Some of you may remember the song, ‘Zaccheus was a wee little man.’ It is a children’s song that has made its way around the globe. I found several versions of it from different countries, mostly by small children. Anyway, here is a version of it by a classic trio called ‘the three tenors.’

Yes, there is a point in all this. And now I introduce to you…

Zaccheus the Great…

At long last we’ve added to the Martin tribe our newest member. He has been officially dubbed ‘Zaccheus the Great’, but just plain ‘Zach’ will do. Betty gave him his name because his tiny size.

Zaccheus is Betty’s mother’s day present from our three children and me. Had to wait til he was eight weeks old before bringing him home. (If you are curious, the story of Zaccheus the tax-collector is found in Luke 19:2-10)

Here he is getting acquainted with the General.  

— ‘What kind of dog is you?’ says, General Claudius Josephus.

— ‘They says I’m a Yorkie. Wow! Yo daddy must been an elephant!’

These pictures will tell you much about Zach’s size:

Well, let’s move on to other things.

Isn’t it interesting how you can be inspired from the most unusual sources…

Betty and I and the kids have a game we play when we eat at one of our local Chinese restaurants. (Owned by Christians.) When we get our fortune cookie, I’ll usually say, ‘Ok, let’s see what our prophecy is for today.’

And of course we always get some very practical sayings. What makes it even more interesting is that sometimes each of us will get a practical saying that fits right into our life. I got one last evening that made me think of the many people that have been caught up in some sort of religious bondage, that the Lord has had me minister to over the years.

Here is what it said —

‘One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.’

I thought to myself how very true this is. Some of God’s people have been in bondage under misguided teachings for years and not able to realize it. But when they come to the place where the truth of their completed salvation in Christ begins to enlighten their minds, something awesome happens.

Jesus said it this way, “If you continue in My word [heaven's gospel message], then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31,32 nasb)

David said it this way…

In Your light we see light…

Listen more fully to what David had to say:

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the chiildren of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:7-9)

Sometimes we miss what is being said in the Scriptures because we aren’t familiar with the Hebrew underpinning of the Bible. In the Scriptures the term ‘Light’ holds a key revelation to God’s working of redemption. The Jewish people connected the term ‘Light’ with Messiah.

For instance when Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life”, the people would have been able to grasp what was behind this statement.

The peoples were taught that the original Light in Genesis had to do with God’s spiritual wisdom for life that He originally intended man to live by. When Adam sinned, this Light was removed. It would only come back when Messiah came. 

Don’t trade religion for God’s Light…

I realize that this sounds a bit odd. In fact, religion in itself isn’t bad. What we need to realize is that religion is something that men do. It refers to our form of worship.

Relationship and reality are what Jesus came to give us. He came to give us the Light of life. So, the point is, don’t let your religion take the place of the Lord in your life. It happens far too often.

I’ll leave things be for now. Just wanted you to think about some things.

Blessings,

Buddyy

Isn’t it odd how we sometimes look back on our life and wonder what direction our life would have taken had we made a different choice than the one that we made at a certain time. (Hope that makes sense.) Well, the problem with that kind of thinking is that it achieves absolutely nothing. It simply goes with the saying, ‘No one can walk backwards into the future.’

Life only has one direction it can travel. We are always moving towards the future. But we can only live in the now. The land of ‘what might have been, is a land of imagination with no substance or reality. No one knows what ‘might have been’ regardless of what took place in the past.  

From cast down to uplifted…

Last evening I was looking at our 1995 picture album for the members of Christian Challenge. (13 years ago.) We had thirty-seven family units. As I looked at the pictures, it began to dawn on me that over a half of the family units were no longer with us. What a cast down cheerless thought.

I thought about each family. There had been some deaths, some relocations, some went into the ministry, while others had simply changed churches. The good side of all this is that all the peoples are still serving the Lord, regardless of where they life has taken them.

Then I began to think, ‘What about now?’ 

With that in mind I took a look at our present member’s album. What an unlifting story. We had increased from thirty-seven family units to sixty-seven family units, an overall thirty families had been added to the flock. What a difference the ‘now’ took. While I appreciate everyone who has been a part of Christian Challenge, I have to leave each of their lives in the hands of the Lord. I can simply rejoice in our ‘now’ forward movement.

My thoughts changed from cast down to completly uplifted. The moral of the story is to leave the past alone. No one can relive the past. The only life we can live is the life we are now living.

We are instructed in the Bible not to draw on the past…

… or to project ourselves into the future. Both these things can become hinderances to the spiritual life of a child of God. They are both imaginary air castles. A true walk of faith is always about the ‘now.’ Salvation is present tense. It is never about the past or the future.

Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah,

“‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.said,’ behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’” 2Co6:2 nasb

There are a number of Scriptures that tell us not to dwell on the past or not to look back on what might have been. Here is a sampling:

Ecc 7:10 - “Do not say, ‘Why is it that the former days were better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

Luk 9:62 - “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

Isa 43:18,19 - “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

Gen 19:26 - “But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Have you learned to trust in Jesus, through it all…

Jesus isn’t simply our yesterday Savior. He is our Savior of yesterday, of today, and for all eternity. He is our forever, right now Shepherd. This is why I love to hear Andrae Crouch sing this song entitled, ”Through It All.’ 

Listen to Andrae’s testimony about this song.

Well, that’s it for today.

Blessings,

Buddy

Several years ago I had a dream that I knew was from the Lord. That dream played a great role in helping me with a better understanding concerning ’the finished work of the cross’. 

In the dream of the night —

Jesus is standing at the pulpit. I am behind Him to His left. While I was unable to see His face, I knew it was Jesus. We were in a former church that Betty and I had pastored. The difference this time was that the congregation was made up of people of whom I had conducted funerals for.

The Lord had a dear sister stand. All eyes were on her and then on Him. He had a large book opened in front of Him. It was her life book. As He began going through her life, all we heard were praises. He just kept commending her. Yet, everyone knew that there had been a major sin failure in her life.

In the dream I found myself becoming anxious. I loved this dear sister and I did not want to hear the Lord speak of her failure. He was getting closer all the time. When the Lord came to the place in her life where He would have to deal with her failure, I caught my breath. My heart was breaking.

But I heard nothing. When I looked over at the book, the place was white. Nothing was written there. He just kept on praising her.

When I awoke the dream was lingering in full color on my thoughts. That’s when the Scriptures began to come. There was one in particular, where Paul said, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.“ (1Co4:5)

Did you catch it? There was no hint of condemnation. 

You shall be holy …

This is why I wanted to share a study on what it means to be holy.

Believers are sometimes confused over what holiness is really about. Laying aside all the technical aspects of holiness let’s simply say that holy is what God is. The Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit. Then we have this, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

The concept of holiness in the former testament had largely to do with closeness. The closer you were to God, the more holy you were. This is why the prophets were spoken of as ‘holy men of God,’ Israel was called ‘the holy land,’ and the holiest place in all the land was known as ‘the holiest of holies.’

Talmudic Judaism brings this thinking out in the Mishnah [Kelim - Vessels - 16:9]:

“The land of Israel is holier than any other land … The walled cities of Israel are still more holy … Within the wall of Jerusalem is still more holy. … The Temple Mount is still more holy. … The rampart is still more holy. … The Courtyard of the Women is still more holy … The Courtyard of the Israelites is still more holy. … The Courtyard of the Priests is still more holy. … Between the porch and the altar is still more holy … The Sanctuary is still more holy … The Holy of Holies is still more holy, for none may enter therein except only the High Priest on the Day of Atonement in the time of the Temple service.”

So we can see how holiness began with the land. The closer to the temple the more holy was the journey. Thus the journey of holiness reached a point where only certain ones could make the next progression of holiness, that is, being near to God. To go beyond the allowable limit was to invite death.

