Biblical Heritage Center Blog

  Instead of conflicts taking place between groups within the Roman Catholic Church, in Protestantism they were now taking place between members of small independent churches. Many times, members of one side of the conflict left and formed a new church. Suddenly new interpretations of Scriptures were popping up every where! Continue to read at - https://mailchi.mp/ce312a777c78/what-is-the-right-thing-to-do

  Some “experts” are predicting America will reach a tipping point in just a few weeks, while others are leaning towards the elections of 2028 . If either prediction happens, America will be like it is now, and then after intense and deadly civil wars that will happen in a shorter period of time, America will be something else. There are some important things we can do now! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/0540758291e2/are-we-about-to-cross-a-deadly-tipping-point-in-american-history

  1644 Massachusetts -- Passed the “Against Blasphemy of the Name of God” statute that extended to law against blasphemy to Indians and pagans, as well. It defined “blasphemy of God’s name” as “the obstinate denial of Him, cursing Him, or reproaching His `holy religion’ of Christianity.” It defined “heresy” as “obstinately held errors of opinion that tended to subvert Christianity and destroy people’s souls.” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/2b1a8a7e427f/the-challenges-of-clashing-religious-and-political-standards

  In my previous email, Is Forgiven of All Sins Like the Enron Loophole? , I asked readers to think about that question. For me, the first thought that came to me were the “ Get Out of Jail Free Cards ” of a game I loved to play, Monopoly . They were basically “ Break the Law Without Paying Penalties ” cards. I didn’t become a saint after being saved. I sinned but without any fear that those sins would keep me from going to Heaven and spending eternity there! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/5afcaf65b588/how-can-we-identify-a-sin-or-enron-loophole

  My family went to a church that had a “ once saved always saved doctrine .” This meant that when I was “saved” – “ my past, present, and future sins were all forgiven .” Because of my background in banking and business, “ once saved always saved ” always reminds me of the “ Enron Loophole .” Next time you buy groceries, pay your mortgage, pay your electricity bill, etc. – remember the Enron Loophole. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/8c2269ba302b/is-forgiven-of-all-sins-like-the-enron-loophole

  A defining behavior of the members of the original Jesus Movement was something they prayed everyday: “ Forgive us the debt of our sins as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us .” The words of Jesus are linked to Leviticus 19:17-18: “ Do not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprimand (educate) your neighbor.” We are not born to be loners. Loss of self-control is part of being human. Continue reading at: https://mailchi.mp/1a150630c22f/the-original-jesus-movement-the-forgivers

  In the first story in Genesis, when Elohim spoke, a new hierarchy of natural differentiations separated the old order of the other cultures. Elohim is distinct from nature, humans, and the world. Elohim is never a human, and a human is never Elohim. Elohim is unnamed and beyond the capacity of humans to describe. Humans are created to do Elohim’s will in the world, and they can communicate with Elohim through prayer. Humans are creatures with the freedom to do or not to do Elohim’s will. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/ef634db70ffb/do-tzedaqah-and-keep-theologies-out-of-government

  Jesus taught his followers this prayer so they could cross the chasm between them and Elohim. But simply by praying “ His will be done on earth ,” demands were placed on those praying to fulfill those obligations . Jesus used each line of this prayer to teach his followers how to fulfill those demands . He did it by “ hinting at specific portions of Hebrew Scripture .” Even this simple line – Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread – is part of a wisdom lesson. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/b833d766a49b/give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread

  The shared biblical-based wisdom principle and Lives 1 st Value -- “all humans are created as equals” -- of the United States of America and the State of Israel is under the most serious attacks in both of their histories (1776 & 1948). The moment Ike, Jeffrey, and I realized that the original Jesus was neither the Jesus described by modern Christian institutions, nor the Jesus described by institutions of Rabbinic Judaism – all of our ingroup vs. outgroup barriers collapsed. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/800fa1f3f5b4/a-way-two-christians-and-a-jew-found-to-stand-shoulder-to-shoulder

