Program 167: Parented by Yahuwah

Believers are, in a very real sense, the sons and daughters of Yahuwah. He parents them with wisdom and compassion. You can trust He will provide whatever you need to be saved.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: Parented by Yahuwah

Miles Robey: Hello! And a very warm welcome to World’s Last Chance Radio. We’ve got an interesting line-up for today’s program and I, for one, am looking forward to what Dave Wright has to share.

First, we’ll be talking about what it means to be sons and daughters of Yahuwah. What that looks like; specifically, how that impacts our daily life. Later, Dave will answer the question of how to strengthen one’s faith in the face of calamity and stress. Finally, Elise O’Brien has a daily promise as well as some practical advice on how to handle life when it gets overwhelming.

Dave Wright: Sounds like it will go perfectly with today’s question from our Daily Mailbag.

Miles: Yeah, sounds like we planned it that way, but we didn’t.

Dave: Happy coincidence.

Miles: Right.

So, Dave. When you said you wanted to talk about what it means to be children of Yah, I have to say you immediately piqued my interest. Growing up, believing in a triune godhead, I was used to hearing about, thinking about, Yahushua as the “Son of God.” But I still remember how, one Sunday, there was a sermon about how we are sons of God. It honestly took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure how to take it but … the text was right there in Scripture! Referring to us as “sons of God.”

Dave: It felt just a wee bit sacrilegious, perhaps?

Miles: Exactly! I was used to hearing the Saviour referred to that way, of course, but He was “God,” too—or so I believed at the time. It just felt presumptuous to refer to humans using the same word as applied to him. You know what I mean?

Dave: I do, actually. How are we supposed to interpret a term applied to us that also, as most Christians believe, applies to the second person of the godhead?

Miles: That’s it exactly.

Dave: Well, as we’ve covered in previous programs, but I think we should touch briefly on here, too, Christ is indeed the son of Yahuwah, but he is not divine. If you’re tuning in for the first time, please don’t stop listening now. We’re not here to indoctrinate you. We’re here to present ideas then encourage you to go study them out for yourself. If our ideas are wrong, the spirit of Yah will reveal that to you. But if what we’re sharing is the truth, Yah’s spirit will reveal that to you, too.

Miles: Look, folks, I was raised a trinitarian. So was Dave. It took a lot to convince me that Scripture does not teach a triune godhead. But it doesn’t. It really doesn’t.

Dave: What Scripture does teach—repeatedly—is that Yahuwah is one God. That’s it. Just one. Not three, not three-in-one. Simply … one.

Miles: If this is all brand new to you and you’re anything like me, you might be going, “Hey, wait a minute! Isn’t there a text somewhere that says there are three that bear witness in heaven and these three are one?”

Yes, that’s 1 John 5:7. The thing is, that text doesn’t appear in any of the early manuscripts still in existence. Not a single one. It was actually added over a thousand years after Christ.

Dave: The trinity doctrine was officially adopted from paganism in the fourth century. None of the Bible writers or apostles or apostolic Christians believed in a triune godhead. I don’t want to get off too far on that. Just want to offer a few avenues of research to any of our first-time listeners who still believe in a trinity. Do your own research, folks. I think you’ll be surprised by what you find.

Miles: We’ve got articles, videos and radio programs on our website that cover this topic in depth.

Dave: You can see why Satan has wanted to promote a triune godhead. It puts the Saviour so far above us that, despite the many Scripture passages that puts him on a level with us, we have a hard time relating to him. How can you relate to someone who is both God and man? But … once you know that Yahushua is fully human and not at all divine, begotten at conception just as Scripture says, he’s much more relatable, and there’s a lot we can learn from his relationship with his Father.

Miles: It’s true. Knowing he was fully human and yet still enjoyed such a close relationship with Yahuwah means that we can, too.

Dave: We’ve been saying we are sons, we’re daughters, of Yahuwah. Let’s flip it around now. If we’re Yah’s sons and daughters, that means, in a very real way, He is our …?

Miles: Father.

Dave: And as our Father, He … parents … us. There is something incredibly encouraging, strengthening, and faith-inspiring to understand the truth of what it means to be fathered by Yahuwah.

We tend to focus on the material benefits: when Yahuwah is our Father and we get in trouble, we can call for help and know that He’ll answer. We can trust that, just like a loving earthly Father, He’ll provide for our needs.

