All posts filed under: z74

Credit: Mikhail Noel/Flickr/Creative Commons

The white pebble

Published by

In his exhortation to the Church at Pergamum in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John warns that they were dwelling in the place where Satan had his throne (Revelation 2:13), but urges them to overcome. But then the Apostle makes the odd statement that those who overcome will receive secret manna and a “white pebble” with a new name written on it. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’ (Revelation 2:17 NASV) Many of us are familiar with the story of God providing Israel manna in the wilderness and the “hidden manna” may describe the manna put inside the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 16:33–34). But what does the white stone refer too? There are many opinions on this. Some wonder if it refers to the semi …

London Bridge tower highlighted Credit: Wikipedia/cmglee

Who do British Jews consider their biggest threats?

Published by

Using YouGov, a survey company, the British organization Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has conducted an annual survey of English attitudes towards Jews since 2015. Perhaps the most disturbing fact to come out of this year’s survey is that over the past two years a third of the Jews living in England had considered leaving due to the growing antisemitism in that country. The survey also found that 25% do not believe Jews have a long-term future in England with a further 21% stating they were uncertain. However, this was still better than what they see going on across the English Channel when 35% said they did not believe Jews have a long-term future in Europe and 24% stating they were unsure. This is certainly paving the way for further Jewish migration to Israel, an event prophesied in the Old Testament centuries earlier: 3 “Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture… (Jeremiah 23:3 NASV) Perhaps not surprisingly …

Ruins of the Great Synagogue of Capernaum Credit: UNESCO/Wikipedia

Territorial spirits: D-day in Capernaum

Published by

In a previous article in this series, we discussed the Book of Daniel that talks about evil spirits over nations — Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece. But if satan has a hierarchy would it stop here. Could evil spirits be installed over states or provinces and even major cities within a country? In Mark 1:21-27, Jesus entered a synagogue in Capernaum to teach. Located on the western edge of the sea of Galilee, the city was in the District of Galilee (v 28). 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. (Mark 1:28 NASV) Pontius Pilate was the fifth prefect of Palestine, a region the equivalent of modern Israel. He succeeded Herod the Great, a brutal man and the one who ordered the murder of all boys 2 years and younger around Nazareth in an effort to kill the Messiah. Palestine in turn was divided into three regions each ruled by a Tetrarch. The word Tetrarch meant a division of four but referred to any number …

Charlottesville, Virginia protest August 2017 Credit: Evan Nesterak/Wikipedia/Creative Commons

Riots in Charlottesville … and Darwinian Evolution?

Published by

We know about the demonstration in Charlottesville Virginia. Groups described as Right Wing gathered and demonstrated for their beliefs. The trigger was a threat to remove monuments to leaders of the Confederacy in the American Civil War, more than a century and a half ago. That war was fought with muskets and sabres and horses, and the good guys won. The demonstrations were ugly, with symbols and language that related to Hitler and the Nazis, and the Klu Klux Klan. Counter demonstrators gathered, including some dangerous violent people. It all ended when allegedly a car driven by a man with a history of mental illness rammed into a crowd of counter demonstrators, killing a woman and injuring 19 others. Two police officers also died when their helicopter crashed as they monitored the demonstrations. It was a terrible day. To understand what was happening, some researchers brought up Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Really. A survey was sent to members of the alt-right supporters asking for their opinions about human evolution. Related: Psychologists surveyed hundreds of alt-right …

Partial eclipse of the sun that took place on May 20, 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah Credit: Thephatphilmz/Wikipedia

Total eclipse — sign or coincidence?

Published by

There is a total eclipse of the sun taking place tomorrow in the United States. It will touch down in Oregon around 10 am and make a 70-mile wide swash across America ending in South Carolina at around 2:50 PM. Some of the people living in 12 states will see the total eclipse with every US state witnessing a partial eclipses. We are living in very troubling times both in the US and around the world and many in America have wondered if this eclipse is a sign from God for the US. When God created the heaven and earth, we are told the stars in heaven would serve as signs: 14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; (Genesis 1:14 NASV) The Hebrew word translated sign  ‘o-tot’ is used a number of times in the Old Testament as an indicator. It described the mark God put on Cain …

Credit: arbyreed/Flickr/Creative Commons

Are You living in the present?

