Author Archives: YRM

Homeschool

To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool

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Are parents capable of educating their children at home, or should this be left to qualified professors or academics?  Parents will often stiffen up and say, “I am not educated enough to teach my child,” or “I leave the education of my child up to the professionals.”

Long before there was a law that children of a certain age needed to attend school, parents were teaching their children to read and write. Once a child is old enough to comprehend what their parent or guardian is saying to them, the parents are educating their children on the world around them. Prior to entering the public-school system, the parents are educating their child on how to navigate this world by teaching him or her at home.

Once their child reaches the age of compulsory attendance – “Compulsory school attendance refers to the minimum and maximum age required by each state in which a student must be enrolled in and attending public school or some equivalent education program defined by the law,” (Education Commission of the States) – most parents turn the teaching over to the school systems while they either go to work or stay home.

The question that comes to mind is, “When did the laws change that required a child to attend public school or to be educated at all?” Horace Mann, known as the “Father of Common School,” argued that, “’universal public education was the best way to turn unruly American children into disciplined, judicious republican citizens.’ Mann won widespread approval from modernizers, especially in the Whig Party, for building public schools.” (Wikipedia).  In some cases, this works to the good of the population and in others it can degrade the values and morals of the community.  It works toward the good of the population when it allows all participants to get an education that was only accessible to the rich who could afford to pay for their child’s education.  In other circumstances, children were needed at home and not allowed to get an education due to responsibilities. This mainly applied to girls who would be the future home-makers and only needed to know how to manage a house, not be among the working class.

While the goal to provide an education that is universal is a noble one, this can create concerns for parents who do not agree with the teachings that are being presented on a neutral platform. Some universal teachings can conflict with the religious and personal beliefs of the parents.

While providing this luxury to all citizens of a community, regardless of social or economic status, the next stipulation that came into play was that children were required by law to be educated between specific age requirements or the parents or guardians would face penalties for disregarding this law. While the common school was set in place to allow education for everyone whether they could afford it or not, it eventually became the mandate for the public at large.  However, parents are now in the situation where they must fight for the right to educate their children at home again, whether it is for religious reasons or just the fact that they want to be the ones to educate their offspring.

Parents who decide to take on the task of educating their children are often considered irresponsible with a lack of concern for their children’s future education and societal standing in the community. They may also be viewed by their community as being religious zealots who want to skirt the system that has been set in place for everyone.

Prior to the enactment of public education, it was thought that homeschooled children were smarter and more well-rounded individuals compared to their peers. Today, children who are educated at home or by private tutors have the one-on-one education that public-school children lack. Due to overcrowding or teacher/pupil ratio, students that need additional support in learning may suffer the lack of proper education or time that their personal situation warrants.  If a child is struggling to understand the current lesson, due to time constraints educators cannot stop and review until the student picks up the material.  If the child can’t keep up, he will flunk the class or end up repeating it until he graduates or quits. The benefits of the one-on-one education is that time can be granted a student who is struggling or teaching strategies can be adjusted for that one child, which cannot be duplicated in a public-school setting. Some students learn better by reading, hearing (auditory), or seeing (visual) the material in a way that promotes comprehension. Parents know their child better than anyone else and can easily adjust to meet the need.

Another benefit of homeschooling is flexibility in scheduling the education course. Instead of being at their desk for the timed school day, students have the freedom to take their education on the road if need be. The parents have the freedom to take a vacation which can also be combined with field trips. The student not only reads about the Grand Canyon, but also they can travel and see all aspects of the Grand Canyon in person and write a paper on their own experience. If the family does not have any travel constraints then they have the option of taking a few more days of study in another area. This allowance gives the student a hands-on approach to their learning achievements.

Home-education is not to be confused with mass education production. Educating children at home should be for the purpose of giving them quality education for the benefit of each student. There are requirements that home-school parents must follow to meet state guidelines. In Missouri one of the laws states that parents must “b) Offer at least one thousand hours of instruction, at least six hundred hours of which will be in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science or academic courses that are related to the aforementioned subject areas and consonant with the pupil’s age and ability. At least four hundred of the six hundred hours shall occur at the regular home school location” (Families for Home Education). According to this law, parents must provide the required hours of education in the core subjects, but the content of that instruction is the choice of the instructor. If the parents would like to instill religious teachings in core subjects there is liberty to do so. Parents can also choose an “eclectic” curriculum which means “deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources” (Wikipedia). Becca, a mom who homeschooled for eight years stated, “My approach has morphed many times but it has always fallen under the category of what I term eclectic homeschooling. Basically, I use whatever works” (The Homeschooling Option).