  The Creator of the Skies and the Earth is our Father and the Father of all Humankind. See Our Father’s Will in the Skies and on the Earth. Continue reading by clicking here - https://mailchi.mp/d697d6e21f02/may-your-will-be-done-in-the-skies-and-on-the-earth

  The traditional translation of this line of the Disciple’s Prayer is, “ May Your Kingdom Come .” That creates two possible images in the minds of most readers: This kingdom is somewhere else, and it is going to come here. Or, this kingdom does not exist now, but it will exist in the future. It is one of the most important lines in the Lord’s Prayer. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/0caa3ea59c7f/may-you-continue-establishing-your-kingdom

  The traditional translation of this line of the Disciple’s Prayer is, “ May Your Kingdom Come .” That creates two possible images in the minds of most readers: This kingdom is somewhere else, and it is going to come here. Or, this kingdom does not exist now, but it will exist in the future. It is one of the most important lines in the Lord’s Prayer. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/0caa3ea59c7f/may-you-continue-establishing-your-kingdom

  Most Christians have never read the correct translation of the verse below bcause they have been taught – and believe -- this doctrine: “ God set and established the laws, but since the laws cannot save a man, He had to destroy them to bring salvation to humanity .” Here is a reconstruction of the Hebrew words of Jesus - “ Do not even begin to think that I came to destroy the Torah .” English translations have the word “ law ” instead of “ Torah .” Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/3b0d0bda1423/jesus-did-not-do-away-with-you-shall-not-lie-to-one-another

  This is the second Exploration of the Lord’s Prayer . We will focus on the second line of the prayer. “Our Father, the Creator, Who is above the heavens, May Your Name be sanctified . . . .” A popular Christian doctrine makes it impossible for many Christians to understand the words they pray. The second line is found in Leviticus 19:1-18. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/407585bd7428/may-your-name-be-sanctified

  Christians may be divided by any number of theological conflicts at other times, but if you go to any of their funeral services you will probably hear “ The Lord’s Prayer .” Death is real and people seem to change when someone they know is the one being remembered. I believe that helping people better understand the ancient words Jesus taught his disciples has the power to bring people with biblical heritages together. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/1b6d07e8ed0e/who-is-our-father-in-the-lords-prayer

  The next election is coming soon in one year, and the next Presidential Election in three years. That’s how fast everything could change again. This time our heads and hearts need to be sync and this is how we can do it! Ancient wisdom teachers of the Hebrew Scriptures taught, “There is a wisdom in living life.” Unless we have mastered it, we are vulnerable to serious disasters. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/8d6faedb6116/the-wisdom-of-counting-your-blessings

  Different teachings of Jesus focus on a variety people who loved “ riches and wealth ” instead of the God of Israel – the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth . At the top of the list, were the “ money lenders .” Interestingly, even though almost every Christian I know is familiar with this teaching, it isn’t part of the usual discussions about the “Will of God.” Having been educated in banking before I became an ordained minister, I was able to see things that other ministers wouldn’t understand . Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/848f505b7ed8/make-money-a-matter-for-your-heart-and-head-asap

  The parable of Jesus about the Great Day Judgment in Matthew reflect the “ Jewish culture and an emerging rabbinic style of writing ” more than the others. But Matthew’s inclusion of the Parable of the Great Day of Judgment has another meaning most people never see! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/f02dfd516e0b/a-traitorous-betrayal-of-an-entire-land

  When I talk to Christians about the beginning of their religion the story usually begins with something like this – “ Jesus was born, and he founded Christianity – a new Gentile religion.” When I talk to Jews about the beginning of Christianity, they often say the same thing – “Jesus was born, and he founded Christianity – a new Gentile religion.” It is clear that neither group has a story that begins with “ Jesus was a Jew born . . . .” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/50b98edd7c14/building-a-bridge-across-a-time-gap-that-separates-christians-and-jews

  Autonomous technologies, runaway markets, and weaponized media seem to have overturned civil society, paralyzing our ability to think constructively, connect meaningfully, or act purposefully . It feels as if civilization itself were on the brink, and that we lack the collective willpower and coordination necessary to address issues of vital importance to the very survival of our species. It doesn’t have to be this way. Everyone is asking how we got here, as if this were a random slide toward collective incoherence and disempowerment. It is s not. Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/a79c85d96b52/building-shared-values-based-relationships-and-identities

