Israel News

Iran Warns of Rapid Nuclear Enrichment, “Trouble” if US Nixes Nuclear Deal

by Joshua Spurlock

Iranian nuclear power plant (illustrative)

Monday, 23 April 2018 | The nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers intended to increase the time it would take Iran to develop nuclear weapons if they ever chose to “break out” and move full speed towards nukes. There are many steps in that process, but a key step is developing the nuclear fuel for the bomb. And getting their nuclear fuel creation back to where they were before the nuclear deal would only take Iran four days.

That’s the threat from the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, who warned on Saturday they could rapidly restore their nuclear fuel enrichment back to their previously known top level of research-grade at 20%—weapons-grade is 90%—if the global powers dropped the nuclear deal. And that’s not all Iran could do.

Salehi, whose comments were published by the Fars News Agency, further said, without providing details, that Iran has other means to respond to the United States if they were to back out of the deal as President Donald Trump has threatened. Salehi said Iran is “prepared to move like an army” and hinted that American allies—perhaps including Israel—could also be targeted by Iran. “We hope that the other side makes a wise decision and avoids moves that would trouble them and others as well,” Salehi said.

A day before Salehi’s comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday made it clear that his country was ready for whatever Iran tried to throw at them. “We hear the threats from Iran. The fighters of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and the security services are prepared for any development,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office. “We will fight against whoever tries to harm us. We will not be deterred by the cost and we will exact a price from those who seek our lives. The IDF is up to the task, and the people will endure.”

The back and forth rhetoric comes as Trump’s deadline for the Europeans to develop a supplemental agreement to enhance the Iran nuclear pact is just weeks away. Trump has made it clear he will not continue to dismiss sanctions on Iran alleviated under the deal if the agreement is not changed, which would effectively dismantle the accord.

In response, Salehi isn’t the only Iranian official warning of Iranian nuclear fuel enrichment if the nuclear deal with the world powers collapses. Fars reported that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was “probable” that they would resort to enriching nuclear fuel again in that scenario.

While Trump is seeking additional safeguards from the Europeans to prevent Iran from threatening the region, Zarif urged the Europeans to hold the US to the nuclear deal and claimed that the US “never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb.” He reiterated that sentiment on Sunday in an interview with CBS and said he did not think Iran and Israel were moving towards a “regional war.”

But while Zarif can sound “moderate” in his words, Netanyahu said on Sunday that there is a clear disconnect between Iran’s diplomatic speech and their actions.

“There is a tremendous gap between [Zarif’s] words and the actions of the Revolutionary Guards which are moving an army against Israel with the avowed goal of destroying the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office.

Commenting on Zarif, Netanyahu noted he is “the foreign minister of a country that sends armed UAVs against Israel and missiles at Saudi Arabia.” Netanyahu further warned that the IDF “are prepared for any possibility and any scenario.”

Source: (The Mideast Update originally published this article on 22 April 2018. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today.)

Photo Credit: Tasnim News Agency/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus

Intercede for PM Netanyahu as he is dealing with politics while fighting for Israel’s existence and safety. Ask for God’s blessing over his life and pray for inspiration, endurance, wisdom, courage and excellent health. Pray that Israel’s leadership will keep their eyes fixed on God and that there will be unity among them as decisions are made regarding Iran.

Scripture

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

- Psalm 16:7-8

Russia Threatens Israel over Missile Defense System in Syria

by Joshua Spurlock

Russian missile defense, S-300V (SA-12a Gladiator)

Tuesday, 24 April 2018 | The Russians are seriously considering putting an advanced missile defense system in Syria—which has the Israelis concerned—and Moscow has warned the Jewish state against attacking that system should it be deployed to Israel’s northern neighbor. The Independent, republishing comments from the Russian Kommersant newspaper, cited Russian military sources threatening that Israel and “all sides” would “suffer catastrophic consequences” if they struck at the S-300 system.

Israel has reportedly bombed multiple targets in Syria over the years, including recent reports of a strike that killed Iranians at a Syrian airbase. The Americans, British, and French also recently attacked Syria in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack by the Syrian regime against its own people.

