Middle East Peace Update Report

Paul Series “Romans 14”

Source: Wikipedia

We continue our study of Paul’s letters this week with Romans 14. Paul begins encouraging the Gentiles not to judge their Jewish brothers who were weak in faith and still kept the Jewish laws regarding eating certain foods and observing special days.

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

v. 1-4 (NASB)

It’s like when a new believer comes to know Christ, they don’t instantly change all their old ways. Romans 1:17 says, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (KJV).” We grow in Christ as our faith grows in Him.

When HE is Lifted Up!

Todays' report I want to approach a bit differently. Traditionally, at this time of year, we hear sermons on the birth of our Savior, and it is appropriate that we do, after all, the Lord gave everything He had, He suffered like no one in history has ever suffered, [ Isaiah 53 ] to pave the way for all of us who believe in Him to have eternal life!

Come back with me, in your minds eye, to Moses and the Children of Israel in the wilderness, Numbers 21:1-9. This is when the People of God, the Jews, complained and the Lord sent fiery serpents to His people because of their complaining and after the people were bitten by the serpents they would die. You'll recall that after the people recognized their sin and became repentant, Moses prayed and God provided the answer and the solution. It's worthy of our time to contemplate that it was only after repentence was realized and the heart of man was humbled that the Lord provided the remedy. We would do well to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever!

The solution was really very simple and yet it was extremely prophetic and powerful. Not only would the solution heal them and stop them from dieing, it would require something that we are all asked to do today:

Paul Series “Romans 13”

Source: Wikipedia

We continue our study of Paul’s letters this week with Romans 13. Paul begins instructing us to submit to authorities by doing what is right.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

v. 1-7 (NASB)

 

Paul Series “Romans 12”

Source: Wikipedia

 

We continue our study of Paul’s letters this week with Romans 12. In the first 11 chapters of Romans, Paul talked about salvation and being reconciled to God through faith in Christ, not by works of the law. In Romans 12, Paul instructs all who put their faith in Christ to live a life surrendered to Christ.

Paul begins exhorting us to:

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

v. 1 (NASB)

We have been bought at a price. We are not our own. We are God’s. We worship and honor Him by committing all that we have to Him.

Paul Series “Romans 11”

Source: Wikipedia

 

We continue our study of Paul's letters this week with Romans 11. Last week, at the end of Romans 10, Paul quoted where God said that He was found by those who did not seek Him, and He revealed Himself to those who did not ask for Him. And as for Israel God said, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Romans 10:21, NASB).

Paul begins Romans 11 explaining that God has not rejected His people. There was a remnant chosen, not by works, but by His grace.

I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what is the divine response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

v. 1-6 (NASB)

Paul Series “Romans 10”

Source: Wikipedia

 

We continue our study of Paul's letters in Romans to Philemon this week with Romans 10. In Romans 9, Paul talked about how Israel tried to pursue righteousness through works, instead of by faith. Paul expressed his love for them by saying he would give up his salvation if it would save them.

Paul starts Romans 10 off by expressing:

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

v. 1-4 (NASB)

Thanksgiving (Paul series continues next week)

 

Photo by: Chris Wittwer at Stock.xchng

 

Since Thanksgiving is this week in the U.S., I want to share a message I’ve posted in the past on Thanksgiving as a reminder to keep our hearts filled with praise for all that God has done for us. I’ll continue our study of Paul’s letters in Romans to Philemon next Tuesday with Romans 10.

 

 Thanksgiving – The Reason Behind Praise

 

I pulled out a journal I started in 2002. As I was flipping through it, I noticed every page was about some trial I was going through at the time. Remembering some of the trials brought me to tears. I wanted to go back and say to myself, “Look ahead! Stop worrying! It works out on the next page. God got me through it!”

If we could write down our problems today, and then flip the page and write down, “It all worked out! God got me through it!” how much more would we find ourselves praising God instead of worrying!

Paul Series “Romans 9”

Source: Wikipedia

 

We continue our study of Paul’s letters in Romans to Philemon. This week, we are reading and studying Romans 9.

Paul opens the chapter by expressing his sincere love and concern for his people, Israel, because they did not believe Jesus.

