The election of Barak Hussein Obama to the Presidency of the United States has been met with joy and celebration by many people, including many professing Christians, all over the world.
I don't share in this joy.
I feel like I'm about the see the woman I've loved my whole life raped by my worst enemy who I know is infected with AIDS, and there's nothing I can do about it.
Maybe you feel the same way.
My thoughts are this.
Although I love America I do not consider myself a citizen of that country, or any other earthly kingdom. I consider myself a citizen ofthe Kingdom of Christ, and I'm privileged to live in Israel, which is the Embassy of that Kingdom here on this earth (the Rabbis' vehement denials of this notwithstanding.)
For many American Christians, the USA was a bit of an idol, which we worshipped six days a week and only forgot about for a short time on Sunday. We were so confused that we thought that part of being a good Christian was being a patriotic American. I myself was the most guilty of this, along with other idols I worshipped, like guns and American military power. I worshipped them by loving them, putting my hope in them, and by trusting in them for my protection. It is time to get rid of those idols, and concentrate all our worship on the One True God.
There will be no American Flags flying when Christ returns to this earth.
Another Idol we need to get rid of is the Republican Party. Many American Christians vote Republican, and there's nothing wrong with that. But when we start to think of it as the institution that can"save" us and when we devote an inordinate amount of time, money, effort and energy to it, when we start to worry more about the health of the Republican Party then the health of the Body of Christ, then it becomes an idol.
The American people overwhelmingly rejected the Republican Party in this election, and the reasons are many. But one of the most often heard complaints about the Republican Party among the rank and file people who used to support it but no longer feel like they can is that it is "to right wing and Christian."
Among the largely secular leadership of the Party apparatus, there have long been murmurings about the "infernal nuisance" of all these "God people" who the Party needed for financial support and votes but whose Biblical Ideology the "pragmatic, realistic" Moderates wished they didn't have to cater to. For many years there has been a tug of war for the soul of the Republican Party, between the Christians who wanted the Party to focuson Biblical issues and the Moderates who wanted the Party to focus more on social and economic issues.
My prediction is that with this election, the secular Moderates will win this tug of war by pointing out (correctly I'm sorry to say) that the vast majority of voters will be more likely to support the Republican Party if their agenda instead of the Christian agenda is focused on.
Therefore, my advice, which I know will shock and dismay many, is to stop wasting precious time, talent and resources on the Republican Party. Leave gracefully, before the Moderates throw you out. Wish them well, and turn your attention to the more pressing work of re-building your own churches and communities from the ground up, because that's what is needed.
The sad fact is that the Church in America is a mile wide and an inch deep. You can see that in the fact that almost half of American Christians (and 78% of American Jews BTW) just voted for the most unapologetically anti-God candidate ever.
For far to long, it has been possible to be a luke-warm Christian in America. The one good thing about this election is that this will no longer be an option. There is coming a time of tremendous persecution on the church in America, and as much as it pains me to say this, that might be exactly what the church needs.
It will be a time when the wheat will be separated from the chaff and people will have to make a choice to either get serious or get out.
This persecution will come in the form, at first, of a revolution in popular culture that will embrace the idea that Mankind is destined to unite in peace and brotherhood, under the aegis of Secular Humanism, Science, Socialism and Progress.
The governments of the world will take advantage of the chaos and confusion caused by this financial crisis to push through a further integration of the worlds economic and political systems.
There will be only two really big roadblocks in the way of this plan. The Bible Believing Church, and the Nation of Israel.
The Church will block it by refusing to bow to the Idols of Secular Humanism and Israel will block it by refusing to give up its Independence. The Arab Muslim worlds' unwillingness to allow Israel to live in peace and Israeli unwillingness to be sacrificed to appease the Arab Muslim world will lead many to believe that Israel must be forced into disappearing so that an end can be found to the central conflict which fuels so many other conflicts around the world.
Anyone who belongs to or supports Israel and/or the Church will be painted as an "enemy of human progress" and subjected to tremendous abuse and pressure to go along with the new program "for the common good of all mankind."
Popular culture, which has already done much to heap disdain and contempt on Israel and the Church, will ramp up the pressure in the months and years ahead far beyond anything we've ever seen before.
The school system will also put tremendous pressure on our children to renounce their Christian faith and embrace the Satanically inspired ideology of Secular Humanism which teaches that every individual is the god of their own life and can live according to whatever rules (or lack of rules) they feel comfortable with.
It will start out being an outburst of popular sentiment, not officially sanctioned by the Government. But it will not stay that way. It will at some point become Government policy, and that is when the real reign of terror and persecution will begin.
Although this will be painful, and we will see many people we love falling away and those who don't suffering terribly, it is necessary and those who remain strong and steady will be choice. They will be the quality that the quantity of "Christians" in America has for to long been seen by many as a substitute.
The only person you can change is yourself. But you can pray for others who you love that they will also change, that they won't fall away, that they won't bow to the persecution that is coming. Be the best example you can be to them, and spend as much time as you can in the Word and in prayer, so that you can be prepared to give an answer to all who ask about Him.
There is one more thing I must say.
