Dec 7, 2018
The Meaning of Christmas
He seemed relaxed on the comfortable open-area easy-chair that the Georgetown mall had provided. Most of the Christmas shoppers had begun to leave for the day and the space was free from the tension and anxiety of the day. Perfect for some extra smartphone surfing or so he thought! His significant other was nearby doing some shopping in the not-too-crowded stores which gave him the free time, so he slumped into the comfortable chair. We began our approach. He seemed to be around 30 years old with an expressionless look on his face.
My colleague James and I wanted to ask him if he knew the meaning of Christmas, and perhaps move the conversation from the natural to the supernatural. Before our witnessing plans began, we had prayed that God would open doors for us and give us the right words to say. I'd brought along an icebreaker to start, so I simply walked up smiling and in my friendliest voice asked "...hey can you tell me which of these cards is bigger?" I held up each of the 3" inch cards, one blue and one red. They had been cut in a semi-circle and one of the cards optically appeared to be much longer than the other, although in fact they were both the same identical size..
In barely a flash the conversation had begun and he had picked the "larger" card as his choice. The three of us shared a laugh as I then super-imposed them upon each other, clearly demonstrating that they were in fact both the same size...much to his amazement! I quickly continued, "....actually my friend and I are just here tonight in the mall asking people if they know the meaning of Christmas?
His instant and very lengthy reply was that Christmas originated as a Nordic tradition that involved reindeer, men in red suits, magic mushrooms and a host of select things and events I'd never heard of before. His detailed answer to our simply query told us he had actually in his own way put a lot of thought into some aspect of the spiritual world. His body likewise bore witness to our observation as we observed multiple silver skull rings decorating his fingers, while numerous occultist hand and arm tattoos embellished his exposed skin. A goatee seemed to confirm his preference of spiritual worlds as he began to tell us his chest contained a large tattoo of Satan. But he quickly added that during the past four years he had been thinking that the tattoo hadn't been such a good idea, and he was now sorry for that tattoo. He seemed very willing to listen to our version of the christian meaning of Christmas and yet sat solemn-faced as we conversed. He flat out told us that, "...I am a very bad person; and I do a lot of drugs. You'd be surprised who I am, but I'm trying to change my life". He introduced himself as Calvin and we all shook hands.
While he might have done a lot of drugs he was nonetheless still a very articulate young man capable of understanding right from wrong and how he could be better in life. He seemed genuinely glad to be talking about himself to us. His admissions seemed only to confirm that it was no accident we had come across this man who seemed to be searching for meaning to his life. But, he soon added that he just didn't see where Christians came from thinking that Christmas had anything to do with God. At that juncture, I offered the obvious; ....that the first 6 letters of Christmas were C H R I S T. A look of bewilderment overwhelmed his face as if a curtain had been opened exposing bright sunlight. For just an instant, a hint of smile crossed his otherwise deadpan face. This simple fact came as new information to his Nordic theory!
"...Well then what exactly is the Christian-meaning-of-Christmas?", he asked. It was at that point that I mentioned John 3:16, the well-worn verse that succinctly encompasses the meaning of Christmas.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
We went on to explain that we all have sinned, yet only Christ, God's Son offers us forgiveness from our sins if we will believe on Him and repent.
I continued, "It's like a courtroom scene when your facing a $5000. fine and just as the judge says you're guilty, someone steps up and pay the fine on your behalf and you walk away free; You are forgiven! ...that's what Jesus has done for us; He's given us forgiveness!"
Calvin suddenly looked surprised. "It's funny that you just mentioned the possibility of a $5000 fine, because that's what I was given; I was given a $5,280 fine a few years ago and I'm still struggling to pay it off!"
James and I continued explaining the gospel to him as we conversed for about twenty minutes. Again this was all new information to him and he seemed to be soaking up every word. There were frequent "off-the-wall" diversions while speaking to Calvin. He ventured into a number of crazy rabbit-trails, but we did our best to keep the conversation gently steering back to the gospel story. Noticing an authentic interest in the bible, James suggested that he should perhaps start discovering who Christ was by reading the gospel of John and he indicated he would like that. When James offered to provide him a bible, he said he'd get his own. Sensing it was time to wrap up the conversation, we asked if we could quietly pray for him in his search for spiritual things and Calvin couldn't have been more agreeable. My eyes watered slightly as I led in prayer asking for God's Spirit to draw Calvin toward himself as a seeker and reveal to Calvin who Christ was. Mission accomplished; Calvin was one step closer to understanding the meaning of Christmas!
The Old Paths
Take me back to the old Paths, when Moms were at home.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!
Crime did not pay; Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.
Dads were at work.
Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married BEFORE having children!
Crime did not pay; Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.
Moms could cook; Dads would work;
Children would behave...
Husbands were loving; Wives were supportive; and children were polite.