During the time of Jesus the temple was laid out so as to make this distinction on degrees of holiness. Gentiles were allowed only in the great courtyard to the south of the sanctuary. A sign of warning cautioned them not to go further on pain of death. The next courtyard was for Jewish women. Then the courtyard for Jewish males. The central area was the place for priests alone. And finally you had the holiest of holies where only the high priest could enter.

No longer degrees of holiness …

I shared all this to give some background for how the new covenant brings the idea of degrees of holiness to a halt. It is so important to understand this. Listen to these Scriptures:

“For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. … for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Eph2:14,18)

The dividing wall was the wall that separated the Gentile ‘on pain of death’ from coming any closer to other temple areas. Now we all have direct access to the holiest of holies by the Spirit.

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal3:27,28)

Notice now how all the walls are torn down. No more limited status for women, or the common priest, etc. But pay special attention to the last of this portion; “For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

There are no longer degrees of holiness. The reason is because God has placed every believer in Jesus Christ. Paul calls this being ‘one new man.’ This means that what Jesus is, we are. And this is the great mystery of the new covenant.

So when we read the Scripture where God says, “You shall be holy for I am holy,” we should not look at this in dread. It is not merely a command. It is a promise. We have been made holy in Christ. His holiness is our holiness. When Jesus entered into the heavenly holiest with His own blood, He brought us with Him.

The point is that holiness is not simply something that you do in life. It is the issue of who you are in Christ. Certainly we are told to cleanse ourselves from all unholy conduct and unholy attitudes, but the basic premise of holiness remains the same. In the new covenant all believers have been made holy in Christ. Holiness is our standing with heaven.

I realize this is hard to grasp, but it is very necessary in order to understand the other ramifications of holiness. Think about it. Why are believers called ’saints’ in the New Testament? The word ’saint’ means a holy one. When Paul wrote a church that was filled with the flesh, he yet addressed them as, “saints by calling.” (1Co1:2) The reason is because neither holiness nor righteousness are things that we can earn. They come to us through the cross.

Perfectly identified…

Jesus so perfectly identified Himself with us that He took us to the cross, and from the cross, He then took us right into heaven, and had us seated with Him in the heavenly places. This is why John wrote,

“By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.“ (1Jn4:17) 

The glory of God’s love is the glory of the cross. Jesus exchanged His life for ours. He took the whole of our sinful life to the cross, and gave us the whole of His righteousness as a covering for our entire life. It wasn’t simply our past sins that were nailed to the cross. The total of our life was judged in Christ. This is why no accusation can be made against a believer.

Is this an excuse for sin? Never. Sin in itself is contrary to the divine nature that is implanted in each believer. (More on this a bit later.)

This is where the book of Hebrews can help fill in the gaps. The apostolic writer quotes from Jeremiah concerning the new covenant, and says in part,

“I will effect a new covenant … For all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (He8:8,11,12)

Again listen:

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

The second coming of Jesus has no regard to sin for believers. Why is this? It is because all our sins were placed upon Jesus and judged at the cross. Not just past sins, but now sins, and future sins. Again this is not a issue of being able to sin with no consequences. 

Again listen:

“By this will [Jesus body on the cross] we have been sanctified [made holy] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (He10:10)

Notice that our sanctification is through the work of the cross. Peter says it comes with the blood of Jesus. Every believer has already been sanctified, or declared holy before God. How? Our life has been  hidden in Christ. To judge us, the Father would have to judge Jesus again. But keep in mind that the cross came from the heart of the Father; “For God so loved the world…”

And again:

“…but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” (He10:12)

Did you catch it? One sacrifice for all sins for all time. You cannot add to this. You cannot take away from it. The price has already been paid. In another place, Paul quotes David, in saying,

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and who sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” (Rom4:6-8)

Paul is speaking for the righteousness that is placed on our account apart from any works. If you try to earn your standing with God, you are in fact setting aside the cross. This is why the most victorious Christians are always those who live by a simple devotion to Jesus Christ.

And again,

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (He10:14)

Notice that our perfection is for all time.

Always keep in mind that our being sanctified in Christ does not come through any work on our part. It is God’s work. We are made holy because Jesus Christ is holy. He has given us His holiness. (To repeat this is good. It needs to find its way deep into our conscious thought life.)

Once this message is clearly understood, then we are able to go on to the other aspects of the cross and see where a personal walk of holiness does figure into the picture. Yes, there is an issue of cleansing ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit. This cleansing belongs to the experiential side of the finished work of the cross.

Here is where someone may say, ‘Well, if I’ve been given the holiness of Jesus Christ, then it really doesn’t matter what I do. I can sin all I want and nothing can be charged against me.’

The answer to that is that the work of the cross has both a positional side and its experiential side. The positional side is what God Himself has decreed through the cross. The experiential side is what the Holy Spirit works in the believer.

Listen to Paul:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? … knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” (Rom6)

The point is that for all who are born of God’s Spirit, sin will always be contrary to his or her own righteous nature. No person on this planet has a conscience as sensitive as that of a true believer. The very least of spiritual contaminations affects us. Where a sinner sins by nature, a child of God sins by temptation. Can we sin? Absolutely. Does is affect us? Absolutely.

And this is why John says that a believer is unable to continue in a life of sin. It hurts too deeply. He may get in the pig pen for a time, or have a relapse for a time, but this is not who he is. Every believer has deep in his inward man something called ‘the Spirit of holiness.’ It is also called the ‘divine nature.’ And until we are cleansed of any unholy conduct, we grieve in ourselves. This grieving is the parent of repentance. The grieving is from the Holy Spirit.

There is much more to be said. Just want to give my readers something to think about.

Yes, I had a dream. The Lord has often dealt with me in dreams and in visions. So all I can say is, ‘Thank you Lord Jesus, for your instructions that have come to me in the deep of the night.’

And remember,

There is much love coming your way,

Buddy

Today is Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all you dads.

I was reading our local paper this morning (Alexandria Town Talk), when I saw a most beautiful picture of a painting done by a daughter of her father. It was part of an article entitled, ‘Dad’s time to shine.’ The painting is by Cathy Turpin of her now deceased father, Clarence Turpin, Jr. It was such a moving painting. I tried to call Cathy just to thank her for sharing the painting and for sharing her thoughts of her dad, but was unable to locate her number. I’ll keep trying. Maybe later today.

Here is the painting. It struck such a chord in my heart. I’ve often wondered if I am an oddity because I think so much about my heavenly home.

Its not that I have some sort of morbid death wish. It is really about an imprint in my heart, letting me know that I am just a pilgrim in this life, and that this world is not my home. Every child of God carries this divine imprint. 

Eyes opened to God’s world…

For the one whose eyes have been opened to Jesus, it takes just a bit of reflection to hold fast with what David said when he penned these words:

“Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.”
(Psa 139:4-10)

There is a mystic side to the life of all God’s children…

I use the word ‘mystic’ in the sense of something that inspires wonder. Jesus inspires wonder in and to all true believers. In fact it was through Jesus that we came to know our heavenly Father. And there is no greater experience in life than that of coming to know your heavenly Father in a personal way. Jesus said that this knowing God as your Father is what eternal life is all about.

Listen to His prayer,

“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. ‘This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
(Joh 17:1-3)

Did the Old Testament believers have the same longings as we have….

We may find it strange to say that the Old Testament people of God actually had experiences with Jesus Christ, but on a different level. The cross changed all that.

Yes, they had experiences with Jesus. They simply did not know Him by that name. They knew Him as “the Word of God,” as “the Messenger of Yahweh,” as “the Redeemer,” as “the Form of God,” as “the Glory of God,” even as “Salvation,” and especially as ‘”the Ever Present One,” that is, “the I Am.”