Because I know my countrymen so well, I know that many of them are thinking very seriously about resisting the coming persecution with violence. This is something we MUST NOT DO!
Put your rifle away, and reach instead for your Sword, which is the Word of God. Read and memorize it, internalize it, drink it in and be prepared to quote it and recite it so that those who persecute you might hear and be saved. It might occur that your last act on this earth would be to witness the Love of God to the man who martyrs you, and it might be that that witness is what saves his soul, and in the world to come you will be rewarded for it. Whereas if you kill him he will go to Hell and you will be held accountable for it in the world to come.
Everything that you have in this world will soon pass away, including your own life. The time we will have to endure is short, and the reward will be great. But the Ten Commandments still apply, and we will be held accountable for our actions and words. If we kill to preserve, for a very short time, our possessions or even our lives, then we will answer for it and the answer we will have to give will not be worth it.
As the Apostle Paul said, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain."
Never has that been more true then now, when our remaining time here in this world is so short.
So study the Word, witness constantly, pray for your loved ones to be strong and for mercy to abide in the hearts of those who persecute the End Times Church.
Pray without ceasing, that you and your loved ones would be saved. And pray for Israel and the Jews, for their protection and their redemption, which, as it is written, will be life from the dead for the whole world.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Investment advice.
The crisis facing the worlds economy just seems to be getting worse and worse. I have a few thoughts on this subject, and here they are, for what they're worth.
1) This will not remain solely an economic crisis. This will very quickly become a political and social crisis. There have already been food riots in several countries by desperate, starving people. In the very near future, because of crop failures, religious tensions and the continuing financial crisis, there are going to be much larger and more dangerous socio-political disturbances all over the world, including in the West.
2) As bad as things are now financially, there is the potential for things to get catastrophically worse. If the US Federal Government ever defaults on its debt (which it seems inevitable that this will happen someday) then what we're seeing in the global banking industry in these last few months will look like a day at the beach. If there is another serious crisis, like a major hurricane, earthquake, terrorist attacks or a large outbreak of flu or other infectious disease, the governments of the world will be to overwhelmed to deal with it effectively.
3) This isn't just a recession. This is the end of an Era in human history. Things will never be the same for anyone anywhere. The sooner you get your head around that fact, the better for you and everyone who depends on you.
4) It is during times of severe economic and political instability that despots and tyrants find it the easiest to subvert and destroy democratic governments. Because the people are hungry, desperate and frightened, they are most likely at times like this to be willing to trade their freedom for security. This has already happened in Russia, which had a brief flirtation with democracy and is now almost completely all the way back to being a dictatorship.
5) There is only one safe place to invest, and that's to put your money, your time and your efforts into the Kingdom of God.
Some of you might be tempted to neglect your prayer and Bible study time, stop attending church and concentrate as much as you can on your job so you can earn the money you think you need to maintain your lifestyle.
That is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Your lifestyle is over!
It's time to get serious about Eternity. Actually it's long past time, but that's why God is allowing all these things to happen. He's trying to get our attention, trying to get us to let go of all our idols and focus on Him. We should be grateful for His mercy and love in doing this.
How does one go about investing in the Kingdom?
First, find a church that teaches sound Biblical doctrine and give that church as much of your time, money and effort as possible. Involve your entire family in this process, so that the time you spend with your church is also time you spend with them. Follow the example of Jesus and forgive anyone in your family or at your church who has ever hurt you. It is only by first getting rid of all the bitterness in your heart that you can start to build something positive for the future.
Get involved with the other people in your church and help each other. Share whatever you have with everyone who needs it. Do with as little as you personally can, so that as many others as possible can have what they need. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find out how easy and gratifying this is, and how much that you think you need that actually you don't.
As Jesus said in Matthew 5:42, "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." And Paul exhorted us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver."
Every penny that you give to God and the work of His Kingdom will be returned to you, with interest, in this life and in the next life. So don't be stingy or greedy. This life will end someday and you'll have to stand before God and the only thing you'll have is what you gave to Him.
How else can you invest your time in the Kingdom?
Pray!
Buy a notebook and write in it the names of every single person you love, and every day at least once, go through that list of names and ask God to protect those people physically and to bring them to spiritual salvation. Prayer time should also be together with your family. The family that prays together stays together.
Pray for the political, economic and spiritual leaders in your community and your country. Pray for your pastor and his family. Pray for revival worldwide. Pray for God to take out all the anger, bitterness, despair and rage in your own heart and replace it with the freedom, confidence and joy which comes from His love.
But most of all, pray for Israel and the Jews.
Why?
Israel and the Jews are not just a nation-state like France or Japan.
The Jews are Gods chosen people, the group of people that He in His sovereign wisdom designated to be His representatives on this earth, and through whom he has used throughout history and even until this very minute, to work out His Plan and Purpose for the entire Human Race.
The country of Israel is not just a piece of real estate governed and controlled by a certain government unit. It is the Embassy of the Kingdom of God on planet earth. It is the physical manifestation of the Kingdom.
As God said in 1 Kings 11:36 ;
"And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there."