In light of that multinational attack, Russia is now nearing a decision to provide the S-300 advanced defense system to Syria, Kommersant reported in a separate article, and that’s disconcerting to Israel. The Russian newspaper quoted Israeli diplomat Alex Ben-Zvi as saying that any weapons that can “threaten Israel’s security” generically “bother” Israel. Ben-Zvi, Israel’s Director of the Department of Eurasia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specifically say if Israel would discuss the Syrians’ obtaining the S-300 in Israeli discussions with Russia.

Meanwhile, Israel publicly announced another strike on Syria on Monday after an apparently stray Syrian mortar shell landed near the Israeli border. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson posted to Twitter that it appeared to be “errant fire.” A follow-up tweet said that Israel responded by attacking an artillery piece “in the area from which the fire originated.”

Tweeted the IDF Spokesperson, “The IDF holds the Syrian regime accountable & won’t tolerate any attempt to breach Israeli sovereignty or endanger civilians.”

Syria isn’t the only threat facing Israel, and Jerusalem isn’t losing sight of that fact. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took time to specifically restate Israel’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program on Monday.

“Israel will not allow regimes that seek our annihilation to acquire nuclear weapons. This is why we opposed so resolutely the Iran deal, because it gives Iran a clear path to a nuclear arsenal,” said Netanyahu, in comments released by his office.

He went on to note that the deal eventually permits “unlimited enrichment of uranium, the core ingredient required to produce nuclear bombs” and furthermore the international accord “does not deal with the ballistic missiles that can deliver this weapon to many, many countries.”

Said Netanyahu, “This is why this deal has to be either fully fixed or fully nixed.”

Source: (The Mideast Update originally published this article on 23 April, 2018. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today.)

Photo Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia.org

Photo License: Wikipedia

Prayer Focus

Thank God for His faithfulness and promises to the house of Israel! Cry out against the enemies of Israel and nations plotting her destruction. Ask God to stir nations to rise up against the military escalation that the Russian missile defense system will bring to the situation in Syria.

Scripture

Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.

Great is He Who Is the King of Kings! (2) ~ He is Wonderful!

Great Is He

Great is he who's the king of kings
And the lord of lords he is wonderful

Great is he who's the king of kings
And the lord of lords he is wonderful

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
He is wonderful

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
He is wonderful

Hallelujah salvation and glory honour and power
He is wonderful

Hallelujah salvation and glory honour and power
He is wonderful

The Warning!

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #67

Moses, the Downloader 😎

How Dark Were The Dark Ages? ~ 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:

Were the Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages, characterized by oppression, ignorance, and backwardness in areas like human rights, science, health, and the arts? Or were they marked by progress and tolerance? Anthony Esolen, an English Literature professor at Providence College, explains

Never Give In ~ Winston Churchill

Spectrum ~ Bright Colors

Editor's Note:   My son Joshua has just finished a year at Bodenseehof Bible School, in Germany.  The school has created a 2018 Summer Missions Team, and asked Joshua to stay on for the summer to join this Missions Team and participate in various missions projects.  The Team calls themselves "Spectrum" and they have just produced this video to use as a ministry tool.

7 ~ ...To The Church in Laodicea

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ~ Rev 2:17

Related:
To The Church in Ephesus

To The Church in Smyrna

To the Church in Pergamum

To the Church in Thyatira
To The Church in Sardis
To The Church in Phillidelphia

Revelation 2 begins a series of brief letters to seven churches that existed during the apostle John’s time in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Each of these messages includes information apropos to each church, and from these messages we can draw lessons applicable to our own lives today. 

The seventh and final letter to the churches of ancient Asia Minor is to the church in the city of Laodicea. This last message is found in Revelation 3:14-22. Laodicea was a wealthy, industrious city in the province of Phrygia in the Lycos Valley.

The message is from the Lord Jesus Christ via an angel or messenger (likely a reference to the church’s pastor): “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write . . .” (Revelation 3:14). This was not simply John’s message to those in Laodicea; it was a message from the Lord. Jesus identifies Himself thus: “The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” These titles emphasize the Lord’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and power to bring all things to their proper completion (the “Amen”).

In contrast to the other six churches, the Laodicean church has nothing to commend it. Jesus begins the message with condemnation: 

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17). 

