Almost daily we hear of violent attacks in and around the city of Jerusalem. IDF soldiers are shot. A young couple traveling to their home are murdered in front of their children. A rampaging car leaps a curb while the driver attempts to hit as many people as possible standing at the bus stop. Men and women, often with children in tow, are suddenly attacked with knives or machetes. And, as they seek to defend themselves, Jewish authorities have killed many Palestinians.
Why, all of a sudden, the violence? What has changed? The central feature in this renewed violence is the status of the Temple Mount - a place within the Old City of Jerusalem that is held sacred by both Jews and Muslims. The Muslims claim that it was from here that the Prophet Mohammed ascended one night into heaven; it is the third most holy site in Islam. Atop the Temple Mount today stands the Dome of the Rock, a structure built 691, along with the Al Aqsa Mosque, from which sermons are preached on Fridays, often laced with vitriolic words. Since the end of the Six Day War in 1967, the Muslim Waqif has controlled the access to the Temple Mount.
Along the western side of the Temple Mount lies the Western Wall, or, sometimes called the Wailing Wall. It is the only part of the Temple that remains from the Second Temple period, remembering that the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. This place is the holiest site for Jews. Daily, hundreds of Jews come to the Western Wall to meditate and to pray. I have been to the Wall many times and it is quite an experience.
So, you are saying, why all the commotion now? Earlier this summer, Muslim youth, attending services at the Al Aqsa Mosque, were seen carrying rocks, catapult-like machines, and knives into the Mosque with the purpose of using hurling those rocks upon the Jewish pilgrim worshiping below at the Western Wall. Jewish Authorities gave the Waqif a period of time to clean out the weapons, which they refused. So, Israeli authorities sent in police that stood in front of the Mosque. This created a call that the Jews had assaulted the Temple Mount. And thus the violence began.
That incident may have been the catalyst for the present violence, but I believe there are two deeper factors that are keeping the violence alive. First, back in September, in his address before the United Nations General Assembly, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas stated that the Palestinians would no longer honor any agreement that had been reached with the State of Israel, thus nullifying the Oslo Accords which had been the legacy of the Clinton Administration. He further stated that the Palestinians would destroy Israel , even so far as encouraging violence. And since that speech, President Abbas has been reported as using inflammatory words to keep the Palestinian anger riled against the Jews.
Second, I believe what we are seeing in Israel is an aftermath of the Iranian Nuclear Accords which were signed this past Sunday and now are in effect. Suddenly the Iranian regime is being blessed with the receipt of $150 billion as sanctions are lifted. It does not take a rocket scientist's mind to calculate what they plan to do with much of that new-found wealth. We know that Hamas (Gaza Strip) and Hezbollah (Southern Lebanon) are proxies of Tehran. The leadership of those two organizations committed to the annihilation of Israel are now competing for funds and weapons from Tehran. How could you prove your value than to encourage violent attacks upon Israeli citizens. You don't need just rockets any longer; you can use knife-wielding or truck-driving terrorists. Last night I had the privilege of being a gathering with a Jewish Rabbi who was visiting from Israel. I shared with him my theory and he concurred as to its possibility.
And then there is the added presence of ISIS in the region. I was reading an article this morning from The Israel Project website that cited a series of "ISIS propaganda videos released on Sunday praising the latest terror attacks and calling for more. The videos urge Palestinians to 'return terror to the Jews' and to use any means at their disposal to carry out attacks, including knives, vehicles, poison and explosives. The terrorist responsible for the attack on Sunday at the Beersheba central bus station that killed an IDF soldier and injured 11 people was inspired by ISIS. The title of one of the videos released by ISIS is 'Project Behead the Jews' and in another video, the speaker says, 'we will not enjoy our lives or take pleasure with a lavish abode until we liberate Al-Aqsa from the defilement of the sons of apes and pigs.'" This is hardly rhetoric that defuses an already dangerous climate.
Then, to add fuel to the proverbial fire, I read yesterday that the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) would be voting on a petition presented by six Arab States (Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates) on behalf of Palestine that would "fold the Jewish Western Wall into Islamic domain on the Temple Mount." Friends, this is another attempt by the Muslim world to rewrite history, to purge every vestige of Jewish presence from the past in and around Jerusalem. But how can one erase history? The evidence of Jewish presence is almost insurmountable. I have walked through some of the archaeological digs just outside the walls of the Old City. It is an amazing journey back into time - not Muslim time, but Jewish time. Ancient synagogues, ancient water systems, and ancient walls tell the stories of an ongoing Jewish presence for centuries before Mohammed was even born. Thankfully, I read this morning that the UNESCO Committee did not adopt that portion of the petition that called for the ceding of the Western Wall into Muslim control. But, mark my word, the Palestinians will try again and again.
The Bible instructs us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6). And so we do. But real peace will only come when King Jesus returns to accept that throne that is rightfully His there in Jerusalem. Then, and only then, will there be true peace. So, as we "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" today, yes, we are praying for the violence to end, but we are also praying that Jesus would come soon. Yes, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Fall Points to a Time of Rest
I enjoy the fall season of the year. The colors here in Minnesota have been extraordinarily beautiful this fall. Must have been the warm, wet summer that made the tree leaves so alive. And the fields of pumpkins are dotted with the amazing orange spheres that will soon become jack-o-lanterns or pumpkin pies. As the leaves begin to fall, one can see the myriad of nests the squirrels have built as their winter homes. I always have wondered how those nests built of twigs and leaves can withstand those fierce winter winds. But they do. And who can resist a hot mug of apple cider with a twist of cinnamon? Couple that with a warm apple donut and a perfect evening is created.
As one sees the changing landscapes of fall, a person has to marvel at God's great design. Creation, at least in the northern climes, needs a time of rest. God knew this. Trees need a rest - thus the shedding of the leaves. Fields need a rest - thus the lack of planting and growing. Even some animals need a rest - thus the long time of hibernation. The fall season is a reminder that God often asks us to slow down, to rest.
Rest, when you come to think of it, was what God did after six long days of creation. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:2, "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work." God rested! The need for rest is a part of God's creative plan for His creation and for the pinnacle of His creation, namely man. Yes, God expected man to work, for work is also a part of God's creative plan (Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.") But work needs to be balanced with rest. When it came time for the children of Israel to receive those laws that would govern them as a nation, the fourth commandment stated, "Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the seas, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11)
Now rest is not laziness. In fact, I believe many people often work hard at being lazy. Rest does not mean inactivity. In fact, a change of activity from what is normal can often be a great way to rest. How important it is for us to understand that God has built a desire within each of us for rest. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with God. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with our families. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with ourselves.
I know we live in an age when we are almost prideful of our busyness. We run hither and thither often acting like a "chicken with its head cut off." I can still close my eyes and see my grandfather swing his axe and off would come a chicken's head; then he would let it flop around. That chicken would flop all over but had no idea where it was going. Such scenes are often what our culture demands of us. We create one activity after another seeking to fill our calendars with events - sporting events, cultural events, school events, and even, sadly, church events. And today our busyness is compounded with our technological toys. A few quiet moments become an opportunity to send a text or play a game or use the Internet. Perhaps we equate activity with spirituality; but that is a wrong equation to make.
