About Simchat Torah ~ Chabad

About Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret are one day. Outside the Land of Israel, however, where all Festivals are observed for two days, they are separate. The first day is reserved for the joy of the Festival and for the prayers for rain, while the second day is reserved for the celebration of the conclusion of the cycle of reading from the Torah. (Some communities have the custom of making hakafot on Shemini Atzeret at night, to show that the two days are not actually two separate Festivals.) In Israel, where Simchat Torah is not celebrated on a separate day - since all Festivals are observed for a single day, the customs of Simchat Torah are observed together with those of Shemini Atzeret. Simchat Torah comes on the last day of the festivities. At this time the last portion of the Torah is read, and since we never finish the Torah reading, we begin the reading from the very beginning again to show the Torah is beloved to us like a "new command to which everyone runs". This is a very happy occasion. All the Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark and carried in a parade around the synagogue seven times. We rejoice, sing and dance with the Torahs, for the reestablishment of our covenant with the Torah as a groom rejoices with his bride. For the Torah is betrothed to Israel as a wife is to her husband. Children are given gifts of candy and fruit because it is stated that the "commandments of the L-rd are sweeter than honey." The joyful dancing takes place the preceding evening as well as during the morning services. To Do An Overview of the Laws and Traditions of Shemini Azeret & Simchat Torah Click here for a listing of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah's corresponding secular date for the upcoming years. Eve of Shemini Atzeret, October 9, 2009 Light Candles Girls and all women that are in the house (or if there isn't a woman in the house, the head of the household), light candles to usher in the holiday and Shabbat. See this link for information regarding when exactly the holiday candles should be lit. Blessings: 1) Blessed are You, L-rd, our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of the Shabbat and the Holiday. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Asher Ki-deshanu Be-mitzvo-tav Ve-tzvi-vanu Le-hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat v'shel Yom Tov. 2) Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-heche-ya-nu Ve-ki-yi-ma-nu Ve-higi-a-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh Pray Attend evening services at the synagogue. The custom of Chabad is to hold the Hakafot ceremony on Shemini Atzeret too (see below). Click here to find a synagogue near you. Eat Eat a festive meal in the Sukkah, without reciting the blessing Leshev Basukah. Click here for holiday recipes. Eve of Simchat Torah, October 10, 2009 Light Candles Light candles after dark from an existing flame (such as from a pilot flame), as on the holiday one may not create a fire. Recite the following blessings. 1) Blessed are You, L-rd, our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of the Holiday. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Asher Ki-deshanu Be-mitzvo-tav Ve-tzvi-vanu Le-hadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov. 2) Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-heche-ya-nu Ve-ki-yi-ma-nu Ve-higi-a-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh. Hakafot On Simchat Torah we celebrate the completion of the year round cycle of reading of the Torah. All the Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark and carried in a parade around the synagogue seven times. This is called “Hakafot”. We rejoice, sing and dance with the Torahs, for the re-establishment of our covenant with the Torah as a groom rejoices with his bride. For the Torah is betrothed to Israel as a wife is to her husband. Children are given gifts of candy and fruit because it is stated that the "commandments of the L-rd are sweeter than honey." The joyful dancing takes place the preceding evening, this year on October 10, as well as during the morning services, on October 11. The custom of Chabad is to hold the Hakafot ceremony on Shemini Atzeret as well, the evening of October 9. Click Here To Find A Torah Rejoicing Ceremony Torah Readings We conclude the reading of the Torah by reading the last portion of Deuteronomy and then immediately begin reading once again from Genesis. Every male is called to the Torah on Simchat Torah, including boys under the age of 13. Click here for the Torah portion. Laws of Yom Tov By Naftali Silberberg Note: For the purposes of this article, "Yom Tov" refers to the following biblical holidays: Rosh Hashanah, first two1 days of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, first two and last two days of Passover, and both days of Shavuot. See our Holidays section for more information on these holidays. Rejoicing The primary obligation of Yom Tov is expressed in the Torah:2 "And you shall rejoice in your festival...and you shall only be happy."3 This biblical obligation to rejoice is exclusive to Yom Tov—on Shabbat we are only required to honor the day and engage in pleasurable activities. Here are the basic Yom Tov guidelines outlined by our sages: We enjoy two meals on every day of Yom Tov—one at night and another during the daytime.4 It is a mitzvah to enjoy meat and wine5 during the course of each meal (the kiddush wine is not enough6). It is customary to have a greater variety of food on Yom Tov than on Shabbat. Similarly, the Yom Tov wardrobe is traditionally more elegant than the Shabbat one. Men are obligated to purchase for their wives a new piece of clothing or jewelry in honor of Yom Tov. Children should be given sweets or a new toy. "When he eats and drinks [on Yom Tov], he is obligated to feed the foreigner, orphan and widow, together with other indigent paupers... One who locks the doors of his courtyard, however, and eats and drinks together with his children and wife, and does not feed and give drink to the poor and embittered—this is not the joy of a mitzvah, but the joy of his stomach..."7 Permitted and Forbidden Activities The Short Version: Almost everything that is forbidden on Shabbat is forbidden on Yom Tov. Using electrical appliances, going to work, handling money, writing—are all forbidden. The major differences between the two are cooking and baking, lighting a fire from a pre-existing flame, and carrying in the public domain. All these are permitted – albeit with certain restrictions that will be outlined below – on Yom Tov. The Long Version: The laws of Yom Tov are almost the same as the laws of Shabbat—with one major exception: on Yom Tov it is permissible to do many activities necessary for food preparation. This includes activities that are prohibited on Shabbat such as kneading, baking, and cooking. In the words of the Torah: "No work shall be done on [Yom Tov], but what is eaten by any soul, that alone may be performed for you."8 Using electrical appliances is still forbidden for reasons that will be explained later on. In addition, the sages taught that "since these labors are permissible for the purpose [of preparing food], they are also permissible for [other] purposes." Thus lighting fires is (biblically) permissible, as is carrying in the public