Tag Archives: Jews

Wars And Rumors Of Wars…

The morning news plays in the background as I complete my daily chores in the kitchen. I’m packing a school lunch as I listen about the turmoil in Israel. Missiles flying, the wounded and dying…. I grab a granola bar as I hear about plans for the secretary of state to sit down with leaders in the Middle East. And my heart is heavy.

There will be wars and rumors of wars….

English: Flag of Israel with the Mediterranean...

these verses whisper in my thoughts.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Matthew 24:6 NIV

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Mark 13:7  NIV

As a Christian, I believe that Israel is special. The Jewish people continue to play an important role, both in history and in the days yet to come. God‘s hand is on them….not because the Jewish people are “better” than anyone else, but because they were chosen. God called them to be His people.

Enemies will come against them. They will attempt to destroy this small country, that even under threat, perseveres. This has been true for them, as a people, throughout their history. The future for Israel might look bleak. But they will prevail.

And, I will watch as their story, our story, my story unfolds before my eyes.

Related articles

Brave Heart

North America and Pelican Nebulae (narrowband)

thegypsymama

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Meet & encourage someone who linked up before you.

OK, are you ready? Give us your best five minutes on: BRAVE

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

Brave. A big word.

When I think of brave, I think of standing up for what is right….even if forced to stand alone.

There are many times that I can recall, times when my stomach was in a knot and I thought I would be sick from the stress of it all. Being “the voice” isn’t easy. Sometimes people got angry at me. At other times I feared ridicule. Being brave really wasn’t on my list of things that I wanted to do.

Speaking out and speaking up.

If I don’t, than who?

When I need to be brave in the midst of fear, I think of Esther. She was scared to go before the king. If she angered him, she could easily have been killed…..but, she went, knowing God was with her.

He is with me too.

And aren’t we all at these places in our lives for such a time as this?

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14 NIV

Related articles

For Such A Time As This

2:17 Esther became queen to the King of Persia...

Image via Wikipedia

A beautiful Jewish girl.

Chosen to be queen to Xerxes, King of Persia. (486-465 B.C)

A plot, underway, to destroy the Jews.

Queen Esther, Jewish by birth, risked her own life to stand before the king.

To plead for the lives of her people.

Terrified.

Unsure of her fate.

She still went.

BUT, GOD WENT BEFORE HER.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14  NIV

For such a time as this.

Faith in God.

Faith that He is in control.

Faith in His protection.

His direction.

His plan.

There are times, when we will each face hardships. Times when we can’t see how things could possibly work out. Seasons of life, that leave us bruised and torn.

For such a time as this...

This is when we are faced with a choice.

To have faith.

When we can’t see the future. When we don’t know the answer. When we can’t feel the touch. When we aren’t sure of the victory.

For such a time as this...

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… Ephesians 3:20  NIV

Have faith in God…He’s on His throne. Have faith in God. He watches over His own.

He cannot fail. He must prevail. Have faith in God. Have faith in God. (Hymn–Have Faith In God)

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

Sharing the practice of faith.

Related articles

A New Creation

Alphaomega

Image via Wikipedia

This is the third post I’ve attempted this morning. The other two posts I saved for another day.

Over at A Holy Experience we are talking about new life. What does this mean to me?

I thought I might write something bookish or scholarly…but, it fell flat.

So, I’ve decided to just be blunt. Plain. Open my heart. Tell about new life, in the only way I know how.

Living a new life in Christ…as a follower of Jesus.

Jesus. The name above all names.

“Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

The Jewish people called him, Yeshua. As a Christian, I call Him God’s Son. King of kings. Lord of lords. The Light of the world. Messiah. Passover lamb. Rock of ages. Shepherd. The Alpha and the Omega. The Way. The Truth. The Life. The living Word. Wonderful Counselor. The Prince of Peace.

He came to this earth as a baby. He walked this earth as a Jewish man. Began His ministry. Boldly proclaimed that He is the Son of the living God. He spoke wisdom, performed miracles, and changed people’s lives. Yahweh. God in the flesh. Sacrificed for me. For you. For us all. There is nothing I could have done to save myself. I was unworthy. I needed a Savior. A Redeemer. And yet, His love for me, for us, was so great that ….. He died in my place. He rose again. Is living today, and will one day return.

It is because of Jesus’ sacrifice, the fact that He took my place, that I have new life. It is because of Him that I have hope. It is because of Him that I have peace. It is because of Him that I have assurance. There is nothing else in this world that can take His place. Everything else falls flat and empty. It is only through Him that I do not just survive, but truly live.

My life is changed… all because of Him.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Do you know Jesus? Not just as a historical character. Not just as a Jewish carpenter. Not just as a character in the Bible. But, as Jesus, the Son of the living God. He wants to know you.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…”  Revelation 3:20 NIV

Related articles

Embracing The Daily Grind

“Drudgery is the touchstone of character. There are times when there is no illumination and no thrill, but just the daily round, the common task. Routine is God‘s way of saving us between our times of inspiration.”  (from Oswald Chamber’s MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST.)

Don’t we all have those routine kind of times in our lives? The daily grind. The things we do every day. Some of it is so routine that we go through the motions not even giving them a second thought. Making the coffee. Driving to work. Grocery shopping, or getting gas because our tank is almost on E. Running kids to their activities. Fixing dinner.Checking email. The list could go on and on.

There are days when I wonder if my “daily grind” is really making a difference? Are the things that I do important? How is my being here at this time and in this place, making a difference? These are common questions that I am sure a lot of us ponder at one point or another. Everyone wants to feel important… That the work that they do is valuable… That the routine is for a greater purpose.

It occurred to me that the routine things of life are what make for security and comfortableness. If life were always a roller coaster ride—always searching for the next thrill—that would get exhausting, wouldn’t it? Even “thrilling” would get tiring after a while. It is my opinion that life really is about the small, daily things. Even if those things sometime seem mundane.

God in His infinite wisdom, in His time, chooses when to give us our moments “of inspiration”. A glimpse into His plan. A brief peek at the reason we are here, doing what it is we are doing. The verse from Esther rings in my mind. Esther, a young Jewish woman, had become queen to king Xerxes of Persia. Her fellow Jews were in danger of being killed when her cousin, Mordecai, reminds her that even though she, herself,  might be in danger she needed to step up to save her people.  He tells her, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  (Esther 4:14)

“For such a time as this“——– Who of us knows what God has planned for us? How He will choose to use our lives to touch others? To be a small part of His greater plan?  God chose each of us to be here. At this very moment in time. For His purpose. So, on those days when we all feel a little (or a lot) worn down, tired, and maybe just a little hopeless….remember Mr. Oswald’s quote, “Routine is God’s way of saving us between our times of inspiration.”

Related Articles