Some say I am a teacher. While it is true that I do teach, I believe that to teach is to learn twice. Thus, I consider myself to be more of a vocal student and a re-searcher than a teacher. I'm on a quest for truth. When I find what I think/believe to be the truth on any given subject, I am hard-wired to share it with anyone willing to listen. That said, I am always careful to point out that no one should listen to or believe anything I say. Rather, I encourage people to search and see if the things I'm saying be true and to always let the Holy Spirit be the One who teaches and leads them to the truth, not me, nor any other person.

I am someone who has been given the gift of artistic creativity. This takes on many forms, from pencil drawings, to painting, sculpting and now writing, directing and producing digital media. In everything I do, I seek to bring glory and honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords, Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. I am simply a flawed man trying to use the gifts, talents and abilities YHWH has given me in ways that enable me to have a deeper relationship with and understanding of Him so that I may become more like Him. My sincere desire is to show others how to do the same and to do so with that which I have been gifted by YHWH to do.

In addition, as a "watchman on the wall" I seek to understand the times we are living in, to become educated, and to not fall prey to the Coming Great Deception (which is already well underway). As I study the Scriptures, history and current events, it is my desire to produce materials, which enable me to share my findings with the world. The books, DVDs and audio recordings on this website (and elsewhere) represent the fruits of those labors.

I do not claim to have the corner on truth. I share only what I believe I am learning from God. I encourage you to be a "good Berean" and search these things out for yourself and let the Holy Spirit be your only source for determining what is true. My own views have changed on various topics over the years and they continue to mature as new revelation is discovered and things I formerly believed are proven wrong from the searching of Scripture and interaction with brothers and sisters in the Lord who have insight to offer. I am not perfect and therefore I try to remain open and teachable. I ask that you do the same.

As for my testimony, the following video tells my life story in about 3 minutes:

NOTE: The above video was made back in 2004. Like many churches at that time, my home church in Massachusetts was doing The Purpose Driven Life program. As someone who was serving in full-time ministry, I was asked to put together a 3 minute testimony to show how I was "Shaped for Service" and this video was the result. That said, it is not meant to serve as any kind of endorsement for Rick Warren (someone who I do not agree with concerning a number of things). However, his book, The Purpose Driven Life did in fact help me through a difficult season in my life and I am not ashamed to admit it. The fact remains, it is a part of my testimony, which is why I included it in this presentation. Also, I am no longer part of East-West Ministries (though I do support their work and believe in their mission).

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
(when I use the word "we" in the answers below, I am referring to my wife and I)

We have seen or heard you on a number of radio programs talking about our so-called Hebrew roots and often hear you refer to Yahovah and Yeshua. Are you part of the Hebrew Roots and Sacred Name Movements?

ANSWER: No. We are NOT a part of either of those movements.

Regarding the issue of our Hebrew roots, we acknowledge that our Bible was written by Hebrews in a Hebrew mindset. Like it or not, the main characters of our Bible (including our Savior) were Hebrews. Thus, everything we know about the Bible comes from that foundation. We believe to deny that truth is to both destroy the foundation upon which our faith is built, as well as lose the context for our beliefs. Much of the Bible's concepts can only truly be understood in the context of its Hebrew roots.

Regarding the issue of the "sacred names" of our Heavenly Father and His only begotten Son, we merely acknowledge that God has a name and it isn't "LORD" or "God" but rather YHWH (though some disagree on how that is to be pronounced, we have chosen "Yahuwah" based on our research into the matter). We also acknowledge that "Jesus" was not the given name of our Savior. His parents, friends and disciples called him "Yeshua" and so we prefer to do the same. We do NOT believe that your prayers are not heard, you are not saved or can't go to heaven unless you use those names. It is simply our personal preference based on what we have learned from the Scriptures and history.

Many have tried to tie me to one or more of these movements (or even to some cults), but the fact is, I am a "free agent" who did not consider himself part of any denomination, movement or cult. But since so many wanted (needed) to place a label on me, I went ahead and created one out of thin air:

If interested, you can read more about it here.