Jerusalem, the political capital of the State of Israel, is also the only city in the world where God, the ruler over all the Universe, has chosen to put His NAME, His throne, to be the capital of His Kingdom. It is a capital in every sense of the word, physical, spiritual and political.
That is why the country of Israel is so maligned and hated in this world, and why it is under constant and never ending attack, not only the physical attacks of missiles and suicide bombers, but the verbal attacks on university campuses, newspapers, and governments all over the world.
These people don't hate Israel and the Jews, they hate God. But they can't get at Him, so they attack His embassy and His ambassadors on this earth.
As the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
The main reason things are so rough in Israel is not because Hizbollah has 40,000 missiles in South Lebanon. It's not because the Palestinian terrorist/mafia groups ship thousands of tons of narcotics into Israel every year, and use the money to finance their terror operations. It's not because the governments of Iran, Syria and other Arab countries are arming themselves to the teeth and backing terrorist groups who wage a constant, low intensity (but high cost) conflict with Israel. It's not because of anything the ironically named Non-Aligned movement does at the United Nations, or because of the Arab boycott against Israel which they only harm themselves by maintaining. It's not because of the anti-Israel sentiment at the British Foreign Office or the US State Department.
All of those things can and have been overcome by Israel.
Things are rough in Israel because there are almost a billion Muslims on this planet who pray five times a day, and a lot of them are praying for Israel to be destroyed.
The war against Israel and the Jews is not just a war fought with tanks and missiles on the battlefield, it is a war fought with prayer and fasting and the weapons of the spirit on the spiritual battlefield.
The War against you and your family that Satan the Devil and his demons are fighting every day, to cause problems in your marriage, to cause problems at your job, to cause problems with your church, and to rob you of the time and energy to deal with those problems, are also being fought on the spiritual battlefield.
That is why we, the Believers, need to be fighting back.
In 2 Timothy 1:3 the Apostle Paul said; "I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day."
Paul was praying night and day for the Body of Believers and the people he loved. We must follow his example.
In 1 Samuel 12:23 the Prophet Samuel, speaking to the People of Israel, said "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. "
Samuel considered it to be a sin against the Lord to cease praying for Israel. We must follow his example.
Finally, in Matthew 5: 43-44 our Lord Jesus Himself said "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
The lesson I take from this is that we need to be praying for the Muslims, for the Atheists, for the pagans, and for all those who are unsaved. Pray for the United Nations, and the anti-Israel NGO's etc. Pray that God will replace the anger and hatred they have in their hearts with love for Him and His plan and for His people and His Nation.
The only way that there is ever going to be peace in the Middle East is when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, is living in the hearts of those who currently hate Israel so much. It is only by replacing the hatred in their hearts with love, and thus winning the spiritual war in the heavenly places, that we can have any hope of peace, and respite from the physical war on the battlefield.
The only way there is ever going to be peace in your life and the lives of your family is when there is peace between you and God, and when you've reconciled yourself to living for Him and serving Him and His Kingdom and not yourself or your lifestyle.
There is much more, but that's why you have a Bible of your own. You'll find the rest of what you need in its pages.
God bless you.
1) This will not remain solely an economic crisis. This will very quickly become a political and social crisis. There have already been food riots in several countries by desperate, starving people. In the very near future, because of crop failures, religious tensions and the continuing financial crisis, there are going to be much larger and more dangerous socio-political disturbances all over the world, including in the West.
2) As bad as things are now financially, there is the potential for things to get catastrophically worse. If the US Federal Government ever defaults on its debt (which it seems inevitable that this will happen someday) then what we're seeing in the global banking industry in these last few months will look like a day at the beach. If there is another serious crisis, like a major hurricane, earthquake, terrorist attacks or a large outbreak of flu or other infectious disease, the governments of the world will be to overwhelmed to deal with it effectively.
3) This isn't just a recession. This is the end of an Era in human history. Things will never be the same for anyone anywhere. The sooner you get your head around that fact, the better for you and everyone who depends on you.
4) It is during times of severe economic and political instability that despots and tyrants find it the easiest to subvert and destroy democratic governments. Because the people are hungry, desperate and frightened, they are most likely at times like this to be willing to trade their freedom for security. This has already happened in Russia, which had a brief flirtation with democracy and is now almost completely all the way back to being a dictatorship.
5) There is only one safe place to invest, and that's to put your money, your time and your efforts into the Kingdom of God.
Some of you might be tempted to neglect your prayer and Bible study time, stop attending church and concentrate as much as you can on your job so you can earn the money you think you need to maintain your lifestyle.
That is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Your lifestyle is over!
It's time to get serious about Eternity. Actually it's long past time, but that's why God is allowing all these things to happen. He's trying to get our attention, trying to get us to let go of all our idols and focus on Him. We should be grateful for His mercy and love in doing this.
How does one go about investing in the Kingdom?
First, find a church that teaches sound Biblical doctrine and give that church as much of your time, money and effort as possible. Involve your entire family in this process, so that the time you spend with your church is also time you spend with them. Follow the example of Jesus and forgive anyone in your family or at your church who has ever hurt you. It is only by first getting rid of all the bitterness in your heart that you can start to build something positive for the future.
