You may have noticed that I’ve essentially taken a break for the last two months or so…
I have not written nor posted blog articles for awhile.
I have not taken a break from Torah, and I have not taken a break from studying Torah [and the rest of the Scriptures].

Over the last three years, my blog has been a great tool for me.
I wrote as I came into Torah.
I wrote as I learned, and I learned by writing.
I shared my thoughts with the world.

When I read a direct quote of Yahweh, or a direct quote of Yeshua Messiah, I simply chose to believe what They said.
And I still do.
The things They said are non-negotiable for me.
But believing the things said by Elohim caused me to question other things I’d been taught by men over several decades of my life.
This blog is a written historical record as I questioned and explored the differences between the Scriptures and the doctrines of men.
It was hard.
It still is hard.
But given the choice of siding with Yahweh and Yeshua, or siding with what some guy learned in college, I will side with Yah and Yeshua every single time.

When I realized that mainstream Christianity teaches something different than what Yahweh says, I got angry.
I was angry that I had been taught things that do not line up with the Word.
I was angry that I myself perpetuated these ideas.
I taught Sunday School and led men’s studies, teaching the same false doctrines I had learned from others.
I got angry with the church and church leaders, and I believe it shows in some of my early articles.
But I’ve come to realize my failings were not their fault.
I failed to submit my heart to Yahweh.
I failed to submit my will to His will, and as a result, I did not gain truth in my efforts [as the scriptures teach will happen].
It is the same for the church today, and for church leaders.
They are not the enemy. They are just lost without the whole truth of the whole bible.

You might see a significant and definitive change in my attitude as my writings continued.
As I studied through another Torah portion series, I paid particular attention to Mosheh.
Make no mistake about it… Mosheh was an incredible leader.
But he did not like his calling.
Mosheh did not like leading a group of rebellious and complaining people.
He did not enjoy being responsible for the nation of Israel.
He disliked his ‘position’ so very much that he asked Yahweh to kill him on the spot.
That’s pretty bad, right?
And yet, Mosheh soldiered on.
Mosheh continued in his calling.
Mosheh had compassion for the people.
When they messed up (sometimes badly) Mosheh fell on his face before Yahweh and prayed for the people.
Mosheh interceded and prayed for a rebellious, disobedient, stiff-necked people.
I learned from Mosheh.
I valued what I see in his example.
My tone softened.
My blog articles still called out the truth of the scriptures, but I began to pray for those who do not know the Word, instead of being angry with them for teaching, believing, and living false doctrine.

This is where I remain today, with regard to mainstream Christianity.
I pray for them.
I have compassion for them.
I pray that Yahweh will be merciful and kind to those who do not know the truth, even if it is their own fault. Even if they think they have it right…

And then, I began shifting the focus of my blog articles.
I noticed through personal experiences in fellowship as well as online that the Torah Community at large has some issues.
What issues?
Lukewarm behavior.
Lack of faith.
Disobedience.
Partial followers.
Fakers, claiming to be Torah followers when the evidence of their lives indicates otherwise.
False teachers, wolves, twisting and changing and deceiving and injecting confusion and doubt.

All the problems we see in the people of the Exodus story, we also see in today’s Torah community.
My blog continued, but I began writing to them, the Torah community,  instead of to mainstream Christians.
And the Torah community did not like my input.
They seemed to be fine when I was addressing the issues in Christianity. Nearly everyone was willing to rally around that…
But when I began addressing the issues that exist in Torah community, people stopped interacting with me. Or worse, they began debating against me.
My blogs would go unread, and my posts would sit with few comments and little discussion. My “online fellowship” dried up and withered.
A very small minority stood by my side, and even had my back at times. A small group of people would tell me encouraging things. You know who you are, and I say, “Thank You!!”

All of these experiences culminated with another blown up local fellowship.
False doctrine was being introduced stating that most of the Torah is not applicable today.
I quoted Yahweh and Yeshua to debunk the ideas.
And it all blew up.
Some in the group were hungry for truth, but others wanted to maintain the status quo, no matter what.
For some, hugs and smiles and friendship were more important than clinging to Yah’s Voice.
Keeping the peace took precedence for some, while others encouraged me privately.
Please understand… this is a great group of wonderful people.
These are all people I grew to love very much.
I was told by some that I know the Scriptures well, and that standing firm upon the things Yahweh and Yeshua said was much needed.
Others told me I was divisive and offensive and that I’m really not good at any of this.
And that is when I took my break from writing blog articles.
I wanted to take some time and pray.
I wanted to take some time and ask that Yah refine me.