One writer even spoke of Him as the “Son.” The sage said,

“Surely I am more stupid than any man. Neither have I the understanding of a man. Neither have I learned wisdom. Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.” He went on to say, “Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His Son’s name? Surely you know.” (Cf. Pro30:2-4)

What did Paul mean in calling Jesus ‘the form of God’…

Let’s take just one term in particular, that is “the Form of God.” When God met with Moses above the mercy seat, Moses saw what was called the “form” or “similitude” of God. This is brought out when the Lord rebukes Miriam and Aaron over their presumptuousness in regard to Moses. The Lord said, “My servant Moses, He is faithful in all his household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of God…” (Num12:8)

The Hebrew word for “form” is ‘temuhah.’ There is no way to escape what this term means. Moses saw an appearance of the Lord God of Israel, called “the form of God.” Thus we hear Paul say, “Who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (Phil 2:6) The apostle clearly intended this to be understood that Jesus was the one Moses had direct relations with in the former testament.

David had experiences with Jesus…

This was the case with all the prophets of old and with many others who belonged to the Lord. Abraham had visitations with Jesus. David saw Him in the sanctuary. Jacob wrestled with Him. The mother and father of Samson saw Him. The list goes on and on. These ancient people of God had visitations with the very One who would become incarnate as the historical Jesus Christ.

What is the point in all this? The point is that “He was there all the time.” Is it any wonder that Jesus wept over Jerusalem. It says, “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” He added, “Because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Cf. Luke 19:41-44)

Our experience with the man called ‘Wonderful’…

Now for the mystic side of our union with Christ. Yes, each of us has had our visitation from the Lord. Not just a single visitation. The visitations stretch over time. This is why believers cannot always speak of an exact moment upon which to base their salvation. As believers continue their walk with the Lord, they become more aware of the total sum of their life, including even those days before coming to know Jesus Christ personally, and they will simply say, “He was there all the time.”

Why is this? It is because Jesus is the Ever Present One. His footsteps can be seen across the pages of history. He is from time without beginning or without end. He has always been in the bosom of the Father. He has always been present in the lives of those who belong to Him. This is why Jesus could say to the Jewish questioners, “Before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8:58)

This is also why Jesus could give the disciples a final message before leaving the earth, saying, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt28:20) And where it says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” this is a reflection off the “I Am” revelation of the God of the Bible.

Oh, the wonder of it all…

Actually “Wonderful” is another Old Testament name that can be applied to the Lord Jesus. When David said, “Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory,” He was speaking of this One that we love so dearly, Jesus Himself. Paul said that Jesus is the Power of God. John said that Jesus is the Glory of God. David was beholding the Ever Present One, the One called Wonderful.

Isaiah speaks to this in saying,

“For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isa9:6)

When the parents of Samson wanted to know what the Messenger of Yahweh’s name was, He said to them, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is Wonderful.” (Judges 13:18)

Then David gives us this marvelous Psalm that speaks to the very heart of the wonder of our walk with Jesus. In Psalm 139, David used the term “wonderful” more than once. Let’s listen to a few snippets of Psalm 139:

“Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.” (vv4-6)

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” (vv13,14)

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would out number the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.” (vv16-18)

I Am with you always…

Was David speaking of the Ever Present One? Indeed. And when David writes, “When I awake, I am still with You,” it always triggers a memory on my part. (I’ve shared a bit of this in prior journal entries.) As a wee lad my mom use to kneel beside me at my bed as I prayed the simple prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

As a little child I had consciousness of the Lord. Yet I knew nothing about Him. I only knew that I was calling someone, Lord. My heart was the heart of a tender child. Did I believe in Him. Yes, with all my heart. Was the Lord there? O yes indeed. He was there all the time. He knew me from eternity. Yet it would be another twenty years before the Ever Present One would actually speak directly into my heart, letting me know that He had been with me always.

And as the Bible begins its closure, we once again hear, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev22:13)

What then is the last sentence to be read as we close our Bible? It says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” (v21)

Thanks again Cathy…

… for such a wonderful painting.

And happy Father’s Day again to all you dads. May you rejoice in your role as a father. May the heavenly Father’s Heart be fully manifest in your calling as a father.

Oh, the wonder of it all.

Blessings,

Buddy

It is time for another Bible study. In this case I wish to provide some insights on how the Bible treats Jerusalem as God’s redemption time clock.

It was known and foretold by the prophets that the Jewish nation through its leadership would turn her back on God’s Messiah. Jesus had something to say about this;

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Calling upon Jesus as Lord and Messiah. Cf. Matt23:37-39)

There will be a moment in history when Jerusalem will call upon Jesus as her Messiah. But a problem remains. Jerusalem has had a history of killing those sent to her from God Almighty. What will bring about this momentous event of turning? We will see a bit later in this study.

For now let’s get a feel for modern Israel. There is a struggle in Israel of which many are not aware. The struggle is so intense that it is not uncommon to hear news media use the term ‘civil war.’ The struggle is between the religious Jews and secular Jews. Politicians are caught in the middle. And while the religious Jews make up only 20% of the population in Israel, they wield far greater influence than their numbers seem to allow.

The issue is over power and influence. An intense hatred exists among the orthodox Jews, especially those of the ultra-conservative sects, for anyone who is not of their sect. This hatred is especially directed to the secular Jews. Secular Jews are considered traitors. But it doesn’t stop there. These ultra-conservative groups also have war with one another - even over such things as whose rabbis are the greatest, and such like. So the hatred is deeply embedded in Israel’s religious spread.

Perhaps it should be understood that Judaism has never been a monolithic religion. It has always been a mixture of many racial groups with a diversity of religious beliefs. In fact the idea of Jewish blood is discounted by Jewish writers today. It is promoted primarily by the Orthodox Talmudic groups. 

This infighting among the Jews has coursed its way through history, with one group accusing the other of being heretics. A great many Jewish Christians were slaughtered in the Bar Kochba rebellion in 132-135 A.D., because the Christians would not recognize Bar Kochba as Messiah. This is only a sampling of blood letting among the Jews. There are many, many other instances.

Orthodox rabbis in Israel have declared Conservative and Reform rabbis to be heretics. This comes through Talmudic writings, which the Orthodox hold as the only authentic guide to knowing and serving God. As a rule the only Bible the Orthodox are permitted to study is the Bible as it is seen through the lens of the Talmudic writers.

Secular Jews on the other hand do not wish to be brought under the austere dictatorship of the ultra-orthodox rabbis. A great many Jews in Israel today will not even step inside a synagogue. The larger part of the Israeli population is non-religious. In fact Israel has one of the highest percentages of atheism among modern nations today. 

But here is the paradox. While we may think that the secular sector in Israel has little interest in Jesus Christ, this isn’t the case at all. Secular Jews are very much interested in Jesus. Their battle continues against orthodox Judaism, especially in its more radical forms. Actually the Christmas trees business in Israel is flourishing.

A little known fact is that there is a Jesus movement sweeping Israel. Not a revival in the sense that Americans understand it. It is a movement of wanting to know more about Jesus.

According to Pinchas E. Lapide, the recently deceased orthodox professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, there is a “Jesus wave” passing through Israel. The wave is not about a Catholic Jesus or a Protestant Jesus or a Charismatic Jesus. It is about the Jesus of the land, the Jesus of the gospels. The ultra-conservative orthodox groups are not very happy about this. Talmudic Judaism has attempted to erased Jesus from the history of the Jewish people, but the tables are now turning on them. The people want to know!

It is hard for Christians to understand this enmity in Israel. We have such romantic notions about Jews. The problem is that most people in the west know so little about the history of Judaism. There are three essential periods of history for Judaism. The third period is considered to have begun with the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. and up to our present time. It essentially forms itself around rabbinic Judaism. The rabbis considered themselves the final mouthpiece of God, even exceeding that of Moses and the prophets.

