Discipleship Network Forum

“May the LORD show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he was often  a comfort to me and was not ashamed of my being in prison.  On the contrary, when he came to Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me.  May the LORD grant it to him to find mercy from ADONAI on that Day.  And you know very well how much he helped me in Ephesus. “(Eph 1:16-17)

                  At Paul’s first defense in Rome, everyone deserted him.  He was left totally alone.  The Christian brothers were ashamed of him.  Everyone in the churches of the province of Asia also turned away from Paul even its prominent leaders.  But the LORD stood by him and gave him the power to proclaim the Gospel before the court of Caesar.  The Gospel could not be chained even though Paul was.

                  There was one person who was not ashamed of Paul.  He travelled all the way from Ephesus and earnestly looked  for Paul among all the prisoners of Rome.  To the jailers, Paul was just another prisoner, but to Onesiphorus, Paul was the elder and itinerant preacher who travelled long and hard from Jerusalem to give him the message of life.  A debt he could never repay.  So he came to Rome purposely to serve the precious elder for the remaining days of his imprisonment.

                  To many of the Pharisees and other Jews, Paul wasted his life but to Onesiphorus, Paul was a light to the Gentiles who were perishing.  At the end of his life, only the closest disciples of Paul stood by him.  All the more, Paul’s martyrdom spurred them to go everywhere where Paul did not so that people may hear of the LORD YESHUA.

                  Paul was never alone, although there may have been times when he became very lonely.  The LORD YESHUA was always with him.  As He promised, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

                  Is your loyalty like the dew of dawn that goes away early?  Everyone has a price.  What is yours?  Like Onesiphorus, my price has already been met at the foot of the Cross.

                  I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine!

      מלאך

              Therefore be very careful how you live — not as unwise but as wise,

              taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

              For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding

              what the Lord's will is. (Eph 5:15-17) 

      Living on the alert means approaching life with eyes wide open to every opportunity and challenge.   The problem is, not every opportunity comes with a label that says “Here I am!”  More often, opportunities hide in the midst of trials.  It takes a persevering and discerning spirit to know the blessing within the experience and an enlightened heart to know the way out while optimizing the challenge.  Bro. Paul advices us to be careful how we live, applying wisdom to every opportunity.  The short-cut is to apply GOD’s wisdom in every situation.

      This is easier said than done.  To read and meditate on the Scriptures is easy but for the Word of GOD to become  alive to your particular situation is another thing.  Before any Christian can expect to be guided closely by the HOLY SPIRIT, he must ask himself, “Do I have any sin that hinders or have I grieved the HOLY SPIRIT in any way?”  If the answer is yes, then repent – repent towards GOD and repent towards the person you have offended.  The Scriptures is a clear guide to GOD’s moral standard.  And GOD, himself, promised to guide the believer through clear directions.  That is, if our spiritual ears are listening to the gentle voice of the HOLY SPIRIT.

      Life is simple, but oftentimes we clutter it with so many concerns that are not really crucial to our spiritual walk.  We tend to worry about too many things.  Too many, “What ifs?” and hypothetical assumptions, which usually come to nothing.  So Bro. Paul says, “Don’t be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the LORD’s will is.” 

      Along the journey, the road is narrow and rough and it leads to winding streets lined with so many flickering lights beckoning the pilgrim’s attention; attempting to waylay the unsuspecting.  Remember, the days are evil; so be very careful!

      A new acquaintance recently told me, “I’m so lonely.  I want to find the right man and get married.”  She mistook marriage as the solution for her loneliness.  I told her, “You need the LORD YESHUA.  Only He can give you significance and security.  Only He can give you total satisfaction.”  She promised to read the Gospel of John and get involved in a Bible study.  There are so many lonely people who are looking for the “cure.”  GOD is calling them but most of them don’t know it.  I believe GOD sent me to make that girl aware of GOD’s call in her life.  I will be praying for her.

      In the end, every person must determine what he/she wants in life.  Do you want a temporary bandaid solution or do you want a permanent one?  To be or not to be, that is the question!

                                                                                                         מלאך

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:23-24

It's the first day of 2011 and a good time for me to experience new hope in prayer. For quite a while I've been struggling with my faith in prayer. My dilemma is this: How do I pray in believing faith as Jesus told us to do, when the answer depends on someone else's free will? All power is God's, and for some divine purpose, He has given humans, His creation, the power to choose their direction in life. For some reason known only to God, He has chosen to "limit" His power when it comes to our free will. Perhaps it matters so much because He wants our obedience to His perfection to be freely given from a true heart. Often the choosing leads to disaster, exemplified in Eden when the world was new and countless times since by every human who has ever lived, though sometimes the choice brings about glorious results for each and all.

