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dfroza · 1 year

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Paul shares his faith and hope with an earthly king.

and there have been natural bloodlines that extended various kingdoms on earth, but there is a Royal Kingdom that is eternal and ruled by the Son who is the eternal King (who has revealed to us our heavenly Father)

and there are chosen kings & queens of earth who illuminate this (in humility just as the moon was created as a True mirroring of Light)

“It will be your mission to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. This is so that they may receive forgiveness of all their sins and have a place among those who are set apart for a holy purpose through having faith in Me.”

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 26th chapter of the book of Acts:

Agrippa (to Paul): Go ahead. You may speak for yourself.

Paul (extending his hand): I am indeed fortunate to be standing before you, King Agrippa, to humbly defend myself against accusations from my Jewish opponents. You are extraordinarily familiar with Jewish customs and controversies, so I beg your patience as I begin. My way of life is well known to the whole Jewish community, how I have lived in the Jewish community abroad and in Jerusalem. If they are willing to speak, they themselves will tell you something they have long known—that I was a member of the strictest sect of our religion and lived for many years as a Pharisee. But now I am on trial here for this simple reason: I have hope. I have hope rooted in a promise God made to our ancestors. All our twelve tribes have hope in this promise—they express their hope as they worship day and night. How strange it is, then, Your Excellency, that I am accused by the Jews of having hope! Why would any of you think it is absurd to have hope that God raises the dead? As you know, we’re talking specifically about Jesus of Nazareth. For a long time, I was convinced that I should work against that name. I opposed it in Jerusalem. I received authorization from the chief priests to lock many of His followers in prison. When they were threatened with execution, I voted against them. I would find them in synagogues across Jerusalem and try to force them to blaspheme. My fury drove me to pursue them to foreign cities as well.

On one occasion, I was traveling to Damascus, authorized and commissioned by the chief priests to find and imprison more of His followers. It was about midday, Your Excellency, when I saw a light from heaven—brighter than the noonday sun—shining around my companions and me. We all fell to the ground in fear, and I then heard a voice. The words were in Aramaic: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? When you kick against the cattle prods, you’re only hurting yourself.” I asked, “Lord, who are You?” and the Lord answered, “I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. Get up now, and stand upright on your feet. I have appeared to you for a reason. I am appointing you to serve Me. You are to tell My story and how you have now seen Me, and you are to continue to tell the story in the future. I will rescue you from your Jewish opponents and from the outsiders—for it is to the outsiders I am sending you. It will be your mission to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. This is so that they may receive forgiveness of all their sins and have a place among those who are set apart for a holy purpose through having faith in Me.”

King Agrippa, I did not disobey this vision from heaven. I began in Damascus, then continued in Jerusalem, then throughout the Judean countryside, then among the outsiders—telling everyone they must turn from their past and toward God and align their deeds and way of life with this new direction. So then, this is my crime. This is why my Jewish opponents seized me that day in the temple and tried to kill me. God has helped me right up to this very moment, so I can stand here telling my story to both the humble and the powerful alike. I only say what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Anointed One must suffer, and then, by being the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to both Jews and outsiders.

Festus (interrupting): You’ve gone crazy, Paul! You’ve read one book too many and have gone insane!

Paul: No, most excellent Festus, I am not insane. I am telling the sane and sober truth. The king understands what I’m talking about, which is why I could speak so freely to him. None of these things have been covered up and hidden away in a corner, so I’m sure none of these things have escaped his notice. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you must believe.

Agrippa: Paul, have you so quickly moved on from defending yourself to trying to persuade me to become a Christian?

Paul: Whether I have done so quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also everyone who is listening to me today might become what I am—minus these chains.

The king stood to leave at this point, along with Festus, Bernice, and all those who had been seated; and as they left, everyone was saying the same thing: “This man isn’t doing anything deserving death—he shouldn’t even be in prison.”

Agrippa (to Festus): This man could have been released completely if he had not appealed to the emperor.

The Book of Acts, Chapter 26 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice:

At different points in Acts, Luke shows how the good news of Jesus challenges Greco-Roman culture and religion, but he also shows that Christianity is not subversive to the Roman government. These direct statements by Roman officials about Paul’s innocence support this message. However, a challenge to culture and religion always ends up becoming a challenge to the government, as later Christians will learn.

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 20th chapter of the book of 2nd Samuel about another spark of rebellion against David and his Kingdom:

A worthless troublemaker, Sheba the Benjaminite, the son of Bichri, blasted a trumpet and silenced everyone.

Sheba: We don’t have any share in David, no interest in the son of Jesse! Israel, let’s go back to our tents and show loyalty to only our own tribes!