Time constraints or strict schedules are not part of a home-schooler’s vocabulary. Due to the more relaxed pace of home education, school can start at 8:00 a.m. or in the afternoon.  It is possible for single parents or parents who both work outside jobs to educate their children. Due to the persistence of parents and supporters of home education, many advancements have been created and instituted to allow more individuals to teach more advanced subjects. Workbooks for all grade levels can be found at the local retail market or publishing companies. Software companies such as Switched on Schoolhouse have contributed to the homeschool program by designing educational programs that allow customization of the curriculum or use the one they created. Many of these programs have been structured and evaluated by teaching professionals, which allows the parent to implement them with confidence.  There are also free websites which allow printing of worksheets, certain subject material, or even allow students timed coursework such as math, spelling, and typing assignments which can be great supplements.

A parent who works a job in the morning can come home and educate their child in the evenings.  Along the same lines of that freedom is the ability to homeschool during normal school times, year-round or times based on family needs. If there is a need for extra hands during a certain time period of the year, schooling can be adjusted to meet these demands.

Homeschooling allows many benefits to the student’s overall academic performance and should not be reduced to a mass education. Parents should have the ability to educate their children if they so choose without the interference from officials who would like to structure the curriculum. Homeschooled children have been proving, unlike their prior stereotypes, that the individualized education has made them more knowledgeable, well-rounded individuals who can relate to their peers and adults to a higher degree (National Home Education Research Institute).  Homeschooled children are not isolated, withdrawn, uneducated, or dregs of society. They are starting to prove their place in the academic realm.

by Luann Avalos

 

Cite Works

“Horace Mann Wikipedia”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Mann

“Education Commission of the States.”:

https://www.ncsl.org/documents/educ/ECSCompulsoryAge.pdf

Families for Home Education https://fhe-mo.org/missourilaw

Lisa Rivero. “The Homeschooling Option”, 2008 pg. 93

National Home Education Research Institute: https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/

Yahweh's Restoration Ministry

You say we must be baptized, isn’t that “adding to the cross?”

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Q     I would like to know your teaching on Colossians 2. I see that in the Q&A there is the question of the need to be baptized. From the wording it seems that this is adding to the cross, and what Yahshua did on the cross is not enough for salvation.

 

A     Yahshua paid the death penalty for our sins with His own death. His payment for our sin did not abrogate the need for obedience, however, and even makes it more imperative that we follow His example. We individually must own up to our sins and seek His atoning blood through repentance and immersion. Having paid our sin penalty He then expects compliance with all His commands, 2Corinthians 10:5, Hebrews 5:9. Peter’s command in Acts 2:38, which was after Yahshua’s death and resurrection had taken place, was to repent and be baptized. Yahshua’s death on the stake did not change the necessity to be baptized, through which we participate vicariously in His death and resurrrection, Colossians 2:12, taking on His sacrifice for our sins. Baptism is also how we receive the Holy Spirit, without which we have no hope of the resurrection and salvation, Romans 8:9, John 3:5.

e-News 1/31/2020

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Feast Calendar for 2020 Now on Line

You can now schedule Feast time off from work and school for the coming secular year. The Feast and new moon calendar is available Here>>
Online registration for the Feasts should be available in a week.

Video Equipment Upgrade Means Exciting Programs

New video programs will soon be on the way once key improvements are complete. With the upgrades in equipment and technology we should have the ability to do remote, network-news quality videos through Skype. One exciting initiative is to have live interviews from Israel with Elder Don Esposito, a longtime resident of the country. He has agreed to partner with YRM to do “boots on the ground” reporting of events, bypassing any possible news bias. He also is very knowledgeable about the country of Israel, its history, and archaeology.

Bro. Paul Hinson Passes

We are sad to report that longtime Brother Paul Hinson, 80, passed away on January 27.  Paul was a faithful follower of Yahshua and very devoted to wife Cathey. From early on He was a big part of YRM, totally dedicated in his life in keeping the Sabbath and all Feasts. Bro. Paul had many talents, and the most memorable was his gift in song, as he sang numerous special numbers with Cathey through the years. Condolences may be left for Cathey and family at YRM. Listen to Bro. Paul sing: When I Wake Up. A truly fitting song from our dear, dear brother.

TEST YOUR TUTELAGE

When Yahshua proved the doctrine of the resurrection to the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23-32), why did he quote from the Torah (Ex. 3:15) rather than the Prophets or Psalms, which speak of the resurrection abundantly?