The first temple period concerned itself with the original temple in Jerusalem, that is, Solomon’s temple, and up to the scattered tribes in the Old Testament. Second temple Judaism began with Nehemiah and the repopulating of Israel, and runs up to the destruction of 70 A.D. Historians tell us there were twenty-four distinct Judaisms during that time. 

Then you have the issue of false Messiahs. Throughout history the Jewish people have been deceived often over supposed Messiahs. This has contributed to their distain for things religious. Jesus warned the people that this would happen, and that many would come in His name and claim to be the Messiah.

But what of the enmity against Jesus? This enmity reaches back to the times of Jesus and to the apostles, and even before. It has a spiritual base. Jesus and John the Baptist spoke of this hate element in Israel as, “a brood of vipers.”

Jesus said of them, “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.” (John 15:24) So the hate element has always been there.

Jewish orthodoxy has made little to no changes over the centuries. Their hatred for Jesus Christ and for all things Christian is often covered up, but it is always just below the surface. In fact if it came to the need for a blood transfusion, this group of Jews would prefer to die rather than accept the blood of a Christian, or of any Gentile, or even the blood of a secular Jew. They believe other bloods are defiled. They cannot take a chance on defiling their own sacred “divine” blood.

It was pretty much the same during the time of Christ. Even the apostles had to process this. When Peter was sent to the house of Cornelius, he said, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” (Cf. Acts 10)

The Law of Moses never said any such thing about entering the house of a foreigner. This came from the traditions of the elders which in turn became the foundation for all Talmudic writings. Even back then the rabbis had a choke hold on the peoples in Israel. This helps us understand why Jesus often went outside the religious establishment to minister to those who were considered outcasts.

Jesus called the religious powers what they were. He said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

If you would like to see the dressing down that Jesus gave the “hate” element in Israel, take time to read Matthew 23. It was immediately following this dressing down, that Jesus said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem … your house is being left to you desolate.”

A question remains. Since there is such a disunity among the Jews in Israel, then why are they there? They are there because God brought them there. The nation of Israel has a purpose it must fulfill in God’s program of redemption. Yes, one day this Israel nation will cry out to the Lord Jesus and say of Him, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Let me share some snippets of beliefs noted in common by the ultra-orthodox groups in Israel. 

(1) They forbid Jewish men to listen to a woman singing in a choir or solo, regardless of what she is singing. They believe the voice of a woman is adultery. (Many Talmudic teachings are against women in general. These teachings are very much in favor today.)

Compare this to Paul: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28 - Peter adds that husband and wife are fellow heirs of the grace of life.)

(2) They believe that when they come to power, all Christian churches are to be destroyed and all non-Jews to be expelled from the country, including secular Jews.

(3) Haredim rabbis often teach that the Holocaust was a well-deserved divine punishment for failure to keep Talmudic studies. (Among other things.)

(4) Their hatred for non-Jews comes from their continuous cabbalistic tradition. They are much into magic. (They try to hide this fact from westerners.)

(5) For them the gravest sin is for a Jew to deny Judaism. The Jew who denies Judaism becomes a Canaanite, and to kill such a person is an act of righteousness. (Thus we see their hatred against the secular Jew, and against Jews who turn to Jesus.)

(6) The doctor Baruch Goldstein who slaughtered 20 Muslim worshippers, including children, in Hebron in 1994, is considered a saint by this group and is seen as their intercessor in heaven.

So — What is it going to take to turn the eyes of Israel to Jesus? The answer isn’t as difficult as it may seem. It is clearly set forth in the prophets. The Lord said, “In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hos5:15)

Jesus told the rejecters, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sins; where I am going, you cannot come.” (John 8:21)

The time is shortly coming when Israel is going to desperately need a Savior. When that moment comes, they will cry out to Jesus. The apostle said, “The deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (Rom11:26-27)

We have a prophecy that sets the stage for these happenings. The Lord said, “In that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And and the nations of the earth [United Nations] will be gathered against it.”

And again,

“In that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem … I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will LOOK ON ME whom they have pierced; and they WILL MOURN OVER HIM, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” (Cf. Zech12)

Every statement made in Zechariah 12:10, connects to something said about Jesus Christ in the new covenant writings.

(1) “They will look on Me….”

Response: “You will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” [This is a clear statement that Jesus is Yahweh revealed fully in human form.]

(2) “…whom they have pierced.”

Response: “…this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” (Acts 2:23 - In the Talmud the rabbis never credit Rome with the crucifixion of Jesus. They take it to themselves.)

(3) “They will mourn over Him as one mourns for an only Son.”

Response: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

(4) “They will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

Response: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom8:29)

There is much more to Jerusalem being the time clock of God. If this study has peaked your interest, then consider these additiional studies entitled ‘Struggles in Israel.’ (The study offered here comes from part #1 of a four part series.) 

http://christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF109.html

http://christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF110.html

http://christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF111.html

Blessings,

Buddy

Guess it may be good to share some heart secrets again. So here goes…

What continues to amaze me is how time seems to be moving at a faster pace as it races for the finish line. A year and a half ago I passed the mantle of Senior Pastor of Christian Challenge to Nathan. Doesn’t seem possible that it has been that long. 

Is it possible that this shortening of time for all of mankind was written into God’s book of redemption? In speaking of the final closure of the gospel age, Jesus said,

“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”  - Matthew 24:22 nasb

Seems like yesterday. But it was Sunday morning, December 17, 2006, that I passed the mantle to my oldest son, Nathan. Since that moment in time the responsibility for the local ministry has pretty much rested on Nathan’s shoulders. My role continues as Founding Pastor and General Overseer of CCI. But for practical purposes it is largely supportive in nature. 

To be able to watch the onward progress of the ministry has been an enjoyable adventure. There are two things that continue to impress me. One has been to see the Lord raise up a strong leadership team around Nathan, and in all this to see Nathan fulfill his role at the helm of the ministry. God has made Nathan a capable leader in his own rights.

And speaking of Nathan at the helm, in my office at Christian Challenge, over my desk was a picture of a sailor in a storm with Jesus standing beside him. That picture is now in Nathan’s office. Will there be storms to face? Oh yes, indeed. They come with life as well as with the ministry itself. But I’ve already seen Nathan in action. All will be well. (The picture is similar to this one above.)

The other thing that has given me pause has to do with my ongoing role in the service of God’s kingdom. Without question I will always be a preacher of the gospel. Yet I’ve been making an adjustment from fulfilling a primary call as a pulpit preacher and teacher, to that of a writing, and to taking on more responsibility in a role of mentoring preachers and other disciples. The School for Christian Workers remains my heart vision.

The change has not been without its blessings. Nor would I wish to change anything with regard to what the Lord is doing at Christian Challenge and in my personal life. But the adjustment is still ongoing for me.

When you consider that for the past forty-three plus years, my life has rallied around preaching and teaching the gospel, it does require a bit of attitude adjustment on my part to take ahold of my newest summation from heaven. At present my summons from heaven includes a call to write down the things that the Lord has taught me so that others may benefit from the insights that I’ve learned from the Lord. 

It is true that as a long-time preacher the Lord has granted me insight into the gospel of Jesus Christ that could well prove to be a blessing to others. But I think my greater influence on others can be contributed to my apprehension of the Hebrew background of our Christian faith. The Hebraics of the Christian faith has long been my forte of study. Oftentime to really understand an event or a portion of Scriptures, it is needful to know the Hebrew thinking that is involved. This is where I can offer a hand.

For my readers to peruse, I have close to two hundred of my short studies available. To view them go to: http://christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/index.html 

More about the call to write. This may fit others as well as it fits me. 