I want to rediscover the value of rest. I want to rediscover the significance of "being still before a holy God." I want to know that "the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Habakkuk 2:20). Rest does not come automatically. Rest does not come with a sincere desire. Rest has to become a priority; it has to be something that we diligently seek after. Just as creation prepares itself for a time of rest, so you and I need to prepare ourselves for a time of rest. Perhaps it is to rediscover the value of Sunday being our Sabbath, our day of rest. Perhaps it is to rediscover the significance of taking a week away from work - remember, leave your laptop at home and don't use that cellphone unless it is an emergency; the office can survive without you for a few days - and spending time with your family. Perhaps you will rediscover rest by simply opening God's Word as you sit in your favorite rocking chair and allowing Him to speak to your heart in the quietness of an early morning or late evening.
Friends, our souls long for rest. Our bodies long for rest. Our relationship with a living God longs for rest. My prayer is that God will cause us to diligently prepare and seek for His rest, and that, as we experience that rest, our souls and bodies will become re-energizer with His power and His presence.
As one sees the changing landscapes of fall, a person has to marvel at God's great design. Creation, at least in the northern climes, needs a time of rest. God knew this. Trees need a rest - thus the shedding of the leaves. Fields need a rest - thus the lack of planting and growing. Even some animals need a rest - thus the long time of hibernation. The fall season is a reminder that God often asks us to slow down, to rest.
Rest, when you come to think of it, was what God did after six long days of creation. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:2, "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work." God rested! The need for rest is a part of God's creative plan for His creation and for the pinnacle of His creation, namely man. Yes, God expected man to work, for work is also a part of God's creative plan (Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.") But work needs to be balanced with rest. When it came time for the children of Israel to receive those laws that would govern them as a nation, the fourth commandment stated, "Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the seas, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11)
Now rest is not laziness. In fact, I believe many people often work hard at being lazy. Rest does not mean inactivity. In fact, a change of activity from what is normal can often be a great way to rest. How important it is for us to understand that God has built a desire within each of us for rest. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with God. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with our families. Such rest is a time when we can reconnect with ourselves.
I know we live in an age when we are almost prideful of our busyness. We run hither and thither often acting like a "chicken with its head cut off." I can still close my eyes and see my grandfather swing his axe and off would come a chicken's head; then he would let it flop around. That chicken would flop all over but had no idea where it was going. Such scenes are often what our culture demands of us. We create one activity after another seeking to fill our calendars with events - sporting events, cultural events, school events, and even, sadly, church events. And today our busyness is compounded with our technological toys. A few quiet moments become an opportunity to send a text or play a game or use the Internet. Perhaps we equate activity with spirituality; but that is a wrong equation to make.
I want to rediscover the value of rest. I want to rediscover the significance of "being still before a holy God." I want to know that "the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Habakkuk 2:20). Rest does not come automatically. Rest does not come with a sincere desire. Rest has to become a priority; it has to be something that we diligently seek after. Just as creation prepares itself for a time of rest, so you and I need to prepare ourselves for a time of rest. Perhaps it is to rediscover the value of Sunday being our Sabbath, our day of rest. Perhaps it is to rediscover the significance of taking a week away from work - remember, leave your laptop at home and don't use that cellphone unless it is an emergency; the office can survive without you for a few days - and spending time with your family. Perhaps you will rediscover rest by simply opening God's Word as you sit in your favorite rocking chair and allowing Him to speak to your heart in the quietness of an early morning or late evening.
Friends, our souls long for rest. Our bodies long for rest. Our relationship with a living God longs for rest. My prayer is that God will cause us to diligently prepare and seek for His rest, and that, as we experience that rest, our souls and bodies will become re-energizer with His power and His presence.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Is the Antichrist's Stage Being Prepared?
It almost seems that the events of the world are happening at warp-speed. Almost daily there are the reminders of the ever-increasing darkness that seeks to envelop this world. Yet there are those moments when the light of truth shines through as well. We are in the midst of a cultural and spiritual war for the souls of those who inhabit planet earth. The Bible reminds us often that this cultural-spiritual war will only reach a conclusion when King Jesus comes to claim His rightful throne there in Jerusalem. Until that day Jesus said we would hear of wars and rumors of war; lawlessness would increase; and even the hearts of men would grow faint.
Last Thursday I watched Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu address the United Nations General Assembly. If you did not have an opportunity of seeing this speech, I highly encourage you to watch it on you-tube. The Prime Minister spoke powerfully against the recently UN approved P5+1 treaty with Iran on nuclear weapons. The high-point of the speech came after the Prime Minister criticized the Iranian nuclear deal as providing Tehran with some international acceptance and a clear path toward developing a nuclear weapon. The Prime Minister said, "As a leader of a country defending itself every day against Iran's growing aggression, I wish I could take comfort in the claim that this deal blocks Iran's path to nuclear weapons, but I can't, because it doesn't. Here's the catch. Under this deal, if Iran doesn't change it's behavior, if Iran becomes more dangerous in the years to come, the most important constraints will still be automatically lifted by year 10 and again by year 15." He then cited the recent statement of the Iranian religious leader, made just days after the Iranian deal was signed in Switzerland, that the Iranians would destroy Israel within 25 years. Netanyahu, referring to that threat said, "...and the response from this body, the response from nearly every one of the governments represented here has been absolutely nothing - utter silence, deafening silence." Then the Prime Minister stood with a silent gaze over the Assembly for nearly a minute. His eyes just moved from one end of the Assembly to the other almost as to reinforce the concept of how disturbing their silence had been. He then declared that the days of Israel's silence were over and that they would defend themselves. Of the speeches I watched during the course of the opening of the General Assembly, the Prime Minister's was most powerful.
Yet, even as the Prime Minister was speaking before the General Assembly, outside, in the arena displaying the flags of the member-states of the United Nations, a new flag was hoisted for the very first time - the Palestinian flag. This flag-raising came in the aftermath of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's statement that the Palestinians will not longer abide by the Oslo Accords. On that Wednesday, September 30, the Palestinian leader had said, "All security agreements with Israel are now annulled." And it has been interesting to see the increase in violence in Israel, particularly around Jerusalem, since Abbas uttered those words. The hopes for a peaceful agreement seem to be fading quickly away. The Bible seems to affirm that there is only one who will resolve this seemingly unresolvable conflict and he will do so through intrigue and threats. His name is - the Antichrist. You can read about him in Daniel 9. So it seems that we are one-step closer to the end-times.
I shared with you in last week's blog about the presence of Russian and Iranian military forces in Syria. Under the pretense of fighting against ISIS, Russian warplanes have attacked those forces that have been opposing the Assad regime. The Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped into the leadership vacuum created when our President vacated his "red line" approach in Syria's civil war. Could this be the beginning of Ezekiel's War? I can't speak with total confidence, but it sure seems to be the precursor to that event.
