Millions Watch Testimony of Jewish Believer in Yeshua

Mottel Baleston

Millions Watch Testimony of Jewish Believer in Yeshua

Sunday, June 07, 2015 |  Ryan Jones  Israel Today

An online evangelism effort by local Israeli Messianic Jews has become something of an Internet sensation over the past month after the video testimony of an Jewish man who came to faith in Yeshua (Jesus) went viral.

Mottel Baleston’s was just one of the latest in a series of video testimonies titled “I Met Messiah” produced by the Israeli Messianic group One For Israel in cooperation with Chosen People Ministries.

But Baleston’s testimony apparently touched a nerve, and by the first week of June well over five million people had viewed the brief video explanation of how he had many years earlier come to faith as a young man in Brooklyn.

Growing up, Baleeston was acquainted with a large number of Italian Catholics, leading him to believe that Jesus must be Italian. In the video he explains how “the understanding that [Yeshua is] actually Jewish was a shock. And then to hear that the New Testament was written by Jews, I couldn’t believe it. …when I open it, I’m reading a story written by Jews about Jewish people.”

What followed as a natural progression for a young man seeking spiritual truth. “As I came to faith that Yeshua - that Jesus was the Messiah, it was clear that that was the most Jewish thing I could do,” he recalled. “This is the One who was promised in our Bible.”

The most tear-jerking part of the testimony is when Baleston recounts convincing his father to attend a lecture by an author he knew to be a believer. Baleston was happily stunned when both he and his father raised their hands when asked by the speaker for all Jewish believers in Yeshua to identify themselves.

One For Israel director Eitan Bar told Israel Today that Baleston’s testimony had opened a lot of doors. By press time, it had been shared over 175,000 times on Facebook and had a “reach” (number of personal profiles on which it was viewed) of well over 15 million on the largest social network.

“It sparked discussions among many Jewish groups,” said Bar. “I myself got into discussions with Orthodox Jewish Rabbis from the USA and France about Yeshua!”

Bar concluded that he felt “like we are changing the direction of Jewish evangelism. After 1,900 years the Gospel is finally ‘going forth from Zion’ (Ps. 14:7).”

Check out Mottel Baleston’s testimony: Messiah

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British Christians Repent for Broken Vows to Israel

Haifa port, Israel

British Christians Repent for Broken Vows to Israel

By Julie Stahl and Chris Mitchell

CBN News Middle East Bureau

Friday, June 05, 2015

HAIFA PORT and ATLIT, Israel -- Seventy years have passed since the British government prevented thousands of Jews from reaching their biblical homeland. Now British Christians want to apologize and make amends.

The epic feature film, "Exodus," starring Paul Newman as Ari Ben Canaan, depicts the events that happened around World War II. For 10 years, the British body overseeing pre-state Palestine turned away thousands of Jews trying to escape from Europe.

One of the film's scenes takes place between Newman and co-star Eva Marie Saint, who plays a British nurse named Katherine.

"I'm trying to save a Jewish child," Saint says. "You're late," Canaan tells her. "Lady, you're 10 years late. Almost 2 million Jewish children were butchered like animals because nobody wanted them."

Dock of Tears

The Haifa port was known as the Dock of Tears. From 1938 to 1948, the British prevented more than 90 ships, carrying tens of thousands of Jews fleeing Europe to return to their biblical homeland, from docking there.

"I'm here to commemorate those Jews … who suffered or died as a result of the shameful policies of the British government of the day," Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told CBN News.

Rosie Ross, founder of a group called "Repairing the Breach, organized the day of repentance.

"We turned them away and put them in camps in Cyprus and in Mauritius and even some of them were returned to deportation camps in Germany and others who weren't turned away from their land were actually incarcerated here in this detention camp," Ross told CBN News.

British Lock Up Thousands of Jews

The British basically locked up thousands of Jewish refugees at the Atlit Detention Camp. They sprayed the newcomers with pesticide, separated the men from the women and sent them to the showers.

It's a part of history lost between World War II and the founding of the Jewish state, but Ross and other British Christians didn't forget.

"This whole period of British history is something that's been on my heart for a long time and the need for people from Britain to really confess and repent for what Britain did at that time," she explained.

Nearly 200 British Christians, as well as Jewish victims of that time, came first to the Haifa port and then to the detention camp for the commemoration.

Joan Thomas from the Ebenezer Emergency Fund led participants in prayer.

"As we have taken up confessions and prayers with deep sorrow for our nations reneging on the Balfour Declaration and turning our back upon the Jewish people," Thomas prayed.