 

Are you a Seventh Day Adventist?

ANSWER: No. We are not Seventh Day Adventists and have no affiliation with them or any other man-made denomination for that matter.

 

What denomination are you?

ANSWER: I don't believe in denominations. I put my hope and trust in the King of kings, Lord of lords, Yeshua, the Son of the Living God and in Him alone!

 

You often sound like a legalist when talking about God's Law. What is your position on the Ten Commandments, and keeping the Sabbath and Feasts of the Jews?

ANSWER: As mentioned in our Statement of Faith, we believe in the finished work of Yeshua on the cross. Savation is a free gift received by grace through faith, not of works lest any man should boast. Keeping the Law is no longer a salvation issue. In fact, we believe it is and always was a LOVE issue. We don't have to keep the Law, we get to!

Ever since we started to study and learn from the Torah, we have become EXTREMELY excited about the Word of God and learning who Yeshua really was. The words and teachings of the Torah - the first 5 books that were given to us by God through Moses - are literally woven throughout the entire Bible. It is like the preface. A preface of a book, tells you how to read the rest of the book. The Torah is the preface for the Bible and you can not truly understand the Scriptures without understanding the first 5 books.

As we have begun to observe the Sabbath and practice the Feasts of God (note I did not say Feasts of the Jews. Leviticus 23:4 says, "These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.") we have grown immensely in our faith and walk with God. But as we've begun to try and do Bible things in Bible ways, we've noticed an extreme backlash from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who think we are becoming legalistic Judaizers. This is simply not true. So to set the record straight, we submit the following explanation for why we believe and teach the way we do:

We don't keep the commandments of God out of some notion of a legalistic, work-based salvation, nor do we teach that. Again, this is NOT about salvation. It is about love. David was said to have been a man after God's own heart. He repeatedly stated how much he loved and delighted in the commandments of God. The Scripture makes it absolutely clear that to keep the commandments of God is to show our LOVE for Him, the way He said He was to be loved. But for those who claim to love God, we've found that many Christians sure make a big case against doing what HE said to do in order to prove your love for Him:

Exodus 20:6 says:
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 says:
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

Deuteronomy 11:1 says:
Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Deuteronomy 11:13 says:
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 11:22 says:
For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;

Deuteronomy 30:16 says:
In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Joshua 22:5 says:
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Nehemiah 1:5 says:
And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

David, the man after God's own heart said:

Psalm 119:47 says:
And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

Psalm 119:48 says:
My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Psalm 119:127 says:
Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

David was called a "man after God's own heart" because he loved and delighted in the commandments of God. Sure, he fell many times and violated a number of them, but he repented of those sins, acknowledging his failures. God honored that.

Daniel 9:4 says:
And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

JESUS said:

John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 15:10
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Are you seeing a pattern here? John said:

1 John 5:2
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

2 John 1:6
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Again, this is a LOVE ISSUE NOT A SALVATION ISSUE. But so few want to acknowledge that. And they often quote a number of passages from the New Testament, which appear to be saying that we should no longer pay attention to God's law because of our New Covenant. Could it be that Paul is perhaps the most misunderstood writer of Scripture?

Again, consider what the beloved disciple John said:

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. - 1 John 2:3-6

How did "he" (Jesus) walk? He walked in total fulfillment of God's law, keeping and observing every one of them. John says if you say you know Him (presumably as your savior) and yet you don't want to keep His commandments, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. That's what the Bible says.

One of the commandments is to "Remember the Sabbath and keep in holy." We do not believe God kept the other 9 commandments in effect, only to throw out the 4th one after the cross. We believe you can worship God on Sunday (or every day for that matter) as you please. But we maintain that we should still honor this commandment in order to show our love for God.