So the people of Israel stopped following David and followed Sheba, son of Bichri; but the people of Judah faithfully accompanied David back from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

David came back to his palace at Jerusalem, and he took the 10 members of his harem he had left behind to look after things—the concubines whom Absalom had used sexually—and put them away in a house, under guard. He took care of them, but he never slept with them again as long as they lived. They lived shut away as if they were widows.

David (to Amasa): Go and tell the men of Judah they have three days to get here, and you come with them.

So Amasa went out to call Judah together, but he was delayed beyond his deadline.

David (to Abishai): Sheba, Bichri’s son, will do more damage to us than Absalom if he’s left untouched. Take my men and pursue him. If we’re not careful, he’ll escape into a fortified city and continue to cause trouble.

So Joab took his troops with the mercenary corps of Cherethites and Pelethites, and all these warriors went from Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba, Bichri’s son. When they reached the great boulder at Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was dressed for battle, with his sword strapped on at the waist; and as he went forward to meet Amasa, Joab’s sword slipped out of its sheath.

Joab: How are you, my brother?

With his right hand, Joab held Amasa’s face to kiss him, but Amasa did not see the sword in Joab’s left hand. With one motion, Joab ripped open Amasa’s belly; his intestines spilled onto the ground, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went off in pursuit of Sheba, Bichri’s son. One of Joab’s men stood by Amasa’s body and shouted,

Joab’s Soldier: If you’re for Joab and David, then follow Joab!

Amasa lay agonizing in his blood on the highway, and the soldier saw that everyone was stopping to look. He dragged Amasa off the road into a field and threw a coat over him. Once that distraction was removed, all the soldiers followed Joab to find Sheba, son of Bichri.

Sheba marched across all the tribal lands of Israel until he came to Abel in Beth-maacah; and all his kinsmen, the Berites, gathered and followed him inside the fortified city. When Joab’s army arrived, they put Abel Beth-maacah under siege. They built an earthen rampart up onto the wall, while others with Joab tried to break the wall down. Then a wise woman called out from the city.

Woman: Listen to me! Tell Joab that I want to talk to him!

Joab came close enough to hear her.

Woman: Are you Joab?

Joab: Yes, I am.

Woman: I, your servant, have something to tell you.

Joab: All right. I am listening.

Woman: In the old days, people used to say, “Let’s ask for guidance at Abel,” and there they would resolve their differences. I am one of the many in Israel who are faithful and peaceful. Why would you destroy a city that has been a mother to Israel? Why would you knock down what the Eternal One has built?

Joab: I’m certainly not here to destroy the city. That’s the last thing I want to do! But we are pursuing a man from the hill country of Ephraim: Sheba, Bichri’s son, who has raised up a rebellion against David the king. If you will hand him over to us, then we will lift the siege and go home.

Woman: Then stay alert—we’ll throw his head over the wall to you.

The wise woman talked to all the people about her plan to save the city. They cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall for Joab. Then Joab blew the trumpet to halt his attack. The troops went to their homes, and Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

With Amasa dead, Joab again commanded all the army of Israel. Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, commanded the mercenary companies of Cherethites and Pelethites. Adoram commanded all the forced laborers. Jehoshaphat, Ahilud’s son, was the recorder, and Sheva was the royal secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests, and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

The Book of 2nd Samuel, Chapter 20 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, november 27 of 2022 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the One True Way:

Philip said to him, “Show us the Father and we will be satisfied.” Yeshua replied, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How then can you ask, 'Show us the Father'? (John 14:8-9). Yeshua – and Yeshua alone – reveals the heart and truth of God to us, and looking for God “beyond” Him – up in heaven, across the sea, or in the mysteries of unfathomable forces that pervade reality – is ultimately a sign of unbelief and a denial of God Himself. The Father and the Son are of one essence and trying to separate them vitiates the message of Yeshua and makes it appear unfinished.... On the contrary, the work of salvation is finished, and “Whoever has the Son has the life (החיים); but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:12). There is no other way to access the heart of the Father than through Yeshua, and Yeshua is the Name above all other names for salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Phil. 2:9-11; John 17:3). Every knee shall bow to Him; there is no other Savior (Isa. 45:21-23; Phil. 2:10).

Those who honor the Son honor the Father and understand the heart of reality To know God is to know the revelation given in the Son, for the Son is God clothed in human skin, reaching out in compassion to heal the trusting sinner from eternal alienation. Just as the Angel of the LORD is the “King of Angels,” the manifestation of God in angelic form, so the Son of Man is the manifestation of the LORD in human form. There is no other Savior; there is no further place to ascend or to seek: Yeshua is the Beginning and End of the Truth of the Compassion of the Eternal God. Let us resolve, then, that with all our heart and with all that is within us, we shall express the truth of God’s kingdom and the truth of His salvation. Amen. [Hebrew for Christians]

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John 14:6 Hebrew read:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/john14-6-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/john14-6-lesson.pdf

11.25.22 • Facebook

A point from yesterday’s email by Israel365

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

November 27, 2022

Eternal Things

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

One of the most difficult handicaps for a Christian to overcome is spiritual nearsightedness. It is easy to see temporal things but hard to think on eternal things.