Past Can Be Redeemed

Rev. Alex Jacob with Love Never Fails, a coalition of pro-Israel Christian ministries across the U.K. told participants, "We know that the past cannot be changed, but it can be redeemed."

The British Christians handed out Bibles to mark the incident when a British ship commander ordered the burning of all books in Hebrew and Yiddish, including Jewish Bibles, as told in the book Exodus 1947, by Ruth Gruber.

Survivors attending the memorial had mixed reactions to the Christian appeal.

"If I forgive them, will it raise the dead?" Holocaust survivor Mordechai Libr, one of the Jews who arrived in Israel only to be sent back by the British told CBN News. "There is no forgiveness for this. None. Nothing in the world can bring them back," said Libr who lost his entire family in the Holocaust and survived as a child alone.

Arie Itamar, another Holocaust survivor who arrived on the Exodus ship, was glad to be part of the event.

"I wanted to meet other British people to hear from them what their opinion about the events, and now I see that not only is it a meeting but also for asking for forgiveness," Itamar said. "It is very, very important. I'm very glad to be in this event.

Quota Breached Contract

Keynote speaker Lord Simon Isaacs, the 4th Marquess of Reading, said the quota on immigration breached Britain's contract with the Jewish people.

"That contract was Balfour Declaration 1917, San Remo Treaty in 1920 and that was all ratified in the treaty in Versailles in '23," Isaacs said. "It was the contract that essentially the British government broke."

Isaacs said there were two reasons behind their behavior during the British Mandate: "appeasing the Arabs and a Labor government that was essentially anti-Jewish." He hopes the British government admits its mistake in time for the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in 2017.

Col. Kemp says there's also a message for today.

"Not to condemn Israel when it shouldn't be condemned, but to stand up for Israel, to support Israel as Israel so often supports us," he said.

Watch video: British Christians & Israel

"For Brothers to Dwell Together" ✡ Hebrew Meaning of "Unity"

A song of ascents of David. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together! PSALMS (133:1)   שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד הִנֵּה מַה טּוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד תהילים קלג:א sheer ha-ma-lot l'-da-vid hi-nay ma tov u-ma na-eem she-vet a-kheem gam ya-khad

Today's Israel Inspiration The Psalmist teaches us in today's verse about the extraordinary value of "achdut" - אחדות - unity, which comes from the Hebrew word for "one" - אחד - echad. God's blessings flow down into this world when we dwell in unity with one another, as brothers. Israel's national blood bank benefits Christians, Jews and everyone living in the Holy Land. Make a virtual blood donation today to save a life.   Stand as one with Israel »  "I Believe" Enjoy this great music video called "I Believe," by a young Christian musician who stands strong in his support of Israel. Watch here » Don't Label Israeli Products Facing a tough onslaught of boycotts coming from Europe, Israel is pleading for Germany to stop singling out products from Judea and Samaria. Read more » Word By Word Bible Study Tool Word by Word teaches the meaning and pronunciation of every Hebrew word in the five books of Moses. It is an essential Bible Study tool, that will help you develop Bible Study skills that will last a lifetime. Get this Great Deal » Today's Israel Photo Elad Matityahu's stunning photo of sunset over Har Adar, a town just outside of Jerusalem. See more photos by Elad Matityahu » Thank You Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!   Sponsor a day in honor of a loved one » “Appreciate You Sharing the REAL News from Israel” It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!   Stay in Touch » My name is Gertraud Jannke and I live in Australia. Just recently your postings somehow got into my mail box, and I am very glad. My heart cries out for Israel... My prayers are for your land and your people... Blessings upon you and all that you do to further your country. Rabbi, I appreciate you sharing the REAL news from Israel with people. I live in Tennessee, & the majority of people here are strongly in support of Israel... I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, & Israel. God bless, & keep you strong. Sharon Jeanguenat Shalom, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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VIDEO: Ancient Village of Shivta in Israel

Sunday, June 07, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff

The following video offers stunning aerial footage of the ruins of Shivta, a Nabatean farming village situated along the portion of the ancient Spice Route that passes through Israel’s southern Negev region.

The outlines of the village, its houses, markets and large Byzantine-era church remain well preserved, and some of the community’s terrace farms have been recreated to give a more accurate look at desert life in that time.

Shivta lies far off the typical Holy Land pilgrimage route, and is just one more example of how saturated Israel is with tangible ancient history. Indeed, despite Israel’s small size, it would take more than a lifetime to see and take it all in.