domain, even if these activities have nothing to do with food preparation—because these activities can also facilitate food preparation. Exceptions: While it is permissible to do activities even if the purpose is not food-preparation related, there still must be some constructive purpose. Thus, carrying, for example, if done for no reason, is forbidden. One wishing to take a baby for a walk in a stroller should check to make sure there is nothing unnecessary in the stroller's basket. Food preparation is permissible only if the food is intended for that day—not for afterwards, not even for the next day of Yom Tov.9 Thus one must be careful to wait until nighttime before heating up food for the evening meal of the second night of Yom Tov.10 Nevertheless, it is permissible to prepare a large quantity with the intention of eating the leftovers on the following day—provided that all the food is being prepared and cooked in one utensil. Similarly, carrying in the public domain is permitted only if it somehow conveys benefit for that day. It would be forbidden to carry a house key to the synagogue in the afternoon in order to be able to enter the house that night. The sages forbade doing any activity on Yom Tov if it could have been done before Yom Tov—with no adverse affect on the quality of the food.11 Since most foods would lose freshness if prepared before Yom Tov, it is permitted to bake and cook most food items on Yom Tov. Examples of activities that can be done before Yom Tov without any adverse effects: making cheese or butter, chopping wood for a fire, cooking fruit preserves, trapping an animal for slaughter, fishing or sifting flour. For this reason, we may only light a fire from a pre-existing flame.12 Kindling a new flame, by striking a match for example, is still forbidden13—it could be done before Yom Tov.14 Carrying in the public domain is an exception to this rule—it is permitted to carry something on Yom Tov even if it could have been done beforehand. This exception was put in place in order to increase the joy of Yom Tov, "untie the person's hands", and allow him to transport objects as he wishes. While it is permitted to prepare food on Yom Tov, it is not permitted to prepare food implements. Thus, sharpening a knife on Yom Tov is not allowed. Such activity is only allowed if it was not possible to do so before Yom Tov (whether due to the fact that one was unaware that it needed to be done beforehand, or because of a situation that arose on Yom Tov itself). The laws of Yom Tov are complex and detailed. The following covers only the more common applications of Yom Tov law. Extinguishing Fire Extinguishing a fire is forbidden.15 For this reason, it is permissible to turn the flame up but not down on the stove.16 On most electric stove-tops, raising the temperature "ignites" a current in an additional coil, which would be the equivalent of igniting a new flame, and therefore even raising the flame is prohibited. Modern-day halachic authorities debate whether it is permitted to lower the flame on the stove for the purpose of preventing the food from burning, or to allow it to cook properly. Most allow it, while others say that you should remove the food from the flame, light another burner and place the food upon it. Muktzeh Objects that may not be used on Shabbat are called "muktzeh." Such objects may not be handled or moved on Shabbat. Common examples are pens, wallets, candlesticks, and matches. The rules of muktzeh apply to Yom Tov as well, with the obvious exception of objects that serve a function that is forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on Yom Tov. Thus, transporting candlesticks, or even a lit candle, is forbidden on Shabbat but allowed on Yom Tov. Electricity Using electricity, whether turning a light or electrical appliance on or off, is forbidden.17 Hot Water Heating water is a form of cooking. Using the hot water tap is prohibited on Shabbat because it causes cold water to enter the heating tank and become "cooked." On Yom Tov, it is permissible use the hot water tap to wash dishes, hands, or any other part of the body. Bathing or showering the entire body in hot water remains forbidden. Squeezing Squeezing fruit to extract their juice is forbidden on Yom Tov just as it is on Shabbat (see Food Preparation on Shabbat).18 9 Comments Posted FOOTNOTES 1. In the Diaspora, all the rules of Yom Tov apply equally to both days of the holiday—the first day, which is biblically mandated, and the "second day of the Diaspora." See Why are holidays celebrated an extra day in the Diaspora? There are two exceptions to this rule (these exceptions apply to all second days of holidays aside for the second day of Rosh Hashanah): a) It is permitted to take any and all medicines, even for minor discomfort. b) It is permitted to hold funerals. Today, however, in most communities it is not customary to hold funerals on the second day of Yom Tov. Consult with your rabbi if you are a resident of the Diaspora who will be visiting Israel for the holiday, or vice versa. Just as on Shabbat it is forbidden to have work done by a non-Jew, it is forbidden on Yom Tov. 2. Deuteronomy 16:14-15. 3. The obligation to rejoice does not apply to Rosh Hashanah—which is considered one of the "Days of Awe," not a "festival." Nevertheless we are required to celebrate and take pleasure on Rosh Hashanah with good food and drink—expressing our confidence that G‑d will bless us with a sweet and prosperous year. 4. There is no obligation to have a seudah shelishit (noontime "third meal") on Yom Tov. 5. The requirement to drink wine applies to men only. 6. For wine to have its ultimate joy-inducing effect, it must be imbibed together with food. 7. Shulchan Aruch Harav, Orach Chaim 529:11. 8. Exodus 12:16. 9. When a Yom Tov day is immediately followed by Shabbat, one may prepare food on Yom Tov for Shabbat by making an Eruv Tavshilin. 10. In Jewish law, "the following day" begins at nightfall. 11. This prohibition is intended to free up more time for festivities and relaxation, rather than "permissible" work activities. 12. On the second evening of Yom Tov we light the holiday candles either using the flame of an already burning candle – such as a 24 yahrtzeit candle – or a flame on the stove that has been left on since before Yom Tov. 13. Interestingly, the forbidden activity involved is not "kindling"— that is being done even if lighting from a pre-existing flame; a new candle (or match) is being kindled. The prohibited activity is "molid," loosely translated as bringing something new into the world—in this case, a flame. 14. The sages also banned all work – even if it is directly food related – that is normally done in large quantities. Examples are harvesting, threshing or milling. The reasoning for this ban is the same as the one mentioned in footnote 11. 15. Even indirectly; for example, by placing a burning candle where the wind might blow it out. 16. There is a minority opinion that it is permitted to lower the flame on a gas range. 17. There are various reasons why electricity is forbidden on Shabbat. Without elaborating on the matter, suffice it to say that all these reasons apply on Yom Tov as well. 18. Squeezing is a "sub-category" of threshing—an activity that "squeezes" the kernel out of the husk. Threshing is forbidden as explained in footnote 14.