I want to refer you to an article that I found alarming, yet very prophetic in its implications. It was written by Leo Hohmann and posted at www.wnd.com/2015/09/obama-puts-u-s-on-fast-track-to-world-government. The article begins with this statement: "The United Nations 2030 Agenda endorsed by President Obama, Pope Francis and the U.N. General Assembly brings the world one giant step closer to true global governance. The U.N. document approved Sunday (September 27) in New York, 'Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,' includes in its preamble the call for a 'new universal agenda' for all of humanity." This document has as its focus the elimination of world-wide poverty, combating climate change, the elimination of gender inequality, and resolution of the immigrant and refugee crises. Paul McGuire, a Fox News and History Channel contributor, after reading the document said, "The only thing they are lacking right now is a sufficient crisis big enough to win enthusiastic public support in America and other nations in the world for full-on global governance. But, remember, the elite who are behind this are experts at manufactured crisis and their motto is 'ordo ab chao,' which means 'order out of chaos.' The new global order will be birthed by either a global financial crisis, the prospect of World War III involving Islam, Russia, Ukraine, NATO, Iran, Syria and Israel and a manufactured climate-change crisis." Is this a preparation for the coming of the Antichrist? Sure seems that the stage is being prepared for the acclaimed world leader. He is in the wings awaiting his coronation. Friends, this is a frightening article, but a must-read if we are to fully understand the workings of the leaders of the world at this moment.
Finally, I want to just speak for a few moments into the tragic shooting in Roseburg, Oregon this past week at Umpqua Community College. We have learned that the shooter had instructed those in that classroom to lie on the floor. Then he instructed them to stand and he asked if they were a Christian. If they said "yes," then they were shot in the head; if they said, "no," then they were shot in the legs. The targets for the shooter's rage were Christians - not atheists, not Hindus, not Muslims, not humanists. Yet the mainstream media organizations and our governmental officials, including our President, failed to focus upon that one fact. Christians were martyred for their faith, not in Egypt or in Syria or in Iraq, but here in the United States. This is a sobering thought. Christians in America have been assaulted emotionally and spiritually in recent years with the advancement of the same-sex marriage philosophy. Christians have been assaulted economically as many have lost their places of business or careers because of their stand for what they believe to be biblical truth. And now we see Christians losing their lives because of their faith in Christ. I asked myself this question: If I had been one of those lying on that classroom floor, what would have been my response to the shooter's question? What would have been your response? As I have shared with my congregation on several occasions, the time to think about how to answer that question is not when the occasion arises; the time to resolve what your response will be is now! Sadly I believe what occurred in Roseburg, Oregon, will be repeated again and again. Are you ready? Am I ready?
Praise God we can place our faith and trust and even our very lives in Him. Yes, it is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to be a Daniel in our world. Read again his story in Daniel 1-6. Let his resolve become yours and mine. Let his boldness to stand for truth in the presence of error be yours and mine. Let his willingness to die for truth become your willingness and mine.
Last Thursday I watched Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu address the United Nations General Assembly. If you did not have an opportunity of seeing this speech, I highly encourage you to watch it on you-tube. The Prime Minister spoke powerfully against the recently UN approved P5+1 treaty with Iran on nuclear weapons. The high-point of the speech came after the Prime Minister criticized the Iranian nuclear deal as providing Tehran with some international acceptance and a clear path toward developing a nuclear weapon. The Prime Minister said, "As a leader of a country defending itself every day against Iran's growing aggression, I wish I could take comfort in the claim that this deal blocks Iran's path to nuclear weapons, but I can't, because it doesn't. Here's the catch. Under this deal, if Iran doesn't change it's behavior, if Iran becomes more dangerous in the years to come, the most important constraints will still be automatically lifted by year 10 and again by year 15." He then cited the recent statement of the Iranian religious leader, made just days after the Iranian deal was signed in Switzerland, that the Iranians would destroy Israel within 25 years. Netanyahu, referring to that threat said, "...and the response from this body, the response from nearly every one of the governments represented here has been absolutely nothing - utter silence, deafening silence." Then the Prime Minister stood with a silent gaze over the Assembly for nearly a minute. His eyes just moved from one end of the Assembly to the other almost as to reinforce the concept of how disturbing their silence had been. He then declared that the days of Israel's silence were over and that they would defend themselves. Of the speeches I watched during the course of the opening of the General Assembly, the Prime Minister's was most powerful.
Yet, even as the Prime Minister was speaking before the General Assembly, outside, in the arena displaying the flags of the member-states of the United Nations, a new flag was hoisted for the very first time - the Palestinian flag. This flag-raising came in the aftermath of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's statement that the Palestinians will not longer abide by the Oslo Accords. On that Wednesday, September 30, the Palestinian leader had said, "All security agreements with Israel are now annulled." And it has been interesting to see the increase in violence in Israel, particularly around Jerusalem, since Abbas uttered those words. The hopes for a peaceful agreement seem to be fading quickly away. The Bible seems to affirm that there is only one who will resolve this seemingly unresolvable conflict and he will do so through intrigue and threats. His name is - the Antichrist. You can read about him in Daniel 9. So it seems that we are one-step closer to the end-times.
I shared with you in last week's blog about the presence of Russian and Iranian military forces in Syria. Under the pretense of fighting against ISIS, Russian warplanes have attacked those forces that have been opposing the Assad regime. The Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped into the leadership vacuum created when our President vacated his "red line" approach in Syria's civil war. Could this be the beginning of Ezekiel's War? I can't speak with total confidence, but it sure seems to be the precursor to that event.
I want to refer you to an article that I found alarming, yet very prophetic in its implications. It was written by Leo Hohmann and posted at www.wnd.com/2015/09/obama-puts-u-s-on-fast-track-to-world-government. The article begins with this statement: "The United Nations 2030 Agenda endorsed by President Obama, Pope Francis and the U.N. General Assembly brings the world one giant step closer to true global governance. The U.N. document approved Sunday (September 27) in New York, 'Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,' includes in its preamble the call for a 'new universal agenda' for all of humanity." This document has as its focus the elimination of world-wide poverty, combating climate change, the elimination of gender inequality, and resolution of the immigrant and refugee crises. Paul McGuire, a Fox News and History Channel contributor, after reading the document said, "The only thing they are lacking right now is a sufficient crisis big enough to win enthusiastic public support in America and other nations in the world for full-on global governance. But, remember, the elite who are behind this are experts at manufactured crisis and their motto is 'ordo ab chao,' which means 'order out of chaos.' The new global order will be birthed by either a global financial crisis, the prospect of World War III involving Islam, Russia, Ukraine, NATO, Iran, Syria and Israel and a manufactured climate-change crisis." Is this a preparation for the coming of the Antichrist? Sure seems that the stage is being prepared for the acclaimed world leader. He is in the wings awaiting his coronation. Friends, this is a frightening article, but a must-read if we are to fully understand the workings of the leaders of the world at this moment.
Finally, I want to just speak for a few moments into the tragic shooting in Roseburg, Oregon this past week at Umpqua Community College. We have learned that the shooter had instructed those in that classroom to lie on the floor. Then he instructed them to stand and he asked if they were a Christian. If they said "yes," then they were shot in the head; if they said, "no," then they were shot in the legs. The targets for the shooter's rage were Christians - not atheists, not Hindus, not Muslims, not humanists. Yet the mainstream media organizations and our governmental officials, including our President, failed to focus upon that one fact. Christians were martyred for their faith, not in Egypt or in Syria or in Iraq, but here in the United States. This is a sobering thought. Christians in America have been assaulted emotionally and spiritually in recent years with the advancement of the same-sex marriage philosophy. Christians have been assaulted economically as many have lost their places of business or careers because of their stand for what they believe to be biblical truth. And now we see Christians losing their lives because of their faith in Christ. I asked myself this question: If I had been one of those lying on that classroom floor, what would have been my response to the shooter's question? What would have been your response? As I have shared with my congregation on several occasions, the time to think about how to answer that question is not when the occasion arises; the time to resolve what your response will be is now! Sadly I believe what occurred in Roseburg, Oregon, will be repeated again and again. Are you ready? Am I ready?