A. The Torah was easy to understand

B. The Sadducees accepted only the Torah

C. That passage actually comes from the book of Mysteries

D. The Master liked to quote Exodus 3:15

There is no Bible book called “Mysteries.” The Sadducees accepted only the Torah as true Scripture. To settle the matter, Yahshua had to use agreed-upon references. While engaging others in Biblical apologetics, it is good to put yourself in their shoes, and use source materials they can relate to.

 

Answer: B

Yahweh's Restoration Ministry

Is Feast Keeping Only Symbolic?

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Q   I know a group who believe in the weekly Sabbath but teach that Zechariah 14:16-17 says that only the Feast of Tabernacles will be observed in the Millennium. Furthermore, they state that these things were fulfilled in the Messiah and therefore all feast keeping is symbolic, for He was offered as the “final sacrifice.”

A    Zechariah 14:16-17 does teach that Tabernacles will be kept in the Millennium. Isaiah 66:23 also says of the Millennium, “And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says Yahweh.”

Notice, this passage speaks of not only the new moons, but also includes more than the weekly Sabbath, because the Hebrew for Sabbath is in the plural. The other annual Sabbaths will be observed in the Millennium as well as Tabernacles.

Leviticus 23 lists the seven annual Holy Days and we read that these “shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings” (verses 14, 21, 31, 41).

If as some wrongly assume, the Feasts were given only to Jews, then the Jews were misled by His assumed abolishing of them because Yahshua’s death and the New Covenant He instituted apply to Jews as well, Galatians 3:28.

If these days were abolished or set aside by Yahshua, then why did Paul say in 1Corinthians 5:7-8, “For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”?

Here Paul was also addressing Gentiles. The Corinthians were not Jews. Yet he plainly described the Savior as “our” Passover sacrifice, adding that we should keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Obviously, the Corinthians had been taught about Passover and the seven days of Unleavened Bread that follow.

All this was after the death and resurrection of the Savior, and Paul was still teaching the annual Holy Days! Why? Because the Bible calls them “Yahweh’s Feasts,” not Jewish Feasts.

In writing the history of the early assembly Luke specifically mentions that he and others sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, Acts 20:6. Note that Luke establishes time according to the annual holy days, which would be irrelevant if those days were no longer in effect.

Paul was determined to spend Pentecost at Jerusalem (Acts 20:16), and Acts 24:11 reveals that he went there to worship, not just to address a crowd of people. This was 25 years after the impalement and resurrection of the Messiah Yahshua.

In Acts 18:21 we learn that Paul observed the Feast of Tabernacles. In Acts 27:9 Luke establishes the time according to the fast on the Day of Atonement commanded in Leviticus 23:27-29 (about 61 C.E.).

The sacrifices ordained in the Old Testament are set in abeyance for us today since the death and resurrection of the Messiah. But the sacrifices were only an aspect of the ceremony carried out at the Feasts.

Just because the sacrificial ceremony changed does not mean the Feasts themselves went into disuse as well. If we are Abraham’s seed and take hold of the Covenant offered us, we will become a part of the body of Messiah. Afterwards those not called now will be given their opportunity, but the sacrifices will be reinstituted, as we see in Ezekiel 40-44.

The weekly and annual Sabbaths were given anciently to Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1-5). They were kept by Abraham (Gen. 26:5) and written down for Israel when they were redeemed from Egypt, Exodus 23:10-11, 24:3. These were observed by ancient Israel. They were observed by the Messiah and His disciples. Paul kept them as shown. They will be kept in the Kingdom. Why then do some teach that these Sabbaths and annual Holy Days are set aside now?

To assume Colossians 2:14-16 states that the annual Feast Days are done away is perverting Scripture. This is not what these verses teach. Neither do they do away with or set aside the weekly Sabbath as some Sunday keepers teach.

How can we be a teacher and a priest in the Kingdom (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) unless we can show others what to do and when to observe these commanded days? Even in our secular world one has to be very knowledgeable about the law and even be a practicing lawyer before one becomes a judge.

How can we be a judge in the Kingdom when we never kept the annual Sabbaths a day in our life? How can we bring judgment upon someone for not observing Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16-18) when we ourselves never observed it?

The walk in truth is a continuum. It begins in this life and carries on into the next life in the Kingdom.

Principles of Effective Bible Study

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How do we know that we are properly understanding Yahweh’s Word? How do we make correct interpretations by rightly dividing the Word?

Basic principles of Bible study will help guide us in getting the truth from each verse, while solving most problems presented by the more difficult passages. Bible study should be systematic, which takes time and discipline.

