I’ve always felt a personal relationship with Jesus, as I knew him in childhood. My maternal grandmother, Annie Laura Goodman Maynor, took me to church since I can remember. We moved into the house that Daddy and Grandpa built when I was 3, and many Sunday mornings Mama drove me to Bethel Baptist Church, where Grandma would take me into the main service after her Sunday School class. I remember how exciting and emotional it was, especially loving the music, and by first grade I went to my own Sunday School class, where we sang “Jesus loves me” and “all the little children of the world.” I sought for years to know who he really was because I understood that he was raised a Jew, so knowledgeable and prolific in explaining Torah and the Prophets that he taught the Rabbis of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple when he was only 12 years old, making a three-day, self-proclaimed Bar Mitzvah.
When I was about 12, I read a book called Who Is Jesus? but it was hard to understand, and I really didn’t find out who Jesus (Yeshua) was until I started attending services on Saturday mornings at Adat Yeshua Messianic Synagogue in Albuquerque. Shabbat Shalom! A new world opened up, and I saw his words and his miracles in a whole new light, for he was the LIGHT Isaiah had predicted for the whole world to see and adore. I repeat many of my favorite verses from B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) in these essays, and rarely can write without reference to one of them. It came to my attention that in John 12:47-48 Yeshua said there would be some people who don’t believe in him, yet on that DAY of Judgement, another WORD he “had spoken” would judge them.
That scripture then reminded me of Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6 referring to Seven Spirits of G-D Who were sent to live among us on Planet Earth, to teach us and guide our lives. The Spirit of Messiah soared above the waters and created LIFE in that First DAY, and G-D is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow (a-share hi-ya v’ho-vay v’ya-vo). It’s become my belief that because HE (HavahEzra) is ONE, Messiah reincarnated seven times, the Last One being the Promised Hebrew Meshiakh named Yeshua, which means Salvation. He was foretold in many nations, and Sage Scientists from the East saw his star (comet?) rising above Bet Lekhem in Palestine, so they traveled to honor the New King, bringing gifts of gold, fragrant frankincense and oil of myrrh.
When I first discovered Hannukah, I became convinced that this miracle was prophesy of when the Meshiakh would come, for he would be born on the first day and sanctified in Jerusalem’s Holy Temple on the eighth, receiving all Jewish ritual for a first-born son. I’ve heard arguments from others suggesting a different time of year when he was born, but understand that Emperor Constantine had to please all religions of his realm. He chose Easter instead of Passover because it was a close holiday, and likely chose December 25 because it was close to Hannukah. The weather was probably cold, for the shepherds were in nearby fields instead of lush, green fields farther from home.
Most of the people on Earth today have heard the Nativity story, regardless of what religion they practice. Luke, who never met Yeshua, wrote the most detailed version of his birth, and Matthew tells of the family’s flight into Egypt, stories likely reported by Mother Miryam or his siblings. Except for the Temple visit when he was 12, we know nothing of his childhood from Nicean-accepted writings over 300 years later. But 600 years after his death, the Great Prophet Muhammad wrote two stories in Koran that he heard during his travels, that Yeshua spoke from the crib, and that as a child he molded a bird from clay, then breathed on it so it flew away. There are reports of a young man of his likeness traveling in India around that time, leading us to believe he may have ventured further into the world during those 17 missing years.
From ages 12 to 29 he wasn’t seen in Nazret, for his knowledge and power would easily have been known throughout the countryside. As it was, it didn’t take long to establish himself as a great teacher, and people called him Rabbi. His words were of love, kindness and forgiveness for others, teaching by example in parables like those of wise Hebrew philosophers, and he healed by touching, even psychically from a distance. His compassion was above mortal Humans, and he performed miracles not seen since the days of Moses, never refusing anyone’s request. People followed him from town to town, and within months he’d traveled through the lands of the twelve tribes of Isra’el, visible as humble fulfillment of Torah, its ethics and righteousness. I have so many favorite incidents, as the Syrian woman at Jacob’s Well and the woman who touched his robe as he felt healing energy flow through him — too many to tell here. (Read my book, MESHIAKH, or, better yet, for yourself in the Gospels.)
Messiah Yeshua’s ministry was to be among his own people, and even though he spoke of “others” who would honor his legacy, he knew that those of his own religion would recognize him in Olam Haba, the Last Days. Yeshua was theirs in blood, heart and mind long before we made him ours, but we besmirched his name, calling ourselves Christians while we committed violent acts and spouted vengeful words of condemnation, judging others while covering our own sins. Beautiful Human Beings were degraded, devalued, tortured and slaughtered in the NAME of G-D, and Yeshua was one of them, then also those of his own Jewish bloodline. Their sin was not in rejecting him, for he was of them, but in failing to recognize that his Kingdom was not of this world, but the next.
There are so many concepts he taught that we say, but don’t live by, and very few people can be called Christ-like, or even godly. When asked the greatest Commandments (mitzvot) of all, Yeshua replied, “Love and honor G-D above all else, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Have no enemies, and if someone considers themselves your enemy, still treat them as you would any good friend, yet removing yourself from them if it becomes necessary. Many Jews and Muslims are more Christ-like than many Christians, even as Mahatma (Great Soul) Mohandas Gandhi was. A Native American Lakota Chief, after hearing Yeshua’s words and deeds, said, “Now there goes a true Lakota man.”
Messiah Yeshua lived in BROTHERLY LOVE and constant Service to others, with his two-edged sword bringing what he knew would come to pass, the wars of religions that have divided us through the centuries, even personal religious, social and political disputes with our neighbors and within our families. Yet he is all-inclusive, kind, loving, regardless of physical appearance, creed or religion, being the answer to all faiths of Goodness and Brotherhood. My Messiah asks that we stand up bravely and confidently to speak against injustice, calling out Negative Forces that influence us to harbor vengeful feelings, inflict physical or psychological harm upon another person, ignore or injure Mother Nature, and interfere with our devotion and homage to G-D, by whatever NAME our CREATOR/Soul Donor is called in Earth’s languages.
The United States of America was founded by those considering themselves Christians, with the Constitutional responsibility to open our doors and hearts to the world, especially to those seeking refuge from tyranny. We can once again become One Family, Children of G-D Almighty, even as we remain one nation, indivisible, sharing our various cultures and honoring our religions. America wasn’t created by accident, but we have evolved with many divisions and labels between us. We’re free to have our prejudices, our likes and dislikes, but we must never treat anyone badly. Even though our bio-computer brains exercise judgement, we must refuse to judge others, for Judgement belongs only to our Karmic G-D and the elected Courts of Mankind. We will know our own hearts if we seek to discover who we are — why we’re here in these flesh and blood Animal bodies — and others will know us by our words and deeds, loving and peaceful or scornful and violent. We are each other’s therapists.
Main Stream Media has revealed corruption in this country that must be dealt with in complete transparency, from Law Enforcement to the Justice System, and people must be allowed to protest injustice without threat of harm. If the words from our mouths reveal our true hearts, we won’t deceive ourselves or lie to others. The hardest part of living in Christ Consciousness is to practice what we preach, to “BE the ball” instead of turning our heads and saying it’s someone else’s problem. There are those in this world who would spread discord and derision with no real solutions for problems, and there are those who would find common ground and ways to compromise. Love for our fellow Human Beings, regardless of their looks, religion or politics, is a Commandment, and commitments of Service to Them opens doors to G-D’s True Gifts for us, wherein we can continually count our Blessings.