Get involved with the other people in your church and help each other. Share whatever you have with everyone who needs it. Do with as little as you personally can, so that as many others as possible can have what they need. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find out how easy and gratifying this is, and how much that you think you need that actually you don't.
As Jesus said in Matthew 5:42, "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." And Paul exhorted us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver."
Every penny that you give to God and the work of His Kingdom will be returned to you, with interest, in this life and in the next life. So don't be stingy or greedy. This life will end someday and you'll have to stand before God and the only thing you'll have is what you gave to Him.
How else can you invest your time in the Kingdom?
Pray!
Buy a notebook and write in it the names of every single person you love, and every day at least once, go through that list of names and ask God to protect those people physically and to bring them to spiritual salvation. Prayer time should also be together with your family. The family that prays together stays together.
Pray for the political, economic and spiritual leaders in your community and your country. Pray for your pastor and his family. Pray for revival worldwide. Pray for God to take out all the anger, bitterness, despair and rage in your own heart and replace it with the freedom, confidence and joy which comes from His love.
But most of all, pray for Israel and the Jews.
Why?
Israel and the Jews are not just a nation-state like France or Japan.
The Jews are Gods chosen people, the group of people that He in His sovereign wisdom designated to be His representatives on this earth, and through whom he has used throughout history and even until this very minute, to work out His Plan and Purpose for the entire Human Race.
The country of Israel is not just a piece of real estate governed and controlled by a certain government unit. It is the Embassy of the Kingdom of God on planet earth. It is the physical manifestation of the Kingdom.
As God said in 1 Kings 11:36 ;
"And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there."
Jerusalem, the political capital of the State of Israel, is also the only city in the world where God, the ruler over all the Universe, has chosen to put His NAME, His throne, to be the capital of His Kingdom. It is a capital in every sense of the word, physical, spiritual and political.
That is why the country of Israel is so maligned and hated in this world, and why it is under constant and never ending attack, not only the physical attacks of missiles and suicide bombers, but the verbal attacks on university campuses, newspapers, and governments all over the world.
These people don't hate Israel and the Jews, they hate God. But they can't get at Him, so they attack His embassy and His ambassadors on this earth.
As the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
The main reason things are so rough in Israel is not because Hizbollah has 40,000 missiles in South Lebanon. It's not because the Palestinian terrorist/mafia groups ship thousands of tons of narcotics into Israel every year, and use the money to finance their terror operations. It's not because the governments of Iran, Syria and other Arab countries are arming themselves to the teeth and backing terrorist groups who wage a constant, low intensity (but high cost) conflict with Israel. It's not because of anything the ironically named Non-Aligned movement does at the United Nations, or because of the Arab boycott against Israel which they only harm themselves by maintaining. It's not because of the anti-Israel sentiment at the British Foreign Office or the US State Department.
All of those things can and have been overcome by Israel.
Things are rough in Israel because there are almost a billion Muslims on this planet who pray five times a day, and a lot of them are praying for Israel to be destroyed.
The war against Israel and the Jews is not just a war fought with tanks and missiles on the battlefield, it is a war fought with prayer and fasting and the weapons of the spirit on the spiritual battlefield.
The War against you and your family that Satan the Devil and his demons are fighting every day, to cause problems in your marriage, to cause problems at your job, to cause problems with your church, and to rob you of the time and energy to deal with those problems, are also being fought on the spiritual battlefield.
That is why we, the Believers, need to be fighting back.
In 2 Timothy 1:3 the Apostle Paul said; "I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day."
Paul was praying night and day for the Body of Believers and the people he loved. We must follow his example.
In 1 Samuel 12:23 the Prophet Samuel, speaking to the People of Israel, said "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. "
Samuel considered it to be a sin against the Lord to cease praying for Israel. We must follow his example.
Finally, in Matthew 5: 43-44 our Lord Jesus Himself said "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
The lesson I take from this is that we need to be praying for the Muslims, for the Atheists, for the pagans, and for all those who are unsaved. Pray for the United Nations, and the anti-Israel NGO's etc. Pray that God will replace the anger and hatred they have in their hearts with love for Him and His plan and for His people and His Nation.
The only way that there is ever going to be peace in the Middle East is when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, is living in the hearts of those who currently hate Israel so much. It is only by replacing the hatred in their hearts with love, and thus winning the spiritual war in the heavenly places, that we can have any hope of peace, and respite from the physical war on the battlefield.
The only way there is ever going to be peace in your life and the lives of your family is when there is peace between you and God, and when you've reconciled yourself to living for Him and serving Him and His Kingdom and not yourself or your lifestyle.
There is much more, but that's why you have a Bible of your own. You'll find the rest of what you need in its pages.
God bless you.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Vision Thing.
Proverbs 29:18 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish."
This verse was probably written by King Solomon, a leader who knew a thing or two about running a country.
George HW Bush, the 41st President of the United States, derided critics who said he didn't have any plans for what to do with America by calling it "The Vision thing." But as any serious student of Political history can tell you, if a leader doesn't have a goal that he or she can give the People (or followers) to shoot for, the nation or movement that person leads will quickly fall apart. Human beings are built to go forward, and if they aren't going forward to any specific goal they'll start going nowhere, fast.
