Beck's Show: In Defense of Israel

The Glenn Beck Program aired "In Defense of Israel" yesterday and it was one of the most important, most riveting, and highly effective topics that he has ever presented on his show!

It is so chock full of pertinent information that I need to watch the video again in order to absorb all that was stated by the guests and presented during the show!

Watch Glenn Beck: In Defense of Israel

Commentary at site:

Tonight: A must-see program. Why should the U.S. be standing with Israel? Israel is the only country in the Middle East that shares American values. They are constantly provoked and attacked, yet despite having a heavy nuclear arsenal they have not yet launched a single one. If that wasn't enough- in the Bible, God promises His wrath on those who turn against Israel. We should be standing with them- but at least so far, we have chosen to remain silent. Joining Glenn and the studio audience tonight are Pastor John Hagee, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and former Israeli Amb. to the United Nations, Dore Gold.

I personally think that it is terribly appalling how this current U.S. administration has treated the Sovereign Nation of Israel and her current leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as the military and all of the people of Israel.

After you watch the entire show, think about all of the instances (e.g. the flotilla incident, the brutal murder of a Jewish family etc.) and recall how this current gangster government masquerading as "leaders" of our nation, reacted (or didn't react) to such incidents. The media of mass deception (except for Glenn's show on Fox) didn't even discuss the murdered Jewish family.

How disgusted most of the American people (who are paying attention to what is really going on) must be to see one of our most loyal and treasured allies in the Middle East being treated like "enemies," while this administration caters to the REAL ENEMIES - the radical Islamists and dictators in the Muslim world! How much more are we supposed to take of this!!!!????

The election of 2012 can't get here fast enough.

I think that the press is lying about Obama's favorability ratings. I think that they are MUCH LOWER than they are presenting in the so-called polls that are out there.  I pray every day that God would have mercy on our nation and that Obama WON'T be re-elected.

As I had stated before in this previous post, America needs a candidate who loves God, His Word, and our Nation! Included in loving God and His Word is the fact that the nation of Israel is the "apple of God's eye" and the people of the nation are HIS PEOPLE!!

Lest we forget, during the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, Jesus was a Jewish carpenter! His ministry was first for the Jews, and then for the Gentiles.

One thing that stood out to me during the broadcast was a brief exchange between Pastor John Hagee and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik where Hagee mentioned the return of the Messiah. He stated that the Rabbi and him may disagree on Who the Messiah is. But it was interesting to note that the Rabbi said, "I want to be there with you."

This reminded me, once again, of an exchange that happened between Reverend Billy Graham and Larry King one night when King was interviewing Graham on his show. The dialogue went something like this (paraphrased here):

Billy Graham: If Jesus were to return today, what one question would you like to ask him?

Larry King: Is this your first or second visit to this earth?

Yes. It is true that some Jews do not see Jesus Christ as the Messiah they have been waiting for. They did not recognize Him when he came to this earth to save mankind from his sins over 2,000 years ago. But what happens when Christ returns and they DO recognize Him at His Second Coming? This is what many Christians believe will happen.

There are also Messianic Jews who hold to the Old Testament traditions, but also recognize Jesus Christ as Messiah.

I do not mean to be simplistic within this commentary, but I hope that what I have shared (though, definitely not comprehensive) helps demonstrate the unique relationship between Christians and Jews and why we must STAND IN DEFENSE OF ISRAEL!!!

Hat tip:

Watch Glenn Beck: The Daily Beck

Beck Show: Stand With Israel / A Child Prodigy

Did you see the Glenn Beck Program on the Fox News Channel today? If not, please go to Watch Glenn Beck later today when the entire show will be available for viewing. [NOTE: CHECKED BACK AT 4:24 p.m. PT and the video is up now.]

It might be helpful to watch yesterday's show (at the same link) because it was related to the first half of today's show.

Excerpt of yesterday's show:

Tonight: As the Middle East continues to burn, the United States - and most of the world for that matter - have not taken a firm enough stance in alliance with Israel. Instead, the Obama administration has been silent as groups like the Muslim Brotherhood start to work their way into power in Egypt and other countries. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that shares American values. They are constantly provoked and attacked, yet despite having a heavy nuclear arsenal they have not launched a single one. We should be standing with them- but at least so far, we have chosen to remain silent...

In tonight's show (check link above for video later tonight), Beck demonstrates how "surrounded" Israel is by all of the Arab/Muslim nations that have called for Her destruction. I have often quoted one of the most profound Bible prophecies that uses the ancient names of current nations that would rise up against Israel in the last days.

If you would like to read about this incredible prophecy made by David, see:

David's Incredible Prophecy Of Israel's Enemies Today.

*******


The second half of Beck's show introduced today's T.V. audience to a 12-year old college student named Jacob Barnett. Today, he is considered a brilliant young man. But if you read about his life story, you will see the challenges that he and his parents faced when he was only 18 months old.

Boy Genius, 12, Has Higher IQ Than Einstein, Developing His Own Theory of Relativity

Excerpt:

Kristine Barnett won't soon forget the "most devastating day in the life" of her son.

Jacob, called "Jake," her then 3-year-old, had recently stopped talking and had been diagnosed with autism. One day, she dropped him off at a gymnastics class, and, when she returned to pick him up, Barnett, 36, says she found all the other students sitting in a circle, while Jake was curled up and cowering in a corner.

"It was the day I knew Jake would never do sports or be like other kids later in life," the day care provider and mother of four tells ParentDish. "My heart broke, thinking he would be trapped inside this forever and never be able to talk to us."

But today, 12-year-old Jake is studying electromagnetic physics at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and has an IQ of 170, higher than that of Albert Einstein. And he's astounding university professors by developing his own theory of relativity -- they're lining him up for a Ph.D research role, Barnett, of Noblesville, Ind., says.

When Jake was 8, he jumped from fifth grade to college after teaching himself all the high school math classes -- calculus, algebra, geometry and trigonometry -- in one week and testing at college-level mathematics, Barnett recalls.

Recently, the boy has embarked on his own expanded version of Einstein's theory of relativity. Barnett sent a video of his theory to the renowned Institute for Advanced Study near Princeton University.

After a devastating diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome this child has grown to be a child genius.

What a fabulous indication of God's plan in a life - going from tragedy to triumph in such an enormous way in this young man's life!

Hat Tips to all links.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

When I was a child and I was being impatient about something, my mom used to say, "good things come to those who wait." When I was seven, a week often felt like an eternity! Today, a week rushes by in a flash!

Today, when I see things going horribly wrong in this nation, I find my comfort comes through renewed strength via prayer. Prayer is so powerful! Oftentimes, we run to God as a last resort when in times of trouble. What we should be doing is praying ever so fervently when it appears that the darkness is attempting to hide the Light of the World.

You can pray at any time. Not just on your knees at bedtime. Pray throughout the day - sending up little prayers asking for mercy and grace upon yourself, your family and this entire nation.

I have been deeply troubled over the proposed mosque being built near where the horrific World Trade Center attack by radical Islamic terrorists happened on 9/11. Last night, I read a blog post that gave me renewed hope that the mosque at Ground Zero will not be built.