So how do I take Jesus at His word and pray believing that what I pray for will happen, when the one I may be praying for is of a different mind entirely?

Though I've often witnessed the refusal of people (myself included) to submit to His good purpose and suffer for it, I've just this week been allowed the priviledge of watching God move in some way I may never know, to bring about the yielding of someone else's free will to His. How does He do that? Why doesn't He do that all the time? How can He accomplish anything of His plan in eternity by depending on such stubborn, short-sighted, and selfish creatures as we? Is that why He is God?

So some of my conclusions to this seeming enigma are these: The action of my praying changes things. My prayer may not be answered according to my will or even God's will if the free-willed person resists God's influence, but the ultimate outcome will be changed because I have prayed. God will bring good in some way for some one. And, as a side note, God's activity in this situation for which I'm praying may not necessariy bring me relief and comfort - that may depend on me and what peace I choose to find through faith. The focus of God's activity is on the person I've prayed for, which may remain unseen for a long time. That's also the part that faith must play.

I've been praying, thinking about, and learning about prayer very intentionally for the past 25 years and have recently been stalled with doubt about how much it really matters. I'm hopeful that 2011 will mark new horizons of faith in prayer, knowing that there is always something beyond the horizon that I may yet be unable to see.

Ready For the Road Ahead

            On July 5, 1994, my son Christopher and I attended "Game 44" of the World Cup.  Bulgaria was pitted against Mexico and the stadium was completely full.  Over 70, 000 fans gathered to witness the first game to go into overtime, and sudden death in order to determine the winner.  The atmosphere was amazingly electric and we were blessed to watch the shoot out in the front row!

            The World Cup, The Super Bowl, The World Series, The Stanley Cup, and the Olympics all have one thing in common.  They are the premiere game that determines the best of the best in their given sport.   If you've been able to attend one of these championships, you can't help but be captured by the energy of cheering on your favorite team and the instant familiarity you have with the thousands of others who have come to do the same.   It is why many teams in many sports consider their fans to be "the twelfth man".

            The Christian walk can feel like an intense athletic competition.  We are met with opposition, temptation, trials, challenges and obstacles in our daily lives as well as milestones, victories and the satisfaction of a job well-done.  If you've ever tried to face the challenges alone, you know how discouraging and detrimental that can be.  And who wants to celebrate a victory by themselves?  It's so much better to celebrate with others who understand your joy and want to celebrate with you.  Most importantly though, knowing there are others who surround you with encouragement and love, no matter what part of the journey you're on, is like the team whose "twelfth man" cheers them on to victory in spite of the tremendous obstacles they face to win.

            This is the imagery that the author of Hebrews is reminding us of when he writes that we have a "great cloud of witnesses" watching us as we run the race of faith in Hebrews 12:1.   Not only do we have fellow believers here on earth to help us take on the challenges of the race, but we also have those who have gone on before (take a look at chapter 11 if you want to know who some of them are), sitting in the bleachers of heaven, and rooting for us to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).

            Have you ever noticed that Paul often closes his letters with greetings from the believers with him to those who will receive it?  Paul is reminding them all that they are in the "faith walk" together and face the same challenges.  The same is true for us.  Whether you are a well-trained athlete or not,  you may be facing a competitor this week.  That adversary could be as simple as managing your time better or as deep as overcoming an addiction.  Remember, you are not alone in this challenge.  There is a "great cloud of witnesses" gathered around you to cheer you on.  Draw on the strength and enthusiasm of your "twelfth man".

Ann H. LeFevre                                                                                                    1/16/2011

We flew back from Tel Aviv on Saturday. I got to my house about 2 pm, took a shower, and was asleep on the sofa in front of the Saints/Sea Hawks game by 3 pm. Believe it or not, I slept until 3 am and then dozed most of Sunday and even slept about 10 hours Sunday night. I knew I was tired, but that was incredible.

I've traveled to Israel before (this was my fifth trip), and I've been blessed enough to have at least that many trips to Greece to visit the sites where Paul preached. I've been to Ephesus and I've been to Rome. In all of those trips, I've never come home so exhausted. Why? I can only come up with a few thoughts (and none of them are based on meing getting too old to travel!).

(1)  Traveling through Israel is different from traveling to any other holy lands. They're all amazing, and seeing them make the Bible come to life in a three-dimensional way. But traveling through Israel is also personal and spiritual and emotional. I can't visit Israel without thinking of how God planned for me before time began, how He sent His Son for me, and how Jesus chose to take on my sin for me because I couldn't. That's emotional, and spiritually, and highly personal. Going to Israel is all about my relationship with Christ.