Is Barack Obama the Antichrist.? The Bible Says No.

For over a year now, I’ve heard people from various walks of life speculate that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.


Why is this?

Well, there’s a number of reasons.


Unprecedented crowds of adoring fans throwing themselves at an American politician – both in the United States and abroad.

Spectators crying and fainting after hearing him speak.  Worldwide adoration and praise, with a near universal belief among supporters that Barack Obama can bring “change” which will bring about world peace…  Oh, and talk of a civilian defense force stronger than the U.S. military doesn’t help – that only adds fuel to the fire.
Throw in a few stories like the following, and it’s easy to see why some are drawing a link between Barack Obama and the bible’s most infamous world leader…

Obama Is Like Biblical Joshua

From CNSNews:

President Barack Obama is similar to the Biblical character of Joshua and Martin Luther King Jr. was like Moses, boxing promoter Don King told CNSNews.com on Tuesday.  Celebrities, including Jay-Z, Smokey Robinson, Don King, Denzel Washington, and Oprah Winfrey, spoke with CNSNews.com in the hours before the inauguration just a few feet from the rostrum where Obama was sworn-in as the nation’s 44th president. They spoke about how Obama had changed their lives and which Biblical character they think he most resembles. [More…]

While Barack Obama’s ascendancy to the office of President of United States is historical in nature, it only makes light of his accomplishment to compare him to biblical heroes of the past.