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

v. 1-5 (NASB)

Lessons From Gideon

Based on Judges Chapter 6:

The story of Gideon is a powerful example of how our Messiah, Jesus Christ sees us. He sees us as people that are filled with His attributes. He sees us as conquers and victorious. People of mighty works in His name, works and miracles that He did and even greater!

From time to time we may feel afraid, fearful, frustrated and not very victorious with ourselves and with life, much as Gideon did. When The Angel of The Lord (Yeshua, Jesus) appeared to Gideon, he was at a wine press threshing wheat. Threshing wheat in a wine press
( See the wine press at Shivta, Israel ) would have concealed Gideon so that no one would have seen him, the fact that he was threshing wheat in secret, well that’s very telling about the state of Gideon’s heart and mind at that time and it reveals to us that he was most likely ruled by fear and doubt.

Paul Series “Romans 8”

Source: Wikipedia

 

In our study of Romans 8 this week, Paul begins the chapter talking about how “those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (v. 5).”

 Those who are not in Christ do not have the Holy Spirit, so they cannot set their minds on things above and please God.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

v. 6-8

Those who are in Christ have the spirit of God dwelling in them, working in them to know Him and live a life pleasing to Him.

 

Paul Series “Romans 7”

Source: Wikipedia

We continue our study of Paul's letters in Romans to Philemon. In Romans 6 last week, Paul instructed us to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. In Romans 7, Paul continues to explain how we are released from the law and bound to Christ:

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

v. 4-6 (NASB)

Paul explains that even though the law aroused sin in us, the law was not bad. It was given for our good.

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

v. 7-12 (NASB)

As Paul explains above, if apart from the law sin is dead, why did God make the law? If we were once alive apart from it, why did we ever need it?

Your Word For Today: Trust in The Lord!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

 As I look at at the trials I have gone through recently and over the last 14 years, it seems to me that the Lord is teaching me to trust in Him, exercise my faith no matter what I see, feel or experience. He is always with us and He will NEVER leave us or forsake us! He will guide our paths... We can TRUST in HIM! 

My Prayer:

In Government We Trust?

This was in my inbox today and I wanted to get it out to you. Very interesting article that makes some really good points that are worth considering.

The picture to the left I inserted because I think it makes a good point as well.

Article written October 28, 2013: 
By Jill Martin Rische 
For Olive Tree Ministries 

It is a time of fear and frustration: Christians targeted as enemies and anything related to Christianity removed from the public sector -- the Cross, the Ten Commandments, and even pictures of Jesus. God is despised in the name of reason and science. The government dominates the people, ruling with an iron hand. But it is not the United States of America; it is the French Revolution of 1789, where a government sponsored and media fueled assault on God preceded chaos and despair. 

Fast forward now to the 21st century and the attacks against God by the mainstream media and the U.S. Government: no praying wanted at public events, no Cross or Ten Commandments displayed in public places, and certainly no mention of Jesus. Humans are the center of the universe. It's a new millennium but the same old mantra: In government we trust. 

Paul Series “Romans 6”

Source: Wikipedia

We continue our study of Paul's letters in Romans to Philemon. Last week, in Romans 5 we learned the benefits of being justified by faith. Two of the benefits Paul talked about were grace and righteousness.

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ

Romans 5:17 (NASB)

In Romans 6, Paul talks about how God’s grace and gift of righteousness are not licenses to continue in sin.

In the first half of the chapter, he shares why as he explains how we are dead to sin:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

 v. 1-2 (NASB)

I like how the Amplified version explains what it means to be dead to sin:

Prophecy Update: Has God Predicted Events in This Generation?

Has God provided scripture, Bible Prophecy, concerning this generation? 

I think as you watch this video, World News Briefing, you'll see that we are living in the days that precede the time of Jesus Christ's return.

As some of you know I have had thumb surgery and it makes it extremely difficult to type, therefore I will let the video handle the bulk of this post.

I think you will agree with me after watching this video of three Pastors discussing the issues of today, that we are living in extraordinary times and we could just be that final generation, right before the return of Jesus Christ!

Click Image to Start Video