(2)  Having the opportunity to go more than once allows the experience to become even more personal. In the first trips, I was just so overwhelmed and so amazed to be standing in the places where Jesus walked and preached and ministered, where Abraham walked . . . the Bible came alive for me. But it was so overwhelming, that I couldn't take it all in. This time, though, I had time to think and reflect, to feel and to grieve, to engage and process the totality of what Christ did.

I've heard adults say that they know everything in the Bible and are ready to study other things. I don't get that. We can know the stories, but not "know" in the deepest sense of the word what God is teaching us, what He has in store for us, what He has planned for the end of time.

I'm so grateful that God's given me the opportunity to be in Israel enough to be able to soak up His presence, to be able to dwell in His land, and to be able to continue to learn how to "know" Him. 

If you've never had a chance to go to Israel, I encourage you to put that on the top of your prayer life. The Jews in Israel believe that no one comes there that God didn't bring and that no one leaves there without being changed. From my own experiences, I think they are right.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

         “By faith we understand that the worlds were created at the spoken word of God, so that the  visible has its origin in the invisible.”  (Heb 11:3) 

                  One of my Hebrew teachers taught me once that we cannot understand the unseen if we do not understand  the things that are seen.  I believe that it is true because the visible has its origin in the invisible. The idea came from the mind of GOD and as He spoke it out in words,everything was created.  Even the Tabernacle constructed by Moses was an exact copy of the heavenly Tabernacle and all the articles in the Temple and the offerings were a shadow of the reality of YESHUA.  The first Adam was only a shadow of the last Adam.  Abraham offering Isaac was a shadow of the heavenly FATHER offering His only SON as the ultimate blood sacrifice for sin. 

                  “The things which are hidden belong to ADONAI our GOD.  But the things that have been revealed belong to us and our children forever, so that we can observe all the words of this Torah”(Deut 29:29), wrote Moses.  What are the things that have been revealed?  Firstly,  I see that we have a beautiful GOD!  Looking up to the heavens, I see the starry host, wonderfully illuminating the huge expanse, and they are magnificent and beautiful.  I turn my head all around me and I see the beauty of GOD’s masterpiece. Only a person of beauty can create such beauty!  Secondly, I see the excellence of the Original Designer.  Yes, everything thatHe made was intricately unique in form, in color, in characteristics and even inthe role it plays in the whole scheme of creation.  Each piece of creation was designed to fit each other and function in tandem with the rest of creation.  Thirdly, I see the Creator’s omnipotence.  The sun contains the energy of billions of atom bombs, yet it is not destroyed; and it is but a small star compared to the size of other more prominent stars in billions of galaxies around us.  Fourthly, I see the wisdom of GOD in creating life balance in everything , whether creatures, land, seas,stars, moons, planets, asteroids and yes, even man and woman.  Fifth, I see GOD’s signature and presence in everything He made.  Everywhere I look I see GOD’s autograph, when He marked out the horizon and commanded the seas to go no further; when I behold an acacia tree with its magnificent branches reaching upwards towards heaven.  Sixth,I see GOD’s magnanimity and excellence.  When He created the universe He did not spare any expense nor did He scrimped on water and heat; but especially, He even gave up His only SON to save His masterpiece – man.  Seventh, I see GOD’s faithfulness.  We can always be sure that morning comes after the night as it dawns. The sun will come out tomorrow as GOD gives us another chance to be transformed.  There is so much more I can tell you but I am short of words.  There are no words that can aptly describe the greatness of our GOD!

                  GOD also revealed His own person through His Word.  He did not stop at a mere book but He sent his only SON so we can know Him personally.  The Scriptures says, Adam, the first man,became a living soul; but the last “Adam” has become a life-giving Spirit.  The first man is from the dust of the earth;the second man is from heaven.  People born of dust are like the man of dust, and people born from heaven are like the man from heaven (1 Cor 15:45,47,48).  In YESHUA the Messiah, the FATHER created a new specie of man – a heavenly man,from whom all who believe are to be patterned. Thus, we have borne the image of the man of dust, so also we will bear the image of the man from heaven! (1 Cor15:49)

                  As men created in the image of GOD, we are privileged to also be given the power to speak GOD’s words into reality in a world that needs it desperately. GOD gave us His magnificent promises so we can share in His divine nature and overcome the corruption of the world (2 Pet 1:4).  As GOD’s representatives, we must understand that He gave us the mandate to expand His Kingdom on earth and gave us His powerful and creative Word to do it.  All of GOD’s promises are yes and amen to those who believe. For however many promises GOD has made, they all find their “yes” in connection with YESHUA the Messiah; that is why, it is through Him that we say the“amen” when we give glory to GOD (2 Cor 1:19-20).

                  The righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness! (Hab 2:4)

                                                                                                         מלאך

“Ifpeople want to boast, they should boast about this:

      They should boast that they understand andknow Me.