This tendency of supporters to ascribe a quasi-religious significance to Barack Obama’s career is exactly what makes so many people uneasy.  American politicians aren’t usually treated with such reverence.

I Pledge Allegiance to Obama
From WorldNetDaily:

In a new YouTube video produced by Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, dozens of celebrities – television and movie actors, sports heroes, musicians and more – describe how they will pledge to “be the change” and “be a servant to our president.” [More…]

Again, the United States is unique among the world’s nations in that it was founded on the basic idea that government and government office holders should exist to serve the people – not the other way around.  In contrast, totalitarian governments are founded on the premise that the people exist to serve the state and its leaders.  The zealotry with which some people submit their lives to a mere man is what has so many people worried.

The article continues:

Actors Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher begin the closing scene by saying, “I pledge to be a servant to our president and all mankind.”

Need I comment?
World Greets Obama With Jubilation and Worry
From the Sydney Mourning Herald:

Millions followed the inauguration around the world and underscoring the huge show of faith, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said: “We are eager for him to get to work so that with him we can change the world.”  British Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed Obama’s inauguration as a “new chapter in both American history and the world’s history.”  Obama was a “man of great vision,” Brown said. “He’s not only the first black American president but he sets out with the determination to solve the world’s problems.” [More…]

Even fellow heads of state are quick to assign messianic significance to Barack Obama.  He’s going to “change the world” and “solve the world’s problems.”  Where does this blind faith in Obama come from?  It’s no wonder that skeptics have speculated over Obama’s ultimate legacy.

So back to our original question.  Is Barack Obama the Antichrist?

As students of the bible, we can confidently say, “No.” 

How can we be so confident?

Because the bible has a lot to say about the life of the Antichrist, and the life of Barack Obama simply doesn’t match the narrative.  In The Nationality of the Antichrist, I lay out the biblical case for the Antichrist’s ethnic and national background. Although much debate surrounds his national identity, the Book of Daniel clearly states that the Antichrist will come from among the people whose armies destroy the Temple:

“A ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple.” Daniel 9:26 (NLT)

The Romans destroyed the Temple.  Therefore, the Antichrist will arise from among the geographic and ethnic descendants of the Roman Empire.  Barack Obama doesn’t fit this profile.  Neither his ties to Kenya, Hawaii, or Illinois qualify him in this respect
.
In addition, the bible outlines other aspects of the Antichrist’s life which simply don’t fit with the idea that Barack Obama is the Antichrist, but an extensive review of these is well beyond the scope of a blog post.

  Needless to say, no one should lie awake at night worried that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.

However, watchful observers should note the danger of the atmosphere surrounding Obama’s rise to political stardom.  The frenzied crowds and zealous support portend a day when the real Antichrist will arrive on the scene.

The political ascendancy of Barack Obama and the aura which surrounds his image only serves to set the stage for that day.
Britt

The Spirit of God Commentary Three: God has something more for you~ Chuck Smith

The Person of the Holy Spirit

Because we want you to have a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit, we will next show that the Scriptures
teach that the Holy Spirit is a Person, rather than merely an essence, force, or power.

You can have raw power without personality, such as electricity, but it is difficult to have an intimate, close relationship to such impersonal power.

The word spirit in Greek is “pneuma,” which is in the neuter gender. Because of this, in early church history a brilliant theologian named Arius began to promote the idea that Jesus was less than God, having been created by God, and that the Holy Spirit is just the “essence” of God.

This became known as the Arian heresy, and it still exists and attracts a wide following.

The Nicaean Counsel stripped Arius from his position and branded his teachings as heresy.
The Holy Spirit is more than just an essence or force; He is a Person. You shouldn’t worship a force or essence. Can you imagine singing the doxology, “Praise Father, Son, and Essence”?

He is a Person, and as one of the Persons of the Godhead He is worthy to be praised. If we do not believe in
the personality of the Holy Spirit, we deny Him the praise and worship due Him. If we do not realize that the Holy Spirit is a Person, we find ourselves in the position of seeking to relate to a force or essence. We would be saying, “I need to yield my life to it,” or, “I need more of it in my life.”

Knowing , Acting , Feeling

That He is a Person is clearly shown in the Scriptures.

Characteristics are ascribed to Him that can only be ascribed to persons. A person is a being with a mind, will, and feelings. If in the Scriptures these characteristics are ascribed to the Holy Spirit, then it must be concluded that the Spirit is a Person.

