Archive for » June, 2009 «

ANONYMOUS

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

 

Name one hundred important Biblical people.  I’ll bet you can’t.  I’ll bet that after you get past the New Testament writers, the patriarchs, a few of the prophets, some of the recognizable women and maybe one or two others, you’ll get stuck.  If I asked you to name two hundred, you would certainly fail.  This fact raises an interesting observation.  Over the course of God’s plan for humanity, there have been millions of believers.  Yet only a very, very small percentage are known.  Most of God’s children are anonymous.  And that’s probably the way God intended it to be.

 

As individuals, we find anonymity difficult.  Ego wants recognition.  We want to be known for something.  We may not pursue worldwide fame (although I don’t think many of us would turn it away if it were offered), but we do want our own 15 minutes worth.  In this world, we want to feel as though we are recognized for our efforts.  We want to be important. 

 

I am not sure that God’s view of recognition is anything close to ours.  The more I discover what God asks of me, the more I realize that humility means anonymous.

 

Yesterday I had an offer to write an important book.  It is a book that will definitely get publicity.  It will make a mark.  But my offer was to be the ghostwriter, the one who does the work but does not get the credit.  Only a few people would really know whose words ended up on the page.  The rest of the world wouldn’t recognize me.  As I thought about this offer, I realized that my personal struggle was not about doing the work.  It was about the recognition for doing the work.  And then I realized that my ego was getting in the way of God’s arrangement.  If God asks me to be the unrecognized ghostwriter so that this book will affect the lives of millions, isn’t that recognition enough?  My wife reminds me often that I write for an audience of One.  And if He is happy, that is all the recognition I need.

 

It’s a difficult transition to make, isn’t it?  We are so anxious to be acknowledged by others.  We complain often when we are overlooked at work, when someone else gets the kudos for something we did.  My wife has pointed out more than once that being a mother at home is the most unrecognized job in the world.  She may be right.  Acknowledgement is psychologically necessary.  But far too often, we get more love from a dog than we do from other people (that line is from Oswald Chambers).  Can you imagine what changes would occur in your mental character if you really played only for the audience of One?  Let me give you a hint – you might look quite a bit more like Jesus.  He seems to have incorporated this attribute of humility into every aspect of his life.

 

A week ago I accidentally (?) observed a spiritual mega-rally on television.  The stadium was packed.  The cameras were rolling.  The band was blasting.  The singers were gyrating.  And the preacher was playing – to an audience of thousands.  It was anything but anonymous.  And anything but humble.  It was the “Glory Show” on primetime.  I wonder if Jesus decided to stay home. 


If the greatest among you shall be a servant of all, then being anonymous must become the hallmark of a servant.  Sometimes God scoops up His anonymous children and pushes them into the spotlight.  They usually end up there complaining to the Lord that they are ill equipped.  They usually have this deep sense of not being the right person for the job.  Others are more qualified.  Others have the necessary gifts.  But God likes to pick on the weak and the feeble.  Those characteristics allow Him to demonstrate His power instead of our prestige. 

 

Today is a great day to discover just how anonymous you are.  Are you willing to be God’s ghostwriter?  Are you ready to have your life completely overlooked by this world in order to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?  If you look closely at the lives of those who are on your one hundred names list, you will probably find that they didn’t get there because of their own efforts at recognition.  Jesus had a lot to say about this too.

 

Millions of followers have faded into history without any worldly recognition.  But God knew every single name.  Are you ready to be counted with them?  I would rather have God know my name and be His anonymous servant than have everyone on earth give me a round of applause.

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Bob Gorelik comments on Acts 15

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

Recent discussion about the issue of salvation and the place of Torah in the first century church prompted me to ask Bob if he would comment.  As a Jewish rabbi and believer in the Messiah, I thought the rest of us would like to hear what he has to say about this difficult passage in Acts.

 

The Jerusalem Council

The context of the “Council’s” deliberations is established in Acts 15:1-2

1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.”

