Friday, December 31, 2010

God Is for Us

God Is for Us
Romans 8:31-34
Throughout life, there will be times when our sins and failures lead us to conclude that God is disappointed or angry with us. How can He still love me after what I've done? If I'm really forgiven, why do I still feel so guilty? At such tiimes, we need to fix our eyes on the truth of Scripture and ask the questions Paul posed in Romans 8.
If God is for us, who is against us
(v. 31)? Our heavenly Father proved His loyalty to us when He delivered His own Son over to death in order to save us. Without Christ's atoning death on our behalf, we would face eternal separation from God.
Who will bring a charge against God's elect (v. 33)? No accusation against us can stand, since at the moment of salvation, the Lord justified us. This means we were legally declared righteous, while still in our sinning condition. No one can reverse this transaction and make us guilty again. To doubt our blameless standing in Christ is to declare His atonement insufficient to cover our sin.
Who is the one who condemns (v. 34)? Although Satan rails against us, Jesus' death and resurrection are proof that we are right with God. Christ took our condemnation and gave us His righteousness in return. Now He sits at the Father's right hand, interceding for us.
When doubts about the Lord's love and faithfulness arise, focus on truth. If we judge His loyalty to us by our circumstances or feelings, we will never get an accurate view of God. True security lies not in our good performance, but in our relationship with Christ, and no one can take that from us.

How to See the Invisible

How to See the Invisible

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

When someone speaks we can’t see the words that are coming from their mouth. When we don’t understand what they are saying, we may ask a question like this, “What do you mean?” or “I don’t understand, could you explain that to me again?” Now when we do know what they mean, we say something like this, “I see what you are saying.” Wait a minute, “How can we see the words that someone speaks? Spoken words are invisible. You can’t see them.” Or can you? If I say red house, or blue car or green grass or fluffy clouds you can get a mental picture of words I speak. So words can be seen.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is a saying that is considered true by many. It refers to the idea that complex stories can be described with just a single still image, or that an image may be more influential than a substantial amount of text.

Take a look at your Bible. Flip through the pages and you can see for yourself that it does contain a substantial amount of text. Here are some amazing facts and statistics about the Bible: Number of books in the Bible: 66; chapters: 1,189; verses: 31,101; words: 783,137; letters: 3,566,480; number of promises given in the Bible: 1,260; commands: 6,468; fulfilled prophecy: 3,268 verses; unfulfilled prophecy: 3,140; number of questions: 3,294; longest verse: Esther 8:9 (78 words); shortest verse: John 11:35 (2 words: "Jesus wept"); shortest chapter (by number of words): Psalm 117; longest book: Psalms (150 chapters); shortest book (by number of words): 3 John; longest chapter: Psalm 119 (176 verses); number of times the word "God" appears: 3,358; number of times the word "Lord" appears: 7,736; number of different authors: 40; number of languages the Bible has been translated into: over 1,200.

Every book, every chapter, every verse, every word, every letter is about Jesus. Every promise, every command, every prediction, every prophecy fulfilled and unfulfilled is about Him. They give a clear picture of who He is. He is the express image and likeness of the Father. He is the word made tangible. He is the word made flesh. When we see Jesus we can see our salvation. When we see Jesus we can see our deliverance. When we see Jesus we can see our healing. So in this case, seeing is believing, just keep your eyes on the words in your Bible and see the image of the invisible God - Jesus.

My friend, start seeing something better for yourself, for your family, for your church, for your city. Start seeing the invisible Word of God and speak changes to your world.

Send this message to a Friend, and go take charge of the New Year!

Women and Climate Change: What You Don’t Know

Women and Climate Change: What You Don’t Know
The ways in which women are vulnerable, and their human rights are violated, have changed little through the millennia, and climate change will only exacerbate the same old suffering

