Ad first placed 1/11/1999.

Ad last placed 1/14/1999.

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Read slowly! +

TO START ~ As you read, please PRAY for me in the Holy Spirit! +

INTRODUCTION ~ Committed my life to Jesus in 1980. Look about 10 yrs younger. Have goals & plans, yet still don't know what I want to do (which may have something to do with needing a wife). I'm moody, & frequently blunt. +

BELIEVE ~ YHWH ('Yahweh'), Yahshua ('Jesus'), The Holy Spirit. Truth. Charis ('Grace'). Messiah's blood. The Bible. The New Creation. Biblical perfection. Perfect Love. Other Biblical ideas that are hard to believe. Freedom in, & gifts of, the Spirit. +

EAT ~ Kosher & semi-kosher (OT food rules). +

DID ~ AA degree, 2 AAASs: Audio Engineering & MIDI Music Prod. +

PLAN ~ A BA/MA degree in Multimedia, I think. (Career student?) Digital audio (ProTools). +

JOB ~ Video camera operator (city meetings for cable). +

ENJOY ~ Singing, playing piano, composing. Speed chess. Lots of activities! (Ask, I can send a link to the list.) +

FAVE ARTISTS? MichelleTumes DCTalk MWS JackieVelasquez SteveTaylor PhilKeaggy KeithGreen PaulClark +

FILM? Mr.DeedsGoestoTown. HarrisonFord DenzelWashington +

BOOKS? Bible. ThePhantomTollbooth (a "children's" book that adults should read). +

LIKE, OR ENJOY ~ I enjoy or like most things, to some degree. Since I seldom find in people the qualities mentioned above, at times I have a hard time liking them, though we are to tenderheartedly Love the Brethren with Agape & phileo. +

DON'T LIKE ~ Hominy (too waxy). Sweet potatoes (too sweet). Teaching as commandments the doctrines of men. Lies. Stupidity. +

WANT ~ More than I deserve - as the headline says, Beautiful.. PERFECT... Charis! ('Grace'). +

DESIRE IN OTHERS ~ Faithfulness. Kindness. Patience. (You'll need it.) Biblical Spirituality. Worthiness (Matt10:11). Approved Spiritual leaders (1Co11:19; 2Ti2:15). Honesty. +

FIN ~ Don't know yet if I want children. Very LD. Never married; not a virgin, sorry. I want to marry for a lifetime or not at all. YHWH is so wonderful! "Whoever will call on the Name of YHWH will be saved" (Joel2:32; Acts2:21; Rom10:13). HalleluYah! Praise Yah!

C1999

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©1999 by the author. All rights reserved.

First of all, before I begin, let me say that it has been a pleasure reviewing what it is we as believers believe, what the Bible teaches, and that the Creator in Heaven has revealed what He has to us through His Son, through His Word, and through His people. Sometimes life is confusing, and yet He provides for us Wisdom and Understanding, Love and Peace, Joy and strength, to do His will. I'm still confused in some areas (a lot of them), but I believe He will reveal what we need in His time. It is our responsibility to pursue, seek out, and cry out for Him, His righteousness, His Holiness, His Understanding of matters, and His Wisdom.

In my description, the reason I have words together without spaces is because the system on which I placed the description above allowed only so many characters. I actually wrote a lot more, but it would not all fit. I had to shorten it somehow, and that seemed a way to do that.

Let me also say that I am interested in marrying someone who is a devoted, born-again, New Creation (2^nd Corinthians 5:17). If you have not been born from above, please read on, but understand that it is my intent to marry only someone who has been washed with the blood of Messiah by the Holy Spirit, and with the "washing of regeneration."

I'm not interested in becoming pen pals, or "just friends" (typically a nice euphemism for NOT friends). I am not interested in making real "just friends" here either. I can do that locally. My desire is to find -- if YHWH wills and we live -- a wife. (Proverbs18:22)

In short, if you are not looking to get married for the rest of your life to someone at this time, then at this time I'm not your man. If you change your mind later….

I care enough about a woman's looks that such a woman be "my type" whatever that may be. There are many beautiful women who are not. There is no rejection by me if a woman is not. But I do not intend to consider one who is not for a wife.

