Who Am I That I Could Hinder God?

“For as much then as God gave them a like gift,
as he did unto us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I, that I could let God?” (Ac 11:17 GenevaBible)

All of those who call themselves “Christian” need to ask themselves not only who they are, what they want to do, and what they want to reach, but also if they are following God’s path or even if they do not hinder God.

Often we find Christians praying for things which go against the Plan of God. So you could wonder how they look at God and really want His Plan to come into fulfilment.

We have Jews and Gentiles, or goyim having become under Christ, having become children of God.

God may have tried to tell Peter to not keep people out of the church that God has already welcomed. Though gentiles should not forget who are the first chosen People, and which rules or commandments are still to be followed by them if they want to enter that Body of Christ, the Church.

Too many people think they may “bypass all the rules” the church set up to determine who is in and who is out by providing the Spirit to the gentiles.

All important is that those who want to be part of the Body of Christ, should follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and should try to become like him, loving all people around them, whatever they might be.
We hear from John what is important to be truly a follower of Jesus, by how (and who) we love. And too many Christians do forget that we hear from James that belief is not enough, actions are what follows, by the faith belongs the works. One of those works or specific actions is the treatment of the underprivileged people around us with great care and generosity.

Too often Christians take an attitude to others, Christ unworthy. Certainly in the U.S.A. we can find lots of fundamentalist Christians who do damaging things to other human beings. Several Christians act improperly to people who are different than them. In several countries, homos and transgenders have difficulties walking around and being accepted in the community.

Many Christians would do well to look into their hearts to see how they really want, like Jesus, to be open to people who are different from themselves!

Abnormal Anabaptist

The title of this post is a question that I think all of us Christians need to ask ourselves when we gather in our communities for regular worship and practice. And it’s not a question that I just came up with off the top of my head. This is a Biblical question asked rhetorically to prove a point. And what is that point? I’ll tell you.

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How Can You Tell It’s God’s Voice?

Many people wonder where God is whilst He is giving them so many signals and lets His Voice resound around them.

Heeearing With Heart

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God’s voice > Satan’s voice
stills you . . . . . rushes you
leads you . . . . . pushes you
reassures you . . . . . . . frightens you
enlightens you . . . . . . . . confuses you
encourages you . . . . . discourages you
comforts you . . . . . . . . worries you
calms you . . . obsesses you
convicts you . . . condemns you

God is never early and He’s never late.
He’s always right on time and
His plans for you are good.
God is a God of love and order.
If the voice you are hearing
doesn’t sound like those things,
then they are not from Him.

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Overcoming The Terror Of War

From the Bible we know that there will come certain times which shall not be pleasant, but shall be bringing much division and horror in this world.

We are not sure if those Times mentioned in the Scriptures have started now and shall bring God’s Plan into fulfilment. In case it will become that Third World War spoken of in Scriptures, we more than ever should know where our place is and which direction we want to go.
At that prophesied time, there shall come false Christs, and people trying to get people away from God, whilst many shall be suffering. But we should stay strong in our faith, living by the assured faith of hope in the Lord.

But it shall be also a time that we shall have to proclaim the Gospel, the message of Good News, even when many will not be willing to give their ear to it. It is for them and for all people in the world that our prayers should be directed to the Host of host, Jehovah our God, Who shall be willing to guide His people in those troubled times.

Let us be Good News Breakers in these troubled times and ask God to give strength to all who love Him.

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Find also to read

1. About suffering
2. Suffering
3. Seems no future in suffering
4. Learning from suffering
5. Choices to make in suffering
6. Words from God about suffering
7. Clear words from God about suffering
8. Different words from God about suffering
9. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
10. God’s instruction about joy and suffering
11. Suffering continues
12. Suffering leading to joy
13. Suffering-Through the Apparent Silence of God
14. Problems in the world
15. Times to come
16. Armageddon or the Great Tribulation
17. Great tribulation and Armageddon
18. Predictions
19. Gospel or Good News
20. Good News Breakers
21. God’s Promises
22. God’s promises to us in our suffering
23. Looking for the blessed hope
24. Hope for the future
25. Offer in our suffering
26. Miracles in our time of suffering
27. Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
28. Peace of Mind
29. God’s Hope and Our Hope
30. True Hope
31. Working Of The Hope
32. God’s Salvation
33. Jehovah strength, armour and refuge
34. Faith
35. Faith – Concerning Faith and the Gospel
36. Faith – Possibilities
37. Faith and works
38. Refuge of the saints
39. Peace of God
40. God’s coming reign

Becoming the Oil and the Wine

Uplifting Bible verses during times of war

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Sudha Mehta looking at prophesies, False Prophets and Teachers #2 Toxic people and wars

Sudha Mehta thinks all around the world today people are seeing conditions get worse day by day, and many would like to know what is ahead and that is what he wishes to address in some of his writings on the net, in his One Way Studies.

The Book of books teaches us to be diligent and to acknowledge those who work hard among us, who care for us in the Lord and who admonish us. In a Christian community, there should be those who warn and kindly reprove and exhort those in the community. The apostles urged their followers already to be as brothers and sisters, warning those who are idle and disruptive, encouraging the disheartened, helping the weak, and being patient with everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-20)

According to Mr. Mehta and us, this is a

Recipe for Christian living. No matter the time or the circumstance!

Do this and you will walk in a blessed life, again “No matter the time or the circumstance! 

Circumstances can be bad, sometimes really, really bad! Yet here is what Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 10: 13 No temptation (trial) has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.(ESV) {Wolves and Sheep}

In the previous posting we mentioned already the danger of so called leaders or teachers, that hide amongst the people, and are not easily recognised by the general laity. For Mr. Mehta

they are just as, or even more dangerous than someone speaking false teaching overtly. These are the true wolves in sheep’s clothing. {Wolves and Sheep}

We can check how those preachers or pastors act and should be careful with murmurers (grumblers) who complain [of their lot in life], going after their own (evil) desires [controlled by their passions] trying to be in control.

False teachers and christs aim to misdirect people away from the revealed truth of the Bible. (Matthew 24:4,5)

False teachers and christs look to glorify themselves instead of God. Their only purpose is to take advantage of you. (Jude 1:16)

False teachers and christs are controlling and dictatorial. They will move to isolate you from others including family and friends if necesary in order to control you. (Jude 1:16) {Wolves and Sheep}

What should worry us most is how certain pastors use the name of God or the name of Christ to mislead people. Sometimes they even go so far as to tell they are chosen by God to do his work here on earth.

Mehta writes

False christs and teachers will want to control your children as well, seeking to indoctrinate your whole family in their way. They use the name of God to control every facet of your life, but their own life is not surrendered to God.  They are arrogant and follow in their own lusts. (Jude 1:16) {Wolves and Sheep}

Most striking are the news reports that we receive here in Europe of preachers in mega-churches who, without any shame, rip off money from less fortunate people and enrich themselves wonderfully with all kinds of luxury products, cars, and even aeroplanes.

Mehta continues

If you know the Bible, you will discover that these are toxic people and divide families, disrupt churches and mislead the weak and the vulnerable. As Jude says:

Jude 1: 16These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.

17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ 18 when they said to you,

“In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”

19These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.(BSB)

So, know the Word, follow the truth, pray for discerment and steer clear of such leaders, prophets, teachers and pastors. Gather together with others and study, get to know the One who created you. {Wolves and Sheep}

Concerning what happens in the world, Mehta writes

I think we all can agree that in all of human history wars have been happening since the beginning. In a rudimentary form, Cain waged a war against Abel, killing him. Left to his own devices, and indwelt by a sin nature that corrupts, man has an innate desire to push the limits and conquer. This desire stems from a number of things like pride, jealousy and covetousness which is a desire to own what belongs to someone else. It is a quest for power over others, a demonstration of a lack of contentment . . . in short all things that come from Satan, NOT from God.

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According to sources such as Necrometrics, in the 20th Century wars took a toll as never before. While the numbers vary, deaths related to wars, and warring activities resulted in unimaginable loss of human life, young and old. {Wars and Rumors of Wars}

The last few centuries the world has undergone several battles. The seem to be part of humankind/ So how would we know when other times will start?

We have to know that man shall not be able to escape what is foretold in the Scriptures. In that Book of books there are prophecies given which shall be fulfilled whatever man shall try to do. It is written down in that Book of books, the Bible, that there will be terrible times in the last days. We shall be able to see how people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, lovers of material gadgets. Their interest shall go more to worldly things instead of to spiritual matters. But their character shall not be for the better, having to cope with boastful, proud, abusive and disobedient people. We also shall come to see that in that particular time people shall not be very grateful, and missing that so needed love. The world shall be full of unforgiving, slanderous people, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, but false, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

3 But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

² For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

³ [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.

⁴ [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

⁵ For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

God with his prophets asks us to look … and Jesus adds

“look up because redemption is coming?!”

We would love to see that redemption and the wonderful promised world coming soon.

Truth is all of us would love to live forever in a Utopian world where there is no war, or dissension of anykind, ever. We would all love to be at peace with our neighbors, and have the children play without fear outside, no matter where we live.

We would love to see an end to all rioting, and violence from the mobs. It would be great if no stray bullet ever hit and killed a loved one asleep in the bed or crib. No driveby shootings. {Wars and Rumors of Wars}

The World be so much better if there were no drug cartels ruling our inner cities, no mothers weeping over their child’s coffins whether the death occured from an overdose, a bullet or a knife.  We all want a place where children are not abused physically or sexually, where women are not beaten for causing some little displeasure to their husbands, where lives, young and old are not sold in underground makets for profit. {Wars and Rumors of Wars}

Lots of people think there shall come an end to the world, but they do not know God’s Plan. In that Plan there is no end to the world. No human being shall be able to destroy the earth totally. Its foundations can never be moved.

⁵ You laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever. (Psalm 104:5 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

⁴ One generation goes and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:4 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

We should take the words of the Bible to our heart

Isaiah 2: 4b They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.(NKJV)

The Bible tells us not even in the animal kingdom will there be a hint of danger:

from wildbranches.blogspot

Isaiah 11: 6“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.(NKJV)

Photo from pinterest

I cannot imagine a more peaceful world. Can you?!

Weapons will be destroyed and there will be peace. An era without guns that so many of you long for will come. The above Scripture speaks in the language of the Old Testament assuring us of a time of peace in the future. The signs of turmoil today merely point to this time coming. Jesus said to look up, for in truth God is our only hope.  {Wars and Rumors of Wars}

Today a lot is going on that should worry us. Perhaps we are coming very close to a prophesied time.

Prophecy is the roadmap that gives us all the signs we need to follow. It lends clarity to life and the world around us. If we understand prophecy, we can avoid the pitfalls, the sharp bends in the road, and cliffs that lead to dangerous falls.  It gives us hope when things do not look good for we know He will not abandon His children. Prophecy is a roadmap as well as a timeline, so we have an understanding of things from a higher perspective.    {Wars and Rumors of Wars}

What is happening the last few weeks is something we could have seen in a lesser threatening form in the period of the Cold War.

This is a war of a different sort and one that we see riseing quickly today. It isn’t that it hasn’t always been an issue all around the world all along, it has . . . but  where progress had been made to bring peace, it has been lost for the most part.

The word nation in this text derives from the word “Ethnos.” So, nation refers to ethnicity! This breaks it down to racial issues of the day. Ethnic hostility is growing around the world at a rapid pace. {Nation against Nation}

photo from finacial express.