Jesus emphasizes their “lukewarm,” apathetic nature three times. As a result of their ambivalence to spiritual things, Jesus would have nothing to do with them. He would “spit them out,” as the people of Laodicea would spit out the tepid water that flowed from the underground aqueducts to their city. With their apathy came a spiritual blindness; they claimed to be rich, blessed and self-sufficient. Perhaps they were rich in material things. But, spiritually, the Laodiceans were in a wretched, pitiful condition, made all the worse in that they could not see their need. This was a church filled with self-deceived hypocrites.

Jesus calls the Laodicean church to repent of its sin: 

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (Revelation 3:18). 

Their material wealth had no eternal benefit, so Jesus commands them to come to Him for true, spiritual riches (see Isaiah 55:1-2). Only Christ can supply an everlasting inheritance, clothe us in righteousness, and heal our spiritual blindness.

Jesus then notes His concern for His church in Laodicea: 

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:19-20). 

His rebuke is not born of animosity but of love. “The Lord disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6). The desired response to God’s reproof was zealous change and true repentance.

Verse 20 is often used as an evangelistic appeal, yet its original context communicates Christ’s desire for fellowship with His lukewarm church in Laodicea. The church is nominally Christian, but Christ Himself has been locked out. Rather than turn His back on them, He knocks, seeking someone to acknowledge the church’s need and open the door. If they would repent, Jesus would come in and take His rightful place in the church. He would share a meal with them, a Middle Eastern word picture speaking of closeness of relationship.

Jesus then makes a promise to the believers in Laodicea: 

“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21). 

The “overcomer” refers to any believer, and the promise is that he will share Christ’s future kingdom.

In summary, the church at Laodicea had become apathetic in their love for Christ. They were allowing “the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things [to] come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). Christ called them to repent and live zealously for Him, to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). The Lord Jesus issues the same call to those who say they follow Him today.

The Sad Story of Pastor Andrew Brunson ~ PRAY for his release!

Turkey rules to keep US pastor in jail

A Turkish court ruled on April 16 to keep an American Christian pastor in custody, deeming him to be a flight risk, after his trial opened in a case that has raised tensions with Washington.

Andrew Brunson, who ran a Protestant church in the western city of Izmir, has been detained by Turkish authorities since October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail.  Brunson, wearing a black suit, speaking fluent Turkish and sometimes bursting into tears, emphatically rejected all the charges against him at the first court hearing in the town of Aliağa north of İzmir.

He is accused of engaging in activities on behalf of the group led by exiled Muslim preacher Fethullah Gülen, who Ankara says is behind a failed 2016 coup, and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).  Both the Gülen movement, which is called Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) by the authorities, and the PKK are banned by Turkey as terror groups.

Brunson is also accused of espionage for political or military purposes.

The judge ordered Brunson to stay in jail, setting the next hearing for May 7.

The ruling was based on evidence given by witnesses in the case and the risk that Brunson might flee.

The United States expressed concern.  “We have seen no credible evidence that Mr. Brunson is guilty of a crime and are convinced that he is innocent,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.  “We hope that the judicial system in Turkey will resolve his case in a timely, fair and transparent manner.”

In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, the hearing was attended by Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedom, and Senator Thom Tillis from Brunson’s home state of North Carolina.

“We are very disappointed. If anything, I think the information that has been presented today creates a more compelling reason why he is innocent,” Tillis told reporters after the ruling.

Brunson reacted with emotion, telling his wife Norine in English: “I am going crazy. I love you.”

He had earlier told the judge tearfully: “I want to return my home. For 16 months, I have been separated from my wife.”

“I want the whole truth to be revealed. I reject all the accusations in the indictment. I haven’t been involved in any illegal activity,” Brunson told the court.  “I haven’t done anything against Turkey. On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years.” He moved to the country in 1993 and opened his Izmir church in 2010.

The Brunson case has further hiked tensions between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, with US President Donald Trump raising the issue in talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.  “That relationship is going to have difficulty in moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated,” Brownback told reporters at the courthouse.