"My type" has changed somewhat over time. It is strange, but as one grows older one's perspective changes whether one wants it to or not. I remember seeing as a child the teenager-like actors in the movie West Side Story. I was somewhat scared by the gang members. Now when I see the same actors in that movie they seem so young! and not scary at all. The point is that women in their early twenties look awfully young to me now.

I'm hoping to find someone who is within twelve years of my age. (Abraham and Sarah were ten years apart.)

I have waited a long time to get married. I believe that a wise woman will come from "Yahweh" -- Proverbs19:14b -- that is, if it is His Will for me to marry at all.

Marriage is His idea. We should not be interested in it (or in any other relationship) for selfish reasons, because of partiality or favoritism, or for ourselves. We are to do all things unto Him. Maybe one reason I have not married is my own lack of maturity. On the other hand, marriage can help to make one grow up really fast in some areas.

Knowledge without Love is of no profit to the individual. I hope we all will submit our understanding to His Love.

If you need references for any statement I make, please let me know. If I left any place with ***, or incomplete, and you want me to complete it, please let me know. If you have any questions about the explanation here, please let me know. If YHWH wills and I live, if I have time, and if I so desire and choose, I may answer your question either in this document or elsewhere.

May the Most High bless your understanding with His. Don't even lean on your own understanding. Trust in YHWH will all of your heart. Let Him teach you! Let Messiah teach you. Let the Spirit teach you.

In Messiah's Name, Stephen

©1999. All rights reserved.

Chapters and verses:

11:13 means chapter 11 verse 13. 18a means verse 18 first part of the verse. (18b, then, would be the second part, etc.) 6:10-18 means chapter 6 verses 10 through 18. 2:4, 33, 38 means chapter 2 verses 4, 33, and 38. James 1:5; 4:1ff. means book of James, chapter 1 verse 5, chapter 4 verse 1 and following.

Some abbreviation examples:

Matt or Mt for "Matthew" (or, Mattityah)

Jas for James (or, Yahdah)

Ph'p for Philippians.

1 Cor for First Corinthians (or, the First Letter to the Corinthians; letters are also called epistles)

1 Jn for First John -- the letter, not to be confused for the Gospel account called John (or Yahchanan)

OT for "Old Testament"

NT for "New Testament"

Not everyone follows the exact same method as this, but most methods are similar. Often book names are shortened to abbreviations. Book names and abbreviations might also differ.

Read slowly! +

Since most people don't read very carefully, and quickly skim over important details, I want to make sure that you have read carefully without missing anything important.

TO START ~ As you read, please PRAY for me in the Holy Spirit! +

If you don't understand this, yet you are serious about being a Christian, you need to learn about the Holy Spirit right away! He is really important. And praying in the Holy Spirit is very important. This is where newness of Life all begins.

There are many more than are listed here. These are listed for you to have a basic understanding of the Holy Spirit. If I left out any very-important verse, please let me know.

(Listed in book order.)

Luke11:13; John14:16-17; 15:26.

Acts1:5 with 2:4, 33, 38, all of chapter 2 is important to know.

Acts8:12-18a; 10:29-48; Acts19:1-7.

Romans5:5; 14:17-18; 15:13; 1Corinthians2:12-14; 6:19-20; Galatians5:16 and 25; Ephesians6:10-18; 1Thessalonians1:5-6; 2Timothy1:13-14; Titus3:4-6; Hebrews3:7-8; 2Peter1:21; Jude18-21 (This letter is only one chapter.)

INTRODUCTION ~ Committed my life to Jesus in 1980.

If you have not committed your life to Messiah, please do so right away!

Believers should date or marry only those who are born-again -- John3:3-21; 1Peter1:23; 2Cor6:14; 1Cor7:39 -- unless He specifically leads otherwise.