JammieWearingFool: 'I Wonder What Else They Are Hiding.'

Excerpt:

'I Wonder What Else They Are Hiding'

Congressman Peter King better watch it. Lil' Mikey Bloomberg might call him a bigot for uttering such a statement.

Not so fast.

The developers of the controversial mosque proposed near Ground Zero own only half the site where they want to construct the $100 million building, The Post has learned.

One of the two buildings on Park Place is owned by Con Edison, even though Soho Properties told officials and the public that it owns the entire parcel. And any potential sale by Con Ed faces a review by the state Public Service Commission.

“We never heard anything about Con Ed whatsoever,” said a stunned Julie Menin, the chairwoman of Community Board 1, which passed a May resolution supporting the mosque.

Daisy Khan, one of the mosque’s organizers, told The Post last week that both buildings on Park Place are needed to house the worship and cultural center. But she claimed ignorance about the Con Ed ownership of 49-51 Park Place and referred questions to Soho Properties, which bought the building at 45-47 Park Place in 2009.

Rep. Peter King, who opposes the mosque, said the developers seemed to be “operating under false pretenses.”

“I wonder what else they are hiding,” said King (R-LI). “If we can’t have the full truth on this, what can we believe?”

Continue reading HERE.

Nice Deb reports on the story, too.

Not So Fast…Ground Zero Mosque Developers Only Own Half Of The Site
posted by nicedeb at Nice Deb » Monday Menagerie - 11 hours ago
Pic of Sharif El Gamal, head of Soho Properties via Islamization Watch The New York Post has the exclusive: The developers of the controversial mosque proposed near Ground Zero own only half the site wher...

While driving home from a visit with my daughter this morning I was thinking about how all of the ineligibility lawsuits against Obama have been dismissed due to "lack of standing" and how fortunate such developments have been for Obama. If we got just one hearing on this in a court of law - I'm sure that Obama would be found out. He is either a lying usurper (if his father is, in fact, Barack Obama Sr.) because Obama Jr. would never qualify as a natural born citizen according to the clause for POTUS in our U.S. Constitution. Or, if his biological father was someone else, then he misrepresented his entire life to the American people! It would mean that he lied in his two books and during many (if not all) of his speeches. Would either revelation horribly disappoint the entire black community? I would think so.

That is when it hit me.

I recall hearing that 88% of African-Americans still support Obama. That is a HUGE amount. Are some of them lying to cover up their real thoughts about him? Did they vote that way in the poll because of political correctness? Do they all agree with his awful policies? Do they think that eventually he will create jobs with his out- of-control spending? Are they just not paying attention? What is the reason why such a disproportionate amount of blacks still support him? Many Hispanics and Independents have left the approval-rating bandwagon in droves.

Well, whatever the reason(s) may be that blacks still approve of Obama in the polls, I realized that God, for whatever reason, has granted Obama mercy (withholding what he deserves), and grace (giving him what he doesn't deserve).

But it may be more than that.

God's thoughts and plans are higher than my thoughts and desires. With all that our country is suffering from, our sin is so great in this nation that we can't ignore that God has demonstrated enormous mercy towards us. He has been withholding what we, sinners all, truly deserve. God has afforded us grace at this chaotic, uncertain, and scary time. He continues to hold us together - giving us a kind of grace that we don't deserve.

I thought long and hard about all of this. I know, in my heart and soul that trusting God is really all that we have in this world. Jesus Christ is the one and only constant that I can be assured to trust and to absolutely lean on - in good times, in bad times, and even in the horrible and ugly times.

The racial tensions and small incidences of outbreak around our country that are unfortunately happening today would pale in comparison to what would happen if (or when) Obama was indicted, tried, possibly convicted of corruption (or on the ineligibility issue) and removed from office. The outcry from the black communities around our entire country would cause another civil war!

Perhaps this is why God is holding back from allowing any of the current cases from succeeding. I don't know for sure - I can only guess, of course. But the concepts of mercy and grace are played out time and time again here on this earth. Sometimes justice is served, and other times it is not. Life is not always fair and we should not expect it to be. Jesus told us that "in this life you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world."

That is what we, as Christian believers can always trust! The very words and promises of Jesus Christ!

Although we walk by faith and not by sight, the fact that God's permissive will allows us to be held by His patient Mercy, and affords us his long suffering Grace, gives us the confidence to go forth in our lives no matter what happens here on this earth.

We all suffer pain and suffering in this life, but one day we will be in a place where such terrible things will not exist! It will be a whole new way of life and existence that is hard for us to fathom right now. But God's Word spells it out quite clearly. Let all who have ears to hear - let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The book of Revelation quotes, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" seven times!"

Rev 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

Rev 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'

Rev 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

Rev 2:29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

Rev 3:6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

Rev 3:13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

Rev 3:22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"

In the Bible, the number seven is representative of perfection.

Who are you heeding?

Who has your ear?

Are you listening to what the Spirit says to you and the churches?

God's Word encourages us to wait for the return of Jesus Christ. We are to "call upon the Lord."

2Sa 22:4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

2Sa 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.

Psa 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psa 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

Psa 99:6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Scriptures:

Luk 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;


Luk 4:19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

The fruit of the Spirit teaches us:

Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.


Eph 5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.


Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light


Eph 5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),


Eph 5:10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.



Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,


Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.


Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.


Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Hat tips:

JammieWearingFool Blog

Nice Deb

Blue Letter Bible

The Gospel According to Job

Before I get to Dr. David Jeremiah's lesson in the series on the book of Job called "Tried, Tested, and Triumphant", I want to share a personal story.

Many years ago, I gave my mother (who, at the time was a devout Catholic) the NIV Bible which had study notes at the bottom of each page. I thought that it would help her understand the passages better. This was shortly after I had re-dedicated my life to the Lord back in the 90's. I wanted to be sure that my family members were saved through the Cross of Jesus Christ.

When I gave her the Bible, I suggested that she start reading the book of John. That was the book that I was studying with a women's Bible study group in my neighborhood. Shortly after finishing that study, I stood up in the church I was attending and re-dedicated my life to Jesus Christ. This led to a turning point in my life. I became very active at the church and an avid Bible reader. I attended many Bible studies - including Bible Study Fellowship intensive studies on The Life of Moses, and the writings of John. But I did not have any in-depth study on the book of Job.

Back to my mother's story.

Instead of reading the book of John, she decided to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Well, she didn't get very far. She stopped at the book of Job. Apparently, what happened to Job so disturbed her, she decided not to continue reading and studying the Bible. My heart sank when she told me that. Ever since, I have tried to share the Gospel with her, hoping and praying that she would be saved. When my father became born again just months before his death from terminal cancer in 1995, my mom was in the room and prayed the prayer of salvation with us. But only God knows whether or not her decision was genuine. I pray that it was. She now suffers from Alzheimer's disease and the last time that I shared the Gospel during my visit with her (and my Aunt Alex), she fell asleep at the table.