Check out ancient Shivta:

Shivta from Amir Aloni on Vimeo.

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Int'l Campaign Underway to 'Blacken Israel's Name'

Int'l Campaign Underway to 

'Blacken Israel's Name'

By Julie Stahl and Chris Mitchell

CBN News Middle East Bureau

Friday, June 05, 2015

JERUSALEM, Israel -- What does the Presbyterian Church USA and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters have in common? They both support boycotting Israel, a sweeping movement that's trying to delegitimize the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a great struggle and international campaign is being waged against his country to "blacken its name."

"It is not connected to our actions; it is connected to our very existence," Netanyahu said. "It does not matter what we do; it matters what we symbolize and what we are."

Just this week, the CEO of French mobile phone giant "Orange" said he'd cut ties with the Israeli operation company here, one of Israel's largest, as soon as possible.

Earlier this week, Britain's National Union of Students voted to boycott Israel and affiliate with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement. The same group voted against a resolution last year condemning the terrorist actions of ISIS.

It's all part of BDS, whose goal is to punish Israel by encouraging artists, companies, academia, countries and even churches to boycott its products, divest from its companies and impose sanctions on the Jewish state.

Proponents of the movement claim it will help end what they perceive as injustices against the Palestinians. Critics believe BDS aims to much more.

BDS expert Eran Shayshon says the clear agenda is to tarnish Israel's reputation.

"The BDS movement doesn't say out loud that it is against Israel's right to exist; however, they do mention that they support the right of return, which everyone who understands something about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict understands what it means and this is the annihilation of the State of Israel," Shayshon told CBN News.

"What the BDS is trying to do is to create an anti-Israeli spirit of the times -- namely to negatively brand Israel and so to associate it with the former regime of South Africa," he explained. "Clearly such equation is false."

Will Roth, an Austrian-born Jew and CEO of the Israel, Europe Freedom Center, says the campaign has gone beyond words.

"When you go to certain areas, unfortunately, especially in Belgium and in Sweden, if you'll just have a yarmulke [Notes:Jewish skullcap] , not to say have some good word about Israel, there will be slurs upon slurs and usually they will be violent at the end," he told CBN News.

Roth says it's a fight that awaits him every day.

"When I went to talk at Marseilles University in France and the pro-Palestinian spokesperson just walked inside, very easily cheerfully, safely and I had to be guarded when I entered and someone also tried to stab me during the way up to the stadium," he recalled.

But while BDS is sweeping Europe, it is slower to take hold in the U.S. Roth says that's in part because Europeans become intoxicated by ideas while Americans tend to fight back.

The Presbyterian Church USA ended business connections in Israel, and the U.S. State Department boycotts cutting-edge cancer research at Israel's Ariel University because it's in Samaria -- or the West Bank.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters openly criticizes artists who perform in Israel, but some like Eric Clapton, Dionne Warwick and Alan Parsons performed in Israel anyway.

American actress Scarlett Johanson faced protests for her endorsement of SodaStream, an Israel company with Jewish and Arab workers based in an Israeli settlement, and with Oxfam, a group fighting global poverty.

Her work with SodaStream was seen in a Super Bowl commercial.

"Like most actors, my real job is saving the world. Start with plain water, add bubbles, mix in the perfect flavor. Look soda that's better for you and all of us -- less sugar and less bottles," she says in the ad.

The commercial cost Johanson her relationship with Oxfam because its leaders felt her work with SodaStream furthered the poverty of the Palestinians.

According to Shayshon, Israel fights an uphill battle because the other side plays by different rules.

"While we try to explain our position and use facts, they do branding and this is a completely different field," he explained. "When they shoot from Gaza, we said, 'Well they started it ' and they shout, 'apartheid, apartheid.' There is a mismatch between our strategies and the responses and that's our problem. We don't understand the battlefield."

And in this battle, Roth says American Christians are among Israel's staunchest supporters.

"The Windows of Heaven: God is Pouring Out His Spirit!" - Paulette Reed

"The Windows of Heaven: God is Pouring Out His Spirit!"

Paulette Reed, Surprise, AZ

The Elijah List

On the eve of Pentecost, the Lord began to speak to me about His season of celebration and power that we are now beginning to enter into. Many have prayed, fasted and waited years, even lifetimes, to see the power of God manifest on the earth. We've cried out to the Lord, "There's more, there's more, we know it, we see it in Your Word. We see the action in the book of Acts and if it's You, Jesus, we want it!"