Here I am today.
I’ve learned I cannot be responsible for what others think and believe.
I’ve learned that most people will not change their minds or their behavior, just because I quote a few scriptures.
I have several blog articles that talk about why some people understand and “get it” and why some people do not understand and do not “get it.”
I’ve come to realize that if people submit their hearts and their will to Elohim, then they will be given understanding. It is promised in the scriptures.
If someone has not submitted their heart to Yah, then my input cannot help them.
If someone has submitted their heart to Yah, then they are already receiving truth and understanding, and my input is not necessary.
I cannot change people, and I cannot change the lives of other people.
They must respond to their own calling of God.
They must decide for themselves if they will follow wholly and completely, or if they will follow partially.
I cannot decide for them.
I cannot force anyone to be more serious about the Word.
I cannot make anyone be serious about their obedience to the Word.

Yahweh says for us to make for ourselves and wear tzitzits, and to do so throughout our generations.
And yet, countless people in Torah do not wear tzitzits.
It is a simple litmus test.
Do they know the Voice of Yah?
Do they believe the Voice of Yah?
Do they obey and follow the Voice of Yah?
If they do, then they already wear tzitzits.
If they do not, then I cannot convince them to wear tzitzits.

Yahweh speaks of His expectations and His standards for the Sabbath.
He tells us that Shabbat is a sign between Him and His people.
He tells us that anyone who profanes/violates the Sabbath will surely die and be cut off from His people.
What do we see in Torah community?
Countless people profaning and violating the Sabbath.
If it is not in their heart to honor and remember the Sabbath, to keep it at all costs because they know the Voice of Yahweh, then I can not help them.
If they do know the Voice of Yah and keep the Sabbath as a result, then my input is not needed. They are on the path already.

If someone in Torah decides they must work on Yahweh’s moedim – for whatever reasons – then I cannot help them.
If an individual has no reverent fear of Yahweh, to keep His commands out of love for Him, then my input is worthless.

I recently had someone tell me that God will understand if we violate the Sabbath.
God will understand if we work on His Feast Days.
They said that we are in exile.
They said that we are subject to the ways of the nations where we reside.
They say we have no choice but to conform to the pressures of the nations in which we are exiled.
“God will understand this…”
Is that what the bible teaches us?
Look at Daniel.
Daniel was a man in covenant with Yahweh who happened to be in exile.
Daniel was expected to eat unclean meats.
Did he conform to the expectations of his captors?
No.
He obeyed Yahweh.
Daniel was expected to bow down to King Darius only, and not bow down to Yahweh, with the lion’s den awaiting anyone who disobeyed this decree.
Did Daniel conform to the ways of this nation of exile, stating that “God will understand”?
No, Daniel did not.
Daniel sought Yahweh and only Yahweh.
Daniel remained steadfast in honoring Yahweh, even though he knew it would cost him his life. 
He chose his fate, the lion’s den, because He valued Yahweh over everything else, even his own life.
This is the example we are to follow.
Sound extreme?
Yes, it does.
Sound a bit serious?
Yes, it does.
We are not to add Torah to our lives where ever we can seem to make it fit.
No, we are to conform our lives to Torah, no matter the cost.
This is what the scriptures teach.
This is what Yahweh teaches.
This is what the prophets teach.
This is what Yeshua teaches.
We are not to conform to the world, all while changing Yahweh’s character in our own minds, deciding for ourselves what He will or won’t accept.  
He has already spoken.
Yahweh has already told us what He will or won’t accept.
We don’t get to change it.
We don’t get to decide who He is.

The scriptures are recorded for us, that we might learn from them.
Romans 15:4
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Are the accounts of of Daniel’s life just a cool story to read?
Or are we to learn from his account?
Are we to violate the ways of Yahweh in order to conform to the world, all while claiming that Yah will understand?
No, we must each pass our test that Yahweh is giving us:
Deuteronomy 13:4-5
“…for יהוה your Elohim is testing you to know whether you love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.  Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.”

People do not need my blog articles if:
1. they love יהוה with their whole heart
2. they walk after יהוה
3. they fear יהוה
4. they guard His commands
5. they obey His Voice
6. they serve יהוה
7. they cling to יהוה
If people do not do these seven things, then my blog articles cannot help them.
Each person must pass or fail this test.
No one else can take this test in our place, and none of us can take this test for another.

So where does this leave me?
Will I continue?
Will I soldier on?
Yes, I will.
I will continue to study.
I will continue to write and post blogs.
I will encourage others.
I will pray for others.
I will encourage you to pray for others.

But I will not carry the weight of the disobedience and lack of faith of others. I will not burden my own shoulders with the thoughts, words, and actions of others.
I will not tell people they are wrong.
This is never effective, even if it is true.
I will only show you what Yahweh says and what Yeshua says.
I will show you what the scriptures say.
People will have to decide for themselves whether or not they are wrong, and what to do about it.

Yes, I’ll write blogs, and I pray my blogs will continue to be helpful.
But I won’t carry the burden of others any longer.
Each must pass their own test, as I cannot do it for them.

Ecclesiastes 12
And besides these, my son, be warned – the making of many books has no end, and much study is a wearying of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind! For Elohim shall bring every work into right-ruling, including all that is hidden, whether good or whether evil.