Regarding the Feasts, again, it is a common misconception that they are the "Feasts of the Jews." Leviticus 23 makes it very clear that they are the Feasts of God/the LORD (YHVH) and not those of one tribe of Israel. The Bible teaches us that these Feast are "moedim" (appointed times) that we are to "miqra" (rehearse). Thus, we believe they essentially represent a "script" that God is following. Yeshua is the main actor in this script. He knows His lines perfectly and He hits His mark every time. He died on Passover (NOT Good Friday), was buried on Unleavened Bread and rose on First Fruits (NOT on Easter). The Holy Spirit then came down on Pentacost. Thus the first 4 Feasts were absolutely fulfilled to the letter.



Yeshua's first coming was illustrated in those Feasts. It therefore stands to reason that His Second Coming will follow this same pattern. Therefore, we believe that in order to understand God's past and future plans, appointed times and seasons, we should learn and practice/observe these Feasts.

The usual Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter have NOTHING to do with Yeshua and everything to do with Nimrod and Semiramis. They are pagan holidays through and through. Therefore, we have cast off the things of Babylon in favor of the things of God. We do not believe that to celebrate the Feasts of YHWH is any more legalistic than to celebrate the Beast Feasts of Nimrod.

In summary, it is our position that we should do our best to keep the laws and Feasts of God NOT for our salvation, but rather simply to show our love for our Heavenly Father and His only Son that was sent to save us, and also to gain greater understanding concerning the plans God has for us.

 

We have seen or heard you make reference to the Seven Mountain Prophecy. Are you a Dominionist? What is the reason for your support of that ideology?

ANSWER: We are NOT a part of or in any way affiliated with the "dominionist movement." For us (as well as the FOUNDERS of the concept), it is about REACHING not RULING the nations. And I think pretty much everyone would agree that the following "seven mountains" DO in fact influence and have tremendous impact on our culture:

1. Religion
2. Family
3. Government
4. Education
5. Business
6. Media
7. Arts and Entertainment

I only mention the concept in my talk because I believe that the gifts talents and abilities God gave me line up with the last two on that list. And I believe those two actually have a tremendous influence on the other 5. So I use this illustration to drive the point home.

Here's the real issue as I see it - every concept can be twisted to suit the Devil's agenda. His first mode of operation was to twist the Word of God. He did it in the Garden. He did it when he tempted Jesus. And he continues to do so even to this day. So, should we toss out the Bible too? No. Of course not. Therefore, if we know this is how the Devil works, it should be no surprise that he would also twist something that could REACH the nations with the Gospel into a concept about taking "DOMINION" over nations in the sense of RULING over them. I don't believe that is what Francis Shaefer, Lauren Cunningham and Bill Bright (all good men in the Body of Christ) had in mind when they first proposed this "vision" from God.

I updated my on-line video with some annotations to clarify my position:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1ZS3fRTWk0 (you can skip to about 2 minutes in to get to the part regarding the Seven Mountains). After that, I give my testimony in a rather unique way. So, you could check that out too if you'd like. Although, that may open up another can of worms regarding Rick Warren. Yikes! (See FAQ # 4 concerning Rick Warren)

Anyway, my hope and trust is in God and His Word. Although He has used the wisdom of men to sometimes guide me and help me get back on track, ultimately I hold myself accountable only to HIM because though all men may be liars, His Word is Truth. And as best as I can, I always weigh the wisdom of men against the Word of God and discard anything that does not line up with the Word. When it comes to the Seven Mountain concept, I find that it does (as I've mentioned above) line up in the sense of REACHING the nations. However, it does NOT line up in the sense of conquering, ruling or having dominion over people/nations. It is not a mandate for another Crusade of "In this sign conquer." It is a challenge to do what God has called and equipped you to do in the areas of influence that can have an impact on the culture of nations in general.

 

We have seen or heard you make reference to The Shack. What is your position on that book?

ANSWER: I know what the detractors say, but I have to honestly say that the book helped me out tremendously. For me, it displayed the love of the Father like few I have seen before. People get hung up about Him appearing as a black woman. But that is even addressed in the book itself. "Pappa" said that He was appearing to the main character in that fashion because He was trying to do away with the "Gandolf from the Lord of the Rings" pre-conceived notion the main character had of Him. A notion that due to spiritual damage was hindering him from understanding who the Father really was, and how He truly felt about the man. Appearing in that fashion helped to break walls down so the Father could heal him.