Paul, however, in the midst of an extremely busy and difficult temporal life, somehow did manage to keep his sights on that eternal life to which he was called. The wonderful redemption that Christ purchased for us with His blood is nothing less than “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12); and therefore “he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). Consequently, as joint-heirs with Him, “they which are called...receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15). He is, surely, the “God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus” (1 Peter 5:10) and has there provided for us “everlasting habitations” (Luke 16:9).

All of these eternal things—eternal redemption, eternal salvation, eternal inheritance, eternal habitations, and eternal glory—are of infinitely greater value than the temporal things that crowd our minds and limit our goals. They are all a part of the wonderful eternal life we have already received through faith in Christ. It’s significant that the phrase “eternal life” (or “everlasting life,” which is the same Greek phrase) occurs no less than 44 times in the New Testament. God speaks of it often, and so should we!

The very first eternal thing mentioned in the Bible is the “everlasting covenant” God has made with all men (Genesis 9:16). The last is the “everlasting gospel” to be preached to all men (Revelation 14:6). HMM

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notbecauseofvictories · 3 years

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I just tore my way through “City of Girls” in a few hours, and now I am stuck with the existential question: is....is Elizabeth Gilbert (of EAT PRAY LOVE fame) actually a good writer???

I mean:

#from the bookshelf #to be fair the last 1/4 of the book dips into something a little too sentimental for my taste #but the part where it's a vain self-involved naive girl flitting around nyc and falling in love with everyone beautiful and important #that part was unbearably funny and a joy to read #why on EARTH would you appoint yourself queen of the ''find yourself in a foreign country'' crowd when you have talent???#also truly #credit to bones who lured me in with a you should check this out only for me to connect the dots around page 270

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tkwrtrilogy3 · 5 years

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Chapter V: The Coming of Time (Pt. II)

The walk to Menegroth was one of mourning—our heads bowed in silent procession. My thoughts were many; blurred by tears and heartache. How could I face Lothluin? What would I say to Valdôr’s son?

“How did he fall,” I whispered to Êlengolas. “How did Valdôr fall?”

“Bravely,” he whispered back. “That is all anyone needs to know.”

“What do I say to Lothluin,” I asked.

“Why is it your burden to bear, Orothôn,” he asked. “Let those that witnessed his death tell his wife and son.”

“You,” I asked. “Were you there?”

Êlengolas sighed deeply.

“I was,” he started. “It is my burden to bear. My daughter wed his son. Even now, I do not know if this ware will make either of my daughters widows but I have seen it make many—not the least of those, Lothluin. But I will do what I must. Valdôr was one of my dearest friends.”

I could hear him trying to hold back tears as spoke. I could not imagine what he had seen and I dared not ask him. We walked the rest of the way to Menegroth in silence. As we made our way toward the bridge, the distant sounds of howls and screams seemed to further destroy any hope we had left.

Galathil started to lead the few survivors of Ossiriand found alive—a small mingling of a few strong men, maidens and several elflings—toward the gates. We prepared to cross behind when a light illuminated the darkness from out of the West. King Thingol and Elmo ran through the soldiers to see. It was a flickering light with plumes as dark as a starless night rising into the Heavens.

“What is this,” Elmos asked his brother.

“It is the end of all of us,” King Things said. “Into Menegroth!”

We made our way across the bridge and through the gates as quickly as we could. Once inside, the ladies came to us frantically. In the confusion, Mîrwen found and embraced me.

“You returned,” she said.

“Yes, I said, dropping my sword. “I am one of the few.”

She looked at me—her eyes filling with tears as she followed my gaze to Êlengolas speaking with Lothluin. She fell into the arms of Valdúmîr. Mîrwen turned away.

“Is there word from the borders,” I asked.

“None,” she said. “I cannot bear the silence.”

I said nothing as my concern turned to Oropher. I knew we would both die of despair at the loss of our son.

“Go to Lothluin,” I said. “I will see you in our chambers after a while.”

Mîrwen nodded. I kissed her forehead and made my way down to the armory with the others. As I took off my armor, I somehow began to want to return to it. I sat down beside it on the wooden bench the length of the room. I felt a sensation foreign to me—a weakness ran through me and I desired to sleep as a newborn elfling. Êlengolas sat beside me looking as weary as I felt.

“How is Lothluin,” I asked. Even my voice felt tired.

“I know not her thoughts but her heart is broken,” he answered. “She waits for word of Eldôr with Valdúril. His return will give her hope.”