In 1 Corinthians 2:10–11 we read, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

Here reference is made to the Spirit possessing knowledge. Raw force or power possesses no knowledge.
It would be absurd to replace the word essence for Spirit in the text, for you would have the “essence” searching all things!

In Romans 8:27 Paul says, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Here reference is made to the mind of the Spirit, a characteristic not associated with just an essence. In 1 Corinthians 12:11 Paul, concerning the gifts of the Spirit, says, “But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

So the Holy Spirit possesses a will, a trait associated with personality.

In Romans 15:30 Paul associates the emotion of love to the Spirit. A force or power cannot love. You do not
associate love apart from personality.

It is interesting that, although I have read or heard scores of sermons on God’s love, or the love of Jesus Christ for us, I have yet to hear a sermon on the love of the Holy Spirit. Yet this must be one of the chief characteristics of the Spirit, as this is the fruit He produces in our lives. The Holy Spirit does possess feelings
and can be grieved, because Paul in Ephesians 4:30 admonishes the church not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Think how foolish it would sound to say you have grieved the essence.

The Personal  Words

Throughout the Scriptures personal pronouns are used to refer to the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” Here the pronoun “he” is used for both the Father and the Spirit. If you believe in a personal God, you should also believe in a personal Spirit.

In that same passage Jesus went on to say that the world could not receive the Spirit because they did not see Him or know Him; Jesus said that you know Him, for He dwells with you.

Notice how many times Jesus uses the personal pronoun for the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7–14 Jesus repeatedly uses the personal pronoun to refer to the Holy Spirit.

“NeverthelessI tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” 

Inthe Greek, the personal pronouns “he” and “him” are usedfor the Spirit over and over in Scripture.

The Spirit in Action

Personal acts are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. In Acts 13:2 we read, “The Holy [Spirit] said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Again, to insert “power” or “essence” for the Spirit is incomprehensible. How can an essence or power speak?

In Romans 8:26 we are told that the Holy Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannotbe uttered. Again, try to conceive a mere force making intercession!

If the Holy Spirit were just an essence or force where He is mentioned in Scripture, you should be able to
insert the words “force” or “essence” and do no damage to the meaning of the text. But such a thing is obviously impossible, because the Holy Spirit is a Person.

The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ in John 15:26, and He teaches the believers and brings things to their remembrance in John 14:26. In Acts 16:2, 7 the Holy Spirit forbade Paul and his companions to go into Asia and would not allow them to go into Bithynia. In Genesis 6:3 we find that the Holy Spirit strives with man.

The Holy Spirit can receive treatment as a Person.

He can be offended. It is impossible to conceive of offending “the power” or “the breath.” Your breath can be offensive, but you can’t offend your breath! In Ephesians 4:30, Paul exhorts, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” The Holy Spirit can be lied to.

This is the accusation that Peter brought against Ananias: “You have lied to the Holy Spirit.” It is also
possible to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that this was such a heinous sin that there was no forgiveness for the person who did it.

He said, “You can blaspheme me and be forgiven, but not the Holy Spirit.” Here Jesus makes the distinct
separation between Himself and the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is identified with persons.

Paul said, “It seemed good to the Holy [Spirit], and to us” (Acts 15:28). Try making sense by inserting wind or power in this verse! The Holy Spirit is a Person; He is not just the essence of God.

You need to come into a personal relationship with Him so that you might begin to experience His love and His power working in your life as He guides you in your spiritual walk.

The Power of the Spirit

Have you ever felt that you should share with a person his or her need to accept Jesus Christ, yet you didn’t have the nerve to bring up the subject? Have you ever gone past a college, observed the thousands of students, realized that most of them are lost, and then wondered how they could possibly be reached for Christ? Do you ever think of the billions of people who have never received a true presentation of the gospel, and then wonder how it might be accomplished?

To Peter, who denied his Lord on a one-to-one basis with the young maid, and to the rest of the disciples (who fled when the going got tough) the commission of Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature must have seemed a totally impractical as well as an impossible command, and indeed it was.

There is no way that eleven insignificant men from Galilee could reach the world for Jesus Christ.

That is why Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the power of the Holy Spirit, for it was by this power that they were to be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the world.

Is this experience of the power of the Holy Spirit something that God intended only for the early church? Do the Scriptures indicate that the time would come when we did not need to depend on the power of the Spirit, but through our perfected knowledge of the Scriptures we could do God’s work on our own? Is the church that was begun in the Spirit now to be perfected in the flesh? What is the answer to the church’s impotence? Why has the church failed to stop the mad downward plunge of the corrupted world around us?