  Millions of women are alive today who have given birth, and they can validate this information. Birth is the beginning of the first human relationship – the relationship of a mother and her child . Other creatures also have a similar, too. But science has discovered cross-generational transfers take place. As fetal cells cross the placenta into maternal tissues, a small number of maternal cells migrate into fetal tissues, where they can persist into adulthood . Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/7ab793cd9d0d/family-the-source-of-our-first-relationship

  We do not live in ancient kingdoms or cultures. The vocabulary of the Hebrew Scriptures and teachings of Jesus are unknown to almost all Americans in 2025. Based on research in BHC’s databases, I created a model to provide an overview and a way to apply the ancient wisdom principles and values to our lives. In my opinion, it has never been needed by more people than we need it today . Continue reading at -  https://mailchi.mp/100b0f4c10bb/living-in-the-kingdom-of-elohim-in-2025

  When Jesus said the Kingdom of Elohim is here, he meant the Kingdom of Elohim had been here since the first Day Seven of the creation. Where is it located? What does the Kingdom of Elohim look like? This Kingdom isn’t a place on earth that has boundary lines, like cities, states, and nations. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/ecee542ac931/changing-your-world-by-changing-the-way-you-think

  Did you know that Jesus founded a school? How do I know that? His followers were called “ talmidim ” which means “ learners ” or “ students .” This wasn’t unusual because every parent was commanded to be a teacher! Everyday Jesus and his family prayed one of the most important and famous portions of the Torah. It is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/6c567bc86e1b/make-students-in-all-nations-of-the-earth-and-teach-them

  Our views come from the stories we were told about our conception, about our history, about who we are supposed to become, about our parents and families, about our world. We draw upon elements of all these tales to create a “ master identity narrative ” -- our version of the story we tell to explain ourselves . By the time we are young adults, we think our stories are “ the truth. ” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/fc5556be62de/building-strong-safety-nets-to-protect-our-lives-and-our-nation

  Today I will share some very important insights I found while digging through BHC’s Databases. They are related to relationships, how to make them better, and the benefits of maintaining values-based relationships. This information is supported by BHC’s Tov Wisdom and Lives 1 st Values research. (1) People make choices about how to act , even if they do not choose the context in which they make them. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/78790e5ac413/fundamental-truths-about-human-beings-and-trust

  Adam and Eve were doomed to fail from the beginning. Why? They had no parents to teach them who they are and what they are supposed to do. They did not have the Creator’s Tov Standard to guide them. The primary purpose of this story, and the next three stories, is the importance of parents . Continue Reading at - https://mailchi.mp/9b1ab66284db/the-lost-meanings-of-stories-in-the-bible

  Adam and Eve were both cunning, crafty, and shrewd, and they had not shamed themselves. T he serpent was more cunning, crafty, and shrewd than any wild animal of the field which Yahweh Elohim had made. Make sure to note that Adam, Eve, and the serpent were all made by Yahweh Elohim. The serpent is a wild animal, not an angel or Satan. And the serpent said to the woman. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/be0886eb436c/what-really-happened-in-the-garden-of-eden

  “And a certain man was rich, and he was dressed in purple and fine linen, feasting every day, splendidly. And a certain poor man, named Lazarus, was lying by his gate, being covered with sores. And he desired to be satisfied from the things falling   from the rich man’s table . . . and the rich man died and went to Hades.” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/82b842b8bb58/was-the-rich-mans-sin-being-rich

  Tov is translated “ good .” The Creator measured His acts by the Tov Standard . In other stories, He also measured acts by people that affected the lives of other people by the Tov Standard . Once you learn to recognize acts that are Tov , even though the word Tov isn’t mentioned, you will be able to recognize them in many Bible passages. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/d618f38f77b7/jesus-taught-the-tov-standard

  Hebrew word Tov is translated “ good ” in Genesis. Humans create words which are transmittable symbols . But the meanings are bundled in life experiences . The life experiences required to understand Tov are in the first story in Genesis. Humans are the only creatures created to function by doing acts of Tov individually, collectively and in harmony. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/ce86a134d4e1/tov-is-what-good-means-to-the-creator