That is what is happening in Israel today under the leadership of Ehud Olmert and the ironically named "Kadima" (Hebrew for Forward) Party.
Offering no goals to the People, and having no goals themselves except to stay in power, they are failing to give the Israeli public any motivation to move, and the Israeli public is allowing itself to fall into a self defeating lethargy that I'm afraid it will take something awful happening to shake us out of.
Unfortunately, this is also happening in the Believer community.
The leadership of the Community here in Israel doesn't have anything that could really be called a long term vision or plan. For that matter, there is so much division in the Body that there is no united effort of any kind.
The tools for creating and sustaining a long term, united effort are here. The most valuable resource being a large pool of second generation Sabra Israeli believers, the sons and daughters of those who came here over the years and blazed trails. These young people are in their 20's, many of them just out of the IDF. They speak fluent Hebrew (most of them also speak English) and know Israel and how to relate to Israelis from the inside. They are 110% Israeli.
There's just one problem.
No one is giving them any inspiration. No one is giving them any vision.
The result is that this precious and indispensable resource, which could be utilized in so many ways to spread the Gospel and build the Kingdom in Israel, is being frittered away or at best underutilized. Sporadic efforts at training and education and occasional youth conferences with little or no follow up are the best of what's going on. At worst, Sabra Israeli Believers are actually being encouraged to leave the country by parents who naturally think that they could have a better life in America or Europe, just like many non-Believer parents are doing.
This leads into a MUCH BIGGER problem in the Body worldwide. The psychotic aversion on the part of most pastors to use the "S" word.
What is the "S" word?
Sacrifice.
Yeshua talked a lot about sacrifice, including in one of His most famous sayings;
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)
In other words, the life of a Believer is not supposed to be fun or easy. It's hard work, and punishment, and sacrifice, and pain and suffering.
But what comes after will make it all worthwhile.
That's the Vision that Yeshua offered us, and it is the vision that far to many pastors and leaders of the Body, both here in Israel and worldwide, have ignored (and even turned upside down, e.g. the so called "Prosperity Teaching Movement.")
So I am asking, with all due respect, for the leadership of the Body here in the Land to please try and communicate this Vision to the members of the Body here in the Land, especially the young people. We are not on this Earth to have a good time, we're here to do a job. The fun will come later.
This verse was probably written by King Solomon, a leader who knew a thing or two about running a country.
George HW Bush, the 41st President of the United States, derided critics who said he didn't have any plans for what to do with America by calling it "The Vision thing." But as any serious student of Political history can tell you, if a leader doesn't have a goal that he or she can give the People (or followers) to shoot for, the nation or movement that person leads will quickly fall apart. Human beings are built to go forward, and if they aren't going forward to any specific goal they'll start going nowhere, fast.
That is what is happening in Israel today under the leadership of Ehud Olmert and the ironically named "Kadima" (Hebrew for Forward) Party.
Offering no goals to the People, and having no goals themselves except to stay in power, they are failing to give the Israeli public any motivation to move, and the Israeli public is allowing itself to fall into a self defeating lethargy that I'm afraid it will take something awful happening to shake us out of.
Unfortunately, this is also happening in the Believer community.
The leadership of the Community here in Israel doesn't have anything that could really be called a long term vision or plan. For that matter, there is so much division in the Body that there is no united effort of any kind.
The tools for creating and sustaining a long term, united effort are here. The most valuable resource being a large pool of second generation Sabra Israeli believers, the sons and daughters of those who came here over the years and blazed trails. These young people are in their 20's, many of them just out of the IDF. They speak fluent Hebrew (most of them also speak English) and know Israel and how to relate to Israelis from the inside. They are 110% Israeli.
There's just one problem.
No one is giving them any inspiration. No one is giving them any vision.
The result is that this precious and indispensable resource, which could be utilized in so many ways to spread the Gospel and build the Kingdom in Israel, is being frittered away or at best underutilized. Sporadic efforts at training and education and occasional youth conferences with little or no follow up are the best of what's going on. At worst, Sabra Israeli Believers are actually being encouraged to leave the country by parents who naturally think that they could have a better life in America or Europe, just like many non-Believer parents are doing.
This leads into a MUCH BIGGER problem in the Body worldwide. The psychotic aversion on the part of most pastors to use the "S" word.
What is the "S" word?
Sacrifice.
Yeshua talked a lot about sacrifice, including in one of His most famous sayings;
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)
In other words, the life of a Believer is not supposed to be fun or easy. It's hard work, and punishment, and sacrifice, and pain and suffering.
But what comes after will make it all worthwhile.
That's the Vision that Yeshua offered us, and it is the vision that far to many pastors and leaders of the Body, both here in Israel and worldwide, have ignored (and even turned upside down, e.g. the so called "Prosperity Teaching Movement.")
So I am asking, with all due respect, for the leadership of the Body here in the Land to please try and communicate this Vision to the members of the Body here in the Land, especially the young people. We are not on this Earth to have a good time, we're here to do a job. The fun will come later.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Burning Bibles.