There is a simmering hostility just under the surface, trust is eroded in all sectors . . . no one wants to be called a racist and everyone is afraid to be labeled one. Truth be told most people aren’t racists, and yet fear makes everyone more suspicious of everyone else. There is a palpable tension in the air. More in the cities than in the country, but nonetheless, it exists. Whether it is the color of your skin, the shape of your nose, the size of your body, many find reason to take offense, and destroy someone’s life by shaming them in return, “canceling” them, and so much more. {Nation against Nation}

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The intensity of emotions in politically charged discussions is hard to watch. Families are divided, brothers and sisters do not speak, parents are shunning children, friendships are ending . . . the list goes on. {Nation against Nation}

These race wars and rioting we see today are actually incited in good measure by those people who have no love for God and His creatures. They are the adversaries of God (Satan) who not only war amongst themselves for superiority, but also raise and incite trouble amongst other human beings and bring damage to nature (plants and animals).

Though wars have always been part of human history, the Scriptures tells us that they will increase near the end times and give enough warnings concerning the signs of such times.

Jesus adds to the list by telling His disciples (and us) that in this time we will also see a sharp increase in famines, pestilences, earthquakes. These will not be limited to one or two places but will be scattered throughout the world. If you have watched any news at all, you know these things are happening, and perhaps you yourself have been impacted as well.

There are famines in many countries today. People have seen famines through the centuries, it is not a new phenomena, but you will see more of this as time goes on. I just read a report that China is hoarding grain, and by now they are hoarding 52 percent of the world’s grain supply. Do they know something we don’t, or are they planning something we are yet unaware of?

Inflation is hitting virtually every country, prices are rising fast and people’s income is not going to keep up. Supply chains are faltering or breaking in different lands. The Bible tells us a time is coming when a day’s wages will barely buy you the day’s bread!

Revelation 6: 5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”(NKJV)

This verse 6 in today’s language describes conditions of famine for the masses. It also tells us the rich will not be impacted. In other words two classes of people will remain, the rich and the poor. It will be the poor that will work hard and suffer most. In Jesus time, a denarius was the average wage for a day’s work for a laborer. A time is coming when a full days wage will only be enough to buy one quart of wheat to make bread for one day for the family, or three quarts of barley (which was a cheaper grain at the time). So, if you have a small family, you may make wheat bread, but if you have a few children, better to buy barley.

The oil and the wine are luxuries the common man will no longer afford, but the rich will enjoy. Yes. for the common man it will be a famine.

Nothing breaks down a society like fear for their lives. So, what better to cause a breakdown than pestilence (a pandemic)? Add to that all the variants and questionable efficacy of the vaccines, and you have the perfect scenario for chaos.

Covid is a pestilence. It is Worldwide and is impacting virtually everyone in every nation. There will be more pestilences! This is not the only one. Get used to it, this is the “New Normal!” Rest assured life will never be what it was before Covid. You will have periods of relief, but they won’t last!

As for earthquakes, as I have said before there is a huge uptick in the number of earthquakes around the world. This also relates to volcanic eruptions, which impact the climate as well. Undersea earthquakes cause tectonic shifts that cause Tsunamis, that also affect the climate. So, yes! While the politicians are busy creating fear in the name of climate change, they are unaware of the real Climate Change that is coming soon. Addressed in Scripture . . . coming in the near future, it is not the result of man’s mismanagement of the planet, rather it is the wrath of God whose patience has nearly run out at this point. {Nation against Nation}

Natural disasters around the World shall augment.

Their intensity will grow, and they will come in quick clusters. Like labor pains when a woman is birthing a child.

Matthew 24: 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.(ESV)

Even though we see a convergence of all kinds of natural catastrophies, wars, ethnic divisions, false messiahs and more, Jesus assures us that these are but a sign of end times, it is not the end itself yet. {Climate and Much More!}

Today, we have come into an era where

The leaders/ pastors and false prophets themselves have sold out to Mammon and in some cases debauchery and revelry. They have managed to reimagine Christ according to their own wanton desires for influence and power, and have misled many. So, the love of many has grown cold. They have lost all understanding and the power (2 Timothy 3: 5) of that Name, the Name forever to be lauded with ernest love for His sacrifice. {Climate and Much More!}

Real lovers of God do know that they should not give their heart to this world and to all those pagan holidays (a.o. Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.) With the knowledge that we should never give our hearts to this world or to any of the things in it, we shall be able to look at the things of the world as something that passes, being limited in existence.

One of the many signs is that man shall love the world more than the heavenly Father. We can clearly see that the whole world system is based as it is, on men’s primitive desires, their greedy ambitions and the glamour of all that they think splendid, which is not derived from the Father at all, but from the world itself.

The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear. But the man who is following God’s will is part of the permanent Who cannot die.

With peace of mind, full of trust in the Most High, we cannot but watch the world go round in a bad way. But we must not let this spoil our hopes for better times. For the One True God, Who is an Almighty Immortal or Eternal Spirit, will let those who practice the spiritual come to Himself and to His aid. True believers will be allowed to rest in Him.

Let us have faith in God’s promisses.

¹⁷ And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever. (1 John 2:17 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

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Preceding

Sudha Mehta looking at prophesies, False Prophets and Teachers #1 Counterfeits

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Additional reading

1. Why believing the Bible
2. Prophecies over coming days
3. Today’s thought “Do not harm … until” (December 24)
4. As you see the Day approaching
5. To be prepared and very well oiled
6. Looking into the Future
7. Matthew 24 about temples or Houses of God and the end of the age
8. Matthew 24 about temples or Houses of God and the end of the age
9. Matthew 24:4-8 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Answer: Part One – Beware Being Misled
10. Matthew 24:29-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Answer Part Two – Sign 2: The Parousia. A Sign after the Great Oppression
11. Matthew 24:42-51 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Stay Awake!
12. Signs of the Last Days
13. Signs of the last days when difficult times will come
14. Sign of the Times and the Last Days #1 The Son of man revealing
15. Sign of the Times and the Last Days #2 Wars, natural disasters, famine and false Messiahs
16. Today’s thought “Disaster after disaster: behold it comes” (September 11)
17. Towards a Third World War or not

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Related

1. A Brief Look at NATO and Russia’s Push to Reform the Old Soviet Union
2. The Salvation Of Israel
3. War on the Arabian Peninsula? What are We to Make of It?
4. The Mark
5. We have no need to fear the things coming this year leading to the End of Years. But simply FEAR GOD and FOLLOW JESUS faithfully every day enduring to the End of the World (Matthew 24:1-36) (Revelation 11:18).
6. When Will Jesus Come?
7. How to Prepare for Persecution
8. Wars and Rumors of War…Russia Moves into Belarus
9. Do Not Fear the End Times Part 131: Be Christian or Be Roman
10. 1st the tribulation and then the 2nd coming of Yahshua!
11. Part 3; The End Times, The Book of Revelation
12. Science infiltration on human race: end times invasion (part2)
13. And Then the End Will Come
14. The Day Of Judgment is the Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ, the Last Day of habitation of life on this earth, The End of the World (Matthew 24:36) (Revelation 11:18, 20:11-15).
15. A Picture of Bible Prophecy from the Golan Heights
16. Consumed with the Vision
17. The ‘End Of Days’ is rising on the horizon: Be Prepared for the beginning of the End Of Years (Matthew 24:1-31)!
18. False Christs, False Prophets
19. Daniel’s 70th Week
20. “HP Lovecraft & The War Of The Worlds” – November 3, 2021
21. KTF News – China plans to have 1,000 nuclear weapons within 10 years
22. Invading God’s Holy Temple: The human upgrade
23. The Cost of Complaining

Numbers 10:10 Make Your Rejoicing Heard

After the recent attacks on a Jewish graves and houses, last week, once again the People of God were reminded that anti-Semitism is growing again in West-Europe. In many Jewish households this brings the discussion on the table to stay more quiet and to take care not to stand out too loud.

Though those who love God should recognise all good what He has done to them and should not be afraid to tell others about it. Fear may come into our houses but our love for God and our hope for the better future should make us strong enough to tell others of the Plan of God and ho everybody should come united under the Elohim’s Guidance.

For sure those who live with the hope for a better future in the Kingdom of God, should not stay in the dark or rejoice in secret, but should share with many their hope and joy and show the world how the Most High Elohim expects more people to come to Him and to be blessed, spreading the peace by the love for others worth of God.

For sure, we do not have to be ashamed or to be afraid. Let us , who love God, all unite and blow the trumpet and let everyone know. Let us show the world Who God is and what He wants from us. And let us lift up God by our praise, not being ashamed to rejoice out loud as we remember God’s work in our life.

Insights From Tom

Also at your times of rejoicing–your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts–you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God. Numbers 10:10

The world knows how to make their rejoicing about something good known to the rest of the world. Watch when their favorite football team wins the winning goal at a major game. The fans go crazy with shouting and jumping around. Social media is blown up with the news of what happened. It is no secret what happened or what is going on.

This not only happens with sports fans, but with many other major events in life. Great news is passed on very quickly with a loud noise.

God had told the Israelites that when they were rejoicing at one of the various set festivals, they…

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As always God has a Plan

We should know in life the things that come around us can tackle us. Life at certain moments can look just plain hard! Life at certain moments may even look unfair.

Whatever we dream of, it does not always want to turn out like our aspirations and often we do seem to miss the goal.

 

There are those who know God and dare to argue with Him, because they do not understand His Ways, nor why such horrible things can happen in this world and such bad things happen to them who love God.

How many of us would not like like Gideon a proof from God, Him shoulder tapping us.

You would think an angel would be evidence enough. It’s not like seeing angels were common occurrences. {How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

Whatever happens in our life, whatever directions we do have to go, we always should remember that we are just little elements in the creation of God. We also should remember that when we are wiling to give ourselves in His Hands, Jehovah God shall be willing to help us. He already showed many times to be there for His people. At all times, even when they were not so honest to God or when they had forgotten Him, He always was prepared to come close to them when they were calling Him, or even when they were not thinking of Him, to remind them of Him or to send them a prophet or messenger.

People had asked God several times for certain things, like food but also kings and judges, and He gave it them.

Gideon from Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum

Gideon seemed a shaky kind of guy for a judge. I always assumed these God-chosen Judges would be natural leaders of the super-hero type. Like Samson, a not so ordinary guy with a hot temper, and Hulk-type strength. Or Deborah the wonder woman whose wisdom was legendary, and to whom men submitted. {How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

Deborah as portrayed in Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum (1553)

For us human beings we would like to have an easy comfortable life without any problems. Be sure, that shall be possible … but we shall have to work for it …

God never promised me comfort and ease on this earth. He never promised an immunity to change. {How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

We should remember it was mankind itself which reposted against God. Man did not think God was honest to them and kept something precious behind. In their rebellion they ate from the forbidden fruit to get to know “Knowledge of good and evil” and as such came to know that evil. And that is what we have to feel more than once in our life. The bad things surround us. But we must not always think when there is something we do not like, like having to move places or to go on, that it means that would be bad. It can be a next step in our life which can bring us so much more goodness. Therefore we, when in doubt sometimes do good to switch our prayer like interior designer Loree Johns the wife of preacher Randy does

Ok, Ok, I get it. You are opening the floodgates to a new opportunity, new souls to love and nurture. So help me to find peace about this, because like Gideon, I needed proof you really want to uproot and upend me. {How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

Asking Jehovah God for guidance and comfort He shall show the way and make sure the proofs of His nearness and His Plan shall become clearer. Coming to trust in Him and hoping to fit in His Way your anxiety shall ease.