      They should boast that they know andunderstand

      that I, the LORD, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in theearth

      and that I desire people to do thesethings,"⁶¹      

      saysthe LORD”- Jer 9:24                                 

            These days, we hear so much about people’s rights.  Each person wants to have his say and insists on his rights.  We hear of Wikileaks and its principal author disclosing to the whole world secrets that are not supposed to be made public.  The liberals contend that they have the right to all information and many so-called rebels and computer hackers are supporting their initiative by further spreading these secrets and even creating shadow websites to mirror Wikileaks.  Mr. Assange contends that he is doing the global community good by disclosing juicy diplomatic communication.  The question is, is it beneficial?  Is the outcome for the greater good?  Or is it a product of an unkind and dangerous person?

            People boasts of their abilities and capacity to perform but it is so easy to forget that all that we have and all that we are is because GOD, in His kindness, created us with innate skills and talents.  It is said that each man is gifted with at least 500 skills and talents but hardly uses half of them.  GOD is so creative, generous and kind that He imbued us with an assortment of raw materials by which to build our personalities; and even then, He guides and teaches us to develop them.

            By these skills and talents, we gain power and influence and acquire wealth and many, with bloated egos, forget GOD.  Solomon wisely observed that a man’s character is tested when he is praised. Truly, what is praised with men is despised in the eyes of GOD.

            A man would ask, “Who am I?”  And he would never find the answer, because he is looking at the wrong place.  It isnot all about you or me.  It is all about YHWH.  This is the very reason why the Scriptures begin with the words, “In the beginning GOD…”(Gen 1:1).  The only way man can truly know himself is by knowing the Person who designed and created him.  The only way to find satisfaction in life isto know the Person who programmed man to be like Him.  Knowing YHWH is a lifetime pursuit founded on intimacy as prescribed on His revealed will in Scriptures.  Any other way will end in deception.  There is a way that seems right to a man but ends in death!

            YHWH revealed himself in Scriptures and He desires thatwe seek Him with all our being so that we may understand who He truly is and also do the very things that He does. The chief end of man is to glorify GOD and enjoy Him forever. 

            In a sense, I am a hedonist for GOD.  I want to know and enjoy Him in every facet of my being.  Some people think that Christianity is boring and that Christians are expected to suffer along in life.  The truth is, Christianity is the most adventurous journey in life filled with surprises from GOD.  Yes, Christians can and will suffer (just like pagans also suffer) while on this earth; and thank GOD, it’s only temporary! But along with the suffering, the Christian learns to persevere and overcome all challenges.   In contrast, pagans will suffer here on earth and will suffer more in hell for all eternity.

            When a man seeks YHWH, he won’t be disappointed.  He will find GOD and find fulfillment because GOD delights in His saints.  The sure sign that a man has found GOD is the manifestation of the HOLY SPIRIT in his life; which is, through a transforming life and the power and energy of GOD in Him.

             Can a creature ever find significance apart from his Creator?  Obviously not.  But the Creator delights in His creation that fulfills its purpose!

מלאך

We spent the first night in Israel south of Beersheva and then went north to Galilee for four nights. I love Galilee, both the sea and the area. It's beautiful, it's peaceful, and it's full of amazing spots when Jesus ministered - the place where He preached on the beatitudes, the town of Capernaum where He lived and preached at the synagogue there, Caesarea Philippi where Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, the place traditionally held where Jesus spent time with Peter after His resurrection . . . the list goes on and on. It's easy to be on Galilee and just bask in the surrounding area in which Jesus ministered.

Then, we moved on to Jerusalem and spent the next three nights. Jerusalem is a totally different experience. It's busy and crowded and noisy. There's a tension here that's unlike anywhere I've ever been, and it's both political and religious. You can't move through the different quarters in Jerusalem, the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Muslim Quarter, without quickly becoming aware of how tenuous peace is here. This week has been especially busy as the city is filled with pilgrims who have come to celebrate the Greek Orthodox Christmas on January 6. It's been chaotic. It's hard to be peaceful in Jerusalem.

That's probably a pretty good picture of what it was like for Jesus and His disciples as well. Their time in Galilee was one of building relationships with each other and learning from Jesus. They had time to walk and talk together, to sit around at night and unpack their days, and learn from Christ.

However, early on, the Bible says that Jesus turned His eyes toward Jerusalem. Once there, He faced the crowds of Passover, the anger of the Pharisees, the frustration with the money changers in the temple, the humiliation at the hands of the Sanhedrin and the soldiers, and finally the ultimate humiliation through His death on the cross . . . as a believer, you can't come to Jerusalem without emotionally experiencing the guilt and sorrow of your role in what Christ did for you.