Have you ever encountered someone who couldn't understand why God allowed what happened to Job? Have you ever bristled at the tragedy of Job's life while he was being afflicted by Satan? Have you ever questioned God's mercy because of all that was allowed and done to Job?

My partial answer might be that's what evil does. But of course, that statement does not include the most important part of the answer.

Each of us could probably ask those same questions about your own life or someone you love. Why did they have to go through that suffering? It's a question that we all would like to have the answer to, I'm sure. I can't say that I have all the answers. I don't. But God DOES have all the answers, and if we just seek out those answers in Scripture, the AH HA! moments will be quite amazing - and even startling.

We get a hint about my recent "startling moment" in the introductory paragraphs about Tried, Tested, and Triumphant - The Book of Job.

When someone we know is going through a time of suffering and trial, a reference to Job is often mentioned in some context. We feel comfortable referencing Job as the ultimate example, but do we really know his story? Do we really understand the circumstances of his suffering? Job is a complex story of one man's journey from blessing to despair, from affluence to poverty, and respect to ridicule. Dr. Jeremiah unfolds this story verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter allowing us to witness every aspect of Job's challenging journey. In the end, we leave with not only a shining example to encourage us in our faith--we come away with the peace of knowing that God is in control of all things and that He will use every circumstance in our lives to reveal His grace and glory.

I had one of those AH HA! moments while watching and listening to Dr. Jeremiah's sermon today. I sincerely hope that readers here will take the time to view the sermon. You WON'T be disappointed! It is so powerful - and could change your perspective about the book of Job forever.

If you are pressed for time, the message introduction (which is crucial to see) starts at @ 17:50. It includes how you can get the resource [Tried, Tested and Triumphant - The Book of Job] that may be very helpful for you - or anyone you know - who is currently going through any type of suffering today.

When times are tough we often lean on our friends for support, love, and understanding. Job was not so fortunate in this matter because his group of friends ended up criticizing and condemning him instead of encouraging him. But instead of offering a defense to his friends, Job offered up his defense to God. In turn, he revealed what a majestic, holy, and all-powerful God that he served then--and that we still serve today.

View the video at this link:
David Jeremiah.org: This Week's Message - The Gospel According to Job

When you view the video, the title of the sermon becomes so evident that you will wonder how you ever missed it (if you were like me - who did miss that important point) in your personal studies on Job!

Man's Inability to Embrace Humility

Charlie over at Another Think has written an excellent essay that ties in, and reveals, the arrogance of man via man's inability to embrace humility. Another Think: Deep-Water Arrogance.

Excerpt:

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, based on testimony given to the Coast Guard and interviews with survivors, the rig's chain of command "broke down" and its emergency procedures "made it difficult to respond swiftly" to a very fast-moving chain of events.

Less than 10 minutes after the first sign of trouble, the order was given to abandon the vessel. Many were already leaping into the Gulf to save their skin. In a final desperate act, a button was pressed that should have activated a massive device on the sea floor, the blow-out preventer (BOP). This 450-ton, 50-foot tall hydraulic leviathan was designed to crush the life out of the drill pipe and bottle up the high pressure oil and gas trying to escape from the well.

The BOP, the well's last fail-safe device, failed. Within 2 days, the unrecognizable slag heap formerly known as the Deepwater Horizon slipped beneath the waves. As I write this, oil continues to pour from the wellhead a mile underwater, despite ingenious, round-the-clock efforts to halt the flow by some very bright and motivated engineers.

They admit to being "scared." The leader of the world's most powerful government has been reduced to mouthing meaningless commands to his minions. "Plug the damn hole," he fumed. Not exactly a Churchillian moment.

The risks posed by technological failures are both more common and more spectacular than at any time in history. Amazing achievements in science have fooled us into believing that there is no problem we can't solve, given enough money, human brilliance and hard work. BP's problem was not inadequate technologies, but a disturbing lack of humility in the face of complex and powerful forces.

Continue reading HERE.



My comment there (may still be in moderation mode):

WOW Charlie! What an excellent essay! I learned so much from this post! Previously, I didn't even know about the blow-out preventer malfunction. How terribly sad and irresponsible it was not to have a plan B!

I'm not an engineer, but I read that setting up the oil slick booms and burning the oil immediately would have helped to contain it in a smaller area. But wouldn't it have to burn continually until it was eventually capped? That may have been an environmental hazard to the air, but isn't the oil slick a catastrophic disaster that is far worse?

You are correct about the lack of humility that lives in all people. What makes it really tough is when it's combined with extreme arrogance. That absurd "plug the damn hole" comment must have been an "off the teleprompter" one. As with many terrible comments that Obama has delivered in the past, that one showed his true character. His lack of empathy towards those suffering in the Gulf states showed a stone cold heart, too.

Obama's never-ending government takeover of EVERYTHING is truly arrogant, scary and devastating to WE THE PEOPLE who believe in our Founding Fathers' plan for our Constitutional Republic - not a Marxo-Islamo-Fascist regime that the far-left progressives think will finally create their own dream world of a Garden-of-Eden type of utopia. History has revealed the fact that such ideology has NEVER worked in a positive manner. Instead, the most inhumane and brutal regimes have developed as a result of their evil, power, and misplaced wealth.


Ben Franklin had many words of wisdom. The day he answered the question, "what type of government have you given us, sir?" He replied, "A Republic - if you can keep it."

The humility that you speak of has gradually been taken from our nation by leaders who claim to know "the Word" (like Nancy Pelosi claimed recently). However, those of us who genuinely DO know God's Word, study it, apply it to our own lives, teach it to our children, and share it with others through Christ's Gospel message have the ability to spot a fake instantly.

I am convinced that only Jesus can teach us what you wrote at the end of your essay:

...we're never as great as we think we are. When we live in humility, we allow ourselves to learn from others. When we embrace our limitations, we aren't tempted to charge off recklessly into the unknown. If we hold the reins tightly on our human vanity and pride, we will yield the head of the table to God and find our proper place in the created order.

What a beautiful, beautiful paragraph! And, when we find ourselves outside the "proper place in the created order," such arrogance leads to sin, evil and death.

The Lord's prayer instructs us to pray, "Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Man often does the opposite. He wants his own will to be done on this earth - no matter how much damage it inflicts on this world. Therefore, man ignores God's Will for our lives as it is instructed for us through His Living Word - Jesus Christ, as well as in His Written Word, the Bible.

Ah...went off on a tangent! Thanks again for this great article. I will link to it at my blog today.

God bless you!

In Christ,
Christine

Hat Tip:

Another Think

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

We are about 30 minutes away from sitting down to our Thanksgiving feast! I wanted to put up a brief post to share with visitors and friends who frequent this blog.

I, as well as every Christian, am most thankful for Jesus Christ. Everything else that I am thankful for...my family, friends, fellow Christians, and acquaintances proceed from Christ.

This morning, I read a portion of Dr. David Jeremiah's new book, "Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World" where he explains the importance of focusing on Jesus' connection to you (me, us).

Dr. Jeremiah writes:

Colossians 3:1-4 reads, "If then you were raised with Christ....your life is hidden with Christ...you also will appear with Him in glory" (emphasis added).