In September, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could free Brunson if Washington handed over Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.  Washington brushed off the offer but has been working intensely to secure the release of Brunson, one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016.  In February, NASA scientist Serkan Gölge, a dual national, was jailed for 7.5 years for being a member of Gülen’s movement in a conviction denounced by Washington.

Senator Tillis said there was “no deal,” adding: “This is about what we believe is an innocent man who has been in prison for a year and a half.”

In his statement to the court, Brunson rejected the accusations of links to Gülen’s group, saying: “That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement.”

Numbering just several thousand, the Protestant community in overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Turkey largely comprises converts from Islam, expatriates and refugees.  The Turkish Association of Protestant Churches said in a report that 2017 was marked by continued hate crimes and physical attacks.

Brownback described the trial as a “religious freedom case.”  “Turkey, in its history, has been very open, so that’s one of the things that’s really troubling about this,” he said.

(Hurriyet Daily News – April 17, 2018)

_____________________________

ISTANBUL — An American pastor facing up to 35 years behind bars denied accusations that he aided terrorist groups or spied against Turkey as his trial began Monday.

Andrew Brunson — a 50-year-old evangelical pastor from Black Mountain, North Carolina — has spent the last 23 years living in Turkey, where he and his wife raised their daughter and two sons.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, which is representing Brunson in the U.S., he was running the Resurrection Church in the western city of Izmir and applying for permanent residency when he was detained in October 2016.

"He's a pawn in a political game between Turkey and the U.S."

The case has strained relations between the U.S. and NATO ally Turkey.

"I don't accept any of the allegations or accusations," the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Brunson as telling the court. "I did not engage in any illegal activity. I had no relations with anyone engaged in such activity."

He added: "I am a Christian pastor. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different."

The agency said the pastor delivered his defense statement in Turkish.

Speaking to NBC News before the hearing, Brunson's daughter Jacqueline Furnari said that relatives were happy the case was moving forward but concerned it could drag on further.

"I'm not sure exactly why my dad was chosen," she said. "He's a pawn in a political game between Turkey and the U.S."

Furnari said Brunson's mood has recently improved and he had started to gain back some of the 50 pounds he lost while in detention.

"The start was very, very difficult. It was a dark time," she said. "He's anxious … but altogether he's doing a lot better."

                 Pastor Andrew Brunson. 

She added: "He's done nothing wrong, he's a peaceful loving man, he's a pastor. These charges are absolutely absurd."

Brunson was arrested during the mass detentions and firings soon after a failed July 2016 coup attempt, initially on immigration violation charges.

He's now accused of having links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a Kurdish militant group which Turkey and the United States deem a terrorist organization, as well as links with the network of Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Ankara blames Gulen for being behind the coup attempt.

The indictment also alleges Brunson revealed state secrets and communicated with people who gathered details about gas and railway stations, information which would potentially be of strategic importance during a war or occupation.

The indictment states the charges are based on evidence obtained from Brunson's phone, as well as from witnesses given pseudonyms to mask their identity.

The pastor's lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, told NBC News before the trial that he's not been told who the witnesses are and that Brunson denies the charges.

The United States has repeatedly demanded Brunson's release.

In March, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Brunson's wife during a trip to Turkey to visit President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A senior U.S. official told NBC News: "We are following this case closely, and since his arrest, we have visited Mr. Brunson regularly. We believe that Turkey is a state of law, and we have faith in the Turkish people's commitment to justice."

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is expected to attend part of the trial.

dAfter visiting Brunson in prison in March, Tillis said that "Brunson is being used as a political pawn by some elements of the Turkish government."

In September, Erdogan said that Turkey would send Brunson back to the United States if Washington carried extradited Gulen.

"Give him [Gulen] to us," Erdogan said. "Then we will try him [Brunson] and give him to you."

Washington said it did not receive sufficient evidence showing Gulen's connection to the coup attempt.

Halavurt said he expects his client to be released later on Monday over what he called "very weak" accusations, but added that recent cases have shown that may not happen.

"This is a special, delicate trial and if we look at other trials that have been held in this last period, we see that some people have been condemned without enough evidence, so it's a risk we have to consider," he added.

Related

Since the failed coup,Turkey has jailed over 50,000 people including journalists, academics and judges. The purges have led to widespread criticism of the country's authoritarian president.