Children would behave...
Husbands were loving; Wives were supportive; and children were polite.
Women wore the dresses; and Men wore the trousers.
Women looked like ladies;Men looked like gentlemen; and children looked decent.
Women looked like ladies;Men looked like gentlemen; and children looked decent.
People loved the truth, and hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN, Not to get OUT!
They came to church to get IN, Not to get OUT!
Hymns sounded Godly; Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal; and crying sounded sincere.
Cursing was wicked; Drinking was evil; and divorce was unthinkable.
Rejoicing sounded normal; and crying sounded sincere.
Cursing was wicked; Drinking was evil; and divorce was unthinkable.
We read the Bible in public; Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house.
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!
And preached from house to house.
To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!
Sex was a personal word. Homosexual was an unheard of word, And abortion was an illegal word.
Preachers preached because they had a message; and
Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!
Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
Sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!
Singers sang from the heart;
Sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!
A new birth meant a new life; Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.
Following Christ led to eternal life.
Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!
Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;
Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!
Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
Preachers were more interested in new converts than new clothes and new cars.
Church was where you found Christians on the Lord's day, rather than being entertained someway.
Give me that old time religion!
'Tis good enough for me!
I still like the "Old Paths" best! Jeremiah 6:16.
'Tis good enough for me!
I still like the "Old Paths" best! Jeremiah 6:16.
_________
16This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17I appointed watchmen over you and said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’
~ Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
~ Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
Nov 5, 2018
The Law of the Harvest ~ Galatians 6:7
Ed's Note: I recently spent some time at my father-in-laws apple orchard at harvest-time. It got me thinking about the "Law of the Harvest".
Do not be DECEIVED: God cannot be mocked.
A man REAPS what he SOWS. ~ Galatians 6:7
The Law of the Harvest:
- You REAP what you SOW!
- You often reap MORE than you sow!
- The Harvest CANNOT be prevented!
- What you NURTURE will grow!
- If you sow generously, you will reap GENEROUSLY!
- You WILL get what you are owed!
- You can't do ANYTHING about last year's harvest, but you can about this year's harvest!
Do not be DECEIVED: God cannot be mocked.
A man REAPS what he SOWS. ~ Galatians 6:7
The Law of the Harvest:
- You REAP what you SOW!
- You often reap MORE than you sow!
- The Harvest CANNOT be prevented!
- What you NURTURE will grow!
- If you sow generously, you will reap GENEROUSLY!
- You WILL get what you are owed!
- You can't do ANYTHING about last year's harvest, but you can about this year's harvest!
Influence
Oct 18, 2018
What is a lie?
A four year old boy got his scriptures mixed up.
When mom asked him "What is a lie?" , he reported his definition of a lie as:
"A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble!"
- from Pastor J. Vernon McGee
Oct 3, 2018
The Word is "MERCY" ! ~ Goodman Revival
If you could just imagine a bird without a song
Fallen to the barren earth, wounded, left aloneAnd then with just a motion of the kind and loving hand
A broken wing is mended, the song restored again
The word is mercy
The word is mercy
Nothing else describes what He did for me
On a hill called Calvary
He cast in the sea all I used to be
The word is mercy
No poet’s pen could ever write the pain one heart can feel
Of trying to be worthy, knowing you never will
No dreamer’s word could quite describe the beauty in that tree
Where Jesus showed that God is great
So I don’t have to be
The word is mercy
The word is mercy
Nothing else describes what He did for me
On a hill called Calvary
He cast in the sea all I used to be
The word is mercy
On a hill called Calvary
He cast in the sea all I used to be
The word is mercy
Sep 27, 2018
Charles Ritchie plays Until Then"
Charles Ritchie is a pastor and master organist.
Ed's Note: They played "Until Then" at the funeral of my youngest
brother died who in 1965. It is a beautiful piece of music!
My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heartache here is but a stepping stone
Along a path that's winding always upward
This troubled world is not my final home
But until then my heart will go on singing
Until then with joy I'll carry on
Until the day my eyes behold my Saviour
Until the day God calls me home
A heartache here is but a stepping stone
Along a path that's winding always upward
This troubled world is not my final home
But until then my heart will go on singing
Until then with joy I'll carry on
Until the day my eyes behold my Saviour
Until the day God calls me home
The things of earth will dim and lose their value
If we recall they're borrowed for a while
And things of earth that cause this heart to tremble
Remember there will only bring a smile
But until then my heart will go on singing...
If we recall they're borrowed for a while
And things of earth that cause this heart to tremble
Remember there will only bring a smile
But until then my heart will go on singing...