I've highlighted the word with to show just how critical it is in this frame of thinking. With is a word of connection, our lifeline to Christ. When He died, we died with him. When He was buried, so were we. And we shared in His glorious resurrection, so that now we can be seated in the heavenlies with Him.

When the Bible says that Jesus died for us, it doesn't mean simply that He died in our behalf; it means He died in our place. He died where we should have died. Just as Adam was the personal embodiment of our fall into sin, Christ is the personal embodiment of our salvation and glory. "For as in Adam all dies, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). We fell with Adam, but we were resurrected with Christ.

Do you see the importance of that little word with in our spiritual destiny? The great Chinese Christian preacher and writer, Watchman Nee, grasped it. In 1927, he had been struggling with issues of temptation and his sinful nature. One morning he was sitting upstairs reading the book of Romans, and he came to the words, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him..." (6:6). For Nee, it was as if the words had come to life on the page. He leaped from his chair, ran downstairs, and grabbed a kitchen worker by the hands. "Brother," he shouted. "Do you know that I have died?"

The worker only stared in puzzlement. Nee blurted out, "Do you not know that Christ has died? Do you not know that I died with Him? Do you not know that my death is no less truly a fact than His?"

It was all Watchman Nee could do to keep himself from running through the streets of Shanghai, shouting about his death and new life. From that day on, his faith was confident and strong. His biographer wrote that it was impossible to say anything that might offend Nee. Why should he be offended? That Watchman Nee was long since dead!"

How powerful is Nee's testimony? Extremely powerful!

I think that this is where the divide between liberal Christian thought and Biblical Christian thought (that was partially articulated in the Manhattan Declaration) takes that proverbial 180 degree turn. If one hasn't died to self in Jesus Christ, then one cannot possibly experience the amazing phenomenon of dying with Christ.

Dr. Jeremiah continues:

Charles Spurgeon had his own way of explaining this:

I suppose that, if you were to meet your old self, he would hardly know you, for you are so greatly altered. I dare say he would say to you, "Come, old fellow, let us go to the theater, or turn into this beer-shop, or let us go home, and find out some way of amusing ourselves."

You would reply, "No, sir; I cut your acquaintance a long time ago, and I do not mean to have anything further to do with you, so you may go about your business as soon as you like. I am not what I was, for I have been crucified with Christ, and I am dead, and my life is hid with Christ in God."

That is what the Cross of Christ achieves for every believer! The old you is dead and in the grave; the new you is raised to walk in newness of life, and to live victoriously for Christ.

It is for this reason that no matter what transpires on this earth - we can have the utmost confidence to stay centered with Jesus Christ in our hearts; as our lives are hid in Him in God!

Inevitable Accomplishment Of God's Purpose

While reading through a thread of comments yesterday, I ran across the following statement:

"All that is evil is defended by liberals."

Do you think that is an accurate statement? Or, is it just an opinion?

So much of the current chaos in our nation today is happening as a result of liberal leftist ideology. Much of it goes against what is written in the Bible as "holy and righteous" in the eyes of God. The liberal leftist stance on abortion and homosexuality are just two examples of social issues that fly in the face of God's Holy Word and what He deems as righteous.

One glaring example of this fact is the recent battle that occurred between Bill O'Reilly and Salon.com editor, Joan Walsh on the topic of late term abortions. Here is a link to the video. Here's the gist of the argument:

"...some in the left wing press are blaming me for inciting the murder of late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller. A domestic terrorist shot the doctor dead, and zealots say my reporting on Tiller motivated the man, even though there is absolutely no evidence of that. The accusers object to my using the term 'Tiller the baby killer,' which was the doctor's well-known nickname--which is in context because the state of Kansas has produced compelling evidence that Tiller sometimes terminated viable fetuses for trivial reasons... we are talking about a man who destroyed late-term fetuses [that] could live out of the womb for casual reasons. The truth often hurts, especially when an ideological media tries to hide it..."

Bill O'Reilly on the June 18 edition of The O'Reilly Factor

Bill tried to get an answer (three times!!) out of Ms. Walsh when he asked the question: "Does a fetus (or, unborn baby) have any rights?" The woman refused to answer that question. Why? Because if she said, "no," that would be indefensible. If she said, "yes," then Bill would have won the argument.

This fits the above statement very well.

"All that is evil (including late-term abortions) is defended by liberals."

I could list hundreds of examples. Perhaps you might like to add your own in the comment section.

In my previous post Jesus Is The Voice of Truth I ended the post saying,

"[I]n the end - all that transpires on this earth, the good, the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly - will one day culminate into eternal victory through Christ Jesus!! And, the purpose will all be for HIS GLORY! Praise the name of the LORD!!"

The reason I stated this is because the Bible reveals the sovereignty of God's plan. There will be the inevitable accomplishment of God's ultimate purpose.

As Christians, our faith and Bible study teaches us that even in the most devastating of times, God is still in control. Events occur in order to bring about His purposes. Bible prophecy students learn well that the nation of Israel is smack dab in the middle of what will occur at the culmination of history. There are so many prophecies that involve the nation of Israel that it is hard to miss Her significance.

God tells us, in Ezekiel, what He will do to Israel's enemies:

Ezekiel 38:4 - "I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen."

Ezekiel 38:16 - "It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land."

Ezekiel 39:2 - "and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel."

In Dr. David Jeremiah's book, "What in the World Is Going On?" he writes:

Passages such as these confuse many people because of the seeming implication that God leads men to be evil or to do evil things. But the Bible never says that God instills evil in the hearts of men. Some would attempt to refute this claim by pointing out that during the Exodus, the Bible explicitly says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. It does say that, of course, but he statement speaks about the nature of Pharaoh's heart, not about God overriding man's free will.

Interesting, isn't it? When you look at the phrase, "God hardened Pharaoh's heart," you could assume that it was God's doing that caused Pharaoh's heart to harden. But that would be incorrect. It was Pharaoh's rebellion against God (and His messenger - Moses) that caused the hardening of Pharaoh's own heart! It would be similar to the phrase, "Because Pharaoh rejects God (and His messenger, Moses), Pharaoh hardened his heart against God." God is the "passive object," so to speak, in this act of hardening.

Dr. Jeremiah goes on:

Some hearts are like clay; the sun's heat will harden them. Others are like wax; the sun will cause them to melt. It's not the sun's fault that it hardens one substance and melts the other; it all depends on the nature of the material. Pharaoh's heart was the sort that would harden when exposed to God's light. It had nothing to do with God coercing him to do evil.

The Old Testament, especially, is intended to show that God is the sovereign ruler over all. Even though men try to thwart His plan and wreak great destruction, God's purpose will always win out. When Ezekiel wrote that God will bring the enemy against His land, he was simply saying that God will bring these nations to the doom that their wickedness inevitably demands. Everyone accomplishes God's will in the end. Those who conform to His will accomplish it willingly; those who do not conform accomplish it inadvertently as an unwitting tool in His hands.