  In the teachings of Jesus, there is one underlying and overriding theme, a theme that serves as the foundation upon which biblical faith is built. If one looks at the Bible as a whole, if one includes additionally all Jewish literature that is extant, the Oral Law, the Written Law, the commentaries, and search for one, single, overriding theme, it is summed up in the Hebrew word tzedakah. Tzedakah is the outstanding, overriding, and yet simple, theme of Jesus. He taught, “let your kingdom be spread abroad over the whole earth in such a way that God may begin to rule in the lives of more and more people.” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/ee4e20247d64/tzedaqah-the-foundational-theme-of-biblical-faith

  Does the “original” meaning of a Bible passage, apart from Christian or later Jewish interpretation, still have anything to say to us? Those words described the obstacle I have been facing for decades. BHC’s Guidelines and Linguistic Model clearly indicate that Jesus was “Jewish,” but Jewish in the early 1st century CE does not mean the same thing as Jewish means today . So what did Jewish mean then? Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/65108941c178/breaking-through-jewish-and-christian-barriers-to-understand-the-original-jesus

  The Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginnings, combined with its interpretations by Jesus , gave a very clear answer – humans are created to protect lives, preserve lives, make lives more functional and increase the quality of life . So why are so many people destroying lives, harming lives, making lives less functional, and decreasing the quality of life in America today? Continue readding at - https://mailchi.mp/83131fda4f97/doing-more-than-repeating-meaningless-endeavors

  Light is one of the most important words in the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus. On Day Four Elohim created the Greater Lamp, the Lesser Lamp, and the stars. Jesus used Day Four to teach his disciples a very important wisdom lesson in the Sermon on the Mount. Continue to read at - https://mailchi.mp/a50f521e5483/how-are-humans-supposed-to-function

  This is no easy task. It involves appreciating what biblical texts meant in their earliest contexts and then explaining how over the centuries different communities with different concerns developed different interpretations. This war continues today, when a Christian tells a Jew, “ You obviously don t understand your Bible because, if you did, you would see how it predicts the Messiah Jesus ,” and when a Jew responds, “ Not only do you Christians see things in the text that are not there; you mistranslate and you yank verses out of context .” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/82c0541f0191/are-you-sure-you-understand-what-we-are-exploring

  In the Jewish culture before 70 CE, sacrifice or gift to Yahweh Elohim at the Temple had no atoning effect unless the person giving them has a pure heart. But in this story, at the moment this person was standing in the closest place to Yahweh Elohim on Earth, priests are waiting to do their rituals, other people are in line waiting to present their sacrifices/gifts – at that very moment this person remembered saying things Jesus warned him not to say! What should he do? Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/49b04589c491/how-many-people-did-you-forgive-today

  The teachings of Jesus are very much like the Jewish Rabbis in tractate Avot: The Sayings of the Fathers -- almost no laws, consisting instead of short statements of advice, ethics, and wisdom. One of the most important teachings of Jesus – that Americans (Christians and everyone else) urgently need to do today is found in Matthew 5:21-26 -- “how to exercise impulse control and self-discipline when they become angry!” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/e21de67d035e/thinking-like-a-member-of-the-kingdom-of-elohim-in-2025

  One of the most remarkable and misunderstood stories in the Bible is our story -- the ADAM .   Day Six of creation is about the creation of “creatures of the Earth” – animals and humans . It is important to understand the things that humans and animals share, as well as the things that make them different. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/3e383891cee9/a-kingdom-of-people-like-us

  The Parable of the Great Day of Judgment is probably one of the most well-known parables of Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46). The opening words of the parable reveal some very important clues that most people today never see -- this is the judgment of nations , not individuals. This parable is found only in Christian Bibles, but the parable was written for Jewish people who knew the Jewish Scriptures behind the parable. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/b8537f32b2bd/ancient-wisdom-for-modern-families-nations