by Mirele Goldsmith

In December 2004, when the Indian Ocean tsunami devastated the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, women died, in part, because they could not swim, because they put the needs of their children first, and most tragically of all, they drowned in their homes because they would not flee after debris had torn off their clothes. In the years since the tsunami, these shocking facts have motivated NGOs to develop programs to prepare women for the increasing number of disasters expected to result from climate change.
Why bring up these unfortunate women now? Climate legislation has died in the Senate and is unlikely to be revived by the incoming Congress. And the next round of international climate change negotiations, about to take place in Cancun, seems destined for failure. Why focus on women?
Because this year is the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for the participation of women in decision-making, the protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence, the prevention of violence against women, and the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in peace operations. The resolution has inspired many initiatives to protect and empower women around the world. Now women face new threats as a result of climate change and Resolution 1325 is being revisited.
The point of Resolution 1325 is that insecurity and emergencies expose women to different dangers than those experienced by men. This is both because of biology and because of their traditional social status. And too often, these different dangers are ignored.
The ways in which women are vulnerable, and their human rights are violated, have changed little through the millennia, and climate change will only exacerbate the same old suffering. As global warming accelerates, much of the impact will be felt through the water cycle. Erratic rainfall and unpredictable temperatures will threaten women, who produce 45 to 90 percent of domestically consumed food depending on the region. Men are also farmers, but they may have more capacity to adapt. Worldwide, women own less than 2 percent of all property and often have much less access to credit.
Recent Torah portions remind us of the sufferings of women. Like the Biblical Jacob's maidservants, women are often still at the mercy of men. Like his daughter, Dina, a rape victim, women are at risk when they engage in everyday activities such as collecting water. As climate change affects water resources, women walk longer distances to supply their households. This places them at greater risk of rape, especially in areas of conflict. The indirect effects of climate change are making childbirth more dangerous than ever, as clean water becomes scarce and infectious diseases spread.
Closer to home, climate change poses unique risks to women even in developed countries with modern infrastructure. In the European heat wave in 2003, 70 percent of the dead were women. Physiological differences may be one reason that more women than men died, but differential rates of poverty also contribute. Women are more likely to live alone, in poor housing conditions, without air-conditioning. Cities in the Northeast of the United States are predicted to experience increased deaths from heat waves in the coming years.
For me, juxtaposing these troubling issues and statistics with the rape of Dina casts a different light on the connections between women and climate change. With Dina in mind, I am reminded that climate change is not just a global issue. It is about communities, families and individual lives, and how new threats complicate old conflicts. For example, Shechem, son of Hamor, who abuses Dina, is likely using her to gain access to Jacob's wealth. And Jacob's sons, who take revenge on Shechem and his family, have similar objectives, taking their enemies’ possessions, women, and children as spoil. Dina and the women of Shechem’s family, like women in Sudan and Darfur today, pay the price for conflicts over land and water that are likely to worsen as the climate changes.
The Torah does not tell us what became of Dina. In fact, it tells us nothing about Dina's thoughts or feelings. On his deathbed, Jacob blesses his sons, the future tribes of Israel. He never mentions Dina. In recent years feminist interpreters of the Torah have provided Dina with a voice in imaginative retellings of her story. When the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325, its members made a commitment to work towards a world in which women's voices would always be heard. Now it is time to make sure that women’s rights are protected and women are empowered to face the threats posed by climate change.
In a searing commentary, Phyllis Chesler, a feminist psychologist, dissects the reactions to the rape of Dina. Her brothers take revenge by killing Shechem and all the men of his community. Their father, Jacob, reprimands them for their overreaction. Yes, it is an overreaction, writes Chesler, but we can also learn something from it. The brothers treat the rape as a capital crime and rescue their sister from her tormentor. Their outrage and sense of urgency are unusual and admirable.
There is a lesson here for us. If we don’t act, climate change is going to make all of our problems worse. Each of us can do something about climate change, whether it is reducing our use of fossil fuels, supporting projects that are helping women develop water resources, or simply educating our friends and neighbors about the realities of climate change. Somehow, we have failed to realize how urgent the problem is. Maybe now we will think about our mothers, sisters and our daughters and do something about it.
Mirele B. Goldsmith, PhD, represented the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, Hazon, the Religious Action Center and 19 other Jewish organizations at the UN Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen. As a sustainability consultant she advises organizations on how to become stronger by going green.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Learning to Listen to God

Learning to Listen to God
Psalm 81:8-16
God clearly calls us to listen to Him, but like the nation of Israel, we sometimes ignore His voice and miss His blessings. Learning to listen to the Lord is far more important than learning to talk to Him. Generally, we find it much easier to rattle off a prayer than to sit quietly with our Bibles open in our laps, waiting to hear what He has to say.
Since two-way conversation is essential in developing a relationship, being able
to hear the Lord's voice is a vital part of the Christian life. Sometimes we have the notion that after being saved, we just automatically know Him. But that is not true in any kind of relationship. Just as we grow to know another person through communication, so we become more intimately acquainted with the Lord through listening and talking to Him.
Not only do we need ears to hear His voice; we also must have discernment to
accurately understand what He is saying.He's not the only one who wants our attention. People around us readily offer us advice, Satan whispers his lies in our minds, and the world shouts loudly from almost every electronic device and form of media. Grounding in the Scriptures sharpens our discernment and protects
us from deception.
Have you ever considered that neglect of God's Word is a rejection of Him? He continually calls out, "Oh that My people would listen to Me" (Ps. 81:13). He is ready and willing to speak to those who will humble themselves, take the time to listen, and respond obediently to whatever He says.