Before beginning you should have at hand good study Bibles like the Companion and Restoration Study Bible (RSB). Your understanding will increase exponentially by looking up words in the source languages, which these two Bibles help you to do.

When you compare parallel or contrasting verses, as typically provided in a good study Bible like the RSB, you get a more accurate understanding.

The New Testament was written in Hebrew. That’s a fact for several reasons, not the least of which is that the Hebrew writers would write in their native language, which was Hebrew.

They were not speaking Greek in the Galilee region in the first century. The Galileans were considered country folk. Peter, James, and John were not Greek scholars or even Greek speakers. Neither was Matthew, or Mark.

But to date only Greek manuscripts of the New Testament survive, of which there are some 5,400, not to mention thousands of Latin versions and other languages like Syriac, Coptic and Armenian. Most of the manuscripts derive from the Middle Ages, from the 7th century onward.

Of all the thousands of Greek manuscripts, no two are exactly alike. Some scholars put the differences at 200,000, others at 300,000, meaning there are more differences in manuscripts than there are words in the entire New Testament. Realize also that the manuscripts were all hand written (which is the meaning of “manu-script”).

That is why we must go back to the Old Testament foundation for course corrections when needed.

Sometimes scribes left out words, lines or even entire pages, especially when two lines ended with the same words. It didn’t help that they didn’t use paragraph divisions, lower case letters, punctuation, or even spaces between words. This is true of both Hebrew and Greek script.

Sometimes a word was inserted centuries later and at times whole sentences were added. You can see this from the Greek Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest New Testament manuscript.

And sometimes scribes would introduce mistakes, as in Act 15:24: “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment.” The bold-face words are not in the manuscripts, and are omitted in most translations.

Old Testament the Anchor

Some changes are not as significant as others. For instance, the oldest and best manuscripts of John don’t have the story of the woman taken in adultery, where Yahshua says he that is without sin cast the first stone. (Think about that—if only righteous, sinless people could inflict punishment, then the Old Testament law of stoning is moot.) This passage does not appear in the Greek manuscripts until the 12th century.

The passage of 1John 5:7-8 is the only passage in the entire Bible appearing to teach a trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The passage is missing in the text of all Greek manuscripts, and doesn’t occur until the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.

Ironically the more difficult a passage reads the more true it probably is to the original, where scribes didn’t try to gloss and explain the text. The very loosely translated Living Bible comes to mind.

All of this is to say that trying to understand Yahweh’s Word can at times be like trying to hit a moving target in the dead of night.

This is just one more case for the importance of the Old Testament as an anchor for New Testament teachings. Sometimes it is the only authority we have to ascertain the truth of a passage.We read in 2Tim. 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

First and foremost, this applies to the Old Testament. Referring to various incidents recorded in the Old Testament, Paul tells us in 1Corinthians 10:11 that “all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Let’s now consider five principles that make good Bible study.

First Principle: Take It at Face Value

Take the passage just as it reads. Look first for the literal meaning. A symbolic or deeper sense of the passage will often be evident, especially in combination with other related passages and verses elsewhere.

When Yahweh commands, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” Exodus 20:8, and adds that we are to work six days and rest the seventh, He means to keep the Sabbath literally by resting from work. He does not mean or even imply to honor the Sabbath by just thinking nice thoughts about the Sabbath while continuing to work on the seventh day.

The passage is better rendered, “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” The Amplified Bible says that it means to withdraw from common employment and dedicate the day to Yahweh, which verse 10 plainly says.

The command clearly is not intended for just a SPIRITUAL application, as some teach, but for literally ceasing from labor, a proper rendering made clear by consulting other translations. When reading other versions you may find divergent renderings, which is a tip-off to begin digging deeper, which means going back to the source languages. Principle two in proper study is:

Read the Passage in Context

When faced with a difficult verse, read all the verses surrounding it. Read what comes immediately before and after the passage. Read the entire chapter, if necessary. Often this will reveal the true meaning.

Remember that chapters, verse numbers, sentences, paragraphs, and punctuation did not exist in the ancient autographs. Therefore, sometimes thoughts get wrongly separated, which can cause misunderstandings.

For instance, the last two verses of Romans 2 should be numbered as the first two verses of Romans 3. They fit with those verses that follow, but the chapter numbering got in the way. Colossians 2:14 must be read with vv. 20-22.

As obvious as it should be to take everything in context, even many “experts” fail to apply it and end up twisting a passage or missing its meaning entirely.