  I do not believe that members of those Christian groups believe “God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations.” I also believe that Christians want to do what Jesus taught! So let’s begin there. The Jesus who lived and taught in Jerusalem, Judea, and the Galilee began his movement with these words. “Turn! The Kingdom of Elohim is here!” The Jewish members of the audience knew Jesus was referring to Exodus 18:20-30. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/2f0ce78a5b43/a-source-of-shared-beliefs-and-values-for-christians-jews-and-american-citizens

  We now know the word “ Ten Commandments ” do not appear in the Hebrew text of the Torah Scroll ( Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy ). English translators should have translated the Hebrew words “ Ten DEVARIM ” as “ Ten Words ” or “ Ten Legal Sayings .” Question 1 : How would you discuss this information with others? Does knowing the words are “legal sayings” instead of “commandments” change the way you view them? Continue reading by clicking here: https://mailchi.mp/e518fbf0a1b2/questions-for-accurately-discussing-beliefs-related-to-the-ten-commandments

  And Yahweh said: “Behold,  I make a covenant . Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you  are  shall see the work of Yahweh. For it  is  an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you this day. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/a29778746596/the-second-set-of-stone-tablets-that-most-people-know-nothing-about

  When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day Yahweh called to Moses from within the cloud. Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights . . . The tablets were the work of Elohim; the writing was the writing of Elohim, engraved on the tablets. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/0fc3eef0a079/moses-threw-the-writings-of-elohim-at-the-people

  In Texas, the Ten Commandments are in the spotlight again. A 2025 law in the state of Texas that requires all public schools in the state to include the Ten Commandments in the classroom. This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate the benefits of Exploring the Bible and Biblical Heritages. The Ten Commandments are not as polarizing as Bible verses linked to other Christian and Jewish beliefs. I will use the Hebrew words “ Elohim ” and “ Yahweh ” instead of the standard English translations “ God ” and “ LORD .” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/5d1bf9307256/is-the-exodus-20-story-about-the-ten-commandments

  The Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginnings is found in the Torah scroll . The wisdom contained in this scroll speaks to families universally . One of the greatest teachers of this ancient family wisdom was Jesus. He only taught for between one and three years. He wrote nothing down, yet his teachings continued to be passed down orally and later written down. Now we are learning from them today. I believe you will understand how this wisdom about dealing with anger could benefit many people today! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/093ff1ea5d85/how-to-build-fences-around-anger

  A cosmic war is like a ritual drama in which participants act out on earth a battle they believe is actually taking place in the heavens. It is, in other words, both a real, physical struggle in this world and an imagined, moral encounter in the world beyond. The conflict may be real and the carnage material, but the war itself is being waged on a spiritual plane; we humans are merely actors in a divine script written by God. A cosmic war partitions the world into black and white, good and evil, us and them . Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/31669ceec901/distinguishing-between-the-kingdom-of-elohim-cosmic-wars

  Until the end of the exodus, neither Abraham nor the descendants of Isaac, had ever lived in their own land. They had been living in the lands of people who had many gods – and they had their own languages . None of them used the English word “god” or the Hebrew word “Elohim” to identify their deities. What Christian’s called “ The Old Testament ” is the Jewish Bible called “ Tanakh ” (written in Hebrew). Therefore, it is absolutely essential for accuracy, to call deities that are found in it by the Hebrew words that are in the text. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/77aa37eb3918/the-mysteries-and-wisdom-of-the-hebrew-word-elohim

  The first act of creation created “Sacred Light (Fire) in the most holy space.” The second act of creation made a solid dome-like structure that resulted in turning one body of water into two bodies of water. The things that were created are very important, but those two acts were about much more than they appear! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/6ba538d968ce/elohim-is-superior-to-the-gods-of-the-babylonians-and-persians

  Today I want to expand on a statement I made in my previous email, A Wisdom Option for Dealing with Life in a Toxic Infosphere . “ Biblical Heritages have a way to protect themselves and their children from the symptoms I described above – I am talking about people in these groups: Jews, Christians, and Nones .” After I clicked the button that sent the emails, I began feeling like something was wrong. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/8643cb48e26d/i-need-to-correct-a-mistake-in-my-previous-email