AND THEN ALONG CAME SANDY

In the midst of a nation divided about this upcoming election ALONG COMES SANDY Ponder on this for a bit...... Again and again in our nations history we have seen Americans come together. During war, assassinations, floods, terrorists attacks and yes hurricanes. People begin to reach out to help others. We are willing to make sacrifices and go beyond the call of duty. We join together in prayer with family, friends, and even total strangers to cry out to God for help and comfort. It is sad that we don't experience such bonding until tragedy strikes. Could it be that God is allowing things to happen that will bring us together, just a thought to ponder on? Heavenly Father we ask that you bless those in the midst of this hurricane and in the surrounding areas that will be affected by it. We ask that Your blessing our President and other National leaders that are working together to bring aid to these areas and its people. We ask that you Bless those that are leaving home and families to go to these areas to support and help in the clean up and work that has to be done. Lord we ask for protection on all Your children as we do what we can during our Country's trying time right now. Lord bring this Nation together to stand strong, as You would have us be, In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen So-Be-It. recj/LJG

YOUR FRIEND FOREVER

ISAIAH 41:9-10 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous hand.' "I prayed and asked my Father for one more chance-- He looked at me with love felt, but unseen and said: You have all the chances you need, I will give them to you, as you need them, As many as you need, as many as it takes, Until you come home to me." [taken from the poem 'One More Chance Lord' by Estelle Carter] God Bless recj/LJG

ROSE AND LINDA'S BLOG SUNDAY EDITORIAL

With each passing day the big election gets closer, and we need to come to a decision as to whom we shall vote for to lead our nation for the next 4 years. With the advances of science it would be nice if we could clone a being we would all be happy with. I shall choose to do as my Dad once told me, do not tell any one whom you vote for, that way you can talk about either one that wins. We encourage each of you to vote and to pray and seek God before you do make a decision. As we look around ourselves we should be willing to accept the good in ourselves and willing to work toward changing that which is not. It does not make us a failure to admit that we are not good in an area in our life. That is growth. Yes I can paint a room, but if you want those nice sharp edges along the ceiling line, please get someone else. We encourage you to find your true gifts and operate in them. Think of each day as a new beginning, and treat it as such. Think of each day as your last, and treat it as such. Do today what you might never have a chance to do for tomorrow is not promised to any of us. God Bless recj/LJG

A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL EMPOWERING

A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL EMPOWERING BY SHIRLEY RHODES During the course of our lives, we all have had someone to pray for us. Prayer is the key that unlocks the door to our blessings, and when we learn that our purpose in life is to serve others, and we can truly be effective as a servant by praying in the Spirit for our fellowman, we are then moved to pray without ceasing. Paul’s prayer for spiritual empowerment for the Ephesians was that they be united by the Spirit, indwelt by Christ, and filled with all the fullness of God’s love. We know that God made the Holy Spirit available to all who believed in Jesus Christ as Savior. The Spirit provides power for our new lives. The Prayer that Paul prayed for Spiritual Empowerment was a beautiful and powerful prayer. Now listen to Paul’s words as he spoke them in Ephesians 3:14-21: For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height. To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God? Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. We find that in this text’s prayer, Paul asked that the Holy Spirit deepen His work in their lives in three ways: 1. That Christ would dwell–more literally, “be at home” in their hearts by faith, that is, that He would move from being an acquaintance to being the center of their church family; 2. That they would grasp God’s love at a spiritual level, beyond intellectual or theological knowledge. 3. That they would be filled with God’s fullness, that is, that the Holy Spirit would reveal the things of Christ (John 16) more fully, achieving God’s fuller work in each life unhindered, unquenched, un-grieved. Now, what about you? We bless this prayer to you that it may spiritual empower you to reach your greatest potential, in Jesus name. Amen. PASTER DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER VINE AND BRANCH WORLDWIDE MINISTERIES http://wp.me/pf75v-2dV

IS IT BIBLICIAL TO SUE SOMEONE

Is it biblical to sue someone? Is it permissible for Christians to sue other Christians? What does the Bible say about believers who have disputes and whether they should bring each other to court to sue one another? Lawsuits Among Believers Apparently, the church at Corinth had a huge problem of division. This was despite the fact that the church, the Body of Christ, is one body of believers who ought to be in unity with one another. First Corinthians chapter 6 is where Paul directly addresses this issue. Many in the Corinthian church were apparently in such dissension that they were actually taking each other to court rather than what God commands should be taken before the church or should be settled by a brother or sister between the disputing parties. Church members sing the hymn, “Oh How I Love Jesus” while at the same time we do not show that we love one another. Jesus told believers that we should love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). He commanded Christians everywhere, in a new commandment, that we should love each member of the body of Christ. Jesus did not mean that we are to love only those who are lovable or those who deserve it but that we should love all members of His body (the church). Jesus first loved us while we were still enemies and He loved us – the unlovable (Rom 5:8). First John 3:14 clearly leaves no wiggle room for this command as John said, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” This is how we know that we have eternal life – that we love our brothers and sisters. John states that this is the key indicator of this indwelling, eternal life; that “anyone who does not love remains in death.” When we hate or fight with our brother or sister, we do not love Jesus Christians Suing Christians How we must grieve the Holy Spirit when we fight with one another to the point of taking each other to court. How hypocritical when we sing church hymns about loving God but we don’t love the brethren. These are irreconcilable to each other. When we hate or fight with our brother or sister, we do not love Jesus. Paul must have been sick to his stomach to find out that church members were suing each other in public courts of law and these disputes were harming the reputation not only of the church but of Jesus Christ Himself. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 Paul writes to the Corinthian church: “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” God Hates Division Lets take this import chapter verse by verse and apply it to the question of whether it is right for Christians to sue each other. In verses 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, Paul says, “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1 Tim 2:12, Luke 19:12-27, Rev 20:4). Paul says that it is a detestable thing to take matters between church brethren before a secular, worldly, ungodly court of law (v 1). If there is a dispute between believers then these things should be brought before the church (the Lord’s people) and not before the world to decide (v 1). Christ has told us that we will reign and rule with Him someday and will even judge angels and even the world (v 2). God has said that we will be kings and priests and rule with Christ yet some Christians can not even settle matters within the church! Paul was ashamed of such behavior saying in 1 Corinthians 1:5-6 that surely there must be someone “wise enough to judge a dispute between believers (v 6). Rather than allow matters to be settled in church, “one brother takes another to court “(v 6). Even worse, this is done “in front of unbelievers” so as to give the Church of Christ a black-eye and hurt the church’s reputation. The world will see no difference between Christians and unbelievers and think, “why should we join a group like that which is no different from the world?” The world must think, what duplicity – what hypocrisy! And who could blame them for thinking this. Jesus said that the world would know that we are believers if we love one another in John 13:34-34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Here Jesus said that “everyone will know that [we] are [His] disciples if we love one another. Love is not suing one another. Love is forgiving one another and being willing to take wrong and not retaliating. Christians Bringing Lawsuits Against Christians Paul continues this theme of Christians suing Christians writing, “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters” (1 Cor 6:7-8). Paul sees us who sue other Christians as having been “completely defeated already.” He says it is much better to “be wronged” or “rather be cheated” instead of trying to sue each other over something that could be settled between believers or, in the least, be brought before the church (1 Cor 6:4). Paul bluntly associates these frivolous lawsuits with “wrongdoers [who] will not inherit the kingdom of God”(1 Cor 6:9). Paul classifies this type of activity with “the sexually immoral…idolaters…adulterers…men who have sex with men…thieves…the greedy…drunkards…slanderers and swindlers” (1 Cor 6:9). Get that! Paul sees Christians who sue other Christians as no different than the immoral and idolatrous. Ouch! This is a very serious sin as far as God is concerned. And these types of sinners “will not inherit eternal life (1 Cor 6:9). Is It Biblical to Sue Someone: Key Takeaway There is no room for justifying a Christian taking another Christian to court. They do not love one another as Christ loved the church. They do not love their neighbor as themselves. They may not have even passed from death to life (John 3:14). It defiles the reputation not only of the church but of Jesus Christ Himself Who is Head of the church. God associates this type of sin with sexual immorality and this type of sin is committed by those who will not inherit eternal life (1 Cor 6:9). The conclusion is that Christians are commanded to not sue one another but settle the issue in the church since Christians will be reigning with Christ someday. How can they expect to reign in the coming Kingdom of God when they can not even settle issues with each other? God forbid. Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/is-it-biblical-to-sue-someone/#ixzz29ZdBgf9j