The tongue of a ready writer…

As an encouragement towards my writings, the Lord keeps stirring my heart with a special Messianic Psalm of Love. Psalm 45 has long been accounted a Psalm of the Messiah by both Christian and Jewish theologists. And while the Psalm concerns God’s Christ, it also captures the spiritual gift of writing. Listen to just a beginning of the Psalm:

“My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.”
(Psa 45:1,2 nasb)

Certainly there is nothing that will ever take the place of the Bible, yet the inspired writer can make the Bible come alive through the pen. In fact spiritual writing can be compared both to preaching and even to gospel singing. Yes, the Lord has given me music. Each of my songs carries the gospel message from heaven. 

Untold numbers of peoples have come to the Lord, either by reading a tract, reading a book, listening to a testimony, or hearing the gospel through song. David knew about this. And this is why David was called, ‘The sweet psalmist of Israel.’ (2Sam23:1)

To be able to use the human heart as a canvess upon which to paint the wonders of God’s love and to paint the beauties of His Son, is an unspeakable joy to me. I love to experience the holy presence of heaven as it rests upon me when I minister, whether it is through preaching, through the pen, or in singing the gospel.

So, does God really anoint the pen of the writer? Yes indeed. While no writer can gauge himself on par with the writers of the Bible, it is true that the Lord does anoint gospel writings just as He anoints gospel preaching. In many instances a good book can be likened to a good sermon. And in some cases the book may even leave a more lasting imprint. 

Well enough on my activities of the heart. How about you?

Do you have a summons from heaven…

Maybe your calling isn’t to be a writer, but you surely have a summons from heaven.

Every one of God’s children have been called to His side. When Jesus explained His role as the good Shepherd and the doorkeeper of heaven, He said, “ When he puts forth His own, He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know His voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:3,4)

The Lord has just said that the true shepherd calls his own sheep by name. So, our first summons from heaven is the summons of salvation. Jesus calls us to Himself, one, by one, by one.

But it doesn’t end there. Throughout our walk of life, Jesus summons us to our various roles and to our placements in His kingdom. This is why over time each of us will go through transitional moments. It is during these moments that we are to leave one thing in order to take hold of another.

Transitional times can seem a bit befuddling. This is because we are leaving behind something we are accustomed to, in order to take up another role in which we are not as familiar with. Paul addresses this in part when he says,

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Php 3:12-14)

The key to making it through a transitional period is found in the words, ‘Forgetting what lies behind.’ Until we can turn loose of the past, we are ill equipped to take on the future.

But also consider this — When the Lord calls us to a placement, it does not mean that everything in our past just disappears. Very often our summation from heaven is simply a call to take on something new by releasing something old, and it can happen right where we are. 

So, where are you in all this? Are you holding on to something that you need to turn loose of? Don’t let the past become your quagmire to what the Lord has for you in the future. 

Get ready. The Lord wants to give you some adventures of the heart.

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

The Bible teaches that laughter is good for the soul. It is also healthy for your faith walk. People who never laugh live sad lives. So it seems to me.

Jesus said that His sheep could hear His voice. Has the Lord ever put laughter into your walk of faith. Boy, He surely has mine. I laugh all the time. And if I’m not laughing, I’m singing. And if I’m not singing, I’m picking on someone, trying to get them to laugh.

It bothers me to no end to be around people who have a hard time smiling.

Ok, so I am goofy at times. Jest can’t help it. 

What does the Bible say about laughter…

Did you know that the word gospel really means ‘good news’ or ‘glad tidings.’ In Luke 2:10, the angel says to the shepherds, “Do  not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

Notice how the good news will bring great joy. Actually this statement can be equally translated, “I evangelize to you a great joy.” (Wycliff)

The implication is, ‘I am bringing a message from heaven that will put laughter in your soul!’

The gospel is designed to put joy and laughter into the believer’s life. It is possible to concentrated so much on the sufferings of the cross that we neglect the victory of the cross. Did not the apostle say that the kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Did you know that some people have a hard time seeing Jesus laughing. Not only did Jesus laugh, but he became so filled with joy that He literally twirled around in a Hebrew type step.

Listen:

“At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.” (Luke 10:21)

The ‘rejoiced greatly’ literally means to exult, leap for joy, to show one’s joy by leaping and skipping denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight. – The Complete Word Study Dictionary

This is what Robertsons Word Pictures says –

“This holy joy of Jesus was directly due to the Holy Spirit. It is joy in the work of his followers, their victories over Satan, and is akin to the joy felt by Jesus in John 4:32-38 when the vision of the harvest of the world stirred his heart.”

He laughs….

Did you know that the nickname of a believer could well be, ‘he laughs’? You didn’t? I am surprised.

Ok, listen to what happened to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born and Sarah was long past the age of child bearing.

What was Sarah’s response to having her baby boy? She said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” (Gen21:6)

Has God ever made laughter for you? I can’t number the times that I’m sure I heard the Holy Spirit laugh inside me. Course, it could have been me laughing in my own heart. Don’t take much.

Now about your nickname, ‘he laughs’. Not convinced yet? Lets move on.

Did you know that the name Isaac literally means ‘he laughs’, and God was the one who gave him his name. The Lord said,

“Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” (Gen 17:19)

Still not convinced that your nick name is ‘he laughs’?

Well, now I’m gonna have to nail it down. Listen to the great apostle Paul –

“And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Gal 4:28)

Thats it. If we are like Isaac, then our nickname must be ‘he laughs.’

Is it alright to laugh and have fun… (I’m not talking about that ludicrous laughing movement.)

While you are thinking about all this, take time to listen to one of my favorite singers. If Mark Lowry can’t make you laugh, you are in real trouble. After this I’ll tell you a story of the Lord laughing at me. (At least that’s what I think happened.)

You’d had a dollar now, but as it was ….

Oh yes! God laughs. Now I don’t think God actually speaks to me in a Cajun dialect, but I do think that way some times.

Anyway, I had a friend doing a tent meeting down a ways from where I was pastoring. (Long years ago.) Now in my billfold I had me a hundred dollar bill and a one dollar bill. All day long I was thinking, ‘I’ll get down to the store and change that hundred dollar bill into twenties. That way I can give a twenty dollar offering.’

I figured that twenty dollars was a pretty good offering. (Remember this was back in 1975.) Anyway, it kept slipping my mind. So here we are at the tent and I’m squirming, jest a hoping that no offering will be taken up. Not to happen.

Here comes the offering bucket. My wife Betty knows exactly why I was squirming and she is laughing already. The bucket comes by, and I takes out a dollar bill and drops it in. End of story?

Not hardly. My conscience smote me real hard and I called to the bucket man to come back. Out came my hundred dollar bill and into the bucket it went.

On the way home I was musing to myself when this thought just droped out of no where. It set me off to my laughing moment. To this day I believe the Holy Spirit was chuckling with me.

Anyway, what I heard was, ‘I you’d a give the hundred dollar bill up front, you’d a had a dollar right now. But like it was, you had to give the hundred and the one.’

I’ve been laughing about that hundred dollar incident ever since. For some reason it was music to my soul. And I learned a great lesson about faith. You can figure that one out.

The devil hates to hear the laughter of faith…

What many don’t realize is that laughter and joy are hallmarks of a person who is truly realizing his life in the world of faith. It absolutely shows in his face. Listen to what the Psalmist said:

“How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.” (Psalm 89:15)

And again,

“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed.” (Psalm 34:5)

Is it alright to laugh at the devil? God does. God laughs at anyone who would make himself His enemy.

The early Christians quoted from a unique Psalm that had to do with the enemies of Christ. The enemy stood against God and His Christ, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

What was the Lord’s response? It says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:3,4)

Did I get the lesson across? While I do love to try and tickle folk to get them to laugh, you can be sure that I’m quite serious when it comes to the laughter of faith.