Acts 15 preserves an account of the most difficult and argued-over issue among Believers in the 1st-century!  And, here we see the impact it had on the entire Messianic community.  So much so that it brought well-intentioned, loving people into a “sharp dispute and debate” with each other over the question – “How do Gentiles get ‘saved.’” Unfortunately, in the 1st-century the “status” of Gentiles, vis-à-vis their relationship with God was not so easy to come to terms with:

1) By the 1st-century, there was a long-standing  “feud” between Jews and Gentiles – the “cultural” barriers between them were enormous.

2) The Gentiles represented a “mixed-bag” for most Jews in the 1st-century.  There were those who believed Israel had a moral obligation to reach out to them, i.e., to be a “light” to them – and others who were afraid of what would happen if Israel’s “ranks” were “swollen” by too many.

3) There was never a question among Jews whether or not Gentiles could be “saved” – but how they get “saved.”  And, the other thing that is important is understanding the profound difference between what Christians think of when the word “saved” is used and what Jews think of.  For Jews, being “saved” means being connected to the Covenant that God made with the Jewish people.

In the 1st-century, most Jews (including Peter) believed that Gentiles must convert to Judaism in order to be “saved.”  The “men (who) came down from Judea to Antioch” in v. 1 of Acts 15 were typical – not atypical of the larger Jewish community. The discussion between James, Paul, Peter (and the others) clearly establishes several principles regarding the Gentiles and salvation.  But, they really boil down to a single one, i.e., that Gentiles are no more “unclean” by virtue of their being Gentiles than Jews are “clean” by virtue of their being Jews (a lesson that Peter learns is Acts 10).  Therefore, Jews and Gentiles are both “saved” in the same way – “through the grace of our Lord Yeshua” (v. 11).

As it turns out (contrary to what Martin Luther taught about this issue), the Torah and circumcision have nothing to do with salvation - for Jews and/or for Gentiles. Both are “saved” by grace! That this has always been the case is emphasized by what Peter says (above), i.e., that Jews and Gentiles come to God in the same way – by faith. Now, this does not change the fact that God made a Covenant with the Israel, i.e., with the Jewish people – but it does mean that Gentiles who have a heart for God and want to connect themselves to God’s people can do so. This is why James says what he says. The four “things” that he mentions all have to do with idolatry (they all happen to be in the Torah too). In other words, he is saying that in order for Gentiles “to be saved” they must turn away from idols and worship the One True God. Then he goes on to say something very important;

“For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath” (Acts 15:21).

In my opinion, this reflects the view of the early leaders that while the Torah is not something to impose on the Gentiles for salvation,  it is something that they will learn in the synagogues that they attend. The fact is, almost all of the Gentiles that both Peter and Paul reach-out to in the Book of Acts were in synagogues worshipping God as “God-fearers” (with very few exceptions). The references are many, e.g., Acts 13:26, 44; 14:1; et al.

What is perhaps even more important, at least for the purpose of this discussion, is what did the believing Jews and Gentiles do when they withdrew (or were asked to leave) whatever synagogue they were attending when they came to faith in Yeshua? It is not reasonable to assume that they started churches when they left. The church paradigm was unknown, i.e., the “church” did not exist in spite of the way that the Greek word ekklesia is usually translated. In Greek literature, an ekklesia is a secular assembly, not a religious assembly. Luke uses the word ekklesia the way that it is used in the Septuagint - as a translation of the Hebrew k’hilah - a synagogue (”of the Jews”). By the way, this is also why the word synagogue (when it is used in the Book of Acts) is qualified as being an assembly “of the Jews,” since the Greek word synagogeen can refer to any type of religious assembly.

When the early Jewish and Gentile believers left whatever synagogue they attended (for whatever reason) - they formed new ones. I know that this view flies in the face of most (if not all) Christians, but given what else is said in the Book of Acts (and the rest of the New Covenant for that matter), it is the most reasonable conclusion to draw. These early “assemblies” were organized like synagogues – in fact, the “leader” of the group was  known as the “president” – not “pastor” – until 165 C.E.   A “president” is the leader of a synagogue – not a church, in the 1st-century.