Aug 30, 2018
Merciful To Me ~ J. Johnson
The angry men were closing in
Rocks were in their hands
A decent payment for her sin
Now her life must end
But Jesus said 'Let He who is innocent
Cast your stone today'
I wasn't there to see her face
But I can almost hear her say
'Merciful to me
When I deserved to die
Merciful to me
My soul He brought to life
Nothing could I bring
My debt to satisfy
Jesus was merciful
He was merciful to me'
Satan's men were closing in
I knew what was in store
Decent payment for my sin
Eternal fire and more
But Jesus said 'I have an announcement
I'd like to make today
You see I have the scars to prove
That I've taken this one's place'
Merciful to me
When I deserved to die
Merciful to me
My soul He brought to life
Nothing could I bring
My debt to satisfy
Jesus was merciful
He was merciful to me
Nothing could I bring
My debt to satisfy
Jesus was merciful
He was merciful to me!
Israeli Air Force Appoints First Female Flight Squadron Commander
by Yoav Zitun
Maj. G. is the first female commander of the IAF intelligence squadron.
Thursday, 09 August 2018 | Israel Air Force [IAF] commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin has appointed the first female commander to its intelligence squadron, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] said Tuesday.
Maj. G., 34, will command the IAF’s 122nd Squadron, also known as the Nachshon Squadron, which takes part in covert aerial operations, hundreds and thousands of kilometers away from Israel. The unit uses G550 aircraft made by the Israel Aerospace Industries.
Maj. G. will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and will be the first woman in the Israeli air force to command a flight squadron.
She enlisted in 2003 and completed her training program as a cargo pilot. At the end of the course, she was assigned to the 135th Squadron (“Tzofit”, “Hofit” and “Kokia”) and later moved to 131st Squadron (“Rhino”) and filled a variety of command positions at flight school and the 135th Squadron.
Maj. G., who lives in central Israel with her husband and children, will be moving with her family to the Air Force base in Nevatim, where the 122nd Squadron is based.
“I am happy about the appointment; it is a great privilege and a great responsibility. The real work is still ahead of me … I am proud to serve in the air force,” Maj. G. said.
The 122nd Squadron deals with various assignments—from sensitive missions transporting search and rescue teams to disaster areas around the world; through serving as command and control unit for missions between wars, such as foiling Hezbollah and Hamas attempts to gain advanced weapons; as well as conducting intelligence gathering using different radars, listening and monitoring devices, and day and night cameras, and the transmission of communications between the command and control units in Israel and the forces operating far from Israeli borders.
Most of the squadron’s missions, however, remain covert, but its capabilities have only grown in recent years because of the great confidence the IAF has in manned intelligence aircraft over drones.
The intelligence aircraft are manned by air intelligence analysts who process and analyze the data that comes on their screens during a mission, oversee all of the units taking part in the mission in the field, and can provide real-time operational information to fighter jets, aerial refueling planes or other IAF aircraft. The fact the planes are manned is a critical factor in the success of an entire operation.
There are already female officers in command of aircraft and maintenance squadrons at the heart of IAF operations, as well as a female deputy commander of a combat squadron and several female officers in key roles at the IAF’s command center. But Maj. G. would be the first to command a flight squadron.
Photo Credit: Twitter/IDF@IDFSpokesperson
Prayer Focus
Praise God for His creation, both men and women, and Israel’s desire to encourage both to reach their God-given potential. Pray for the protection and success of the first female lieutenant colonel in the Israeli air force serving as a commander and for her family as well, as she helps to make prophecy a reality by protecting the people of Israel.
Praise God for His creation, both men and women, and Israel’s desire to encourage both to reach their God-given potential. Pray for the protection and success of the first female lieutenant colonel in the Israeli air force serving as a commander and for her family as well, as she helps to make prophecy a reality by protecting the people of Israel.
Scripture
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness; who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’ to the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’ and I will raise up her waste places.”
- Isaiah 44:24-26
Do You Pass the Israel Test? ~ Gilder for Prager University
Editor's Note: As a Follower of Christ and a disciple, it is critical how you think on a variety of societal issues. The Bible tells us that we as Christians are "ARE IN THE WORLD", but "NOT OF THE WORLD", yet still we are astounded by our culture's rapid LEFT-Wing agenda that threatens to challenge and change everything we know to be Good and True as presented in scripture.
In 2009, Dennis Prager started a website, Prager University, offering five-minute videos on various subjects such as the Ten Commandments, the minimum wage, the Middle East, Global warming, and happiness with a conservative perspective. To be very clear, Mr. Prager is NOT a Christian, but has his roots as an Orthodox Jew, thus his videos do not necessarily view scripture exactly as Christians view scripture, nonetheless there are many general parallels between. Here is another video in this series:
Aug 10, 2018
Tim Tebow's Story
More than 30 years ago, Pam and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety, telling her the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times, but still refused to consider abortion. She made a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a preacher.
Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam’s youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father’s ministry in the Philippines. He also played football and now baseball. His name is Tim Tebow.