I believe we are about to see our prayers answered as the windows of Heaven open.

In the Old Testament the Feast of Pentecost was a time of celebration and jubilation. God had stepped down from Heaven to the top of Mount Sinai to speak to His people (Exodus 19–20), where they were blessed to have received the Law (Torah). In the New Testament, this feast took on a celebration of power when Holy Spirit descended on His people in the Upper Room (Acts 2:1–5) and the Church was birthed. (Photo via flickr)

Pentecost is the fourth of seven Biblical feasts, and it is the final spring feast. Granted, the feasts were originally intended for the worship of God in Israel, but we, as New Testament Gentile Believers, are graphed into the family of God. The Feast of Pentecost is truly a time to rejoice and a good time to reflect, remembering milestones and how far God has brought us [the Church] as we have journeyed with Him through our lives.

God established each of the Biblical feasts so that we would be able to discern the times and seasons in which we live. When we recognize and embrace those seasons we can step into our destinies as ambassadors for Christ.

Here is the Download From Heaven:

1. We must all be in one accord. Of course, this is always true, but we are not where we need to be at the present moment. It's a season of unity as God's people gather together, spiritually speaking. And when God's people dwell together in unity, there God commands His blessing. God wants to bless so that we can bless others as we share the Gospel with a hurting world, caring for the poor, the orphans and the widows.

2. We are in a time of divine reversal. Genesis 11 teaches us about the Tower of Babel and the confusion brought to the people of the land once God scattered their languages. Pentecost, on the other hand, is the reversal of that event. After receiving a fiery Spirit, the disciples found themselves proclaiming the Gospel in every language of the world so all could understand and hear them praise the Lord. We've stepped into a season of clarity. 

May our spiritual eyes and ears be open like never before as we receive revelation from the Lord. (Photo by Jennifer Page "Fire Starter Poem" via elijahshopper.com)

3. The waiting is now over. Just as the original 120 followers of Jesus waited for God's power to descend upon them, we have done the same in our own day and time. We have prayed and sought the presence of God, and we have received an outpouring of His Spirit. We are now in a season of action. It is time to stop talking about our plans and actually begin doing them by the power that the Spirit gives us.

4. Miracles, signs and wonders. As we step into this new season we are about to see a demonstration of the Spirit in signs, wonders, and miracles, that hasn't been seen since the early Church. 

5. The winds of Heaven are blowing. May you feel the winds of Heaven at your back as you move from a time when things seemed difficult to a time where the assignments of God are easily entreated.

6. This is a season of new things. In this new season, try not to resist change and be sure to avoid the seven deadly words: "We never did it that way before." God is about to do a new thing in our midst, and we must be a people who recognize His presence and not get stuck in the old things. 

7. We are in a season of suddenlies. Don't think it strange as we begin to see breakthrough and answered prayers in abundance (Acts 2:2). Yes, we have been crying out for these things, longing for the Kingdom of Heaven to break into our present circumstances. Now we are in a season where God will "suddenly" show up, manifesting His power and giving us the breakthroughs we have been longing for. (Photo via Pixabay)

8. It's time to celebrate the generosity of the Lord and to be generous with what God has given to us. We find instructions for how to celebrate Shavuot [Pentecost] in Leviticus 23:22. Here is God's command to the people of Israel: "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord Your God." 

9. It's a time for the bride to make herself ready. When God gave His Law, His Torah (Exodus 20–23), to His people, He took her as His bride. The Old Covenant was a marriage contract between God and the people of God (Jeremiah 3:1–6, 14). The Lord made His "vows" to protect, safeguard, prosper, and bless His bride, if they obeyed His voice. They said, in effect, "I do" (Exodus 19:4–6; 24:7–8). May we remember that in marriage, all that our Heavenly Bridegroom has is ours, and all that we have is His. So, let's each do our part to declare His Kingdom, glory and power on earth as it is in Heaven. 

10. Fire. When the disciples were in the Upper Room, praying for an outpouring of God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire upon each person there, thus giving them fresh vision and passion to fulfill the work of God. Whenever the fire of God comes on someone, it always creates a greater passion for Him, accompanied by a greater passion to serve Him in the context God has set us in.

Let's rise up and seek Him like never before, believing that He is about to pour out His Spirit in a fresh and new way, remembering that 2015 is the Year of the Open Window.