Look about 10 yrs younger. Have goals & plans, yet still don't know what I want to do (which may have something to do with needing a wife). I'm moody, & frequently blunt. +

So you want to know what moody means. Hmm. Maybe moody is overstating it. There are times when I need to be alone. And there are times when I'd like company. In one day, I can want both of these numerous times from one moment to the next. If I want to be alone, it's not a great idea to interrupt me. If I want company, a hug, to talk, I pretty much want it a lot. I don't mind a hug (or a back rub) during certain times that I want to be alone (such as when I'm working at the computer). But I do mind being talked to when I'm writing, composing music, intently listening to music (and I rarely listen to it casually, without paying attention; "guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the springs of Life"), or listening intently to anything else. I don't mind someone waking me for a moment (but don't expect me to remember what was said!), because I can often fall asleep easily. "He gives His beloved sleep."

BELIEVE ~ YHWH ('Yahweh'), Yahshua ('Jesus'), The Holy Spirit. Truth. Charis ('Grace'). Messiah's blood. The Bible. The New Creation. Biblical perfection. Perfect Love. Other Biblical ideas that are hard to believe. Freedom in, & gifts of, the Spirit. +

These are listed for those who are Christians/believers.

YHWH ('Yahweh'),

YHWH or maybe YHVH is The Name of the Creator in the Hebrew/Aramaic Scriptures. In many translations, His Name has NOT been included in the English, though present in the Hebrew or Aramaic. In Its place many English translations put "the LORD" (small capitals). The Name, however, does not mean "the Lord," so this is misleading.

The Name is called the Tetragrammaton (tetra meaning four, since there are four letters in the Name in many places). You can find this word in many regular dictionaries. The Name (these four letters) is in the "Old Testament" about 6,823 times. This is more times than the words for God (El, Elohim, etc.) and Lord (Adonai) put together!

The Name, though NOT found in most English translations, is very important.

The word Hallelujah (or HalleluYaH), for example, means "[You] Praise Yah"! This is the most frequently found command/imperative in the Bible. True believers should be thanking Him by Name daily.

The Name was integral to the Faith of early believers. In the days even before the flood people called on Him by This Name (Genesis 4:26). People acknowledged Him by giving their children names that contain the first part of the Name. Isaiah (IsaYah), Jeremiah (YeremYah), Joshua (Yahshua), and many others.

Many people pray "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name," and yet do not know the Name of the Father! This is sad.

We are called to know Him. John (Yahchanan) 17:3.

Calling on Him by Name is also important. The Bible says, in Joel 2:32 (or 3:5 in the Tanakh) that "Whoever will call with the Name YHWH will be saved /preserved /delivered. This phrase is quoted in the "New Testament" as well. (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13)

The Name should be very important to those who pray, "Our Father… hallowed be Your Name." His Name should be proclaimed (Rom. 10:13-17), and pronounced over those who are being made disciples (Matthew 28:19; "in" means "into").

People have called on His Name since the very beginning (Gen. 4:26 and many others).

Yahshua

Jesus. The actual Name given to Him was something like YHSUA. In Greek It is "Iesou." (The letter "s" in Greek is added to the end of nearly every name, and can often be dropped entirely.) But the original is like "Joshua," Yahshua, or something much closer than "Jesus" anyway. You shall call His Name*** Messiah in us is our hope.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit? The Promise from on high. Also called "Holy Ghost." You must answer to yourself and to the Most High this question: "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" Acts 19 Remember, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit…."

Messiah's blood.

At the heart of the Gospel/Evangel. We who have the Spirit of Messiah have been bought by His blood. His blood cleans us from all unrighteousness (1 John chapter 1). His blood cleans the conscience. By His blood we enter into the Holy of holies. By His blood (etc.) we overcome the world through Faith.

The Bible.

The foundation laid by the Prophets and Apostles.

Messiah -- Who IS the Truth -- is our foundation. The Scriptures point to Him. The Bible must be understood with the "mind of Christ." Messiah must be our one Teacher. (Matt23:8-10) The Creator established the Assembly (Gr. ecclesia, the Church), and He set in the Assembly people to study and teach. It is my hope that today we all may find those whom He has approved (1Corinthians11:17-19) --if any are still approved. For Messiah said, "When the Son of Man returns will He find [the] Faith on the Earth?" (Lk18:8) Pray that you may find one who is approved (if any; Revelation3:13-22, esp. 16). Do not listen to any other voice than Messiah's Voice (Jn10:16 and 5).