The sick feeling abated. And I could feel excitement for a new chapter warring with my pain of leaving those I love. I could do this. So, I met with my other designer and staff, and we figured a way for me to work in OKC half of the time. I’m thankful for such a great team who will keep the business thriving when I am three hours away. {How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

°°°

God in his infinite wisdom only reveals what we need to know in the here and now.

It seems like God’s plans are rarely our plans, at least not in my world.

As always God has a Plan.

It’s time for that wall to come down once for all, and for me to be real with you. I will share my joys along with my pain and sorrows. I will give you insight into what helps me kept it all together on the rocky road of a broken world. I will open my heart and soul to you so we can complete this hard journey on earth together.
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What I have found on my journey so far:

-God is the only place I can find true Peace.

-He says “BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD,” for people like me who have a hard time sitting.

–Joy is a choice.

-His amazing Grace releases me from my mess and allows me to walk forever free.

–He loves me fierce and reckless.

{How to Be All In When Asked to do Hard Things}

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Preceding

Life

What would you do if…?

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Additional reading

1. What is life?
2. Monotomy of life
3. Your life the sum total of all your choices
4. When you don’t know what to do and hate yourself
5. Struggles of life
6. Good and bad things in this world
7. Trouble is coming
8. Profitable disasters
9. Self inflicted misery #2 Weakness of human race
10. Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 3
11. Out of the seed of Eve
12. Suffering produces perseverance
13. From pain to purpose
14. From Despair to Victory
15. Your purpose explains what you are doing with your life
16. Only the contrite self, sick of its pretensions, can find salvation
17. It is a free will choice
18. Choose you this day whom ye will serve
19. The business of this life
20. A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses
21. Thirst for happiness and meaning
22. Major challenges and great things happening in our life
23. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
24. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
25. Examining the world around us and of our own life, building up a legacyChange
26. Leaving behind the lives we have touched.
27. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
28. To create a great journey
29. Power in the life of certain
30. Created to live in relation with God
31. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom
32. Being religious has benefits even in this life
33. Healthy life can be found in sacred books
34. We should use the Bible every day
35. Fragments from the Book of Job #1: chapters 1-12
36. Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20
37. Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26
38. Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue
39. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #3 Rejoicing in the insistence
40. Dealing with Disappointment
41. Feeling Lost? Read This…
42. Determine the drive
43. Not holding back and getting out of darkness
44. From Winterdarkness into light of Spring
45. Life and attitude of a Christian
46. Two states of existence before God
47. Humility and the Fear of the Lord
48. A Living Faith #8 Change
49. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
50. Be happy that the thorn bush has roses
51. Life in gratitude opens glory of God
52. Not he who prays most or fasts most is the greatest saint

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Related

1. The roles of Deborah, Gideon, and Jephthah
2. Life & Death
3. Which Way are You Facing?
4. Journey
5. Strangers in the journey of life
6. 50/50
7. What’s Going on, Jarvis?
8. What Kind Of Person Am I?
9. Are you a multipotentialite?
10. Being eighty percent happy
11. Excuses Never = Dreams
12. Life: In Progress
13. Mid-Year Realizations
14. Goals without Plans are just wishes
15. Living within a Battlefield
16. Spiritual life or Spiritual Death and the Zombie Apocalypse!
17. People leave
18. Living Intentionally
19. Ego vs Spirit
20. 1061 Goodness
21. 1062 Badness
22. Dualism – Goodness & Badness
23. Pace
24. If you were God…
25. When Childhood Isn’t Fun or Easy
26. The Key to Successful Living
27. Week 4: How You See Your Job
28. Change for God
29. Thought For The Day The Twelve Steps are foundation stones for the recovery process. Foundation stones are designed for building on.
30. No Fear…
31. Marching orders.
32. God’s Way or Your Way?
33. God’s Way Works
34. God’s Ways Are Perfect
35. The Narrow Roadway
36. Growing in Faith
37. Lift Up Your Heads

Sukkoth, Gog, Magog, Armageddon, a covenant and Jerusalem

Moadim L’Simcha (Appointed Times for Joy) and Shabbat Shalom dear readers!

The joyous holiday of Sukkoth (Sukkot or Feast or Tabernacles or Feast of Booths), one of the three Pilgrim Festivals of the Hebrew Bible, is observed on the Jewish calendar dates of 15-21 Tishrei and is immediately followed by the holiday of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The final day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabba (“Great Hosanna”) (In 2016 coming Monday and Tuesday) and with the eighth day should for Christians also be important, being it a day of Solemn Assembly, commemorating the completion of the annual cycle of readings from the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and being called Simḥat Torah (“Rejoicing of the Law”). .

The seventh day of the festival of Sukkot, considered to be the final day of the New Year’s Divine “judgment” in which the year’s fate is determined; in addition to the Four Kinds taken on the preceding days of Sukkot, an additional willow is taken on this day; it is customary to stay up all night on the eve of Hoshanah Rabbah and study Torah.

During the week long festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles), the regular Parasha (Torah portion) for Shabbat is suspended, and a special Parasha pertaining to the holiday is read in synagogues around the world.

Readings for Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot
Exodus 33:12–34:26; Ezekiel 38:18–39:16; Revelation 21:1–22:21

For lovers of God the Jewish reading for today is one which should concern all, being aware of the importance of the covenant made by the Most High.

“Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord: for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.”  (Exodus 34:10)

In this special Sukkot reading, Moses asks that God’s presence would go with Israel, and God agrees. The marvellous thing about God the Divine Creator is that He loves His creation so much, that when people ask Him to be with them and to go with them, God will do that. He is there for all who want Him nearby.

Encouraged by this positive response, Moses also asks to see God’s glory.  Once again, God graciously complies with his request and invites Moses to ascend Mount Sinai with two newly hewn stone tablets so that He can re-carve the Ten Commandments. Those mitzvah or commandments were given to be a guide for mankind, so that they could build up a good relationship with their Most High Maker.

It was there on that mountain that God revealed His glory to Moses in such a fearsome spectacle of power that God had to protect Moses from being destroyed by it.

“There is a place near Me where you can stand on a rock.  When My glory passes by, I will put you in an opening in the rock.  I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove My hand.  You will see My back.  But My face must not be seen.”  (Exodus 33:21–23)

It’s clear that Moses, having experienced the power of the presence of God, understands that His presence is more than sufficient against any threat Israel might encounter inside or outside of the Promised Land.

This is a great prospect for God’s nation. We also know now that God promised Abraham that his seed and sons by faith, would come to live in the Holy Land. In the end all Jews, the children of Abraham, will find their Holy Nation there and find Jerusalem to be the capital of the nation of God’s people. They would be sent in exile and have to endure lots of problems throughout history, but there shall come a time when they shall be all united under God’s Kingdom. God will gather His People to their own land and the whole world shall come to know it.

The world shall have to come to hear that Israel shall be restored and that also others came to know the Law of God and shall be willing to live according the covenant also brought to them by the sent one from God, rabbi Jeshua, the son of man and son of God, who gave his life as a ransom payment for all sinners, so that all people could come back to God to be His children. He provided a new covenant, one of reconciliation.

But we should take heed, God has given a warning that terrible times shall come  over the world. The Restoration of Israel shall be challenged.

“This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, My hot anger will be aroused.”  (Ezekiel 38:18)

In the Haftarah (prophetic portion) for this Shabbat Chol Hamoed (intermediate day of the festival) of Sukkot, the Hebrew prophet Ezekiel describes an end-time scenario in which formidable armies from the north, under the leadership of Gog, will challenge the restoration of Israel.

Gog (left) and Magog, wooden effigies in the Guildhall, London – Courtesy of the British Tourist Authority

Gog is a chief prince living in the land of Magog (Ezekiel 38:2).  Many scholars believe Magog refers to Russia.  The invading land of Gomer is often believed to be Germany.

Several lands in the coalition army are easily identifiable: Iran (Persia), Northern Sudan (ancient Ethiopia or Cush), Libya (Put), and Turkey (Togarmah).

Last year at this time, Russia made significant moves into the Middle East, reportedly to fight against ISIS.  Last week, however, it negotiated its first “permanent” air base in the region at Khmeimim, Syria and its naval base in Tartus, Syria will soon become “permanent” as well.

Russia also recently installed its S-300 surface-to-air missile defence system in Syria and completed the transfer of the system to Iran last month.

In effect, Russia has become a major military broker in the region.  It is right now on the doorstep of Israel, and it plans to stay.

The nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 will unite and come upon Israel “like a cloud that covers the land” for the purpose of looting the wealth that she has amassed in what was a desolate land only seventy years ago.

Yet, God will not abandon His People.  He will utterly destroy the coalition forces of Gog so that all nations will come to know the holiness of the Lord (Ezekiel 38:18–23).

The forces that come against Israel will be so large in their day of defeat that Gog’s weaponry will provide fuel for Israel for seven years (Ezekiel 39:9).

“They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel.  And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD.”  (Ezekiel 39:10)

Moreover, so many soldiers will die in this battle that it will take seven months for Israel to bury them all and cleanse their land (Ezekiel 39:12).

A man carries a Torah scroll that is protected by a silver Torah tik (case) during Sukkot at the Western Wall.

The Jews read about this end-time battle during Sukkot, because according to Rabbinic tradition, this war will be waged during the month of Tishri, the month in which the holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) falls.

Interestingly enough, the war that is described in Ezekiel is similar to the war described in the 14th chapter of Zechariah, the Haftarah reading on the first day of Sukkot.  And in Zechariah we learn that the Gentiles who survive the war against Israel will be required to keep Sukkot annually by coming up to the Holy City of Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

“Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles [Sukkot].  If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.”  (Zechariah 14:16–17)

This should give us food to think about the matter of feasts and holidays we do have to partake.

Sukkot at the Western (Wailing) Wall.

 

 

Psalm 27 presents a clear connection between Sukkot and God’s protection of Israel and those who trust in Him:

“For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle [sukkah]; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.”  (Psalm 27:5)

The word translated here as tabernacle is the Hebrew word sukkah (סכה).  When evil threatens God’s people, He will hide them in His sukkah, inaccessible from the enemy on the rock of His presence.

Now that is a promise we can trust in during these last days!

 

The Battle of Armageddon

“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle.”  (Revelation 20:7–8)

Gog and Magog are also mentioned in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) in connection with Armageddon and the final battle between the forces of good and evil.

This war with Gog and Magog is not the same war described in Ezekiel 38 but a final end-time battle after the thousand-year reign of Jeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah).

The Son of David, Jeshua, will come again — this time as our conquering Messiah to defeat the invading forces forever.  All who have believed in their Saviour, Jeshua, will inherit eternity in God’s Kingdom of which the New Jerusalem shall be the capital of a revived Garden of Eden complete with trees of life and pure living water that will be good to eat and drink forever.

Ancient ruins atop Har Meggido in Israel

Armageddon is mentioned only once in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) in chapter 16 of the Book of Revelation.

“They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty….  Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”  (Revelation 16:14, 16)

The word Armageddon is derived from Har Magedon (meaning mountain of Megiddo) and is mentioned many times in the Tanakh (Old Testament).

Megiddo is derived from the Hebrew word gadad, meaning to penetrate, muster troops together, perhaps even invade.

In this end-time invasion, we once again see Israel’s enemies mounting a war against Jerusalem.  This time, however, we see the spiritual forces behind the rebellion against God:

“They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.”  (Revelation 9:11)

The words Abaddon and Apollyon mean Destroyer.

And this time, God pours out on the Destroyer and all rebels the full extent of His judgment, including everlasting torment for Satan, the beast and the false prophet.