Try it. Try laughing at your struggle, at the devil, at whatever you may be going through. Ask the Lord to put laughter in your soul.

You see, joy and faith truly do belong to the same camp.

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

I’ve noticed that while the greater part of my readers are in the U.S., I also have a great many readers from Western Europe, and from Australia, with a number from other countries. The one thing I’ve noticed in particular is that the largest percentages of my readers are from Christian based countries. (With some from Israel.)

If you will look closely at the map below you will notice something else that may tell a story. Across northern Africa, extending through Saudi Arabia, then following north east and on into western China, it shows a tan-grey region. This tan-grey speaks to lack of greenery, of dryness and of desert areas. 

Isn’t it odd that where the dryness is situatied, it is found mainly in non-Christian based areas, that is, in those areas where Jesus is rejected as the Son of God, where the peoples are often very much against Christians.

Could there be a reason that non-Christian countries and dryness are found together? Perhaps the Psalmist provided an answer, when he said, “God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” (Psa 68:6 nasb)

 Look more closely at the map — Perhaps the Lord will share more thoughts with you.

 Ok, now for my tributes…

I am a child of the ’40s. My memories are embedded in the era of WWII and in the afterworld of that generation. To me it is no secret why that era is known as ‘the Great Generation.’ On top of things I have been an admirer of Great Britain’s doggedness and passion she exhited during the war. Guess some of this comes from my mixture of English and Scot-Irish lineage. (Among other things.) 

Here is a special song that always stirs my heart. It was very popular during WWII. ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ was written by Nat Burton in 1941. and sung by Vera Lynn.

Here goes:

Hope you enjoyed Vera. Wow, what memories. Makes me want to tear up.

Ok, now for my Aussie friends….

I also have special feelings for my Australian friends. I almost made it to your shores in 1962. Was aboard my ship the USS Calvert. We were on our way towards Australia when the Navy called us back for whatever reason. (Early era of Vietnam.)

Believe it or not, many years ago, 1974 or ‘75, I had a dream that I was ministering in Australia. Well, I have yet to make it there. But on top of everything I have genuine affections for my Australian friends. Seems their history runs right along with the good U.S. of A. Same roots.

So here is another song that I fell in love with many years ago. This song is often referred to as Australia’s second national anthem. The original lyrics were written in 1895 by the poet and nationalist Banjo Paterson. The song is filled with folklore.

Let’s give a hand for, ’Waltzing Matilda.’  …

Nor have I forgotten my many other readers…

Yep, as time goes along I’ll share more music from my other friends from around the globe.

Ok, I love all you guys and gals.

And remember,

Jesus loves you more,

Buddy

This entry may be a bit lengthy for some, but I believe it will be well worth the reading.

There is a mystery that exists between Christianity and Judaism. And because of this mystery there has been a love-hate relationship between the two religions from the time of Christ Jesus.

If you were to basically categorize the two religions it would be fairly simple: Christianity rests its case upon Jesus as the long awaited Messiah of the ages and of Israel proper. Judaism does not. The picture can be much more complicated but this is the bottom line issue.

Jesus said that He came to bring a sword and that the sword would divide the Hebrew religion into two camps. He said, “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” (vv32,33)

The earliest Jewish Christians were called ‘the people of the great confession.’ Josephus actually referred to the Christians as a tribe.

And so, out of the cross came a sword that cleaved Judaism in two. Those who received Jesus Christ as Israel’s Messiah would enter His kingdom and come under His rule. Those who refused to accept Him, well, the story has been very different indeed. 

There is so much I could share to show how Moses himself spoke of this division, how the prophets spoke of it, and how the apostles of Jesus spoke of it, but I don’t want to bog this Journal entry down with an overuse of Scripture. 

Yet there is more to be told…

There is a modern day story. There are untold numbers of Jews today who are turning to Jesus as the true Messiah of Israel. In fact there is a continuous move among the Jews to reclaim Jesus to their history.

The hearts of a great many Jews are tiring of all the misinformation written about Jesus from their sages and otherwise.

For centuries the Jewish people did not even know that Jesus and all the apostles were ’sabras’. (Native born Israeli.) It had been planted in their thinking that Jesus was some sort of Roman god, or at best an apostate Jew.

But the time has come and the change is coming with it. The heart of the Jew is turning.

Paul explains it this way:

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; …

” … just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’

“From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:25-29 nasb)

Yes, even the prophets of old described how there would be a turning of the Jews and of all the peoples of the earth to the Lord Jesus in the closing hours of God’s redemption time clock.

But I shared all this because I wanted share some of the testimony of Jewish notables in how they have come to see Jesus. Please take your time to read these testimonies:

The testimony of notable Jews, concerning Jesus…

You aren’t going to agree with all that is being said, but at least it will take away some of the sting that has been placed upon Jesus by Talmudic writers through the ages.

………. Here goes ……..

Joseph Klausner, Jewish author:

“Jesus was a Jew and a Jew he remained till his last breath. His one idea was to implant within his nation the idea of the coming of the Messiah and, by repentance and good works, hasten the
‘end’…. In all this, Jesus is the most Jewish of Jews, more Jewish than Simeon ben Shetah, more Jewish even than Hillel.”

Heinrich Graetz, considered by many to be the greatest of Jewish historians:

“Like Hillel, Jesus looked on the promotion of peace and forgiveness of injuries as the highest forms of virtue. His whole being was permeated by that deeper religion which contributed to
the mildness of his face. He has made humanity honour; he has carried the highest wisdom to the homes of the lowly and the ignorant of the world. He has carried it beyond all barriers of
schools and temples, and for this, only, he had to die a death of shame.

“The redeemer of the poor, the teacher of the ignorant, the friend of all that faint with toil and are oppressed with cares must die on the cross. Over the supreme tragedy let the angel of sorrow spread his wings. Veil thy face, sun! Be darkened, sky! Let the earth tremble and men mourn in tears! The most angelic of men, the most loving of teachers, the meek and humble prophet is to die by the death of the cross.

“He felt within himself the call to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel…. He, by word and example, raised the sinner and the publican, and filled the hearts of those poor, neglected, thoughtless beings with the love of God, transforming them into dutiful children of their Heavenly Father. He animated them with his own piety and fervor, and improved their conduct by the hope he gave them of being able to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Moritz Lazarus, philosopher:

“I am of the opinion that we should endeavor with all possible zeal to obtain an exact understanding of the great personality of Jesus and to reclaim him for Judaism.”

Christ was the mouthpiece of God…

Baruch Spinoza, the great Jewish philosopher:

“Christ was not so much a prophet as the mouthpiece of God. Christ was sent to teach not only Jews, but the whole human race; and therefore it was not enough that his mind should be
accommodated to the opinions of the Jews alone, but also to the opinion and fundamental teaching common to the whole human race; in other words, to ideas universal and truth.”

Max Nordau, author and Zionist leader:

“Jesus is the soul of our soul as he is the flesh of our flesh. Who then could think of excluding him from the people of Israel? St. Peter will remain the only Jew who said of the Son of David: ‘I know not the man.’ If the Jews up to the present have not rendered homage to the sublime beauty of the figure of Jesus, it is because their tormentors have always persecuted, tortured and assassinated in his name.”

Dr. Claude Montefiore, president of the Jewish Religious Union:

“I cannot conceive that a time will come when the figure of Jesus will no longer be a star of the first magnitude in the spiritual heavens, when he will no longer be regarded as one of the greatest religious heroes and teachers the world has seen….

“The religion of the future will be, as I believe, a developed and purified Judaism, but from that developed and purified Judaism the records will tell, however imperfectly, of perhaps its greatest teacher. Certainly its most potent and influential teacher will not be excluded.

“We Jews do not mind saying that the greatest influence upon European and American history and civilization has been the Bible. But we too often forget that the Bible which has had this influence is not merely the Old Testament. It is the Old Testament and the New Testament combined.