Miles: I want to insert one thought here …

Some of our listeners may not have had the privilege of having a loving earthly father. It can be difficult to relate a father-figure if the only one you’ve ever known was abusive. I think that’s why there are so many references in the original Hebrew that refer to our Creator in the feminine tense. There are feminine names and imagery all throughout Scripture. So, if your father was abusive but you had a loving mother and you can relate to that, go for it! Our Creator is bigger than just male or female.

Dave: And we’re told that both males and females were created in the divine image.

Miles: Right. The Creator just wants your trust and for you to feel the divine love coming your way. So, think of your Creator in whichever way you can best grasp eternal love.

For those who never had a loving parent at all, picture the sort of parent you always wanted and know that Yahuwah is all that and more: loving, kind, compassionate, loyal, supportive, understanding, great sense of humor. Whatever you need, He—She—is that for you.

Okay. Side-trip over. Go ahead, Dave.

Dave: No, I’m glad you brought this out. It can be difficult for someone who never experienced a parent’s love to relate, so I appreciate what you shared.

Okay, we were saying that we’re used to viewing the benefits of being Yah’s children on the practical level: He supplies our needs, He protects us, He is an ever-present help in trouble. But there’s more to it than that. There are immense spiritual benefits to being parented by Yahuwah.

Miles: In what way?

Dave: Well, if Yahuwah is our parent, it means that Yahushua is our big brother. As our human mediator, he watches over us and protects us, too. One of the most important spiritual benefits, though, is that when we commit to living a life in obedience to the revealed will of Yahuwah, we are helped in that endeavor.

Turn to 1 John chapter 5 and read verse 18.

Miles: All right, umm … “We know that whoever is born of [Yahuwah] does not sin; but he who has been born of [Yahuwah] keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”

Dave: This is an incredibly powerful promise. We know that Yahushua was “born of Yah.” He was born of Yah in a truly miraculous manner, but still fully human. Let’s take a look at that really quickly. Turn to Luke 1 and read verses 34 and 35. This is probably the clearest explanation of how Yahushua came to be Yah’s son yet fully human. Luke 1, verses 34 and 35.

Miles: “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy one who is to be born will be called the son of [Yah].’”

Dave: “This is how it’s going to work, Mary: Yah’s spirit will come upon you. Therefore—because of that—the child born to you will be called the son of Yah.”

So, Yahushua was born of Yah. He was fathered by Yah. He came into being because of Yahuwah’s spirit coming upon Mary. But we also are born of Yahuwah, fathered by Him. And what does 1 John 5:18 say of all who are born of Yah?

Miles: Ummm … “but he who has been born of [Yahuwah] keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”

Dave: There is protection when we are parented by the Creator, when we’re His children. And not just physical protection but spiritual protection, too. This is how Yahuwah’s children are able, even with fallen natures, to long for holiness and strive to bring their wills into submission to the divine will.

Now. Let’s talk about grammar.

Miles: Do we have to?

Dave: I take it you didn’t like grammar in school?

Miles: Does anyone?

Dave: Uh, not sure on that one. Anyway, one of the things lost in translation is the deeper connotations that come with a knowledge of the original grammatical tenses used. Some things simply do not translate clearly into other languages. For example, in English, we have a saying that goes: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice …

Miles & Dave: Shame on me.

Dave: You’ve heard it. So, in English, there’s a 12-word phrase to convey this idea that if you’re fooled once, it’s the other person’s fault, but if you’re fooled more than once, it’s your own fault for being so naïve and gullible.

In Southwest Congo, they have a similar concept, and that is that if you’re wronged, you’re willing to forgive and forget the first time it happens. If it happens a second time, you’re willing to tolerate it, but if it happens more than that, you’ll neither forgive nor forget. Okay. It’s taken me lots of words to explain this concept in English. But in their language, this entire concept is summed up in just one word: ilunga. Ilunga describes a person that will forgive and forget once, tolerate twice, but not fall for it a third time. And it’s summed up in just one word.

Miles: That’s really fascinating!

Dave: It's these nuances of meaning that can be lost in translation. Now, let’s go back and look at what you read in 1 John 5:18. Would you read that again?

Miles: “We know that whoever is born of [Yahuwah] does not sin; but he who has been born of [Yahuwah] keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”

Dave: Some translations say, “whoever is begotten of Yah.” Others say “whoever is fathered by Yah.” I like that the best. You could accurately translate the word a number of ways: “Whoever is born, begotten, fathered, originated, generated, caused to exist by Yah.” They’re all correct.

