The Porch, The Page, and The Pattern
The afternoon sun hit the porch just right, casting long shadows across the wooden floorboards. Jack sat in his quiet spot with the heavy leather Bible open across his knees. He ran a hand down the page, taking in every verse, every line, and the stark contrast between the written Word and the ways of the world around him.

He looked at the first page of his notes. God Says in Scripture that His sacred personal name is Yehovah (YHVH / יהוה). In Exodus 3:15, God said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, The LORD [YHVH], the God of your fathers... has sent me to you. This is my name forever..." and in Exodus 6:3, "I appeared to Abraham... but by my name the LORD [YHVH] I did not make myself fully known to them." Yet Jack noted What People Do: Many substitute His name with the title "LORD" in translations and practice over 6,800 times.

Jack turned to the Gospels. God Says the Messiah's name was given as Yeshua ("Yehovah is Salvation"). Matthew 1:21 records, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus [Yeshua in Hebrew, meaning 'He saves'], because he will save his people from their sins." Yet What People Do is that most know and refer to Him by the translated name Jesus.

His finger moved down to the Law of the Creator. God Says in Exodus 20:8–10, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God." God Says to do no work, nor let anyone work for you, as written in Exodus 20:10: "On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant..." and warned in Nehemiah 13:15–17 against buying, selling, and trading on the Sabbath day. Yet What People Do is follow modern traditions, attending corporate worship services on Sunday—the pagan day of the sun—while many engage in commerce, dining out, or labor on the Sabbath day.

Jack trace the instructions for clean living. God Says in Leviticus 11:2, 7–8, "And the pig... is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh..." and in Deuteronomy 14:3, "You shall not eat any abomination." Yet What People Do is eat foods that Scripture designates as unclean and calls an abomination.

He read through the appointed times (Moedim). God Says to observe Passover and Unleavened Bread as everlasting statutes. Leviticus 23:5–6 commands, "In the first month, on the fourteenth day... is the LORD's Passover. And on the fifteenth day... is the Feast of Unleavened Bread..." and Exodus 12:14 declares, "You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD... as a statute forever." Yet What People Do is skip the Biblical feasts in favor of church calendar holidays like Lent and Fat Tuesday.

Jack flipped to the general instructions for righteousness. God Says to Keep My commandments and walk in My law. Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." And 1 John 2:4 warns, "Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Yet What People Do is teach or believe that the commandments are done away with or optional.

He looked at the warnings against mixed traditions. God Says do not worship Me the way the heathens do. Deuteronomy 12:30–31 commands, "Take care that you be not ensnared... saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way..." and Jeremiah 10:2 says, "Thus says the LORD: 'Learn not the way of the nations...'" Yet What People Do is observe popular seasonal holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.

Jack looked back at the fall feasts. God Says in Leviticus 23:34, 41, "On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths [Sukkot] to the LORD... It is a statute forever throughout your generations." Yet What People Do is fail to set up temporary booths or observe the fall feast days.

Finally, he pondered the truth about life, death, and resurrection. God Says in John 3:13, "No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven..." and Ecclesiastes 9:5 reminds us, "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing..." showing that the dead rest and sleep until the resurrection. Yet What People Do is teach and tell others that believers go straight to heaven immediately upon dying.

Jack leaned back against the porch wall, closing the Book. The pattern laid out on the pages was as clear as daylight—a quiet, steady line separating what is written from what man has made.