Paulette Reed
Prophetic Arrow Ministries

Email: info@propheticarrow.org
Website: propheticarrow.org

Paulette Reed is a powerful preacher, prophetic minister, encourager, and author. She is a full-time revivalist/evangelist. Her passion is to share the love of Christ and unite people to the inexplicable love of our Heavenly Father, exhorting them to arise and shine! She is an extremely accurate prophetess who has been raised up to bring hope and healing to the Body of Christ. Without a vision the people perish, so the Lord is using this handmaiden as His mouthpiece to speak forth individual and corporate vision, catapulting people into their destinies. Paulette loves to see God's people awakened and proclaim the active extension of the Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. She ministers in the revival anointing accompanied by revelatory ministry, healing, miracles, signs and wonders.

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John Hagee Shares New Revelation on Angels and Demons

John Hagee Shares New Revelation on Angels and Demons

 6/4/2015 MICHAEL CONRAD  charisma news

John Hagee's 'The Three Heavens' is already a best-seller. (Courtesy)

Only three weeks after launch, Pastor John Hagee's explosive new book, The Three Heavens: Angels, Demons and What Lies Ahead, topped Nielsen BookScan's nationwide sales tracking for non-fiction religion trade paperbacks. 

The Three Heavens, a blend of Bible, science and true stories, explores the ongoing battle between angelic and demonic forces. It was No. 2 on BookScan for all non-fiction religion books, No. 11 for all adult trade paperbacks.

The Three Heavens also is the highest-ranked Christian book on USA Today's best-seller list.

"Readers respond to the real-life stories of people who experienced Heaven and came back to describe it," said Hagee, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. "We all are fascinated to learn of the ages-long battle—continuing today—between angelic and demonic forces."

The Three Heavens paints a vivid picture of this supernatural war, describing its effect today and in eternity.

In the First Heaven, Hagee explores what we see with our natural eyes: the beautiful, mysterious, majestic universe of sun, moon, stars and other celestial objects. In clear, engaging writing, he carries readers to the Third Heaven—Paradise, a place of eternal splendor—with firsthand accounts of people who died, saw the Third Heaven and returned.  

Then comes the question: If there is a First Heaven and a Third Heaven, is there a Second? From extensive biblical knowledge, pastoral experience and a large network of expert colleagues, Hagee explores the Second Heaven—a battleground where an ongoing war between the forces of good and evil plays out ... affecting us on earth now. 

The Three Heavens is a biblically reasoned, vividly written exploration of how God's enemies work; how God's angels protect and defend; and ultimately what awaits those who accept His invitation to spend eternity with Him. 

John Hagee is the author of multiple best-selling books. His most recent New York Times best-seller, Four Blood Moons, inspired a docudrama recently in theaters as a Fathom Event that sold out nationally, prompting a nationwide encore. 

Jesus Culture: "Sing My Love" - music video

Jesus Culture Sing My Love

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We Are All the Duggars

CHAD BIRD, DANIEL EMERY PRICE  LIBERATE/CHARISMA NEWS



photo credit: Duggar Family Blog


Leo Tolstoy famously wrote, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” The problem is that I’ve yet to meet a family that fits into Tolstoy’s tidy categories of “happy” and “unhappy.” The reality is far messier. Put tears and laughter, love and betrayal, fights and hugs into a blender and out will come a family. Even in homes where the walls are decorated with portraits of grinning moms and dads and kids, there’s usually a closet door that’s kept shut. Last week we were reminded of that, when the media flung open that door in the Duggar family home. And the skeletons came spilling out.

Josh Duggar, now twenty seven, the oldest son in TLC’s hit show, “19 Kids and Counting,” sexually abused five underage girls—four of them his sisters—when he was in his early teens. On the family’s Facebook page, Josh, his wife, and his parents have acknowledged this, as well as described how they addressed the abuse a dozen years ago when it occurred. Josh, who had been a lobbyist in Washington D.C. for the Family Research Council, has since resigned his position. And TLC will not be airing any episodes of “19 Kids and Counting” for the foreseeable future.

What happened within this family is many things—tragic and abusive, shameful and selfish, destructive and deceptive. It is all manner of evil, no matter how you look it. But there is one thing that it is surely not: it is not surprising. Not in the least. The only ones stunned by this revelation of abuse are most likely those who assume that the Duggar family image on their reality show does, in fact, accurately reflect reality. But there is no reason why this family’s secret should be shocking, especially to the Christian. The Duggars are not the pristine, ideal family that their television show portrays them as being. They never have been, nor will they ever be. Nor is any family. They are parents, sons, and daughters who have a civil war raging within each of them. It just so happens that Josh’s particular battles, and the pain he inflicted upon others as a result, have taken center stage.