“They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city He loves.  But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.  And Satan, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:9–10)

With an Outstretched Arm

As we read how God will hurl His fury against Gog with pestilence and with blood, floods, giant hailstones, fire and brimstone, it’s easy to see from this Haftarah portion that God is furious with those who come against the Land of Israel(Ezekiel 38:22).

In fact, there are several parallels between God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt long ago and His future deliverance of Israel from Gog in the end times.  In both, we see that God saves and rescues Israel with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm.

The phrase with a strong hand and an outstretched arm (בְּיָ֣ד חֲ֭זָקָה וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֑ה) has special meaning in Jewish tradition.  It represents God using His power on behalf of His people.  The “arm of the Lord” also represents His salvation, which in Hebrew is Jeshua.

“You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror.”  (Jeremiah 32:21, see also Deuteronomy 4:34; 26:8; Exodus 6:6)

As Russia expands its influence in the region and neighboring nations plot to annihilate Israel, there is certainly evidence that Ezekiel 38 is on the horizon.  Yet, this Sukkot Parasha reveals that God’s Divine Sheltering Presence over Israel has not ended but will continue past the end of this age.

God is not finished with the Jewish People and Israel.  This is plainly evident when we consider how Bible Prophecy concerning Israel is being fulfilled during these end times before our very eyes.

The Brit Chadashah (New Covenant) also tells us that God’s plan to reach out to the nations through Israel did not end with the death and resurrection of Messiah, but continues to this day and will in the world to come:

“For if their casting Yeshua [Jesus] aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting Him mean?  It will be life from the dead!”  (Romans 11:15)

The Book of Romans promises that when the Jewish People come to know Jeshua, it will be like life from the dead for the world.

Before this can happen, however, they must first hear the Good News of Jeshua!

“How can they call on Him unless they believe in Him?  How can they believe in Him unless they hear about Him?  How can they hear about Him unless someone preaches to them?”  (Romans 10:14)

It is up to the followers of Jeshua to follow up the task given by this master, rabbi Jeshua. Therefore Christians, being aware that the times are coming closer, should make work of it, spreading the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.

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With thanks to the Messianic Bible

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Additional reading

1. Ninth of Av
2. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
3. Jerusalem God’s City for ever
4. Glory of only One God Who gives His Word
5. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
6. Holy land Christian exodus
7. How do we know the coming of Jesus is very near?
8. Armageddon, har and megiddo, an action or a place
9. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
10. Ransom for all
11. Jerusalem and a son’s kingdom
12. Bringing into safety from Irak and Iran
13. 2015 the year of ISIS
14. This Week’s Developments in Weekly World Watch 15-21 July
15. The promise a guarantee of something and the heir that is going to have
16. Chemical warsite and Pushing king of the South

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Further reading

1. Understanding the Battle of Gog and Magog
2. Trend Update: Burden of Damascus/Russian Embassy Takes Fire, October 2016
3. Zork Nemesis – The Forbidden Lands
4. War is upon us!
5. Russia, Iran, and The War with Israel
6. The Coming War
7. Ezekiel blog: My version of the end of the world, part I
8. Ezekiel blog: My version of the end of the world Part II
9. Who are the real Gog and Magog in prophecy?
10. Less of Me
11. “My Relationship with Jesus Christ”
12. Trend Update: Ezekiel 38-39/Magog (Russia)/Golan Heights, Passover 2016
13. Alliance Formation

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• Ketuvim, Writings, Hagiographa, Five Megillot and Messianic Scriptures
• The Latest Foer Novel Is Too Jewish For Its New York Times’ Reviewer
• Who Were the Canaanites?
• The label libel

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Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Rom 10:13-15 MKJV  For everyone, “whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  (14)  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching?  (15)  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!”

For they who do not believe should come to hear and should receive an opportunity to get to know the grace given to all people. People can only call on the Name of God when they do believe. Only then when we call onto God’s Name, Jehovah, shall we be saved. This is a condition to become saved which too many do forget. Also they who do not believe the Gospel as the record which God has given of his Son are missing a lot, and those who do believe are responsible for that, when they do not make the effort of preaching. But those who go out into the world to tell the Good News are recognised as people doing beautiful work, because how can others hear without preaching? Naturally there can only be preached rightly by those who believe and by those who are sent, showing others their faith and gladly willing to share the Good News they themselves heard and got convinced of.

The apostle turns from the responsibility of the seeker after salvation to emphasize the role that believers are intended to have in God’s plan for preaching the gospel. Calling on the Lord is meaningless apart from some assurance that He is worthy of confidence and trust, that He has something to offer that guilty sinners need. Calling on Him and trust in Him are two sides of the same coin. The verse suggests that calling on the Lord continues to be a mark of the believer, not simply the first step in the direction of establishing relationship to him.

1Co 1:2 MKJV  to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called out with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

One must hear the gospel before a person can be expected either to receive it or reject it. Without people preaching there can be no hearing. Without witnessing there can be no thought or consideration about what could be true or not, or people would not get to know. Certain King James Versions have “without a preacher” – which may be misleading, in that it implies (or it may be inferred there-from) that there is a special office of preacher. This is of course not the case at all: all God’s children are (or should be) preachers!

People do need to hear about Jesus, the son of God. They should come to know what that Nazarene man has done and who his heavenly Father is and for what that eternal Spirit is so important for mankind. Those who do believe should know the importance of their knowledge and out of love for the others they should want others to know that truth as well. When a person believes unto righteousness with the heart he shall be glad to be able to confess with with the mouth unto salvation not being put to shame knowing that when he calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Saint Peter preaching the Gospel in the Catacombs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The apostle Paul rightly observes that it all goes back to the preaching of the gospel, and preachers, those who profess the Word of God, must be sent – both by God and the Christian community at large. It does not have to be special university people, but men and women willing to share the Gospel in Jesus’ name. God’s “normal” way of bringing people to Jesus Christ is through the preaching of the gospel, which has to happen through faithful people who follow the example of Christ Jesus and do what he had demanded his disciples.

God’s cursing or blessing is upon us, also according to our faithfulness in preaching the Word. God has committed unto us, in our ministry, the word of His reconciliation.

2Co 5:17-21 KJV  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (18)  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  (19)  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  (20)  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  (21)  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When we choose to become baptised in the name of Jesus we wanted to become in Messiah reborn, becoming a new creation. From then onwards our shyness in the world should be gone having the old things having passed away. Shyness refers to passivity, emotional arousal, and excessive self-focus in the presence of other people ( Jones, Cheek, and Briggs 1986). It also frequently involves negative self-evaluations, social avoidance, and withdrawal. (International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family, 2003). Being reborn we have received a new soul (being) not focusing as such on the self, but on the totality of union in Christ. Arousal and heightened self-consciousness in response to social threat can be put aside when one is confirmed about the truth and its value. The experiences of shyness are often sufficiently unpleasant to lead to withdrawal from or avoidance of many social situations, but they also compound the distress of shyness by distracting from skilled and self-confident social interactions. When a person his faith sits deep in him it will give him enough assurance to conquer that shyness to witness for Christ Jesus and for his heavenly Father, the only One God.

Facing all those new things which are from God we want to share with others that in Jesus Christ the Messiah Jehovah God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them; and He has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us.  We are by the baptism in spirit taken away from the doubt and fear from man and therefore should want to be ambassadors for Messiah, as though God were making His appeal through us.

The apostles and members of the first communities begged the community members on behalf of Messiah, to be reconciled to God and to share the Good News with others.  Though it was not easy, because many had seen what had happened to Christ Jesus, and knew that there were fierce opponents of the teachings of this master teacher. It was the Most High Almighty Elohim Who made the Sent One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. By his offering we are bought and are now facing freedom, if we want. It is not by deeds of righteousness which we had done ourselves, but because of God His mercy. It is by the blessing of Jesus his offering that we can become saved through the mikveh of rebirth and renewing of the Ruach ha-Kodesh,  whom Jehovah abundantly poured out on us through Messiah Jeshua our Saviour, so that being set right by his grace, we might become heirs with the confident hope of eternal life!

Tit 3:5-7 MKJV  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  (6)  whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  (7)  that being justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Messiah or Christ was a man who did not want to do his own will but preferred to do only the will of his heavenly Father. He love God’s ecclesia and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:25-26). Like Jesus took care that the dirt of the earth was washed away by the Word of God we also should where we come try to wash away the dirt of this contemporary world.

At baptism the believer becomes a part of Christ’s new “creation” (Ephesians 2:10;  4:23-24; Collosians 3:10). That new creation is so incredible and presents such a magic future we do not want to keep it for ourselves alone. Real believers in Christ do want to become like Christ sharers of the Good News. Being washed… sanctified, we are prepared to do the work for God. It is the will to get to know the Word of God better which should bring us to read it more and to share it with others. It is not be going to a special college reading lots of human writings and philosophies that we shall get more knowledge to bring people to God. God has given everything we need in His Word. All is there in that Book of books, the Bible, God His infallible Word which says all.

Without the faith in Jesus we shall not be able to succeed. We need to have faith in Jesus so that we can call on Jesus. And we need to call on Jesus because calling on Jesus, searching for Jesus, crying out for Jesus is what brings us salvation. Through calling on Jesus, we are saved.
So why do we preach?
So that we may be saved.

We need to be saved from our own captivity. We all need to be set free from something that may keep us away from our loving heavenly Father, the Divine Creator.

The world has to know what God provided. they should come to know that there is a possibility of real peace. But they also should get to know that it will be God Who rules.

Isa 52:7-10 MKJV  How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, making peace heard; who brings good news, making salvation heard; who says to Zion, Your God reigns!  (8)  The voice of Your watchmen shall lift up! They lift up the voice together; they sing aloud. For they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah shall bring again Zion.  (9)  Break out, sing together, waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.  (10)  Jehovah has bared His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

As in the time before Christ Jesus it was nice to see the messengers of God bringing good tidings. Now it is our time to bring such good tidings. We have hear them and we should be convinced of the importance of them.

4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern California provided by LivingWaters Ministry. Obeying the great commission of Jesus Christ. “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone” Mark 16:15 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Good Tidings publishes peace and brings confirmation about the sent one from God, who is the Messiah and fulfilled his duties here on earth. God reigns and has given Jeshua the authority to prepare His Kingdom and to reign on earth. We are looking for that Kingdom of God and belief that it is a reality which can be there for much more people than it is at the moment. Therefore we should be willing to show the way to Jerusalem, the physical but even more the spiritual Jerusalem. More and more we can see how the Plan of God gets shape and how we come closer to the execution of that Plan.

The freedom that awaits us has to be spoken off. But first we need to liberate us from our own weaknesses, bad things we are burdened with. We must see that we can make ourselves free from the bad things of this world first. There  may be things which are holding us captive. There  may be many things holding onto us.

Andy Burns, who believes the goal of life is to get so close to that light that we are breathing in the light and exhaling it out into the world, writes:

Maybe you’re dealing with a very real kind of captivity like addiction. Maybe you have an addiction to a physical substance-alcohol, drugs, those kinds of things-or maybe you’re addicted to something more abstract-your work, money, maybe you’re addicted to other people’s approval of you. And this addiction controls when you wake up, when you go to sleep, when you eat, where you work, where you go after work, how hard you work. You’re not free.

Or maybe you deal with an intensely personal problem like low self-esteem or self-doubt or depression. And maybe this controls you in ways that surprise you-you want a certain job but you don’t believe you can do it. You want to speak up but you don’t believe in yourself in enough to find the words. You want to get to know someone, but you don’t believe they could ever like you. You’re not free.