Revelation 21

Revelation 21

When the old heaven and earth are transformed, we will fellowship intimately with God.
INSIGHT
In the new heaven and new earth, the distance between God and man will be removed. In the Old Testament, the glory of God was displayed as a brilliant light, but men were not able to look on it. In the New Testament, men were able to approach Jesus; but His glory was not seen, being veiled by His human form. In the new heaven and new earth, the glory of God will not be veiled, and we shall be able to behold it. The distance will be removed, and we will fellowship with God forevermore.
PRAYER
Praise God that He never ceases to care for His children:
Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield (Psalm 5:11-12).

Now express any additional thoughts of praise, adoration, or thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of therighteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:5-6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
(John 6:35)
The Lord encourages us to come to Him with our concerns and desires. As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
The renewing of your mind
Purity of leadership at your church
Your activities for the day
Close with this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 5:10-11)

Be Ye Transformed, Part 4

Be Ye Transformed, Part 4

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

Our thoughts lead to our habits. Our habits lead to our lifestyle. Our lifestyle leads to our destiny. The destiny God has in mind for us is to spend eternity with Him. He does not want us to be “conformed to this world” (verse 2). He didn’t create us to follow after the standards, attitudes, practices, of this society. Replacing our old ways of thinking with God’s point of view, we begin to recognize God’s will more and more. It becomes easier to hear His voice as He gives us spiritual principles for every day living.

God’s desire is that we be continually transformed by the renewing of our minds, by changing the way we think. Then we will always be able to determine what God really wants. God’s will is God’s word and God’s will is good. God’s will is acceptable or well-pleasing. God’s will is perfect. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Psalms 19:7:12).

“However, the person who continues to study God's perfect teachings that make people free and who remains committed to them will be blessed. People like that don't merely listen and forget; they actually do what God's teachings say” (James 1:25 GWT). My friend, make the decision to change. Find out what God wants and don’t just be a hearer of His word only, be a doer.

You shall not oppress a stranger

You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.
-Exodus 23:9

When… the Lord your God delivers [the Canaanites] to you and you defeat them, you must doom them to destruction: grant them no terms and give them no quarter.
-Exodus 23:9
The town of Safed is a popular tourist attraction. In the 16th century it was a hub of kabbalistic study, and for a brief period was a world center, giving rise to a new, activist strand of Jewish mysticism that had significant impact throughout the world. For various reasons this center declined economically and intellectually. In 1759 and 1837 it was destroyed by earthquakes. It became a poor "holy city," largely bypassed by modern development. In 1948 the population was about 90% Arab, but the Arab residents all fled in the war, leaving a lot of empty houses. These attracted artists, which led to Safed's development as a tourist center. However, the average visit is just a couple of hours – enough to see some of the quaint old synagogues, hear some stories, and shop. The city itself remains poor, with little industry, a growing ultra-Orthodox population, and a reputation for municipal corruption. One economic engine in town is the Safed Regional College, which grants BA degrees and various professional certificates. As with all of the regional colleges around the Galilee, many of the students are Arabs from the nearby villages, who don't want to travel to the big city universities, or don't get in. A few years ago the municipal rabbi of Safed made headlines when he spoke out against the growth of the Arab population of the town (mostly student renters). Rabbi Eliahu is not "ultra-Orthodox," but part of the mainstream "Zionist Orthodox" world – those who support the state and serve in the army. His pronouncements made headlines and drew denunciations, but Safed is in the periphery, so the affair faded from the headlines.
However, in the past few weeks, as backlash against Arabs moving into other cities – and against Sudanese and Eritrean refugees – has grown, Rabbi Eliahu's position has been taken over and issued as a halachic proclamation by 39 rabbis, mostly of similar backgrounds and positions; the declaration states that Jews are forbidden to sell or rent property to Arabs. This has created a firestorm of public debate, and my email box is overflowing every day with calls to sign petitions and pay for advertisements condemning, attacking, disavowing, calling for resignation, etc. Slowly, a number of other Orthodox rabbis have begun to get organized to disavow the statement, though some of the wording of the disavowals is still problematic (e.g., "it is only prohibited to sell to Arabs who are enemies of the state"). Here in Karmiel, the Ashkenazic chief rabbi signed the proclamation, and when questioned, said there was nothing to discuss, the halachah – and his position – were clear. His Sephardic counterpart refused to sign, explaining that such statements are against the law and rabbis have no business signing them.
So, are we a Jewish state according to Exodus 23 or according to Deuteronomy 7? This is, on the surface, still another example of Orthodox rabbis convincing the rest of us that they "don't get it." But the waves that they have made are merely an expression of powerful (and I think dangerous) currents running below the surface. And the struggle over the nature of this society and the vision of the Jewish state will continue, even after the media lose interest in this blip. Those of us who share a pluralistic, democratic vision must redouble our educational efforts. Petitions of condemnation are good for one's conscience, but I'm not sure how much they really change anything.

