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Monday, February 17, 2014
THE REVIVAL CODE (c) Morris E. Ruddick
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When We Fall Short, His Work at the Cross Is More Than Enough by MICHAEL BROWN
Michael Brown
When We Fall Short, His Work at the Cross Is More Than Enough
Yes, it is finished! The divine mission has been accomplished! Jesus has done it! Every sin has been paid for, every evil deed judged, and the full and total price of our redemption purchased at the cross. That is the power of the blood of Jesus. That is the glory of the Son of God. That is the depth of the Father’s love—and it was all for you and for me so that forever we could be with Him and even share in His nature. Who could imagine such a story of love?
Jesus perfectly lived the life He had to live and perfectly died the death He had to die. It is finished! It is with good reason that John G. Lake (1870-1935) said, “In all of your preaching and teaching you must always leave people with the consciousness of the triumph of Christ.” Yes! Amen!
It’s time we put our focus on the cross, where Jesus the Messiah “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” where God “made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,” where the Father canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col 2:14).
It was at the cross that the Lord “disarmed the [demonic] rulers and authorities and put them to open shame,” triumphing over them through Yeshua’s death and resurrection (Col. 2:15, ESV). And it was there at the cross that Jesus “himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds [we] have been healed. For [we] were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of [our] souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).
The story really is too good to be true, and to exaggerate it is to cheapen it. See what Paul wrote 2,000 years ago in Romans 5:6-10, 15, 17, and note those words, “much more”! Everything about the cross shouts, “Much more!” Surely that “much more” is more than enough for us!
We sinned. He died.
We were guilty He was punished.
We deserved death. He gave his life.
We rejected Him. He accepted us.
We drove the nails in His hands. Those nails saved our souls!
And now, in Him, we have everything we need. And now, through Him, we can do the Father’s bidding. And now, with Him, we can go and change the world. Isn’t this more than enough?
Our sins have been dealt with once and for all at the cross, and we need never look for another sacrifice or offering for our guilt. When we fall short, we look back to the cross, and the same blood that saved us cleanses us afresh, and we go forward, free from condemnation and guilt, living lives that please the Lord.
And there’s something else that we now understand. When He died, we died with Him, and we too have been raised in newness of life, considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:6-12). That is the power of the gospel!
And when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent the Spirit down to us, now to dwell within us, to guide us and instruct us, turning us from error and leading us into truth, communing with us in holy fellowship and empowering us for holy service. This is the all complete, all comprehensive grace of God, and all of it was purchased at the cross, where the Savior of the world perfectly accomplished the Father’s mission, declaring, “It is finished!”
Because of that we have a glorious calling! (See 2 Peter 1:3-4). He has now promised that nothing in the universe can separate us from His love and that He Himself will keep us strong to the end, as we “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that [we] heard” (Col. 1:23), confident that the God “who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:6), and putting our trust in the one “who is able to keep [us] from stumbling and to present [us] blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).
Is this not enough? Is this not much more than enough?
That’s why for the next trillion years, just as eternity is getting started, we will glory more and more in the finished work of the cross, finally understanding just what Paul meant when he said, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). May this be our boast as well.
Adapted from Hyper-Grace by Michael Brown, PhD, copyright 2014, published by Charisma House. This book gives you a true understanding of the grace of God as not only His unmerited favor, but also His ongoing empowerment and continued working on our behalf. It will help you discern between a true and false message of grace and keep you scripturally grounded and on the right track in your spiritual journey. To order your copy click here.
PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 2/17/2014
This week meditate on what Christ did for you on the cross, and spend time thanking God for this ultimate sacrifice of immeasurable love. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Pray that God will direct each day and give you opportunities to share His love and gospel with those who desperately need Him. Lift up those suffering from the effects of recent winter storms and look to connect with those offering help, ministry and provision. Continue to pray that our nation’s leaders will recognize their need for God’s wisdom, guidance and counsel. Pray for more laborers for the harvest, for Israel to fulfill God’s purpose and for worldwide revival to spread. Ps. 100; Col. 1:23; Phil. 1:6.