Or maybe you deal with some pain in your past. Maybe you’ve been seriously hurt-either physically or emotionally by their words or both. Maybe it was a parent, a friend, a spouse, a child. And maybe this old would is holding you captive, keeping you from enjoying life, making you avoid certain situations and people. You’re not free.

See, I think all need to be freed from something. We all need freedom and transformation in our lives. And according to Paul in our passage, this is the message that preachers are entrusted with. This is the reason we preach here. Preachers preach so that people can hear about Jesus. People need to hear about Jesus so that we may have faith in Jesus. People need to have faith in Jesus so that they can call on Jesus. And people need to call on Jesus so that we may be set free by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the message that we proclaim every week. This is what we all need to hear and what we all need to be reminded of, week in and week out. You can be free in Jesus Christ. {Stuff My Church Does I: Preaching}

People do have to hear about Jesus and each believer in Christ should take care of that. We do have to go out into the world and tell about the marvellous gift we received. We do have to invite others to share with us the grace which has been given to us.

What would it look like if we invited others here to hear the freedom of God proclaimed in the Word of God? What would it look like if we all brought this Word out into our community and saw it as our job to proclaim this freedom that everyone needs to those around us? Just think of the transformation that would happen. I think it would look pretty amazing. {Stuff My Church Does I: Preaching}

Let us all joining and be workers for the Lord, going into all the world and preaching the Gospel to everyone. (Mark 16:15 )

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Preceding articles:

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

Your position about materialistic desires having conquered the world

Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats

It takes years to learn

Believe today and now!

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

What’s inside matters..

Not making yourselves abominable

Where are the female writers

Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Preaching by example

How To Get Started In Sharing Your Faith As a Christian

What Should I Preach ?

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Additional reading:

1. Where is the edge
2. Remember the day
3. Gospel = Good tidings, good news, a good message
4. Counterfeit Gospels
5. Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God
6. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
7. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
8. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
9. Hearing words to accept
10. Atonement And Fellowship 2/8
11. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
12. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
13. The Right One to follow and to worship
14. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
15. Hope by faith and free gift
16. Showing by the scriptures that …
17. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
18. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
19. Establish your hearts blameless in holiness
20. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
21. Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up
22. Breathing to teach
23. 2013 Lifestyle, religiously and spiritually
24. Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review
25. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
26. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
27. A prophet to restore
28. Imitate prophets and Paul
29. Oratory Style
30. Counting sands and stars
31. Which Christians Actually Evangelize
32. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
33. Bringing Good News into the world
34. Intentions of an Ecclesia
35. Holland Week of billing
36. Faith and trial
37. Faith a commitment to the promises of Christ and to to the demands of Christ
38. How should we preach?
39. The Rapture Wars
40. Not many coming out with their community name
41. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
42. Jehovah can make him stand
43. Our openness to being approachable
44. Different approach in organisation of services #3
45. Glory of God appearing in our character
46. A Society pleading poverty
47. Good or bad preacher
48. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #9 Prayer #7 Reason to pray
49. How is it that Christ pleased God so perfectly?
50. Rebirth and belonging to a church
51. Of the many books Only the Bible can transform
52. Character transformed by the influence of our fellowships

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Also of interest

• 90 Days With Yeshua- Day 66: Reconciling the Banished Heart
• His name…
• Why I Don’t Celebrate Easter (and still love God… and still believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Messiah)
• The Lie That Made God Nameless
• Don’t Be Ashamed
• God Demands a Response to Jesus
• May 1: Does Your Life Bring Glory to God?
• Past, Present and Future of Salvation, Today’s Study of Romans 5
• Make your faith work
• “I Bring You Good Tidings Of Great Joy!”
• Trying to Make the Good News Better
• Romans 1:9-14 Questions (Good News Study)
• A Story for the Ages
• Romans 8:28
• A Personal Example Of Hope Fulfilled
• Praise and Worship to God Almighty in Any Language
•  Do You Who You Are? It is Based on the Word of God and Nothing Else.
•  Forget Public Opinion…Keep Your Eyes on God’s Opinion of You.
• The Only Place to Go When Life Gets Tough
• SOM: Blessed are the Pure in Heart
• So, You Think You Can Preach? Sigh . . .
• Jack Hyles Sermon: Fighting the Wrong War
• Preachers are held to a higher standard
• The time for delay is over
• A Better Message; A Better Messenger
• Acts 24 Reading Through the NT 2015
• What Do We Have To Sing About?
• Laboring in the Vineyard or Sitting on the Hillside with Jonah?
• The Spread of the Gospel
• Is Evangelism Dead?
• The Good News Message Of Jesus Christ
• If you got fuel, and you got fire, something’s gotta happen!
• The Smallest of All

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• True Believers Are Completely Associated With Christ (birdchirp.wordpress.com)
• Listen: The Hopeful Christian in Hopeless Times (Pilgrim’s Progress According to the Bible #47 with Daniel Whyte III) (blackchristiannews.com)
• Scripture Verse Of The Week ‘Galatians 3 Verse 26″ (mylordmyfriend.com)
• A Christian Defined (butchdean.wordpress.com)
• The Truth And Nothing But The Truth… (thetruelight2014.wordpress.com)
• Mechanisms of the Spirit (brokenbelievers.com)
• ” The Fire Of The Word “ (stateofglobe.com)
• Your Word for This Day: “Glory Revealed” (thotam.com)
• Word of the Week: Romans 1 (NLT) (faithtemplechurch.wordpress.com)

The faithful God

In the world to day many have drifted far away from the truth. Lots of people do not want to see the relation of what happened in the garden of Eden at the beginning of times and what was promised there.

Several people may believe in the promise made over there but still think that one Messiah still has to come. Others do not want to believe the Creator was able to make perfect human being who could follow His commandments and therefore He would have to have come down to the earth to fake his death and to fake that He was taken out of the dead.

Scriptures tells us that man nor death can do God anything. That truth is overlooked by many man. They seem to forget that God is a loving God Who keeps His promises and Who says things how they are, not wanting disorder, but order like He created order out of chaos. that was part of His creation and is still part of His Plan.

Our hopes should be in that Plan of God which shall come to be fulfilled. The adversary of God is always around trying to confuse people and to bring them on the wrong path, making them worshipping some else than God the Divine Creator of heaven and earth.

It is Jesus who invites us to come and sit at his table. Jesus and God are knocking at our doors. Jesus is the Way to God and the Way to the Kingdom of God.
With the birth of Jesus the kingdom came near and people had to come to see the messenger of God, who was promised already long ago. Many did not want to see in this miracle-worker the man of God, the prophet who would trample the figurative snake, making an end to its killing snakebite. With Jesus’ death became nailed at the wooden stake, but people still had to come to accept his offer, like his heavenly Father accepted the ransom offer.

Jesus asked us to become one like he is one with the Father. That is not such an easy task, because Jesus managed to do the Will of God and did put his will totally aside to please the Only One God. Naturally in case Jesus is God he always would have done his own will, but here we have a man of flesh and blood who was wiling to put himself totally aside for helping others, for having the best relationship with the Creator.

We too should go for that best relationship with the Divine Creator Deity. He is the One Who calls and has given us His only begotten son so we may be cleared of our sins. Like Jesus prayed to his heavenly Father and taught us to pray we too should pray to god and only worship Him.

The best way to come to see who is Jesus and who is his heavenly Father and what God has prepared for us, we best read regularly the Bible and study it carefully. By letting the Word of God come into our mind and in our heart, the Spirit of God, God His Force can work in us.

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Preceding articles:

What is the truth asked also Pontius Pilate

Truth, doubt or blindness

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Find additionally:

1. Wishing to do the will of God
2. Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
3. Jesus and his God
4. The high calling of God in Christ Jesus

 

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Related articles

• Citizens Of Another World (birdchirp.wordpress.com)
  True Christians are pilgrims and strangers in a strange land. Not only is our citizenship in heaven, but positionally we are now seated in Christ Jesus in the heavenlies.
• Why Faith? (conquerorshots.com)
  The Greek word for faith is pistis. The meaning is the conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it

  1. relating to God

     1. the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ

  2. relating to Christ

     1. a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God

• Psalm – Song Book of Praise (africanaprincess.wordpress.com)
  God is our creator, father, healer, mother, friend, provided, helper, judge,etc… He gave his only son Jesus to die for our sins. God sees us through Jesus and not our sinful nature.  Without the sacrifice we would be lost in sin. But God! But God!
• Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth ! (tonysonblogger.wordpress.com)
  It’s as if the Creator had no sense of fair play and justice – unbelievable!  If it is true, then, were certain souls sent down to earth from the Heavens to suffer poverty, pain and misery on attaining the human form for a predestined period of time?
• “I go to prepare a place for you.” (christianity201.wordpress.com)
  Some will imagine Jesus as a Master renovator, but that is not really what is happening here. As one Bible scholar points out, Jesus “goes” and His journey begins at the cross. It is there that the preparations begin. It is there that we find, not the Master Renovator, but the Master Redeemer. There is wood and there are nails, but this project is like nothing Mike Holmes has ever tackled. This is not about Jesus making the afterlife fit for us, but about Jesus making us fit for eternal life with God. It is about Jesus dying on the cross so that we could live with God in His home. It is about Jesus rising from the dead, so that one day we will rise to discover that

  the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; (Revelation 21:3 NRSV)

• I Have Sinned (4110fearnot.wordpress.com)
  Everyone sins; everyone falls short (Romans 3:23). That’s the bad news. But the good news is that Christ Jesus has built a bridge over the gap that was created by sin. God is holy and He can’t stand sin—sin is anything against God. So as we sin, we are moving ourselves away from God. The blood of Christ was poured out for each one of us to have a way to be righteous (right with God). Only if we believe in Him are we saved from the sin punishment. Even so, we must continue to repent for our sins and recognize our constant need for Jesus Christ.
• The Essene Gospel of Peace: The Early Teachings of Christ – part 2 of 3 (vaticproject.blogspot.com)
  The Essenes left Jerusalem  to rid themselves of the pagan influences of the Greeks and the Romans, after founding a community of like minded essene worshippers, at the Dead Sea.   These teaching were apparently an extension of the 2 greatest commandments about love and the rest of the 10 commandments.  Some of the sayings in here we have heard or read many times before and were the foundation for our legal system.
• Empowering Thought for Today: Strategies Satan use against your Prayer Life! (crosbyp12003.wordpress.com)
  rayer is more than words and time.  Prayer is action!  Prayer involves faith and faith without works is dead( scripture).Prayer is the most attacked by the kingdom of darkness. Prayer tears downs strongholds and invisible kingdoms. If a believer has no prayer life it’s like saying they have no oxygen and connection to their lifeline.
• Look – the Messiah! (betsybeadhead.com)
  People will say ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ Don’t listen to them or go where they show you. False messiahs and false prophets will gain prominence and will mislead a lot of people by performing great signs and wonders. Even the elect are at risk of being led astray by them.”
• Treasure in a Suitcase (blueskiesandlollipops.wordpress.com)
  The life Jesus lived was of one brings Heaven’s reality to earth, of bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. When there was lack, He brought provision. Where there was affliction, He brought freedom. When there was sickness, He brought healing. Where there was death, He brought life. Bill Johnson wrote this “What is free to operate in Heaven – Joy, peace, wisdom, health, wholeness, and all the other good promises we read about in the Bible – Should be free to operate here on this planet.”

