The Spirit of God: 02/18/10

Thursday, February 18, 2010

LastGenReport: How to Party God's Way -Jews For Jesus (BPT)

How to Party God's Way

By David Brickner
Jews for Jesus

There is a lot of partying going on this month in some Jewish and Christian circles and most of it will not honor the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. I am referring to the celebrations of Mardi Gras and Purim which occur on February 16 and 28 respectively. These two festivals have a lot in common and many who celebrate them with reckless abandon¹ are proof that a "party life" without God at the center is no real fun at all.

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" and takes place exactly 46 days before Easter. It is supposed to be a festive meal signaling the beginning of Lent, a time when many Christians commemorate the passion and suffering of Jesus.

Purim is Hebrew for "Lots" and takes place one month prior to Passover. It is supposed to be a festive meal celebrating the deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction at the hand of Haman as recorded in the book of Esther.

Along with the festive meals, both celebrations have been used as an excuse for a great deal of frivolity, costuming, parties and, sadly, drunkenness and debauchery.

Anyone who has seen the news coverage of Mardi Gras in New Orleans or Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will know that drunkenness and public nudity are commonplace. This year sixteen members of the "Lady Godiva Riding Club" will reportedly be parading naked through the streets of New Orleans in salute of the pop music star, Lady Gaga. And that is just one of the more tame elements on display this year.

Not quite so obvious or extreme are many Purim celebrations, particularly among the Orthodox Jewish community. The Talmud (Megillah 7b)² states that one should drink on Purim until he can no longer tell the difference between cursing the villain, Haman, and cheering the hero, Mordechai. And that is exactly what will be happening later this month, even in many synagogues.

I'm not saying that God doesn't enjoy a good party, or that He is some kind of celestial killjoy. He created the world and everything in it. And when He was finished with His creation, He called everything He had made good. Even nudity was a good thing... in the beginning. What is more, God intended for human beings to enjoy His creation, to celebrate and worship His greatness and power, and even to have some fun and maybe a measure of frivolity as we do so.

In fact, the Lord instructed the people of Israel regarding a portion of their tithe to God: "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires; for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household" (Deuteronomy 14:26). That sure sounds like a party to me. Buy whatever your heart desires. Rejoice with your whole household. Have wine or strong drink. In other words, God tells us to throw the best party we can afford or imagine.

Likewise, in Proverbs 5:19 Solomon instructs a young man concerning marital love. God created the human body and He was very happy for humans to enjoy — even to be enraptured by — the bodies of our mates. But there is one important guiding factor in all of this, and that is the matter of showing godly restraint. When what God has created is misused or abused, what is good can become very ugly and unhealthy. That is how two festivals that were originally supposed to direct our attention to God become occasions for such bad behavior.

Sin entered the world and with it alienation and separation from God. Through the absence of godly restraint, sin really does take the joy out of all the good things God created. Sin is the true killjoy in a life that God intends for us to take pleasure in. Sex is to be enjoyed, but within the confines of marriage. We see biblical examples of how wine and strong drink can be enjoyed, but there is to be no drunkenness.

Proverbs 29:18 tells us that "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint," and it is the lack of this godly restraint that is painfully obvious on the streets of New Orleans and in many Purim celebrations.

People who choose to ignore the Word of God may try to enjoy the gifts of God — but they miss out on the real joy of celebrating the presence of God in their lives. Everything becomes distorted when people want to enjoy the things that God created without inviting Him to the party. True joy is found when God is at the center of the party and we celebrate His truth with the gifts He has given us.

Unfortunately, many believers overreact to the unrighteous abuses of God's gifts. They make parties that most people would never want to attend. Their restraint isn't godly; it is downright stultifying. If they are having any fun at all, they haven't notified their faces or the aesthetics of their celebrations. When believers are dour and dull they don't give anyone the impression that inviting God to a party is a good idea.

It seems to me that those of us who really know God ought to throw the best kinds of parties. When He truly is the Guest of honor at our celebrations, we will go the extra mile to welcome Him and celebrate His presence. We ought to excel in fun-loving, joy–filled celebrations and the kind of exuberance that makes God smile.

No doubt, as Ecclesiastes tells us, there are times for sadness and refraining from embracing and celebration. But there are also times for laughing and embracing and dancing (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). We who know and love the Lord ought to be the best at celebrating His goodness. The Bible tells us that the heaven that awaits us is full of festive meals and celebration — a party that God himself will throw for those who have responded to His invitation.

I believe that we who have already responded should get the party started sooner rather than later. Perhaps those who have been trying to "party hard" outside of God's presence will get a taste of His goodness as they see us celebrate Him... and maybe they will want to come along to the real party in the now and in the forever.