Soner Tufan, a spokesperson of the Association of Protestant Churches and who attended Brunson's church, said Brunson was not connected to any political organizations.

"He's not guilty, he's not a spy, he's not working for CIA or other kind of organization," Tufan said. "He's just a [pastor]."

Several other U.S. citizens are being detained in Turkey, including NASA scientist Serkan Golge, who was sentenced to over seven years in prison on terrorism charges.

The State Department said it was deeply concerned by Golge's conviction.

Crucifixion Forecast in the OLD Testament

Israel Reportedly Flies Over Iranian Nuclear Sites

by Joshua Spurlock

Israeli F-35 stealth fighter jet

Monday, 02 April 2018 | Israeli stealth fighter jets reportedly flew over Iran in the last month, including locations thought to be part of Iran’s nuclear program, avoiding detection by Russian radar in Syria in their path from the Jewish state to the Islamic republic. The Jerusalem Post last week cited the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida as the source of the claims, which also alleged that the Israeli F-35 jets can fly to and from Iran twice without refueling—addressing a critical component to any potential Israeli missions in Iranian airspace.

However, a source in the Russian Ministry of Defense refuted the report that the Israeli jets could have evaded Russian air defense systems. In comments to the Russian news outlet Sputnik and published in the outlet’s English website, the defense source called that idea “total stupidity.”

If the Israeli flyover claims are true, they would come just months ahead of a deadline imposed by the United States on the Europeans to upgrade the Iranian nuclear deal or the Americans will pull out of the accord. If the US were to exit the deal and reinstate sanctions on Iran, the Iranians may choose to cancel the deal as well and push forward on their nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, Iran is already back to its old rhetoric of predicting the destruction of Israel.

In response to the Gaza riots in which Israel killed a number of Palestinian terrorists, Iran’s powerful paramilitary Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted by the Iranian PressTV outlet as predicting that events in the region would lead to the speeding up of the removing of the “cancerous tumor of Israel.”

The IRGC also pledged to “spare no effort” to support the Palestinians and would “further activate” their capabilities in that goal. Over the years, the IRGC is believed to have been involved in planning terror attacks around the world to target Israelis and Jews.

The harsh rhetoric and the report of Israeli flyovers come just over a month after an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down over Israeli airspace in an unusual escalation.

Source: (The Mideast Update originally published this article on 01 April 2018. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today.)

Mark Driscoll Quotes 😎

Ed's Note:   While I'm not necessarily a big Mark Driscoll fan, some of the quotes attributed to him are good!
________________________________________

1. “There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. some emergent types want to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelations, Jesus is a prize fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up. I fear some are becoming more cultural than christian, and without a big Jesus who has authority and hates sin as revealed in the bible, we will have less and less Christians, and more and more confused, spiritually self-righteous blogger critics of Christianity.”


2. “I’m in my jeep minding my own business, when I turn to Christian radio for the first time in a long time. Last time in a long time.”


3. “You have been told that God is a loving, gracious, merciful, kind, compassionate, wonderful, and good sky fairy who runs a day care in the sky and has a bucket of suckers for everyone because we’re all good people. That is a lie… God looks down and says ‘I hate you, you are my enemy, and I will crush you,’ and we say that is deserved, right and just, and then God says ‘Because of Jesus I will love you and forgive you.’ This is a miracle.”


4. “You wanna be counter-culture? You wanna be a total rebel? Get a job! You wanna be counter-culture, totally alternative, radical? Be a virgin until you get married…to a person of the opposite gender. And then stay married and pump out some kids and pay your taxes and read the Bible, you freak. You’ll be just totally a rebel.”


5. “Jesus, could you please rapture the charismaniac lady who brings her tambourine to church?”


6. “God picked a junior high girl [to be Jesus’ mother]. Jesus was raised by a woman who today, we wouldn’t even let her lead a bible study at a high school. But she could raise God.”


7. “Jesus and Paul were serious dudes. They had teeth missing. Jesus was a carpenter, Paul was in prison. These guys didn’t eat tofu dogs and bean sprouts. They didn’t play tennis. If there were trucks back in their times, they would have been doing driveway lube jobs on a Saturday afternoon. Same thing with King David. Yeah, he might have played a lyre, but he slaughtered thousands of guys.”