The book shatters a lot of pre-conceived notions like that and works as an allegory to show how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together for the love of mankind. Are there theologically questionable things in it? Sure. But then, I could say the same thing about most products on the Christian market. Every denomination has "issues" with things written by members of other denominations. I am secure in my beliefs and am not threatened by that. The Holy Spirit guides us to all truth and so I pray for discernment in that regard, daily. For me, The Shack provided a fresh perspective on how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in love for our benefit and thus it helped me better understand how I can better view, love and serve God in return. Scripture says, "We love Him because He first loved us." The Shack helped me to see and truly understand that during a very difficult time in my life, when I desperately needed to experience God's love. For that, I am grateful and unashamed to admit it.

 

We have seen or heard you make reference to The Secret. What is your position on that book/movie?

ANSWER: There really is no "secret" about it. In fact, all New Age verbiage aside, it's teaching the Law of Faith. We attract into our lives what we believe and what we think. As Solomon said, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Is the book/movie full of New Age thinking? Yes. I have always told people who were interested in it to approach it with "Jesus glasses on." Change the word "Universe" to "God" and you will see a lot of Biblical principles in that book/movie. In fact, I would say that that book/movie shows that the world is figuring out what the Church forgot in many ways. And it actually helps me show that to people.

Most people today live in fear, not realizing that fear has the same power to attract as faith does. Our thoughts ARE things. And they shape who we are and determine our quality of life. That's why both John the Baptist and Jesus had to start their ministries by saying REPENT! (which actually means, "change the way you think").

When Christians begin to stop blasting everything that comes out of the secular world, they will learn that much of it can be used as a "bridge" to the Gospel. I'm not saying that we should "endorse lies." I'm saying we can use concepts and ideas that they believe to lead them to the Truth that we believe - much the same way Paul tried to do on Mars Hill. He noticed a statue to an "unknown god" and capitalized on that to formulate a message in order to try and reach the people of Athens who were "wholly given to idolatry." He was trying to create a "bridge" from one belief system to that of the true faith in the Living God. And while many mocked him and his message, some still believed and were saved. The same will be true of those who will hear the truth behind "The Secret." But they will never hear the truth if all they hear is Christians blasting them. We can learn much from the methods of Paul:

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. - 1 Corinthians 9:22 (KJV) [emphasis mine]

 

We have seen or heard you make reference to The Purpose Driven Life. What is your position on that book and on Rick Warren?

ANSWER: I read that book at a time in my life when I was going through a very difficult, 3 year crucible that had culminated in me being broke, divorced, bankrupt and homeless, living in a Dodge Stratus with everything I owned in it. I wanted to put a bullet in my head and could see no purpose in what I was going through nor in any hope for a future. Then, someone gave me that book. I will not deny that it helped me tremendously. I found hope and purpose for my life and God used it as part of the restoration process that He performed on me in order to put my broken heart and life back together again. For that, I will be forever thankful to God and to Mr. Warren for writing that book. It is part of my testimony and I am not ashamed to say so!

The book appears in my testimony video because the church that I grew up in was going through The Purpose Driven Life program. This was back in 2003 (before things started getting "strange" with Mr. Warren). The church was highlighting people that were raised in the church that God had "shaped for ministry" and so they asked if I would put together a 3 minute testimony video (since I no longer lived in MA but was at that time serving as a "multimedia missionary" in a ministry that was based out of Addison, TX) to show along with others who would be giving live testimonies. This is why the video seems to be an endorsement of The Purpose Driven Life.