“And of the two, it is the New Testament which has undoubtedly had the greater influence and has been of the greater importance. Jesus is the most important Jew that has ever lived, to whom the sinner and the outcast age after age have owed a great debt of gratitude.”

Hans Joachim Schoeps, Jewish theologian:

“The church of Jesus Christ has preserved no portrait of its lord and saviour. If Jesus were to come again tomorrow, no Christian would know his face. But it might well be that he who is coming at the end of days, he who is awaited by the synagogue as by the church, is one, with one and the same face.”

Let us Jews be thankful there was a Jesus…

Rabbi Emmanuel Weill:

“Let us then as Jews be thankful there was a Jesus and a Paul. I do not know the secret of God, but I believe that Jesus and Christianity were providential means, useful to the Deity in guiding all men gradually and by an effort, keeping pace with the mental state of the majority of men, from paganism up to the pure and true idea of the divinity.”

 
Rabbi J.L. Levy:

“I have little but contempt for those who cannot see in Jesus of Nazareth something to admire. I have little respect for those who cannot find in the Nazarene something good and worthy of our
deep esteem. I personally regard him as one of the greatest spiritual teachers the world has ever known. I look upon him as one of the noblest spiritual teachers the human family has ever had the privilege of observing. We have great faith in the noble character of his life, in the beauty of his teaching that may safely be attributed to him. We have great admiration for the pure life offered for the good of humanity.”

Rabbi H.G. Enelow, D.D., reform rabbi, writer and scholar:

“Among the great and the good that the human race has produced, none has ever approached Jesus in universality of appeal and sway. He has become the most fascinating figure in history. In him is combined what is best and most mysterious and most enchanting in Israel — the eternal people whose child he was. The Jew cannot help glorying in what he has meant to the world, nor can he help hoping that Jesus may yet serve as a bond of union between Jew and Christian.

“What does the modern Jew think of Jesus? A Prophet? Yes, crowning a great tradition, and who can compute all that Jesus has meant to humanity? The love he has inspired, the solace he has
given, the good he has engendered, the hope and joy he has kindled — all that is unequaled in human history.”

Rabbi David Phillipson, Ph.D., reform Jewish leader:

“There is no backwardness nor hesitancy on the part of modern Jewish thought in acknowledging the greatness of the teacher of Nazareth, the sweetness of his character, the power of his genius.”

He was a gift of love…

Rabbi Gross of Brooklyn’s Union Temple:

“I, a rabbi of Israel, think we should accept Jesus. I think we should teach Jesus to children much as we teach them about Abraham, Moses and Jeremiah, and the rest of the great teachers and prophets. Jesus, as we all know, was a Jew. He was a gift of love.”

Rabbi Rudolph Grossman, D.D.:

“We Jews honor the Nazarene as our brother in faith, sprung from our loins, nurtured at Israel’s knee, a teacher of sweet and beautiful ideals, a preacher whose influence has been and still is among the mightiest spiritualizing factors in the world.”

Rabbi Gustav Gottheil, Ph.D., one of the founders of the Federation of American Zionists:

“The keynote of prophetic religion of the Jewish prophets was holiness of life and purity of heart…. To place the Master of Nazareth by their side can surely be no dishonor to him, nor can it dim the luster of his name. If he has added to their spiritual bequests new jewels of religious truth, and spoken words which are words of life, because they touch the deepest springs of the human heart, why should we Jews not glorify in him?”

Rabbi Maurice H. Harris:

“Unlike the Messiahs before him — all mediocre men — his name (Jesus) has been treasured ever since as one of the great religious teachers of the world…. Let us not lose our Almighty Father in pantheistic vagueness, merging Him in nature; let us view Him as our Living redeemer, our Saviour, for we often need to be saved –sometimes from the world, sometimes from ourselves.”

Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, Ph.D., founder of the American Jewish Congress and the Federation of American Zionists:

“Even if Jesus had not been born unto Israel, even if he had borne no relation to the people of Israel, it becomes of importance for Israel to determine for itself what shall be its relation to the man who has touched the world nearly two thousand years as has no other single figure in history….It is no mean joy and ignoble pride in us of the House of Israel to recognize, to honor and to cherish among our brothers — Jesus the Jew.”

Had it not been for Jesus, the Jews would be little known…

Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister of England:

“The pupil of Moses may ask himself whether all the princes of the House of David have done so much for the Jews as that Prince who was crucified…. Had it not been for him, the Jews would have been comparatively unknown or known only as a high Oriental Caste which had lost its country. Has not he made their history the most famous history in the world?”

Rabbi Kaufmann Kohler, President of Hebrew Union College:

“No ethical system or religious catechism, however broad and pure, could equal the efficiency of this great personality, standing, unlike any other, midway between heaven and earth, equally near to God and to man….

“Jesus, the helper of the poor, the friend of the sinner, the brother of every fellow-sufferer, the comforter of every sorrow-laden, the healer of the sick, the up-lifter of the fallen, the lover of man, the redeemer of woman, won the heart of mankind by storm. Jesus, the meekest of men, the most despised of the despised race of the Jews, mounted the world’s throne to be the earth’s Great King.”

Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof, reform rabbi, scholar and author:

“Scores of men have believed themselves to be the Messiah and have convinced many of their contemporaries, but those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah have built a great church upon
the rock of their belief. He is still the living comrade of countless lives. No Moslem ever sings, ‘Mohammed, lover of my soul’, nor does any Jew say of Moses, the Teacher, ‘I need thee every hour.’”

Ellis Rivkin, professor of Jewish history at Hebrew Union College:

“Of these Messianic claimants, only one, Jesus of Nazareth, so impressed his disciples that he became their Messiah. And he did so after the very crucifixion which should have refuted his claims decisively. But it was not Jesus’ life which proved beyond question that he was the Messiah, the Christ. It was his resurrection.”

Pinchas E. Lapide, senior lecturer at Bar-Ilan University:

“I have the suspicion that Jesus was more loyal to the Torah than I am as an Orthodox Jew.”

David Flusser, professor of religious history at Hebrew University in Jerusalem:

“I do not think that many Jews would object if the Messiah — when he came — was the Jew Jesus.”

Dr. Chaim Zhitlowsky, Jewish scholar and author:

“Every Jew should be proud of the fact that Jesus is our brother, flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood. We desire to put him back where he belongs.”

Is it only the Jew who is unable to see and hear? …

Constantine Brunner, Jewish philosopher:

“What is this? Is it only the Jew who is unable to see and hear? Are the Jews stricken with blindness and deafness as regards Christ, so that to them only he has nothing to say? Is he to be of no importance to us Jews? Understand then what we shall do. We shall bring him back to us.

“Christ is not dead for us — for us he has not yet lived; and he will not slay us, he will make us live again. His profound and holy words, and all that is true and heart-appealing in the
New Testament, must from now on be heard in our synagogues and taught to our children, in order that the wrong we had committed may be made good, the curse turned into a blessing, and that he at last may find us who has always been seeking after us.”

Israel Zangwill, Jewish author:

“We shall never get the future straight until we disentangle the past. To disentangle the past means to re-examine the trial of Jesus — myths woven purposely by our leaders around the greatest and most notable personality in history, only that we may not see and recognize the real Jesus.

“To us, my brethren, in this our day, is given the privilege to reclaim the Christ we have lost for so many centuries. Has not the crucified Christ more than fulfilled the highest and noblest of our greatest prophets? Is not he the incarnation of the essence of what the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets taught?”

When Jews become Christians…

Max Brod, Jewish author:

“I am constantly amazed at the naiveté of our teachers and leaders who are surprised when I tell them that the best of our youth, our intellectuals, become Christians out of conviction…. Our ‘leaders’ do not believe it. To them, a Jew never becomes a Christian unless he wants to better his position.