Paul warns us in Hebrews 4 to fear that we do not come short of receiving the promise of God to enter into His rest. Is it not also appropriate for us to fear that, if God has given us a promise of power in our personal lives and power in the corporate body of the church, we might come short of it?

The Promise of the Father

In Acts 1 we read that the disciples were with Jesus in Bethany, from where He would soon be departing from them and ascending into heaven. The clouds would receive Him out of their sight. He was giving to them their final instructions, which were of the utmost importance.

In Acts 1:4 Jesus told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “Ye have heard of me.” In Luke 24:49 Jesus said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

In both places Jesus referred to the promise of the Father, which is no doubt a reference to Joel 2:28–29, where God promised, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”

This is confirmed in the second chapter of Acts, when the crowd that had assembled as a result of
the supernatural phenomena accompanying the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was asking the question, “What does this mean?” Peter in explanation replied, “This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel,” and he quoted the prophecy of Joel. The promise of God was that the day would come when He would pour out His Spirit, not just upon special individuals, but upon all flesh.

The Promise of the Savior

Jesus had also promised the Spirit to His disciples in John 14:16–17, where He said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” When Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, He referred to Him as “another Comforter.”

The word translated comforter comes from the Greek word parakletos, which literally means “to come alongside to help.”

This is the basic ministry of the Holy Spirit to the believer.

He is there to help us. Up to this time Jesus had been alongside His disciples, helping them. They had rightly come to depend upon His help. He was the Master of every situation.

When the storm threatened to sink their little boat, Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves, and there was a great calm. When the tax collector was demanding unjust taxes, Jesus told Peter to go down and catch a fish and take the coin out of its mouth and pay the taxes. No matter what situation arose, Jesus was always alongside to help.

 Now He has told them that He is leaving them. He won’t be with them as in times past. Their hearts must have been troubled by His words, and they were afraid to face the future without Him. So He promised that He would not leave them without help, that He would ask the Father, and He would send them another Comforter or Helper to abide with them forever: the Spirit of truth. For our Christian walk, we are completely dependent upon the help of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to do any worthwhile Christian service apart from His help.

Waiting in Jerusalem

Because the words “tarry in Jerusalem” are used in Luke’s Gospel, many Pentecostals have established “tarrying meetings” as the way by which the power of the Holy Spirit is to be received in the believer’s life. It should be noted that the command was to “tarry in Jerusalem,” so to be entirely scriptural, the tarrying meetings should all be in Jerusalem!

It is obvious that Jesus was not establishing a universal
method by which the Holy Spirit would be imparted to
believers in all ages. He was only encouraging them to wait
for just a few days in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit
as a gift to the church. Once the Holy Spirit was given on
the Day of Pentecost, it was never necessary to tarry for
Him again, and we do not find in the book of Acts any tarrying
meetings, nor are they advocated in the New Testament
as the method by which the gift of the Holy Spirit is to be
received.

Dynamic  Power  for  You

In Acts 1:8 Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit had come upon them, and that through this power they would bear witness of Christ to the uttermost parts of the earth. The Greek word translated power is “dunamis.”

Our English word dynamic comes directly from this word, and that describes what the Holy Spirit is to be in us—the dynamic by which we live and serve God. Without this dynamic the Christian life is impossible and service is fruitless.

What glorious new dimensions the power of the Holy Spirit brings into the believer’s life—the power to be and to do all that God wants!

It is not God’s will that your life in Christ be dull and drab, or that your service be a chore. God intends that your walk with Him be full of joy.

He wants you to have power and victory in your life.

If your life in Christ is not dynamic and victorious, God has something more for you. The promise
of the gift of the Holy Spirit is “to you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

Don't Pretend Israel is Innocent: Israel sells Nuclear material.

Jerusalem mum over Iran uranium sale claim

By HAVIV RETTIG GUR
Israeli diplomatic officials would not comment on Wednesday on claims made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that several countries had offered to sell enriched uranium to the Islamic Republic.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Photo: AP

SLIDESHOW: Israel & Region  |  World

In an interview Wednesday with the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying that "there have been some proposals by individual countries and groups of countries. We are ready to hold talks with anyone interested. Our experts will soon start talks with those sellers," according to a Reuters account of the interview.

The Iranian president even offered to purchase enriched uranium from the United States, though the American government has said the Teheran regime is seeking the uranium to build a nuclear weapon

. "We want to buy fuel. We can buy it from anywhere and America can be a seller," Ahmadinejad said.
For its part, Iran claims all its nuclear activities, part of which it has kept hidden for years, are intended for civilian energy projects.