That being said, I believe that since that time (2003), it appears that Mr. Warren has gone WAY off the deep end on a lot of things. As such, I do not endorse him, nor do I consider myself aligned with him. But if he has truly gone "astray" as it appears that he has, then he needs our prayers more than our criticism. Should we take a stand for truth and warn people against believing lies? Absolutely. But hate the sin, not the sinner. I believe we should correct and rebuke Mr. Warren as necessary and pray for his salvation and/or restoration. Our love will speak louder than our criticism - especially to the lost and dying world who (unfortunately) sees us shooting our own far too often.

 

We have seen or heard you make reference to numerous secular movies and TV shows. What is your position on non-Christian media?

ANSWER: In everything that I do, I am about finding "bridges" to the Gospel. The Church gets all wrapped up about things like the Seven Mountain Prophecy, The Secret and The Shack, as well as a lot of secular movies, TV shows and music - all the while they are missing TREMENDOUS opportunities for using those things as bridges for their friends and family members who have gotten excited about them. I hang no doctrine on any of those. But I do believe they have value in pointing others to the Savior.

When people stop judging me for what appears to be an endorsement on my Facebook page, on a YouTube video, this blog series or elsewhere - and they actually take the time to engage in conversation as many have, I am thus given an opportunity to share what I believe. And that's the point. They opened up a dialog with me. We may not agree, but at least we're talking. And that's why I put these things out there. For the most part, only hyper-dogmatic Christians have issues. And they're not my audience anyway.

 

Why do your logos for The Revolutionary Film Project and The Revolutionary Radio Project look like Che Guevara?



ANSWER: Actually, the image on our logos looks more like Jim Cavezel than Che, but admittedly the logo is meant to look similar. Please allow me a moment to explain why.

In the Spring of 2004, I took my first "overseas" missions trip... a trip that would radically change my life. There, on a particular "Caribbean island" I met Christians who suffered persecution at the hands of the Communist government in that country. I interviewed some of those Christians and got their stories. Watch the video below to see one such story:

Upon returning to Dallas, the stories continued to haunt me. I knew I had to recreate at least one of them. I got some friends together and we re-enacted the story in a field behind my apartment complex in order to make the above video segment.

Throughout history there have been many revolutions led by all sorts of revolutionaries. But most revolutions are won by force of arms and bloodshed. However, the greatest revolution of all time was won by the greatest revolutionary of all time, Jesus Christ - Yeshua - a man who shed only His own blood to gain the victory.

Every revolution needs a revolutionary to lead it.

In my travels around the world, I have seen a strange fascination with the person of Che Guevara. It's not just here in America, it's everywhere. I've seen Che Guevare T-shirts like the one Carlos Santana wore to the 2005 Oscars, on sale in China, Albania, Greece, Kazakhstan, Spain... all over the world. I've seen teenagers sporting Che berets. It's like a sick fad.

But these people don't have a clue as to what Che represented. A recent book on his life calls him "a cold-blooded killing machine."

Yes, he was a revolutionary. So everyone who is sick of the "system" in their country holds him up as some kind of icon for change. But they have no idea what it truly was that he stood for and did. The man was a greedy, power hungry murderer who tortured and brutally killed hundreds of people.

Christians were one of his favorite targets. I had interviewed many who suffered under his reign of terror. So, why would people idolize such a man? Why would anyone wear T-shirts with his image emblazoned on it?

An article in the Dallas Morning News (that is no longer available on-line) stated,

"It is customary for followers of a cult not to know the real-life story of their hero, the historical truth. It is not surprising that Mr. Guevara's contemporary followers, his new post-communist admirers, also delude themselves by clinging to a myth – a myth firing up people whose causes for the most part represent the exact opposite of what Mr. Guevara was."

I began to compare who Che Guevara was against who Yeshua was. Both were revolutionaries. Both brought a revolution to the nations they came to "liberate." There is no comparison, but it's sad to say that you see very few images of Yeshua on the T-shirts celebrities wear to the Oscars. You don't see Yeshua's face all over the mall adorning mugs and posters.