Praise God we can place our faith and trust and even our very lives in Him. Yes, it is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to be a Daniel in our world. Read again his story in Daniel 1-6. Let his resolve become yours and mine. Let his boldness to stand for truth in the presence of error be yours and mine. Let his willingness to die for truth become your willingness and mine.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Of Putin, Russia, Iran, Syria and Israel
It has been an interesting week watching and listening to the world's leaders as they have come and addressed the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. Each leader has come and basically trumpeted the achievements of his or her country and leveled accusations at those nations who have not agreed with them. I found it very interesting that both President Obama and Russian President Putin shared speeches on the same day. As I read their speeches, these leaders could not have been more opposite. Just from a casual observer's perspective, it seemed that the Russian President came with a feeling of confidence. Yes, there have been the problems with Ukraine, but Putin has been seen as the one who could solve the problems in Syria. Now, personally, I don't trust Putin at all, and, if you remember, I have often said that he is one of the most dangerous men in the world. Yet he is willing to lead, or at least give the perception of leading. His speech almost had the air of confidence. On the other hand, President Obama pretty much said the same thing he said last year. He promised that America would show its determination with its military power, but most of the world knows that our President, over the course of his presidency, has done more to weaken our military than any of his predecessors. He has made promises before - like his infamous "red line" with the Syrians - but has not followed through. Is his just an empty rhetoric? America may claim to still be the greatest nation on earth - and, from many perspectives, I would agree with that - but I wonder if much of the world still sees us in that light?
Speaking of Putin, the following article from the Jerusalem Post presents some anxious moments if you are an Israeli leaders. The article, published on September 29, reads in part: "Following a 90-minute meeting on Monday with US President Barack Obama on the conflict in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was concerned with Israel's Sunday strike on Syria, that was prompted by cross-border fire originating from Syrian army positions. 'We respect Israel's interests related to the Syrian civil war but we are concerned about its attacks on Syria,' Putin said, according to Army Radio. The Syrian projectile exploded in an unpopulated area of the northern Golan Heights, causing no injuries or damage. ... Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Syrian civil war battles were behind the stray fire into Israel on Saturday and Sunday. 'From our perspective this is a violation of sovereignty and a crossing of a red line. The State of Israel has no intention of ignoring such incidents, and the IDF therefore attacked two Syrian army artillery positions this evening,' Ya'alon said. 'We view the Syrian regime and its army as being responsible for what happens in their territory and we will not be tolerant in cases such as these,' the defense minister said."
What makes this statement by Putin so alarming is the fact that Russia is now sending military forces to assist the Assad regime in its battle against ISIS in Syria. Russian forces could soon, literally, be on the doorsteps of Israel in their role to assist Assad. Can anyone say Ezekiel 38-39? But, there is another grave concern if you are an Israeli leader.
Again, another article from the same September 29 issue of the Jerusalem Post. "Likud Minister Steinitz says Israel will make it clear to US, Russia and other world powers that Iranian forces must not be allowed to mass on Israel's border. Israel is concerned with the build-up of Iranian forces in Syria, near the border with Israel, National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said in an interview with Army Radio on Tuesday. Steinitz's comments came amid the recent addition of Russian troops to Syria to bolster President Bashar Assad in his fight against Islamic State and other rebel groups challenging his rule in Syria. However, the Likud minister was more concerned with the infusion of troops from Assad's other central backer, Iran. 'Nobody wants to see Russian forces in the area of the Golan Heights, but we definitely don't want to see Iranian forces near Israel,' Steinitz told Army Radio."
The article continued, "A senior Israeli security source said earlier this month that an Iranian Islamic Republican Guards Corp force, comprised of hundreds of soldiers, recently entered Syria to assist the embattled Assad regime. Tehran dispatched its force 'in light of Assad's' ongoing distress, the source stated, adding that the deployment is part of a wider Russian-Iranian coordinated effort to prevent what remains of the Assad regime from collapsing."
So, there you have it: both Russian and Iranian forces are now in Syria. We know that both brought sophisticated weapons with them. One can understand why Israeli leaders are nervous. I am confident that tomorrow when it is his turn to address the General Assembly, Prime Minister Netanyahu will address these concerns in a very powerful way. The thought of Iranian forces near their border with Syria, coupled with the recently signed Iranian Nuclear Pact, causes the Iranians to be even more threatening to the welfare of Israel. Yet, we know that God's hand is behind all these actions. He is orchestrating the players and the play. And, we know how the story will end.
Let me close by just mentioning the leadership change in the House of Representatives with the announced retirement of Speaker Boehner. I must admit that I have been one who has been critical of his leadership these past few years. A lot of promises were made, but still remain on the table. Boehner is a nice guy - I wouldn't mind living next door to him. But, as with many in Washington today, he was out of touch with the common people. He had bought into the power that is Washington. After being in Washington for 25 years, he failed to hear what the common people were saying which was "we don't want things to continue as they have." It is now time for someone to boldly step forward and lead boldly - not that he will get everything that the people want, but that he will demonstrate that he is not afraid to take a stand. Can such a person be found? I guess we will wait to find out. By the way, I believe the success to date of the candidacies of Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carli Fiorina, and also of a Bernie Sanders, is testimony to the deep-seated distrust the American public has with professional politicians. The election of 2016 could prove to be an very interesting one. Stay tuned.
Speaking of Putin, the following article from the Jerusalem Post presents some anxious moments if you are an Israeli leaders. The article, published on September 29, reads in part: "Following a 90-minute meeting on Monday with US President Barack Obama on the conflict in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was concerned with Israel's Sunday strike on Syria, that was prompted by cross-border fire originating from Syrian army positions. 'We respect Israel's interests related to the Syrian civil war but we are concerned about its attacks on Syria,' Putin said, according to Army Radio. The Syrian projectile exploded in an unpopulated area of the northern Golan Heights, causing no injuries or damage. ... Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Syrian civil war battles were behind the stray fire into Israel on Saturday and Sunday. 'From our perspective this is a violation of sovereignty and a crossing of a red line. The State of Israel has no intention of ignoring such incidents, and the IDF therefore attacked two Syrian army artillery positions this evening,' Ya'alon said. 'We view the Syrian regime and its army as being responsible for what happens in their territory and we will not be tolerant in cases such as these,' the defense minister said."
What makes this statement by Putin so alarming is the fact that Russia is now sending military forces to assist the Assad regime in its battle against ISIS in Syria. Russian forces could soon, literally, be on the doorsteps of Israel in their role to assist Assad. Can anyone say Ezekiel 38-39? But, there is another grave concern if you are an Israeli leader.
Again, another article from the same September 29 issue of the Jerusalem Post. "Likud Minister Steinitz says Israel will make it clear to US, Russia and other world powers that Iranian forces must not be allowed to mass on Israel's border. Israel is concerned with the build-up of Iranian forces in Syria, near the border with Israel, National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said in an interview with Army Radio on Tuesday. Steinitz's comments came amid the recent addition of Russian troops to Syria to bolster President Bashar Assad in his fight against Islamic State and other rebel groups challenging his rule in Syria. However, the Likud minister was more concerned with the infusion of troops from Assad's other central backer, Iran. 'Nobody wants to see Russian forces in the area of the Golan Heights, but we definitely don't want to see Iranian forces near Israel,' Steinitz told Army Radio."