The God Who Speaks

The God Who Speaks

Hebrews 1:1-2
Throughout human history, God has been speaking to mankind in various ways. His prophets were moved by the Spirit to proclaim and write His words, but His ultimate expression came through His Son. Today most believers acknowledge that God speaks primarily through His written Word, yet the voice that dictated the Bible has not ceased. Through His Holy Spirit, the Lord still communicates to every Christian who takes the time to listen with an open and receptive heart.
Stop to consider the wonder of having a God who speaks—not just a distant deity who thunders orders and admonishments from heaven, but one who actually wants to have a conversation with you! Why would the Lord of all creation go to such lengths to communicate personally with each of us? Consider the following reasons:
• God loves you and desires a relationship with you.
• He wants you to know Him personally through intimate communication.
• He longs to encourage you to trust Him. As you experience the fulfillment of His words, your faith grows strong.
• He wants to guide you. The Lord has a good purpose for your life and is willing to direct your decisions and ways so you can experience all that He has planned.
In our busy world, it's easy to take for granted this invaluable privilege of communication with God. If we are too busy or distracted to hear, His voice will not stop—but we'll miss out on the riches of an intimate relationship available only to those with receptive hearts and ears.

Insight

Revelation 20

After leading a final rebellion, Satan is confined forever.
INSIGHT
Satan is not taken seriously by our society. Yet from Genesis to Revelation, Satan is revealed as God's enemy, a force to be seriously reckoned with. As part of the culmination of the end times, he is confronted, conquered, and confined. Today, Satan deceives in order to destroy. But in the end he will be defeated and his reign of terror on earth will end. "The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone" (v. 10). In the end, Satan is a defeated foe!
PRAYER
Praise God that we can share in His victory:
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. . . .
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people(Psalm 9:1-2, 11).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him (Psalm 4:2-3).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
In the Lord I put my trust . . .
The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord's throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men. . . .
For the Lord is righteous,
He loves righteousness;
His countenance beholds the upright (Psalm 11:1, 4, 7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
Thoughtfulness and encouraging words
Vision for reaching the unsaved
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
(Revelation 22:20-21).

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Be Ye Transformed, Part 3

Be Ye Transformed, Part 3

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

Now that you have presented your body a living sacrifice, now that you have been born again, now that you have been filled with the Holy Spirit, now that you are living a life of holiness let us continue the transformation process and begin the next phase of the new life – renewing your minds. Why do we have to have our minds renewed? To “re” something means that that thing has to be returned to it’s original state. Once we have a new mind, somewhere along the way we lost it. Now it has to be “re” newed. But first we have to go back to the Garden. It is in the book of Genesis where we can find how we lost our minds. In Genesis we learn that God formed man from the dust of the ground. He then put into man a part of Himself – His Spirit. Man then became a living soul. A soul that was alive because of the living Spirit of God on the inside of him. Man was now in the image and likeness of God. Man had the nature of God. His thoughts and actions were like his heavenly Father. One day, listening to satan, man disobeyed God sin entered the picture and man took on a new nature. The nature of satan. Man lost his original mind and no longer thought and acted like God the Father. From that point on God has been trying to get man back into the Garden. Back into fellowship with Him. Man was lost, but God had a plan of salvation. So“when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

So what does it take to get our minds back? What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of our mind? Transform means to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose. To change in condition, nature, or character. Renewing the mind is not by a mere outward disconformity to the ungodly world, many of whose actions in themselves may be virtuous and praiseworthy; but by such an inward spiritual transformation as makes the whole life new-new in its motives and ends (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary). Years of thinking a certain way makes it hard to change. Someone once said that old habits die hard. In our own strength we don’t have the power to change. But with the Spirit of God empowering us we can change and be changed in the image and likeness of God. Transformation begins with repentance. To repent means to change your mind. When we change our minds and let God’s thoughts (word) become our thoughts we can fulfill our original purpose/destiny. Our changed thoughts will lead to changed habits. Our changed habits will lead to changed lifestyles. Our changed lifestyles will lead to a changed destiny.

My friend, the Spirit works with God’s word to transform and renew your mind. You have to do your part and read your Bible on a daily basis and then ask the Holy Spirit to give you the power to obey God’s command. Little by little the word will “be made flesh” and will begin to show up in your lifestyle. Let His thoughts be your thoughts today.

Send this message to a Friend, and go take charge of the day!

Year of the Squirrel

Thought Tools
Year of the Squirrel
December 29, 201022nd day of Tevet, 5771Volume III Issue #52


Forward to a Friend

What happens if you extract a little blood from a hibernating ground squirrel, preserve it till the summer and inject it into another squirrel? That active little mammal with his bushy tail will instantly go into hibernation.
We don’t clearly understand if cold weather sets off the chemical changes in squirrel blood that signals hibernation time. We do know that hibernation helps animals endure the winter because hibernating bodies require only a tiny percentage of the energy needed when awake. Hibernation is a state in which animals’ body metabolism and heart rate slow down so dramatically that they can easily last the winter on their accumulated fat. However, their brain activity remains pretty much the same as when they’re awake.
We humans don’t hibernate but we do sleep. When we sleep our metabolism hardly changes and our energy needs drop by only about 5%. However, our brain activity vastly changes from our waking brain wave patterns. I think one could say that hibernation chiefly affects the body while sleep also affects the brain.
In the Lord’s language, Hebrew, the word for sleep is exactly the same as the word for year.