The uranium Ahmadinejad claims is on offer is enriched to 20 percent purity, far below the 90% level needed for construction of a nuclear weapon.
Western distrust of Iranian intentions was heightened in recent weeks after Iran admitted to constructing a secret underground uranium enrichment facility in the mountains outside Qom. The facility is relatively small, say Western sources, and thus not likely to be intended for a large-scale civilian energy program.

Iran has agreed to discuss future international inspection of the Qom site.


According to Iranian ambassador to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh, the newly-revealed site was constructed as a "contingency plan" for a possible Western attack on the country's nuclear installations.

"We have been continuously threatened… by the Zionist regime of Israel and also during the Bush administration... It is unjustified for any country to just ignore these kind of threats. Therefore we had to have a contingency plan in order to have a sustained enrichment program," Soltanieh told the BBC's HARDtalk show on Wednesday.

In seeking to stop Iranian nuclear enrichment, Western powers have launched an "engagement" process with the Iranian government, which included suggestions that countries such as France and Russia would themselves carry out most of the enrichment process for Iran in order to assure that the enrichment remained well below weaponization levels.

Iran has yet to officially respond to this proposal.

Afghanistan: The War we will Not Win...17 Die

 17 Die in Kabul Bomb Attack Near Indian Embassy

By SABRINA TAVERNISE and ABDUL WAHEEDWAFA

Published: October 8, 2009

KABUL, Afghanistan — A car packed with explosives blew up beside the Indian Embassy on Thursday, leaving more than a dozen dead in what India’s foreign secretary said was a direct attack on the embassy compound, the second in two years.

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David Goldman/Getty Images

Rescue workers at the site of the bombing in Kabul on Thursday.

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Altaf Qadri/Associated Press

Men stood in the rubble of a building near the Indian Embassy in Kabul on Thursday.

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Musadeq Sadeq/Associated Press

Afghans walk through the debris of a building damaged by a blast that hit Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday.

The blast killed 17 people and wounded 63, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry, whose own building is across the street from the blast site. Indian authorities said no embassy staff members were hurt, but three guards outside had been wounded.

“The suicide bomber was directed against the embassy,” India’s foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao, told reporters in New Delhi.

The blast appeared to be similar in pattern to one in July 2008, which American intelligence officials said Pakistan’s intelligence agency had helped to plan. Pakistan denied the charges but promised an investigation. Fifty-four people, including an Indian defense attaché, were killed in that attack.

The Associated Press cited a Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahed, as saying that the Taliban had carried out the attack. American commanders believe that the Taliban here are a set of related insurgencies that criss-cross regions and countries, and it was unclear which specific group was responsible.

American officials believe that Jalaluddin Haqqani, a militia commander who battled Soviet troops during the 1980s and has had a long and complicated relationship with the Central Intelligence Agency, was responsible for the July 2008 attack against the Indian Embassy. He is based in the mountains of western Pakistan and has sometimes-strained relations with the Pakistani Taliban.

Thursday’s bombing occurred around 8:30 a.m., when a man driving sport utility vehicle slowed down near a side wall of the embassy, said Sayed Abdul Ghafar, a senior police official in Kabul. Soon after, the driver detonated his explosives, partly destroying a guard tower and an outer protective wall.
The heavily guarded area, which was closed for months after the previous bombing, had only recently been reopened to traffic.

The bombing comes at a sensitive moment. President Obama is deciding whether to increase troop levels in Afghanistan, as the top military commander here, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, has advised. Some in the administration argue that the Taliban do not pose a threat to the United States, while military commanders argue that a Taliban takeover here would open space for Al Qaeda to launch more attacks.
The attack on Thursday underscored the powerful reach of Afghanistan’s insurgency, which is strongest in the countryside but has also proved capable of carrying out attacks in Kabul, the capital. The last attack came in September, when a suicide bomber killed himself and six Italian soldiers.

The American Embassy condemned the attack: “There is no justification for this kind of senseless violence,” it said in a statement.

Much about the attack was still unclear, but if the embassy was the target, as Ms. Rao has asserted, it would raise questions about the involvement of Pakistan. India is Pakistan’s archrival, and militant groups once nurtured by Pakistan’s intelligence service have struck at Indian targets, most recently last year in the bloody attacks in Mumbai.