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40 Days: Day Twenty-six -Rick Warren

Growing through Temptation

Happy is the man who doesn't give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. James 1:12 (LB)

My temptations have been my masters in divinity. Martin Luther

Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is to do the wrong thing. Temptation simply provides the choice. While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.

To understand this, you must first identify the character qualities of Jesus. One of the most concise descriptions of his character is the fruit of the Spirit: "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."

These nine qualities are an expansion of the Great Commandment and portray a beautiful description of Jesus Christ. Jesus is perfect love, joy, peace, patience, and all the other fruit embodied in a single person. To have the fruit of the Spirit is to be like Christ.

How, then, does the Holy Spirit produce these nine fruit in your life? Does he create them instantly? Will you wake up one day and be suddenly filled with these characteristics fully developed? No. Fruit always matures and ripens slowly.

This next sentence is one of the most important spiritual truths you will ever learn: God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you're tempted to express the exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity.

For instance, God teaches us love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you. God teaches us real joy in the midst of sorrow, when we turn to him. Happiness depends on external circumstances, but joy is based on your relationship to God.

God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusion. Anyone can be peaceful watching a beautiful sunset or relaxing on vacation. We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid. Likewise, patience is developed in circumstances in which we're forced to wait and are tempted to be angry or have a short fuse.

God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice. You can't claim to be good if you've never been tempted to be bad. You can't claim to be faithful if you've never had the opportunity to be unfaithful. Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest; humility grows when we refuse to be prideful; and endurance develops every time you reject the temptation to give up. Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus!

HOW TEMPTATION WORKS

It helps to know that Satan is entirely predictable. He has used the same strategy and old tricks since Creation. All temptations follow the same the pattern. That's why Paul said, "We are very familiar with his evil schemes." From the Bible we learn that temptation follows a four-step process, which Satan used both on Adam and Eve and on Jesus.

In step one, Satan identifies a desire inside of you. It may be a sinful desire, like the desire to get revenge or to control others, or it may be a legitimate, normal desire, like the desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure. Temptation starts when Satan suggests (with a thought) that you give in to an evil desire, or that you fulfill a legitimate desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time.

Always beware of shortcuts. They are often temptations! Satan whispers, "You deserve it! You should have it now! It will be exciting ... comforting ... or make you feel better."

We think temptation lies around us, but God says it begins within us. If you didn't have the internal desire, the temptation could not attract you. Temptation always starts in your mind, not in circumstances. Jesus said, "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within." James tells us that there is "a whole army of evil desires within you."

God develops the fruit of the Spirit by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you're tempted to express the exact opposite quality!

Step two is doubt. Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has said about the sin: Is it really wrong? Did God really say not to do it? Didn't God mean this prohibition for someone else or some other time? Doesn't God want me to be happy? The Bible warns, "Watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God."

Step three is deception. Satan is incapable of telling the truth and is called "the Father of lies." Anything he tells you will be untrue or just half-true. Satan offers his lie to replace what God has already said in his Word. Satan says, "You will not die. You'll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin." But a little sin is like being a little pregnant: It will eventually show itself.

We think temptation lies around us, but God says it begins within us.

Step four is disobedience. You finally act on the thought you've been toying with in your mind. What began as an idea gets birthed into behavior. You give in to whatever got your attention. You believe Satan's lies and fall into the trap that James warns about: "We are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my dear friends!"

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION

Understanding how temptation works is in itself helpful, but there are specific steps you need to take to overcome it.

Refuse to be intimidated. Many Christians are frightened and demoralized by tempting thoughts, feeling guilty that they aren't "beyond" temptation. They feel ashamed just for being tempted. This is a misunderstanding of maturity. You will never outgrow temptation.

In one sense you can consider temptation a compliment. Satan does not have to tempt those who are already doing his evil will; they are already his. Temptation is a sign that Satan hates you, not a sign of weakness or worldliness.

It is also a normal part of being human and living in a fallen world. Don't be surprised or shocked or discouraged by it. Be realistic about the inevitability of temptation; you will never be able to avoid it completely. The Bible says, "When you're tempted, . . . " not if. Paul advises, "Remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience."

It is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted, yet he never sinned. Temptation only becomes a sin when you give in to it. Martin Luther said, "You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." You can't keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them.

For example, many people don't know the difference between physical attraction or sexual arousal, and lust. They are not the same.

God made every one of us a sexual being, and that is good. Attraction and arousal are the natural, spontaneous, God-given responses to physical beauty, while lust is a deliberate act of the will. Lust is a choice to commit in your mind what you'd like to do with your body. You can be attracted or even aroused without choosing to sin by lusting.