The New Creation.

Or possibly a renewed creation.

"If any person is in Messiah, he is a New Creation." 2Cor5:17

The New Creation is the Rule we are to follow. Gal6:15-16

What matters is a New Creation.

Our hope is Messiah in us, for a New Creation, to "attain to" the resurrection of the righteous.

The "redemption of our bodies" -- our resurrected bodies -- is a fruit of the New Creation.

Biblical perfection.

There are lots of verses on being perfect, contrary to what most teach and believe. Below are just a few.

The Bible teaches a real true perfection and blamelessness. (Matt5:48; Rom12:2; Eph4:13; Philippians3:12-21)

Do not confuse this with the idea of sinlessness. (Rom7:17-18,22-25; 1John1:7-9; Philippians3:21) It makes sense, however, that if your heart is pure (Psalms24:4; 1Timothy1:5; 2Timothy2:22; 1Peter1:22), you can walk without sinning for at least a minute. If for a minute, then an hour. If for an hour, even longer. However, I believe we still have sin in our bodies, a law of sin, until the redemption of our bodies. If we sin, we are to repent, become forgiven, and become cleansed.

Do not confuse Biblical perfection with some assembly's definitions of perfection, or the world's definitions.

The world and many so-called believers do not believe in or teach Scripture's doctrine of perfection.

Don't confuse true perfection -- based in becoming and living His Righteousness -- with self-righteousness.

Perfect Love.

Yes! 1 Jn 4:18 with Romans 5:5

Not our own loves, but HIS Loves!

1 Jn 2:15; 2 Cor 13:14

1 Cor 16:22 with Titus 3:4! (Gr. phileo and philanthropia)

Other Biblical ideas that are hard to believe.

The Bible permits or permitted ideas strange to us today. They are strange to us for many reasons, but one reason is that we recognize the wickedness of the actions of others in these areas. These areas are/were not necessarily wrong in and of themselves, but people's motives made them so.

The Love of YHWH is strange. But understand, this is HIS Earth. He made us. He lets us live on the planet. It doesn't belong to us, except through being heirs of YHWH, co-heirs with Messiah. He will not allow forever the unrighteous and the wicked to harm His people or to destroy the Earth. His Love will not permit it forever.

With all this in mind consider these hard-to-believe, and sometimes hard-to-accept "permitted" activities: wars; capital punishment (death); in-public whipping, stoning, hanging; slaves (but not like what was often done in THIS country); wives (yes, more than one); destruction of whole families; killing of pregnant mothers; judgments of diseases, famines, weakness, death, etc.; etc.

It is hard to fathom some of the Bible's teachings, but they are there to be read and known. I believe that in proper contexts such activities or occurrences can be/could be righteous.

Freedom in, & gifts of, the Spirit.

"Where the Spirit is there is Liberty / Freedom!"

I believe that many, most, or all of the charismata -- the "gifts of the Spirit" -- are for believers. There will be a time when they will cease. That time is when "the perfect" has come. This is, as Paul said, "when I know as I myself am known," when we see "face to face" (1 Corinthians 13). Though as flesh and blood one cannot see YHWH's face, our desire is to look upon His Face. That time, and that time only, is when the perfect has come. Do you see face to face?

EAT ~ Kosher & semi-kosher (OT food rules). +

Whether it is required of me or not, I eat mostly-kosher. This means that I look at what the Bible says to eat or not eat. I believe that some of the kashrut/kashruth/kosher rules that the Jewish Orthodox teach or follow go beyond what the Scriptures actually say; it appears that they have added to the Scriptures stricter rules than the Scriptures themselves teach. While this may seem safe, it actually adds stricter burdens on people than YHWH intended. I buy mostly kosher products because there is little in place other than kosher certification to tell me what the product contains. Ingredient lists do NOT list all ingredients used in the production of a product. For example: A turkey sausage could have swine intestines as the casing. Bread could be baked in a pan coated with lard. And many other possibilities as well.