Do not love sleep lest you become impoverished…
(Proverbs 20:13)
And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years…
(Genesis 5:3)

That Hebrew word also has two other meanings; ‘repeat’ and ‘change.’
Amasa was not vigilant about the sword in Yoav’s hand and he
struck him with it into his fifth rib and he spilled his innards onto the ground; he did not repeat (the blow) and he (Amasa) died.
(II Samuel 20:10)
I will not desecrate my covenant
and I will not change the utterance of my lips.
(Psalms 89:35)
How strange is that? Repeat means doing the same thing again, while change means doing something different. What message is God giving us through the way His language links these two opposite concepts along with year and sleep?
The potential trap for us is allowing each day or year to be nothing but a repetition of the one before. Animals hibernate to cope with the wintery problems of the present and in the spring they awake to continue exactly what they were doing in the fall. They endlessly repeat past years’ activities.
We have a choice. We can be animal-like and do the same. We can view sleep as nothing more than a human version of hibernation with the focus on the biological component. We can see a new year as simply a calendar fact. New Year’s Eve partying can serve as an attempt to camouflage the dreary passage of time and the gloomy likelihood that the coming year will repeat the mistakes of the one fading away.
Alternatively, we can see how different we are from animals and that every single day we are blessed with the ability to start anew and bring about refreshing changes that improve our lives. We can awake each morning with a smile on our faces, a prayer on our lips, and hope and happiness in our hearts as we embrace the day. Each sleep can herald new resolutions of change, growth, and improvement just as each new yearly cycle should so the same.
Each evening, we can set an agenda to make the next day somewhat better than the one before. Instead of treating the night of December 31st as another meaningless party, we can contemplate ways to change in the coming year. Quiet thought will quickly produce a list of important changes that will make our 2011 better than 2010
We can pick from two contrasting equations.
Sleep = year = repeat
or
Sleep = year = change.
Since we are not animals, the choice is ours to make.
There is another word, closely related to the ones above. It is the word for ‘study’ and is used in Deuteronomy 6: 7. There is no better way to change than to grow and no better way to grow than to understand more of God’s wisdom. For another 24 hours, please take advantage of our $5 off any online order using the promo code SAVE. We wish you a year of spiritual, financial and personal growth!

Clean Feet, Clean Heart

Clean Feet, Clean Heart
John 13:3-15
Israel can be a dusty place, and sandaled feet get filthy walking to and fro. In ancient times, a person entering a home removed his sandals and cleaned his feet. Or if the homeowners were wealthy, servants would do the washing. This distasteful but necessary task fell to the worker of lowest position in the household.
Imagine the disciples' surprise when the Son of God put Himself in the role of a lowly servant and knelt to wash their feet. The need for such a service was great, as they had been traveling for some time. But not one of them offered to do it.
Jesus did more than fill a need; He offered an object lesson. As He explained, "I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you" (John 13:15 nlt). Some churches have incorrectly interpreted this as a command to make foot washing an ordinance. But it's possible to clean someone else's skin without contemplating the significance of Christ's actions.
In fact, the act itself is not the main point; attitude is what counts. Jesus desires that we be willing to humble ourselves to serve others. He is looking for men and women who will ignore pride, position, and power in order to do whatever must be done, wherever it needs doing, and for whoever requires assistance.
Jesus performed His greatest and most humble acts of service within 24 hours of each other. He washed dirty feet using two hands that would be pierced by nails in less than a day. The message here is that every task God gives us is important to His kingdom.

Revelation 19

Revelation 19

John describes Jesus' return to the earth as the conquering King.
INSIGHT
Apocalypse: "The revelation of a violent struggle in which evil will be destroyed" (Webster's Dictionary). The second coming of Christ will be the apocalypse fulfilled. While the symbolism of the language in Revelation makes it difficult to ascertain exactly how events will unfold, it is clear that when Jesus returns again, it will be to confront evil and destroy it. The heavens will split and Jesus will descend upon the armies of the earth which have gathered in opposition to His return. In contrast to His past role as Savior of man, He will now come as King of creation. Whereas once He made Himself subject to men, now all men will become subject to Him. History will end and eternity will begin.
PRAYER
We praise Him that we can look forward to His appearing:
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp! . . .
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-3, 6).