Yesterday, reports came in that the mayor of Or Yehuda, a city near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, held a public meeting in which he burned several copies of the Brit Chadeshah (New Testament.)
The story goes that an Evangelistic group had gone door to door in the small community giving people copies in whichever language was best for them (Russian, Hebrew, English, etc.)
The chief rabbi of Hod Hasharon naturally threw a fit about it, went to the mayor and demanded that he "do something." The mayor responded with a public burning of several copies.
Several of the Messianic leaders here in the Land have expressed fear that this is a very bad, ominous sign of worse to come.
I respectfully disagree.
For starters, this is an obvious case of a politician who was forced (probably against his inclination) to "do something" about a "problem" that he probably didn't think was much of a problem but which he couldn't ignore. I'm speculating here but the mayor of a typical city in Israel is swamped with problems from unpaid salaries of city workers to garbage collection to inadequate budgets and so most of them would rather not waste time with something like this. But the city rabbi can tell people not to vote for him, so when the rabbi tells him something is a problem, the mayor has to respond.
Second, there's no such thing as bad publicity. When you ban a book, or burn it, you generate interest in it and make people wonder what the big deal is. This makes people want to read it because people are naturally drawn to that which is forbidden.
Third, being a burner of books is NOT a good image to have. It makes you look weak and insecure. Only people who are afraid of ideas burn books, and that always makes people wonder what idea it is that you are so worried about and afraid of.
So to this incident I give a resounding PRAISE THE LORD! All things work together for good, and I personally hope that as many people hear about this as possible.
The story goes that an Evangelistic group had gone door to door in the small community giving people copies in whichever language was best for them (Russian, Hebrew, English, etc.)
The chief rabbi of Hod Hasharon naturally threw a fit about it, went to the mayor and demanded that he "do something." The mayor responded with a public burning of several copies.
Several of the Messianic leaders here in the Land have expressed fear that this is a very bad, ominous sign of worse to come.
I respectfully disagree.
For starters, this is an obvious case of a politician who was forced (probably against his inclination) to "do something" about a "problem" that he probably didn't think was much of a problem but which he couldn't ignore. I'm speculating here but the mayor of a typical city in Israel is swamped with problems from unpaid salaries of city workers to garbage collection to inadequate budgets and so most of them would rather not waste time with something like this. But the city rabbi can tell people not to vote for him, so when the rabbi tells him something is a problem, the mayor has to respond.
Second, there's no such thing as bad publicity. When you ban a book, or burn it, you generate interest in it and make people wonder what the big deal is. This makes people want to read it because people are naturally drawn to that which is forbidden.
Third, being a burner of books is NOT a good image to have. It makes you look weak and insecure. Only people who are afraid of ideas burn books, and that always makes people wonder what idea it is that you are so worried about and afraid of.
So to this incident I give a resounding PRAISE THE LORD! All things work together for good, and I personally hope that as many people hear about this as possible.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Things will never be the same. Ami Ortiz and the 20th of March, 2008.
March 20th 2008 started out like any other day for me. It probably started that way for you as well.
I woke up in the morning, grumbled my way through a quick breakfast, then walked down to the bus stop so I could get on a bus that would take me to work.
Work was basically the same that day too. Boring. Routine. Nothing unusual.
As the day was drawing to an end I was looking forward to going home for my afternoon routine of a shower, checking my email, eating supper and then reading a book until I went to bed. Maybe if one of my friends called we'd go do something.
But about an hour before quitting time a call came in from my friend Hillel's wife. He and I and one Russian guy are the only Believers at our job, and we do what we can to support each other.
The call was bad news. There had been an explosion at the home of my pastor, David Ortiz. His son Ami was severely wounded. This had only just happened so we didn't know how bad it was. The bomb had been delivered in a Purim holiday package such as Israelis often send to each other for the holiday. The suspicion was that it was an attack directed at the leader of the kehilah in Ariel by anti missionary types.
The next hour, the last hour of work, usually goes by pretty quick, but on that day it didn't.
I called and/or text messaged everyone I knew who prays to be praying for Ami and his parents. After that Hillel and I said a short prayer together. He's known the family for over 20 years and his youngest son and Ami have grown up together. Hillel was very distraught, and also very angry.
I wasn't angry but I was very nervous.
I have been close to violence before, but I have never been directly attacked myself. I have no idea how I'd react if I was. I don't think I want to find out.
Finally it was time for us to go home. On the bus Hillel told me he would change into his volunteer police uniform and meet me at the Ortiz apartment. The apartment I'm staying in at the moment is less then a block away from the Ortiz home, so I went home, quickly showered and changed and walked down there.
Yoav, one of the other men in our Kehilah, called and told me he'd soon be there and to wait for him before I talked to the police. This I did, and while I was waiting Eli, a volunteer from Texas who has been coming to our kehilah while he's been here, also walked up.
The police had the whole block taped off and only people who lived in the building were allowed to get close. One neighbor had had his vehicle parked under the apartment and the rear window had been smashed by a falling brick.
There was media from all over Israel there, taking video, interviewing neighbors and police and adding to the chaos and tension.