Now, in that passage, the first use of born—or begotten, or fathered—is in the perfect tense in Greek. In other words, in this tense, the word refers to a condition that exists continuously following a past event. Knowing this about the original grammar uncovers something very beautiful. In this tense, it is describing the ongoing relationship believers have with their heavenly Father. And this totally fits with the Biblical references to being “born again.” They all describe an on-going response from believers to the Father who has “begotten” or “caused to exist” believers in a spiritual sense.

Miles: What about the second use of the word? Listen to this translation. It says: “We know that whosoever is begotten of [Yahuwah] sinneth not; but he that was begotten of [Yahuwah] keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.” That sounds almost like it’s referring to Yahushua.

Dave: I think it is. And this use of the word born, or as it says here “begotten,” is a Greek verb in the aorist tense.

Miles: What’s that?

Dave: In other words, in the original Greek, this indicates a one-time past event. Obviously, the one-time past event being referred to was Yahushua’s conception.

Miles: Oh, now that’s fascinating! Still more evidence that Yahushua was not divine because he did not have a pre-existence. That statement, in the Greek, would not have been accurate or correct if he’d had a pre-existence.

Dave: The point I’m wanting you to understand here is that, in a spiritual sense, we are on equal footing with Yahushua before Yahuwah. Yes, he is our Saviour and, as such, has been highly exalted. But he’s not divine. And we are siblings in the sense that we are all children of Yah, fathered by Him. It’s not presumptuously promoting ourselves, it’s not sacrilegious to refer to ourselves as sons and daughters of Yah along with Christ. This is a theme that is actually developed all through the New Testament and it is this very truth that sustains believers in pursuing holy living, even though we know true holiness won’t be possible so long as we have fallen natures.

Even so, time and time again, Scripture presents us as co-equals with Yahushua, co-inheritors and co-children of Yah.

Miles: Okay. We’re going to take a quick break. I’d like you to explain that a bit more when we return because I’m having a hard time seeing us as on a par with Yahushua.

We’ll be right back.

* * *

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One of modern Christianity’s fundamental beliefs is the doctrine of a triune godhead. This doctrine, which was officially canonized in the fourth century, is so deeply embedded in Christian theology that the handful of Protestant denominations that reject it are viewed as cults or, at best, sects on the margins of Christianity, by other Christians.

However, the Biblical evidence demonstrating that Yahuwah is a single entity and Yahushua is His non-divine, obedient son who is subjective to Yah, is simply overwhelming. If you would like a list of the Bible verses that demonstrate that Yahuwah and Yahushua are two separate and distinct individuals and not, as most of us have been taught, co-equal partners in a trinity, then go to our website and look for the article called “The Father and the Son (Two, Not One).

You can also listen to the previously released radio program titled “One Plus One Does Not Equal One.” Once again, that’s “One Plus One Does Not Equal One.” [Program 165] You can find previously aired programs on our website at WorldsLastChance.com or look for them on our YouTube channel! Study this subject out for yourself. You’ll be shocked at the proof you find!

* * *Part 2: Parented by Yahuwah

Miles: I’m honestly having a hard time seeing how we’re, uh, how shall I say this …? Equals with Christ? Scripture itself says that he’s been exalted above every name.

Dave: All right, let’s come at this from another angle. Yes, he is our Saviour. In that sense, no. We’re not equals. However, we’re equal in the sense that we have all been fathered (in a spiritual sense) by Yahuwah.

Let’s change the tense of that: in a spiritual sense, we are all being fathered by Yahuwah. We are all, with Christ, children of Yahuwah. We’re heirs with him and that’s a point that is made repeatedly throughout the New Testament.

Miles: That’s true.

Dave: Now, as to the differences, how does Romans 8:29 describe Yahushua’s relationship to us? Would you read that for us?

Miles: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Dave: Paul is here describing Yahushua as the firstborn son of Yahuwah; our “big brother,” to put it another way. Now, go back up to verse 3 of that same chapter. What does that say?

Miles: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, [Yahuwah] did by sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.”

Dave: Yahushua was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh. He didn’t have sin, but he was sent as one of us: fully human. This is what lets him, as our mediator, fully empathize with us. And this is important for us to know! Our Saviour and mediator “gets it”! He’s been where we are. He knows our struggles.

Read Hebrews 4 verses 14 and 15. This says it so well here.