8. “Even a cursory reading of the book of Ecclesiastes shows that culture is a stationary bike that each generation climbs on in hopes of getting somewhere only to die and fall off so that the new young stud can take his turn peddling and, like a fool, make pronouncements about his progress. We would be wise to see postmodernity as simply the new guy on the old bike and not mistake cultural change for kingdom progress.”


9. “I also did not explain in written form that we were theologically conservative and culturally liberal, which caused great confusion because half of the church was angry that the other half was smoking, while the other half was angry that I taught from the Bible.”


10. “And to top it all off, God comes to earth. He has a mom whom everyone thinks is a slut, a dad whom they think has the brilliance of a five-watt bulb for believing the ‘virgin birth’ line, and brothers who likely pummel him frequently, because even God would have to get at least one wedgie from his brothers if he were to be fully human.”

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #65

My Most Brilliant Achievement ~ Winston Churchill

Humbolt Broncos Team Pastor Sean Brandow

  

Humbolt Broncos team pastor Sean Brandow delivers powerful address (Click this link)

Pastor Sean Brandow was very emotional as he spoke at a vigil for 
victims of Friday’s tragic bus crash which killed 15 from the 
Humbolt Broncos. Brandow said this tragedy had left him feeling 
empty. He pondered the questions "Where" and "Why"!

Biblical Money Principles ~ Dave Ramsay

Faithful One ~ Robin Mark

6 ~ ... To The Church in Philadelphia

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ~ Rev 2:17

Related:

To The Church in Ephesus

To The Church in Smyrna

To the Church in Pergamum

To the Church in Thyatira

To The Church in Sardis

Revelation 2 begins a series of brief letters to seven churches that existed during the apostle John’s time in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Each of these messages includes information apropos to each church, and from these messages we can draw lessons applicable to our own lives today. 


Revelation 3:7-13 records Christ’s message to the sixth of the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2–3. The Philadelphian church is the recipient of this letter. Philadelphia was a city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) on the Imperial Post Road, an important trade route.

The message is from the Lord Jesus Christ through an angel or “messenger” (likely a reference to the pastor): 
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write . . .” (Revelation 3:7). This was not John’s personal message to these believers; it was a message from the Lord, who identifies Himself as “him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” 

This description of Jesus emphasizes His holiness, His sovereignty, and His authority. The reference to the key of David is an allusion to the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 22:22. Jesus is the one who opens and shuts, and no one can say Him nay.

Jesus affirms the church’s positive actions: 
“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). 

The church of Philadelphia was weak in some respects, yet they had remained faithful in the face of trial. Because of this, the Lord promises them an “open door” of blessing.

Jesus’ letter then condemns the enemies of the Philadelphian believers: 

“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9). 

Those who persecuted the believers (the persecutors were religious hypocrites in this case) would one day realize Christ loves His children. The church of Philadelphia would be victorious over its enemies.

Jesus encourages the Philadelphian believers regarding His future coming: 

“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:10-11). 

The church’s faithful endurance would serve as a blessing. Jesus would take them to be with Him before the coming tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). He also exhorts them to remain faithful, because this would lead to rewards in the afterlife. Based on this and other passages, many Bible interpreters conclude that the rapture is an event distinct from the second coming of Christ. The fact that the Philadelphians are promised to be preserved from the time of the tribulation corresponds with the pretribulational view of the rapture.

Jesus provides a final promise to the believers in Philadelphia and to all believers: “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name” (Revelation 3:12). Professor Thomas Constable notes, “God promised that He will not just honor overcomers by erecting a pillar in their name in heaven, as was the custom in Philadelphia. He will make them pillars in the spiritual temple of God, the New Jerusalem (21:22; cf. Gal. 2:9; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-10).” (Source: Thomas Constable, Notes on Revelation at http://soniclight.org/constable/notes/pdf/revelation.pdf.)

So, those who struggled with weakness Jesus makes everlasting pillars in the house of God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Jesus’ words of comfort certainly would have been a blessing to the Philadelphians who had faithfully stood for Christ in their pagan culture. His words continue to serve as an encouragement to faithful believers today.