The article continued, "A senior Israeli security source said earlier this month that an Iranian Islamic Republican Guards Corp force, comprised of hundreds of soldiers, recently entered Syria to assist the embattled Assad regime. Tehran dispatched its force 'in light of Assad's' ongoing distress, the source stated, adding that the deployment is part of a wider Russian-Iranian coordinated effort to prevent what remains of the Assad regime from collapsing."
So, there you have it: both Russian and Iranian forces are now in Syria. We know that both brought sophisticated weapons with them. One can understand why Israeli leaders are nervous. I am confident that tomorrow when it is his turn to address the General Assembly, Prime Minister Netanyahu will address these concerns in a very powerful way. The thought of Iranian forces near their border with Syria, coupled with the recently signed Iranian Nuclear Pact, causes the Iranians to be even more threatening to the welfare of Israel. Yet, we know that God's hand is behind all these actions. He is orchestrating the players and the play. And, we know how the story will end.
Let me close by just mentioning the leadership change in the House of Representatives with the announced retirement of Speaker Boehner. I must admit that I have been one who has been critical of his leadership these past few years. A lot of promises were made, but still remain on the table. Boehner is a nice guy - I wouldn't mind living next door to him. But, as with many in Washington today, he was out of touch with the common people. He had bought into the power that is Washington. After being in Washington for 25 years, he failed to hear what the common people were saying which was "we don't want things to continue as they have." It is now time for someone to boldly step forward and lead boldly - not that he will get everything that the people want, but that he will demonstrate that he is not afraid to take a stand. Can such a person be found? I guess we will wait to find out. By the way, I believe the success to date of the candidacies of Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carli Fiorina, and also of a Bernie Sanders, is testimony to the deep-seated distrust the American public has with professional politicians. The election of 2016 could prove to be an very interesting one. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
A Call for a Faith that Matters
This fall I, along with a former Elder of our church, have had the privilege of teaching a group of 22 high school students about cultivating a biblical worldview. As churches, we often send our young people away to school or to careers thinking we have prepared them for success as Christians. But statistics have shown that to be an invalid assumption. Really less than a fifth of students who grow up in the church continue their walk with the church as they venture away from home. Many falter along the way.
As a church we asked ourselves why this occurs so frequently. We discovered two responses to that question. First, many of our young people today are not seeing modeled within their own families the viability of having a Christian faith. What is proclaimed on Sunday is found lacking in the everyday experiences of Monday through Saturday. Second, many of young people today have never had the opportunity of claiming ownership of their faith. They have what I call a "second-hand faith." It has been borrowed from their parents or grandparents or youth leaders. But it has never become a part of who they are as a follower of Jesus Christ.
After this discovery, our church proceeded to work toward rectifying both problems. We began a focus on the family becoming part of the Faith@Home network of churches. Our ministry purpose is to help parents so that they can disciple their own children in the things of the Lord, modeling after the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Ephesians 6:1-4. We have created "milestone" moments to assist and to train parents in their biblical responsibilities. We are seeing families come together for both study and for worship. As a pastor it is so exciting to see entire families in our Worship Center sharing in worship together. Yes+-, we get a dropped pacifier from the balcony once in a while, or a toddler will make a fuss, but oh the delight that God must get when He sees entire families worshiping Him. As a church we still have a long way to go before we feel that we where God would have us to be, but the journey, so far, has been an incredible one.
As we focused upon our young people God created within us a strong desire to have our teens thoroughly grounded in the Word of God. We already have a strong AWANA and Sunday school ministry to elementary children and our Middle School ministry is growing. But we wanted to do even more. Our eighth-grade students spend a year in Old Testament Survey. Our ninth-grade students spend a three months in New Testament Survey, thus completing a study of the entire Bible. Then, those same ninth-grade students will spend four months in a Survey of Bible Doctrine where they are exposed to those basic tenants of the faith. As part of their homework assignments, they begin to write their own statements of faith - beginning that process of claiming ownership of what they believe. This year we have added an elective class for high school students on a Biblical Worldview. During this 22-week class, the students will begin to cultivate disciplined and critical thinking skills as they begin to see their world from a biblical perspective. Next year a second elective will be offered to high school students that will focus upon a historical geography of the Bible. Our Youth Pastor spent four-weeks this summer in Israel preparing herself for this class. The students will once again travel through the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, focusing upon the key events, places, and people. At the close of this class - if the students have successfully completed all four years of study - these students will have the opportunity of taking a trip to the Holy Land to experience for themselves those places they have studied. Upon their return, a final elective class on apologetics, now in the planning stages, will be be offered. The students will once again have the opportunity of revisiting their own statements of faith and cultivate a dense for that faith.
I am reminded of the words of Paul to his young disciple Timothy: "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your other Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy had learned the foundations of his faith at home from his mother and grandmother. Or there are these words from Solomon, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Again the focus is upon the home. Parents are to help their children begin to form that foundation upon which those children will build their lives. They can do this by reading the Bible to their children. I believe that by the time a child reaches kindergarten, they should have been exposed to the major stories within the entire Bible. David and Daniel, Moses and Noah, Peter and Paul, as well as Jesus Himself should be names that your child is familiar with. Then they proceed through Sunday school and AWANA clubs, (or any program like that), and begin to hear those stories told once again. Then, during those middle school and high school years, those students are given tools and opportunity to add some superstructure to that foundation upon which they have grown their lives. Then, the church, working hand-in-hand with parents, will see more young people leave home fully equipped unto every good work.
Friends, the times demand that the church equip parents to do ministry within their own homes. The pressures upon families today are intense with our culture seeking the destruction of the family. The Church has failed in thinking that their role was to usurp that God-given responsibility entrusted into the hands of those families. But the Church working together with families, like putting a hand into a glove, can confidently grow children into young men and women who have a passion to serve the Lord and to remain strong in their faith. This may be our last opportunity, so let's use those moments well.
As a church we asked ourselves why this occurs so frequently. We discovered two responses to that question. First, many of our young people today are not seeing modeled within their own families the viability of having a Christian faith. What is proclaimed on Sunday is found lacking in the everyday experiences of Monday through Saturday. Second, many of young people today have never had the opportunity of claiming ownership of their faith. They have what I call a "second-hand faith." It has been borrowed from their parents or grandparents or youth leaders. But it has never become a part of who they are as a follower of Jesus Christ.
After this discovery, our church proceeded to work toward rectifying both problems. We began a focus on the family becoming part of the Faith@Home network of churches. Our ministry purpose is to help parents so that they can disciple their own children in the things of the Lord, modeling after the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Ephesians 6:1-4. We have created "milestone" moments to assist and to train parents in their biblical responsibilities. We are seeing families come together for both study and for worship. As a pastor it is so exciting to see entire families in our Worship Center sharing in worship together. Yes+-, we get a dropped pacifier from the balcony once in a while, or a toddler will make a fuss, but oh the delight that God must get when He sees entire families worshiping Him. As a church we still have a long way to go before we feel that we where God would have us to be, but the journey, so far, has been an incredible one.