Miles: It says: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahushua the son of [Yah], let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Dave: This is our assurance that we are understood.

There are innumerable ways parents abuse children, but one way that a child is frequently hurt by a parent is when the parent lacks sympathy for the child. Perhaps he thinks that withholding sympathy will toughen the child up. Whatever. The net effect, though, is to leave a child feeling alone, unworthy, unwanted and misunderstood.

That’s not how it’s done under Yahuwah’s parenting. He parents us with compassion and He wants us to know we’re seen, we’re heard, and we’re understood. And the reason? He wants us to have confidence. Go ahead and read verse 16. What does that say?

Miles: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Dave: This is the backbone of Yahuwah’s parenting style! He wants to inspire us with confidence so that we’ll come to Him, trusting in His love for us. And one of the ways He gets that point through is by equating us in worth with that of His only begotten son, Yahushua.

Turn now to Hebrews 2 and read verse 11.

Miles: “For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”

Dave: Another version translates it this way: “For the one who makes men holy and the men who are made holy share a common humanity. So that he is not ashamed to call them his brothers.”

Miles: That’s really beautiful.

Dave: It’s to inspire in us confidence in our Father’s love. He’s the one that is calling us His children; He’s the one that is calling Himself our Father. He wants us to be confident in His love.

Turn to 1 John now and read from 1 John 2:28 through the first verse of the third chapter.

Miles:

And now, children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have boldness and not be put to shame before him at his royal appearing. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been fathered by him. Look at the remarkable love the father has given us — that we should be called Yahuwah’s children! That is indeed what we are.

Dave: One of the passages of Scripture that explains most clearly just how we become Yahuwah’s children is recorded in John chapter 3. You’ll recall this was early in the Saviour’s ministry. He was having a private conversation with Nicodemus and because Nicodemus had a thorough and deep understanding of Scripture, Yahushua was able to speak more deeply than he usually could.

Let’s read it. John 3 and … go ahead and start with verse 1.

Miles:

One night Nicodemus, a leading Jew and a Pharisee, came to see Yahushua. “Master,” he began, “we realise that you are a teacher who has come from [Yah]. Obviously no one could show the signs that you show unless [Yahuwah] were with him.”

“Believe me,” returned Yahushua, “a man cannot even see the kingdom of [Yahuwah] without being born again.”

“And how can a man who’s getting old possibly be born?” replied Nicodemus. “How can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?”

“I assure you,” said Yahushua, “that unless a man is born from water and from spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of [Yahuwah]. Flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit: you must not be surprised that I told you that all of you must be born again. The wind blows where it likes, you can hear the sound of it but you have no idea where it comes from and where it goes. Nor can you tell how a man is born by the wind of the Spirit.” [John 3:1-8]

Dave: Now granted: at first Nicodemus didn’t get it, but he eventually did and Yahushua’s explanation is very clear.

In verse 3, Yahushua says, If you want to see Yah’s kingdom, you must be “born again.” The marginal reading for that phrase is very interesting. It’s “born from above.” This is significant because it reveals Yahuwah’s action—what He does to adopt us and make us His true sons and daughters.

From there, Yahushua goes on to have a deep theological discussion explaining Yah’s gift of Yahushua as a sacrifice for our sins. He just spells it out and he could, because Nicodemus was well-educated and well-read in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Drop down now to verses 20 and 21. What does that say?

Miles: “Anybody who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear his deeds may be exposed. But anybody who is living by the truth will come to the light to make it plain that all he has done has been done through [Yahuwah].”

Dave: The point of this passage is that if we want to truly be Yah’s children, we will shun the darkness and the works of darkness and cling to the light.

John explains this really well in 1 John 3 verse 9. Go back there and read that verse for us, would you please?

Miles: Umm … “Everyone who is fathered by Yahuwah does not go on sinning, because Yahuwah’s offspring remains in him; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been fathered by Yahuwah.”

So I’ve got a question for you. From our human perspective, when—how—does our rebirth take place?

Dave: That’s a good question. Yahushua answered that in the parable of the sower. That’s in Matthew, uh … Matthew 13. I think we’re all acquainted with the parable. A farmer goes to sow seed and some seed falls on stony ground, some falls among the weeds, some gets eaten by birds, etc., etc. But some falls on good ground. Read verses 18 through 23. This is where Yahushua is explaining the parable.

