Showing posts with label church history. Show all posts

Monday, June 12, 2017

Exciting new release! - ONE FOR ISRAEL Dr. Erez Soref


	Dr Erez Soref President of ONE FOR ISRAEL

Shalom!

Yeshua said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life! No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6)We must not ignore Yeshua's words and warnings to us: there is only one gate, one narrow way, and it is only through him that we can know God. The pull to be conciliatory towards those from different faiths and backgrounds must not cause us to go against the truth that Yeshua clearly taught. He is the only way!

Yeshua also taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us - to bless and not to curse them. What better way can we bless others than with the Good News that they can know God's love and forgiveness?

POWERFUL VIDEO REACHING ARABS IN ISRAEL WITH THE GOSPEL

We have just launched a new series of evangelistic videos to reach Arabs in Israel and the surrounding area - both those who have grown up as Muslims, and those from Christian traditions who have never come to know the Lord for themselves. Watch as Carlos, an Israeli Arab member of our staff, shares a simple yet powerful gospel message to an Arab audience.

AN INTENSIVE WEEK AT ISRAEL COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE

With the Spring semester almost completed, we now have students in for two intensive courses this week: Church History and Spiritual Formation. Our foundation program, "Bikurim" (Firstfruits) students are looking at spiritual formation through the disciplines of prayer, fasting, giving, worship, Bible study, solitude and so on, in order to grow as disciples of Yeshua. Those who are pursuing studies at a higher level are taking the parallel course on Church history with a focus on the Reformation, 500 years after the main event!

Just as many Christians aren't too clear about what happened to the Jewish people after the time of Yeshua, many Jewish believers know very little about how God has been active through his church throughout history. The dominant fact that is widely known is that Christians have persecuted Jews (and Luther was particularly known for his anti-Semitic views) but the important movements started by God's Spirit, often not so much. Discovering God's hand at work through the ages is an important aspect of getting to know God himself.

The students all meet for lunch and fellowship in the middle of the day, coming from different backgrounds and places in Israel. One Russian Jewish girl was asking an Arab friend to teach her to say "I praise God" in Arabic. The learning is not just in the classroom!

UPGRADE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE

Have you ever found yourself reading the Bible and come across a city, mountain, river, or region and realized, "I have no idea what they're talking about!" You're not alone! For Vickie, a faithful student of the Word from Texas, our Biblical Geography course was just what she needed to get a better sense of the biblical landscape and, consequently, a better understanding of the Bible:

"Sheila (the instructor) explains things so well! And when she is talking about the various sites, she shows you what she is talking about through high-definition aerial footage and engaging maps...I now understand the places I'm reading about in the Bible so much better!"

"When I read a phrase in the Bible such as '...and all Israel from Dan to Beersheva knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD' (1 Samuel 3:20), I now have a good sense of what the author was meaning to convey. In the case of the phrase I just mentioned, the author didn't just pick two random cities, but rather chose those two specific cities because they represented the northern and southern borders of ancient Israel. So the author of 1 Samuel is making explicit that everyone in Israel knew that Samuel was a prophet. It's information like this that I gained from the Biblical Geography course that has greatly enhanced my reading of Scripture."

Want to enhance your own knowledge as well? Continue Reading...

BEING GOOD TO THE SAMARITAN

It is challenging to see how Yeshua interacts with the Samaritans, who had a wildly different version of events and theology than the Jews. In John chapter 4 he avoids the argument without avoiding the Samaritan woman as a person. He offers her what her soul is longing for. The Water of Life. Acceptance, forgiveness of sin, and a loving relationship with the Messiah. Continue reading...

REFUTING THE FABLES ABOUT JESUS IN THE TALMUD

There is a fable in the rabbinic Talmud, according to which, Jesus was allegedly a disciple of Rabbi Joshua Ben Perachiah, had an altercation with him and, for revenge, decided to learn the Satanic Witchcraft Arts in Egypt for the purpose of leading the people of Israel to sin. This bizarre rabbinic legend has just as much evidence and historical credibility as the claim that Santa Claus hands out gifts by sliding down chimneys on Christmas Eve. But it's easy to show our Jewish friends that there is no truth in this story, and that Yeshua's authority to do miracles came from God. Continue reading...