Did Messiah declare all foods to be clean? I'm not convinced of that. This passage, Mark 7:19, I have read is NOT in ancient texts. It appears in texts much later, and is considered by some as having been added. I consider it, at this time, added. (Besides, the passage is talking about eating with unwashed hands, not hands that have touched the unclean.)

The Scripture in Acts 10 and 11 have been taken to support the idea that all foods are indeed clean.

Some point out that this is really in reference to people, but not to food. Its application IS mainly to people. But would it make sense to use unclean creatures to say the Gentiles were not to be called "common/impure/unholy or unclean"? No. Not at all. Notice what the Apostle says in

Acts 10:28a:

28a And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation…

(KJV)

The Apostle was wrong! There is no such law in the Torah. Yes, the Jews had a law, but it was a law from the Scribes, Rabbis, or culture. The Scriptures actually taught that they WERE to be a light to the Gentiles, that Gentiles could go and travel through their land, that the Jews were to LOVE the Gentiles. Messiah taught that they were to preach to them.

What makes sense to me is that the Apostle was wrong about the Apostles in a way similar to how he was wrong about food. The Jews may have disallowed the eating of certain "questionable" creatures. The Law of Moses did NOT prohibit it, but the stricter additional doctrines that they added DID. We do not know what exactly was on that sheet. But we know that whatever it was, the Apostle called it one thing, and the Creator called it another.

Keep in mind that the Messiah wanted to restore the Truth, and YHWH's commandments to the people. He also wanted the people to stop teaching as commandments the doctrines of men! As one motto says, Where Scripture is silent, we are silent. Where Scripture speaks, we speak. Let's not add to His Word and be found to be liars (Proverbs 30:5-6).

Some say that the food rules in the "Old Testament" do not have to be kept. So why do I follow the Bible's food rules? First of all, I'm not convinced of this. There is no passage in the New Testament that says that the Jews could go ahead and eat pork chops (and thus offend the Jews who do not yet believe in Yahsh[ua] Messiah). In fact, the book of Acts clearly shows that the Apostles STILL kept "the law": Acts 21:24. This is Paul here, the "Apostle to the Gentiles." Surely, if there were something hypocritical about keeping this law, he would have stood up and said so! No. He was still keeping the law.

What if one is not a Jew, should one keep the law? I do not intend to address that question here. Here are a few verses, though: Romans 2:13; 6:14; 14:14; Acts 21:24 AND 25.

So why do I keep these food rules? Just in case? Better safe than sorry? To be all things to all men so that by all means I might win some? Yes. The "Gospel" was/is "to the Jew FIRST!" An orthodox Jew might not even eat what you cook because the rules are that strict. If all Christians would eat kosher, or at least make provisions to supply kosher food on kosher dishes and utensils to Jewish visitors, we might be able to share with them much more effectively the freedom we have in Messiah.

FIN ~ Don't know yet if I want children. Very LD.

I really don't know. I might want to adopt an older child, an orphan possibly.

Very LD, means very light drinker. The Bible clearly teaches that drinking is Scripturally permissible. Those who say otherwise are to be prayerfully considered as teaching doctrines that cause others to depart from walking by Faith in such matters. (1 Timothy 4:1-6) They add strictness to the Scriptures that the Scriptures themselves do not require. On the other hand, 1Corinthians chapter 8; 10:31; Romans 14, esp. vs. 21.

1 Cor 8:8

8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

(NAS)

Rom 14:21

21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

(NIV)

He would not have said this in reference to wine if it were not permissible to drink it at all. Just as it is permissible to eat meat, so it is also permissible to drink wine. Please stop teaching against alcohol beverages! -- you are dividing the Body of believers. Teach Biblical moderation and self-control, and emphasize freedom in the Spirit, freedom from sin, the "law of sin," the "old man," sickness, the adversary's powers, the world's conforming influences, unrighteous fear, human teachings not clearly taught in the Word. Do all to the glory of the Most High! HalleluYah!

I hope that is enough. I'm tired of typing this!

Hallellujah.

HalleluYah!

Praise Yah!

In Messiah, Stephen

At this writing, I have not yet put a list of Activities online. Maybe if YHWH wills and I live.

In Him, S.

©1999 by the author. All rights reserved.