What a powerful concept! Those who do not conform to God's will still accomplish it - "inadvertently as an unwitting tool in His hands."

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple that a child can grasp it. It reflects the simplicity of God's purpose. Ezekiel's prophecy identifies the defining purpose of God:

Ezekiel 38:16 - I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.

Ezekiel 38:23 - Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39:6 - Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39:7 - So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39:21-22 - I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward.

Dr. Jeremiah:

"God intends for people to recognize Him as the Lord God of heaven, whose name is holy, whose glory fills the universe, and whom men must recognize as sovereign if they are to find the peace and joy He desires for His people."

The sovereignty of God's plan is in rescuing His people. Ezekiel tells us that the ultimate outcome of the battle of Gog and Magog will be the salvation of the Jewish people:

Eze 39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;


Eze 39:26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made [them] afraid.


Eze 39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;


Eze 39:28 Then shall they know that I [am] the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.


Eze 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Dr. Jeremiah:

Ezekiel's prophecy ends by extolling God's tender love and compassion toward His people. No matter how great the evil in men's hearts, no matter how much destruction and death that evil brings about, God's ultimate purpose in confronting that evil, in revealing His glory among the nations, and in bringing His own from the lands of the enemy is always to accomplish the salvation of His people.

He goes on to say that we all have an "axis of evil" within our hearts. It is the "sinful nature" that we inherited from Adam. We have a propensity for selfish evil that, if not controlled by the presence of God's Spirit, can run rampant and produce destruction in our own lives and in the lives of those around us.

Dr. Jeremiah mentions that it isn't our physical location (like living in Iran or Russia), but "where our hearts are" concerning God's will and our acceptance or rejection of the provision for our salvation - the gospel of Jesus Christ - that determines our eternal destiny. Jesus asks all of us, "Who do you say that I am?" It's interesting to note that within the question, the words of Jesus recorded in the Bible reveal who he is - the great I AM who is revealed in the Old Testament Scriptures!

All who believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior receive the Holy Spirit indwelling the heart. This transformation is a result of being redeemed through God's mercy, grace, love and forgiveness for our sins. This is when the evil of one's heart is transformed by God's love. A person who is truly transformed will want to obey God. Recall that Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my Commandments."

We, as sinful human beings are out of control without the presence of God's Spirit indwelling us. That is why Jesus told the disciples (and us!) that he would send "The Helper" - meaning, the Holy Spirit of God to teach us in the way of God and truth and bring to remembrance God's Holy Word in our lives. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we would be like Pharaoh - hardening our hearts against God's will.

The comfort that every believer has is the fact that "no one can snatch us out of God's hands." Present events, no matter how evil and scary they are, will lead to the ultimate accomplishment of God's purposes. And believers will live in eternity with our Savior, Lord and King. Alleluia! Amen!!!




Hat Tips:

Bill O'Reilly.com

Reference: "What in the World Is Going On? - 10 Prophetic Clues You Cannot Afford to Ignore" by Dr. David Jeremiah, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers, 2008 pp. 183 - 187.

What Do We Do With Disappointments?

Hi Everyone! Had jury duty this morning, but since all the cases were "continued," (I think that was the term used) the entire group of jurors were released at 10:30 a.m. today! Woo Hoo!

I seem to get summoned for jury duty each year. Got there ten minutes late due to waiting in line at the scanners. I did get to view most of that boring film that I have seen over and over again. However, I did find out something that I had not realized before. I have always assumed that if a juror gets on a case, they don't need to serve again for three years. Not so! Whether you participate in the "one day" or "one case" scenario, you can still be called back for jury duty after one year. Well...I was glad to get out of it so fast and easily this time!

During the two and one half hours I was there, I had the chance to read a few more chapters of "Traveling Light" by Max Lucado. Chapter 15 is called, "Slippery Sheep and Healed Hurts - The Burden of Disappointment."

While attending a Bible study back in 2006, I utilized portions of this chapter in Lucado's book and portions of Bill Keller's book called, "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23." Previously, I wrote a blog post about it over at The Way of God in Truth blog that dealt mostly with how the good shepherd "anoints" his sheep with oil for preventative purposes. However, Our Good Shepherd - Jesus Christ - "anoints our heads with oil" for an additional purpose - to heal our hurts, our wounded hearts, the pain in this life and to not allow it to consume our lives.

Lucado explains:

A disappointment is a missed appointment. What we hoped would happen, didn't. We wanted health; we got disease. We wanted retirement; we got reassignment. Divorce instead of family. Dismissal instead of promotion. Now what? What do we do with our disappointments?

We could do what Miss Haversham did. Remember her in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations? Jilted by her fiance' just prior to the wedding, her appointment became a missed appointment and a disappointment. How did she respond? Not too well. She closed all the blinds in the house, stopped every clock, left the wedding cake on the table to gather cobwebs, and continued to wear her wedding dress until it hung in yellow decay around her shrunken form. Her wounded heart consumed her life.

We can follow the same course.

Or we can follow the example of the apostle Paul. His goal was to be a missionary in Spain. Rather than send Paul to Spain, however, God sent him to prison. Sitting in a Roman jail, Paul could have made the same choice as Miss Haversham, but he didn't. Instead he said, "As long as I'm here, I might as well write a few letters." Hence your Bible has the Epistles to Philemon, the Philippians, the Colossians, and the Ephesians. No doubt Paul would have done a great work in Spain. But would it have compared with the work of those four letters?

This is when it hit me. Perhaps it was a minor revelation from God through the Holy Spirit. But before I share it, I must share my previous state of mind.

Ever since the election, I have been asking God, "what are you doing, Lord?" I know that I need to trust Him. I do. Most implicitly. However, watching our nation go down into a spiraling cesspool of immorality, crime, greed, and financial disaster is frightening. Plus, seeing an individual who is involved in a lot of such evil things; plus being a possible usurper through manipulating a fraudulent election has been very disappointing. Seeing this man get away with it is highly disconcerting - not only for me, but for millions of other Americans as well. Am I allowed to ask, "what are you doing, Lord?" Of course. But then comes the time where I need to also say, "not my will, but yours."

When I read about Paul's goal to go to Spain in this chapter, but instead - he was sent into prison, I thought about our nation. Of course, Paul hadn't lost his way, but our nation has. Perhaps we, as a people and nation need to bear the burden of this liberal licentiousness and socialistic prison that we are about to enter into for four years through this new administration in order for more people to realize just Whom they REALLY need to turn to - Jesus Christ.

THAT was the answer to my question to the Lord! It was as if I could say out loud, "Oh...THAT is what you are doing!"

Our entire goal, as Christians on this earth is to share the gospel with those who either do not know Jesus yet - or who may have previously rejected him. Just like in the case of Paul NOT going to Spain - and instead ending up in prison - he most likely would not have reached any where near as many people in Spain as he obviously did as his letters were passed down through centuries via their inclusion in the Bible.