“That Christianity has drawn to itself such noble souls as Pascal, Novalis, Kirkegaard, Amiel, Dostoyevsky, Claudel, etc., etc., and that it exercises a most overwhelming influence on the most earnest truth-seekers among us, of that our teachers know nothing.”

Gustav Lazlo, Jewish author:

“The movement for the recognition of Christ by the Jews is not a fantasy arising from (my) brain. In the hearts and minds of many men, ordinary men like myself, traders, men of affairs, the fact that Christ is the only leader who can take us anywhere worth going to is coming to new recognition.”

Ernest R. Trattner, Jewish author:

“No Jewish prophet before Jesus ever searched out the miserable, the sick, the weak, and the down-trodden in order to pour forth love and compassionate service. He went out of his way to redeem the lowly by a touch of human sympathy that is altogether unique in Jewish history.”

Sholem Asch, Jewish novelist:

“Jesus Christ, to me, is the outstanding personality of all time, of all history, both as Son of God and as Son of Man. Everything he ever said or did has value for us today, and that is something you can say of no other man, alive or dead….

“Every act and word of Jesus has value for all of us, wherever we are. He became the Light of the World. Why shouldn’t I, a Jew, be proud of that? No other religious leader, either, has ever become so personal a part of people as the Nazarene. When you understand Jesus, you understand that he came to save you, to come into your personality. It isn’t just a case of a misty, uncertain relationship between a worshiper and an unseen God. That is abstract; Jesus is personal.”

Jesus of Nazareth, the Jew of Jews…

Isidore Singer, Ph.D., managing editor of The Jewish Encyclopedia:

“I regard Jesus of Nazareth as a Jew of Jews, one whom all Jewish people are learning to love. His teachings have been an immense service to the world in bringing Israel’s God to the knowledge of hundreds of millions of mankind…. We are all glad to claim Jesus as one of our people.”

Harris Weinstock, labor leader:

“Without Jesus and without Paul, the God of Israel would still have been the God of a handful, the God of a petty, obscure and insignificant tribe. Let the Jew, despite the centuries of persecution and suffering,

“…be thankful that there was a Jesus and a Paul. Let him more fully appreciate that through the wonderful influence of these heroic characters the mission of the Jew is being fulfilled, and his teachings are being spread to the remotest nooks and corners of the world by Christianity.”

An interview with Albert Einstein…

Saturday Evening Post, in 1929:

“To what extent are you influenced by Christianity?”

“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.”

“Have you read Emil Ludwig’s book on Jesus?”

“Emil Ludwig’s Jesus is shallow. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrasemongers, however artful. No man can dispose of Christianity with a bon mot.”

“You accept the historical Jesus?”

“Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

……. End of quotes ……

There it is. I’ve only scratched the surface. According to one Jewish writer, more Jews have turned to Jesus in the last nineteen years than in the last nineteen hundred hears. Something to think about.

And it has just begun. Paul said that at the proper point in God’s plan of redemption all of Israel will turn to Jesus. Isn’t it interesting that the Bible is the only book on earth that tells history before it happens!

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

Well, its time to check everything out with our new server. It appears that things are up for go. So let’s begin with a devotion.

A word from the man after God’s heart…

David said, “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.”  (Psalm 28:35 nasb)

As a prophet, David weaves the story of Jesus throughout His Psalms. For instance everything David says in this verse has a Messiah inference. In this one Scripture there are three worthful insights into the safety of the cross for all who belong the Lord. They are:

1. The shield of His salvation.

For all who turn to Jesus, God takes their lives and hides them in Christ Himself. Jesus therefore is the shield of our salvation.

Paul says, “Set your mind on the things agove, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” - Col 3:3,2

2. The right hand that upholds believers.

The ‘right hand’ is a special Hebraism for power. It is Jesus who upholds and secures all believers for all eternity.

When Caiaphas demanded of Jesus if He set Himself as the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus responds, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”  - Cf. Matthew 26:62-68.

This statement sets the motion for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, God’s Lamb. “Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! What further need to we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy…’”

But had He blasphemed? How blind can blind be? Every testimony from Moses, through the prophets, on to John the Baptist, and thereafter the apostolic witness, declared this Jesus to be the Lamb that was foretold from the foundation of the world.

The apostle Peter wrote, “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:20,21)

3. The gentleness of the Lord brings greatness.

Out of the cross came this gentle Jesus who becomes Savior to all who call upon Him. It is His gentleness that helps us to overcome all our struggles of life. It is His gentle love that heals us, delivers us, and cleanses us from our defilements.

It is His gentleness that can take frailed and troubled human vessels, and turn these vessels into things of worth for His kingdom. It was His gentleness and His love for humankind that brought forth this cry from the cross, “Father, forgive them. For they don’t know what they are doing!”

Is it any wonder that we remain amazed at the cross. There is one song that tells the story well enough. It is called ‘Via Dolorosa’ by Sandy Patti. Listen with your heart. Follow the scenes with your eyes. Perhaps the Lord has something to say to you.

Welcome to the world of a disciple…

I want to congratulate our eleven new graduates from the CCI School for Christian Workers. You are joining the ranks of several hundred graduates who are now investing their lives in the harvest work of the Lord. May the Lord grant you fruitful labor in your journey as a disciple. 

Always keep the cross in view, both the death side and the resurrection side. And remember that both sides belong to the life of a disciple.

Blessings,

Buddy

The switch-over to our new server has been made. Its time to check things out. Thanks Jenni for jumping in to save a submerging fella. 

Let’s begin with Zaccheus the Great. He will soon be coming home with Betty. Looking at this picture makes you wonder if Zaccheus is thinking, ‘Gosh mom, do you have to show everything in my baby picture?’

Then we have the issue of grandfathers.

Here is a picture of ‘Little Man’, the grandfather of Zaccheus, with me, the grandfather of fifteen and about to be a great grandfather of one.  Oh well, we grandaddy types have to stick together.   :)

And now for the wedding moment…

Yesterday evening was wedding time at the Martin plantation. Yours truly officiated. My daughter Shana is now Mrs. John Wrubel.

From the start there was a quiet beauty. I shared with all the family that in the Bible, a wedding was offered as worship. And regardless of what the past may hold, the Lord meets us where we are. He gives his blessing to the couple that places Him in the center of their marriage.

Because of the blending of two families, this ceremony included a very unique feature. A beautiful glass vase was set on the wedding table along with glass containers of various colors of sand. The bottom of the vial had rocks to symbolize Jesus Christ as the foundation of their future lives. 

John and Shana first poured their ‘red’ and ‘white’ sand over the rocks. (Red and white are the symbols of unity.) Each child in turn, beginning with the oldest, would pour their vessel of sand into the glass vase. Each child had a different color for their sand. It was a very touching moment. 

It was also touching when John’s daughter, Meagan, hugged Betty and me, and asked if we were now her grandparents. You could tell that it was a thing of her heart. We assured her that we were indeed her grandparents, which called for another hug.

Off into the future…

John and Shana headed north. The rest of the Martin clan and their spouses headed to ‘Tunks’, where Andre was playing with ‘South Bound.’

Had a pleasant evening. In fact Andre dedicated a song to ‘daddy,’ that he called the ‘national anthem of Louisiana.’ Course it was really pretty much the theme song for South Bound.

Ever heard Matilda from the ’50s.  Well I couldn’t find it, so we will have to let it pass. 

Sure, we really are a Jesus loving family…

Yes, the entire Martin family belongs to the Lord Jesus. So I really wanted to conclude this entry with a song by one of my favorite singers, Stephen Hill. He is singing a song that I’ve loved since childhood. It is titled ‘When God Dips His Love.’

Here tis…