The Father's Heart

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Deuteronomy 7:9NKJV

The Lord is faithful to His word and to every promise.  This is why it is so important for us to be in the word every day reading it and meditating upon it.  God’s word is filled with promises and testimonies of individuals who trusted in the Lord with all their heart and that He was faithful every time.  His word is the food and sustenance of our spiritual lives.  We must feed on it daily.

The enemy will often times come to us and lie to us and tell us that the things the Lord has promised us and created us for will never come to pass.  They are simply lies and every lie of…

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Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

Universe exist already a long long time, and it shall continue to exist for a much longer time. Human beings in that universe have a lot of limitations. We are chained by our confinements. We do not like to have restrictions imposed on us and lots of people do think they can do a lot or even do think they can play for god.

We as perishable persons may look around us and either see the beauty of creation or miss it all. What is important that we should come to see the Hand behind everything. All being created in the likeness of the Divine Creator have not their eyes open to see their origin or to understand the ways of life.

For coming to insight it is important that people help each other. We have developed education centres and got printing and other media aids to provide educational material.

Rabbis Lesson with kids (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some two thousand years ago there was a simple man of flesh and blood in the Jewish community who warned the people around him that they better took account of what the previous rabbis told. The world had got prophets, men send by God, who gave warnings, but not many wanted to listen. With that prophet 2000 years ago it was not much different. He was considered a ‘stand in the way’ and therefore killed. Though making his mouth shut down, did not end his teachings. His disciples continued to go around wherever and whenever they could. They followed a big lesson they had learned from their master rabbi: going out into the world to preach the Good News of the Coming Kingdom of God.

Today Jeshua, as this rabbi was called (today better known as Jesus) is till alive in many hearts. Several people came to see what his death really means for the world. The eternal God, Who cannot die, told the world that there in the river Jordan was standing “His only beloved son“, given to the world to bring salvation. By the Grace of God, Jeshua his offering of his body is accepted as a ransom for us all.

But the story may not end there. The master teacher who had only a very short public life of three very active years, has asked his followers to continue in his footsteps. And there seems to lie a big problem. Not many do want to go out and preach in the name of Jesus.

Today it does not seem to be very much different than in the times of Jeshua. There are loads of discussions about the position of the Torah on issues that are out of date with our modern sensitivities. There are people who also come to see that there might be rituals which are supposedly similar to pagan festivals of the time. The reason for this is that often it were people who liked so much certain attitudes that they took over certain attitudes and feasts. But we always should consider if they would be something God would like to see.

It becomes more and more important to get to know what the Divine Creator really wants from us and what His Plans are. the task Jesus has given to his disciples has become more vital. It should be an essential part of the life of a follower of Christ (a Christian). Being Christian should mean that you are prepared to follow Christ his teachings and are willing to live according his rules (The Law of Christ)

Coming together, exhorting each other and preaching the gospel should be the core-business of a Christian.

Some may be convinced that a religion has to give to the people what they want to find, not having to change too much their life. Lots of people want that they get something familiar to hold onto? Perhaps they could call it “God modelled” “His new religion” after existing practices.

There is an established principal in Jewish thought (and a logical one as well) that “The Torah speaks in the language of man.” Among other things, this means that the Torah speaks in the context of the time in which it was given and in a way that is appropriate for the people of the time. Many of the commentators write that God had to gradually wean a pagan slave population off of it’s pagan ritual and belief system. It would not be effective for God to create brand new rituals that have no meaning for the worshipers. To give a silly example, if God were to create a brand new religion now, he would not create one where worship of God is done by standing on one’s head 5 times a day.{Why are some Jewish rituals similar to Pagan rituals?}

People have to come to understand it is not God Who has to adapt to them but that they have to come closer to God knowing Him and following up what God wants us to do.

To get to know what God really wants from us, we best look into what He has given the world to get to know Him better. God has given His Word for all mankind to find Who He is, what He wants and what we can do to come to Him and to become Children of God.

People write history or similar for a reason; what someone did may not be as important for their memory as what someone later needed to do with it. Jeshua his followers had their own worldly job, but they knew how urgently needed was their preaching, telling others about the works of their master teacher. Whether or not all these who tried to bring the gospel to others were really talented orators we probably can’t tell. In a certain way it does not really matters. What matters is that they got the message across.

Also today, you may perhaps not be so eloquent, or not so good in many languages, but you should know you too can have a story to tell. Everybody can help to contribute getting the news of the coming Kingdom spreading all over the world.

Many may think it is sufficient when they preach in their own church. For them it is sufficient (they think) to give exhortations to their own church or ecclesia members. Many may find the opportunity to stand in front of congregations and crowds many times. How many time do they think about the responsibility they bear? Though may shall have the hope some of the people in the congregation will hear their voice and carry the thought with them to ponder.

But we do not have to preach for those who already believe. We do need preachers for those who do not yet know the truth. Those who do not know the importance of Christ yet, should come to know it. We need announcers of the Good News, not a bellman for the own flock or to bring just recreational or bad news, like the journal offers it every day over and over again.

It is true others may not understand the energy it takes to get up in front of others to proclaim God’s word and lots of people would call it a silly activity. But it is not what the worlds find interesting to do what we should do. The love of the world is not for the Holy Word. People are not interested in God, His Plans or His world. Though they should know it really matters to know Him.

Importance of coming together to study the Word of God – Bible time at Shunem

Those who love God should not be afraid to come out for it. They should also trust Him, what He can do with them is they are willing to go to others to tell about Him and His son. They shall be surprised to come to feel the Hand of God in what they do, when they try to do it honestly. They can be surprised to feel how God can guide them and how God is willing to give His Power and presence in a mighty way. Often we shall be amazed at the insight He gives, the words He brings, the abilities we recognize, not because of our skills, but because of God’s power and presence within us.

Today time seems to be spares for everybody. Pastors and everybody else are busy.

They hardly have time to prepare their sermons every week while at the same time visiting, counseling, planning, fixing, etc. Ask most pastors what good theology books they’ve read recently and you’ll be greeted by blank stares. {The Value of Systematic Theology to Pastors}

How many can, or better said, are willing to take time to come to study the Bible and to share their findings with others? How many are willing to come to a God-centered search and preaching?

In certain churches the priest may have the idea that:

Pastors who do not study theology tend to preach atheological sermons. They may be able to atomistically expound a text, but they will have difficulty connecting the text to the grand redemptive truths that give the texts weighty significance. {The Value of Systematic Theology to Pastors}

but they forget that the essence is all in the Word of God and can be found when really looking in that word, not having to have had theological studies in universities. God Himself has provided everything in His Word to be found by every man, educated and non-educated. Man does not need a theological study to come to understand God His Word. They also do not a university tittle to go out preaching the gospel. Jesus nor his followers, except Luke and Paul, got high degrees or were known scholars. common people in the first century of Christianity took care that the word spread and that it could reach lots of people, from child, slave, uneducated up to educated people. Many came to know the truth by simple people who took their time to spread the news.

Mark Farnham may think

Van Til saw a definite connection between the study of systematic theology and the ability to preach the whole counsel of God. If a pastor is not well-versed in theology, he may shy away from Scriptures that his flock needs for growth in grace. Or worse, he may shy away from Scriptures his flock needs for spiritual and doctrinal protection.{The Value of Systematic Theology to Pastors}

He also writes:

Many people believe that the basis and source of defending the faith is different than that of knowing the faith. That is, they believe that we do systematic theology by appealing to the Scriptures, and we defend our faith by appealing to reason or philosophy (since unbelievers don’t accept the Bible as the Word of God). {The Value of Systematic Theology for Defending the Faith}

Without being in the faith a person can not come over convincingly. The faith has to be in the veins and the spirit. When the person is wiling to give him or herself to the Words of God, those Words can feed him or her. It is in the Word of God that The Truth can be found and not in the words of human beings. Jesus wanted us to share that truth which we can find.

The distinctive of the presuppositional (or transcendental) approach to apologetics developed most extensively by Cornelius Van Til is its demand that Scripture be the starting point for all human knowledge, and that it be maintained as such in a believer’s defense of the faith against attacks by unbelievers.The best apologetic defense will invariably be made by him who knows the system of truth of Scripture best. The fight between Christianity and non-Christianity is, in modern times, no piece-meal affair. It is the life-and-death struggle between two mutually opposed life-and-world views

Both seem to forget the Power of God, the Holy Spirit, Who is the One Who has to guide the speaker or preacher.  It is not as they say that

He who has not been trained in systematic theology will often be at a loss as to how to meet these attacks.

It probably shall not be easy, that’s sure, but that we can see by theologians as well when they are brought down their pied de stall.

Van Till and Mark Farnham think

He may be quite proficient in warding off the attack as far as details are concerned, but he will forever have to be afraid of new attacks as long as he has never removed the foundation from the enemy’s position.

Those who go around telling about the prophets, Christ and the One who send all these men, should not consider the others as the enemy. Even when they may go in the position of attack, the one willing to preach for God shall be able to trust Him and would not have to worry man.

All those who come along and hear the words of the one who wants to preach in the name of God can either stop to listen or continue their way. Nobody should remain. Nobody is expected to take everything for what and how it is said. The preacher when he does not find the ground fertile, finds no one to listen can and shall continue his or her way to go further trying to reach people who are willing to listen and who are willing to investigate and to take the Word of God to compare with what is said.

Van Til starts stepping on toes:

The church will have to return to its erstwhile emphasis upon its teaching function if it is to fulfill its God-given task of bringing the gospel to all men. Its present recourse to jerky evangelism as almost the only method of propaganda is itself an admission of paupery…Revivalists ought to make themselves unnecessary as quickly as possible.

Reformed apologist and churchman Cornelius van Til preaching on the street

We only can hope Van Til was pleading for a return to a comprehensive instruction in sound doctrine, (what he and other  theologians may understand by that?) that would provide the foundation for both a deep and strong faith, and a solid foundation for a robust defence of the faith against attacks.

We are convinced that regular Bible reading (perhaps according to a strategic plan) is the right foundation for successful Bible study. And the principles of accurate interpretation will take that Bible study to the next level of spiritual blessing and benefit. Each person willing to get to know God and His works shall find the answers to his and others questions by reading God’s Word. True biblical sermons or exhortations don’t drive the biblical text, they are driven by the biblical text. Scripture speaks for itself.

But preaching is not all about giving sermons or exhortations it is also by showing your heart to others and letting others feel how vibrant the Word of God makes you. Feeling humbled by the privilege to study Scripture and teaching it to others we should love seeing God working out and confirming His calling on others, having us nearby them to give them our hand to go together on the path of God.

We should not be afraid to go out in the world to tell others what we do believe about the Creator and His son.