Call it an “inference” if you want to – but if believing Jews and Gentiles did not worship together in “messianic” synagogues, then why does James even mention the teaching of the Torah? As I mentioned earlier, the Torah was not given to “save” – but it was given to equip for ministry. Isn’t that what Paul tells Timothy? 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Tim 3:16). The only “Scripture” that existed at the time was the Torah – a term used in the 1st-century to refer not just to the Five Books of Moses – but to the entire Bible.

Anyway, hope this helps – and that you are not more confused than before. It is a complicated issue – unfortunately, made much worse since the 2nd-century.

Be well. Shalom uv’rachot (Peace and Blessings).

Bob

 

P.S. The italic, underlined, bolded and colored texts are used for emphasis – I am not ”shouting” either.

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Put To Use

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself;  Romans 14:14

Unclean – Chapter 14 of the letter to the Romans is often used to defend the idea that Torah instructions no longer apply to Christians.  In particular, some verses in this chapter are used to set aside the dietary laws of the Torah.  Translations incorporate this position in the language.  That’s why it is so important to be able to understand the original language and not rely solely on the translator.  Let’s look at this verse in Greek, consider its Hebrew background, and see if Paul is really saying that nothing is unclean.

The Greek phrase is ouden koinon di eautou.  Literally, this says “not even (strong negative) is (implied verb) common or ordinary or profane in itself.”  Do you see something in the Greek here that you recognize?  It’s the word koinos which we usually find in church circles as koine.  The New Testament is written in koine Greek.  What does that mean?  It means it was written in common Greek, not the Greek of the academies or the courts, but the Greek spoken in the streets.  Try substituting this translation in the verse above.  What do you get?  “Nothing is common in itself.”  This translation emphasizes a Hebrew principle.  God is the sovereign Lord of all creation.  Everything has sacred potential.  There is nothing that does not in some way bear the stamp or mark of the Creator.  If oxen and lands, spoons and people can be dedicated to the Lord, then the implication is that anything can become set apart for Him. 

Now let’s put Paul’s remark back into its Jewish/Hebrew context.  David Stern says, “His remark has to do not with human behavior but with tum’ah (“ritual uncleanliness”).”  Leon Morris adds, “Paul is denying that there is such a thing as ceremonial uncleanness; that is impossible if we take seriously what God has done in Christ. . . All of life is God’s, and there is no ceremonial area from which he is excluded.”

What does this mean?  Paul is not talking about food that you eat.  He is talking about the rabbinic teaching that some things are essentially profane, that some things are outside the parameters of God’s rule and reign.  Paul says that nothing is excluded from sacredness to God and that nothing is excluded from worshipping God.  But that is not the same as saying that we can do whatever we want under God’s reign.  While all things are under God and all of creation is intended to worship Him, there is still a proper order to the purposes of everything.  It is God’s order.  He tells us how we are to express our worship to Him with all the things that He has created.  In other words, we are expected to treat the creation in the same way that God treats the creation.  Nothing is exempt – and nothing is excluded.

What, then, is the governing principle for my actions?  Consideration of others.  If my treatment of part of God’s creation, designed to display His majesty in proper use and order, causes someone else to stumble, then I undo the grace and consideration shown to me by Yeshua Adonai.  What should I do?  I should consider how my actions affect God’s grace among others.  That is my duty toward my fellow travelers.  If it costs me (not necessarily in money), why should I complain?  I was purchased at a great price.  Am I not willing to pay the price for another?

Does this mean that I don’t keep Torah?  Of course not.  But it does mean that I don’t press Torah on those who do not see its freedom and grace, nor do I flaunt my freedom in Torah before others.  I live unto the Lord, obeying His instructions, but always with an eye toward my fellows who must see the heart of the Father in my actions.

Topical Index:  unclean, tum’ah, ritual, koinos, common, Romans 14:14

David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary (Jewish New testament Publications, Inc., 1992), p. 435.

Leon Morris, The Epistle To The Romans (Eerdmans, 1988), p. 486.