“It will give me some hope as well,” I said. “I know where he is, Oropher is not far. They are closer than brothers.”

“I believe they will return,” Êlengolas said. “They are too headstrong to die. Especially Oropher.”

I laughed—it seemed a lifetime since I had.

“True,” I said. “Oropher can be stubborn.”

“That is why I allowed him to marry Nimeithel. I knew with him she would always be safe.”

I smiled at Êlengolas. I put my hand on his shoulder.

“They will return.”

**** **** **** ****

Once I was bathed and dressed properly for court, I made my way towards my chambers. I thought of all the things I had seen in battle and wondered if there would come a time when such things would become only memory. When I reached the main hall, things were much quieter—only a few elves lingered near the gates. I turned to go to my chambers when I saw Iarûr and his wife Nimríel outside Finëar’s chambers.

“Is something the matter,” I asked. It had been some time since I heard from Finëar or his wife Nenduriel.

“You have nothing to fear, Orothôn,” Iarûr said. “Finëar is fine if but a bit rattled.”

“He was appointed to assist Iarûr in chronicling the war,” Nimríel said. “He has just returned from the western borders of Doriath.”

“Is that not where Oropher was sent,” I asked.

“I do not know,” Iarûr answered. “But I have not heard from my other chroniclers of yet. I suspect they will return soon.”

“We can only hope,” I said quietly. I continued on my way.

When I came to my chambers, I entered to find Mîrwen with Nimeithel.

“How are you, Nimeithel,” I asked her. She looked frightened though I knew the reason why.

“I was with Lothluin and my sister,” she began. “I cannot imagine how it must be to lose a husband.”

“And you will not know,” I said. “Nor will Valdúril. I know they will return.”

“Why are you so sure,” Mîrwen asked. “Is there word?”

“I know Oropher,” I said attempting to sound hopeful. “He is a strong and formidable warrior.”

“What evil did you see,” Nimeithel asked. “What evil will Oropher face?”

I did not want to tell her in fear of frightening both of them.

“They are strong, but he is stronger,” I said.

They stared at me—their eyes cutting through me like a sword through an orc. I could see my answer was less than acceptable.

“Orothôn, tell us what you have seen,” Mîrwen demanded sternly.

“What I saw I cannot describe in words you would understand,” I answered. “These creatures are beyond explanation.”

Nimeithel began to cry as Mîrwen comforted her. I felt guilty for saying anything at all. I sat down on the bed and watched them from across the room. The true horrors of Ossiriand were still fresh in my mind. I began to doubt my son would return. A knock came to our door.

“Enter,” I said, still deep in thought. It was Galathil.

“Orothôn, come,” he said.

I rose from the bed, looked at my wife and Nimeithel and feared the worst. We left quickly without a word. Once in the hall, we began walking swiftly toward the Great Hall.

“My son,” I began. “Is he dead?”

“I do not know,” Galathil began. “No one knows where he is.”

I stopped abruptly. Galathil motioned to me.

“What do you mean no one knows where he is?”

“He left his post,” he said. “Or that is what I was told.”

“What you were told,” I said angrily. “Who told you this?”

Galathil came to me.

“Amdir was with him and Eldôr at the start. Come with me, Orothôn. You may ask him yourself.”

I nodded and we continued on. Once we reached the hall, I realized a few elves had started to return from the borders. We found Amdir among them with his wife Anadriel.

“Go to my mother,” Amdir whispered to her. “I must speak with Father.”

She nodded and left us.

“What do you know of Oropher,” I asked.

“He left us not long after we were attacked,” he began. “He and Eldôr followed Aúrion to the southern borders.”

“Aúrion,” Galathil asked puzzled. “Was he not with Círdan in Eglarest?”

“No,” Amdir answered. “He came with Eäros. He collapsed by the gates.”

“What was he doing in battle then,” I asked.

“It was not fighting,” he said. “He was looking for anyone to go with him back to Eglarest.”

“With the blessing of Thingol,” Galathil asked.

“I do not know,” Amdir answered. “I only saw Oropher and Eldôr leave with him. Whether they were able to pass beyond the border I cannot say.”

I felt fear and anger—fear for Oropher’s well-being and angry at his actions.

“I need to find my son,” I said to myself.

“Where would you begin to look,” Galathil asked. “You have barely ventured anywhere save Ossiriand as it is. The Queen will not allow you to pass for such a journey. Not while those creatures remain anywhere near.”

“Then how would Aúrion get into Doriath or lead anyone out,” I asked, my voice growing louder. Before I could say another word, Celeborn entered excitedly.

“Ada,” he yelled, looking for Galadhon. He saw us and ran over. “Uncle, where is Father?”

“I have not seen him for some time,” Galathil told him. “Perhaps he is with your mother. What is wrong?”

“You must come outside,” he said. “There is something in the sky.”