As we focused upon our young people God created within us a strong desire to have our teens thoroughly grounded in the Word of God. We already have a strong AWANA and Sunday school ministry to elementary children and our Middle School ministry is growing. But we wanted to do even more. Our eighth-grade students spend a year in Old Testament Survey. Our ninth-grade students spend a three months in New Testament Survey, thus completing a study of the entire Bible. Then, those same ninth-grade students will spend four months in a Survey of Bible Doctrine where they are exposed to those basic tenants of the faith. As part of their homework assignments, they begin to write their own statements of faith - beginning that process of claiming ownership of what they believe. This year we have added an elective class for high school students on a Biblical Worldview. During this 22-week class, the students will begin to cultivate disciplined and critical thinking skills as they begin to see their world from a biblical perspective. Next year a second elective will be offered to high school students that will focus upon a historical geography of the Bible. Our Youth Pastor spent four-weeks this summer in Israel preparing herself for this class. The students will once again travel through the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, focusing upon the key events, places, and people. At the close of this class - if the students have successfully completed all four years of study - these students will have the opportunity of taking a trip to the Holy Land to experience for themselves those places they have studied. Upon their return, a final elective class on apologetics, now in the planning stages, will be be offered. The students will once again have the opportunity of revisiting their own statements of faith and cultivate a dense for that faith.
I am reminded of the words of Paul to his young disciple Timothy: "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your other Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy had learned the foundations of his faith at home from his mother and grandmother. Or there are these words from Solomon, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Again the focus is upon the home. Parents are to help their children begin to form that foundation upon which those children will build their lives. They can do this by reading the Bible to their children. I believe that by the time a child reaches kindergarten, they should have been exposed to the major stories within the entire Bible. David and Daniel, Moses and Noah, Peter and Paul, as well as Jesus Himself should be names that your child is familiar with. Then they proceed through Sunday school and AWANA clubs, (or any program like that), and begin to hear those stories told once again. Then, during those middle school and high school years, those students are given tools and opportunity to add some superstructure to that foundation upon which they have grown their lives. Then, the church, working hand-in-hand with parents, will see more young people leave home fully equipped unto every good work.
Friends, the times demand that the church equip parents to do ministry within their own homes. The pressures upon families today are intense with our culture seeking the destruction of the family. The Church has failed in thinking that their role was to usurp that God-given responsibility entrusted into the hands of those families. But the Church working together with families, like putting a hand into a glove, can confidently grow children into young men and women who have a passion to serve the Lord and to remain strong in their faith. This may be our last opportunity, so let's use those moments well.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Fall, Faith, and Politics
I love the fall season of the year. Soon the hillsides will be alive with color. The crops are beginning to show signs of maturity - can combining be far behind. The apple trees hang heavy with fruit this year. Reports say it will be one of the best apple harvests that Minnesota has had in recent years. Marlys and I had fun with a couple of our grandkids going to the orchard to pick apples and raspberries. What a great morning! The Friday night skies are brightened with the lights from football fields that dot many a small community. In those communities, high school football becomes a premier social event for the community. Ah, the majesty of fall.
Another fall scene is of yellow buses carrying eager young minds to our many schools. As parents we gladly send our children off to school trusting that they will receive, not only a quality education, but also cultivate skills that will enable them to celebrate life. Now I must admit that I loved school. In fact, I would have enjoyed going to school year round. I was the kid who enrolled into the summer school program. I was the kid who kept his nose in a book over the summer. I loved learning - in fact, I still do.
But, alas, all is not well in our schools. Bob Unruh posted this article on the WND website: www.wnd.com/2015/09/students-forced-to-recite-allah-is-the-only-god. He writes, "Amid a new report of Islamic indoctrination in public schools, the American Center for Law and Justice is fighting back with a petition drive that already has garnered 120,000 signatures. Earlier this year, public-school students in Madison, Wisconsin, were given an assignment to 'pretend you are Muslim,' while students in Florida were instructed to 'recite the Five Pillars of Islam as a prayer, make Islamic prayer-rugs and perform other Muslim rituals,' ACLJ said Monday. Now, parents of public-school students in Tennessee are protesting assignments that include writing a declaration that Allah is supreme and textbooks that recount Islamic doctrines as facts instead of beliefs."
Does this pose a problem for you? What would the response be if students were asked to memorize the Lord's Prayer or the Ten Commandments? What would the response be if students were asked to write a paper on the life of Jesus and to understand and then state that He is the Son of God? The ACLU and the Freedom from Religion Foundation get into an uproar when a teacher merely has a Bible on his/her desk. They cry, "First Amendment," and "separation of church and state." Yet their voice is silent when it is the Koran that is studied; when it is the life of Mohammed that is studied; when it is the tenants of Islamic faith that are not just taught but memorized.
Friends, if I were living in a Muslim country, I would expect that, when my children went to the public schools, that they would be taught the facts and beliefs behind Islam, for after all, the Islamic faith is the foundation of that country. If I wanted my children to understand their Christian beliefs, I would do so in the confines of my own home. Now we live in a nation that has as its foundational roots, not the Koran and Islam, but the Bible and Judeo-Christian faith. The Supreme Court ruled that the Bible and Judeo-Christian faith cannot be taught in our public schools, except as referenced in a history or literature class and then only as how that faith impacted a culture or civilization. And, as much as I have never liked that ruling, I have accepted it. My children learned those foundational principles of faith at home and while attending church. I did not expect the public schools to teach my children a Christian faith. However, I also did not expect the public schools to tear down those faith principles that I was teaching my children. I did not want that institution to belittle my children because of their beliefs.
Now I know that God has filled many a public school classroom with godly teachers who are committed to biblical truth. We have some amazing Christian teachers who attend our church and who work within the local public school system. I know their heart and that, in their own ways, they seek to be an encouragement and blessing to their students. When I have the occasion to share with such teachers, I remind them that they are on the front lines of one of the most important mission fields today. And I pray for them. And I am grateful for godly men and women who still are willing to be part of the local community school board. Theirs is a difficult and often thankless task, but they see their roles as one to guard the interests of the children.
But what is happening in the public schools is accelerating those home-schooling their children. It is advancing the creation of Christian school - based both on a traditional learning style and the Classical learning style. Because of what is happening in the public-school arena, it becomes more critically important that moms and dads truly become engaged with their sons and daughters and teach them or disciple them into the heritage of their faith. Faith at home does matter today, perhaps more so than at any time in our recent past. Those principles shared by God through Moses in Deuteronomy 6 are as important today as they were when they were written down some 3500 years ago.
I also want to share with you one other article that greatly interested me. It was written by David Limbaugh and focuses upon the phenomenon of Donald Trump. You can find the article at: www.wnd.com/2015/09/the-establishment-birthed-trump. I am not going to quote from the article. I will let you read it for yourself. Now I am not a Trump-fan or supporter. However, I do believe that he is striking a cord with grass-roots America. It is almost as if he has looked into America's soul and is articulating what is there. He understands America's growing distrust of professional governmental leaders. He understands America's growing distrust of promises to gain an election but then are never fulfilled following that election. What I find very interesting is the silent rise of Ben Carson in the polls. He, too, is speaking to the heart of main-stream America but in a quieter, gentler way. One views Dr. Carson as a person you could have absolute confidence in to tell you the absolute truth, just as you would want your family physician to do. We are a long way from those early caucuses and primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. But, for this political-junkie, these are amazing days.