Many people, especially Christian men, feel guilty that their God-given hormones are working. When they automatically notice an attractive woman, they assume it is lust and feel ashamed and condemned. But attraction is not lust until you begin to dwell on it.

Actually, the closer you grow to God, the more Satan will try to tempt you. The moment you became God's child, Satan, like a mobster hit man, put out a "contract" on you. You are his enemy, and he's plotting your downfall.

Sometimes while you are praying, Satan will suggest a bizarre or evil thought just to distract you and shame you. Don't be alarmed or ashamed by this, but realize that Satan fears your prayers and will try anything to stop them. Instead of condemning yourself with "How could I think such a thought?" treat it as a distraction from Satan and immediately refocus on God.

Temptation is a sign that Satan hates you, not a sign of weakness or worldliness.

Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it. There are certain situations that make you more vulnerable to temptation than others. Some circumstances will cause you to stumble almost immediately, while others don't bother you much. These situations are unique to your weaknesses, and you need to identify them because Satan surely knows them! He knows exactly what trips you up, and he is constantly working to get you into those circumstances. Peter warns, "Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping."

Ask yourself, "When am I most tempted? What day of the week? What time of day?" Ask, "Where am I most tempted? At work? At home? At a neighbor's house? At a sports bar? In an airport or motel out of town?"

Ask, "Who is with me when I'm most tempted? Friends? Coworkers? A crowd of strangers? When I'm alone?" Also ask, "How do I usually feel when I am most tempted?" It may be when you are tired or lonely or bored or depressed or under stress. It may be when you've been hurt or angry or worried, or after a big success or spiritual high.

You should identify your typical pattern of temptation and then prepare to avoid those situations as much as possible. The Bible tells us repeatedly to anticipate and be ready to face temptation." Paul said, "Don't give the Devil a chance." Wise planning reduces temptation. Follow the advice of Proverbs: "Plan carefully what you do.... Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way."' "God's people avoid evil ways, and they protect themselves by watching where they go."

Request God's help. Heaven has a twenty-four-hour emergency hot line. God wants you to ask him for assistance in overcoming temptation. He says, "Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me."

I call this a "microwave" prayer because it is quick and to the point: Help! SOS! Mayday! When temptation strikes, you don't have time for a long conversation with God; you simply cry out. David, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and millions of others have prayed this kind of instant prayer for help in trouble.

The Bible guarantees that our cry for help will be heard because Jesus is sympathetic to our struggle. He faced the same temptations we do. He "understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin."

If God is waiting to help us defeat temptation, why don't we turn to him more often? Honestly, sometimes we don't want to be helped! We want to give in to temptation even though we know it's wrong. At that moment we think we know what's best for us more than God does.

At other times we're embarrassed to ask God for help because we keep giving in to the same temptation over and over. But God never gets irritated, bored, or impatient when we keep coming back to him. The Bible says, "Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it."

God's love is everlasting, and his patience endures forever. If you have to cry out for God's help two hundred times a day to defeat a particular temptation, he will still be eager to give mercy and grace, so come boldly. Ask him for the power to do the right thing and then expect him to provide it.

Temptations keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time you stand up to a temptation you become more like Jesus. When you stumble-which you will-it is not fatal. Instead of giving in or giving up, look up to God, expect him to help you, and remember the reward that is waiting for you: 'When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After then have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever:'

DAY TWENTY-SIX THINIGNG ABOUT MY PURPOSE

Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

Verse to Remember: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward then will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

James L 12 (NIT)

Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?

Michael James Stone

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LastCall: Do you lead with purpose, vision and integrity? (107-1) -Barry Werner

Do you lead with purpose, vision and integrity? (107-1)

A leader’s legacy is remembered several ways.

There are those on our team and in future generations that will remember our personal weaknesses, others will remember our successes, and still others will keep memories of our civil or religious achievements. As we enter the book of 1 Chronicles to view leadership principles it is important to know that whereas the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1and 2 Kings taught us principles of the personal weaknesses of Israel’s leaders, 1 Chronicles looks at the priestly perspective of David’s reign and stresses that leaders of purpose, vision and integrity leave a lasting legacy. Look through 1 Chronicles 1-9 and search for names you recognize from other Bible accounts.

The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles furnish a genealogy of Israel’s leaders. The genealogies take up almost a third of the book! The amount of space given the lineages of these Jewish leaders in this God-inspired book, the best seller in all human history and the single most important book in a Christian’s life, gives some indication of the value God puts on family, past tradition, and legacy.

There are some things we can learn from this record of Jewish leaders:

· Leadership is influence, and family leaders have tremendous influence from one generation to the next.

· Great leaders among this list set up their successor for success.

· Leaders become a building block for the next generation either positively or negatively depending on whether or not they follow God’s character criterion.