Galilee and Jerusalem. You can't understand the significance of one without the other, just like you can't understand what Christ did for us without both.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager  

Well, this new year has begun with resigning from our pastorate and seeking God for the next place He wants us to concentrate in.  Seems like Disability Ministry has the biggest draw on us as well as ministering to the people of this city.

I have always enjoyed teaching and hope to continue in that way also.

So I hope to find other to glean from here and to give what I have to help you.

Ready For the Road Ahead

            About a year ago, thepublisher, Nan A. Talese and an author, James Frey, came under scrutiny when itwas discovered that Frey's autobiography was not entirely truthful andcontained descriptions of his life that did not actually happen.  In an article which called the publisher'sintegrity into question, Talese was quoted as saying, "When someone startsout and says, 'I have lied, I have cheated...', you do not think this is goingto be the New Testament." Interesting words coming from someone who did not actually believe theNew Testament.

            Throughout Scripturewe are reminded how trustworthy God's word really is.  It is called the "Word of Truth" in2 Tim. 2:15, living and active in Heb. 4:12, and the prophet Isaiah proclaimedthat the Word of the Lord would endure forever, while John wrote in Revelationthat God's Word was faithful and true.

            Our Bible is uniqueamong other literary works, spiritual and secular.  Although it's subject matter spans thousandsof years and was written by at least 40 different authors, it is more accuratethan other ancient writings whose oldest manuscripts still exist.  For example, the scribes who copied the OldTestament books, followed a demanding criteria. If at any point, on any given page, the smallest stroke of the smallestletter was copied incorrectly, the entire scroll was destroyed.  This why Jesus could claim with confidencethat, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not passaway" (Mk. 13:31).

            The transmission ofthe New Testament followed the same scrutiny in that many of the earlybelievers were still alive while it was being written and any untruth orinaccurate accounts of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord werebranded as heresy and kept out of what came to be known as the NewTestament.   Not only did these earlybelievers refute what was inaccurate, many died for the faith they placed init's Divine Author.

            Many think the Biblehas been disproved through scientific discoveries, but these discoveries havedone just the opposite.  For example, itwas long believed that King David was a figment of the Bible'simagination.  Archaeologists had not foundany evidence which proved otherwise, until an excavation in northern Israelunearthed a stone tablet which included the phrase "the house ofDavid" confirming not only David's existence, but his kingship as well.

            Nan Talese attemptedto minimize the extent of her accountability over the lies in Frey's book byclaiming it was not Sacred Scripture. Scripture, however, like Hebrew National Hot Dogs, answers to a higherauthority (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17), so we can speak of our trust in God's Word withboldness.   Are you ready?

Ann H. LeFevre; 1/9/11

Ready For the Road Ahead

          Anyone can tell you that a goodrelationship is built on consistent communication.  Maybe you've experienced this yourself.  Communication does not always involve words,but words can certainly determine the emotional outcome of a conversation.  Proverbs 25:11 says that "words spokenin the right circumstance are like apples of gold in settings ofsilver".  Even the description ofwell-spoken words sounds appealing!

          Good communication also involveslistening.  In fact, listening is perhapsthe more important part of a conversation. I've often encouraged people through the years to develop the art oflistening when they've sought to improve a relationship with someone.  It's tempting to begin formulating a responseto someone before they've finished speaking. But a good listener will wait and then respond.

          Prayer is one of the most intimate wayswe can communicate with our Heavenly Father. A pitfall for many of us is that we tend to make it a laundry list ofrequests rather than the dialogue it is meant to be.  In Matthew 6, Jesus contrasted some of themore ritualistic forms of prayer practiced in His day with the type ofheartfelt prayer that Lord desires from His children.  The culmination of Jesus' teaching is theprayer we call "The Lord's Prayer", but it has been rightly suggestedthat this simple and beautiful prayer is "The Disciple's Prayer".  

          Think about your prayer life thisweek.  How often to you converse withGod?  How deeply?  Do you listen for His response?  Is your prayer life composed of a list ofrequests or do you include other aspects, such as praise and confession, intoyour prayers?  One of the beautifulthings about prayer is that it is profoundly individual.  There is no "one size fits all"formula that everyone must do in order for it to be done right.  I know people who have a quiet time everymorning and prayer for an hour straight. I also know others who pray while they commute, clean the house, or takea walk.  However, or wherever, you pray,take time this week to listen to God's response.  He hears and He answers.

AHL  1/2/2011

“ADONAI is good, and he is fair;

            This is why he teaches sinners the way to live,

            leads the humble to do what is right

            and teaches the humble to live His way.

            All ADONAI’s paths are grace and truth

            to those who keep His covenant and instructions.”