Miles:

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Dave: According to Christ’s own words, our “new birth” comes when we voluntarily respond to the gospel and repent. This does not mean we suddenly become sinless but it does mean that we put forth on-going efforts to bring our lives into obedience to the revealed will of Yah. Yes, we’ve got fallen natures so we’re going to stumble and fall into sin, but we’re going to get back up and continue to surrender to Yah. This voluntary response to the gospel message is being “good soil.” The obedience that voluntarily follows is the seed springing up and bearing fruit.

Miles: The fact that we can’t perfectly keep Yahuwah’s law—yet—and that He continues to forgive us, accept us and love us just underscores His love for us as His children.

Dave: Well, of course. You’re a parent, Miles. When your child makes an honest mistake, when he or she accidentally breaks something, do you punish them for that?

Miles: Of course not.

Dave: Well, now. Some parents do. Some parents get mad and yell if, say, their kid drops and breaks a glass pitcher or something.

Miles: Hey! It’s an accident! Accidents happen. They do to me, too. I don’t want someone yelling at me when I make an honest mistake or have an accident.

Dave: And that’s Yahuwah’s attitude, too. I wish more parents had the same attitude because how we respond to our kids’ failings is how we teach them what Yahuwah is like.

The way Yahuwah shows His love for us, is how we, in turn, are to love others.

Miles: That reminds me of something from the Sermon on the Mount. Listen to this. It’s from Matthew 5. It says:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? [Matthew 5:43-47]

Dave: And if we do all that, what will be the result? Next verse.

Miles: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Dave: This is what makes us children of our heavenly Father. This is the practical result of being His sons and daughters: we reveal His same love to others in how we treat them.

Too often Christians are so afraid of seeming to condone sin that they hold themselves apart from those they deem sinners. They’ll say things like “I love you, I just hate your sin.” But that’s disingenuous. That’s not how Yahushua treated sinners.

Miles: No. He accepted them and left the convicting up to the spirit of Yah.

Dave: And that’s what we’re to do, too. If we love others as Christ did, then the gospel seed, planted in our hearts, is bearing fruit.

Peter likened the new birth to “seed” as well. Would you read it for us? It’s in 1 Peter chapter 1. Read verses 3 and 23.

Miles:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Yahushua Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Yahushua Christ from the dead …

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of [Yah].

Dave: When you put it all together, several things become clear. First, believers must truly desire Yah’s will and word. Secondly, they are purified as they voluntarily seek to conform their lives to His revealed will. Believers are also called to love others as Yah has loved them and to actively put away evil from their lives.

When we accept the gospel message—that seed—into our hearts, it bears fruit as we seek to live in obedience. This is why John said, in John 1, verses 12 to 13, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of [Yah], to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of [Yahuwah].”

Miles: You know, John the beloved grasped the love of Yah like few others have ever done. I remember one religious writer described him as writing with his pen dipped in love. Listen to what he says in 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from [Yahuwah], and all who love are fathered by [Yahuwah] and know [Yahuwah].”

Dave: And verse 8 says: “Whoever does not love does not know [Yah], because [Yah] is love.” This is when the seed takes root in our hearts, and we know we are truly Yah’s children.

Go now to chapter 5 and read the first four verses: 1 John 5:1 to 4.

Miles:

Everyone who believes that Yahushua is the Christ is born of [Yah], and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of [Yah]: by loving [Yahuwah] and carrying out His commands. In fact, this is love for [Yah]: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of [Yahuwah] overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Dave: When we’re “born from above,” when we’re “fathered by Yahuwah, it encompasses much more than just a verbal or even intellectual assent that we agree the Bible is true. It means allowing the seed of Yah’s word to take root in our lives and that is seen as we then love others as He does and live in obedience to His will and His law.

And the blessings that await are just … they’re just incomprehensible. To close, read Revelation 21:7. This is the reward that awaits everyone who submits to being born from above.

Miles: Ah, yes! I love this promise. It says: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

What a high calling! And it’s free to all who will accept it by faith.

Up next: How do you strengthen faith in difficult times? Stay tuned!

* * *

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Shortly before his death, the Saviour held some deep, theological discussions with his disciples. His words, recorded in John 14, 15, 16 and 17, hold many profound truths. It’s almost as though he were trying to fit every last bit of teaching in that he could before his betrayal in Gethsemane.