So too, perhaps Christian believers will have the opportunity to reach more people with the Gospel than ever before because of the disappointment that will inevitably befall our nation once most realize that they have placed their faith in the wrong person. So many have placed much hope in one human person who, unfortunately, has replaced (in their secular humanistic minds) the REAL Messiah - Jesus Christ - for a fraudulent one who is, in reality, just like them; that being, another flawed sinner in need of the Savior!

This was my revelation today.

Lucado goes on and describes how wounds can lead to bitterness, disappointments lead to irritations, and the daily swarm of frustrations and mishaps can lead to heartaches. Some of our deepest hurts come from butting heads with other people.

Other wounds come from just living. We have to face aging, loss, illness, betrayal and injustice.

Lucado:

Live long enough in this world, and most of us will face deep, deep hurts of some kind or another.

We, like the sheep of the pasture get wounded, however, we, like those sheep have a shepherd.

"We belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends" (Ps. 100:3). He will do for you what the shepherd does for the sheep. He will tend to you.

Lucado:

If the Gospels teach us anything, they teach us that Jesus is a Good Shepherd. "I am the good shepherd," Jesus announces. "The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep: (John 10:11).

Lucado provides many examples of Jesus tending to those who belong to him. He protects us against disappointments. In the Bible we read how Jesus prevented wounds and healed wounds. He touched the eyes of the blind man, the disease of the leper, and the body of a dead girl and raised her back to life.

Jesus tends to us not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Recall how he touched the searching heart of Nicodemus, the broken heart of the woman caught in adultery, the confused heart of Cleopas, the stubborn heart of Paul, and the repentant heart of Peter. What does this tell us?

Jesus is in the business of redemption. He is constantly redeeming us here on this earth.

Maybe some reading here today are wondering what the verse in Psalm 23, "You anoint my head with oil" has to do with the hurts that often come from the disappointments in life. I hope the following helps you to "get it."

Lucado writes:

And [meaning God] will tend to you. If you will let him. How? How do you let him? The steps are so simple.

First, go to him. David would trust his wounds to no other person but God. He said, "You anoint my head with oil." Not, "your prophets," "your teachers," or "your counselors." Others may guide us to God. Others may help us understand God. But no one does the work of God, for only God can heal. God "heals the brokenhearted" (Ps. 147:3).

Wow! Is that an awesome paragraph or what??

We are to take our disappointments to God. Have you? Many of us share them with relatives, friends and neighbors, but have you taken them to God?

James says, "Anyone who is having troubles should pray" (James 5:13).

Lucado:

Before you go anywhere else with your disappointments, go to God. Maybe you don't want to trouble God with your hurts. After all, he's got famines and pestilence and wars; he won't care about my little struggles, you think. Why don't you let him decide that? He cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. He cared enough about Peter's tax payment to give him a coin. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers. "He cares about you" (1 Pet. 5:7).

Your first step is to go to the right person. Go to God. Your second step is to assume the right posture. Bow before God.

In order to be anointed, the sheep must stand still, lower their heads, and let the shepherd do his work. Peter urges us to "be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes" (1 Pet. 5:6).

When we come to God, we make requests; we don't make demands. We come with high hopes and a humble heart. We state what we want, but we pray for what is right. And if God gives us the prison of Rome instead of the mission of Spain, we accept it because we know "God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them" (Luke 18:7).

We go to him. We bow before him, and we trust in him.

The sheep doesn't understand why the oil repels the flies. The sheep doesn't understand how the oil heals the wounds. In fact, all the sheep knows is that something happens in the presence of the shepherd. and that's all we need to know as well. "LORD, I give myself to you; my God, I trust you" (Ps. 25:1-2).

Reference source: Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214, pp. 125-130.

P.S. Another great post written by my friend Tammy during that 2006 Bible study:

God's Spirit is With You Always

Guest Blogger: Susan Smith

Talk Wisdom's guest blogger for today is Susan Smith. She is the author of a weekly newsletter called, "Life in Israel - One Body." I met Susan via Stephen Bennett's blog way back in 2004. At the time, she was working for a Christian organization in Israel called "Bridges for Peace." We have been corresponding ever since.

When Susan was living and working in Israel, the newsletter was named, "Life in Israel." Upon returning, Susan explains the new name of her newsletter:

This writer lived in the city of Jerusalem on earth for five years (2002-2007).
You read about my personal life during those years and God provided many divine encounters with taxi drivers, Israelis and one man studying to be a rabbi in particular. You heard about encounters with other Christian volunteers from all over the world. The Lord did very important and crucial spiritual work in my personal life during those years.”

Because I am convinced the one Church body and Israel are one and the same, spiritually speaking, I changed the name to “Life in Israel-One Body.”

Susan's writing has blessed me (as well as all of her subscribers around the world) immensely over the past four years. I have shared several of her past newsletters here at this blog.

Today, I am presenting two of her most recent newsletters together in one post. It is a marvelous way to start the new year of 2009 - with the heartfelt, Jesus-loving, Bible-based wisdom that is contained and shared in Susan Smith's wonderful writings!

It is my prayer that you are blessed by these two marvelous essays as much as I have been!

In Christ,
Christine

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Life in Israel-One Body 26Dec08



Have you ever received a Christmas present that causes pain? This year has brought the most shameful and painful gift into my life. In order to grow spiritually, we often have to face pain. Emotional pain hurts as well as physical pain. Jesus is our healer. The Holy Spirit is gentle. He never forces us to face an issue in our lives. We always have a choice. Are there things in your life that you need to work through with God?



The grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah, the Father’s Son, will be with you in truth and love (2John 3) as you work through issues in your life. We can trust God. Even when others have hurt us, and we feel we can trust no one. We can trust God. Even when we believe or think no one can possibly understand, we can trust Jesus. The Lord knows our hearts.



All the days designed and intended for you were written in the Lord’s book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). Is that hard for you to believe? Every Word of God is pure and flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him (Proverbs 30:5). Do you trust God? I do. He is a safeguard to those who put their trust in him.



So exactly what is this painful Christmas gift acknowledged by my heart? I have received one of the most excruciating and embarrassing revelations ever before in my life. I believe this revelation is from God. This is necessary. I must deal with it. The healing of my broken heart continues from sin that has touched my life. Praise God for his gentleness, his kindness and his grace. Too much light can blind a person. So often in our lives, we are unable to receive more light from God. In a sense there are obstacles to our sight just as there are obstacles to our spiritual growth. Only the love of God can remove the veil that covers our heart (2 Corinthians 3:14-15). Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).



Two weeks ago we talked about hearts of stone. My heart is more pliable today than it was two weeks ago. Shameful memories from childhood can become demonic strongholds in our thoughts. I was in my forties before the sexual abuse by a brother during my early childhood was ever revealed to another human being. The memories of what happened were repressed and denied. These memories affected my behavior as an adult. I will be 60 next year.



Over the past two weeks there has been some unexpected feedback to this newsletter. One was from a doctoral candidate. This reader is working on her PhD dissertation. I have known her personally for more than 10 years, and her words of encouragement seemed like manna from heaven. Another message was from a reader in the State of Georgia whom I do not know personally. God’s timing is always perfect! The Lord used these two readers in a mighty way to encourage and lead me forward regarding the direction of these newsletters.