· Leadership in the family is as important as leading a nation and often has longer lasting results.

· God’s word indicates that future generations are impacted by your character.

Proverbs 14:26 in the Living Bible says, “Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.”

Michael James Stone

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Virtue* Women's Bible Study 2009-2010 Lesson 8 (John 7)- Cathe Laurie

Michael James Stone

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SINsational 'i' zed: Counter-Terror Adviser (BPT)

As a “former” correspondent for a ministry in Israel; when I was in Israel, I know how powerful the “word from Israel” was. No matter what you said, the “mailing list” was a “sacred cow” whereby you could fleece the flock for funds. Never stated quite that way, it is and always has been the cash cow for Writers in Israel to go beyond “making a living” but prosper.

In the Prophetic Perspective: Jesus said Freely, so all others like this post, You get what You pay for, but Prophetically is has nothing to do with End Times except how to manipulate Christians. –The Prophetic Perspective

Counter-Terror Adviser: Give Hezbollah More Power

By Aaron Klein
WorldNetDaily

The U.S. should encourage greater assimilation of the Hezbollah terrorist organization into the Lebanese government, argued President Obama's counter-terrorism advisor, John Brennan.

Outside of al-Qaida, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has the distinction of having killed the most Americans in terror attacks. It is also responsible for scores of terrorist actions targeting Israelis, including rocket launchings against civilian population centers. Hezbollah's attacks against the Israeli north in 2006 killed 43 Israeli civilians and wounded more than 4,000.

In a July 2008 article in The Annals, a publication of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, Brennan argued it "would not be foolhardy, however, for the United States to tolerate, and even to encourage, greater assimilation of Hezbollah into Lebanon's political system, a process that is subject to Iranian influence."

Continued Brennan: "Hezbollah is already represented in the Lebanese parliament and its members have previously served in the Lebanese cabinet, reflections of Hezbollah's interest in shaping Lebanon's political future from within government institutions. This political involvement is a far cry from Hezbollah's genesis as solely a terrorist organization dedicated to murder, kidnapping and violence."

Also, at a press conference in August at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Brennan declared, "Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early '80s and has evolved significantly over time. And now it has members of parliament, in the cabinet; there are lawyers, doctors, others who are part of the Hezbollah organization."

Maintenance of a civilian unit of doctors and lawyers by terrorist groups is not uncommon in the Middle East. Hamas has long brandished a civilian wing that provides medical care and education to the Palestinian population. According to Israeli security officials, Hezbollah and Hamas emphasize this outreach to endear their terror groups to the local population.

Brennan went on to state, "Quite frankly, I'm pleased to see that a lot of Hezbollah individuals are in fact renouncing that type of terrorism and violence and are trying to participate in the political process [in Lebanon] in a very legitimate fashion."

Brennan, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for homeland security and counterterrorism, did not cite specific examples of Hezbollah members renouncing violence. Hezbollah routinely affirms its so-called armed wing operates to target Israelis. Just yesterday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel's international airport.

Hezbollah in 1983 carried out a massive attack on the American Marines barracks inside Lebanon in which suicide bombers detonated truck bombs, killing 241 American servicemen, representing the highest single-day death toll for the Marines since the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II.

Brennan has come under fire the past few days after a video surfaced showing a question-and-answer session for Muslim law students last week at New York University.

At the session, Brennan stated that having a percentage of terrorists released by the U.S. return to terrorist attacks "isn't that bad," since the recidivism rate for inmates in the U.S. prison system is higher.

He also criticized parts of the Bush administration's response to 9/11 as a "reaction some people might say was over the top in some areas" that "in an overabundance of caution [we] implemented a number of security measures and activities that upon reflection now as we look back after the heat of the battle has died down a bit we say they were excessive, okay."

Brennan is also coming under fire for previous remarks he made about jihad.

"Nor does President Obama see this challenge as a fight against 'jihadists,'" said Brennan.

"Describing terrorists in this way – using a legitimate term, 'jihad,' meaning to purify oneself or to wage a holy struggle for a moral goal – risks giving these murderers the religious legitimacy they desperately seek but in no way deserve. Worse, it risks reinforcing the idea that the United States is somehow at war with Islam itself. And this is why President Obama has confronted this perception directly and forcefully in his speeches to Muslim audiences, declaring that America is not and never will be at war with Islam."

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“Rarely is anyone ALL RIGHT or ALL WRONG”

Michael James Stone

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LastCall: Never let past failure defeat your next step. -My Utmost for His Highest

Taking the Initiative Against Despair

Rise, let us be going —Matthew 26:46

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, "Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore." If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken.

It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, "Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing." In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.

There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus.

But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, "Get up, and do the next thing." If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.

Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.

Michael James Stone

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