                                    -Psalms 25:8-10

            When we study the Torah of ADONAI and compare it with the laws of the neighboring kingdoms, we find that ADONAI is indeed good and fair.  For example, when the ox of your enemy falls on a ditch, the Canaanite laws do not prescribe any help from any of its citizens but the Torah commands that an Israelite should help his enemy to rescue the ox out of that predicament.   The law of Hammurabi stipulates that if a slave strikes his master, the slave shall be executed; however, the Torah treats the slave with mercy by first evaluating the circumstances of the case and then exacts due punishment. 

            Today, most of our laws were patterned from the just laws of GOD.  Logic dictates that righteous laws can only emanate from a just source.  Only ADONAI ELOHIM is just and righteous in all His ways and His work is
perfect (Deut 32:4).  Logic also dictates that the only perfect person who can teach His Law is GOD himself.  And GOD indeed promised that He will write His laws in our hearts and give us His SPIRIT to teach us His ways.  Even then, the HOLY SPIRIT will enable us by His operative grace and lead us to do what is right.  How great and merciful is our GOD!  His paths are full of grace and truth.

            Grace and truth came through YESHUA the Messiah!

מלאך

Hello to all on Discipleship Network,

I am now to blogging. I love the Lord and am always looking for new ways to help me grow as a Christian. I think this site will do just that.

I am the wife of a great man, we are going on 28 years this May. We have 3 grown daughters, 22, 21, and 16. We also have a son age 5. I homeschooled my daughters and am doing the same with our son. Our oldest daughter is married to a wonderful man also. He is in the Army and they are stationed at Fort Bliss, living in El Paso. They have given us a beautiful granddaughter and another grandbaby is on the way. They both attend Liberty University online. Our middle daughter is the owner/manager of her own restaurant. Our youngest daughter is still in High School and just got her drivers license. Our son is a joy to have at this age. (we are in our later 40's)

I am involved in a MOPS (mother of preschoolers) group at our church and it is a joy getting to know the young moms. I am a mentor mom due to having older children and a younger one. We love attending church as a family and our 2 daughters lead a tambourine/dance group in our church.

I am always looking to make new friends of like mind.

One of the spots in Israel that always moves me emotionally is a place on the shore of Galilee called "The Primacy of Peter." It's the spot that is traditionally held to be where Peter encountered the risen Lord and was given the chance to accept His forgiveness.

On my last trip to Israel, back in 2006, one in our group had felt that God could no longer use him in ministry. I don't know what caused him to feel that way. But he stood on the shore in that place, felt God's forgiveness, and prayed, "Lord, if You can still use me, and if You still want me, I'm ready." God responded with a resounding, "Yes!" And his life was changed, and redirected, when he accepted God's love and forgiveness.

While I don't know what caused this young man to feel that way, I do know what caused the apostle Peter to feel that way. In spite of all his bragging about how much he loved Jesus, he had caved in to fear when he had a chance to speak for Jesus at Caiphas' palace. I can only imagine the agony Peter must have felt. On the other hand, John 21 provides a beautiful picture of Peter leaping off a boat, rushing to shore to meet his Lord, the minute he saw Jesus on that shore after the resurrection.

There are a lot of reasons that this place could be found special. For me, the place is special for one reason:

Because I'm too much like Peter.

Sometimes I'm proud. Sometimes I'm humble. Sometimes, I'm strong in my faith and I stand up proudly for my Lord. Sometimes, I give in to fear and I cower in the background.

Sometimes, I'm way to quick to speak and way to slow to listen. Sometimes, I'm impulsive and impatient. Sometimes, I forget that Jesus called me to demonstrate His love to others.

Sometimes, I deny my Lord . . . either through my actions or my words.

Sometimes, I need another chance to get it right, to be the person God has called me to be as a follower and a disciple of Christ.

I'm glad Jesus showed Peter that he had another chance to get it right. Because in so doing, He showed me the same thing.

I heard a devotion today at that spot in which the speaker declared that Peter's Primacy was in the area of His example to us. I like that, because I can definitely relate to it. 

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

“A king gives stability to a country by justice,

                   But one who overtaxes it brings it to ruin.”  (Prov. 29:4)

          The primary duty of a ruler whether he is a president, a prime minister or a king, is to deliver justice to hispeople.  However, justice is the veryarea where most leaders are wanting.  TheScriptures tell us what the LORD wants, “He has told you, O man, what is good, and whatthe LORD really wants from you: Hewants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently beforeyour God” (Mic 6:8).  Today, we hear ofso many complaints against human rights both from oppressive regimes anddemocratic countries.  We are notsurprised about the atrocities in oppressive regimes but oftentimes we wonderwhy justice is still denied in liberal societies. 

          What is justice according to the Scriptures?  Justice is a primarycharacteristic of ADONAI.  Only ADONAI isperfectly just and upright.  He isequitable in all His judgments.  Justiceis GOD’s idea, hence all interpretations of ‘justice’ must emanate from ADONAIand His Torah. All other human laws are imperfect and already corrupted andwill eventually result in a breakdown of the order of creation.