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Find also to read:

1. More Muslim children than Christian children growing up in our cities
2. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
3. Trying to get the youth inspired
4. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
5. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
6. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
7. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
8. Preaching to an unbelieving world
9. How should we preach?
10. Our way of life
11. Attackers silenced freedom of speech
12. Minimizing the power of God’s Force the Holy Spirit
13. Van Til interacting with Bavinck and Calvin on Natural Theology
14. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
15. Belonging to or being judged by
16. Holland Week of billing
17. Trying to get the youth inspired
18. When discouraged facing opposition
19. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
20. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
21. The Involvement of true discipleship
22. Testify of the things heard
23. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
24. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
25. A Voice to be heard
26. Creator and Blogger God 4 Expounding voice
27. Blogging for Jesus…
28. Our openness to being approachable
29. Preaching to an unbelieving world
30. Words to push and pull
31. Good or bad preacher
32. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
33. How should we preach?
34. Breathing and growing with no heir
35. Breathing to teach
36. Bringing Good News into the world
37. Reasons to come together
38. Missionary action paradigm for all endeavours of the church
39. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus

+++

Find additional literature:

1. Why are some Jewish rituals similar to Pagan rituals?
2. Messages will be spoken! (Micah 3:8)
3. The Value of Systematic Theology for Defending the Faith
4. The Value of Systematic Theology to Pastors
5. Common Interpretive Pitfalls
6. Seminar CXLIX: the importance of being eloquent in the Italian Church
7. Van Til the Evangelist
8. Van Til the Street Preacher
9. Jehovah’s Message
10. Following Jesus’ Footsteps
11. The Good News of God’s Kingdom
12. Thoughts concerning the preacher
13. On Preaching “To the Men”
14. Expository preaching – friend or foe?
15. How to Spread the Gospel
16. 4 Principles for Collaborative Preaching
17. 6 Ways to Your Teacher’s Heart
18. Preaching is a two-way street
19. How to Get More Out of the Preached Word of God
20. What do you need…?
21. Preach It, Sister!
22. Community Houses are Better than Church Buildings

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Related articles

• Who Is a Jew? (venitism.blogspot.com)
  Jews argue about everything, including who is a Jew. Disagreements usually develop along sectarian lines. Reform Jews are willing to accept into the tribe someone with a Jewish father and a gentile mother, but Orthodox Jews are not. Some ultra-Orthodox rabbis won’t even accept a child as Jewish when born to a devout Jewish mother from a donated gentile egg.All branches of Judaism allow for converts, but Orthodox Jews don’t recognize conversion of gentiles to Judaism unless that conversion is approved by a three-judge religious court comprised of three Orthodox men (usually rabbis), ritual immersion in a mikvah, and a commitment to perform all the Torah’s commandments according to Orthodox interpretations of Jewish law.
  
• Generosity, Stewardship, and Living in God’s Economy (wawalker.com)
  So despite our smallness, our apparent insignificance, human beings are set apart and given a unique role. God gives us dominion over the earth and we’re to be stewards of it. It’s been entrusted to us. We’re to be a stewards, meaning we’re to be managers or overseers — caretakers — which means our responsibility is to do exactly what the owner wants us to do with the things that are not ours but Owner’s. The things that are God’s. So as it turns out, in spite of some obvious limitations, we nonetheless possess a certain degree of great power and freedom — and — responsibility, as stewards. Because Human beings have the capacity to do things that no other creatures can’t do.
• Beware the Error of Replacement Theology! (pilgrimpassing.com)
  These are challenging and confusing times. With all the numerous and varied “winds of doctrine” that are blowing around us these days, many Christians find it difficult to discern the difference between truth and error. Here at CJF Ministries, one error we frequently encounter is Replacement Theology. Actually, it’s nothing new: in fact, it’s been around for centuries. Some of its roots are traceable to the writings of some of the Early Church fathers. And even today, oddly enough, this pernicious error is taught as a fact in many Bible colleges and seminaries worldwide. So let me ask you – how much do you know about Replacement Theology? If you were called upon to refute it, could you?
• Interview with Yoel Glick – Part 2 (kavvanah.wordpress.com)
  Rabbi Yoel Glick just released a book  Living the Life of Jewish Meditation: A Comprehensive Guide to Practice and Experience. The book is billed as  a “comprehensive guide to meditation as a way of life draws on the knowledge of the East to vitalize and illuminate traditional Jewish practices in a whole new way.”

Lonely in the crowd

Population growth rate world (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I started writing this article there where 7 238 080 161 people on this globe. When I finished writing there where already 7 238 100 805  living human beings, thriving on only 17% of the earth its surface. Find out how many there are now when you reading this, at Worldometers info: world-population. Current UN projections show a continued increase in population in the near future with a steady decline in population growth rate; global population is expected to reach between 8.3 and 10.9 billion by 2050. {“World Population Prospects, the 2012 Revision – “Low variant” and “High variant” values”} {“World population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050 – UN report”}

World population (Photo credit: Arenamontanus)

With the millions living around us we are like a very tiny ant or even more like a microbe. But those microbes which we know are often more in symbiosis or unity than those human beings.  With six of Earth’s seven continents being  permanently inhabited on a large scale, we may find Asia as the most populous continent, with its 4.3 billion inhabitants accounting for 60% of the world population. In our own region many people do think they are already with too many living on the small space which is around them. Though finding themselves living in an overcrowded area, many of those people do feel so lonely. Even when they search on the internet and add so many people on their social media profile, many people feel very lonely. You could not say they are really isolated, but what matters is that there is no real connection with the others in their surroundings.

Many invite people they meet on the internet to join as ‘friends‘ and to ‘register’ on this and that and to ‘vote’ for this and that. Voters can start and join voting blocks for the issues, sites, and groups they care about, and gather massive followings. But hose followings do they bring up something? And do the joiners really feel connected, supported or find they all can work for the same good cause?

Looking at this world Darrell Creswell notices that there are many people who never happy with where they are at in life. He recognises that many dwell on the negative, instead of visualizing the positive. In the midst of this Saswata Mitra admits he is feeling lonely.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have 509 friends on Facebook, but I still feel lonely.

he writes in Look Up and See the World Around You at his jukebox of writings by him and by the straight forward and happy go lucky girl of sixteen Navneet Kaur. Saswata Mitra is an eighteen year old (or was) who declared himself to be selfless and caring about everyone. He also feels like everybody else the need to feel that others also would care about him. And that is normal; We all need that feeling. We all need to feel that somebody else cares about us. this feeling or want to be cared and loved does not always get answered. People to get more satisfaction from having the assurance that many like them, got so entangled or chained by social media where they can build up friends like nothing.

facebook (Photo credit: dkalo)

On that virtual platform many “friends” are made, but not so many contacts made into silver and even less are converted in silver or redeemed for gold.

I see what they do everyday yet I barely know them. In this Global Neighborhood, we share and post everything we see, hear and experience. We have somehow managed to convince ourselves of the illusion that updating everything we do will get us connected to everyone around us. But hey, life your head from your screens and look around you. You’re alone. {Look Up and See the World Around You}

Having 509 friends on Facebook does not say anything about having real friends or having real communication with others. As such in this world there may be many who have lots of connections on their social media sites, but who still feel very lonely.

The whole virtual worlds sucks many into a world of belief but even more of a world of wishful thinking. On one site there are those who boast with their holiday trips to far away places and with all the gadgets they may retrieve. Lots of chit-chat and backbiting or malicious gossip can be found at those social media platforms.

We may see what they want us to or like us to see. Do they let us see their own self? Give they really something from their own which they want to share to get into a better relationship with the other?

Do those people in their everyday postings on that Global Neighbourhood really share and post everything they see, hear and experience and how much are they involved with it or want to be involved with it?

How many do not live in that illusion that updating everything we do will get us connected to everyone around us? Or is that really the intention of many?

As you say we better come to look for real connections by looking around us in the real world, living our head from our screens, seeing but also willing to become connected with that real world.

Though I think lots of people today prefer to stay connected in their virtual world, playing games and ‘doing as if’. They seem to find more indulgence by enjoying the distraction by the games and chit-chat, instead of going to spend time in having serious discussions or a real serious talk. Lots of youngsters can not read or concentrate on long texts any more. It has to be all telegram style short messages, and by preference not asking too much thought.

In a certain way all those people looking for friends do have in common that they want to be loved. They ask themselves mostly the same questions others everywhere in the world ask themselves. In the quest for life we are all the same. In our hearts and minds uncover very similar ideas and are fired the same questions day in day out. All over the globe we can find people who worry, who have doubts created in their own minds.

some of those questions may be

“I wonder if there is something better for me in life than this?”

Doing this will many times keep you from enjoying where you are in God’s plan for your life.

writes Darrell Creswell in God’s Will and Design For Your Life – Inspirational Bible Verses, who is well aware that one of the problems might well be that most people use not their eyes to see further than this world around them personally and do not want to grasp a little bit of what the Plan of the Planner of this universe might be.

We only see mere seconds in part of God’s plan as a whole. As such we cannot grasp what is the blueprint for our life. We all have a definite past, but with God we have an indefinite future that is infinite by His grace, full of hope and wonder. There is unity and harmony in God’s plan for our life and we must embrace it. So, have faith in the Lord and in His providence as all things work together for good for them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. {God’s Will and Design For Your Life – Inspirational Bible Verses}

How many people ask themselves this question

  “How did I get so blessed to be where I am in God’s will for my life?”

How many people in their life are willing to place themselves in an open environment where they are willing to allow God planning their life? Most of the people do want to be in the centre of their own world. Everything has to turn around them. How many are willing to turn around the others? Even more important, how many are willing to give themselves to the Creator of the universe and to allow Him track their path and to bring them in contact with the right people?

Lots of people forget that being in the centre of God’s will, no matter the circumstance, shall make them as one of ‘the luckiest persons on earth’ (if I may use that expression). Luck is hidden in a little corner. Happiness is hidden in each of us. It are we, human people who create borders and difficulties to get in constructive personal contact with others.

Being so self focused many of us have you become so tired, worn out, broken down, frustrated, stressed out, hopeless and discouraged that they feel like they can’t even make it through the day and dread facing tomorrow.

We all know that feeling of being pushed in the corner by others, or by awkward situations. Many of us even have the impression it are they who are in the picture for the bad.

Sometimes in life it seems that the only experiences that we are having are all bad ones. There are times that it seems that today is worse than yesterday, and we are in fear of what tomorrow will bring. Life seems to be one disaster after another, and we seem to be going from crisis to crisis. There are times when life drains all the energy from us and we find ourselves wiped out from the stress we are dealing with on a daily basis. {Bible Verses for Hurt, Broken, and Discouraged Lives – God Has a Plan}

All of us seem to grow fearful and anxious as we wait for things to get better. {Bible Verses for Hurt, Broken, and Discouraged Lives – God Has a Plan}

Many think they shall find answers in their virtual world of the internet social media. After work, or many already at work, do not mind forgetting what they really have to do at the workplace or at home, and get into their own little world of virtual friends and games of building farms or villages. They try to forget the real world with its many stressful situations.

We rush through life without stopping to check where we are going, or what we are doing.{Bible Verses for Hurt, Broken, and Discouraged Lives – God Has a Plan}

We should know that we better get into the real world and dare to face all its problems. We for sure can not solve all those problems. We should not worry that we are not able to solve everything. We should just try to do our best and get together with others to help each-other to grow strong in this tempting world.

The Nazarene Jeshua (Jesus Christ) was a Master-teacher, who was totally not concerned about himself. He put himself totally at the side and only wanted to do the will of his heavenly Father. He brought the Words of his Father to many and asked them to spread the same Good News he gave them. Jesus asked them to go out in the world and to look for like minded people who are willing to share the same hope as he gave them.

He warned them they also could feel lonely and hated, because others would not like it they being followers of him, worshipping the Only One God of gods. But he assured them that when they would come to look for each other and join in meetings, they would find the brotherly love he gave them and which could bring us all united in a world where there would be no war or pain any more.

By sharing that love Jesus gave to us, and finding believers who also want to worship that Only One God we shall be able to find those friends who can build us up and together would be willing to build up that community in which Jesus is the cornerstone. There we shall be able to find the real friends, who we shall be willing to call ‘brothers‘ and ‘sisters‘. With them we shall be looking forward to the fulfilment of God’s Plan.