“In the sky,” Amdir asked. “Are you mad, cousin?”

“Galathil saw it, too,” he answered.

“What is going on,” Elmo asked coming to us. “Celeborn, what are you going on about?”

“It is in the sky,” a familiar voice said. We looked to see Oropher standing with Eldôr.

“Oropher,” Amdir said smiling as he went to him. “Where have you been?”

I just stood there in disbelief.

“I told you they would return,” Êlengolas said as he passed on his way outside.

Oropher walked over to me and embraced me.

“You came home,” he whispered. “I knew you would. Come, see.”

I was too relieved to scold my only child. Out of curiosity, I made my way into the darkness. The world had changed. A faint light illuminated the earth with an ethereal glow. Without a thought, we walked beyond the gates and westwardly until we could see the light from what we would call the moon—rising slowly at the farthest point beyond where we had awakened. The faint sound of horns was heard and the rumblings that once shook us in tear seemed nothing compared to what would come to us not long after.

Images: ©2001, 2002, 2003. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All Rights Reserved.

#this is a book #tumblr staff #the kingdom of the woodland realm trilogy #book i #the epic of eryn galen #based on tolkien #in honor of jrr tolkien #Middle-Earth #tolkien elves #doriath #beleriand #the dark year #the rising of the moon

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woodworkingpastor · 3 years

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Grace in the wilderness -- Acts 8:26-39 -- April 25, 2021 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Lord is risen!

He is risen indeed!

I noted last Sunday that it is our secular habit to celebrate our holidays before the event and not after, while the church celebrates holidays after the event. Just as we spent the 40 days of Lent preparing for the death and resurrection of Jesus, now we spend time between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension celebrating, because 33AD is the date that governs our lives. We are an Easter people; people of the resurrection!

Please pray with me:

Good shepherd of the sheep, by whom the lost are sought and guided into the fold; feed us and we shall be satisfied; heal us and we shall be whole; lead us that we may be with you, and with the Father, and with the Holy Spirit, where you reign, one God, forever. Amen.

Many of you have asked about our trip to Portland. Simply put, we had a terrific time! Rose is doing very well there; the opportunity to “stretch her wings” has clearly been good for her. We also had a great time seeing that portion of the Pacific Northwest. If I had Power Point available this morning, I’d would have shown you pictures from our hikes in the Columbia River Gorge, our day at the Pacific coast, and the various places we visited around Portland itself.

But connected to today’s Scripture, I want to talk about the trip from our hotel in downtown Portland to Rose’s house in Gresham, a suburb about 12 miles to the east. I found myself having a bit of trouble committing the route from the hotel to her house to memory due to a number of one-way streets, bridges, interstate merges, and just being unfamiliar with the lay of the land; I was certainly glad for the Google Maps.

It wasn’t until our last day there that I noticed something that changed my perspective. It turns out that both our downtown hotel and SnowCap Community Charities are on Pine Street. It made me wonder—was it the same Pine Street in both places? It turns out that it is—just 180 blocks apart. On the day we volunteered at the food pantry, I thought we might just take Pine Street all the way there. That turned out to not be possible; Pine Street is minor neighborhood street that at one point disappears for 40 blocks. But there was another street that went all the way, so we took it instead. Because we had the time to travel through Portland (instead of around it) we really got an interesting glimpse of the city: houses, businesses, and even a restaurant we returned to for lunch.

The interstate highways are terrific if efficiency is your goal. But if you want to see what is creally happening in a place, the neighborhood streets (which sometimes an feel as intimidating as wilderness roads) are the place to be.

Salvation on a wilderness road

We do not want to lose sight of the fact that this salvation story happens on a wilderness road. The setting is as relevant as the content, for there is no place where Jesus is not Lord and there are no people who are too far away to be reconciled, no matter if we measure the distance in physical or in spiritual terms.

Philip is one of the deacons we met last Sunday; like Stephen—whose story in Acts 6 and 7 that we skipped over—Philip was appointed to make sure the Greek-speaking Jewish widows in Jerusalem were cared for. It is a task that we never see him actually doing, however, because Acts is most interested in telling the story of how the message of Jesus would spread

in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Having given a gospel answer to the racial and administrative problems with the food distribution to widows, Acts simply move on.

The story abruptly shifts to Philip, who is told to take a trip. He’s not given a destination; he’s not told what he’s going to do or who he’s going to see or even how he will know he has arrived. All he is told is to travel down the wilderness road from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he goes, because Philip—like the other deacons—is

full of the Spirit and of wisdom (Acts 6:3).