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Sunday, February 16, 2014
A Great Tour with Christian Friends of Israel - 2005
Ben Gurion Airport - Tel Aviv
Barry & Batya Segal - Vision For Israel
Avraham & Dahlia Saiden, Steve Martin - Shabbat meal
CFI-USA Director - Hannele Pardain & Jeanette Alongi
Bill Koening - "Eye To Eye" author
Jack Alongi - An American tourist in Israel
David's Citadel - Old City Jerusalem
Gravesite of Derek Prince in the German Colony, Jerusalem
Getting there and back from JFK in NYC.
Elvis Pressley - a king in Israel
Mount of Beatitudes
YMCA in Jerusalem
Nazareth Village
Capernaum synagogue remains from 1st Century
Yeshua (Jesus) is the Light of the World
All but one of these photos were taken by Steve Martin.
(Can you guess which one wasn't?)
Israel, Germany Team Up to Help Africa - ISRAEL TODAY
Israel, Germany Team Up to Help Africa
Sunday, February 16, 2014 | Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY
Israel's government has approved the Africa Initiative, which will see Israel invest 24 million shekels ($7 million) and Germany put up another 240 million shekels ($70 million) for a joint mission to aid developing nations in Africa in a variety of areas, including agriculture, water management, food security and health.
Against the backdrop of the increasingly important strategic relationship between Israel and Germany, and the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Israeli government unanimously agreed to dub 2015 a "Year of Jubilee," seeing as it is the 50th anniversary of official relations between the two nations.
This special Year of Jubilee will be marked by a number of events and joint initiatives.
The Africa Initiative is actually an expansion of Israeli-German cooperation in two projects that have been taking place in Africa for the past three years: one to restore Lake Victoria in Kenya, and the other to implement better irrigation and water management in Ethiopia.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he hoped the initiative would help more Germans and Europeans to realize that Israel is about much more than just conflict.
Israel and Germany officially established diplomat relations in 1965. Since then, Israel's relations with Germany have been central to its foreign policy in general, and in Europe in particular. Germany also supplies the Israeli military with important weapons, primarily submarines, and is the Jewish state's fifth largest export destination.
However, with mounting criticism of Israel in Germany, there is growing concern that the next generation of Germans will no longer find interest in the reasons for the special relationship that exists between the two nations today. The German government is involved in various projects to make sure that doesn't happen, including a youth exchange that sends 5,000 young Germans to Israel every year in order to get to know the Jewish state.
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“Coffee In. Coffee Out.” - Now Think On This by Steve Martin
Yehuda Hochman with Hannele Pardain
(CFI-USA 2008 - photo by Steve Martin)
“Coffee In. Coffee Out.”
Yehuda was such an enjoyable Israeli tour guide. When he wasn't
speaking Hebrew, Russian, or any of the other four languages he knows, in
addition our American English, he would say some quite catchy phrases as he
escorted our tour group across the Promised Land.
Having had the privilege and honor of being on three
Christian Friends of Israel tours, I truly enjoyed Yehuda Hochman on my last
one with CFI. He was the one guiding our "air-conditioned last days camel
bus" back in 2008. That camel bus carried 40 men and women on the
wonderful excursion.
If you recall that famous picture of the four soldiers
standing at the Western Wall in 1967, after recapturing it in the Old City of
Jerusalem, from neighboring Jordan, he is the one standing behind the other
three more popularly known ones. You rarely hear of him though. At least I hadn’t
before that trip.
It wasn't until the last night of that May 2008 travel, when
we had our "last supper" (I love the Israeli dinner buffets in the hotels!)
that the majority of us only then discovered who he was. When I saw a book with
that historic photo on it, and he being asked to autograph it, my curiosity
arose even more.
"Why is he signing that book?" I asked Hannele
Pardain, USA Director of CFI-USA (or was it Mark DeVito, Chairman of the Board,
my roommate?)