An example is Romans 14:5, which has been used to support Sunday worship. “One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

If you read the whole chapter it is plain that Paul is addressing fasting and vegetarianism, not the day of rest. The third principle is:

Let Scripture Explain Itself

The Bible never contradicts itself. Hebrews 6:18 tells us it is impossible for Yahweh to lie. Therefore, we can’t say Paul under inspiration of Yahweh’s Spirit did away with the law in Galatians 3:13 only to have him by the same Spirit upholding the law in Romans 7:1, 12.

In the same way we cannot read Yahshua’s plain instruction to the young man, “If you will enter into life, keep the Commandments,” Matthew 19:17, and then turn around and teach that He abolished the law at His death, completely undoing and contradicting what He told the young man and hundreds of others. How would they trust Him again if He did that?

When a particular view of a passage does not seem to hold up in light of other Scriptures that say the exact opposite, then something is wrong with our understanding of the passage. The fourth principle is:

See Why and to Whom It Was Written

You often need to know the reason a passage was written to understand it properly; it may also be very helpful to know to whom the passage was written and why.

For example, 1Corinthians 16:2 has been grossly misinterpreted to support worship on the first day of the week. “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as Yahweh has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

“Lay by him in store” does not mean passing an offering plate at Sunday morning church. Besides, how much preparation does it take to put a coin in your purse or pocket to give as an offering?

Rather, Paul is seeking aid in the form of foodstuffs and other things for the drought-stricken and starving brethren at Jerusalem. He asks that the brethren in Corinth have their donations ready to give to him when he drops by to pick them up on the first of the week.

“Day” was not in the Greek but was added by translators who were pushing Sunday worship. They added the word “day” in all 8 New Testament references to the first (day) of the week.

No reference to a Sunday worship service is intended or implied. A careful reading of the first 4 verses of chapter 16 reveals the clear truth of the circumstance and will dispel any erroneous conclusions about Sunday worship.

Some believe that Paul taught against observing Sabbaths and Feasts in Galatians 4:8-11: “Howbeit then, when you knew not Elohirn, you did service unto them which by nature are no g-ds. But now, after that you have known Elohim, or rather are known of Elohim, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.”

If we understand that the Galatians were converts from a pagan place called Gaul (an area of France from which they derived their name), then it is clear that he is telling them to stop going BACK to their old Celtic ways.

The “days, and months, and times, and years” he is speaking about are not the Sabbath and Feasts commanded at Sinai, but their old pagan worship that they had just left, which is defined as “weak and beggarly,” being without substance and truth.

What’s more, their name comes from the Romans who called them Galli, meaning barbarians. This is not about believers keeping Yahweh’s calendar.

Yahweh’s days are never referred to as weak and beggarly, but are a big part of His laws that are defined as “holy … and just, and good,” Romans 7:12.

The biggest mistake in study is a failure to harmonize all the relevant Scriptures, a violation that has led to a myriad of contradictory teachings. A verse will never disagree with any other verse or part of the Word.

In John 10:35 Yahshua said the Scriptures cannot be broken (“broken” is the Greek luo, meaning to loosen or dissolve). Paul in 2Timothy 3:16 tells us that ALL Scripture is inspired, meaning it is “Yahweh breathed.” The fifth principle is next.

Language and Grammar

Anyone who has studied a foreign language knows that nuances of meaning are often lost in translation. By returning to the source languages as much as possible, we can come much closer to understanding the passage.

The common interpretation of Romans 10:4 is that Yahshua did away with the law. “For Messiah is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.” The Greek word “end” is telos and means “goal.” Far from being the termination of the law, Yahshua is the very purpose for the law! The law aims at Him.

The law transforms us to be like Him when we adhere to it. He said in Matthew 12:50, “For whosoever shall do the will of my father Which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

Now we can employ principles three and five together and show it does not mean end or cessation. The same word telos is found in James 5:11, “ … you have heard the patience of Job, and have seen the end [telos] of Yahweh…”

Telos is used in both passages. If telos means “end,” as in the end of the law, then Yahweh has also come to an end! In truth, telos means “goal” in both verses, not end.

Another example of the importance of knowing the original meaning of words is in Matthew 25:46, which has been popularly interpreted to say that the wicked go to an ever-burning hell fire to roast in agony for eternity. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

The word “punishment” is from the Greek kolasis, and signifies a “lopping off.” It derives from No. 2849 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Greek Dictionary and means to curtail. Properly interpreted, the verse tells us that the wicked will forever be “cut off,” their lives “curtailed.” It is a condition, not an ongoing action.