Pause for a time of confession as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me(Psalm 51:1-3).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:18)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
Sensitivity to sin
The ministries of your church
Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen
(Ephesians 3:20-21)

Be Ye Transformed, Part 2

Be Ye Transformed, Part 2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

The first step in the transformation process is to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our intelligent, spiritual service of worship. The second step in the transformation process tells us what not to do. We are not to be “conformed to this world” (verse 2). To conform is to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group. 1 John 2:15, 16, says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. The world with its wicked desires, lusts and pride seeks to seduce and would have us to use the members of our bodies to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. For this cause we ought to present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness to God. We need to make a covenant with our tongue and “stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say” (Ephesians 4:29 CSV), “because everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:36 CSV). The prophet Jeremiah describes the heart as deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (17:9). We need to make a covenant with our hearts to counteract our natural tendencies by asking God “to search us and know my heart: try us, and know our thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). We need to make a covenant with our hands to use them to glorify God by opening them wide unto our brother, to the poor, and to the needy, in thy land (Deuteronomy 15:11). We should keep our feet from every path, so that we might obey God’s word (Psalm 119:101). We need to make a covenant not to commit sin with our eyes (Matthew 5:28) but will keep “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We need to make a covenant to increase our faith by using our ears to hear and hear the word of God (Romans 10:17). We need to make a covenant with our bodies and keep our sexual expressions within the boundaries of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:1-8).

For the Christian to conform to this world is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It can’t be done except by one method and that is to shave the corners. Let me explain the spiritual meaning of shaving the corners. In Numbers chapter 6, we read about the laws pertaining to the Nazarite vow. The Nazarite vow could be taken by either a male or female. It was a vow of separation. During their time of separation one of the things a person could not do was shave their head. They let the head of their head grow long. Long hair in the society of that day symbolized that a person was living under the authority and covering of another. Today, we demonstrate submission through the way we conduct of our lives - under the authority of another through dependence and obedience. We seek Him for guidance and counsel. We obey His word. We live our lives to serve Him and to please Him. Living this kind of lifestyle today is a greater testimony to the world than the ritual act of growing long hair.

My friend, today take the next step in your transformation process don’t conform to this world. Shaving the corners means to remove yourself from under the authority of Jesus and place yourself under the authority of the world, the flesh and the devil. Make a vow to love and serve the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all of your mind.

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The Hope That Never Disappoints

As we come to the end of the year, I am reminded that we are simply that much closer to our Lord’s return, the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, NKJV).

The Scriptures tell us the latter days will be marked by increasing conflicts, wars, and disasters (Matthew 24:4–8), and recent events remind us how fragile and perilous our world really is.

Just a few weeks ago, North Korea fired deadly artillery shells on a South Korean island, leading to the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier and joint military exercises with a nervous South Korea. Within days of that incident, hundreds of thousands of top-secret cables from U.S. diplomatic sources were published, revealing the backstage drama and tension of seeking to maintain peace and security in an increasingly unstable world. The cables highlighted the nuclear ambitions of Iran and its rapidly growing threat to world peace.

Meanwhile, the fight against terror shows no sign of abating, as Islamic extremists spread their hate around the world, indiscriminately killing thousands of victims. The war in Afghanistan enters its 10th year, and our troops in Iraq are still in harm’s way.

None of this should surprise anyone who follows Christ and has a biblical worldview informed by the Scriptures. The Bible says that the heart of man is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), and from that depraved heart flows an unending desire for greed, power, and control. That’s why world peace will never happen. “Nation will rise against nation” (Matthew 24:7), not peacefully coexist.

While the world futilely pursues political and economic solutions to problems that stem from sinful hearts, believers in Jesus Christ are to be focused on proclaiming and sharing the hope we have in Him: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

I want to encourage you to be intentional about preparing for the Lord’s return by being faithful in studying His Word and in prayer, and by walking closely with Him. I also urge you to be intentional about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with people you know.

At the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we will be busy proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom around the world in this new year, starting in Haiti in early January, India in February, and Liberia in March.

In Haiti we will proclaim the Good News at a stadium adjacent to the largest homeless camp in the country. I was in Haiti just a few weeks ago, and my heart was broken as I looked into the plaintive faces of so many suffering people. Hundreds of thousands of people are still homeless, there is filth and rubble everywhere, and the recent cholera outbreak has brought even more misery and death.

What the people of Haiti need more than anything is the sure and certain hope found only through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a hope that never disappoints, even in the direst of circumstances. Pray for me as I proclaim Christ, for the safety for our teams, and for the local churches who are working together with us for the sake of the Gospel.

Haiti is not the only broken nation desperate for hope. Liberia, a West African country with historic ties to the United States, has emerged from a brutal civil war that lasted a decade and cost a quarter of a million lives. People across Liberia are open to the Gospel, and churches there have invited us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ at a Crusade in March. Pray that many people will turn to “God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1).