I want people to understand that Yeshua was the greatest revolutionary of all time! He was a man who lived what He taught; a man who loved everyone, judged no one, hurt no one, healed everyone He came into contact with; a man who laid down His own life so that we all might have the victory; a man who came to topple the "system" and usher in a Kingdom where everyone was equal and all could be reconciled with the God who created them.

I believe it's time we show this "Revolutionary" the honor, respect and adoration He deserves! And I am sick and tired of most depictions of Yeshua looking defeated, feminine and lame! Thus, I stylized my logos to "look" familiar to those who are prone to recognizing "revolutionary iconography." As such, I have created yet another "bridge."

The Revolutionary Film and Radio Projects were founded on the idea of taking the Great Commision seriously. Yeshua started a revolution that He commanded us to continue! And it is our passionate desire to do just that through film, video, radio, print and multimedia.

The Revolutionary Film and Radio Projects hope to produce projects that will challenge and inspire people in their walk with Christ. We intend to be bold witnesses who serve a risen KING who is nothing short of the greatest Revolutionary of all time!

LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION!

Many have questioned me about my logo and I am glad to answer them. Perhaps because it is somewhat "controversial," it has provided many opportunities for me to share my testimony and mission. Thus, it has served to open doors and avenues of discussion about the Messiah that might not have otherwise existed. It was designed to act as "bait" to draw people in to have dialogue with me... and it certainly works! However, more recently, I have actually come to a place where I would rather have something that is a bit less controversial (as I do realize some get offended by the above iconography and don't ever get a chance to hear my reasoning for it). Therefore, I have created a new logo to represent these same ideas:

Saving the best for last...

 

We had heard other scholars, researchers or "discernment ministries" say that you deny the Trinity. Is that true?

ANSWER: No! It absolutely is not true.

As stated at the top of my Statement of Faith, I do believe and openly confess that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in fact one, just as the graphic to the left depicts. I hold to the same belief that was declared by the men who formulated the Crede at the Council of Nicea, which is still used by most Christian churches/denominations even to this day.

Anyone who says or publishes written documents stating otherwise is a slanderous liar and a bearer of false witness.

The issue that has come up concerning my belief in the Trinity, centers around the terms used to describe the Holy Spirit. Rather than subscribing to the doctrines of men, I prefer to go with what the Scriptures teach:

The Greek word translated into English as Spirit is "pneuma" which means breath/wind/spirit. It's the word from which we get other words such as pneumonia (which is a disease of the lungs - where our breath comes from) and pneumatic (which pertains to something operated by air or gas under pressure). A great example of this breath/wind/spirit association can be found in John 3:

The WIND bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the SPIRIT. - John 3:8

In Hebrew, the word for Spirit is "ruach" and it means exactly the same thing as its Greek counterpart. The word "ruach" is used 31 times as breath, 76 times as Spirit and 98 times as wind in the Old Testament. It first appears in Genesis 1:2...

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the SPIRIT of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The Spirit "moved" across the waters then just as it did after the Flood:

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a WIND to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; - Genesis 8:1

The ISV renders it as:

God kept Noah in mind, along with all the wildlife and livestock that were with him in the ark. God's SPIRIT moved throughout the earth, causing the flood waters to subside.

It's what gives life:

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the BREATH of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. - Genesis 6:17

It's what leaves at death:

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their BREATH, they die, and return to their dust. - Psalm 104:29

It comes from the mouth:

He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the BREATH of his mouth shall he go away. - Job 15:30

The context of "his mouth" is GOD. It's His breath.

In Job 15:13 the same word is used, but is translated as "spirit" when the context is still something coming out of one's mouth:

That thou turnest thy SPIRIT against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? - Job 15:13

Or:

My BREATH is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
- Job 19:17

We know that all Scripture comes from/through the Holy Spirit. Thus, in the New Testament we see Paul telling Timothy...