This agrees with 2Thessalonians 1:9, which reads that the wicked “shall be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of Yahweh and from the glory of his power.” “Destruction” in this verse is the Greek olethros and means to destroy, not sizzle forever in agony in sulfurous flames. Anyway, how does a “soul,” a spirit essence, suffer in physical flames? The prophet wrote, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” Ezekiel 18:20.

The New Testament English translation is at the center of most misinterpretation. The Old Testament translation isn’t plagued with as many difficulties. Nevertheless, no other literary work has been preserved better through the ages than the Bible.

Now get out there and Bible Study!

e-News 1/17/2020

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Control Room Focus of Improvements

For the past month we have been making improvements and advancements in the video ministry. These will help the workflow and allow us to produce videos faster and add more content for the online ministry while enhancing the YRM Network. We are training local volunteers to help in production as well. We will soon be making more videos and short promotions to advance the Truth. A major upgrade was the purchase of a router that ties all the many functions of the control room into one master brain for ease of switching.

 

Donation Receipts in the Mail

Annual donation receipts were mailed this week, and we thank all who help YRM get the Truth out to a world in desperate need.

 

A Busy Past 12 Months

As we reported in the donation letter, 2019 was very busy at YRM. A list of those accomplishments follows. All of these were done by the local staff and volunteer brethren, saving many thousands of dollars.

*Live-stream became more streamlined

*The weekly e-news resumed publishing

*An amphitheater was built for Feasts and storage

*The control room at the offices was given a complete rehab

*Our mobile app was launched

*Our Roku channel was revamped

*Second floor conversion of the meeting hall completed.

*Renovation of the main kitchen continued, with a commercial dishwasher added

*Restoration Times in all four-color throughout

*A drone was acquired to enhance interest in the videos

*Street lights were installed in the parking lot

*Publication of a new outreach booklet was completed

We are humbled by what Yahweh has helped us accomplish so far, and look forward to greater things in the year ahead.

 

e-News 1/10/2019

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Annual Donation Reports Coming
We are busy preparing the reports of total donations we received in 2019. If you contributed anything in 2019 you will have a report coming in your postal mail. We are grateful for your dedicated support this past year that enables our outreach efforts. The year 2019 was a very busy year for YRM, and we review all that Yahweh has done by our hand in ministry and expansion of the facilities for daily work and Feasts.

Interest in YRM Grows by Leaps and Bounds
Our website, yrm.org, experienced a phenomenal jump in visitors last month. Google analytics reported 19,200 visitors in December with a total 26,600 sessions. Sixty-one percent of those who visited learned of us organically — without the help of advertisements. Our videos continue uncommon viewership numbers, while our live streaming grows daily. Praise Yahweh!

TEST YOUR TUTELAGE
The Jewish calendar is the most accurate biblical calendar.

A. True
B. False

The present Jewish calendar is not the same calendar the Jews used during the time of the Messiah. Up to the time of the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem, the Sadducees were in charge of Temple worship. The growing influence of the Pharisees led to their dominating Jewish worship after 70 C.E., when the Jews were driven out of Jerusalem. Modern rabbinical worship is an extension of that Pharisee worship.

In Temple times visible sightings of the new moon in the environs of Jerusalem were carried out each month. Those sighting the thin crescent were questioned by the Sanhedrin, which was charged with sanctifying the beginning of the month. Once the new moon was seen and verified, a calculated calendar was obviously in use to corroborate the beginning of the 29- or 30-day month.

Certain changes and postponements are incorporated into the present Jewish calendar, established in the year 369 C.E. by Hillel II, which are nowhere found in the Bible. Instead of beginning the annual calendar with Abib, the first Biblical month of the year determined by green ears of barley (“Abib” means “green ears”), the Jewish calendar works backward from the Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement to set the year.

The Bible knows nothing of postponing a Feast day. Yet the present Jewish Calendar has four dehioth (postponements), listed here:

1) When the Molad [conjunction] Tishri occurs on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, Rosh Hahshanah is postponed to the following day.

2) When the Molad Tishri occurs at noon (18h) or later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed to the next day. Or if this day is a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, to Monday, Thursday or Sabbath because of Dehiah

3) When the Molad Tishri of a common year falls on Tuesday, 204 parts after 3 a.m., i.e., 3d 9h 204 p or later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed to Wednesday, and because of Dehiah a., further postponed to Thursday.