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

I Refuse to Accept the Status-Quo American Version of Christianity - Michael Brown

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I Refuse to Accept the Status-Quo American Version of Christianity

Bible — (Esther Gibbons/creationswap.com)

I refuse to believe that what we see in churches across America is what God planned for His people. I refuse to believe that it is the God-intended norm.

The Word of God is against it.

Church history is against it.

What the Spirit is doing around the world is against it.

What I have experienced in my own life is against it.

Everything inside of me is shouting, "There must be more! We must go deeper!" Is that same voice shouting inside of you?

If the death and resurrection of Jesus are real—and they are—there must be more. If the outpouring of the Spirit is real—and it is—there must be more. If the promises of God are real—and they are—there must be more. If the requirements of the Lord are real—and they are—there must be more.

It's high time that we quit trying to drag the Word of God down to our level of experience and commitment, trying to conform Scripture to our ways rather than conforming our ways to Scripture. Instead, we need to take hold of everything He has promised and everything He has called us to, and, by His grace, pursue and obey Him until His reality becomes our reality.

What does God's reality look like? What is normal according to the Word? As I have said for many years, what the world calls fanaticism and most of the church calls extremism, God calls normal. In the words of Leonard Ravenhill, "Christianity today is so subnormal that if any Christian began to act like a normal New Testament Christian, he would be considered abnormal."

What does normal look like according to Jesus?

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 10:37-39, ESV).

What does normal look like according to Paul? (Let's remember that Paul told us to follow his example; see 1 Cor. 11:1, Phil. 4:9.)

"It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:20-21).

Unfortunately, as expressed by Watchman Nee, "By the time the average Christian gets his temperature up to normal, everybody thinks he has a fever."

I say it's time we burn—in fact, the Word commands us to be fervent (which means red-hot) in spirit in Romans 12:11—so that others can catch fire as well.

They can call us crazy, judge us as religious extremists and put us out of their company. But if we walk in humility, if we bless and don't curse, if we honor those in authority while determining to obey the Lord no matter what, the fruit of our lives will be the proof of God's goodness. And people will come flocking to us saying, "I need what you have. How can I experience more of God in my life?"

Missionary C. T. Studd once said, "If Jesus Christ be God, and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." This is the reality we must live by.

The glorious Son of God shed His blood on our behalf, dying for our sins so we could belong to God, bringing us into His family as brothers and sisters. His Father is now our Father, and we are joint heirs with Him. (See Romans 8:14-17.)

And that's only the beginning. "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Rom 8:32) All things!

That is the glorious gospel. How should we respond?

Jesus says to us, "Follow me"—and that means that all that we have, all that we are and all that we ever could be belongs to Him. We now live to do His will, our eyes set on Him, and our life goal to know Him and make Him known, regardless of cost or consequence.

That is normal according to the New Testament.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, Jesus died for all so that "those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Cor. 5:15).

Or as he said to the Colossians, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:1-3).

Or as expressed by Peter, we are to live "for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God" (1 Pet. 4:2).

This is beautiful, not binding, our act of gratitude as recipients of grace, not our futile effort to receive His grace. And because of that grace and mercy, we belong totally to Him: "Therefore," Paul writes, "I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice–alive, holy, and pleasing to God–which is your reasonable service" (or "your spiritual worship"—Rom. 12:1, NET).

So let us crucify every distraction, let us count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, let us ask the Spirit to work afresh in our lives and let us take hold of the challenge that fueled the fires of D. L. Moody's life, spoken to him by revivalist Henry Varley: "Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him."

Isn't it time that our nation sees what God will do with a man or woman fully consecrated to Him? Isn't it time that our generation has a true demonstration of the gospel?

Join in me striving to be normal in the Lord's sight, by the grace and power of God.

It's time.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Quitter’s Turnaround Produces Centuries of Non-Quitters - Jim Croft

Paul, Barnabas and John Mark

Quitter’s Turnaround Produces Centuries of Non-Quitters

Jim Croft

Rejection, misunderstanding, and hurtful experiences can be turned around by commitment to forgiveness and to God’s purposes. There is a beautiful story of this truth hidden in the pages of the New Testament and in Church History. It’s pertains to John Mark who authored the Gospel of Mark and to the Coptic Orthodox Church that evolved from the church that he founded in Alexandria, Egypt.

