our lack of understanding of ancient writings, ancient cultures and the etymology of ancient words or languages. I am not a Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic or Latin scholar but I do know how to use tools that can help me understand the language. My purpose is knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6 (NKJV)
6  For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

So I begin. Have you ever wondered why Jesus was named Jesus? Jesus is not a Middle Eastern or Hebrew name. Then there is the prophecy by Isaiah that his name should be called Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)
14  Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Seems like a contradiction or error doesn’t it. Well I worked backwards beginning with the name Jesus to get its origin. I will be using the Strongs Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionay for this activity.

The Greek transliteration for Jesus is Iēsous. This word is translated from the Hebrew word Yehowshuwa`.

Yehowshuwa` or Yehowshu`a, yeh-ho-shoo’-ah; from <H3068> (Yehovah) and <H3467> (yasha`); Jehovah-saved; Jehoshuä (i.e. Joshua)
It is more likely that our translation of His name would be Joshua or the Greek version Jesus.

Now Immanuel is a little less straight forward. If you look up Immanuel it is translated God With Us. That doesn’t help with why he is named Jesus and not Immanuel. I found the answer in the meaning in Hebrew of the word “name”.

name-shem- a primitive word [perhaps rather from <H7760> (suwm) through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare <H8064> (shamayim)]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

We usually think in terms of the label that your parents give you at birth or the appellation part of the definition but we carry many other names. We called them titles. What exactly is a definite and conspicuous position? According to Dictionary.com conspicuous means to be easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable; attracting attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities. Position has several meanings but I believe these fit the context: status or standing; high standing, as in society; important status.

With these definitions Isaiah seems to be saying this virgin-birthed person will have a

clearly defined, readily observable, attention attracting standing in society, GOD WITH US.

I do believe as we read the reports of Matthew, Mark, John and the Luke, Jesus or Yehowshuwa` fulfills the prophecy. No contradiction.

That’s “What’s in a Name”

All questions and comments are welcome. I search for knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

Note: In future posts I will not use the name Jesus but Yehowshuwa` or Joshua.

 

Walk With Me Back To Basics

by ladypbwiggins

I have been listening to Christian teachers and pastors. I have been listening to those who have many questions about the belief system they grew up with. I have been listening to non-believers and all of this brought me to a realization. We have focused so much on prosperity that we have forgotten some basics. We have confused onlookers because our behavior shows little difference to that of Wall Street financiers or street thugs. It’s about the money or the bling. Before you get it twisted, I believe God wants to bless us financially but my problem is not with the wealth but our attitude and behavior.

I decided to go back to basics. I decided to study the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and John who walked with Y’shua; who recorded from different perspectives His teachings. I mean who else can give us insight on what He taught better than Himself.

I began with searching for the answer of a few questions I had.

  1. Exactly how did He get the name Jesus? I knew it wasn’t His given name. He was Israeli after all.
  2. Why did Isaiah prophesy that He would be called Immanuel and then was named something else?
  3. What was His authority that I should listen to Him?

Now I know someone is going to be shocked by that last one. I have no doubt that He has authority but I want to reaffirm from the Word the basis for my belief. That is for you real holy people who don’t need to be introspective sometimes. I am not perfect so I have to check myself.

Over the coming months I will share my findings, especially Y’shua’s teachings for that is my true objective for this study. I know there is more than what we limit ourselves to in the knowledge of our God-designed power, authority and behavior. I invite you to

Walk With Me!