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Crisis in Honduras

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

As you know, Bessy has been faithfully translating Today’s Word into Spanish for many years now.  I heard from her two days ago.  There is the possibility of a civil coup in Honduras.  There is a lot of political tension and some heavy influence from Hugo Chavez.  Things are very scary.  Bessy’s children are in the USA but she is not.  Please pray for her safety and the safety of her mother and father and the rest of the family.

Skip

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Venice

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

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The St. Paul Diet

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts  Romans 13:14 

Provision – It’s that last ten pounds.  We start diets to lose weight.  The first few pounds come off.   Then we get invited to a dinner party or we go to the movies or we meet for lunch with our friends.  Suddenly we are faced with a big problem.  The menu doesn’t allow for the diet.  All that good stuff we used to eat is right there in front of us.  Now what?

Paul knew nothing about the South Beach Diet, but he knew a lot about his diet plan.  His diet is not about weight loss and it doesn’t start with calorie counting.  It begins in the mind.  Paul’s spiritual diet is about lustful anticipations.  Paul tells us to make absolutely certain that we make no allowances for the “just in case” behaviors that destroyed our lives in the first place.

The alcoholic who keeps just one bottle in the bottom drawer just in case problems overwhelm him.  The drug addict who keeps that distributor’s number just in case he has a really bad night.  The man who keeps a photo of a past mistress.  The woman who holds on to a past romance from long ago.  The businessman who squirrels away some hidden, unreported income.  The church member who has a secret chat room ID he swears he will never use again.  You can add your own “provisions” to the list.  The best ones are secrets kept in plain sight.  As Stevie Ray would say, “Things that I used to do.”

Paul says, “No!  Don’t even allow the slightest possibility.”  Actually, the Greek word is pronoian, a word derived from “before” and “to think”.  In other words, don’t think about it beforehand.  Don’t plan for the possibility of lusts (literally, sarkos – the flesh).  Just thinking about it brings back emotions that can trip you up.  Turning those things over in your mind, anticipating that they will one day once again be possible, is a very dangerous behavior.  Why?  Is it because God doesn’t want you to remember some past pleasure with nostalgic fondness?  Is it because God is a cruel taskmaster who just wants your total obedience to His next order?  Of course not.  Paul gives these instructions because he knows that God’s perfect purposes worked out in your life are the very best circumstances for you.  God is conforming you to the image of His Son.  That process leads away from past sinful actions and future, anticipated sins.  It is a singular focus on the will of the Father in your life.  Here Paul would say, “Forgetting what lies behind, I press on.”  If Paul were writing a weight loss book, he would tell you to stay away from the restaurants, dinner parties and theaters.  He would cross off every McDonald’s and prohibit all snacks.  But since he is writing about our spiritual well-being, you will have to fill in the “don’t go there” list.

I am sure you agree.  God wants your best and engineers your life to bring about what is best for you in the fulfillment of His purposes.  But that requires concentration on Him and denial of self.  Anticipating “just in case” behaviors is a sign of unbelief and distrust.  It just doesn’t fit.  So, don’t allow it.

Every diet plan is unique to the individual because every one of us has a unique set of propensities and past experiences.  But in total they are all common to the human frame.  So, lean on each other.  Share your burdens.  Lift up each other.  Build safety nets in your community.  We are all in this together and when it comes to spiritual health, we all need plenty of help.

Topical Index:  provision, backup plans, pronoian, think, Romans 13:14

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La Dieta de San Pablo

Monday, June 29th, 2009 | Author: Bessy Bendaña

29 de junio Antes bien, vístanse del Señor Jesucristo, y no piensen en proveer para las lujurias de la carne. Romanos 13:14


Proveer – Son las últimas diez libras. Iniciamos dietas para perder peso. Las primeras libras caen. Entonces nos invitan a una cena o salimos al cine o nos reunimos con amigos. Súbitamente nos confrontamos con un problema. EL menú no permite dietas. Todas esas ricuras que solíamos comer están ante nosotros. ¿Y ahora qué?