          I believe there are three areas that the godly must observe to walk justly before ADONAI.  These are:

·         Giving GOD his due – “Hear O Israel, the LORD isour GOD, the LORD is one!  You shall loveyour GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”(Deut 6:6).  To GOD belong our spirits,souls, body and all our resources.  Weowe Him everything!  To walk justlybefore GOD is to walk in surrender to His sovereign will.

·         Give your neighbor his due – St. Paul exhorted usto owe no man nothing except to love, for love fulfills all the requirements ofthe Torah.  To follow the golden rule isto do everything that we are capable to do good and fast from everything thatis wrong according to the Law of GOD.  Towalk justly with our neighbor is to share GOD’s blessings in our lives.

·         Give yourself your due – GOD has provided thegodly with everything pertaining to life and godliness through His exceedinglygreat promises.  Do not deprive yourselffrom all the benefits of your inheritance in CHRIST.  To avail of all of GOD’s promises will ensurethat we are enabled to walk obediently in CHRIST.  GOD bestowed His abundant blessings upon usnot just to share with others but also to enjoy it ourselves.  If GOD wants us to enjoy according to Hiswill, it is a sin to deprive ourselves of that very joy!

          To infringe on the liberty of another is to be unjust.  To act contrary to theTorah of GOD is to be unjust.  But tolove is to absolutely fulfill the just requirements of the Torah.  Any act, therefore, that is not a directresult of one’s trust on ADONAI through His revelation in Scriptures is a sin.

           According to wise Solomon, the surest way for a king or a president to ruin his country is to overtax it.  The questionis, what is the right rate of income tax?  According to the Torah, the tithe to ADONAI is ten percent.  He owns everything, even our very lives andHe only asks for ten percent.  Is anyonemore worthy of our all than ADONAI?  Mypersonal opinion, therefore, is that anything more than ten percent isexcessive taxation and will ultimately result in a depressed economy.  Why?  Firstly, excessive taxation squeezes the disposable income of citizenswhose spending, savings and investments would be greatly affected.  Secondly, excessive taxation squeezes theexpense budget of businesses, especially small business; and would discourageinvestors in expanding business and hiring more workers.  Thirdly, less spending for goods ultimatelymeans less manufacturing and distribution which greatly affects hiring.  Fourthly, excessive taxation encouragesdependence on government subsidy and welfare which is a disincentive toproductivity among citizens.  There issomething wrong when government becomes one of the biggest employers and notprivate enterprise.  It means there aretoo many politicians and politicians do not produce anything but spend thehard-earned money of citizens.

          When citizens depend on government to support them, the government loses its foremost duty which is to serve ADONAIthrough service to its citizens.  Thegreatest service that a government can do for its people is to encourage themto walk excellently in trust before their GOD.  When the citizens trust GOD and obey His Torah, they become a governmentunto themselves and do not need a policeman to watch over them.  Even civil servants would not need anyombudsman or corruption watchdog, when they view their work as a service ofworship towards ADONAI.  First andforemost, they are citizens of heaven and are complete in YESHUA.  It is YESHUA who holds them together as onetowards one goal.  The foundation ofgovernment then is not the people but ADONAI.  In fact, if ADONAI is the center of every activity, every citizen wouldhave internal governance and the Torah of GOD is written on their hearts.

מלאך

That night GOD appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me what I should give you.”  “…give me wisdom and knowledge; so that I will be able to lead this people.  For who is equal to judging this great people of yours?” (2 Chron 1:7,10)

            If there is any qualification absent from many of the leaders today, it is wisdom.  Wisdom is rare in the halls of government, in the halls of justice, and even in corporate establishments everywhere.  When we observe how companies and governments are mismanaged and some even ran down to bankruptcy, you would wonder how these hotshot CEOs and presidents were chosen.  Most have excellent academic qualifications and when one examines the history of their accomplishments, one cannot help but question the series of events that led to failure.

            There are two crucial must-have qualities that a leader must possess.  Firstly, the anointing of ADONAI ELOHIM.  Solomon knew that he was mere dust and he is certainly not the captain of his soul and master of his
destiny.  To govern, he needed the wisdom of GOD and knowledge that he cannot learn from any University even if he went to Greece to learn from the master philosophers.  Today, no degree from any of the leading
business schools can equip you with real wisdom that enables you to discern between the right thing and the wrong thing to do at the right time with the right people mix and allocate the right resources.  In GOD’s kingdom, the HOLY SPIRIT leads His leader to the right way and creates order in circumstances to favor the godly; drawing the right people together as a team, providing abundant resources to
complete the task.  Nobody acts alone because not one man, no matter how wise, has it all.  Solomon humbly confessed his inadequacy to GOD and was rewarded with unequalled wisdom and wealth to boot. 