John Mark was the son of a notable family of the Jerusalem church. He was the young cousin of Barnabas who was a friend and supporter of Paul’s for the first 12 years after his conversion from persecutor of Christians to a champion of the faith. Mark and the 2 men traveled from Jerusalem 300 miles north to Antioch, Syria. Mark’s role with the team’s first missionary journey might be described as a servant deacon. (Acts 12:12, 25, 13:1-13)

The first stop was Paphos, Cyprus and from there the threesome sailed to Perga which was a port city on the mid-southern coast of Turkey. It was there that John Mark angered Paul and disappointed his cousin Barnabas by abruptly choosing to quit the journey and return to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued to evangelize new regions by preaching and performing miraculous wonders in the midst of persecution riots, beatings and stoning. About 2 years later they made their way back to Jerusalem after staying for a while with the Antioch fellowship that had sent them forth.

We do not know why Mark abandoned the journey. For sure he felt awkward as the two churchmen reported all that God had done through them after his departure. It would not be unreasonable to suspect that the young man wanted to avoid direct eye contact with Paul. In spite of his previous blunder, Barnabas insisted that Mark accompany the team on their second missionary journey.

Paul was adamant that the quitter who left the work in Perga would not be permitted the honor of serving in another outreach with him. The contention was so strong that Paul and Barnabas parted company after years of effective ministry and loving friendship. Paul chose Silas and set out to go deeper into Syria. Barnabas and Mark headed for Cyprus. (Acts 15:36-41)

All rejection is painful, but spiritual rejection has to be among the hardest to rationalize. This is because there are inherent expectations that Christians are obligated to exercise a brand of forgiveness that lets bygones be bygones without proof of change. We do not know whether or not Mark was present during Paul and Barnabas’ heated discussion. For sure, he became painfully aware that the apostolic powerhouse Paul did not think that he possessed the saltiness expected of believers who would stay the course no matter what. Unquestionably, Satan haunted the young man with guilt for the responsibility of breaking up the dynamic Paul and Barnabas duo.

At this juncture, John Mark had to make choices: Would he grovel in sniveling hurt and return to mommy in Jerusalem? Or, would he man-up, forgive Paul’s attitude as justifiable, and determine to trust God to rectify his reputation? He chose the latter and God endeared him not only as a favorite of Paul’s, but also of the apostle of great stature, Peter.

Here are phrases that the apostles later used in relation to previously rejected John Mark. Paul said: If Mark comes to you, welcome him as I instructed (Col. 4:10); Mark is useful in ministry for me, bring him with you (2 Tim. 4:11); and Mark, my fellow apostle (Philemon 1:24).

Peter referred to Mark as his son in the faith (1 Pet 5:13). John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. There are credible manuscript researchers who believe that Peter entrusted the writing of his remembrance of his years with Jesus to John Mark.

All of this represents quite a promotion from the rejection that he experienced early on in his ministry. In addition, Mark’s determination to prove himself a non-quitter lives on in his spiritual descendants to this very day. Mark established the first church in Alexandria, Egypt comprised of original Egyptians 600 years prior to the Arab Islamic Jihad invasion. That church has evolved into what is known as the Coptic (Egyptian) Eastern Orthodox Church. It has branches all over the world with heavy concentration in the Middle East stretching from Kuwait westward past Libya.

Coptic church in Aswan, Egypt

The Coptic Church has a style of liturgical service and clergy apparel similar to that of the Russian and Greek Orthodox. At this point some readers might be tempted to yawn thinking that the chants, smoke, smells, and bells of traditional orthodox Christianity has little value in effective evangelism. There you would be badly mistaken.

The free independent Charismatic fellowships and Evangelical churches of the West are not necessarily more effective in outreach without overt persecution than the Copts have been in the face of 14 Centuries of bloody Islamic persecution. I am speaking of the rape of daughters; burned churches and businesses; imprisonment, beatings, and martyrdom of Egyptian Christians for their faith.

Mark’s spiritual posterity, the Copts are not quitters and have a proven evangelistic methodology. In spite of the persecution, the Copts produce more doctors, engineers and business professionals per capita than the Muslim community. Interestingly, the Copts have earned the reputation of being far more honest than Muslims in their dealings with employers and their customers. For this reason Arabic speaking Copts are choice employees with many business firms throughout the Middle East.

Young Copts who want to spread the Gospel volunteer to move to other Muslim lands. They do not press for one on one evangelistic encounters to make instant converts. The objective is to let the differences between the quality of their home lives and vocational accomplishments and that of Muslims speak to encourage those who observe them to initiate inquiries. This lowers chances of torture for attempts at proselytizing Muslims.