Consider these words: “I don’t understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” These are the words of Paul, the one we’ve dubbed Saint Paul. He frankly admits that he’s anything but a model of moral perfection. “I do the very thing I hate,” he admits. He’s got a civil war raging inside him, too. He’s fully sinful in himself and fully righteous in Jesus Christ, all at the same time. He is what the Reformers called simul justus et peccator (simultaneously saint and sinner). What Paul’s particular struggles were, what those things he hated were, he doesn’t say. He doesn’t have to. He’s simply upfront about his condition—the fallen, curved-in-on-itself human condition.

As it was with Paul, so it is with the Duggars, and so it is with every Christian: each of us lugs around an old corrupt nature that we won’t shed this side of the grave. Of course, that nature rears its ugly head in different ways with each person, sometimes in ways that must be addressed with spiritual as well as psychological help. With Josh, sadly, it was through sexual abuse; with others it’s through addictions and greed and hate and selfishness of every kind. But one thing is certain: not just Josh but all of us harbor our demons. And the sinful nature within us is daily clawing its way out to manifest itself in ways great and small, public and private. Only liars and fools pretend otherwise.

The sooner we as individual Christians, as Christian families, and as churches present ourselves to the world that way, the better. Believers face more than petty allurements, make more than “mistakes.” We fail and fall in mega ways.

Dear world, do you struggle with alcohol or drug abuse? So do we believers.
Dear world, has your family been wounded by infidelities? So have ours.
Dear world, have your children hurt each other through sexual abuse? Yes, ours too.

Dear world, do your families members commit crimes and end up in prison? Ours too.

Dear world, do you have a closet full of skeletons? So do we Christians.

The greatest witness that Christians can present to the world is not their own morality, their ideal family, or their dream marriage, but their weaknesses and sins and failures, all of which have been atoned for by the crucified and resurrected Jesus. Our witness is never, “Look at how well we’re doing at being good,” but always, “Look at the good Savior who died for our evils.”

Here’s what happens inside the closed doors of Christian families: sinners live together in very close proximity. And you know what that means. Husbands who are righteous in Christ, but sinful in themselves, do and say mean and hurtful things to their wives. Wives who are righteous in Christ, but sinful in themselves, do and say mean and hurtful things to their husbands. Christian children mess up big time, rebel, and yes, sometimes sexually abuse others. We do terrible things. Tempers flare, eyes lust, tongues yell. In other words, sinners act the way sinners are. We are no better than the world is. Nor should we claim to be. We are far from perfect. We are by nature sinful and unclean. And because of that, we return, again and again, to the blood Christ shed that atones for our sins—the same blood, dear world, that has atoned for yours as well.

Christians families do not live on the mountaintop of morality but at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. In his shadow is shelter from the burning sun of iniquity. Whatever repercussions Josh may experience from what he’s done, he will find at the foot of the cross a God who does not punish him, but says, “I love you. I have forgiven you. My blood has made you whiter than snow.” If this seems scandalous, then you’re beginning to understand the grace of Christ. Christ’s love is a scandalous gift. He didn’t die for the not-so-sinful portion of humanity. He was crucified for all. He died for sexual abusers, murderers, gossips, hatemongers, adulterers, pornographers, and you—whoever you are, whatever skeletons may be piled in your family closet.

But there’s still more that Jesus did. Christ took upon himself the shame that others inflict upon innocent victims. He lived and died and rose again for the girls that Josh abused. The battered wife, the rape victim, the child whose bedtime lullaby was the screams of a drunk father—these who have been physically, emotionally, and psychologically harmed by the evils of others, they too find peace and wholeness in the battle-torn, broken body of the Son of God. He didn’t just die to forgive us for the wrongs we do, but to provide us with healing from the wrongs others do to us. For in Christ, the Spirit puts us into communion with a restoring God. He gives us the peace that passes understanding. Not the evil that others have done to us, but the good Christ has done for us, is what defines who we are. We are God’s sons and daughters. We are adopted into the family of a Father whose greatest joy is loving and embracing us as the dearest things in all creation to him.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have said, “We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family.” We would echo that prayer, and add to it. I would pray that as people watch their lives—and as they watch the life of my family as well—they would see families that boast only of their weaknesses, that do not deny their flaws, and that find peace and healing only in Jesus Christ.

We are all the Duggars. We are all dysfunctional sinners living in flawed families upheld by grace. There is only one who is perfect, the one who became our sin, that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And in his wounds, bleeding with love, all of us find healing.