ROSE AND LINDA'S BLOG; TEN FAITH BOOSTERS

1. God has given me all that is necessary to run my race. Hebrews 13:20-21, Philippines 1:6 2. What looks impossible in my eyes is a small thing in God's. Jeremiah 32:17, Luke 1:37 3. Angels are helping me to do His will. Matt 26:53, Mark 1:13, john 1:51, Hebrews 1:13-14 4. I am highly favored of God. Psalm 5:12, Psalm 91:14-16 5. God's resurrection power is at work in me. Ephesians 3:20-21, Romans 8:11 6. God is faithful to His Word and to me everyday and in every way. 1 Peter 1:24-25, Isaiah 55:11, Jeremiah 1:12, Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2 Isaiah 55:7-9, Hebrews 11:11 7. God hears me and answers my prayers. Psalm 34:15-17, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:1, Hebrews 4:16 1 John 5:14-15, James 5:15-18 8. My part is to do the believing. God's is to do the 'doing.' Mark 11:24, John 16:23-24 9. The holy Spirit is with me, in me and upon me. John 14:26, John 16:7, John 16:13-15 10.God is a rewarder. Hebrews 11:6, Genesis 15:1, Romans 8:32, Hebrews 6:10 We suggest that you print this out if possible and keep it handy. God Bless recj/LJG

ROSE AND LINDA'S BLOG: CAN YOU GIVE JESUS 24 HOURS

As you read this look back over the past day and recall if you would have wanted Jesus to see all your behavior? Come-on be honest with yourself. We all know being human is not easy, and we all slip at some time and forget we are Christians. Thank the Lord we can go to Him and ask for forgiveness. There are 24 hours in a day, and we generally sleep away 8 hours of that. That leaves us 16 hours to live righteous in His eyes. Can we do it? We are not talking about praying time, we are talking about walking THE walk. We challenge everyone reading this to decide to give tomorrow to Jesus. We are going to live as Christ would have us live. We are going to walk, talk, and act according to the Word of God. Our time here on earth was given to us and it is valuable. For one day ask yourself before each action ‘WHAT WOULD JESUS DO’ and act accordingly. Can you do it? If you want to be part of this challenge then post your name/code name and the next day we want to all come back and share how our day went. Just one day. Lets see how many will try to do it. God Bless recj/LJG

TO WHOM DO I LOOK

As a child, I spoke as a child, To whom did I call on, run to, Mama As a teenager I spoke as one knowing all things, I acted as a child. To whom did I call, run to? Myself, my peers-which was my friends my age. As a young adult spoke as one who had learned to listen, but mostly to myself and my peers, the ones I chose to hear, As years passed I grew and found out that others knew more then me. Even some I did not choose. With age comes wisdom if we allow ourselves to be open to receive. To Whom do I look? One morning I awoke to there had to be more to life then what I was living. But to Whom do I run. In the distance I saw Him to whom I had heard of for all my years. How though to reach out to the One that knows all, sees all, the One from whom nothing can be hid. Am I ready to accept Him, because in doing so I am admitting that there is One I can never know more than. One that to fully know would mean total surrender of all of me. Am I ready for this? Am I capable of this? To Whom Can I look? Him and only Him. Because without Him I am incomplete. Without Him no matter what I do in life I will never know what it is to be all I can be-All that He made me to be. To Whom Do I look? I look to the One who knows the real me, the One that created me. The only One who holds the truth of how I can be all of me. To Whom do I look? Jesus Christ recj/LJG

Your Sunday Bread, Addressing the Pulpit

Addressing members of the clergy’s behavior is a difficult situation. No one wants to see their pastor, the leader of their church caught in scandal, because not only does it bring the church a bad name, its members are looked upon harshly, and worst of all the word of God. In all of this one might wonder what has become of this thing; or amazed at how this all came about. Our church was popular someone might think, but within these perils of thought one must also consider whether their church has become popular for the wrong reasons. Before we go on with this subject, we must note that people are quite hush hush about what goes on with the men of God; those who lead the flocks, and when the preacher is seen doing things contrary to the word of God, where sin is present no one wants to be the one to confront it. Most people are fearful of the man of God and most will use the word to excuse their inability to speak out. Actually, it is cowardice in its greatest display. The scripture taken from Psalms 105:15 Saying, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm”, and the same in 2 Chronicles 16:22. Although we shouldn’t touch those anointed many people are portrayed doing that in the bible and more so in deed than words. Here we note that the prophets were being killed because of speaking God’s word to those who were idol worshippers and other sins. The Prophet Elijah was chased out of town by a death threat from Jezebel in 1 Kings 19:2-3, “Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.” Prophets were killed for spreading the word of truth in those days. Today, however, the men of God are seen having affairs, molesting students under their care and counsel, raping; and even participating in homosexual acts against its members which are most certainly acts against the word of God. Sin is running rampart in the pulpits, our leaders falling under the lies of Satan and no one is saying anything. No one wants to talk about it; that is, to straighten the man out! Sadder still is prayer being manifested as a last resort when those act already known by some in the church are made public. Hence, we see our preachers being drug off to jail, sent to prison and one notable example is of a Pastor and Funeral Director who was murdered, hog tied and gagged; not for spreading the good news of Christ our Savior, but for deeds done against our Holy God and his church. God says this: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth(Suppress it) in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:16-18, 22-25) (Emphasis mine) Pastor John Piper explained homosexuality as “worship of self” as a form of idolatry which in turn leads to men and women’s lust of same sex which is idolatry. God gives explicit word for people who accept this in church and out as well. He says about the homosexual that he gave them up to this life style to do what they will, which in turn leads to more sin. The observation here is that these things are occurring in the Roman Church who the author speaks to. Notably, people might believe that he is speaking to someone outside; this is what one would expect, but sadly we cannot tell the world from the church. God says, “ “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (Romans 1:27-30) And covenant breakers; the church: Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:31-32). The main concern is to judge what is right and stop turning a blind eye to sin. There is something wrong when people called by the name of God cannot open their mouths and speak truth no matter who it is. Probably the most heinous crimes are not done by people unsaved, but by people who call themselves saved. Now everybody is shocked and taken aback because someone they idolized and worshipped instead of God has left them disappointed and dumbfounded. Why are we shocked when we don’t pray, when we don’t speak truth even to the ones who teach us. We have to take the church back it has become a breeding ground of sin. God is not pleased and is bringing his wrath in judgment. above all things pray without ceasing. http://grinddaileyissues.com/2012/09/30/your-sunday-bread-addressing-the-pulpit/

CLEANING OUT THE LITTER BOX AND; OTHER THOUGHTS ON LOVE

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. -Hebrews 6:10 Love is many things. Above all I believe it is a verb. Its not so much what you say but what you do. I can tell my wife and children that I love them but if I do nothing to serve them then I am only a “clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1). I can show my love to my wife by doing the dishes, cleaning up after myself, by making supper some nights and by cleaning out the litter box. Women love flowers and cards, but they also love receiving a call from their man who just called to say, “I love you.” They love surprises when they arrive home and find the dishes done, the laundry started, supper on the table, the trash taken out…and oh yeah, the litter box cleaned. Not glorious jobs for sure but the rewards truly are. We say more about our love for our mate by what we do than what we say. This does not mean that we don’t ever say, “I love you” but by serving one another we are saying it just as loudly as if we said it verbally…perhaps more so. Love is a verb – its what you do. Even if it means cleaning out the “do do” from the cat box. This daily devotional was written by Pastor Jack Wellman a writer at What Christians Want To Know. To read more from Jack check out the article below or follow WCWTK on Facebook for daily Christian encouragement: Jacob and Rachel: A Bible Love Story http://jesus-loves-you.org/?p=6897

WE FELT LIKE GRASSHOPPERS

by Phil Ware They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it's a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers" (Numbers 13:32-33 MSG). Pretty descriptive, isn't it? "Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers!"From God's perspective, it was a description of faithlessness: faithlessness with a forty year price tag! A dozen spies were sent. Ten of the twelve — a 5 to 1 ratio — said we can't do it. The ten said, "It's an incredible land. It's full of wonderful places and resources. But we can't do it. Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers!" The people believed the ten and threatened to hang the 2. So now, 40 years later, at the same spot, the two — Joshua and Caleb — enter the land with a fresh batch of adults because the ten and those who believed them had spent forty years going to funerals in the desert because of their faithlessness. Joshua leads them on what we call "The Conquest" and they possess the Promised Land. God makes sure that along the way they know that it is not by their own power, but by the promise and power of the LORD that they now take the land. But, I wonder what all that generation that finally entered the land thought about when they saw a grasshopper? Forty years. Wasted years. Desert years. Funeral years. Bitter years. Forty years of wandering because of my parents' unbelief. Forty years of sand and tents and moving to the next nowhere place because that generation was dominated by fear instead of being inspired by faith — proven faith from the God who had carried his people from slavery in Egypt to the doorstep of the Promised Land. Forty years of no houses and no stability and no variety for dinner: more manna tonight... ugh! Yes, Joshua leads his people to conquest, but it is forty years too late for most folks anywhere near his age. So we need to let Joshua and Caleb, and the younger generation of people who enter the Promised Land with them, remind us this powerful truth. There is a terribly high price to pay when God's people — and especially God's leaders — let fear triumph over faith! Leaders need to count the cost of fear and the loss of faith in God's power and presence beyond our sight. Most count the number of new ventures. Most assess the risk in new opportunities. Most dissect any new proposal to see if there are funds and other resources to advance. For two generations of God's people, the cost of fear was this: •Wasted future for their kids. •The lost promise of their peers. When leaders don't follow God's voice, they cost people life and the opportunity to experience God's power and presence that defies logic, transcends logistics, and overwhelms simple prediction. The story of Joshua and Caleb's faithless generation teaches us the hard costs of this lack of faith-vision: 1.What they fear, they ensure happens — they die in the desert away from any permanent home. 2.When they doubt, they lose — they lose the very source of their blessings and the hope that life is going somewhere that is significant. 3.Who they try to protect, they enslave — their fear that their children would die guarantees that those same children have to be enslaved to their faithlessness as they wander forty additional years before possessing the land. The bottom line most of God's faithful leaders of every era know: faithfulness to God rarely feels safe, seldom seems practical, and frequently looks threatening! As Joshua gets ready to lead God's people out of their forty years of wasted time, he faced a far more daunting task than Moses would have faced. The generations that had experienced God's great deliverance from Egypt are mostly gone, buried in the endless sand in which they trudged away their lives. Those who had seen God's deliverance with the plagues, the parting of the sea, the miraculous manna, the gift of quail, and the life-giving provision of water are buried in the sands of their own fear. Moses, the only leader the people had ever known, is now dead. Their connection to God had to feel broken. So God steps in to encourage Joshua to do what Moses could not do and lead the people to do what the previous generations would not do: trust God to keep his promises to bring them into the Promised Land. God's words are striking to any of us who would dare lead God's people, our families, and our generation out of the wilderness of low expectations, fear of the future, and concern about dwindling resources: 1.Be strong and courageous — mentioned four times in the first chapter of Joshua! 2.God is going with you to give you victory — a major theme of this same chapter! 3.Obey God's Word to you whether the Law given through Moses or the guidance he gives you as his leader of the people. Not a bad set of tools for God's leaders to take with them today! But, for these tools to be effective, we must: •Quit judging faithfulness by comparing things to where we have been — God's goal for us is not to bask in the memory of past successes, but to advance to new territory. •Have the courage to follow God wherever he leads us — God has Kingdom work for us to do and not church housekeeping to tie us down. •Listen to God's voice, whether in the Scriptures or in the leading of the Holy Spirit, above the voices of the crowds we so often want to please. So much talk I hear today is nostalgic or fearful or anxious. So many churches want to try to maintain the glory days of the past and not chart new territory and conquer new kingdoms as we face a changing and challenging world. But, treading water to stay where we are is no different than stomping in the sand for forty years while we bury each other in the desert of unfulfilled dreams. http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201210/20121014_grasshoppers.html

PLEASE GIVE YOUR ATTENTION AND PRAYER

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... — Matthew 25:35 Please Give Your Attention and Prayer to This Worsening Crisis! War, drought, and famine have left 18 million people in a desperate situation! They badly need our help! Click here to see more → Currently, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that more than 18 million people in nine countries in the Sahel region are facing a severe food and nutrition crisis. More than a million children under the age of five are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition and over 200,000 people have fled into neighboring countries to avoid the conflict in northern Mali. Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted that humanitarian partners throughout the region have raised their funding requirements to meet this crisis, but more is desperately needed. “I commend humanitarian donors for maintaining their generosity and commitment to effective, coordinated and timely aid,” said Amos. Please consider giving to our partner, Mercy Corps by clicking on the graphic to the left. You can also learn more about the important work Mercy Corps is doing in the Sahel. Beyond the immediate emergency assistance that is needed, Mercy Corps is committed to promoting long-term solutions such as educating farmers in methods of off-season growing. Help end this crisis and DONATE NOW! JESUSLOVES .COM

THE DYNAMITE POWER OF THE WORD

Romans 1:16b …because it [the Gospel] is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… The word “power” is translated from the Greek “dunamis” and is where we get our word for “dynamite”. In other words, the Gospel of God is dynamite — it’s highly explosive! However, it has power for a very specific purpose: “It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Salvation is an all encompassing word and means — “deliverance”. It is representative of the past (I was saved), the present (I am saved), and the future (I will always be saved). It includes everything from sanctification to glorification. In other words, in our passage today Paul explains, the Gospel of God has the power to turn people’s lives around and give them a reason for being. The intrinsic power of the words is released by belief. Do you need some power to change? Read your Bible! Are you having difficulty dealing with a problem at work? Read your Bible. My sister Susan is going on a diet to lose some unwanted pounds — her solution — “What does the Bible say about my body?” The Bible is called the Book of Life — not because it is a collection of folk tales and good advice — but is the only formula we need for living. Are you using its power? Read it and God will speak to you. POCKETPOWER.ORG

WHO CARES?

By Rochel Holzkenner "Remember what Amalek did to you on the road, on your way out of Egypt. That he encountered you on the way and cut off those lagging to your rear, when you were tired and exhausted; he did not fear G‑d... [Therefore,] you must obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. Do not forget." --Deuteronomy 25:17-19 Who is this nation of Amalek that deserves such harsh recognition? The fledgling Jewish nation had many enemies, and yet it is only Amalek whom the Torah singles out and tells us to obliterate their memory, enjoining us: "Do not forget." Amalek encountered the Jewish people just after they escaped from the clutches of the Egyptians. The Torah tells us in Exodus (ch. 17) that "the people of Israel journeyed... and they camped in Rephidim... [Moses] named the place 'Challenge and Strife' because of the strife of the people of Israel and their challenging of G‑d, saying, 'Is G‑d amongst us or not?' Then came Amalek and attacked Israel in Rephidim." The Torah describes the explicit sequence; the Jewish people expressed their doubts saying "Is G‑d amongst us?" The next thing that happened was Amalek's attack. Not only did the skepticism make them vulnerable to attack, but it was because Amalek sensed their uncertainty that they took advantage of the young nation. Doubt is a funny thing. It's irrational and yet it can penetrate almost any rational medium. Here was a nation that had experienced the greatest miracles of all time: the ten plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea and the manna. And yet they were not impervious to the plague of doubt. My mind travels back to high school. One afternoon we were privileged to hear an engaging talk from a world renowned lecturer. She was intelligent and funny and wove together an inspirational message. I sat spellbound. After she had finished I stayed seated to take in her words for another minute. That's when I overheard a conversation rolling behind me. "Did you like her?" one voice questioned. "Like her? Whatever, they're all the same. Anyhow, I couldn't care less cuz we got to miss class." The first voice responded "Totally!" Like a sharp pin pierces a large balloon, I slowly felt my inspiration deflate. They hadn't refuted the logic or veracity of the lecture, only made a few mocking comments. But I began to doubt. This is the nature of doubt. It circumvents logic and proceeds to erode away beliefs. In the Hebrew language every word has a numerological value. The work Amalek shares the same numerological value as the work safek,doubt. Amalek represents the destructive spiritual force that capitalizes on a doubtful moment and introduces yet another destructive element—irrational indifference. The Midrash describes Amalek's attack as follows: What is the incident [of Amalek] comparable to? To a boiling tub of water which no creature was able to enter. Along came one evildoer and jumped into it. Although he was burned, he cooled it for the others. So, too, when Israel came out of Egypt, and G‑d split the sea before them and drowned the Egyptians within it, the fear of them fell upon all the nations. But when Amalek came and challenged them, although he received his due from them, he cooled the awe of the nations of the world for them. G‑d tells us: Remember your inner enemy, Amalek. Remember that apathy is an empty rival. It does, however, serve one purpose: it challenges the one in doubt to reaffirm and strengthen his faith in G‑d. This is why G‑d commanded us to remember Amalek for all generations. Intellect will lead a person to pursue truth, idealism and spirituality. But doubt and apathy will look truth in the face and exclaim, "so what?" By Rochel Holzkenner More articles... | Rochel is a mother of two children and the co-director of Chabad of Las Olas, Fla., heading its educational department. She is also a freelance writer—and a frequent contributor to Chabad.org—and lectures on topics of Kabbalah and feminism, and their application to everyday life. Rochel holds an MS in Brain Research from Nova SE University.

THE MIDGIT AND THE GIANT

By Chanie Goldman Have you ever heard the famous story of the woman who lifted a car to free her child trapped underneath? We all experience these seemingly insurmountable situations, albeit not as dramatic, which seem too difficult to bear and impossible to handle. These trials and tribulations, sometimes minor and occasionally substantial, confront each person. Yet, a surge of adrenaline and willpower, combined with a large dose of Divine intervention, gives us the strength to overcome the monsters which appear in our lives. The sages stated, “Open for me [a door as big] as the point of a needle and I will open up for you [a door] like the Hall in the Temple.” When we put in effort and give it all we got, G‑d's help will be generous and complete. Yes, Jacob fought with the angel all night and walked away victorious, though with a limp; Nachshon walked into the Sea until it reached his neck and then it split; David stood facing Goliath and slung a rock which hit him dead on; and I woke up each child, dressed them, fed them, and patiently (or not so patiently) got them out the door, and the bus was still there waiting! All miracles in their own right, and usually a struggle from beginning to end. In this week's Torah reading, Moses prepares his nation to enter the Land of Israel. Hear, O Israel: Today, you are crossing the Jordan to come in to possess nations greater and stronger than you... A great and tall people, the children of the Anakim... You shall know this day, that it is the L-rd your G‑d Who passes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them, and He will subdue them before you; and you shall drive out them and destroy them quickly, as the L-rd spoke to you. (Deuteronomy 9:1-3) Moses does not present a very rosy picture to a nation set to enter a hostile land. He does not shirk his responsibility to present an accurate picture of the following seven years of fighting and conquering. Though their fathers flaunted their fear of the Land and disregard for G‑d's promise and died in the desert for this sin, Moses did not give in to an apprehension of their reaction to his daunting words. However, he did assure them that if they would fully understand and demonstrate unwavering faith and the willingness to fight, they would merit a complete victory. And with good faith and preparedness for battle, following Joshua their leader, the Jewish people conquered most of the seven nations in the Land of Canaan (ancient Israel). As history typically repeats itself, this lesson of faith and trust in G‑d, while simultaneously reaching out and doing our part, is quite pertinent to us today. There's a famous Chassidic saying, "One must live with the times"--meaning that the weekly Torah reading must have relevance to current events affecting the life of a Jew. The Parshah of Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) we read this week and its specific lesson regarding the original wars in the Land of Israel, as it relates to the marriage of effort and trust, ring all too loudly today. The Land of Israel and its five million Jews are locked in an ongoing battle with five hundred million Arab neighbors. Just as in ancient times, when the Jewish nation faced real giants, the modern giant of today has menacingly continued to threaten the midget for almost sixty years. Yet time and again the midget emerges victorious. With a combination of extraordinary executed military power and spiritual strength exhibited in a worldwide effort to strengthen in Torah learning and good deeds, particularly tefillin and mezThe Jewish people as a whole stand facing this giant who has reawakened from its slumber, growling and gnawing, yet not fully awake. If we are to defeat the monster before he fully awakens, we must look to the past. The Six Day War was one of the greatest Jewish events in modern history, yet we threw food back at the giant and whetted its appetite. When given land, the Arabs were not satisfied, not intimidated and only wanted more. Following victories in war which should have scared them, we turned around and made ourselves vulnerable. What was viewed by the world as an effort toward peace turned around to bite us in the back. Only through showing spiritual, physical, and moral strength will the giant give up and be put to rest. When they see that we stand firm in our convictions and protect the sacred Land which G‑d bequeathed to us, they will back down. As Jews, we must have constant faith in G‑d and His perpetual protection of the Land of Israel. As the Torah declares: "A land the Lord, your G‑d, looks after; the eyes of Lord your G‑d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year" (Deuteronomy 11:12). We who live outside of the Holy Land and are not engaged in the physical fighting and the constant threat of missiles must encourage our brethren in Israel, stand united with them, pray for them, do an extra good deed for them and pray that they will be wise and have the stamina and strength to look up at the giant in battle, but look even higher, to heaven, and seek G‑d's comfort and blessings. By Chanie Goldman More articles... | Chanie Goldman is co-director of the Lubavitch Jewish Center at the University of Florida - Gainesville http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/410547/jewish/The-Midget-and-the-Giant.htm uzah, the Land of Israel has emerged victorious despite blunders along the way.

SHOW YOUR PASTOR SOME APPRECIATION THIS MONTH

And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. — Jeremiah 3:15 A Pastor's Job Is Never Done Have you shown your appreciation for your pastor or clergyman lately? October is Pastor Appreciation Month ... a good time to show your gratitude! Click here to see more →The job of Church Pastor requires a lot of time and energy from the people who serve in that position. Their work is easily seen on Sunday mornings, but much of what happens the rest of the week goes unseen and perhaps under-appreciated, at times. It is probably safe to say that we don’t thank our pastors enough for all the work they put into our community, our church and our congregation.The month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month. It provides us all with an ideal opportunity to recognize the efforts our clergy and the contributions they make in our lives. You may be surprised how much they really do! This video reminds us that “a pastor is a person that helps bring people to God” and also so much more! Enjoy, and don’t forget to say “Thank You” the next time you see your pastor. JESUSYOU.COM Thank you Preacher John Sweat, Sr, Senior Pastor at Crossroads Baptist Church, 1595 Baxley Road, Middleburg, Florida. Two of our Associate Preacher's Bro Ron and Bro Matt. love yall

GOD WILL GET YOU THROUGH THE STORM

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 Years ago, I was enthralled as I listened to a pastor who for several years had faithfully served the church. His executive responsibilities had taken him all over this country. As he concluded his message, he told of one of the most frightening, yet thought-provoking, experiences of his life. He had been on a long flight from one place to another. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten your seat belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.” As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, “We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us.” Then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash. The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, “As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm. Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and every thing within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity,when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid.” The minister could hardlybelieve his eyes. It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark,our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid. The child replied, “‘Cause my Daddy’s the pilot, and he’s taking me home.” There are many kinds of storms that buffet us: • Physical, • Mental, • Financial, • Domestic, and… Many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky. Let us remember… Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home… so Don’t Worry. - Author Unknown http://jesus-loves-you.org/?p=1557

EAGAR OR RELUCTANT

Romans 1:15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. Paul isn't just willing to preach the Gospel -- he is "eager". There is a big difference between reluctantly willing and eager. Pastor Ty and his wife Cindi love to tell the story of dinner one night at their home while watching Amanda for a few days (Sherry and I were out of town). The dishwasher was on the blink, so upon finishing the meal Ty got up and said, "Okay, everyone grab your dishes and let's wash them by hand." Their son Joshua (who is eleven) had the typical response, "Come on Dad -- do we have to -- oh, alright." Amanda on the other hand, enthusiastically jumped up from the table and said, "Oh boy -- we get to wash dishes -- I love washing dishes!" You see unlike Joshua, the younger Amanda considered it a treat when at home her mother would trust her with the "big girl" job of washing the dishes. Like Amanda, I think Paul considered preaching the Gospel to be an honor versus a task -- it is why he was always eager to share with anyone who would listen. We have all been given the responsibility to share the Gospel. Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Some of us just don't pursue it with the same level of enthusiasm. Do you see this command to share the Gospel as a duty or a privilege? Are you eager or reluctant? POCKETPOWER.ORG

THE SILENT SCREAM

The Silent Scream Sunday, August 5, 2012 By Sara Esther Crispe With my kids in the lake on a daily basis, I was reviewing once again the rules for swimming safety. And if you are like me, once you get started on one possible disaster, you find yourself reading about a variety of possible disasters. So drowning led to choking, and so on. In addition to learning the warning signs and what to do, as counterintuitive as it may seem, I discovered a fascinating connection that most of these extremely dangerous and deadly situations have in common . . . silence. In almost every scenario that I read about, the true sign that extreme danger was at hand was when the victim made no noise. In the case of drowning, a victim does not shout for help and wave his arms frantically; rather, the one drowning makes no noise at all and appears passive, doing not much of anything. Not to say that a person screaming does not need help, but that person is not actually drowning if able to scream. The same is true with choking. If one is coughing, gagging, making noise . . . you are to leave them alone. They are in the process of trying to work out what is blocking the airway. But they are not completely blocked, or there wouldn’t be any noise. What is most dangerous, and what requires immediate intervention, is when the person is silent. I have been thinking about this a lot. How dangerous silence can be. We all joke that we know our kids are getting into trouble when they are too quiet. Kids should make noise, and if they don’t, they are probably up to something. But in so many other situations we mistake quiet for being fine, when in truth it could be the biggest proof of a problem. We can be shocked to discover that the quiet kid is depressed or, G‑d forbid, took his life. He was always so well behaved! He never said anything! But he was saying something, we just weren’t listening. His silence was saying it all. When someone can scream for help, be it in a pool, a restaurant or a classroom, that kid needs help. But the fact that he is screaming means he is much better off than the one who can no longer scream. The one who no longer wants to scream. When it comes to those around us, we need to learn how to hear what isn’t being said. We are in the month of Av, the most difficult of all the months of the Jewish calendar. The month that represents death and destruction, yet also provides the basis and opportunity for renewal and growth. According to Kabbalah (Arizal’s commentary on Sefer Yetzirah), each month in the Jewish calendar has its own “sense” which is most prevalent in that month. The month of Av is the month of hearing. Each month is also represented by a Hebrew letter, and the letter for this month is tet, which is the concept of something hidden. Inherent in this month, then, is being able to hear what is hidden. It is easy to focus on the kid who is acting out and screaming for attention. And it is easy to ignore the quiet, well-behaved kid who is not making any trouble. But often we need to do the opposite. We can’t assume that if trouble is happening, we will hear it. Rather, we must look around and see who isn’t making any noise, and try to figure out why not. Because sometimes it is the one not saying a word who is begging to be heard. And if we listen to the silence, it might just tell us a lot. http://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/1909365/jewish/The-Silent-Scream.htm

'TIS THE VBS SEASON (NO SINNERS PRAYER REQUIRED)

As usual we are a little late with this article. But it was just plain too good to pass up. Where is the Sinner's Prayer found in the Bible? I wonder just how many really know. http://youtu.be/vQ7LbEg3PZU Paul Washer has declared a war on the sinner’s prayer. He even goes so far as to call it the “golden calf” within some Baptist circles (Washer is Baptist mind you). I agree with much of this shocking sentiment. Hear me out: Though I believe the biblical reasons are manifold, I also have personal reasons for my particular distaste. I don’t believe I am alone. Here is the way the sinner’s prayer is presented in many church (Vacation Bible School) contexts: Towards the end of the week, the children (K-5)are herded into a big room where a pastor is waiting for them. They are greeted, seated, and told to have “every head bowed and every eye closed.” There the pastor gives a very brief Roman Road-ish gospel presentation and prompts the children to a decision in this way: “Now you don’t want to spend an eternity in hell apart from Jesus do you? (only the spawn of Satan would really want this) Well, of course you don’t. All you have to do is repeat this little prayer after me and you will be saved. Say this:” Usually the recitation involves a brief acknowledgment of sin, faith, the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the pastor is finished he asks everyone who repeated the prayer to raise a hand up or stand up or look up or give a thumbs up. To those who do he gives assurance of their salvation and welcomes them into the family of God forevermore. In third grade, this was almost verbatim the way I was presented the gospel during VBS. And I prayed that little prayer. And I prayed it again the next year. And the next. And the year after that. Between the third and eleventh grade I probably recited the “Sinner’s Prayer” over 100 times but to no avail. I was a bit confused (I know many others who have experienced this confusion). The summer before my senior year I still had no assurance that little magic prayer did the right trick for me even though numerous pastors assured me it did. Around that time, during a summer camp I went to as a student leader, it pleased God to do a sovereign work in me. There, during worship, the utter ugliness of my sin and beauty of God’s grace crashed like a train wreck in my soul to produce in me true conversion. God granted me what the puritans used to call “the gift of holy tears.” I finally knew I was changed. I felt it. I was assured of it. I don’t remember reciting any specific prayer during the whole ordeal other than maybe, “God don’t kill me.” I have never been the same since that decisive moment. His cross and relentless grace haunts me on a daily basis, in my dreams and thoughts. I found out later the Bible confirmed what I experienced. It was true repentance. I began to learn a staple in cultural Christianity had little or no biblical basis. Jesus never said, “The time is fulfilled the kingdom of God is at hand, so everybody bow your head and pray this prayer with me….” But unfortunately, the “sinner’s prayer” remains as a simple effective church strategy to “win souls.” I believe this reveals our true golden calf in many evangelical churches: Pragmatism. If it works (or seems to work) it must be of God. If it gets results/decision cards it must be the Holy Spirit. So much of our church traditions are not Bible-driven but simply results-driven. But instead of parrots and decision cards we better start looking for heaven born Fruit (Galatians 5). We need only the Holy Spirit to be saved not man-produced incantations (John 3). Some call it easy believism. Some call decisional regeneration. Here is the really subversive thing about it: Later in life when this person feels real conviction over their sin and lost state they will go to a Christian preacher/counselor/friend about their troubled soul. And instead of giving the lost one a biblical assurance of faith (through 1 John) the counselor will ask “Did you ever ask Jesus to come in to your heart? Did you ever pray that prayer?” To which the hell raising lost sap will say: “Yes, in VBS a long time ago…” And the misguided Christian/pastor will exclaim “Well, then you’re saved!” And another false convert heads to hell with a false comfort clinging to a false gospel understanding. Real repentance and faith must produce a life of real works and fruit (The whole book of James!). As the Reformers used to say, “We are saved by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone.” So let’s pray for true conversions this VBS season. Let’s pray for a genuine understanding of repentance, faith, and the discipleship road with Christ. Even in six-year olds. Six year olds who grow to be sixteen year olds who have matured into deeper revelations of faith and repentance and grace. I’ve heard it said VBS is the greatest tool of evangelism in the life of the church. I believe that is and can continue to be true. That is, only if we are patient enough to not sacrifice our children on the altar of religious pragmatism. Keep sowing the gospel seed to those kids my VBS peeps, God is faithful to produce a harvest! No psychological techniques or arm twisting needed. : ) Bryan Daniels http://chiefofleast.com/2011/06/06/tis-the-vbs-season-no-sinners-prayer-required/#comment-5558

SPEND YOURSELF

Rad change I entered humbly before His throne and down on bended knee I cried out in earnest prayer today, “What have you planned for me?” What is your will?… I seek it…Give me guidance and direction, And a heart that listens always for your loving interjection. ….And I heard…. “Spend yourself on behalf of others who hunger and are oppressed. Whether through their own mistakes or because of Godly tests. Use the talents I’ve given you in reaching those in need And your darkness will be like noonday, as to my words you heed. I will satisfy your needs in the dry and sun-scorched land. I will strengthen your frame and protect you by the power of my hand. Do not forget your flesh and blood as some might tend to do, For in reaching out to those dear ones, I’ll give my strength to you. Your darkness tends to give you such crippling tunnel-vision, Look up, look outward, make a concious decision To be there for those around you! Look beyond yourself today For many are inwardly seeking the kind word you have to say. Do you feel your purpose is larger than this reaching out can be? I tell you, this IS your purpose… to do good, BECAUSE OF ME!. I will heal your inner wounds and my joy to you impart, Spend yourself to help others with a thankful, loving heart. Do away with pointing fingers and the critical attitudes. Search diligently the scriptures and heed unto my words. There is room then for my blessings as for me, yourself, you spend. In not forgetting others and a helping hand to lend” I write this in response to a bible study I’m taking on the fruit of the spirit. Beth Moore, teaching on goodness, directed us to Isaiah 58:6-14. The benefits are two-fold as those we help are blessed and the blessings God extends to us because of our obedience to His word. Check it out! Great passage of scripture! Spend yourself! Rad change http://changeindirections.wordpress.com/?blogsub=confirmed#blog_subscription-2

COMMENTS THAT HURT

Sara Esther Crispe One of my responsibilities at Chabad.org includes approving reader comments. Yup, you know when you post at the end of an article, well an actual person has to read that comment, see if it meets our posting guidelines, make edits if necessary and push “approved” to post. That would be me. For the most part, approving reader comments is a fairly easy and enjoyable part of my work. It is great to see the feedback on pieces, watch readers interact with one another, and witness how people’s lives are uplifted, inspired and sometimes even transformed through something they read. But then there’s the flip side. Every so often some reader feels the need to write something outright mean. Now, we have our rules, and if a comment is racist or offensive in some other demeaning way, we won’t post it. But if the comment is saying that the author is immature or irresponsible or flat out wrong…as long as the insult is written in a fairly respectful way…it will get posted. Because if we like your opinion or not, you have the right to express it. And guess what? Some of those comments hurt. Yes, I am here to tell you that I am a real person with real feelings and your words can hurt me very much. I know I am writing to the few. Fortunately so many of you offer such kind words of support and encouragement and even praise me in ways I don’t feel I deserve. And while I can rationalize and intellectualize and tell myself over and over that I should just ignore those mean comments, I can’t. And I don’t think any honest or caring person could. What amazes me is that people feel they can type a comment and push “send” with words that I would venture to guess they would not say to my face in a million years. And yet, that is exactly what they are doing. It doesn’t help that I not only have to read them but that I have to approve them as well! But that aside, please know the power of the words you write. I have a friend who is a celebrity with a very popular blog. On her Facebook page she has tens of thousands of friends. And yet, as of recent, she has stopped responding to comments. Here is someone extremely talented, educated, accomplished and famous, and yes, comments from those she does not know and will probably never meet get to her also. Why? Because when someone says or writes something mean, it hurts. Regardless of who it is. There is a beautiful concept in Chassidic philosophy that our mouth is likened to a bow. When we open our mouth, our tongue shoots forth arrows. Those arrows can be love arrows (think cupid) or arrows that can kill. And reality is that we are more likely to believe the bad than we are the good. When someone says something nice, there are two possibilities, she means it, or she doesn’t. We all know we sometimes say things for the sake of being nice, even if it is not completely truthful. “You look so nice!” “It is so great to see you!” The average, friendly person is going to say many “nice” things. But when someone insults you, you don’t think, “Hmmm, I think she really must like me and just didn’t say so…” Uh, no. She meant what she said. So when I get those flattering and nice comments, I do believe them. I really do. After all, I don’t think you would waste your time to write a comment just for the sake of it. But when I get that mean one, I really believe it. Because I know you wouldn’t have taken the time to write that comment if you didn’t really feel the need to share your annoyance, disappointment or even anger. But more so, when I see your comment, I wonder how many others feel the same way and just didn’t take the time to share their thoughts. And so I start to doubt and worry and the worst part…that negative comment manages to outweigh the positive ones. Why am I sharing this? Is my goal to make you feel badly if you ever posted a not so nice comment? No (ok, well maybe). But it is more than that. It is to remind you and me and all of us, that every time we open our mouths or push “send” that we are connecting and communicating with real people who have real feelings. We need to recognize that it isn’t easy for anyone to expose themselves and share of their innermost thoughts and feelings. Does that mean that everyone needs to agree? Of course not. Does that mean there is anything wrong with respectfully sharing a contrasting belief or opinion? Go for it! But it does mean that no one should hide behind that keyboard, on either end, and pretend as if those words are not landing on real hearts. They are. So before you push “send” think about the power of your words and how what you say will be felt and heard by those that read it. Ask yourself how you would feel if someone said to you what you are about to say to another. Remember, those words are arrows. It is up to you if they are love arrows or arrows filled with poison. Your words. Your choice. Please choose wisely.

FOUR LIES THAT KEEPS US FROM JESUS

Joe Thorn Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 ESV) Though Jesus invites sinners (like you) to come to him for cleansing, relief, and renewal, I find that many of us are often slow to come to him on account of those very things that should speed us on our way to him. There are many lies we are tempted to believe that can short-circuit our communion with Christ. Here are four to watch out for.This sin isn't serious enough to take to JesusSome of you consider your sins, at least some of your sins, as too small to take to Jesus. No one got hurt, your faith is intact, so why both Jesus with it? The problem is the perceived smallness of your sins has created an excuse for you to stay away from the Savior, rather than reminding you of your need to stay close. Your sins, no matter their degree of heinousness, always demand that you to return--run! to the Lord. Jesus died on account of such sins, for they alone are enough to condemn you forever. Those lustful glances, brief but harsh words, and dismissive attitude toward others may seem small, but they are not only worthy of damnation, but they are dangerous and have the potential to harden your heart. Do not gloss over them, thinking they are insignificant, but see them for what they really are--an offense to God and a danger to your soul--and flee to Jesus for grace.This sin is so bad I can't face JesusSome of you feel the severity of your transgressions so acutely that you have fallen into a kind of spiritual paralysis. Some are so guilted by their sin they feel they simply cannot even face the Savior. But our shame, which is very real, isn't supposed to end in us. Our guilt should cause to us to turn to the only One who can handle it; to the only One who has handled it. It is a lie that we too quickly believe, "This is too big." The blasphemous implications are that Jesus is too small, unloving, and unforgiving to deal with our transgressions. But, the deeper the sin, the greater the need. And the offer from Jesus remains free and unending grace to all who will come!I am not sorry enough for my sinI have believed this one myself. Some of us sense our sin, but aren't sufficiently grieved for it. We know that we lack true godly sorrow for our law-breaking, and we then conclude that any "return" to Jesus at this point would be hypocritical. I'm not sorry enough, so why would Jesus receive me? There are at least two problems here. One is those who are in Christ are already received by him. There is nothing blocking our access to Jesus! The second problem has to do with where your conviction and sorrow comes from. Why would you think you can conjure up sufficient remorse over your sins without drawing near to the one who bore your shame on the cross? Do you really believe that you can see and feel the gravity of your sin apart from drawing close to the One who felt the darkness of your sins on your behalf? No, you can only find deep and appropriate sorrow for your sins when you see them in light of the Savior!I haven't cleaned myself up enough yetAnother lie I see many Christians buy that we need to get cleaned up to meet with Jesus. It often works itself out like this. We "blow it" again, or fall into whatever sin we seem to feebly fight. Conviction hits us hard, but instead of turning to Jesus we think, "Before I can look him in the face I must first clean myself up. Just a good day of consistent prayer free of that one sin, and then I'll be right." But this is a kind of works-righteousness. This is religion based on how clean we can make ourselves. It establishes our confidence before God on our own personal reformation rather than on Jesus' perfect redemption. This is a dangerous lie that will lead you farther from Jesus. You think you are drawing near to him when you are finally ready, but in reality you are pulling back from him by trusting in your own performance.Here is the truth: Jesus said, "whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 6:34) Do not delay in looking to Jesus. Do not allow any whisper from your heart or the devil himself to lead you to "tarry." Your slowness to come to Jesus daily, hourly, in the face of your sin, will only result in broken communion with him. He is ready for you now. Run! Joe Thorn is Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL and blogs at joethorn.net. His book, Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself, was released through Crossway/ReLit. You can follow him on Twitter @joethorn.

QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY, PART THREE; IF YOU KNOW GOD'S WILL

Romans 2:18 ...if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law... A few days ago I went scuba diving with two of my friends. When diving, just before leaving the surface of the water it is important to take a compass reading in the direction of the intended dive site. This is done so you can find it while under water since there are no landmarks (visibility is usually limited to 15 to 20 feet). In other words, it is easy to get turned around and lost while under water without an accurate compass reading. On this particular day, for whatever reason, I did not do so -- I relied upon my friends. Down we went to the seabed fifty feet below -- one of my friends started swimming and I began to follow him. After about ten minutes I realized we were all following one another in a big, random circle. No one was leading -- everyone was following. Finally, I grabbed one of my friends, took a reading off of his compass, then signaled for everyone to follow my lead. Fortunately, we found the dive site that day, and our way back to the boat. If only life were that simple. As I read our passage today, I thought of my scuba diving experience -- Paul is almost posing a question: "If you know God's will, then how and why do you get so off track?" Answer: Their compass was initially pointed at the Lord -- but over time it became directed at each other (they relied on their own interpretations of the Law and lost sight of the Lord's leadership). Good intentions but poor results. It's easy to do and is one of the many ways we get off track as well -- we want to follow the Lord -- instead we end up just following one another in big, random circles. It is important for each of us to take our direction directly from the Lord. So many get off track because they follow men rather than the Lord. It's how cults are developed and also one of the reasons the original Ten Commandments morphed into thousands of laws and rules for the Jews to follow. Following men versus following God. Do you know God's will? Have you been reading and studying your Bible? Does the leadership in your life come from the opinion others, the world, or the Lord? What is your responsibility to know God's will? POWERPOWER.ORG

QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY, PART TWO, IF YOU BRAG ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Romans 2:17b ...if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God... I met a young man last summer who redefined the term "braggadocio" (Encarta Dictionary: empty boasting and swaggering self-aggrandizement). It seemed no matter what the subject or activity he was an expert and had done it all -- only better. If talk was about ski jumps, he recounted going off a hundred meter jump in Saint Moritz last winter and "stuck the landing" (he didn't crash); if the discussion went to white water rafting, he talked of class six rapids (highest level) he had accidently entered by canoe and navigated with ease. I thought, "For a twenty year old kid, you sure have some colorful experiences." I also wondered how much it was real versus invented. The conversation then turned to wakeboarding -- which of course he was expert at as well, and had recently received offers by unnamed sponsors to turn pro. Since it was summer in Idaho I just happened to have my boat docked behind the house -- I offered to take him wakeboarding with me the following day and perhaps he could provide some pointers. He just looked at me. Finally, after a little gentle prodding and urging by my friends (who were the parents of his girlfriend), he reluctantly agreed to go. Let me suffice it to say we were all less than impressed. I think this is what Paul is speaking about in our passage today: If you are going to brag about something -- you better be able to demonstrate it. Clearly Paul was less than impressed with the evidence of God demonstrated in the Jews lives. He will soon be asking them: "Where's the fruit?" Scripture is the promise of a relationship with God, but where's the proof? Paul writes in Galatians 6:14, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." In other words, Paul's vision was changed when he saw the world through the prism of the cross. Have you looked at your life lately through the cross of Jesus? Does your life reflect the abundance of the Lord? Is it empty boasting or is God's love demonstrated to and through you? POCKETPOWER.ORG

QUESIONN OF RESPONSIBILITY, PART ONE: IF YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN

Romans 2:17a Now you, if you call yourself a Jew... A number of months ago I was faced with a difficult problem -- one I wrestled with regularly yet couldn't bring to conclusion. I had trouble sleeping, I developed an eye twitch (for me a symptom of stres), my stomach became sensitive to all sorts of foods, and little things irritated me easily. I prayed, "Lord, why doesn't this situation get resolved? Is there something else I need to do?" Then the Lord answered, "It is not your problem it is Mine." You see I called myself a Christian, yet I had forgot one fundamental responsibility -- being a Christian isn't following a set of rules, laws, values or principles -- it is loving and trusting God. I think that's what Paul begins to speak about in our passage today -- the Jews could call themselves Jews, but what did that mean exactly? For me, being a Christian means letting God lead in all areas of my life while trusting Him with the results. Where I went wrong -- my job description didn't include worry. Have you been losing sleep lately? Feeling a little stressed? After you've done all you can do, are you still unsettled? What does being a Christian mean to you in this circumstance? Consider Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." And also, Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" POCKETPOWER.ORG

HEARING DOESN'T EQUAL SAVING

Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. A very successful inventor/business man was once asked: "What is the key to your success?" He answered, "You know what has been said about everyone of my products? Some guy always comes up to me and says, 'I thought about that too -- I should have got it patented.' Many people have good ideas -- they just don't do anything with them. When I have an idea, I don't just think about it -- I write it down, get a patent, and then find a way to bring it to market." I think this is the same concept Paul is speaking about in our passage today, hearing Scripture and being saved are two different things. To be saved we must not only hear what Scripture says -- we must act upon it. One of the great dangers for those of us who love to read and study the Bible is spending all of our time reading and studying -- not doing what it says. James 1:23-24, "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing itÑhe will be blessed in what he does." I often hear it said, "People are lost because they have not heard about Jesus." I always feel compelled to correct this line of thinking because there are many who have heard about Jesus yet remain lost -- hearing doesn't equal saving -- people are lost because they are sinners. Knowing Scripture doesn't mean we are saved anymore than reading a book about baseball makes a person a baseball player. So how does one become a baseball player? That's right, by playing baseball. It's pretty simple for us as Christians as well -- reading and knowing Scripture is not enough -- we must also be doers of the Word. What have you read in Scripture today? I guess the better question is what will you do today with what you have read? THE POCKET TESTAMENT LEAGUE.COM

A HOMELESS EXPERIENCE

A Sukkot Lesson By Chana Graj Two people greet me first thing every morning before I start my daily work. There is the homeless man who sleeps on the embankment of the canal outside my door, and the cleaner who is just finishing his night shift. Without fail, each and every day the homeless man—wrapped in a soiled wool coat many sizes too big, a deep scar cutting through his left cheek—lifts his head from his latent position, and through his crooked teeth, says cheerfully in his Brooklyn accent, “Good morning, sunshine!” Every morning it is the same three words, and then, as though I had never passed, he puts his head back down between his knees and returns to his dreams. I am told his name is Joe. I throw a half-smile in his general direction, and rush on towards my car. The office building is deserted at 6:30 in the morning. The only sound as I walk slowly through the otherwise silent halls is the low hum of the cleaner’s raspy voice as he sings his favorite Bob Marley tunes quietly to himself. I pass him as I make my way up the long hall, and he hastily stops his work, greets me by my name with his bent smile, and stands back against the wall and lets me pass, remaining in that position until I reach my office door. Each morning he takes the time to greet me by my first name, and yet, as I pass him today, I cannot seem to recall his name. As I sit back in my chair behind my large oak desk, waiting for Windows to load, I wonder when I had become so conceited. Where had this feeling of superiority come from? What is it that makes me believe, even for even a fleeting moment, that I am better than those two men? That they don’t deserve my attention? That I don’t even take the time to learn their full names? Who am I trying to fool? Why should I assume that I am greater than Joe the homeless guy who sleeps by my door, or the cleaner who picks up after me? They have their place in the world, as do I. I may not envy their work or their lifestyles, but I do know one thing: I am in no place to judge them, or assume that I know the type of people they are. Why are we so quick to try and establish barriers, to separate ourselves from our neighbors, our workers and our peers? Do we not realize that it is separation that destroys us? Has it not already been proven, time and time again, that it is such demarcations which are hurting our people by slowly sucking out blood, until we are all so estranged and divided that we stand completely alone? I am to blame as much as anyone else, but it is the festival of Sukkot which comes as a pointed reminder of the error in our ways; such is the power of Sukkot. Amidst a world of intolerance, rivalry and distinctions, Sukkot comes as a reminder of the value of unanimity and the beauty of every man. On Sukkot we abandon our homes, our rigid lifestyle, the physical rudiments which serve to divide us from our neighbors, and we move into the sukkah, a temporary dwelling place where status and position counts for naught. All differences are put aside, all barriers broken, as man and man come together to acknowledge the one thing that unites us—our quintessential souls. It is only once we regain our true perspective that we are able to achieve the highest level of unity—namely, when our individuality is celebrated within the framework of a tight-knit community. When distinctions are glorified rather than eliminated, when our differences are venerated rather than stamped out. For it is only with the recognition of our inimitability that we are able to create the perfect whole, and it is only with this understanding that true unity can be achieved. That is the message of the “Four Kinds” of plants which we are instructed to take in hand each day of the festival of Sukkot. We take the harmonious perfection of the etrog, sweet in both taste and smell, and we hold it next to the tall, straight lulav, the symbol of pervasive wisdom and knowledge. We shake them together with the hadas, the embodiment of activity and life, and we bind them together with the aravah, the archetype of true humility. As these four plants are being shaken as one, we are finally able to reach the ideal state of perfection. Each fruit offers something the others lack, and it is precisely through this they contribute to the union of Israel. It is only through the salutation of individuality that we are able to unite the Four Kinds and form a picture of perfection. On Sukkot we do not discard that which is different, but rather we embrace it. On the festival of joy, we bring the diverse community together, breaking through barriers of division to unite. We take the four dissimilar plants, and we bind them together for a single purpose. As we take the Four Kinds into our hands, and shake them together under the sukkah roof, we are effectively saying that through our differences, we are one. By Chana Graj More articles... | Chana Graj, a native of Melbourne, Australia is currently working for Chabad of Hawaii until she begins her studies at Melbourne Law School in March, 2007. She is an aspiring lawyer and writer, is named after Rebbetzin Chana, the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s mother, whom she regards as her role model.

JEWISH NEW YEAR

Shanah Tova! Shanah Metuka! We wish you a Wonderful and Sweet Year! Shalom Linda J, It's time to celebrate Rosh hashanah, the Israelites New Year! Although it does not appear in the Torah, in Leviticus 23:24 we can read about a festival that happens during the first day of the 7th month. Watch a special video we've made for this occasion and learn:•When the Israelites celebrate the new year •Why the 7th month is holy •When the 7th month became the 1st month •The names of the Hebrew months •The customs Taslich (Micah 7:19) and why we blowthe shofar. Click here to watch the video! The month of Elul, the last month of the Hebrew Calendar, is a time of spiritual elevation and an opportunity to make better decisions for our lives. Don't miss your chance to learn Biblical Hebrew with live Israeli teachers over the internet, and get in touch with the millennial Hebrew culture from the confort of your own home. Shanah tova uMetuka! A Wonderful and Sweet Year for you and your loved ones! eTeacherBiblical Team community@eteacherbiblical.com About the video teacher Sigal, a Hebrew, Literature and Creative Writing teacher with 19 years of experience in teaching, Sigal has a master's degree in literature from Haifa University. Sigal holds a teacher's certificate for teaching Hebrew from the Ministry of Education. Publications: a young readers book - 'The Queen of our Class', published by Lilach. "Sigal, thank you for providing a way for us to learn even outside Israel. yasher koach" Learn Hebrew eTeacher is the world's foremost online language academy. Students participate in a virtual classroom and learn from certified, native instructors located half a world away. Check out our Hebrew courses:•Biblical Hebrew •Modern Hebrew •Aramaic •Yiddish