4) When, in a common year succeeding a leap year, the Molad Tishri occurs on Monday morning 589 parts after 9 a.m., 2d 15h 589 p or later, Rosh Hashanah is postponed to the next day.
There is no authorization in the Bible allowing man to transfer or delay Feast days. Yet, one of the “religious requirements” is that Yom Kippur (Tishri 101) shall not occur on the day before or after the Sabbath and Hoshana Rabba (Tishri 21) shall not occur on a Sabbath.

Nowhere can we find that Atonement cannot occur on a Friday or Sunday. It may be more convenient when it comes to fasting on Atonement, but there is no Biblical justification for it. Neither is there any proscription against having Hoshana Rabba occur on the Sabbath.

Man-made exceptions override the rules of the calendar 60 percent of the time. Thus, exceptions dominate the modern Jewish calendar. Nowhere does the Bible teach such a thing.
The Jews themselves recognize that the calendar they presently use is of a more recent date and is not the calendar Yahshua followed when He walked this earth. The Israelites and Jews of old watched for the appearance of the new moon just as we at YRM do today. Observing the new moons has been the practice of Yahweh’s people down through history in obedience to Yahweh’s established heavenly calendar (Gen. 1:14; Ps. 104:19).

Answer: B

e-News 1/3/2020

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Our Outreach Growth Continues
Yahweh is blessing our outreach as YRM videos are furthering interest in truth in a big way. For example, in just a few days a sermon last year by Elder Alan Mansager on the pagan origins of New Year’s has earned 600 subscribers and 50,000 views, representing over 7,000 hours of watch time. In the next 12 months we will be adding more captivating video programs for Yahweh’s glory. Watch Here>>

Annual Donation Report Coming
We will soon be sending your annual donation summary for 2019, along with a report on all that has been accomplished this past secular year. This was one of the busiest years for YRM, with many advances both in outreach and building and facility improvements. Of course, none of it would have been possible without our faithful supporters, for which we thank Almighty Yahweh.  With your help we look forward to greater progress in 2020.

Parking Lot Lighting Completed
YRM offices got a facelift this week with three street lights added to the parking lot. Ten volunteers, led by Bros. Ryan Mansager and Chris Fouts, installed the lighting in an eight-hour marathon. The 25-foot poles were raised and set on concrete pillars by muscle power with ropes and backhoe assisting. We thank Bro. Chris and son Andrew who traveled from Virginia to help install and connect the lighting, along with Bro. Mel Braun and son David from Michigan.

TEST YOUR TUTELAGE
The sacred Name Yahweh should be pronounced Yahuweh.

A.True
B. False

Rules of Hebrew grammar conflict with the Yah-u-weh (and Yehovah) pronunciation. If the Name were “Yah-u-w-eh” it would have 5 vowel-consonants, thus making it not a four-letter Tetragrammaton but a five-letter Pentagrammaton. We also never see a dagesh forte (letter doubling) in the Hebrew Tetragrammaton. The grammar would dictate two waws to make the “u” and the “w” sounds respectively. Breaking it down it would look like this: YHWWH (Y = Yod H = Hey U = Waw W = Waw H = Hey). From the oldest texts on down there is no case of the Name ever written with five Hebrew letters. This same rule must be applied to Jehovah/Yehovah. You cannot simply attach extra letters and syllables to a word without the necessary grammatical and lexical support. The Tetragrammaton vowel marks were purposely combined with Adonai or Elohim to hide the name. In Hebrew in the preponderance of cases the last syllable is where the accent was placed, not the middle one. To over-emphasize a middle syllable (YahUweh) would be a total guess unsupported by standard Hebrew grammar.

Answer: B

Faith and Action

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“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)

What is faith? It is not physical; so how do we know that faith exists? To have faith, one
starts with hope which will lead to belief. I have hope that I will overcome my educational
obstacles and retain the knowledge I am seeking to excel in my career path. When I build upon
this hope by telling myself that I can overcome, it will eventually become something tangible
and real. Constant repetition of the belief will force the mind to accept that the idea or concept
once “hoped” for can, in actuality, be realized. It then becomes a substance that feels physical
and real. Our mind is shaped and formed by what we tell ourselves. If we inwardly say that we
cannot be a successful business owner or become the doctor that we have always dreamed of
becoming, our mind will follow in this line of thinking and make this a reality.

This is such a valuable thought – to remember that we are not subject to the whims and
ways of this world. Our life can be changed by how much our minds have been bent to accept
that anything is possible. In the past, I have restricted my existence to what I can see and feel
and not on what is possible to achieve. However, we do not have to accept that if only we are
in the right place at the right time then what we truly want can be obtained. My generation has
been taught that, as long as you live in the right neighborhood and go to the right schools, you
are automatically primed for the most rewards in this life. Further, if you do not have these
things, then you will never succeed to your full potential.