Dusty, the Ortiz's dog, was also wandering around and he bolted when I tried to pet him. Later we learned that he had temporarily lost his hearing and was acting in a very peculiar way.
Hillel came and was talking to his buddies from the city police. He told me what they knew, which wasn't much.
Soon Yoav arrived and together we went and talked to the police. David had been in communication with the police so they knew that Yoav was to be allowed to enter the apartment as soon as they were done gathering evidence. He told the them that Eli and I were also family friends and so we would also be allowed to enter.
Soon our beloved leader, Mayor Ron Nachman, arrived and spoke vigorously to the TV people. Shortly thereafter, most of them packed up and left.
That's one of the reasons he's beloved!
Then people gathered around him and he told the crowd what was going on, assured them that there was no need to panic, asked them to pray for the family, and then frankly suggested that they all to go home and let the professionals handle the rest.
I was very impressed. There aren't many politicians in this world who serve their constituents as well as Ron Nachman, mayor of Ariel.
It was getting late and we were hungry so Eli went to the Texas mini golf and got three burgers with fries for us. I knew we'd be better off eating before we went upstairs.
Finally, after the sun had gone down and almost everyone else had gone home, the police finished up and we went in.
The scene was pretty ghastly. There was lots of blood on the floor and lots of broken glass and furniture. The concrete walls also had lots of shrapnel holes and even the upstairs sliding glass doors had been blown out. The table itself, where the package had been sitting when it exploded, had a big ugly bite taken out of it, and the floor underneath had a gouge in it too.
The three of us looked at each other with the question of "where do we start" on every face.
I took a bunch of pictures because I knew the insurance company would want them and also, quite honestly, because the journalists instinct I have told me that I had an exclusive story here that a lot of people would want to know about. I ended up writing the story up in two Believer publications, and my pictures got used in others. I felt weird about advancing my journalistic career with a tragedy like this, but a colleague of mine assured me that I had nothing to feel bad about and that this is how it works.
I guess so.
We sat down for a quick prayer before we got started, and while we were praying another one of David's sons came in. He was on emergency leave from the Army. He looked at the scene for a few moments and then silently went into his room to change into civilian clothes. He and his buddy then took a few things that his parents needed and left to go to the hospital.
After the prayer time, I suggested that the first priority was to sweep up all the broken glass, because it made no sense for someone else to get hurt and broken glass is very dangerous. Also, I knew that we had to start somewhere and the important thing was to get the ball rolling.
So I started sweeping up in the living room, Eli went upstairs to clean up the patio and Yoav, bless him, cleaned up the blood in the kitchen. I am not a squeamish person, but I was happy to let him do that part just the same.
While we were working, a woman named Olga who is another one of David's neighbors came and asked what she could do to help. I told her that we only had one broom so if she had another one and could bring it that would be a big help. This she did and for about an hour the four of us swept up all the glass, took the broken pieces of furniture down to the dumpster and vacuumed all the carpets.
Dusty kept sniffing around the blood and I finally put him in the other apartment. Leaving the creepiness aside, it's a very bad thing for a domestic dog to taste human blood. It can cause undesirable changes in their character.
Finally, the worst of it was cleaned up. Olga left and then Eli and I left while Yoav stayed in the apartment that night to keep an eye on everything. I don't know how much he slept.
In the next several weeks, a lot of good things came about.
Believers from all over the world sent their love, prayer support, and blessings to the Ortiz family and the kehilah in Ariel. There were also contacts made between Believers here in the Land between many people who had lived in the same communities for years and not been aware of each other.
You could say Believers started "coming out of the woodwork."
But that story is told, among other places, in the articles I wrote.
The purpose of this blog posting is just to tell the events of that day as I saw them with my own two eyes, for the historical record and also as a warning.
I believe we are entering into a new era in the Body of Messiah. It is going to be a time of increasing persecution and attacks, both in the physical realm and in the spiritual.
The defenses we have against these attacks are the same tools we've always had, daily prayer, daily Bible study, and daily fellowship with other Believers.
I say we've always had these tools but obviously we haven't always used them. I myself am the first one to be rebuked.
It's long past time to get serious.
I woke up in the morning, grumbled my way through a quick breakfast, then walked down to the bus stop so I could get on a bus that would take me to work.
Work was basically the same that day too. Boring. Routine. Nothing unusual.
As the day was drawing to an end I was looking forward to going home for my afternoon routine of a shower, checking my email, eating supper and then reading a book until I went to bed. Maybe if one of my friends called we'd go do something.
But about an hour before quitting time a call came in from my friend Hillel's wife. He and I and one Russian guy are the only Believers at our job, and we do what we can to support each other.
The call was bad news. There had been an explosion at the home of my pastor, David Ortiz. His son Ami was severely wounded. This had only just happened so we didn't know how bad it was. The bomb had been delivered in a Purim holiday package such as Israelis often send to each other for the holiday. The suspicion was that it was an attack directed at the leader of the kehilah in Ariel by anti missionary types.
The next hour, the last hour of work, usually goes by pretty quick, but on that day it didn't.