When the response was "That is him on the cover",
I was disheartened that I didn't buy that poster on that trip, which I could have had him sign.
The title of this Now Think About This edition,
"Coffee in coffee out" is one of his most famous sayings I am sure.
When the bus made several needed scheduled stops, his words held true. What
goes in must come out! Yehuda to this day is a great tour guide. I hope to meet
up with him again on one of our trips, and introduce you to him.
The Aroma brand Israeli coffee, with cafes in and around
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheva, had outsold Starbuck's drink
offerings. Our bus load was one of the reasons.
In November of 2010, after my then 24 year old daughter
Christen walked down the aisle, and joined in holy matrimony to Andrew Blade (I
got the honor of being both father and minister!), Love For His People started
doing our annual Ahava Adventures trip to Yeretz Israel (Land of Israel.)
Primarily meant to connect our travelers with believers in
Israel, we limit the numbers who go with us to just a few at a time. Because going
in some sections where "no tour bus
has gone before", on foot, bus or train, enables us to touch the land and
people in a more impacting way for each life. We do a lot of walking in the
capital city of Jerusalem, where we spend most of our time. It is also a joy to
have special meals with friends, building on those relationships established
over the decade.
Whether you go on any number of wonderful annual Israel
tours, with Hannele Pardain of CFI-USA, Cathy Hargett with Highway To Zion, Jonathan Bernis of Jewish Voice, Barry
Segal’s Roots & Reflections travel delight with Vision for Israel, Myles
and Katherine Weiss with Zola Levitt Ministries, Peter Wyns and Christians For
Messiah Ministries, or on our special Ahava Adventures with Love For His People
– plan on going to Israel soon, for a life changing experience! Walk where
Yeshua (Jesus) walked, and on those places that you know from the Bible.
For your own spiritual and uplifting good, and to especially
show your support for our only true friends in the Middle East – the good
people of Israel – make it one of your life priority goals to go. As it is
said, “You will never be the same again.”
Blessings will be on ye heads,
Steve Martin
Love For His People, Ahava Adventures
P.S. My 5th book in progress, Now
Think On This – The Inspiration Continues, will feature many photos of
that Israel tour. I am planning on an early 2014 summer release date.
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian
organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.
If these letters minister to you, please
consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to
help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our
humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt
for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.
Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you
don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account
(where available).
Contribution checks can be sent to:
Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box414
Pineville, NC 28134
Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you
very much.)
Please share this Now Think On
This with your friends.
Tomato Salvation - When God Calls (Bill Yount0
Bill Yount
|
15 Feb 2014
When God Calls When God calls He rarely considers our plans. Where He leads often makes no sense. When I want to stay, He says, "Go!" When I want to go, He says,"Stay!" The worst place on earth turns out to be perfect to advance His kingdom. And He never asks me what time it is when He says, "Go!" Tomato Salvation A husband and wife shared how they wanted to leave their small town in Texas. Darkness oppressed them. God said, "Stay and plant a church!" A woman, the town drunk, kept interrupting the services. She stomped her feet and gave mean looks. The pastor while preaching happened to mention how he loved tomatoes. The intoxicated woman with a loud voice spoke up. "Tomatoes? I grow tomatoes in my back yard. I will bring you some!" The next service she brought the tomatoes. During the sermon she came under conviction and gave her life to the Lord. Instant deliverance! The whole town shook from the power of her testimony. Her drinking friends still ask her. "How long is this going to last?" She tells them. "Til Jesus comes and for all eternity. I am done with alcohol. I have no taste for it!" When God calls us to a certain place, it usually isn't for our sake but for someone else's. God's Most Wanted List When God calls it's time to tear up our list of people who we think are too far gone in sin and evil. Surprisingly, we find them on "God's Most Wanted List," where we used to be. If God saved you and me, He can save anybody. I believe when we see God face to face, we will realize we could have loved more and judged less. Blessings, Bill Yount www.billyount.com |
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