This world would be so dismal without faith to give us the hope we need for better days.

It is the thought that as long as I keep having faith in the things that I cannot see or feel, one
day it will become physical. What I am doing in the unseen world can and will be revealed in
this world. I can also change the outcome of my life by having faith, hope, and then belief that
anything is possible. Faith can also bring about other positive changes.

“Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” (Luke 6:31)

In my life, there have been many times that circumstances required change. When I had
been faced with accusations or insults and anger had begun to rise, I began to learn that what
you feel in the moment is usually not the truth. There are times where negative emotions like
rage, jealousy, bitterness, selfishness, and depression can be upon us so strongly that to be free
of their grasp seems impossible. However, when I truly reflect on those feelings and why I am
choosing to accept them, the root is usually pride. I am believing that those emotions are
impossible to shake, yet there are many verses that deny this:

“All is permitted me, but not all do profit. All is permitted me, but I shall not be under
authority of any.” (1Cor. 6:12)

“And I say: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not accomplish the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16)

“I sought יהוה, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Ps. 34:4)

When I tell myself I can choose joy, or that I can choose faith, or that I choose to believe
I can do all things, I am choosing faith. As I am in this faith, I choose to make steps that will
direct the course of my belief. If I want to be joyful, I smile more; if I am afraid, I tell myself that
I am not alone and He watches over me; if I want to succeed, I prepare, study, and work.

Another area of life that requires faith is relationships, as they are valuable to our
existence. It is important to cultivate this partnership between two or more people. The
existence of our physical bodies in this world can be bleak if we isolate ourselves because we
have treated those in our closest circle in a harsh, unloving way.

When I feel valued and loved, it brings a warm, serene feeling to my soul. It makes me
want to reach out to others and share this aura with them as well. The result of this makes me
want to surround many cities and states with this beautiful “thing” called happiness.
The feelings of bitterness and anger also operate along the same lines of transportation.
When the feeling of annoyance, which turns to anger, starts to rise up in our body, everyone
around us will have some participation in this sad turn of events. The harsh, snarling tones
erupt like flames of fire and can destroy a group of people in just a matter of seconds.

It takes perseverance and courage to push past the conflict we have with others,
whether we are to blame or not. I cherish the idea that we are to love, serve, honor, protect,
care for, and value others as we would want the same from those around us. This idea is so
precious to me because it is what I do not accomplish on my own. It is something that I am
consistently striving to achieve every day in my personal relationships.

Each day is a new beginning toward building our personal relationships with those
around us. If we remember to act in a way that we would want to be treated, then some of our
relationships might be spared estrangement and loneliness. If we want kindness and love, then
we must be the ones who give it. This is true faith with action, to be in the moment but to
believe in a better future and consciously make sure steps toward it.

By: Luann Avalos

e-News 12/27/2019

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Installation of Parking Lot Lights
Several years after we purchased light poles for the YRM parking lot, installation is finally underway. Bros. Chris Fouts, Ryan Mansager, James Duenow, Lucas Cecil, and Mel Braun worked for a couple of days on erecting the three poles, which will make the parking lot safer at night and the building more secure. This work had been put off because of more pressing requirements of the ministry. It is becoming clear that our parking lot requires expansion as well, especially during the Feasts.

Final Call for 2019 Donations
Only a few days remain for those who want their tithes and offerings credited for the year 2019. Be sure to have them sent or postmarked before January 1. Our sincerest “thank you” to all who respond to the needs of this ministry and who help us reach the many who are searching for Truth in a world of confusion. A complete report of your 2019 donations will be mailed in January 2020.

TEST YOUR TUTELAGE
Throughout Scripture, Yahweh is alternately called Shepherd, Elohim, Father, Husband, Redeemer and Sovereign. How can these all be true at the same time?

  1. It depends on the mood of the writer.
  2. This variety is traceable to misunderstandings in The Hebrew.
  3. The New Testament concludes the matter: He is Father, and that is sufficient.
  4. These various titles are fulfillments of the Holy Name.

The Most Holy Name, Yahweh, has two (2) basic meanings. Either “He is” or else “He will be.” Observant Bible students will tell you that when Yahweh works effectively, He will be whatever He has to be in order to bring about His will. Without question, the Psalms instruct us to call upon HIs Name in prayer and worship. These titles, however, allow us to frame our devotions in a way that speaks to matters at hand. In no way do these titles eliminate HIs Name.

Answer: D