He recognizes the voice calling him to serve, and he goes. As he walks down this wilderness road, the reason for his trip comes into focus. Just up ahead is a chariot returning to Ethiopia—a designation in those days that referred to the area south of Egypt. Seated inside is a high-ranking official of the queen, a man who has come to Jerusalem to worship and is now returning home. Somehow, the God of Israel has become known in this region far away from Jerusalem, and the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has taken root in this man who has the means to make the long trip to Jerusalem for worship.

What we must notice about the man is that there would have been little room for him in the rush of Jerusalem’s public, festival worship. He had invested significant time, energy, and expense to participate in a worship festival that he would have only been allowed to experience as an outsider, because he was a eunuch. As Deuteronomy 23:1 says,

No one whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.

This is not the kind of Bible verse we normally mention in polite company; you won’t find this verse artistically paired with an awe-inspiring photograph hanging in someone’s living room. But there it is, a “chapter and verse” reason why the man would have only been allowed into the outer courts of the Temple to participate in the worship of his God from a distance.

But in the fervor that often accompanies faithfulness and tradition, the people hadn’t stopped to deal with the fact that God had promised a day was to come when outsiders would be made insiders. As Isaiah would later say,

Do not let the foreigner joined to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dry tree.” For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off (Isaiah 56:3-5).

This conversation is the purpose for Philip’s trip, because the church was not looking to the literal wilderness for converts any more than they were looking to the metaphorical or spiritual wilderness to find those persons who were being left behind and left out. The Spirit’s intervention was necessary so that the church would be forced to make a connection it would not have made on its own.

Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch have a conversation about Jesus; using the passage from Isaiah the man is reading, Philip explains to him how Jesus was the Messiah prophesied in Isaiah’s message. Upon arriving at a place in the road where there is water, the man proclaims

Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized? (Acts 8:36)

It’s a fair question because he had just experienced Temple worship in Jerusalem where he was prevented from full participation. Would the faith of Jesus also keep him on the sidelines of faith?

The answer is “no.” The chariot stops and Philip and the man move immediately to the water because when faith in Jesus is authentic it will inevitably find the waters of baptism.

Finding our way on wilderness roads

The church has certainly found itself in a wilderness this past year; although it’s a stretch to call our outdoor worship venue a “wilderness,” being that this is our 58th week “in exile” from our Sanctuary and rhythms of worship, we certainly do wonder what mission and ministry will look like moving forward.

But lest we blame Covid for all that ails us, some recent surveys suggest a different source of our challenges:

Christian researcher Ryan Burge suggests that 40% of self-identified evangelical Christians attend church once per year or less. Not once a week; not once a month; once a year. That’s like “Christmas OR Easter.”

Research from the Gallup organization suggests that church membership in the United States has dropped below 50% for the first time in over a century.

You might be surprised at how many conversations I have with people who claim a belief in God and can even articulate a faith that is filled with spiritual practices like Bible reading, personal devotions, and prayer, but includes no relationship with a local church. Anecdotally, this seems to be on the rise in the people I meet.

For years I’ve heard that the church’s problems are the fault of the so-called “liberals.” But perhaps it’s not so simple. Perhaps we’ve been relying on the comfort of our own wisdom and methods and techniques and politics more than we have been trusting that God is still moving in wilderness places. If we will reject the temptation of allowing the church to be a comfortable place for the convinced and instead be a place where disciples are made and lives are transformed, then maybe today’s church can turn the world upside down like the church did in days of old.

What I’m saying is that despite the many challenges that face us, we have the spiritual resources to fulfill our calling. Could it be that Covid will function something like a fire sale—or at least a radical spring cleaning—where we are forced to admit that we’ve been hanging on to some things we haven’t needed? Might our love for worship in this outdoor space open our eyes to some new ways of being the church? Philip’s story shows that the church can function in the wilderness.

Reaching out on spiritual roads

If today’s church is going to thrive in the wilderness, then we must reevaluate our outreach.

We have a way of talking about outreach that encourages us to seek out what God is doing in the world around us and join God in that work. This is a wonderful way to understand the church’s mission. When Brethren hear this, though, our first thought is to interpret this through the lens of the second commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This, too, is excellent. The many ministries we support as a means of loving our neighbor and wanting to overcome the brokenness of the world by bearing one another’s burdens, and binding up the broken, and bringing beauty to the ugly places is always worth doing. Brethren have a long history of demonstrating to the world that we are not afraid of hard work on behalf of others.

But I sometimes wonder if our vision of outreach has gotten a bit out of balance.

The story of this text is about God literally chasing down a man who wondered about how much of a place he had in the kingdom of God so that Philip could show him the fullness of God’s grace. Both the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip would discover that in spite of their significant differences, grace would bring them into the same family.

In a recent Moderator’s Town Hall led by Paul Mundey, United Methodist bishop Will Willimon reminded listeners of a very interesting statement from John 10, where Jesus reminds the disciples,

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16).