Following Jesus is often like stepping stones in our lives. We move from one to another as the Lord directs. The steps are always according to his good will and purpose. They are also according to his perfect timing. There is no running! By God’s grace we learn to wait on the Lord, and we learn to be strong (Psalm 27:14).



My waiting was difficult. It seemed very hard at times, but the Lord is my God. By his grace we have been saved, through faith . . . it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Our faith is a gift from God every day. Praise the Lord. My salvation happens over and over again. I was saved yesterday, I am being saved today, and I will be saved tomorrow! Following Jesus is a daily walk for every believer. This specific “waiting” period for me began in the newsletter dated 14Nov08. More than a month ago you read:



For the past week I have had a bit of a struggle in my soul (mind, will and emotions) regarding the direction of this newsletter. To open my heart a bit, it concerns my biological family. One of my professors at Columbia International University (CIU) has been lecturing about different family structures and how family systems work. The Lord has used some of Dr. Wagner’s words to touch my heart deeply.



Dr. Wagner was a guest speaker this fall during chapel at my school. You can see a photo of Dr. Larry Wagner at this web page http://www.ciu.edu/graduate/faculty/bio.php?id=32. During the chapel message he quoted someone and said, “We can never be free from what we are unwilling to name.” That quote touched my heart for some unknown reason so during our next class meeting I asked Dr. Wagner for the source of his quote.



God has used the answer to my question to lead me in amazing ways over the past two months. Dr. Wagner recommended a book called Leading with a Limp. The writer is Dan Allender. Dr. Dan Allender received a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary and his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University. Currently, he serves as Professor of Counseling and President of Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, Washington.



When I ordered Leading with a Limp from Amazon online, there were several books written by Dan Allender. I also ordered The Wounded Heart: Hope for adult victims of childhood sexual abuse. This second book has unleashed a flood of emotions in my soul, and the Lord is using it tremendously to heal me more from the inside out. Let me share two things from this book:



A father who uses his daughter as a surrogate wife or confidante has bound his daughter’s heart to him in a subtly sexual way . . . the damage may not be overt, and in fact the daughter may feel so special that she would defend to her death the appropriateness of her father’s interactions. It is nevertheless abusive . . . The fact that sexual abuse can be subtle ought not cloud our perspective that it is equally abusive and damaging.



“Damaged” is how I have often felt as a woman. What exploded like a bomb shell inside my heart later in Allender’s book was this: “The child that is set apart for abuse is usually hated for his or her privileges by the other siblings. The child who feels different because of the abuse is then even further alienated due to the sibling jealousy.” He then wrote, “The silence is rarely broken . . . It remains a dark secret for years, if not forever.”



Jesus came to heal the broken hearted (Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1). God prepared my heart and I was able to receive the truth. Jesus heals (Psalm 103:3). I am ready to break the silence. What a wonderful, yet painful Christmas gift this is to my heart and soul. We will continue next week as the Lord leads. Have a wonderful New Year’s holiday. ~ Susan Smith

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Life in Israel-One Body 02Jan09


This newsletter will end for a while after today. My spirit, soul and body need a break. When we meet again, my plan is to share much more with you as the Lord leads. Since completing the course called Psychopathology, I am convinced the spiritual realm and the mental realm of our lives are closely related if not one and the same.



There is evidence of this supposition in my personal life and in the lives of others in my family. Les Parrot is a professor of clinical psychology and Leslie Parrot is a marriage and family therapist. In their book entitled Relationships, they talk about intimacy:



If you try to find intimacy with another person before achieving a sense of identity of your own, all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself . . . when you come to a relationship lacking personal self-worth, all you can offer is neediness.



Wow! Drs. Les and Leslie tell about the “emotional baggage” we bring from our first homes on earth to our adult relationships. “No other relationship shapes who we are more than our family. Most of what we think, feel, say, and do is in response to the home we grew up in.”



No wonder Jesus said, “You must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a little child, or you will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). Every believer must be changed from within by a new way of thinking. You must “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Every mind and heart has been stained with sin during childhood. Only a supernatural power can change the way we think. We live in a fallen world, but we have a choice every day. The evil one can change the way we think as adults, or the Holy Spirit can renew our minds and transform our lives. We are slaves to the one we obey (Romans 6:16). Do you understand?



The feedback to last week’s newsletter has been overwhelming. Thank you for responding. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Isaiah 40:1). The outpouring of love and encouragement expressed by my brothers and sisters in Christ who read last week’s newsletter has been incredible. “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). I stand amazed at the awesomeness of God’s love expressed by his people all over the world. Thank you. Your inspired words have brought great comfort to my soul.



Have you ever felt as though you are in over your head? You know what I mean. It is like biting off more than you can chew. We all have our limitations, and there are times we all need a break. It is painful to receive light that exposes our sin and the sin of those we love deeply. There are times we must be still and wait.



There are times we must be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10). We must stop our activity and be silent. Dan Allender expresses this so well in a book called Bold Love:



The key is that the silence that dawns in light of seeing your own sin does not discount the damage of others’ sin. It simply puts it, for a time, in the background, where it waits to be addressed when our own heart is less disposed to judge and rage at another’s failure.



That time of being still to know and the place for being silent in God’s light has arrived for Susan Smith. Allender says, “Silence is required for deep change . . . the silence that deeply changes our heart is the hush that comes when we are caught in our hatred and found to be without excuse.”



God has loaded my plate with delicious food as I continue to learn at Columbia International University (CIU). This week I have had another taste of something that is very important. What I have learned is true for you too. Wherever God has you is where he wants you for his good will and purpose. The mighty God of Israel never makes a mistake. He loves us with an everlasting love. The Lord has led me to CIU in order for me to receive more healing for my heart and soul as well as to prepare me for the future. God took me to Jerusalem for five years to heal my heart as well as to work with Bridges for Peace in the accounting department. My healing continues.



Dan Allender tells a bit about how God loves us: “He dares, in fact, to tear us away from all presumptions of logic, fairness, safety, and normalcy . . . He will have His way and invites us to join Him in the mystery of relationship.” Scripture tells us to ask, seek and knock; we are then assured that we will receive, find and the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7). There is only one door to life. Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9).



The evangelist, James Robison, said in 1989 that no matter how active we are or how diligently we “serve the Lord,” if we do not know him, and live in intimate fellowship with him, then we are not in the center of his will, and we will not experience the mainstream of his blessings and power. I agree. What James Robison said is true for you and for me.



I believe with all of my heart that God has placed me in school during this season for his good will and purpose. I am to learn. I am also to receive more healing in my heart and soul. The Lord can choose to use us to touch hearts and lives no matter where we are or what we are doing.



The land of my life needs to be healed. God’s healing is continuous if we choose to receive. The land and life of my country, the United States of America, needs to be healed. “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Does your life need to be healed? Does your country need healing?



We must always remember the correct order according to God’s Word. We must humble ourselves first. The second step is to pray and seek God’s face. The third step is to turn from our wicked ways. Then the Lord will hear from heaven; he will forgive our sin, and he will heal our land. No other order will work. Humility comes first.