Simultaneous to this, the Coptic services are broadcast on radio and are televised from stations in free countries. At certain times the liturgies for divine healing and deliverance are emphasized by priests over the airwaves. Whatever the case, many Muslims listen and watch what we think are dead and dry traditional liturgies and thousands become secret believers yearly.

Contrary to what we might think, the worldview of everyone does not match that of Westerns. We tend to imagine that if a method is not innovative that it cannot possibly be of God. Middle Easterners are different in that they prefer traditions that have proven stability that has withstood the tests of time. In this regard many Muslims have secret admiration for the spiritual descendants of John Mark who have stayed the course and have not quit in the face of generations of severe challenges to their faith.

When I meditate on John Mark and the Copts, it makes me want to gird up my faith to have greater stick-to-it-tiv-ness. What say you?

Jim Croft

jimcroft777@gmail.com

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Sudden Changes by Doug Addison

Sudden Changes

by Doug Addison

Identity Network

May is a time when new things will spring forth and begin to come together. Watch for doors and opportunities to open suddenly. We are entering into a new time of things happening suddenly. Webster's dictionary defines the word suddenly as "happening quickly without warning." It is time to be prepared for "Sudden Change."

Wind of Change Returns

I had an angelic encounter on Tuesday morning, May 6th at 1:30 AM and a powerful angelic presence entered my house and was there most of the day. The angel that came was similar to an encounter I had this time two years ago. At that time I had an encounter with an angel called the Wind of Change (not the Winds of Change). I was in Denver on April 20, 2012 when I released the prophetic word for May 2012 and got a huge response from readers.

Now two years later the Wind of Change is back. In 2012 I had a vision in a dream that a wind came, blowing things almost violently and the result was that everything was reorganized. You will be safe if you stay close to God. May is the start of the Wind of Change. It would be more accurately called the wind of sudden change. Things are beginning to divinely realign.

Those who heard God say to "wait" and have been obediently waiting a long time are going to be released! It is breaking discouragement, depression, suicidal thoughts and self-sabotage.

Dream About Chicago - the Windy City

I had a prophetic dream last month that I was living in a high-rise building and the firemen from the TV show Chicago Fire came bursting in saying that everyone had to evacuate. Hermann and Mouch from the TV show were apologizing that they were not able to get to the top of the building in time to put out the fire.

And just like the prophetic word for this month, "suddenly," we had to move quickly because the top of the tall building was engulfed in flames. God spoke to me that the fire of the Holy Spirit is coming to those in Chicago.

Prophetic Dream of Flexibility

I had a dream last month of the need to be flexible. In the dream I was bending in all kinds of positions and God spoke to me that it is a time to be flexible. This is a time of shifting paradigms. We are moving into a new era, not just a new season, but also a new way of doing things. Being flexible will allow us to deal with the sudden changes that are just ahead.

Unity is the Key

The Apostle Paul had an amazing revelation. In Romans 12:5 Paul said that we are all part of the same "body." Paul symbolically compared the Church to being a body.

"So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." (Romans 12:5)

John Wimber said, "In our quest for doctrinal purity, we no longer treat other Christians the way God wants us to. God is calling us to unity and oneness."

Church history has evolved and since the Protestant Reformation of 1517, which brought necessary change to the Church, it also brought over 33,000 different denominations. Though lots of great changes came out of it, we also became MAJORLY divided.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:20-26 talks about the fact that though we are many parts we are still made up of one body of believers and that we can't say that we don't need certain parts. Like each other or not, in reality we actually need one another.

As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 1 Corinthians 12:20-21

In order to go into the new season and era God is calling us to we must heal our divisions. We are "one" no matter what our doctrinal differences may be.

The Curse of Cain

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Genesis 4:8-12

When Cain killed his brother, God said, "Your brother's blood cries out to me." Cain came under a curse that caused him to work and never get ahead, to be restless and wander and never seem to find his destiny.

It's the same today, spiritually. When we speak against other Christians, when we wound them or try to kill them spiritually, we can come under this same curse.

We have theology that the Body is one, but we don't live out the reality of it. Our sin of judging each other affects us all.

Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."John 13:35

Get ready for sudden changes. Get ready to love people who are different than you, get ready for God to move in your life and divinely realign us all to become more effective!

Blessings,

Doug Addison

www.dougaddison.com