Today’s church is going to have to find where those sheep are. We must learn to come along side people and, beginning where they are,

proclaim the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:35).

These conversations will happen on contested ground, because we live in a time when even people who claim to be followers of Jesus shape their lives by values other than those of the New Testament. We will need to allow our own lives to be on display so that people will notice something different about us. Anabaptist theologian Stuart Murray reminds us that we will must

offer a [life] of peaceful witness that integrates words and deeds, personal and communal testimony, listening and speaking (The Naked Anabaptist, 83).

Sisters and brothers, these are challenging, difficult times. But out of the great challenge comes great opportunity for those willing to hear the Spirit’s calling and go to places yet unknown. Jesus is preparing the way!

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viralhottopics · 7 years

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The Trump interviews: what he said about Brexit, Putin, Israel, Syria … and Twitter

The key points covered in Donald Trumps interviews with the UKs Times and the German tabloid Bild

Donald Trump gave an interview to two newspapers the UK Times and the German tabloid Bild in his office in the Trump Tower in New York. The interview covered a wide range of issues and was reported in the respective papers although there was a variation on what each concentrated on. Heres the best from both.

On Brexit

The Times: Trump said he believed Brexit was going to end up being a great thing because people wanted to reclaim their identity from the European Union. Other countries would leave as well and it would be hard to keep the EU from falling apart under the pressure of immigration, he said. The refugee crisis which started in 2015 had been the straw that broke the camels back in terms of popular support for a unified Europe. If they hadnt been forced to take in all of the refugees, so many, with all the problems that it . . . entails, I think that you wouldnt have a Brexit. This was the final straw that broke the camels back. . . I believe others will leave. I do think keeping it together is not gonna be as easy as a lot of people think.

The EU was basically a vehicle for Germany, he said, and thats why I thought the UK was so smart in getting out.

On trade deal with UK

The Times: Playing up his British ancestry, Trump said his Scottish mother had been so proud of the Queen and said he was eager to get a trade deal done quickly.

Im a big fan of the UK, were gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides. Well have a meeting [with Theresa May] right after I get into the White House and . . . were gonna get something done very quickly.

Donald Trump with Michael Gove, who interviewed the US president-elect for the Times along with Bilds Kai Diekmann. Photograph: Twitter

On Angela Merkel

Bild: Donald Trump has called Angela Merkels open door policy to refugees a catastrophic mistake which he said Germany would pay for.

Trump said whilst he had great respect for Merkel, who is standing for a fourth term as chancellor next autumn, calling her magnificent and a fantastic chief, she had made an utterly catastrophic mistake by letting all these illegals into the country. He told Bild: Do you know, letting all these people in, wherever they come from. And no one knows where they come from at all. You will find out, youve had a clear impression of that, he said, referring to the December attack in Berlin in which 12 people were killed when a lorry driven by an asylum seeker from Tunisia careered into a Christmas market.

So I am of the opinion that she made a catastrophic mistake, a very serious mistake. But putting that aside, I respect her, I like her. But I dont know her, he said, when asked whether he would be willing to support her reelection, as his predecessor Barack Obama said he would. So I cant say anything as to who I might support, in the case that I would support anyone.

It was also put to Trump in the interview that Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin know each other well, that the Russian president speaks fluent German and she speaks fluent Russian. Trump was asked which of the two he trusted more.

Trump replied: First and foremost, I trust both of them. Lets see how long this goes on for. Maybe it wont last for long.

On Nato

The Times: Trump repeated his criticism of Nato, one of the mainstays of American foreign policy for decades, calling it obsolete for failing to contain the terror threat in western countries. Her also complained that some countries dont pay what they should pay. However, he added that Nato is very important to me.

On manufacturing tariffs

Bild: In remarks that will likely disturb German car manufacturers, Trump said he would look to realign the out of balance car trade between Germany and the US. If you go down Fifth Avenue every one has a Mercedes Benz in front of his house, isnt that the case? he said. The fact is that … there is no reciprocity. How many Chevrolets do you see in Germany? Not very many, maybe none at all … its a one-way street. It must work both ways. As a result, US manufacturers were losing $800bn a year in trade. That will stop, he said. Under Wilbur Ross, the incoming trade minister, he said, change could be expected.

BMW plans to build a factory in Mexico and export the cars to the US. Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Trump proposed a 35% tax on every foreign car sold in America which was produced elsewhere seen as a particular dig at BMW which plans to build a new plant in Mexico from which it would export to the US market. He urged manufacturers to shift their production to the United States instead.

On Iran

The Times: Trump said he would not reveal the details of his policy I just dont want to play the cards but reiterated his attack on Barack Obamas landmark deal with Iran on nuclear weapons. Im not happy with the Iran deal, I think its one of the worst deals ever made, I think its one of the dumbest deals Ive ever seen . . . Where you give . . . $150bn back to a country, where you give $1.7bn in cash. Did you ever see $100m in hundred-dollar bills? Its a lot. $1.7bn in cash. Plane loads.