I continue to feel an enormous sense of urgency for the souls of men and women as we enter the coming year. Though the cable leaks exposed the private thoughts of a few individuals for the whole world to see, the day of God’s judgment will be much worse when “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Romans 2:16).

The Bible says that a day is coming when the hearts of men and women will be laid bare before a holy God. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). For the believer whose sins have been washed by the blood of the Lamb, there is “no condemnation” (Romans 8:1), but for those who have not believed, there will be only a “fearful expectation of judgment” (Hebrews 10:27). What awaits is Hell, eternal punishment, and separation from God.

Pray for us, and as God leads you, we ask you to consider supporting us on a regular basis if you can. We appreciate the prayers of the saints and are grateful for those who share in the harvest of souls through their gifts and petitions.

In coming days, I want to encourage you to keep your trust in the Lord Jesus. Despite the trials and tribulations that mark this age, He says, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The Lord is always “our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

May our Sovereign God richly bless you in 2011.

Sincerely,
Franklin Graham
President

Monday, December 27, 2010

Seeing Is Believing

Va-eira, Exodus 6:2−9:35
Shabbat, January 1, 2011 / 25 Tevet 5771
The Torah: A Modern Commentary, pp. 420−448; Revised Edition, pp. 379–400;
The Torah: A Women's Commentary, pp. 379–400
Haftarah, Ezekiel 28:25–29:21
The Torah: A Modern Commentary, pp. 696−699; Revised Edition, pp. 401−404
Listen to this commentary
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D'VAR TORAH
Seeing Is Believing
Dan Levin
The other day, as I was walking in New York City with my son, I happened to see a couple of young people. They must have been in their early twenties, and were sharply dressed in business suits. As we walked past, I noticed the young woman lighting a cigarette while her friend held a lighter for her.
I couldn’t believe it. How can it be possible in this day and age that a young person would choose to smoke cigarettes? There is incontrovertible evidence that smoking causes all kinds of illness and disease, including cancer. From the time they can watch television, we bombard children with messages about how bad it is to smoke. It’s not as if no one ever told them or showed them the effects of smoking. So, how is it possible that bright, sophisticated young people would ever smoke cigarettes?
This is a question that jumps straight out of our parashah this week. In Parashat Va‑eira, Moses asks Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage to worship God in the wilderness. When Pharaoh is stubborn, God sends a series of plagues, wondrous signs for Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Israelites to see. These signs are to prove God’s power and might, but more than that, they are to show that a refusal to follow God’s commands will result in pain and loss.
The third plague, lice, is telling. Pharaoh and the Egyptians have witnessed two plagues before: blood and the frogs. When God turns the Nile to blood, Pharaoh’s magicians do the same, and “Pharaoh turned and went into his palace, paying no regard even to this” (Exodus 7:23). The magicians are also able to replicate the frogs, though they are powerless to get rid of them once making them appear. But with the lice it is different. The magicians are unable to replicate the sign. They understand what they are witnessing. The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” (Exodus 8:15). But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them.
The difference between the magicians’ response and Pharaoh’s response teaches us something important. Both see the same evidence for God’s power and presence, but each responds differently. The magicians see the lice, and they understand that God is more powerful than they. They connect completely with what their eyes are telling them. They are able to call it unequivocally what it is—this is God’s power, not ours. But Pharaoh refuses to believe what his eyes see. His heart stiffens.
How does that happen? Why do we refuse so often to believe what our eyes tell us? Why do we ignore what is so plain to see?
I believe the answer is that believing does not come from the eyes, but from the heart. Our eyes can witness all the evidence in the world, but unless the heart is willing to believe, then the evidence matters none.
Take, for example, Pharaoh’s response to the fourth plague. God brings swarming insects throughout the land of Egypt, laying the land to waste. The region of Goshen, where the Israelites live, however, is spared. God wants to show Pharaoh a distinction between his people and God’s people. So Pharaoh begins bargaining. First, he offers them the opportunity to worship within the land of Egypt. Moses explains that this won’t work, so Pharaoh seems to relent: “ ‘I will let you go to sacrifice . . . but do not go very far’ ” (Exodus 8:24). But when he sees that the swarms of insects have abated, he stubbornly refuses to let the Israelites go.
So long as the threat seems imminent, Pharaoh is willing to believe. But when the threat seems to have passed, he reverts back. He sees with eyes, but has not yet come to believe in his heart.
So often throughout history, we cannot make the connection between head and heart. We see a loved one succumbing to illness but refuse to believe it will be fatal. We hear stories of concentration camps and mass murder, but refuse to believe it will spread to our village. We are told time and again that we are despoiling our environment and causing climate change, and yet still there are those who say, “We don’t believe it.” We are taught from early childhood the dangers of cigarette smoking, and yet we ignore them.
We can, like Pharaoh, believe there is no God. We can believe that we have all the power, that there is nothing out there larger than we are. We can ignore all the signs we see all around us of a deeper sense of meaning and purpose to our lives. We can rationalize the power of human connection and spiritual empowerment. We can harden our hearts to what lies deep within ourselves and in the experience of life.
Or we can soften up a bit. We can open our hearts to the spiritual potential we find in the world, a spiritual power that asks us to create a unity between head and heart, between what we see and what we believe. We can let the connections we build between our heads and our hearts inspire us to act, to build healthier lives and a holier world.
Perhaps we do not have the immanent wonders that Moses brought before Pharaoh and the Israelites, but we have plenty of signs of our own that should be tugging at our hearts. And if we can learn to open our hearts to what God is trying to tell us, then we may find ourselves liberated from the plagues that afflict us in our age, and find our way forward to a brighter and better future.
Rabbi Dan Levin is the senior rabbi at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, Florida.