Friends, I want to wish you all a "shana tova" on this Rosh Hashana week. Yom Kippur is a week from today, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles. Many believe that Jesus Christ will return during the Jewish celebration of the fall feasts. Perhaps they are right. But, as I look out over a world that is teetering on the edge, I draw hope from the fact that Jesus Christ will return. Perhaps it might be this fall. Wouldn't that be great? Are you ready for the trumpet to blow?
Another fall scene is of yellow buses carrying eager young minds to our many schools. As parents we gladly send our children off to school trusting that they will receive, not only a quality education, but also cultivate skills that will enable them to celebrate life. Now I must admit that I loved school. In fact, I would have enjoyed going to school year round. I was the kid who enrolled into the summer school program. I was the kid who kept his nose in a book over the summer. I loved learning - in fact, I still do.
But, alas, all is not well in our schools. Bob Unruh posted this article on the WND website: www.wnd.com/2015/09/students-forced-to-recite-allah-is-the-only-god. He writes, "Amid a new report of Islamic indoctrination in public schools, the American Center for Law and Justice is fighting back with a petition drive that already has garnered 120,000 signatures. Earlier this year, public-school students in Madison, Wisconsin, were given an assignment to 'pretend you are Muslim,' while students in Florida were instructed to 'recite the Five Pillars of Islam as a prayer, make Islamic prayer-rugs and perform other Muslim rituals,' ACLJ said Monday. Now, parents of public-school students in Tennessee are protesting assignments that include writing a declaration that Allah is supreme and textbooks that recount Islamic doctrines as facts instead of beliefs."
Does this pose a problem for you? What would the response be if students were asked to memorize the Lord's Prayer or the Ten Commandments? What would the response be if students were asked to write a paper on the life of Jesus and to understand and then state that He is the Son of God? The ACLU and the Freedom from Religion Foundation get into an uproar when a teacher merely has a Bible on his/her desk. They cry, "First Amendment," and "separation of church and state." Yet their voice is silent when it is the Koran that is studied; when it is the life of Mohammed that is studied; when it is the tenants of Islamic faith that are not just taught but memorized.
Friends, if I were living in a Muslim country, I would expect that, when my children went to the public schools, that they would be taught the facts and beliefs behind Islam, for after all, the Islamic faith is the foundation of that country. If I wanted my children to understand their Christian beliefs, I would do so in the confines of my own home. Now we live in a nation that has as its foundational roots, not the Koran and Islam, but the Bible and Judeo-Christian faith. The Supreme Court ruled that the Bible and Judeo-Christian faith cannot be taught in our public schools, except as referenced in a history or literature class and then only as how that faith impacted a culture or civilization. And, as much as I have never liked that ruling, I have accepted it. My children learned those foundational principles of faith at home and while attending church. I did not expect the public schools to teach my children a Christian faith. However, I also did not expect the public schools to tear down those faith principles that I was teaching my children. I did not want that institution to belittle my children because of their beliefs.
Now I know that God has filled many a public school classroom with godly teachers who are committed to biblical truth. We have some amazing Christian teachers who attend our church and who work within the local public school system. I know their heart and that, in their own ways, they seek to be an encouragement and blessing to their students. When I have the occasion to share with such teachers, I remind them that they are on the front lines of one of the most important mission fields today. And I pray for them. And I am grateful for godly men and women who still are willing to be part of the local community school board. Theirs is a difficult and often thankless task, but they see their roles as one to guard the interests of the children.
But what is happening in the public schools is accelerating those home-schooling their children. It is advancing the creation of Christian school - based both on a traditional learning style and the Classical learning style. Because of what is happening in the public-school arena, it becomes more critically important that moms and dads truly become engaged with their sons and daughters and teach them or disciple them into the heritage of their faith. Faith at home does matter today, perhaps more so than at any time in our recent past. Those principles shared by God through Moses in Deuteronomy 6 are as important today as they were when they were written down some 3500 years ago.
I also want to share with you one other article that greatly interested me. It was written by David Limbaugh and focuses upon the phenomenon of Donald Trump. You can find the article at: www.wnd.com/2015/09/the-establishment-birthed-trump. I am not going to quote from the article. I will let you read it for yourself. Now I am not a Trump-fan or supporter. However, I do believe that he is striking a cord with grass-roots America. It is almost as if he has looked into America's soul and is articulating what is there. He understands America's growing distrust of professional governmental leaders. He understands America's growing distrust of promises to gain an election but then are never fulfilled following that election. What I find very interesting is the silent rise of Ben Carson in the polls. He, too, is speaking to the heart of main-stream America but in a quieter, gentler way. One views Dr. Carson as a person you could have absolute confidence in to tell you the absolute truth, just as you would want your family physician to do. We are a long way from those early caucuses and primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. But, for this political-junkie, these are amazing days.
Friends, I want to wish you all a "shana tova" on this Rosh Hashana week. Yom Kippur is a week from today, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles. Many believe that Jesus Christ will return during the Jewish celebration of the fall feasts. Perhaps they are right. But, as I look out over a world that is teetering on the edge, I draw hope from the fact that Jesus Christ will return. Perhaps it might be this fall. Wouldn't that be great? Are you ready for the trumpet to blow?
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
It Is Back to School Time
Today the United States Congress will begin deliberations on the nuclear arms agreement recently signed between the P5+1 and Iran. (It is interesting that this is an agreement and not a treaty, thereby skirting the constitutional requirement that all treaties pass by a 2/3 vote in the Senate.) President Obama has been able to get the required 34 votes from senators that would prevent any over-riding of his threatened veto of a congressional declaration against this agreement. In reality, any vote of the Congress would have little effect on the agreement as President Obama side-stepped the Congress and took this agreement directly to the United Nations Security Council where it was approved overwhelmingly.
What will the impact of this agreement mean? I read an interesting article this past weekend written by one of my favorite editorialists. Her name is Caroline Glick. She published this on September 3 in The Jerusalem Post. She writes in part, "Sometimes you have to fight battles you cannot win because fighting - regardless of the outcome - advances a larger cause. Israel's fight against the nuclear deal the major powers, led by US President Barack Obama concluded with Iran was such a battle. The battle's futility became clear on July 20, just six days after it was concluded in Vienna. On July 20, the US administration anchored the deal - which paves the way for Iran to become a nuclear power and enriches the terrorism-sponsoring ayatollahs to the tune of $150 billion - in a binding UN Security Council resolution. Once the resolution passed, the deal became unstoppable. Most of the frozen funds that comprise the $150b would have been released regardless of congressional action. And the nonproliferation regime the US developed over the past 70 years was upended the moment the deal was concluded in Vienna. The fight in Congress itself probably couldn't have succeeded even if the administration hadn't made an end run around the lawmakers at the Security Council. After Sen. Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, passed the law obligating Obama to secure the support of a mere third of the members of either House to implement his nuclear deal, its implementation was a foregone conclusion. The US Constitution gives sole power to approve international treaties to the Senate and requires a minimum of two-thirds approval for passage. Corker turned the Constitution on its head when he went forward with his bill. Far from curbing Obama's executive outreach, Corker gave Obama unprecedented power to enact his radical, reckless nuclear agenda."
Ms. Glick then asks the question of why Israel fought so hard against this agreement. She writes, "By fighting Obama's nuclear deal, Israel seeks to advance two larger efforts. First, it uses the battle to expand its capacity to act without the US to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Second, it is shaping its relations with the US both for the duration of Obama's presidency and for the day after he leaves office." I would encourage each one to read this fascinating article. You can find it posted on The Jerusalem Post website: www.jpost.com.