In John 14 verse 15 he said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” When we love someone, it’s natural to want to make them happy. Some believers have sought to honor Yahuwah by turning to the Jews and adopting their traditions. They believe that if they can become as Jewish as possible in life, and dress, and practice, they will please Yahuwah. What they don’t understand, though, is that much of what they adopt are the man-made traditions of the Pharisees. These are the very traditions and human standards which Christ denounced when he was on earth!

It is important to know just what does—and what does not—honor Yah. A person can be very sincere … and yet sincerely wrong.

If you would like to learn more about the customs and practices many sincere people believe they need to participate in, look for the radio program titled “The Messianic Jewish Lie.” [Program 79] You can listen to it on our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Once again, that’s “The Messianic Jewish Lie.” You can also find it on YouTube!

* * *Daily Mailbag

Miles: All right! Time for you to answer a question from our daily mailbag. Today’s question is coming from Dornbirn, Austria. It’s the home of the world’s oldest zoo.

Dave: Dornbirn?

Miles: Well, no. Austria, though. Vienna’s Schönbrunn Tiergarten was founded in 1752, making it the oldest zoo in the world.

Dave: Interesting. Did you know Austria’s first Nobel laureate was a woman? Baroness Bertha von Suttner won the Nobel peace prize in 1905.

Miles: Huh! Interesting. I didn’t know that.

Well, anyway, Ella writes, quote: “I’ve really been struggling lately with depression. I know during the lockdowns, a lot of people struggled with depression but we’re past that now and yet … I’m still struggling. My family took a real financial hit during the lockdowns and now, along with that, my mother’s health is failing, the rising energy prices, everything that’s going on in the Ukraine, it feels like things are just getting worse and worse. How can I strengthen my faith in the face of so much that’s going wrong in the world and in my own life?”

Dave: This is a very timely question.

It’s true. Things—life in general—is getting more intense. That can cause fear, uncertainty and, of course, stress.

Miles: Speaking for myself, I think one of the hardest aspects to deal with is just the uncertainty. You know things getting worse is becoming the new normal, but you don’t know what’s going to happen.

Dave: Well, but we do know. Turn to John 16 and read verses 32 and 33. This was the evening Yahushua was betrayed. He knew it was coming and he knew things were going to get difficult for the disciples, too. Let’s read what he said.

Miles: “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Dave: There are several very important points here. First, Christ is outright acknowledging that there will be trouble. You’re alive in the world today? You’re going to have trouble. Don’t let it take you by surprise. In fact, expect it.

Miles: I suppose it’s naïve to expect things to smooth out. If we expect trouble, it won’t take us by surprise when it happens.

Dave: Right. Second, no matter what happens, we can take courage in the fact that Christ has overcome the world! We’re on the winning side, folks! The war’s been won.

Finally, notice what Yahushua said. Read it again. The last sentence in verse 32.

Miles: Uhh … “And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

Dave: Just as the Father was with Christ, we can rest in the assurance that He is with us, too. Proverbs 14:26 says: “In the fear of Yahuwah there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” So, no matter what happens, we can know we’re never truly alone.

Miles: I know that and you know that … and probably Ella knows that, too, but sometimes our emotions need a bit of … help. How do we internalize that message so we can have confidence even when it seems our world is burning down around our ears?

Dave: Well, for me, I like faith-inspiring stories of what Yahuwah has done for others. When you see what Yah has done for others, you know that He can do the same for you. If He’s worked in a mighty way for someone else, you know He’s willing to do it for you, too.

Miles: Reminds me of the chorus of that gospel song, “It Is No Secret (What God Can Do).” It goes:

It is no secret what God can do,
What He’s done for others,
He'll do for you.
With arms wide open,
He'll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do.

Dave: I love that song. And it’s true! What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you. An excellent story to internalize this message is the story of Joseph. Let’s read a little bit of that, the condensed version. Would you read Genesis 37 verses 23, 24 and 28?

Miles: All right, uh …

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing—and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. … So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Dave: Most people would agree that slavery is a fate worse than death. You’ve no say over your own autonomy or even over your own life. And this seems to be emphasized by an interesting little word that both the brothers and the Ishmaelites did: they took him. The brothers took Joseph to the pit and tossed him in; the Ishmaelites took him to Egypt. It conveys the idea of being conveyed from one place to another against your will.

Miles: Well, yeah, I’m sure Joseph had no desire to be tossed in a pit or sold to slavers!

Dave: Of course not. And certainly under the circumstances described, this
“taking” of Joseph was done with hostility and ill-intent.