Pablo no supo nada de la dieta de carbohidratos, pero si conocía muy bien su plan alimenticio. Su dieta no tenía la pérdida de peso como meta y no comienza contando calorías. Comienza en la mente. La dieta espiritual de Pablo se basa en anticipaciones lujuriosas. Pablo nos dice que nos aseguremos contundentemente que no permitamos en lo más mínimo conductas de “por si acaso” que destruyeron una vez nuestras vidas.

El alcohólico que guarda solo una botella en la última gaveta solo por si los problemas lo agobian. El drogadicto que guarda el número telefónico de su proveedor solo por si tienen una noche muy mala. El hombre que guarda la foto de su antigua amante. La mujer que se aferra a un romance que pasó hace mucho tiempo. El hombre de negocios que esconde algún ingreso si reportar. El miembro de la iglesia que tiene una identidad secreta de chat que jura que nunca usará de nuevo. Puedes agregar tu propia “provisión”  a esta lista. Las mejores son los secretos guardados a plena vista. Como diría Stevie Ray, “Las cosas que solía hacer.”

Pablo dice “¡NO! Ni siquiera permitas la posibilidad más mínima.”  De hecho, la palabra griega es pronoian, una palabra derivada de “antes” y “pensar.” En otras palabras, no lo pienses anticipadamente. No planifiques para la posibilidad de lujuria (literalmente, sarkos – la carne)- Solo pensarlo provoca emociones que pueden hacerte tropezar. Darle vueltas en tu mente a esas cosas, anticipando que serán posibles una vez más, es un comportamiento muy peligroso. ¿Por qué? ¿Porque Dios no quiere que recuerdes placeres pasados con ternura nostálgica? ¿Es porque es un amo cruel que solo desea obediencia total a Su próxima orden? Claro que no. Pablo nos da esas instrucciones porque sabe que los propósitos perfectos de Dios trabajaron en tu vida como las mejores circunstancias posibles para ti. Dios te conforma a la imagen de Su Hijo. Ese proceso te aleja de acciones pecaminosas pasadas y de pecados anticipados futuros. Es un enfoque singular en la voluntad del Padre en tu vida. Aquí Pablo diría, “olvidando lo que queda atrás, avanza.” Si Pablo escribiese un libro sobre pérdida de peso, te diría que te alejes de los restaurantes, fiestas y teatros. Borraría todos los McDonald´s y prohibiría todas las meriendas. Pero como escribe sobre nuestro bienestar espiritual, tendrás que llenar tu propia lista de “no vayas allí.”

Estoy seguro que estás de acuerdo. Dios desea lo mejor para ti y lo orquesta todo para provocar lo que más te conviene en el cumplimiento de Sus propósitos. Pero eso requiere concentración en El y negación del yo. Anticipar comportamientos “por si acaso” es señal de incredulidad y desconfianza. Sencillamente no cabe. Así que no lo permitas.

Cada plan dietético es único al individuo porque cada uno de nosotros tiene una serie de inclinaciones y experiencias pasadas única. Pero en total todas son comunes a la experiencia humana. Así que apóyate en los demás. Comparte cargas.  Levántense mutuamente. Construye redes de seguridad en la comunidad. Estamos todos juntos en esto y en lo que tiene que ver con salud espiritual, todos necesitamos mucha ayuda.

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Un Caso de Confusión de Identidad

Sunday, June 28th, 2009 | Author: Bessy Bendaña

28 de junio relatando detalladamente la conversión de los Gentiles Hechos 15:3

Un Caso de Confusión de Identidad

Conversión – La palabra “conversión” aparece solo una vez en el Nuevo Testamento. Es epistrophe. Se origina en la palabra griega que significa literalmente “volverse hacia o regresar.”Cualquier persona que conoce hebreo reconoce inmediatamente la conexión con el verbo shuv – regresar, retornar. Aunque la forma verbal griega aparece con frecuencia, existe algo en la idea de la conversión que no es tan evidente a nuestros ojos. ¡Nunca se aplica a los judíos! Así es. La conversión y convertirse solo se aplica a los gentiles afuera del pacto con Abraham. Si eras judión, no te convertías. ¿Cómo podrías hacerlo? Ya creías en el Dios Único y Verdadero, YHWH. Lo que necesitaba el judío era aceptar que Yeshua es el Mesías prometido, no que debía convertirse al cristianismo.