          Secondly, the leader must possess real wisdom from GOD and the will to apply it according to GOD’s plan.  A wise man knows that he has limits and the only way he is going to journey beyond those limits is with the
HOLY SPIRIT.  King Nebuchadnezzar had a company of magicians, conjurers, sorcerers and astronomers to advice him especially on crucial decisions involving the future.  The future is a blank, so kings usually depended on sorcerers and mediums to tell them about the omens of their intended
plans.  Today, investors have financial planners and consultants who apply mathematical models to predict movements of stocks based on graphical trends.  They have sophisticated formula using computers to accurately forecast economic trends.  But the problem is, the future is not a slave to the whims and caprices of any leader or investor.  The recent global economic crisis is proof that no amount of historical graphical analysis or mathematical computation by any supercomputer can predict the future. 
There were very clear signs of an impending crisis and collapse but these were largely ignored because of greed.

            Solomon had several very wise advisers in his court (2 Chron 10:6).  Yes, Solomon was the wisest man in every field of learning but he knew that he had to have a great team of wise men to assist him.  Men who were not afraid to tell the truth.  Godly men who will only give godly advice.  Men who were not mere theorists but men who walked the talk.  Men who were skilled in different fields such as the military, diplomacy, trade,  justice, education, agriculture, engineering, ship-building, navigation, arts and even etiquette.  In his Proverbs, Solomon said there is wisdom and victory in much planning with the counsel of many wise men (Prov 11:14,24:6).

            One thing is sure, no wisdom,  discernment or counsel, succeeds against ADONAI! (Prov 21:30)

מלאך

We visited Dan and Caesarea Philippi today, two sites that had seemed unconnected to me until today. But there’s a mighty word from Godthat can be heard in both sites.

Dan is the site of the Canaanite town with the city gate still standing that Abraham would have walked through. As one person in our group announced, "That is crazy good." Dan isalso the site of one of the two temples that Jeroboam built to keep his peoplefrom going to the temple in Jerusalem. The ruins of the temple are still there.However, it’s not a holy site. Not only did Jeroboam build a temple, he createda golden calf for worship (see 1 Kings 12:25-33). Jeroboam tried to take on therole of God by creating his own temples, altars, and even his own worshipfeasts. Those worship feasts, including the dates they were celebrated, hadbeen dictated by God. In response, God allowed the Assyrians to capture the tentribes in northern Israel, including Dan. God tolerates no one trying to assumeHis role.

Caesarea Philippi was a city also in northern Israel that was the headquarters of Philip and a major pagan worship center. Fourteendifferent gods were worshipped there, including the Greek god Pan for which thecity was originally named. It wasn’t even a Jewish city. Today the site has theruins of temples and the remains of what was once a bottomless pit that wasused for pagan sacrifices. The worship of pagan gods by non-Jews could not havebeen more obvious. But it’s at this site that Jesus intentionally used toidentify Himself as the messiah (see Matthew 17:13-20). Interesting that Jesuschose a pagan site to reveal God’s plan, a plan that included Jews andgentiles, you and me.

What a reminder that God is God and will not accept our trying to take His place.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

It’s been four years since I’ve been in Israel. I’ve been amazed at the changes . . . the amount of archaeological work that’s beencompleted at Megiddo and Caesarea Maritime, and the amount of new building incities like Nazareth and Tel Aviv. Israel shows signs of activity and growthand prosperity.

However, the Sea of Galilee has been a shock to me. The water level is greatly reduced. There’s extended shore in areas that really hadno access to the lake before. The days are short here, and we start early andgo late. Even in the dark, the shrinkage is surprising.

The sea is a lake really. It’s only about thirteen miles long and seven miles wide, and you can see across it in all directions. I thinkthat was the first impression I had of the lake and it hasn’t changed. It’slike a perfectly built stage on a world theater in which God showed the worldHis plan. At night, you can see the lights from all the towns and cities aroundthe lake illuminated (can’t hide the city on the hill). During the day, you cansee the movement of life around the lake.

Before I saw the lake in person, I always wondered how five thousand men plus women and children were even able to know where Jesus was. Inperson, it all makes sense because of the way you can see from one side toanother.

I wonder about what wasn’t recorded in the scriptures. The private moments with Jesus and His disciples at night, sitting around thecampfire. I can hear imagine the laughter of companions, and the serious topicslate at night that were so personal to the disciples that none of them wantedto share them. I hear their voices here and rejoice in a Savior who can be sopersonal, so intimate, so transparent.

This is a special place . . . a holy place . . . a place God chose to present the fulfillment of His plan to us.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager