Repent America: A Modern Day Dust Bowl

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“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you … And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (Duet 28:15, 23, 24)

 

Please join me in praying that this nation repents of its sins and turns back to the Elohim of the Bible to love and obey him.

This drought doesn’t just affect the farmers in California, but all of us, since the food they produce feeds us.

As a drought unfolds slowly and devastatingly, California farmers feel desperate and abandoned

By Holly Bailey, Yahoo News 4 hours ago Yahoo News
CLICK IMAGE for slideshow: A sign alongside barren farmland outside Mendota, Calif. (Holly Bailey/Yahoo News)

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Bob Taylor was barely 2 years old when his parents packed as many belongings as they could into their rickety old car and headed west from New Mexico toward California.

It was 1936, the height of the Dust Bowl, when the worst drought the country had ever seen forced tens of thousands of families to abandon their parched farmlands and head west in the hope of finding jobs and a more stable life.

Taylor’s parents were farm laborers, cotton pickers from Oklahoma and Texas who had slowly inched their way west chasing the crops that had somehow managed to survive the lack of rain. But then came the terrible dust storms, choking black blizzards of dirt fueled by the loose soil of eroded farmlands that swept across the plains, turning the days as dark as night. They were monsters that suffocated the life out of anything the drought hadn’t managed to kill — crops, animals and even people, who began to die from the dust that filled their lungs. (To continue reading http://news.yahoo.com/california-drought-dust-bowl-040440797.html).

 

Miracles Occurring in Israeli Conflict

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Iron Dome Operator: God Moved Missile We Couldn’t Hit

Sunday, August 03, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system has been wildly successful during the current Gaza war, but on occasion it can and does miss incoming terrorist rockets.

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system has been wildly successful during the current Gaza war, but on occasion it can and does miss incoming terrorist rockets.

One would think that the 10 percent or so of Hamas rockets predicted by Iron Dome’s radars to hit populated areas that are not intercepted would still cause significant Israeli casualties. But somehow, they don’t.

An earlier, unconfirmed report floating around the Internet had a Gaza resident attributing the lack of (to continue reading http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/24811/Default.aspx?article=popular_posts)

 

Natan praising YHVH at the base of Mt. Jefferson

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Here’s another picture from my recent backpacking trip. Along with my 60 pound backpack, I carried my Mini-Martin guitar up to Jefferson Park, so I could sing praise songs to Yehovah in this most sublime setting. As you can see, I was working on my tan at the same time. It was all great!

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Are you a Torah-light to those around you?

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Deuteronomy 4:6, Keep. Keeping Torah (YHVH’s instructions in righteousness) was the means for YHVH’s chosen people to be salt and light to the surrounding nations. Torah is literally a “witnessing tool.” What kind of righteous witness are you (via your Torah lifestyle) to those around you who are lost in spiritual darkness?

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Deuteronomy 4:6 , Torah is your wisdom in the sight of the nations. Your life may be the only Bible some people read.

Torah is light. Light quietly does, it is silent. It doesn’t talk about doing, it does! YHVH is looking for doers, not talkers.

What kind of reputation do you have in the community?

People may not be turning to the light of Torah as a result of your example YET, but when times get tough in this country (“when you are in tribulation … in the latter days, Deut 4:30), they may well turn to you for the answers because they remembered that there was something different about you—something pure, pristine and holy. That’s when they’ll be looking for answers.

Torah makes us a great people. YHVH measures greatness differently than the world does. Are you great by the world’s standards or YHVH’s standards?

How does YHVH measure greatness? Love, faith, truth, obedience, servanthood, giving, selflessness, self-sacrifice.

How does the world measure greatness?

Which type of greatness will last into eternity?

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 8-3 through 8-9-14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Va’etchanan — Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11 
Haftarah — Isaiah 40:1–26
Prophets —Ezekiel 46:1 – 48:35; Hosea 1:1 – 4:19
Writings —Nehemiah 12:1 – 13:31; 1 Chronicles 1:1 – 4:43
Testimony — Ephesians 6:1–24; Philippians 1:1 – 4:23; Colossians 1:1 – 2:23

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day. One each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 8/3 through 8/9/14.

 

Apostles Then … and NOW?

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Ephesians 4:11, He gave  some to be apostles. Did the so-called five-fold ministry offices cease after the New Testament era, or do they continue function in the body of Yeshua to this day? In our day, most people agree that the ministries of the evangelist, teacher and pastor are still in operation today, but many say that the offices of apostles and prophet have ceased to operate. Yet in verse 13, we read that these offices would operate “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah…,” which hasn’t happened yet. Therefore, it would stand to reason, that all these ministry offices are still needed today.

It must be kept in mind that Yeshua is the epitome of and over all (authoritatively) ministry offices that follow in this verse. When we ascended to heaven, he spread his own abilities out, as it were, among those he called to be leaders over his spiritual flock below (see Eph 4:8). Collectively, these ministry offices should be doing the work that Yeshua himself would be doing were he here on this earth presently.

In addition to the twelve original apostles (including Matthias who replaced Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:26), here is a list of the other apostles, which might be called Yeshua’s ascension-gift apostles (Eph 4:8):

  • James, the half brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church (Gal 1:19)
  • Barnabas (Acts 14:14)
  • Paul (e.g., Acts 14:14)
  • Apollos (1 Cor 4:6–9)
  • Timothy and Silvanus (1 Thess 1:1 and 2:6)
  • Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25)
  • Titus, and other un-named apostles—at least two (2 Cor 8:23)
  • Andronicus and Junia (Rom 16:7)
  • Yeshua is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (Heb 3:1)

Including Judas Iscariot, this makes a total of at least 26 apostles who are mentioned in the Testimony of Yeshua.

With this list in mind, it now becomes logical to divide the apostles into at least three categories or level. Yeshua is the Chief Apostle. The original 12 that Yeshua appointed (minus Judas Iscariot) and possibly Paul would be the next tier. They are the foundational apostles. Yeshua mentions that the 12 apostles will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel and that the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem are named after the 12 apostles (Rev 21:14). It seems that Yeshua commissioned these foundational apostles in direct, face-to-face encounters. After this come the lowest tier or ascension-gift apostles (Eph 4:8), which are all the other apostles.

Apostle Defined

The Greek word apostolos means “a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.” According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, apostolos originally was a military or naval term relating to an expeditionary force that was sent out or dispatched. It came to be applied to a band of soldiers, or colonists and their settlement as well as to the commander of the expedition or an admiral. A common feature of all the definitions of the word was its passive character. In none of the definitions is there any suggestion of initiative on the part of the apostle. The word denotes the quality of being sent. In the New Testament, apostolos always denotes a man who is sent with full authority and is synonymous with the Hebrew word shaliach as is evidenced in John 13:16. Here is a legal term relating to one who is lawfully charged to represent the person and cause of another. This meaning is confirmed by the juxtaposition in this verse of the Greek words doulos/kurios and apostolos/pemptsas. Here the servant (doulos) stands under full jurisdiction of his master (kurios) and derives from him all that he is. Apostolos also denotes the “commissioned representative of a congregation” (Acts 13:2ff). Finally, the term signifies the “bearers  or proclaimers of the NT message.” The latter meaning applied to not only the original twelve apostles that Yeshua commissioned and sent out, but to the first Christian missionaries or their most prominent representatives (Acts 14:4, 14). According to Paul, the apostles (1 Cor 12:28f) aren’t officials of the congregation, nor the chief of such officials, but are officers of Yeshua by whom the church is built (Ibid. vol 1, p. 407ff).

Attributes of an Apostolic Ministry 

  • Elohim sets or appoints (puts in place, establishes) a apostles (as he also does prophets, teachers, etc., 1 Cor 12:28).
  • An apostle is called by God, not men (Gal 1:1).
  • They minister in the power of God, not the wisdom of men (Mark 16:20 cp. 1 Cor 2:1–5).
  • Elohim appoints apostles by the revelation of the Holy Spirit and as confirmed by other established elders ( Acts 9:15; Acts 13:2-4; Acts 22:21).
  • An apostle is given a specific mission to a specific group of people (Gal 2:8–9; Acts 13:2–4).
  • They are spiritual pillars (Gal 2:9).
  • They form part of the spiritual foundation of the church (along with prophets, Eph 2:20).
  • They lay spiritual foundations for others to build on (1 Cor 3:10).
  • They facilitate unity (along with the other five-fold ministries) within the body of Yeshua (Eph 4:11–13).
  • They help the body of Yeshua to mature, to grow up, and to be built up (Eph 4:11–13).
  • Apostles bring revelation to the church (Eph 3:5; Gal 1:11–12).
  • Apostles establish, set, and correct doctrine (Acts 2:42; 15:19–30).
  • They raise up new ministries and ordain elders (Rom 15:20; Acts 14:23).
  • They impart spiritual gifts (Rom 1:11).
  • They defend the gospel­—are defenders of the faith (Phil 1:17).
  • The apostles in the NT were persecuted and rejected or even killed for their service to the body of Yeshua (e.g. 1 Cor 4:11–13; Luke 11:49; Acts 5:18, 40). This is because they’re on the forefront of YHVH’s spiritual battle to advance his kingdom into the enemy’s territory.
  • One has to grow into becoming a fully function and a spiritually powerful apostle. Yeshua’s 12 apostles asked him to increase their faith (Luke 17:5; Mark 16:15 cp. John 21:3 and Acts 2:14).
  • An apostle may initially not be baptized in the Spirit, but once having received this spiritual empowerment will be released into the full authority of the office, as was the case with the original 12 apostles.
  • Apostles take their marching orders directly from Yeshua (Acts 1:2).
  • Apostles have authority to pronounce judgment on sinners within the body of Yeshua (Acts 5:3–10; 1 Cor 5:1–5).
  • Apostles work many signs and wonders (Acts 5:12).
  • Apostles lay down the doctrinal foundation within the body of Yeshua (Acts 2:42; 2 Pet 3:2).
  • Apostles are often called to testify before secular and religious leaders (Acts 5:29).
  • Often apostles have to stay in the thick of the spiritual battle while the rest of the saints escape from harm’s way (Acts 8:1).
  • After the gospel is preached in an area, apostles are sent in to establish spiritual order and to plant congregations (Acts 8:14).
  • Apostles go into new areas to preach the gospel (Acts 13:1–14:7).
  • Apostles along with elders are called to help resolve conflicts within the body of Yeshua (Acts 15:2, 6).
  • There are false apostles (2 Cor 11:13; Rev 2:2).
 

Islam Vs. Christianity

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The persecution of Christians by Muslims is finally being reported by the mainstream media. It’s not anti-Islam bigotry to report on this — it’s simply reporting the facts. Now even the U.S. State Department is highlighting this issue (see article below).

You see, the Koran calls for the persecution of Christians and Jews, which it calls the “people of the book.” You can read these verses for yourself in the Koran at http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/023-violence.htm or http://know-britain.com/islam/muslim_persecution_of_christians.html. Also, check out my video on this subject at http://youtu.be/Qb59Hmg5FSQ?list=UUyYQr-wJ4vAp4M5iXK_UXIg .

Historically and at present this is how it works: Muslims immigrate into a county, and begin to increase in numbers until they have a large enough population to begin exercising dominance over that country’s native population. Once in control, Muslims then give the people the option to convert, be killed, flee or pay a heavy tax depending on the situation. Historically, many African and Middle Eastern nations were predominately Christian until Islam took over through the means listed above.

Don’t think it can’t happen where you live. Unless YHVH’s people repent of not whole-heartedly following and obeying him, the Bible speaks of YHVH using the wicked (e.g., the descendants of Edom, the Persians, Gog and Magog and the Syrians et al [i.e., the Muslims] to discipline his people to bring them back to him.

Watch, pray and repent of what the Bible defines as sin (i.e., Torahlessness,1 John 3:4).

State Department: Christian presence in Middle East becoming ‘shadow of its former self’

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Egyptian Christians gather outside the Coptic Orthodox church after a car bomb attack, in Egypt’s northern city of Alexandria, January 1, 2011.Reuters

The State Department issued a dire report Monday on the state of religious freedom around the world, with an alarming warning that the Christian presence in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East is becoming a “shadow of its former self.”

The analysis was included as part of a comprehensive report on religious freedom around the world in 2013. The report cited a flood of examples of governments and militant groups cracking down on religious minorities, everywhere from Pakistan to Egypt to China. The victims included Christians, but also Hindus, Muslims and others.

The report offered a pointed warning about religious violence in the three-year-old civil war in Syria.

“After three years of civil war, hundreds of thousands fled the country desperate to escape the ongoing violence perpetrated by the government and extremist groups alike,” the report said. It said that in Homs, the Christian population has plummeted from 160,000 before the conflict to “as few as 1,000.”  (To continue reading: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/07/28/state-department-christian-presence-in-middle-east-becoming-shadow-its-former/ )

Video: Islam — God’s Judgment on Christians to Bring Spiritual Revival