All Scripture is God-BREATHED and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, - 2 Timothy 3:16

We again see the Spirit being associated with what comes out of the mouth:

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. - Acts 2:4

In spite of nearly overwhelming biblical evidence to the contrary, most demand that the Holy Spirit is to be understood as a "person". However, as we have seen above, the Scriptures clearly indicate that the Holy Spirit is consistently likened unto breath, which proceeds from the mouth. We as human beings breath air out of our mouth and have trouble imagining that air as anything other than just that. However, we learn that the breath of God has a function and this Holy ruach/pnuema/Spirit goes forth to do that which the Father wills. Therefore, it is a mistake to try and associate our finite understanding of our mortal breath, with that of an infinite and Holy, all powerful God. The Father is YHWH - God Almighty. He has many mysterious attributes that we cannot begin to comprehend (Isaiah 55:9). Our singular spirit is locked up inside us and really can't do much more than be in us. Whereas God actually has seven Spirits (Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6) that actually do stuff!

Speaking of the seven spirits of God, exactly how does the Holy Spirit fit into this concept anyway? If these spirits are "of God" they must necessarily be considered "holy" - so is the Holy Spirit just one of these? Or is the Holy Spirit in addition to these? Are the seven to be understood as "parts" of the Holy Spirit? Like the Holy Spirit, these seven spirits of God also serve a function on earth (Rev. 5:6) and are part of the Father, who is Himself a Spirit (John 4:24). So are we to believe that all seven spirits of God are "persons" too? Gosh, I hope not. But following the standard model of the Trinity doctrine, you'd almost have to! So, how many "persons" of the Godhead are we up to now? Yikes. Scary thought.

It is much easier (and I believe more biblically accurate) to associate the Holy Spirit with the breath of God and I think perhaps the most obvious examples of the "ruach/pneuma" coming from His mouth are contained in the Old Testament book of Isaiah and the New Testament book of John. It should also be noted that Isaiah 11 actually explains the seven spirits of God as being essentially parts of the Holy Spirit. Compare the LXX (Septuagint) with the KJV:

(LXX) Isaiah 11: 2 and the Spirit of God [the Holy Spirit] shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom [1] and understanding [2], the spirit of counsel [3] and strength [4], the spirit of knowledge [5] and godliness [6] shall fill him; 3 the spirit of the fear of God [7]. He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report: 4 but he shall judge the cause of the lowly, and shall reprove the lowly of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he destroy the ungodly one.

(KJV) Isaiah 11: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Most think that the seven spirits of God are only mentioned in Revelation, but John was not writing in a vacuum. Isaiah 11 is in fact the "cipher key" to understanding this. Furthermore, Isaiah 11:4 is just one of many Scriptures that support my belief that the ruach/pneuma/Spirit of God is in fact His breath. Time and time again, we find that the ruach/pneuma/Spirit proceeds from the mouth, most notably above in verse 4 of Isaiah, but also in the New Testament:

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
- John 20:22

Just like His Father in the Old Testament, Jesus produces the Holy Spirit from His mouth. He breathed on the disciples and said "receive the Holy Ghost". He did not open a door and invite another "person" into the room. I believe the Scriptures are abundantly clear that the Holy Spirit is to be understood as the breath of God. Some insist however, that the Holy Spirit must be understood as a "person." There are a number of problems with that view (as clearly stated above), but perhaps most troubling of all is the account of Yeshua's birth as written by Matthew in chapter 1 of his Gospel:

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Yeshua was in the beginning with God and He in fact was God according to John 1. He is the only begotten Son of YHWH. If however, we are to assume that the Holy Spirit is in fact another "person," in the same way the Father and Son are understood, then in the Incarnation, Yeshua could not say that YHWH was His Father. The Scriptures clearly state that the Holy Spirit was the One who impregnated Mary, not YHWH. So, how many Father's does Yeshua have? In my view, only one: YHWH; both from eternity past as well as at the Incarnation, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Father's ruach/pnuema/Spirit impregnated Mary, not another "person" from the Godhead.