But there is another definition of the word, “took.” It can mean to carry or lead. It can mean to be brought or to bring near. It can even mean to be introduced. None of these have negative connotations. In fact, they can actually imply help.

If someone takes me somewhere, giving me a ride in their car, they’re helping me. If a friend takes me into his confidence, he is showing that he trusts me. All of these are positives. Now let’s apply that to the story of Joseph. After he was taken to Egypt, he was sold to Potipher. Then what happened?

Miles: Uh, well, he was imprisoned under false pretenses. Falsely accused.

Dave: But while wrongfully imprisoned, he had the opportunity to meet someone he otherwise would likely never have met. Someone who had direct access to Pharaoh. Then what happened?

Miles: Well, long story short, Pharaoh heard about him, brought him out of prison to interpret his dreams and basically appointed him ruler of all Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.

Dave: When you look at Joseph’s entire life story, the hours he spent in the pit were really … nothing!

Miles: Not compared to the other bad things that happened to him!

Dave: Or the good things that happened to him. His story didn’t end in the pit. It continued on and we need to remember that, too.

When we find ourselves in a stressful situation, we need to remember that our story doesn’t end here any more than Joseph’s did. Yahuwah has a plan for our lives just as He did for Joseph’s. Do you remember what happened when Jacob knew he was dying?

Miles: Uh, yeah. Didn’t he tell his other sons to tell Joseph that he’d asked him to forgive them after he died? I always thought that would have been like a stab to the heart to Joseph. I mean, here it’s been how many years they’ve been living in Egypt, and he’s been providing for them, and yet they still don’t trust his love for them?

Dave: Well, that’s the power of a guilty conscience. They had greatly wronged Joseph and they knew it. But Joseph had confidence that they didn’t. Let’s take a moment to read that. It’s in Genesis 50 verses, uh … 15 to 21. Go ahead.

Miles: All right … it says:

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of Elohim? You intended to harm me, but Elohim intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Dave: It seems you’re right. That’s very sad—verse 17—where it says Joseph wept.

Miles: It’s like: What have I got to do to convince you I’m not the bad guy here? I love you!

Dave: Right. He’d forgiven them years and years before. But one of the things that allowed Joseph to forgive his brothers was his confidence that Yahuwah was in control. Verse 20: “You intended to harm me, but Elohim intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.” See, Joseph had confidence that Yahuwah had an over-arching plan, a plan that was for his benefit.

Now, this was a choice on Joseph’s part. Here, this is after he can see what Yah’s plan was. But I contend that Joseph had made a choice, years before, maybe as early as when he was Potipher’s slave, to choose to trust in Yahuwah’s leading. He chose to trust that Yahuwah was “taking” him where Yahuwah wanted him to be.

And we can have that same confidence. What does Romans 8:28 say? You know that one.

Miles: Absolutely! It’s one of my favorite promises. It says: “And we know that in all things [Yah] works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Dave: Faith isn’t emotion. When Joseph was marching to Egypt, do you think he was afraid?

Miles: I would have been!

Dave: Me, too. And I’m sure he was as well. He was in a very dangerous situation, and he knew it. Faith doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It simply means you make a conscious choice to take Yahuwah at His word regardless of your emotions. Then, there are some practical steps you can take.

First, you listen to the subtle promptings of Yah’s spirit. Next, you step forward, exercising faith that Yah is leading. To lead is an action verb. He can’t lead if you’re sitting still!

Miles: He leads, we follow.

Dave: Which are both action verbs. Also, make the commitment to follow wherever He leads. Yahushua’s parables teach that it will require everything to inherit eternal life. So, make the decision now to follow Yahuwah wherever He leads, regardless of the cost. These are choices we need to make, regardless of what our emotions are screaming at us. When we take these practical steps, even in a world of uncertainty, we’ll find our faith and confidence in Yah are strengthened.

Another illustration of this is the Babylonian captivity. The Israelites were justified in feeling terrified. But Yahuwah sent a gracious message of encouragement, telling them that it wouldn’t be forever. Why don’t you read that for us? It’s in Jeremiah 29, verses 11 to 14. This contains a promise for us, too. Go ahead

Miles:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares Yahuwah, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares Yahuwah, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares Yahuwah, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Dave: Yahuwah has a definite plan for each one of us. When you’re afraid, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that Yahuwah is in control and He is working out His plans, and those plans are what you would choose for yourself if you could see the end from the beginning like He can.