I called and/or text messaged everyone I knew who prays to be praying for Ami and his parents. After that Hillel and I said a short prayer together. He's known the family for over 20 years and his youngest son and Ami have grown up together. Hillel was very distraught, and also very angry.
I wasn't angry but I was very nervous.
I have been close to violence before, but I have never been directly attacked myself. I have no idea how I'd react if I was. I don't think I want to find out.
Finally it was time for us to go home. On the bus Hillel told me he would change into his volunteer police uniform and meet me at the Ortiz apartment. The apartment I'm staying in at the moment is less then a block away from the Ortiz home, so I went home, quickly showered and changed and walked down there.
Yoav, one of the other men in our Kehilah, called and told me he'd soon be there and to wait for him before I talked to the police. This I did, and while I was waiting Eli, a volunteer from Texas who has been coming to our kehilah while he's been here, also walked up.
The police had the whole block taped off and only people who lived in the building were allowed to get close. One neighbor had had his vehicle parked under the apartment and the rear window had been smashed by a falling brick.
There was media from all over Israel there, taking video, interviewing neighbors and police and adding to the chaos and tension.
Dusty, the Ortiz's dog, was also wandering around and he bolted when I tried to pet him. Later we learned that he had temporarily lost his hearing and was acting in a very peculiar way.
Hillel came and was talking to his buddies from the city police. He told me what they knew, which wasn't much.
Soon Yoav arrived and together we went and talked to the police. David had been in communication with the police so they knew that Yoav was to be allowed to enter the apartment as soon as they were done gathering evidence. He told the them that Eli and I were also family friends and so we would also be allowed to enter.
Soon our beloved leader, Mayor Ron Nachman, arrived and spoke vigorously to the TV people. Shortly thereafter, most of them packed up and left.
That's one of the reasons he's beloved!
Then people gathered around him and he told the crowd what was going on, assured them that there was no need to panic, asked them to pray for the family, and then frankly suggested that they all to go home and let the professionals handle the rest.
I was very impressed. There aren't many politicians in this world who serve their constituents as well as Ron Nachman, mayor of Ariel.
It was getting late and we were hungry so Eli went to the Texas mini golf and got three burgers with fries for us. I knew we'd be better off eating before we went upstairs.
Finally, after the sun had gone down and almost everyone else had gone home, the police finished up and we went in.
The scene was pretty ghastly. There was lots of blood on the floor and lots of broken glass and furniture. The concrete walls also had lots of shrapnel holes and even the upstairs sliding glass doors had been blown out. The table itself, where the package had been sitting when it exploded, had a big ugly bite taken out of it, and the floor underneath had a gouge in it too.
The three of us looked at each other with the question of "where do we start" on every face.
I took a bunch of pictures because I knew the insurance company would want them and also, quite honestly, because the journalists instinct I have told me that I had an exclusive story here that a lot of people would want to know about. I ended up writing the story up in two Believer publications, and my pictures got used in others. I felt weird about advancing my journalistic career with a tragedy like this, but a colleague of mine assured me that I had nothing to feel bad about and that this is how it works.
I guess so.
We sat down for a quick prayer before we got started, and while we were praying another one of David's sons came in. He was on emergency leave from the Army. He looked at the scene for a few moments and then silently went into his room to change into civilian clothes. He and his buddy then took a few things that his parents needed and left to go to the hospital.
After the prayer time, I suggested that the first priority was to sweep up all the broken glass, because it made no sense for someone else to get hurt and broken glass is very dangerous. Also, I knew that we had to start somewhere and the important thing was to get the ball rolling.
So I started sweeping up in the living room, Eli went upstairs to clean up the patio and Yoav, bless him, cleaned up the blood in the kitchen. I am not a squeamish person, but I was happy to let him do that part just the same.
While we were working, a woman named Olga who is another one of David's neighbors came and asked what she could do to help. I told her that we only had one broom so if she had another one and could bring it that would be a big help. This she did and for about an hour the four of us swept up all the glass, took the broken pieces of furniture down to the dumpster and vacuumed all the carpets.
Dusty kept sniffing around the blood and I finally put him in the other apartment. Leaving the creepiness aside, it's a very bad thing for a domestic dog to taste human blood. It can cause undesirable changes in their character.
Finally, the worst of it was cleaned up. Olga left and then Eli and I left while Yoav stayed in the apartment that night to keep an eye on everything. I don't know how much he slept.
In the next several weeks, a lot of good things came about.
Believers from all over the world sent their love, prayer support, and blessings to the Ortiz family and the kehilah in Ariel. There were also contacts made between Believers here in the Land between many people who had lived in the same communities for years and not been aware of each other.
You could say Believers started "coming out of the woodwork."
But that story is told, among other places, in the articles I wrote.
The purpose of this blog posting is just to tell the events of that day as I saw them with my own two eyes, for the historical record and also as a warning.
I believe we are entering into a new era in the Body of Messiah. It is going to be a time of increasing persecution and attacks, both in the physical realm and in the spiritual.
The defenses we have against these attacks are the same tools we've always had, daily prayer, daily Bible study, and daily fellowship with other Believers.
I say we've always had these tools but obviously we haven't always used them. I myself am the first one to be rebuked.
It's long past time to get serious.
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