Only in humility can we pray and seek God’s face. Only in humility by the grace of God are we able to turn from our wicked ways. Let us pray together, as Jesus the Messiah taught his disciples, for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). We will meet again after today. For now, the Lord is leading me to be still and silent for a season as I seek and ask for his mercy. Shabbat Shalom, until we meet again...

Line Up Our Will With God's

Each New Year's Day since 2004, I have had the dilemma of selecting a topic to start a brand new year of blogging. Several ideas have come to my mind, but as I went about my morning routine of making coffee, having breakfast, and then making several "Happy New Year" phone calls, nothing seemed quite right for my first post.

Occasionally, I will use a different search engine and type in my screen name into the search. I have often found new links to my blog and/or comments that I had left at other blogs and, quite frankly, had forgotten about.

A little less than a year ago, I had answered some questions posed by a commenter at another blog. Apparently, it remained in moderation for quite a long time. Finally, I had given up that it would ever be posted. I thought that it must have been rejected by the blog owner.

Today, while doing a brief search, I discovered that the comment was published. Upon reading it, I thought that THIS was the subject that would be great to start the new year of blogging here at Talk Wisdom. The following questions and reply is what was written at the other blog:

Christinewjc Says:

January 13th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Alex & Brett,

I found your website and blog via WorldNetDaily today. What a breath of fresh air to find two wonderful young Christian men asserting themselves in such a positive and productive way! Jesus is smiling down from heaven!

If I may, I’d like to address Matthew’s questions.

Matthew wrote:

“why can’t a person like Jason feel inspired and motivated without thinking that “God has a plan” for him? why can’t he make a plan for himself, or a plan that benefits the people close to him?

The following verses may help explain why Christians give all the glory to God; especially for the proper direction that he gives us throughout our lives on this earth:

Rom 8:27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. (NLT)

Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (NLT)

When our will lines up with God’s will, it is then that we discover our gifts and how to use them in sharing the gospel of Christ as well as the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth.

Matthew also wrote [Note: he was commenting on an article about the achievements of "Mary Slessor" and why (he thinks) her efforts in Africa should be a "testament to her own will and good nature" rather than because of the "influence of Jesus Christ" in her life]:

“it is clear that Mary Slessor achieved the things she did because _she_ motivated _herself_ to get out of Scotland. Why isn’t her perseverance in Africa a testament to her own will and good nature, instead of a result of the influence of Jesus?”

There is a verse in Isaiah that humbles every Christian:

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Here is the NLT version of that verse:

Isa 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.

Because of what Jesus Christ did for us at the cross, we give all the glory to Him. He is righteous. We are not. It is only through repentance for our sin and believing in Christ that our sins are washed away and we are reconciled back to God.

Despite the fact that I am not perfect and make mistakes, it is when I turn to His strength, not my own, where evidence of the Holy Spirit working and guiding me in my life becomes apparent.

What I have found in my own personal walk with Christ is that when I line up my will through doing things that are pleasing to Him; it is not for my glory. It only belongs to Him and is for His glory. I have found that whenever I do things for Him and others that line up with His will for our lives (which can be found in Christ’s words and the entire Bible), rather than for myself, it is then that I experience the greatest satisfaction in life.

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Some might ask - how does anyone know whether or not he/she has "lined up his/her will with God's?" The answer is through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and adhering to the plumb line of Scripture.

Anyone can read the Bible and interpret to their own liking and views. We have seen this phenomenon increase over the last 20 years or so. Ideas that were once though sinful, ungodly, and forbidden according to God's Word, are now touted as something to be celebrated, encouraged, and even regarded as "blessed."

But who is to say that such ideas are not to be "celebrated," "encouraged," or "blessed"? God does. How? Through His Word. In what way? Through the plumb line of Scripture. The utilization of the "plumb line" tool, along with "Sola Scriptura" and Bible hermeneutics, we can be further assured of interpretation accuracy. It is important that nothing is added or subtracted from the original meaning and intent of the authors.

I often like to read the commentaries of biblical scholars of the past. It is amazing how accurately they discern the meaning of certain passages. One tool that is often used is "Scripture interprets Scripture." This is a tool used by scholars which can be regarded as "checks and balances" against any heresy, apostasy, or misinterpretation creeping into the analysis being done by the commentator.

There are many, many former posts that I could link to this one. However, The Backbone of the Gospel Message seems to sum up this post quite well.

Here are a few excerpts from that post:

How true, faithful and filled with wisdom God's ancient Word is! The Bible's ancient wisdom is as revealing now, as it was then, as well as throughout history! When it comes to describing today's contemporary culture, we see the examples included in the "marketing of evil" being presented to an unsuspecting public as "good" and the true Good being labeled as evil!!

Isaiah 5:20 - Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Jesus' own words!

John 15:18 - If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.

John 15:24 - If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

John 15:25 - But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

The Law needs to be presented as the backbone of our gospel presentation because its function is to prepare the heart for grace. Martin Luther said of the Law, "In its true and proper work and purpose it humbles a man and prepares him - if he uses the Law correctly - to yearn and seek for grace."

In Chapter 6 of "TWOTM" ("The Way of the Master" book), we see the extreme importance of the Law:

1. If the Law didn't demand death for sin, we wouldn't need a Savior.
2. God chose the Ten Commandments to carry the message for the need for repentance.
3. The true convert comes to the Savior, Jesus Christ, to satisfy the demands of a holy Law because he/she realizes that he/she could never satisfy it!!
4. The true convert isn't like Adam who ran from God in the Garden after sinning.
5. The true convert delights to do God's will because God's Law is within his heart (Psalm 40:7- 10)
6. The Messiah became a curse for us and redeemed us from the curse of the Law.
7. The Old Testament said of the Messiah that He would "magnify the law and make it honourable" (Isaiah 42:21).
9. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my Commandments."

God's Law prepares the heart of the sinner for the Good News of the gospel. Without this preparatory work, his heart is hardened, and he therefore becomes a candidate for a false conversion.

One of my ongoing and fervent prayers for non-believers is that they are not led into a "false conversion" because of many of the heretical ministries out there - currently disguising themselves as "Christianity." What I have shared here will help any seeker from falling into such a trap.

God's Word is timeless! It is the truth without any mixture of error. The Bible can be trusted!

The Bible is God's Word to all mankind. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalms 12:6; 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5

God's revealed written Word shows us not only His great love, mercy, and grace towards us, but also how His Law is just, yet, can't be kept by our own effort. The Law reveals our dire need for the gift of Jesus Christ's shed blood on the cross! This leads us to see our need for confession and repentance because we ALL have broken God's Law.

God's provision (Christs' cross) for our forgiveness of our transgressions reveals His mercy as well as His holiness!

Our goal should focus on becoming more and more like Jesus while on this earth while sharing the message of the gospel with others.

Not all people will like us for that.

Not all people will listen.

But we are called to preach 'Jesus Christ and Him crucified' until we either leave this earth to be with Him or He comes back to 'rescue' us.


HT: The Lord's Plumb line