On Russia and nuclear weapons

The Times: Trump floated the idea of reviewing sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin was prepared to move away from confrontation. They have sanctions on Russia lets see if we can make some good deals with Russia. For one thing, I think nuclear weapons should be way down and reduced very substantially, thats part of it. But Russias hurting very badly right now because of sanctions, but I think something can happen that a lot of people are gonna benefit.

Bild: Asked if he understands why eastern Europeans might fear Putin and Russia, Trump responded: Of course. Indeed. I know that. I mean, I understand whats going on there.

On Syria

The Times: Trump was critical of Obama for failing to restrain Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Putin in their war on rebel forces in the country. The US could have made them stick to a line in the sand but now it was too late and the lack of western intervention had helped create a humanitarian crisis. Aleppo was nasty. I mean when you see them shooting old ladies walking out of town they cant even walk and theyre shooting em it almost looks like theyre shooting em for sport ah no, thats … a terrible situation.

A woman carries a child in the ruined streets of al-Rai north of Aleppo . Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters

Bild: Trump said he thought security zones should have been set up in Syria. That would have been considerably cheaper. And the Gulf states should have had to pay for them. After all, they have money like hardly anyone else has. The whole thing would have been considerably cheaper than the trauma that Germany is now going through. I would have said: create security zones in Syria.

On Iraq

The Times: The invasion of Iraq in 2003, he said, was possibly the worst decision ever made in American history. Its like throwing rocks into a beehive.

On Afghanistan

Bild: US policy in Afghanistan had not succeeded despite a long military intervention, he said. Nothing is going well. I believe weve been there for almost 17 years. But when you look at the whole region in all fairness we didnt let our people do what they were tasked to do.

I have just looked at something… Oh, I should not show you it at all, because its secret but I have just taken a look at Afghanistan. If you look at the Taliban there … Theyre just getting bigger and bigger and bigger every year. And you ask yourself whats going on there?

On Europe and Germany

Bild: Asked if there could be restrictions on Europeans who want to travel to the US in the future, Trump said: That could happen, but well see. I mean, were talking here about parts of Europe, parts of the world and parts of Europe, where we have problems, where they come in and cause problems. I dont want to have these problems.

Asked in the interview conducted on Friday in New York city, whether there was anything typically German about him, Trump, whose grandfather was German, said: I like orderliness. I like it when things are dealt with in an orderly way. Thats what the Germans are quite well-known for. But I also like order and I like strength.

On the Middle East and Jared Kushner

Bild: Trump said that he would appoint Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, to broker a Middle East peace deal. Asked what role Kushner would play, Trump said: You know what? Jared is such a good lad, he will secure an Israel deal which no one else has managed to get. You know, hes a natural talent, he is the top, he is a natural talent. You know what Im talking about a natural talent. He has an innate ability to make deals, everyone likes him. Kushners wife, Trumps daughter Ivanka, would not have any role in government, he said. She currently has the kids and was busy buying a house in Washington.

He said the Obama administrations decision to abstain in the UN security council vote on Israeli settlements in December was terrible and said that Britain should have vetoed the resolution instead of voting in favour. He said he was hopeful that Britain would veto an upcoming resolution on Israel that could be presented this week. I would hope for a British veto. I think it would be great if Great Britain would place a veto, because Im not sure if the US would do so extraordinarily enough. They wont do it, right? Do you believe the US will place a veto? I have Jewish friends who organised a donor event for Obama. I say to them: What on earth are you doing? Okay – what are you doing?

He refused to be drawn on whether he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Im not going to comment on that. But well see.

On the Russia dossier sex allegations

The Times: Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent believed to be behind the dossier alleging that Trump took part in tawdry sex acts in a Russian hotel, should be looked at because the allegations were false. Trump said the widely reported suggestion that Steele had been hired by Republicans and Democrats seeking to discredit the president-elect was also false.

He said that he tore up the report. I dont even want to shake hands with people now I hear about this stuff.

On Twitter use

The Times: Trump boasted about his 46 million followers for his handle @realDonaldTrump and said that despite the criticism that he used Twitter too much he hinted that he would continue to use his account when president. Id rather just let that build up and just keep it @realDonaldTrump, its working and the tweeting, I thought Id do less of it, but Im covered so dishonestly by the press so dishonestly that I can put out Twitter and its not 140, its now 280 I can go bing bing bing . . . and they put it on and as soon as I tweet it out this morning on television, Fox Donald Trump, we have breaking news.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

.@NBCNews is bad but Saturday Night Live is the worst of NBC. Not funny, cast is terrible, always a complete hit job. Really bad television!

January 15, 2017