James Dobson Statement - Involving Trump Is Big Win for Trump Fans
In an article for his August newsletter, Dr. James Dobson — the evangelical leader who founded Focus on the Family and is currently the president of Family Talk — decried liberal control of the media and said that it was “no time to go wobbly” when it came to freedom of speech.
Dobson began by describing a tour in Germany that he took of Nazi-related sites about 20 years ago with his wife.
“The tour lasted two hours, during which I learned how the Nazis managed to enslave the German people and then molded them into a force that devastated and conquered almost every country in Europe,” Dobson wrote. “Millions of people around the world held their breath as destiny hung in the balance.”
In the next section, Dobson asked “why am I recalling these bitter memories?”
“This historical account is relevant today because America and other Western nations have for decades been losing their God-given rights that define us as a free people,” Dobson wrote.
“We are not experiencing Nazi-like tyranny yet, but we are steadily being expected to think, speak, write, and act in a prescribed manner in conformity with what is now called ‘political correctness.’ The mainstream media has become a tool to influence elections and spread this belief system. Sadly, the rights handed down to us by our forefathers more than 200 years ago are gradually being overridden, ignored, contradicted, or disregarded by the courts and legislatures. Alas, we are less free now than we were even five years ago.”
A lot of that has to do with religious freedom — something where the judiciary and its makeup plays an important role, particularly given President Trump’s appointments.
“We dare not let officious justices, judges, legislators, or politicians take even one of (our constitutional rights) away from us. But some liberals today are diligently trying to do just that. We must stop them, but how? Our rights are being trampled every day. The only way to defend our liberties is at the ballot box,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately, more than half of Americans, including the majority of Christians, don’t even bother to vote. Shame on them all! Don’t they know that tyranny for us and our children is only one generation, or even one election, away? We must vote, vote, vote to elect leaders who will defend what has been purchased with the blood of patriots who died to protect our liberty.”
Thanks to President Trump’s nomination and the Senate’s subsequent confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, that ruling was overturned this past June by a vote of 5 to 4,” he continued. “How close the Court came to decimating freedom of speech in those clinics. So many other critical issues related to the Bill of Rights have been decided by a single vote.”Dobson pointed out the usual cases of judicial abuse, including Roe v. Wade, Obergefell v. Hodges, and one where the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals “upheld an outrageous legislative measure that forced pro-life clinics, which are dedicated to the sanctity of human life, to promote abortions with their patients, and to place posters on the walls telling them where they can go to kill their babies. That became the law of the land in nine Western states for 32 months.
However, he pointed out other cases which didn’t receive quite as much play in the media, including one that involved a school district in the Golden State.
“Children attending Mesquite Elementary School in Palmdale, California, came home one afternoon and told their parents what had happened to them in class. It was a shocker. One of their teachers, with administrative approval, sat for hours with students, aged seven to ten, to ensure that each of them completed 79 items on a questionnaire,” Dobson wrote.
“The kids, barely out of babyhood, were required to respond to highly personal questions about their private thoughts, including 10 items about their sexuality. Permission was neither requested nor discussed with parents. The children were asked about such topics as frequency of thinking about having sex, and thinking about touching other peoples’ private parts, among many others.
“The parents were incensed, (wouldn’t you be?) and filed suit in both federal and district courts against the school district for invading their children’s privacy and the parents’ rights to control the upbringing of their children,” he continued. “They were desperately trying to defend the innocence of their children, but to no avail. The courts ruled that there is no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexuality or education of their children. Both the district and federal courts dismissed the case. One of them asserted that parents have no right to determine what their sons and daughters will be exposed to while enrolled in California’s public schools.”
That’s why, Dobson said, Trump sends the left into a state of fear.
“You can understand why the far left is in a state of panic today. It is looking for anything on which to hang its opposition to Judge Kavanaugh. One of their criticisms is that while in college, he put ketchup on his pizza. Are you kidding me? Does anyone else see the evidences of desperation here?” Dobson wrote.
“So far, President Donald Trump has nominated 44 judges who have been confirmed to the bench, and there are many others (88) in the pipeline. There is hope for additional conservative and common-sense decisions to be handed down in the future. This is a matter for sincere prayer among those of us who have longed for relief from judicial tyranny.”
“Ours can be a lonely vigil unless defenders of the Constitution, and particularly conservative Christians, stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this struggle,” Dobson said. “We and other conservative organizations are winning in the public square. This is no time to go wobbly.”
In terms of shoring up evangelical support for Trump, Dobson’s statement has to be seen as a big win for the administration. After all, Dobson remains one of the foremost leaders of the movement. An unequivocal statement of support like this is a major boost — particularly as Americans gear up to vote in the midterm elections. If religious liberty becomes a major issue, the Republicans are going to turn out the base in a major way, and that’s going to strike fear into the Democrats.
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