Seven Reasons Why I Worship On Saturday and Why I Reject Sunday Worship

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Tiny Ducks Fall Asleep on a Dock
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I won’t mince words: Sunday worship by any self-professing Christian or believer in Messiah is wrong. There are no if and or buts. Nowhere in the Bible is there a command or even a recommendation that believers should worship on Sunday. Saturday or the Sabbath as the Creator’s designated day of rest and worship is the simplest test-case for every self-professing believer of Messiah. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the 2-1/2-billion professing christians of this world miserably fail this test every week of the calendar year. When challenged, most fundamentalists will defer to the passage in Revelation where the Apostle John wrote: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day (invariably interpreted wrongly as Sunday)…(Rev 1:10 ASV). Unfortunately this well-known verse has been hijacked and its meaning manipulated by fundamental teachers, often for the express purpose to lead unknowing believers astray and down a road of spiritual destruction. Other verses hijacked and manipulated similar teachers include Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2,9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, 19, Acts 20:7, and I Corinthian 16:2 and refer to events that occurred on a particular Sunday (i.e., the discovery of the empty tomb and Paul breaking bread and teaching would be converts). It boggles the mind to understand how the Christian Faith could develop a doctrine and practice from simple recordings of events. Yet, millions of believers staunchly cling to Sunday as the ordained day of worship for christians when there is no Biblical support whatsoever for this practice. To add insult to injury, many Sunday worshiping christians are quick to castigate Sabbath keeping believers as heretics and cultists. Still others who seek to not divide or cause disagreement within the ranks of the faithful will question why it matters what day of the week a believer should worship since Christians are often encouraged to worship the Lord everyday of the week in one form or another.

All of these stated arguments for Sunday worship are baseless and dangerous. When asked if this is a salvation issue, the true believer is bound to answer in the affirmative. Throughout the Scriptures and the Gospel and Apostolic records, Sabbath worship is mandated, encouraged, upheld and kept by every Saint. We are to be no different. No interpretation of Paul’s writings to the contrary can ever change the ordained day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday. The grace we enjoy as redeemed believers of the Most High is not a license to do as we wish. On the contrary, the grace we enjoy as redeemed believers of the Most High extends to us the opportunity to live fulfilled lives unencumbered by the ravages of sin and the opportunity to escape the penalty of sin which is eternal death. Sabbath keeping is not a negotiable issue. Besides, the enormous benefits to be had by keeping the Sabbath and obeying this and all other commands (the 4th commandment) far outweighs anything one could ever gain from violating the Father’s command and choosing instead to worship, as Constantine once crowned, “the venerable Day of the Sun.”

Here are seven reasons why I keep the Sabbath and reject Sunday as the day of worship for believers of Messiah:

1. The Sabbath is the only day of the week that Yahoveh made holy (Genesis 2:3).

2. Yahoveh commanded that we keep the Sabbath and perform no work (Exodus 20:10).

3. Yahoshua (Jesus), the Apostles, and the first century saints all kept the Sabbath without exception (reference the Gospels, Acts, and the Pauline Epistles).

4. Constantine instituted the change in days from Sabbath to Sunday at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. This act was not the result of a directive from the Almighty. On the contrary, Constantine did this to separate the christian faith from the much despised Jewish faith and to incorporate pagan sun worship (i.e., Sunday) into christianity.

5. Sunday worship is purely a Roman Catholic edict and practice that reformists retained when they separated from Catholicism. Interestingly, the Catholic hierarchy berated traditional christians for adopting Sunday as their day of worship citing that Sunday worship is purely a catholic doctrine/practice ordained by papal authority.

6. My spiritual life has grown exponentially having adopted Sabbath as my day of rest and worship. Fully dedicating the day (i.e., from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday) for study, reflection, family, and worship every week naturally has tremendous spiritual benefits in addition to knowing that you are obeying the Father.

7. Yahoshua will return for those who keep the commandments of Yahoveh and have the testimony of Yahoshua (cf. Revelation 12:17)

There is no doubt in my mind that some of you who may be listening to this Perception Moment may have a mind to reject all that I’ve said here. Some of you may perceive that the content of this posting is heretical and cultic. Many of you out there may be blinded by layers of denominational influences, teachings and traditions surrounding the topic of Sunday worship and whether or not Christians should keep Hebraic Laws. No one should ever judge you…nor do I judge you on this issue. Every believer must decide in his or her mind what to do about this vital issue.

However, instead of rejecting Sabbath Keeping outright, I would encourage you to stop, pray, and discover for yourself what the Scriptures have to say about Sabbath Keeping; if you feel so led and you have questions please drop me a line utilizing the “Speak Pipe” feature of this website or shooting me an email at perceptionwp@gmail.com. I once walked in your shoes and it wasn’t until I sought to find out the truth for myself–devoid of any evangelical-fundamental influences–that I came to realize that Sabbath Keeping is a requirement of every true Believer who earnestly contends for the Faith once delivered to the first century Saints.

 

 

Evangelicals Labeled as Terrorists by the U.S. Government

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You may be shocked to learn that a certain segment  of the American public has recently been labeled terrorists by the United States government: none other than evangelical Christians. That’s right my dear friends–according to an article written by Jack Minor on World Net Daily (WND.com) entitled “Military Warned Evangelicals No. 1 Threat” writes, that military personnel are being briefed that evangelicals pose the number one threat to America’s security ahead of the Muslim Brotherhood, al Qaida, Hamas, and the KKK. Common descriptors being used to describe evangelicals by the U.S. military include “extremists” and “hate.”

Hate…now that’s a word that many well-versed Bible readers will be familiar with. Upon reading this alarming article, I was immediately reminded of that passage in Matthew 10:22 where our Savior, Yahoshua, briefed his band of disciples prior to sending them out to the Lost Tribes of Israel–and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mat 10:22 ESV) καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι (hate, detest, abhor) ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου· ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος οὗτος σωθήσεται. (Mat 10:22 BGT)

The relevance of this passage certainly carries with it a more ominous tone than at any time in recent American history. Christians have enjoyed an unfettered ability to practice their faith with few exceptions. In fact, many Americans believe that this nation was built upon Christian principles and for all intents and purposes these principles still stand today. It is difficult to find any politician, entertainer, successful business-person, or even just a man or woman on the street who does not give some level of credence to God for their life successes. How often do we naturally invoke the phrase “thank God” when a critical situation goes the way we’d hoped it would go? Plain and simple: being a Christian in America is as commonplace as say–Ford vehicles are on American roads. Our nation’s cities are overflowing with Christian and Catholic churches on virtually every corner.

In many situations, claiming to be a Christian has its benefits. Recall the 2008 presidential elections when both presidential candidates Senators John McCain and Barack Obama claimed to be Christians who fully supported “Christian life principles.” As the election cycle progressed, we heard the  christian salvation personal testimony of candidate Obama as he defend his ties to the Christian faith to secure the votes of evangelical Christians and swing votes among conservatives, to gain the competitive edge, when concerns began to surface about his alleged Islamic influenced childhood.

Until now, American Christians have had peaceful existence in this nation founded on christian principles and freedom of religion. However, it seems that the age of christian freedoms, freedom of religion, and freedom of the christian evangelist to preach the message of salvation is closing fast. The post christian age is upon us and now we expect Matthew 10:22 to be fulfilled against Christians in our christian nation. When was the last time you were hated for Yahoshua’s name sake? When was the last time your home was tee-peed or egged because the neighbors identified your family as followers of Yahoshua? When was the last time a member of your family was arrested and jailed for Yahoshua’s name sake? In this country, when was the last slaying or execution carried out on anyone for Yahoshua’s name sake? It hasn’t happened. Why hasn’t it happened, especially when Yahoshua Himself proclaimed to the twelve that they would be hated for His name sake.

History does in fact support that ten of the disciples with the exception of two, were martyred for Yahoshua’s name sake, except for Judas Iscariot who betrayed Yahoshua and committed suicide; and John–the disciple whom Yahoshua loved–died of old age but not before suffering in exile on the Island of Patmos where he received the prophecy revealed in the  Book of Revelation. I would further point you to “Fox’s Book of Martyrs” for a more detailed and comprehensive recitation of the hundreds of believers who were “hated” for Yahoshua’s name sake and ultimately killed as a result of their Faith.

What is the difference between the first, second and third century Saints, whose demise was predicted in Matthew 10:22, and self-professing Christians in America today who’s day-to-day plight seems contrary to the prediction of this profound passage? Add to this confusion the U.S. government now labels evangelicals as terrorists, this issue is difficult to explain and fathom.

I submit to you that the difference is found in Acts 5:27-29: “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not straitly command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men.” Those martyred Saints differed from today’s American Christians in their zeal: their boldness to stand for what is right and reject the evil imposed by government in all its forms; their readiness to obey God commands rather than government’s commands.

The Matthew Henry Commentary describes those hated for Yahoshua’s name sake as, those that truly bear the image of Yahoshua (John 15: 25); as those that are counted as the offscouring of all things because they reject that which is in opposition to the Word of Yahovah (I Corinthian 9:13): as those who speak out against evil and stand aside those who are wrongly treated and targeted–these are labeled as troublers of the land (I Kings 18:17) and tormentors of their neighbors (Revelations 11:10). Imagine what will happen to those believers who completely sell out to Yahovah’s way of living and who adopt fully the Laws of Yahovah and have the Testimony of Yahoshua (Revelation 12:17): these exceptional individuals by nature will be hated and society (currently run by the Enemy of this world–Ha Satan–Ephesians 6:12) will not tolerate them in their midst. Yahoshua was hated without cause because He was the real deal. Naturally Satan used the existing political-religious systems of the time to eliminate Him (which of course ultimately failed) as he will do in the coming years to those who mirror the life of the Savior. What a badge of honor to aspire to!!

 

How do you perceive your Bible–Popular Perceptions About the Bible–Episode 004

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Aleppo Codex
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Biblical scholar and author Samuel Bacchiocchi, Ph.D. stated in his book “Popular Beliefs–Are They Biblical” (Biblical Perspectives Publishing): it is “how we perceive the Bibles on our shelves that determine how we define and test our beliefs.”

The Bible Defined:

  • Spans 1600 years of history
  • 40+ authors
  • Differing places, times, modes
  • Written on 3-continents
  • Written in 3-languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
  • Greek for Ta Biblia—the scrolls or books; a library
  • Polyvocality of Biblical Literature
  • A cacophony of voices and perspectives
  • Poisonous texts stand with curative texts
  • 50 different translations of the Bible in English
  • Translated into 518 languages (full Bible)
  • 10′s of thousands of manuscripts from which we get the various translations

Common Vernacular–sword; Word of God; the 66-special; the water of life; the Good Book; the Book; the Greatest Story Ever Told

The Bible is considered the bestselling book of all times.

  1. 2007: ~2.5M Bibles were sold totally ~$770M (U.S.)
    1. Increase of 26% over 2005 which reported ~$609M
  2. 2008: ~$823.5M
  3. Suggested average growth of ~10%
  4. Increased sales during times of war and financial disaster
  5. Beal quotes a major evangelical publishing company executive as saying that the average Christian-home owns now fewer than 9-Bibles and they purchase at least a new one each year

Yet research supports the claim that it is “…the most revered book never read.” (Beal) Here are some very interesting trends and statistics:

~1/2-adults Americans cannot name the first 5-books of the Bible nor can they name the 4-Gospels of the New Testament

~1/2-graduating high school seniors assumed that Sodom and Gomorrah were a husband and wife

~1/10 of adults assume that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife

~2/3-Americans can’t name at least five of the 10-commandments

~3/4-Americans believe the Bible is the Word of God–yet 1/2 of these 3/4-Americans say that the Bible should be taken literally, word for word, as such

~1/2-Americans believe the Bible to be totally accurate in all its teachings

~2/3-Americans believe the Bible answers all or most of the basic questions of life–yet 28% of these 2/3 of Americans readily admit that they rarely or never read their Bibles

Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter (01/08/2008)—www.christianpost.com/new/

1402 unchurched adults do not have biblical understanding about God and Jesus.

Frank Newport, Gallup Organization (05/25/2007—www.gallup.com

~1/3 of Americans believe that the Bible is literally true and is the Word of God and is to be taken literally word for word.

~1/5 of Americans believe that the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.

Belief in the Bible drops among those who have college education

Why this oxymoronic attitude towards the Bible?

2-Classes of thought among Traditionalist:

Biblical Errancy (the Bible is chiefly a human product that is prone to error–but still of value to the Christian Faith)

Popular among scholars and liberal Christians

versus

Biblical Inerrancy (the Bible chiefly a divine product that is free from errors–specifically in its original manuscripts)

Popular among conservative and orthodox Christians

The Bible is the Word of God that provides Black and White answers to all of life’s questions, problems, etc.

Pro: provides comfort to the masses

Con: leaves the Body of Christ in a state of spiritual immaturity (Beal)

Many see the Bible as an instruction manual but find that the Bible does not always answer their questions or provide solutions to complex situation of today.

  • Consequently consumers are demanding ready-made and easily accessible answers and thus an industry surrounding the bible has emerged in recent decades to address this need.

According to Beal, most Americans view the Bible as ancient and irrelevant to their complex lives.

Consequently, Bible publishers are scrambling to produce Bible-type/Bible-related materials to make the bible relevant today.

  • Biblezines
  • Daily devotionals with snippets
  • Adding value to its Biblical publications (value added content)
    • Supplemental content becomes the focal aspect of the Bible text that is being amplified and the actual Bible text becomes simply background. (Beal)

NOTE: the Bible is in the public domain and is thus free to anyone who seeks to have a copy.

Translations are a major element in the debate over how one perceives their Bibles:

  • A translation is broadly an interpretation since all translations depend on “functional equivalencies” in order to put ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek forms of speech into understandable English (Beal)
  • Bible publishers seek to add value to their product by taking creative and interpretative licenses: providing the reader with images, feelings, and ideas

How do Denominations Perceive the Bible?

  • The Lutheran Church (www.lutheran-resources.org)
    • The “Holy Scriptures” are unique
    • The Bible is the Word of God
    • The authors of the Bible wrote only that which the Holy Ghost communicated to them by inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
    • The Holy Scriptures being the Word of God, it goes without saying that they contain no errors or contradictions; they are in all their parts and words the infallible.
    • The Holy Scriptures are the foundation of the faith and the sole source from which all doctrines proclaimed in the Christian Church must be taken
    • Full rejection that the Bible is part the Word of God and part the word of man and that it might contain error.
  • Catholicism (www.ancient-future.net)
    • Multiple sources of authority: the Bible, Tradition, the Creeds, the Bishops and the Pope
    • Christ, the ultimate authority, passed on His authority to His Apostles—the Apostles provided the Bible and Traditions, and neither contradicts the other
    • The Bible is interpreted through the Tradition of the Apostles (currently modern day bishops with the first place given to the Bishop of Rome or the Pope-the successor of Peter, the Rock and prince of the apostles
    • The Pope has the authority to speak infallibly on issues of faith and morality.
    • Rejection of “sola scriptura” (i.e., the Bible alone is our final authority)
  • The Presbyterian Church (www.trinitypc.org)
    • The inspiration and absolute trustworthiness of the Holy Scripture.
  • The United Pentecostal Church, International
    • The Bible is the infallible Word of God and the authority for salvation and Christian living as supported by 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
  • The Baptist Church (www.baptiststart.com/print/chicago_statement.html)
    • All professing Christ must humbly and faithfully obey God’s written word.
    • To deny the inerrancy of Scripture sets aside the witness of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and the entire Christian Faith.
    • God Himself inspired Holy Scripture in order to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. The Bible is God’s witness to Himself.
    • The Holy Scriptures are God’s own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit is infallible, divine authority in all matters upon which it touches.
    • It is to be believed as God’s instruction in all that it affirms
    • It is to be obeyed as God’s command in all that it requires
    • It is to be embraced as God’s pledge in all that it promises
    • The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand its meaning
    • Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching
  • Messianic Christianity (www.messianicchristianity.org)
    • The Scriptures are inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16). In one sense the Scriptures are the word of God. In another sense, since the Scriptures also contain uninspired words of men (see Peter’s words in Mt. 16:21-23 to which Yeshua Jesus responded with: “get behind me, satan”), and even sometimes the words of the evil one (Gen. 3:1-4; Mt. 4:3, 6, 9; 16:21-23; Lk. 4:3, 6-7, 9), the Scriptures contain the word of God. The Scriptures are authoritative for man (2 Tim. 3:16).

How Do You Perceive Your Government? The GMO Factor.

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protesting monsanto in san francisco
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By now you should have heard something about GMOs–genetically modified organisms. And by now you should have heard of the dangers GMOs pose to every consumer’s health. Research and even common sense has shown over the last several years that human (and even animal) consumption of GMO crops over time can have dire across the board health consequences. It would seem that every month or so, more and more negative press is given to GMOs and the associated risks they pose to the consumer.

The United States government has long touted itself as the guardian over the wellbeing of her citizens. However, on March 26, 2013, President Barak Obama betrayed the trust of her people by signing into law the “Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013″–H.R. 933; or as it has most recently been referred to as the “Monsanto Protection Act.” (Reference: Wikipedia) This act essentially “…bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of genetically modified or genetically engineered seeds, no matter what health issues may arise concerning GMOs in the future. (Sheets, C. A. and Snopes.com)

Maribel Hermosillo, in her Policymic.com article entitled, “Monsanto’s GMO Seeds are Actively Cultivating Cultural Genocide” reports that this act “…protects Monsanto from law suits for health damages caused by genetically modified crops and if health damages were discovered from GMO consumption, the U.S. government would not be able to ban Monsanto products from the market.”

FIRST HEALTHCARE, NEXT THE FOOD SUPPLY: WHAT ARE CONSERVATIVES DOING SIGNING ON TO THIS MADNESS?
SS&SS / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

GMOs are obtained through biotechnology techniques that are applied to the farming industry and includes modifying the DNA of seeds. These seeds yield crops that will not yield fertile seeds and the resulting crop are capable of resisting and enduring pesticides and herbicides. There is research that suggests that crops from GMO seeds can cause various forms and types of cancers in the human body in addition to other potential abnormalities of the body. Former research scientist for Agriculture Canada, Dr. Thierry Vrain, stated that corn and soya produce toxic and allergenic proteins in lab mice and rats. Extensive research is being done on GMOs in Europe and Russia, however, Biotech firms such as Monsanto pay research labs to produce data that refutes the European and Russian research.

Apart from the health risks, it is becoming disturbingly clear that Monsanto’s current GMO practices are aimed at destroying traditional farms around the globe and monopolizing the seed industry. Of course there is a money trail associated with these disturbing facts: Monsanto has confirmed ties to the IMF (the International Monetary Fund). When money-strapped countries come to the IMF for bail-out loan money, part of the loan deal is for that country to give Monsanto preferential access to their agricultural markets.

This is a huge story that has legs spanning some 40-years to date. Being fully aware of the state of our Faith is vitally important. But being aware of our health and the elements that challenge it is also important. Yahoveh requires that we be Holy as He is holy. In his Laws, Yahoveh listed what is considered food and what is not food. Clearly GMO-related foods are not food and should not be consumed.

If you perceive that your government has you and your family’s best interest at heart, think again, weigh the facts, and act accordingly.

Blessings Fellow Saints in Training

Book Review: “The Rise and Fall of the Bible–The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book” by Timothy Beal.

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Published by Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0-15-101358-6

Timothy Beal is a Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University.

Mr. Beal has published eleven books and a series of essays on religion and
American culture in the New York Times, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Washington Post, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He knows his topic well. He takes the reader not only on a pleasant jaunt through the history of the Bible (as we know it today), but also breaks up the monotony to be naturally experienced by readers of history-of any kind -through the use of high-end humor, personal experiences, shocking statistics, and data that left this reader perplexed but also with renewed resolve that there is work to be done.

Mr. Beal starts off with a personal introduction and history that ultimately shaped his personal faith and sent him on a path towards understanding the Bible from an objective perspective–dismissive of denominational influence. He then provides the reader with a non-burdening overview of the Bible from the perspective of commercialism: the driving forces behind what has made the Bible the sort of iconic object of the Christian Faith that it has become in the 21st century. After providing the reader with the necessary foundation upon which to understand the immense universal adoration and even distain the Bible has achieve over the course of two millennia, Beal proceeds to systematically strip away the mystery and present day iconicity the Bible holds in Western culture through the use of what I believe to be reasonably argued statistics surrounding the Bible’s oxymoronic influence in peoples’ lives. The picture that emerges is one of discouragement: not that the Bible is a book of fables and myths or even errors, but that the Bible, Beal so eloquently exclaims, has become the “most revered book never read.” I found The Rise and Fall of the Bible to be an eye-opener. Not only was I educated in the Bible’s ultimate rise to fame throughout the Western World of the 2nd millennium, but also educated in the tragedy that has befallen the Bible in the 21st century in terms of a true and healthy understanding of the Book of all books. I believe it is a modest-must read for all truth seeking Believers. I believe that Mr. Beal’s heart is in the right place in terms of the message he is attempting to get out about this book. Unfortunately I do not have a firm understanding as to how much impact his work will have in getting the message out to the masses that the Bibles that line our dusty bookshelves are in dire need of reading without the use of denominational spectacles.

I have but one criticism of Mr. Beal’s excellent work, and that has to do with his downplaying of the many positive influences the Bible–absent its current commercialized wrappings–has had on countless peoples’ lives. Lives destined for destruction have been saved and turned towards living holy lives because the words contained in the pages of the Bible shed light upon the evil of this world. Not to mention that Beal’s oversight in attributing the absence of the Holy Spirit in many readers’ lives could explain the reason for the irrelevance Bible has in the lives of millions of Christians, for which he spends a good portion of his book exploring. Without the Holy Spirit to provide the desire to seek Truth and then to reveal the hidden-relevant truths of the Word of God to that Believer, then the Bible becomes simply an ancient literary work of wise-sayings from a good man who was martyred for His beliefs and teachings; confusing and insignificant history of an obstinate people; seemingly overbearing laws placed upon a group of people wandering in the desert, and frightening projections connected to the end of the world as we know it.

Aside from that I’ve just mentioned, Mr. Beal leaves the reader with a profound call to action that I believe is best cited by him: “In kindred spirit, what if we were to think of the Word of God not as bound between two-covers of a book but as that endless noise of interpretation, an inconclusive process that we are invested to join? What if that cacophonous hymn, rising up across time and space from digital networks, living rooms, lunchrooms, churches, and bus stops is the living Word of God? An endless, inarticulate din of talking, arguing, reading, and rereading in the library of questions. The Word as we don’t know it. The Word as we live it. Word without end.”

Amen Brother Timothy Beal–Well stated.