The Pattern for Servanthood

The Pattern for Servanthood
Matthew 20:25-28
In the world's thinking, great men are the ones with authority, prominence, and power. Though Jesus Christ had all that, He gave it up to become a servant (Isa. 42:1).
Jesus gave Himself completely to fulfill the Father's plan of redemption, even though the beneficiaries—namely, each of us—were undeserving. God is holy and righteous, and He cannot be in the presence of sin. Therefore, He must separate Himself from those who are stained by wrongdoing. That includes all of humanity (Rom. 3:23).
Everybody is born captive to the desires of the flesh (Rom. 6:16-18). When someone claims to be living on his "own terms," he is actually serving whatever his human nature craves. The penalty for that false sense of liberty is death (Rom. 6:23).
Jesus' ultimate act of service was to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). The word describes the price paid to set a slave free—Christ voluntarily purchased our liberation. There was only one way our holy God could remove our guilt yet remain true to His own law: Someone sinless had to pay our sin debt for us.
Jesus' sacrifice spared us the penalty we deserve. Instead, we receive the gift of grace and have been declared no longer guilty. Moreover, we are elevated from slaves to sons and daughters of the Almighty!
Jesus served the Father's purpose faithfully. He gave up His righteousness to carry the weight of all our wickedness—and endured a crushing separation from His Father. To meet our needs, the Savior held nothing
of Himself back, and thereby set a powerful example of servanthood for us follow.

Judgement Day

Revelation 15

John begins a description of the earth's judgment that continues in the following chapters.
INSIGHT
One of the sobering realities of Scripture is the prophecy of judgment on mankind at the end of time. While theologians debate timetables and exact meanings, they generally agree on one thing: Judgment is a central feature of the end times. While the depiction of judgment in Revelation is shrouded in symbolism and mystery, it is clear that it is paralyzingly unpleasant. Accounts of judgment are accompanied by warnings to men to take heed and prepare themselves to meet the Lord.
PRAYER
We have such a glorious home and future with the Lord that we can praise Him now and throughout eternity:
Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. You show lovingkindness to thousands . . . the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work.
(Jeremiah 32:17-19)

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight -
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly (Proverbs 2:3-7).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
That the Lord deliver you from evil
That the Lord send out laborers into His harvest
Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen
(1 Timothy 1:17)

Be Ye Transformed

Be Ye Transformed

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

In verse 1 Apostle Paul makes a powerful appeal for the Roman Christian to give themselves as an offering to God. His appeal is one of great urgency. He begs the people. He pleads with the people. From the depths of his heart he speaks to the people. But the words that he speaks are not from his mouth but the heart of God. Paul is saying, “I beg you, I appeal to you by the mercies of God please do what I am about to tell you.” The Apostle doesn’t make his plea by the justice of God, but rather the mercies of God. Because justice demands the administering of deserved punishment or reward. Justice demands an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Mercy says no. Mercy pardons. Mercy forgives. Justice says the wages of sin is death, mercy says while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And because Christ Jesus died for us we should now live for Him.

We are bought with a price. We are not our own. We no longer present the members of our body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but we present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness to God. God wants living sacrifices. A living sacrifice is something that has its spirit in it and is of great value. A dead sacrifice is something that is worthless. It has no life. God wants us to give to Him that which has the greatest value to Him - our selves, our lives. Nothing else will do. God wants holiness. A separated life. A life consecrated, dedicated and devoted to Him. Nothing else is acceptable. Nothing else is satisfactory. Nothing else is pleasing. Nothing else is worthy. Nothing else will do.

My friend, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). God is omnipresent. He is everywhere present. So our worship should be everywhere. At the supermarket, the gas station, at home, at the job. Everywhere we go we are in the presence of God and to worship God everywhere we go is our reasonable service.

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Be Blessed,
Pastor Carl Edward Yates
Revival Time Internet Ministries