Part of the process of God’s wondrous ability to bless our lives is you and I taking the time to slow down petition the throne of Grace and listen for His voice. As we slow down and wait on Him, we will be reminded of our complete and utter dependence on His strength. When we take the time to stop, pray; slow down and wait on Him – He will bring the resolution to our problems as and reveal His plan for our lives. {Bible Verses for Hurt, Broken, and Discouraged Lives – God Has a Plan}

As disciples of Christ we can come to counting lives and friends dear to us. Today this can happen in a less dangerous manner than in the first century of this era. The message did keep the same and the reason to make friends in Christ has become to be quickened, because time runs out. Day by day we shall be coming closer to the end times and when World War III will be a fact, it would be to late. Today our priority should be to form a loving brotherhood. It is now that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us by sharing true riches with as many as we can. Knowing that tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair we should be giving out our hand to many around us in love speaking words of kindness. Willing to walk with all kinds of people in love by faith, not by sight, together making church as united people under Christ.

When you are feeling lonely do know you are not alone. Tsundukani Baloyi writes:

The thing about feeling lonely is that it doesn’t matter who you choose to waste your time with whether it may be with friends, a lover or any significant other, you will still feel lonely. You could be in a room filled with people and still not feel as though you are part of the crowd. I don’t know, feeling lonely sucks at times. It drains the living hell out of you and the worst part of it is that you won’t even know why you feeling lonely in the first place. {Lonely}

When you are feeling lonely then, it is perhaps because you do not feel the mediator Jesus close to you, nor his heavenly Father who shall always be there by those who are looking for Him.

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When this article was published there where: 7 238 140 550 people on this earth.

Additional literature:

1. Internet absurdities
2. Changing screens
3. Words to push and pull
4. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
5. When you think you have nothing to say or to show
6. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
7. Putting your feelings into words and sharing them
8. Hello America and atheists
9. Message of Pope Francis I for the 48th World Communications Day
10. Be Honest
11. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #12 Prayer #10 Talk to A Friend
12. From Winterdarkness into light of Spring
13. To be chained by love for another one
14. God won’t ask
15. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose
16. A goal is a dream with a plan
17. If You want to start winning the war
18. Engaging the enemy
19. Intellectual servility a curse of mankind
20. We should use the Bible every day
21. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
22. Science, belief, denial and visibility 2
23. A participation in the body of Christ (CdEcclesia)
24. A participation in the body of Christ
25. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
26. Congregate, to gather, to meet
27. Meeting – Vergadering
28. Parish, local church community – Parochie, plaatselijke kerkgemeenschap
29. Reasons to come to gether
30. Fellowship
31. Integrity of the fellowship
32. Feeling-good, search for happiness and the church
33. Making church
34. What’s church for, anyway?
35. The Church, Body of Christ and remnant Israel synonymous
36. Many churches
37. Synagogue, Church or Ecclesia for the Christian
38. When we love we do not need laws
39. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
40. Priority to form a loving brotherhood

+++

Related articles

• Not So Lonely, After All (galinbluejeans.wordpress.com)
  I thought you came back for me. So I’d not feel lonely, especially ’cause Priya & Sahana weren’t at school, and neither was Shyam. It was really sweet of you, RB
• Now 7.2 billion humans, and counting (earthsky.org)
  United Nations demographers declared a day last week (July 11, 2013) as World Population Day, at the same time saying that our global human population has now reached 7.2 billion and counting. The 7.2 billion number appears in the most recent of the biannual reports from the UN Population Division called World Population Prospects, which you can find here. This report also gave current projections for future population:
• Nigeria’s population will outstrip US as world’s population will rise to 9.7bn in 2050 (vanguardngr.com)
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• Think the U.S. Is a Crowded Place? Check Out This Cool Map Showing Where Nobody Lives (theblaze.com)
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• My Poem ‘The Lonely Word’ (poetofthesphere.com)
  You can sometimes think you are walking alone
  even when you are in a crowd;
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  even when the world sounds so loud;
  you can sometimes see the world distorted;
  you can sometimes hear the distant call
  of someone who you may not have seen for a long time,
  who is nowhere even near you at that exact time-
  like the voice of a ghost,
  but even though you can’t see that person
  you have no doubt as to its origin,
  and you will swear on your life
  that you heard the person that you heard say what they said
  in the way and in the voice that they said it.
• You’re so used to (lynneadam.wordpress.com)
  You’re so used to being lonely.
  Not alone, but lonely.
  Lonely,
  Because alone is only for a while,
  But lonely is a state.
  Lonely is forever.
• Philly’s Population Still Growing (phillymag.com)
  “In its estimate for 2013, the Census Bureau put the city’s population at 1,553, 165, an increase of about 25,000 residents – or two percent – over 2010.  … Nineteen of the nation’s 20 largest cities rose in population between 2010 and last year. The lone exception is Detroit, which saw its population decline by 3 percent.” Here’s the full list of America’s biggest cities and their growth since 2010.
• ‘Lonely’ bacteria increase risk of antibiotic resistance (scienceblog.com)
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• Lonely (tsundukanibaloyi.wordpress.com)

A Glory followed by Despair

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• The Demons of Denial and Despair (cerkas.wordpress.com)
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• Liturgy (6/1) (immanuelblog.wordpress.com)

  We have lived for our own glory and not yours alone.

  We have worshipped other gods: money, power, greed, and convenience.

  We have served our own self-interest

  instead of serving only you and your people.

  We have not loved our neighbors as you have commanded.

(banana)bila's Blog 😀

Where I thought I wouldn’t achieve it
I did
Where I thought I wouldn’t cry
I did
Where we all thought we wouldn’t stand up for each other
We did

A glory followed by despair
A glory that I won
Yet the despair that came out of nowhere

When you feel like everything you do is wrong
Where you feel like you should do one sacrifice
Where it all ends, where we all are sad
When comfort isn’t enough for those in despair

Forgive me my friends
But your journey is still far ahead
Forgive me my friends
I may disappoint all of you
Forgive me my friends
For coming in with victory while leaving you all alone in deep sadness

Do not say congratulations to me
I am congratulating you
For all we went through,
I have to admit it was tough
But you were tougher to face it

View original post 78 more words

Not following the tradition of man

Looking for having success we can follow different paths. To come to the most positive way to get somewhere we best look into the very Old book of books, the bible where we can find a lot of advice, better than that of man of today.

The first of the Epistles to the Colossians (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 KJ21)

The apostle Paul tells the Colossians,

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition …” (Letter to the Colossians 2:8);

telling them that

“they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23).

What is of value?

It is by

“holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God” (Colossians 2:19).

And how does this happen?

By reading the word of God; it provides essential spiritual nourishment that we need every day. But it is not so much a case of trying to stop ourselves doing things that our human nature inclines us toward thinking and doing, but rather trying to occupy our thoughts to a greater degree with spiritual things. The result will be that we will be less and less inclined to indulge in fleshly thoughts and activities, but will grow “with a growth that is from God” as we appreciate his word to an ever greater degree.

Reading the Word of God we can come to get to know the Works of God, His Plan, how He has chosen Himself a people and how we too can become partakers of the promise God made in the Garden of Eden. There a positive message was given to those who had broken the relationship with God. The Creator saw the faults of the 1° Adam and took care that there would come a 2° Adam to save all people. But it would be up to the people themselves to accept or to ignore the Good News of the Saviour.

The promised one was the son of God, the Nazarene Jeshua (Jesus Christ). Under his blessing a person can come “in the light of Christ” and can get a positive mind. To come to more knowledge and mature in faith and spirit the person has to open his mind  in such a way that Christ can come in him or her. The one who got to know Christ wants to build a relationship with him and with his followers.

Central to our relationship with God is “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). “Him we proclaim”, writes Paul, “that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

How is your maturity developing? Absorbing the true sense of the divine word is a foundation for this. May we all increase day by day in the “knowledge of God” and become “mature in Christ” so his way of thinking becomes more and more our way of thinking.

Such a right way of thinking shall also create a right way of living and having us taking on the right attitude for living and for having good relationships with others and to become successful in our life. We also can see that like at the beginning of the world the 1° Adam rejected the right of God to be the Master in the world, we do find lots of people who take such an adversary attitude against the Creator as well. They mostly bring lots of negative elements against those who believe in the Creator. They also shall try to do everything to get those believers a negative feeling.

From Scriptures we learn that we should not envy others, but we also come to see how the world develops and which position human beings are going to take in it and how we are set to chose. We also have to make up our choice to whom we want to belong.

Note in the dramatic account of Paul’s experience of shipwreck on the way to Rome in Acts 27 that Paul says

“the God I worship”

and then significantly adds,

“to whom I belong.”

Do we view our God in that way?

Those who are baptised commit their lives into the service of God and of Jesus Christ His son. In the same way, the people of Israel under Moses entered into a covenant with God. Moses told them,

“For thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 7:6 ASV)

Sadly, most of the people in the generations that followed failed to have the sense of belonging to God possessed by those entering the promised land. If we make no commitment to belong to God, then we belong to the world – a world which is facing an awesome shipwreck!

Isaiah has a vision of our days; it describes a time when the kingdoms of men come to an end and “the lofty pride of man shall be humbled” (Isaiah 2:11). It is a message against “every high tower” (Isaiah 2:15) and never have buildings been built higher than today. Later Isaiah sees in vision:

We should be conscious that there shall come a day thta we shall not have to face the day of man but the day of the Adonai, divine Creator Who shall bind up the wounds of His people and shall heal the bruise caused by the blow they received from other man. at that day those who did not want to know of the Name of the Most High shall have to hear that Holy Name of the Adonai, the Most High Lord the elohim Hashem Jehovah. At that day those who did not want to know of Him shall hear and see from afar, his anger burning, in thick rising smoke. they than should know it is too late to avoid His lips full to the brim with fury, His tongue a consuming fire. His breath shall race over them like a tornado or like a racing torrent that rises up to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction, and put a bridle in the peoples’ mouths to lead them astray. Shall you be ready and shall your song be like one that is sung on a night when a holy feast is kept, and will your heart be happy, as if walking to the sound of the flute, to the mountain of Jehovah, the Adonai, to the rock of Isra’el?

“24 the oxen likewise and the young asses that till the ground shall eat savory provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fork. 25 And there shall be upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill, brooks [and] streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. 26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27  Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire; 28 and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reacheth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction: and a bridle that causeth to err [shall be] in the jaws of the peoples. 29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.” (Isaiah 30:24-29 ASV)

Those who do not know God’s word will indeed be terrified. But those who know God’s word, although their faith will be tested – as “man is humbled and each one is brought low” (Isaiah 2:9) – they will then rejoice in the total wonder of those days. Will you be there? You make the answer now!

Therefore it is important that you make the right choice and take the positive route. Not getting afraid of man around you, making you shy and withdrawn, or getting you down even to become depressed, but standing strong not getting intimidated by man, but believing and trusting in the Hand which is much more Powerful than any human person, remembering:

“The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.” (Isaiah 2:11 ASV)

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Additional reading:

1. What is life?
2. Greatest single cause of atheism
3. Do not be afraid. Good news because a Saviour has been born
4. Fear not tomorrow. God is already there
5. When discouraged facing opposition
6. Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother
7. Relationship with God (articles)
8. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
9. God’s wisdom for the believer brings peace
10. True riches
11. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
12. Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) by Chris Tomlin (video)
13. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
14. Fearing the right person
15. Anxiety is the gap between the now and the later
16. God become master of our passions
17. Power in the life of certain
18. Being sure of their deliverance

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