To close, would you read Psalm 37, verses 23 and 24 for us. This is a powerful promise we can cling to when the future is dark and scary.

Miles:

The steps of a good man are ordered by Yahuwah,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For Yahuwah upholds him with His hand.

Dave: We can trust that no matter what happens, Yahuwah is working out what is for our ultimate best.

Miles: Amen.

If you’ve got a question or a prayer request, send us a message! Just go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We always enjoy reading your messages.

Up next is Elise O’Brien with an important life-lesson and an even more important promise.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with today’s daily promise from Yah’s word.

Ecclesiastes 9 verse 10 urges: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

On February 21, 1952, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming arrived in Ecuador with the intent of evangelizing the Quechua Indians for Christ. While working with the Quechua, the men learned of another group of indigenous, the Huaorani. This group was unreached. The Quechua referred to them as the “Auca,” or “The Savage.” In 1953, Jim married Elisabeth Howard and in 1955, their only child, Valerie was born. By this time, Jim felt ready to attempt contact with the Huaorani. He and four other men made contact, giving the natives gifts to show they were friendly. A few months later, the men decided to build a base a short distance from the Huaorani village.

On January 8, 1956, while attempting to make further friendly contact, a large group of Huaorani warriors killed Jim and the other men.

Elisabeth was left a widow at only 29-years of age. As a young woman with a 10-month-old baby, life was often overwhelming. Years later, looking back at that time in her life, she wrote, quote:

When I went back to my jungle station after the death of my … husband … I was faced with many confusions and uncertainties. I had a good many new roles, besides that of being a single parent and a widow. I was alone on a jungle station that Jim and I had manned together. I had to learn to do all kinds of things, which I was not trained or prepared in any way to do …

… I was teaching a women’s literacy class. We had a boy’s school taught by an Ecuadorian teacher that I had to sort of supervise and encourage and pay and do various things that I was not used to doing. I had the medical work.

[Also], the grass in the jungle grows unbelievably fast, so I [was] always having to hire people to cut the grass, to clean out the pineapple bed, to cut the branches away from the trail between my house and the airstrip. And I tried to decide what to do about a hydroelectric system that Jim had just begun to put in. I didn’t know whether I should try to finish that or forget it.

You can imagine how tempted I was to just plunk myself down and say, “There is no way I can do this.” I wanted to sink into despair and helplessness. Then I remembered [an] old Saxon legend, “Do the next thing.” …

… Have you had the experience of feeling as if you’ve got far too many burdens to bear, far too many people to take care of, far too many things on your list to do? You just can’t possibly do it, and you get in a panic and you just want to sit down and collapse in a pile and feel sorry for yourself.

When you get feeling like that, remember that you are not alone. Get up and do the next thing. Even mountains of difficulty can be overcome when we step forward in faith and do the next thing.

Psalm 121 says:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from Yahuwah,
Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Yahuwah is your keeper;
Yahuwah is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

Yahuwah shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
Yahuwah shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: Parented by Yahuwah

Miles: The world today really is a confusing … overwhelming … dangerous … intense place. I like the idea of being “fathered by” Yahuwah. There’s comfort in that, you know?

Dave: I do. Yahuwah has pledged to provide for us and care for us, to give us wisdom that we need, to meet our temporal needs, but even more than that, He’s promised to provide for us spiritually, to see us safely through to His kingdom.

Miles: That’s a promise for all of us to cling to. You know, here at WLC, we get a lot of different messages sent to us through our website. Some of them are just heartbreaking where people are sharing about the loss of church fellowship, friends, family, even spouses as one chooses to follow truth and the other, or others, don’t.

Dave: It’s comforting in such times to claim the promise of being a child of Yah. Would you read Psalm 27 verses 10 to 14 for us? I think this is something we can all find comfort in.

Miles:

Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahuwah will receive me.
Teach me your way, Yahuwah;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.

I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of Yahuwah
in the land of the living.
Wait for Yahuwah;
be strong and take heart
and wait for Yahuwah.

Dave: No one who has ever trusted in Yahuwah has ever trusted in vain. He is your loving Father; you are His beloved child. You can trust that whatever you need—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—to make it through to the kingdom, He will provide and He’ll do this because He loves you.

Miles: What a gift to be sons and daughters of Yah, co-heirs with Christ!

I want to thank everyone for tuning in. We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.