Pablo no se convirtió al cristianismo. El cristianismo no existía durante la vida de Pablo. Ninguno de los discípulos se “convirtió” al cristianismo. Es improbable que hayan utilizado el término. La palabra “converso” nunca se usa en el Nuevo Testamento de un judío que llega al convencimiento que Yeshua es el Mesías. Los judíos no se convierten. Regresan al Dios que ya conocen.

La palabra griega si aplica a la mayoría de nosotros que porque si somos gentiles. Tuvimos que dejar nuestras religiones falsas e idolatras y “convertirnos” al Camino. Pero la mayoría de los hombres y mujeres del Nuevo Testamento no eran conversos. Era judíos creyentes que aceptaron a Yeshua HaMashiach. Hubieron miles de ellos, pero siempre fueron considerados como secta dentro del judaísmo hasta que la influencia griega de los padres de la iglesia y la persecución de los romanos forjó un sismo entre los “cristianos” y los judíos mesiánicos.

Hoy dia es popular hablar de la experiencia de la conversión. Eso es apropiado para quienes una vez fueron paganos, pero no creas que es una descripción común del Nuevo Testamento. El Nuevo Testamento habla de judíos y lo que significa desde la perspectiva judía, hebrea y fundamentada en la Tora. El gran tema en el Nuevo Testamento para quienes creen que Yeshua es el Mesías era sobre la inclusión de los gentiles dentro de la congregación de Israel, no sobre que Israel dejaría el judaísmo para unirse a un cristianismo gentil. Cuando lees el Nuevo Testamento, mantén esto en mente y verás como todo comienza a tener sentido.

¿Qué nos ha sucedido? Ahora creemos que debemos “convertir” a los judíos al cristianismo. No comprendemos ni apreciamos que Israel es aun el pueblo de Dios indistintamente del linaje de sangre. ¿Supones que ha llegado el momento de hacer un esfuerzo para reunirnos al grupo que nos amo primero tanto que ha muerto por nosotros? En vez de orar que los judíos encuentren a Jesús, quizás deberíamos orar que nosotros encontremos nuestra heredad judía. Eso ciertamente haría la conversión mucho más sencilla, ¿no crees?

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A Case Of Mistaken Identity

Sunday, June 28th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen

telling about the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy to all the brothers.  Acts 15:3

Conversion – The word “conversion” is used only once in the New Testament.  It is epistrophe.  It comes from two Greek words that literally mean “to turn toward or return.”  Anyone familiar with Hebrew immediately recognizes the connection with the verb shuv – to return, to turn back.  While the verbal form in Greek occurs frequently, there is something about the idea of conversion that is not quite so obvious to us.  It is never applied to Jews!  That’s right.  Conversion and converting is only applied to Gentiles, those who are outside the covenant with Abraham.  If you were Jewish, you did not convert.  How could you?  You already believed in the One True God, YHWH.  What a Jew needed was to accept that Yeshua is the promised Messiah, not that he had to convert to Christianity.

 

Paul did not convert to Christianity.  Christianity did not exist when Paul was preaching.  None of the disciples “converted” to Christianity.  It’s unlikely that they ever used the term.  The word “convert” in the NT is never used of a Jew who comes to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah.  It is always used of a pagan who converts from false religion to the truth.  Jews did not convert.  They returned to the God they already knew. 

This Greek word does apply to most of us because we are Gentiles.  We had to give up our false and idolatrous religions and “convert” to the Way.  We left behind our pagan roots and were grafted into the commonwealth of Israel.  But most of the men and woman of the New Testament were not converts.  They were Jewish believers who accepted Yeshua HaMashiach.  There were thousands of them, but they were always considered a sect of Judaism until the Greek influence of the church fathers and the persecution of the Romans drove a wedge between “Christians” and Messianic Jews.