A second article that I highly recommend was one written by Marvin Olasky and published on the Townhall.com website: www.townhall.com/columnists/marvinolasky/2015/09/03e--r3wcgn-n2047355. He begins the article by stating, "E=mc2 is a simple equation compared to the mystery of what goes into good education. But I'll take a shot at proposing an education equation." That equation he proposed is E=R3WCG. The three Rs are: reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic. The W is "wonder." He writes, "If children don't develop a sense of wonder about this astounding, God-created world, they'll miss a lifetime of excitement. Music, art, history, science, foreign langauges, and more should all make school wonder-full. Our new testing regime doesn't have much time for wonder, and educators pay attention to the W only if they answer accurately a basic question: Who are my students? Are they animals with above-average intelligence (compared to horses and caterpillars, but maybe not dolphins)? Are they low-grade computers with below-average memory and above-average weight (compared to a MacBook Air)? Or are they human beings created in the image of a God of wonder?"
He then describes C, which stands for specifically Christian education, "for only in Christ do all things hold together. If students don't understand that God created us, they are likely to become practical atheists. If they don't understand that God gives history meaning, they are likely to become nihilists. Schools cannot give kids faith in Christ - only God can - but they can help students recognize their need, yearn for meaning, and not be content with wasting their lives. If teachers want to be educators rather than prison wardens, it's vital for them to think Christianly about their students. If they see students as bucking broncos, they'll think the job of schools is to break them. if they see students as fleshly computers, they'll want to perform an information dump. But if they understand that students are God's children and have souls that never die, they'll understand that just teaching to the test fails the biggest tests."
Finally, there is the letter G, "the four-letter word that more than any other determines educational and occupational success: grit." He states that "part of grit involves fighting the desire for immediate gratification, an impulse measurable at age 4 via the marshmallow test, which starts with a small child in a room with a marshmallow and an adult. The adult tells the child he's leaving the room to run a short errand. During that time the child is free to eat the marshmallow - but if he waits until the adult comes back, he can then eat not only that marshmallow but a second one as well." He then cites a study done by Stanford psychology professor Walter Mischel, the inventor of the test. A decade after administering the test, he looked in on those 4-year olds. "He found the impatient eaters had 'lower SAT scores, higher body mass indexes, problems with drugs and trouble paying attention. ... The seconds of time preschool children were willing to delay for a preferred outcome predicted their cognitive and social competence and coping as adolescents.'" Who would have thought that "grit" would impact education, but it does.
The writer then closes his article with these words: "But don't take school formulas too seriously: Kids are individuals and flexibility is important. Please do take Christian education seriously: No other work is more important. May God bless all those who make large sacrifices to bless other parents and children."
A great article with some great thoughts to begin another school year.
What will the impact of this agreement mean? I read an interesting article this past weekend written by one of my favorite editorialists. Her name is Caroline Glick. She published this on September 3 in The Jerusalem Post. She writes in part, "Sometimes you have to fight battles you cannot win because fighting - regardless of the outcome - advances a larger cause. Israel's fight against the nuclear deal the major powers, led by US President Barack Obama concluded with Iran was such a battle. The battle's futility became clear on July 20, just six days after it was concluded in Vienna. On July 20, the US administration anchored the deal - which paves the way for Iran to become a nuclear power and enriches the terrorism-sponsoring ayatollahs to the tune of $150 billion - in a binding UN Security Council resolution. Once the resolution passed, the deal became unstoppable. Most of the frozen funds that comprise the $150b would have been released regardless of congressional action. And the nonproliferation regime the US developed over the past 70 years was upended the moment the deal was concluded in Vienna. The fight in Congress itself probably couldn't have succeeded even if the administration hadn't made an end run around the lawmakers at the Security Council. After Sen. Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, passed the law obligating Obama to secure the support of a mere third of the members of either House to implement his nuclear deal, its implementation was a foregone conclusion. The US Constitution gives sole power to approve international treaties to the Senate and requires a minimum of two-thirds approval for passage. Corker turned the Constitution on its head when he went forward with his bill. Far from curbing Obama's executive outreach, Corker gave Obama unprecedented power to enact his radical, reckless nuclear agenda."
Ms. Glick then asks the question of why Israel fought so hard against this agreement. She writes, "By fighting Obama's nuclear deal, Israel seeks to advance two larger efforts. First, it uses the battle to expand its capacity to act without the US to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Second, it is shaping its relations with the US both for the duration of Obama's presidency and for the day after he leaves office." I would encourage each one to read this fascinating article. You can find it posted on The Jerusalem Post website: www.jpost.com.
A second article that I highly recommend was one written by Marvin Olasky and published on the Townhall.com website: www.townhall.com/columnists/marvinolasky/2015/09/03e--r3wcgn-n2047355. He begins the article by stating, "E=mc2 is a simple equation compared to the mystery of what goes into good education. But I'll take a shot at proposing an education equation." That equation he proposed is E=R3WCG. The three Rs are: reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic. The W is "wonder." He writes, "If children don't develop a sense of wonder about this astounding, God-created world, they'll miss a lifetime of excitement. Music, art, history, science, foreign langauges, and more should all make school wonder-full. Our new testing regime doesn't have much time for wonder, and educators pay attention to the W only if they answer accurately a basic question: Who are my students? Are they animals with above-average intelligence (compared to horses and caterpillars, but maybe not dolphins)? Are they low-grade computers with below-average memory and above-average weight (compared to a MacBook Air)? Or are they human beings created in the image of a God of wonder?"
He then describes C, which stands for specifically Christian education, "for only in Christ do all things hold together. If students don't understand that God created us, they are likely to become practical atheists. If they don't understand that God gives history meaning, they are likely to become nihilists. Schools cannot give kids faith in Christ - only God can - but they can help students recognize their need, yearn for meaning, and not be content with wasting their lives. If teachers want to be educators rather than prison wardens, it's vital for them to think Christianly about their students. If they see students as bucking broncos, they'll think the job of schools is to break them. if they see students as fleshly computers, they'll want to perform an information dump. But if they understand that students are God's children and have souls that never die, they'll understand that just teaching to the test fails the biggest tests."
Finally, there is the letter G, "the four-letter word that more than any other determines educational and occupational success: grit." He states that "part of grit involves fighting the desire for immediate gratification, an impulse measurable at age 4 via the marshmallow test, which starts with a small child in a room with a marshmallow and an adult. The adult tells the child he's leaving the room to run a short errand. During that time the child is free to eat the marshmallow - but if he waits until the adult comes back, he can then eat not only that marshmallow but a second one as well." He then cites a study done by Stanford psychology professor Walter Mischel, the inventor of the test. A decade after administering the test, he looked in on those 4-year olds. "He found the impatient eaters had 'lower SAT scores, higher body mass indexes, problems with drugs and trouble paying attention. ... The seconds of time preschool children were willing to delay for a preferred outcome predicted their cognitive and social competence and coping as adolescents.'" Who would have thought that "grit" would impact education, but it does.
The writer then closes his article with these words: "But don't take school formulas too seriously: Kids are individuals and flexibility is important. Please do take Christian education seriously: No other work is more important. May God bless all those who make large sacrifices to bless other parents and children."
A great article with some great thoughts to begin another school year.
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