Published by

“Don’t worry about tomorrow sufficient for the day is the evil [trouble thereof]. (Matthew 6:34) It has become clear the root of my worry stems from trying to plan for what may or may not happen the next day or even the weekend. Every angle is covered. With my worry I try to control the next day and the day after that. Elliot’s Commentary has an interesting spin on this verse, when he interprets “don’t worry about tomorrow” as “make most of the present.” Staying rooted and grounded firmly in the present day and moment will change your life. It allows us to get the most out of today. I remember one author stating that it is important to stay in the present for ourselves. I immediately discarded the thought. It would be so selfish. But after prayerful consideration, I changed my mind. When I am in the present for myself, I am able to discern the voice of God in my life. I am a much better person to live with and able to …

Credit: Markku Sandberg/Flickr/Creative Commons

Temple Incense Spices

Published by

Incense and Intercession [by Helene Rudolph] Alongside the fragrant precious anointing oil was the Temple Incense.  Incense is associated with intercession in scripture. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; thee shall be an equal part of each.  And with it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure (and) holy.  And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I shall meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.  And the incense which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the LORD”. Whoever shall make (any) like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people”. (Exodus 30:34-38) Pleasant Smells Revive the Soul The priesthood of old burned incense daily as a fragrant offering unto the LORD.  The Jewish Talmud records that women, as far …

Northern Arctic Credit: Chase Dekker/Flickr/Creative Commons

Ice problems north and south

Published by

English explorer Pen Hadow was planning to sail from Alaska to the North Pole this year to reveal the impact that man-made global warming has had on reducing ice in Canada’s arctic. In an article in the UK Times, a representative for the group said: “The secondary objective is to sail as far north as the sea ice safely allows us, possibly even to the North Pole.” However, this expedition made up of two sail boats was forced to cancel its trip because of excessive ice surrounding the North Pole. According to the director of America’s National Snow and Ice Data Center (ANSIDC), Professor Mark Serreze, a person could only reach the North Pole with an ice breaker, because it “was still surrounded by nearly 800 miles of solid packed ice as of last week.” ANSIDC reported that this year’s ice bank was the fifth lowest level of ice concentration in the arctic recorded by satellite images. If you read between the lines it shows the ice cap was much lower several times in the …

Credit: Johndan Johnson-Eliola/Flickrt/Creative Commons

El río de la vida

Published by

English version: River of Life Recuerdo que hace cinco años, elegi de una vez por todas perdonar a los que me había herido a lo largo de los años. Se trataba de personas con las que regularmente comparti en la iglesia y de perronas en el trabajo. Me deshice quemando mis heridas como un montón de basura. Cuando miré hacia atrás ya no quedaba nada más que humo. Cada vez, que recordaba estos incidentes tenia la tentación de mirar hacia atrás, sólo veia la tierra ennegrecida. No había nada que recordar. En mis últimos años, he aprendido que la ofensa me lanza por completo fuera de curso y lejos del propósito y los planes que Dios tiene para mi vida. La falta de perdón, la ira y el resentimiento, crean una corriente en mi vida que me tira hacia atrás y esta corriente va en contra del movimiento del Espíritu Santo. Este era un peso extra en mi barco mientras navegaba por el río de la vida. No estaba ganando terreno espiritual y mi barco …

Do not judge. Credit: skambalu/Flickr/Creative Commons

Does this study confirm Matthew 7:1-3?

Published by

A study by psychologists at the University of Plymouth in England uncovered an interesting trait in humanity which confirm words that Jesus spoke 2,000 years ago. In the study reported in Scientific American, Sophia Harvey, Simone Schall and Jennifer Benton found that people who considered themselves morally unclean were more apt to judge others as being wrong than those who didn’t feel unclean. In the study, the researchers had people do a number of activities such as watch brief films where people did something wrong such as lying when they created a resume. They also had them watch disturbing segments from movies and then after read “moral vignettes.” An important part of the study was trying to induce a sense of cleanness in the test subjects and they did this by having half of them wash their hands before responding to what they had seen or read. They asked them to wash under the pretense that they would not dirty the room being used by staff. Even in the Old Testament, ritual cleansing was a …