Today it’s very popular to talk about a conversion experience.  That’s appropriate for all former pagans, but don’t think it is the common description of the New Testament.  The New Testament is about Jews and that means its perspective is Jewish, Hebrew and founded on Torah.  The big issue in the New Testament for those who believed that Yeshua is the Messiah was about the inclusion of Gentiles in the congregation of Israel, not about Israel leaving Judaism behind and joining a Gentile Christianity.  When you read the New Testament, keep that in mind and see if it doesn’t start to make more sense.

What’s happened to us?  Now we think we need to “convert” Jews for Jesus.  We don’t understand or appreciate that Israel is still God’s people no matter what the bloodline.  Do you suppose it’s time to make some effort toward rejoining the group that first loved us enough to die for us?  Instead of praying that the Jews will find Jesus, maybe we ought to be praying that we will find our Jewish heritage.  That would certainly make the conservation easier, wouldn’t it?

Topical Index:  convert, Israel, commonwealth, epistrophe, Acts 15:3

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Opposition to Boycott of Israel

Saturday, June 27th, 2009 | Author: Skip Moen
This news release may be of interest to our group, so I am passing it on to you.   Skip
CBM Divestment Boycott began June 20 in US
 
On this past June 20th (UN World Refugee Day), a grassroots boycott of Israeli-made products, a tactic that has been occurring in Europe since the recent war in Gaza, began here in America.  The group spearheading this effort nationwide is the BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN, a coalition of anti-Israel groups that is based in Pittsburgh, PA.  Together with other groups, churches and universities, their aim is to portray Israel as an Apartheid State in the vein of South Africa – a baseless charge that reflects ignorance of history and, most often, anti-Semitic sentiments. To understand their aims in their own words, the following is a quote from their website:  “We invite you to organize in your community and deshelve, sticker, boycott, and protest the presence of Israeli products!  We aim to change those US policies that sustain Israel…”  

Emails requesting help have already begun circulating.  Rabbi Isaac Jeret of Congregation Ner Tamid of South Bay Los Angeles started an email circulation, asking everyone to help his community, because the divestment campaigners were targeting and picketing a local grocer, Traders Joe, for their long-standing commitment and support of the Jewish community.  

Please watch this youtube video to see this group in action at a European supermarket:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfK7Yal64S0  (It’s in French, but that doesn’t hinder your understanding of what they are doing.)

Here in the US, according to their website:

The United Methodist General Conference will take a vote later this month on whether to adopt the “divestment” policy to boycott all Israeli-made products and companies that supply such products.  On July 2, 2008, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted 431-62 “to begin gathering data to support a selective divestment of holdings in multinational corporations doing business in Israel/Palestine.”  In Feb, 2009,Hampshire College in Massachusetts approved the vote to divest from five US corporations involved in the “Israeli military occupation,” as put forth by the student groupStudents for Justice in Palestine.  There is also a campaign underway asking the City of Seattle to divest from corporations that sell military equipment to the Israeli army for use in the “occupied territories.”

HOW CAN YOU HELP ISRAEL

 
1.  Prayer – Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have in our arsenal against the enemy! “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.” Psalm 122:6 Please pray for misinformed church and university governing bodies, who are ignorant of history and buying into the modern day propaganda.  George Santayana (1863–1952), a US philosopher and poet, once said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  This now famous quote holds alot of truth. Take a 90-second look at Middle East imperial history from 3000 BCE to 2006 CE to see who really has ”occupied” Israel since Adonai called it the promised land:  http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/imperial-history.html

2.  Stay informed of this immediate concern by reading reports from various Israel-advocacy organizations like www.StandWithUs.com and www.BridgeHouston.org.  

3.  Wherever you may shop over the coming days and weeks - for groceries and otherwise - please consider (a) going out of your way to purchase Israeli products and/or (b) thanking store managers or proprietors for carrying Israeli products.  Let them know that one of the reasons you are patronizing their store is because of their principled and courageous determination to continue selling Israeli products in the US. 

 
Thank you for supporting Israel.
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