One of the many problems I have with the "standard model" of the Trinity doctrine is that you end up with two fathers! YHWH from eternity past and the Holy Spirit at the Incarnation. If the Holy Spirit is indeed a "person" then "He" was the Father of the Incarnated Jesus according to Matthew 1:18-20, which would make Jesus a liar, since He always talked about His Father, but never in terms of Him being the "person" of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, if the Holy Spirit is indeed a separate "person," just as the Son is, where is "He" seated in reference to the Father? We know that Yeshua is seated at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; Acts 7:55,56; Hebrews 1:3;). So, is the Holy Spirit then seated at the left hand of the Father? There is not a single Scripture that would even insinuate such a thing, but if the Holy Spirit is a "person" co-equal to the rest of the Godhead, should "He" not also have a throne? Unlike the Father and Son, there is no third throne in Heaven for the Holy Spirit, nor does it even have a name. For these reasons and many more, I have a very difficult time referring to the Holy Spirit as a "person" - especially when the Scriptures clearly seem to contradict that notion.

The arguments that most use to justify the Holy Spirit being a "person" generally center around the use of personal pronouns and personality traits, both of which could just as easily either apply to the Father. Jesus Himself said that He only says what He hears from the Father and does what the Father is doing (John 5:19; 14:10). Thus, even the Son said to Philip in John 14:9, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father." If the Son only does what the Father does and says what the Father says, why should we think any different of the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit a rogue "personality" in the Godhead? I think not.

But what do I know? Greater men than I have fought over this issue for centuries. Many of them gathered together at various "Councils" to decide the matter. As stated above, I am content with the decision of those who attended the Council of Nicea, who wrote the following Crede:

The Nicene Creed

The Synod at Nice set forth this Creed.
The Ecthesis of the Synod at Nice.

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten (γεννηθέντα), not made, being of one substance (ὁμοούσιον, consubstantialem) with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which be in heaven and in earth. Who for us men and for our salvation came down [from heaven] and was incarnate and was made man. He suffered and the third day he rose again, and ascended into heaven. And he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead. And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost. And whosoever shall say that there was a time when the Son of God was not (ἤν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν), or that before he was begotten he was not, or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a different substance or essence [from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change or conversion — all that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them.

They said, "And we believe in the Holy Ghost" and left it at that. While I am not in any way, shape or form advocating for the Catholic Church when it comes to doctrine, I can say with reasonable confidence that I do believe the same things stated in the above Crede. The problem is, a few decades later, the Catholic Church went on to define the Holy Spirit as a "person" and then killed those who disagreed with them in the centuries that followed. Today, a modern Inquisition of sorts has been launched in similar fashion. Those who disagree with the term "person" are now labeled heretics just as they were 17 centuries ago and following. The new Inquisitors treat people like me as if we were of the spirit of antichrist. The problem is, Scripture even disagrees with that idea too:

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. - 1 John 2:20-25

If believing the Holy Spirit has to be considered a "person" co-equal with the Father and Son, why did John leave "Him" out of this discussion? In my view, he must have understood that the Holy Spirit is part of the Father, which can and does proceed from both Him and the Son as breath, so it was not necessary to include the Holy Spirit in the list of that which one may be condemned as a liar and of antichrist. Therefore, if Holy Spirit (God-breathed) inspired Scriptures do not make the lack of belief in the "personhood" of the Holy Spirit a matter of condemnation, what right do any of us have to make it one?

In summary, I do believe the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead. I do not believe the Holy Spirit is the Father (as some variant of Modalism). Rather, I maintain that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and has a job to do, just as the Son did/does. As the graphic illustrates, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God, but are not each other. The Father is the all-in-all (1 Corinthians 15:28) and both the Son and the Spirit proceed from Him, each with a function in carrying out the Father's perfect will. There is a Father, there is a Son and there is a Holy Spirit, and these three are One (hence, I do believe in the Trinity). I simply choose to let the Scriptures define each Member, rather than the Roman Catholic Church (and Protestants who don't know they are believing and defending Catholic doctrine).

 

If you have any other questions you'd like Rob Skiba to address, please e-mail him directly. He is extremely busy, but he does try to get to all his e-mails and will post a reply here if necessary.