Mr. Ghafar stated bluntly that militants from Pakistan were involved.
“I can announce clearly that the phenomenon that is causing us trouble is being organized from the other side of the border,” he said.
But Abdul Basit, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Pakistan, criticized the attack.
“Pakistan condemns the terrorist attack near the Indian Embassy in Kabul,” he said. “Pakistan is against terrorism in all its forms and manifestation.”
In a grimly familiar pattern, most of the dead were ordinary Afghans, many of them merchants at a market that had been refurbished in recent months. Shop owners swept broken glass and crushed geraniums into small piles on the sidewalk.

Muhibullah, a print shop owner, said the blast was so powerful he felt it in his chest. A thick cloud of dust settled over the area, darkening his shop. An elderly man who had been wounded stumbled in the front door and walked between the printing machines, dazed.

“He didn’t know what he was doing,” the print shop owner said. “We told him, ‘You’ve been injured.’ ”
He said he had hoped that security had improved when city authorities reopened the road in front of his shop. But now he wants to move.

“These places,” he said, pointing to the Interior Ministry across the street and the embassy, “are using the people as their shelter.”

Reporting was contributed by Jim Yardley from New Delhi, Jason Tanner and Sangar Rahimi from Kabul, and Salman Masood from Islamabad, Pakistan.

China IS in Africa: What you didn't know...

China Poses Serious Threat to US Interests in Africa

14.08.2009 Source: Pravda.Ru

US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will completed her ten-day African tour on August 14, when she visitsed Cape Verde islands. Clinton previously visited Kenya, the South African Republic, Angola, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Liberia.

It is worthy of note that US President Obama visited another African state – Ghana – in July of this year. Obama visited Ghana a month after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited four African countries – Egypt, Namibia, Nigeria and Angola. China’s leader Hu Jintao toured Africa in the winter of this year too.

Why did Hillary Clinton embark on such a long tour of the Black Continent?

Official spokespeople for the US State Department said in the beginning of August that Mrs. Clinton will visit Africa to demonstrate the intentions of the United States to strengthen ties with the African states and render assistance in the solution of vital problems.

The statement from the US State Department virtually reiterated Barack Obama’s remarks of January 2009. Hardly had he took office, when the new US President said that the United States would be following four goals in Africa – maintaining security, developing democracy, supporting market economy and assisting in the struggle against infectious diseases.

Most likely, it was merely a verbal statement only.

The United States has its certain economic interests in each of the seven countries, which Mrs. Clinton visited during her tour. The USA is currently the world’s major consumer of the African oil, whereas Nigeria and Angola are large exporters of black oil on the world market.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is rich with tantalum – the metal that is widely used in the electronic industry.

China is the second largest buyer of the African oil. 

The trade volume between China and the African states exceeded $100 billion in 2008. This number will obviously grow after Hu Jintao’s tour of Africa in February.

It just so happens that Africa has been turning into the battlefield for Washington and Beijing. China has been showing a lot of interest in the continent lately and intends to enter more of the African markets.

The US administration believes that China’s growing influence in Africa may lead to serious negative consequences for the United States. The Pentagon pays special attention to this issue. The department announced the establishment of a new military command, the Command for Africa, in October 2007. It officially became the tenth command department within the structure of the Pentagon.

As America Talks-Russia Sells Arms (Build up for World Conflicts)

Russian fighter jets for Indian tender to have new radar

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Phazotron NIIR corporation said on Thursday it has developed a new-generation airborne radar for MiG-35 fighter jets which participate in the Indian fighter tender.

Six major aircraft makers - Lockheed and Boeing from the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the UAC, France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies - are in contention to win the $10 billion contract for 126 light fighters to be supplied to the Indian Air Force.

One of the selection criteria in the tender is that the fighter's radar must have an active phased array radar with a target detection range of at least 130 kilometers (about 80 miles).

"We have met this requirement of the Indian tender and built the Zhuk-AE active phased array radar with a proven range of 148 kilometers," said Vyacheslav Tishchenko, the company's general director.
The X-band radar can track 30 aerial targets in the track-while-scan mode, and engage six targets simultaneously in the attack mode.

Tishchenko said the detection range could be increased up to 200 km (125 miles).
Russia's MiG-35 Fulcrum-F, an export version of the MiG-29M OVT is a highly maneuverable air superiority fighter, which won high international acclaim.

The fighter is powered by RD-33 OVT thrust vectoring engines. The RD-33 OVT engines provide superior maneuverability and enhance the fighter's performance in close air engagements.
The first demonstration flights of two MiG-35s in the Indian tender will be carried out in late October-early November in north-eastern India.

The aircraft will conduct live-firing tests of on-board weaponry on a testing range in southern Russia in March-April 2010.

India gives names to 3 frigates built by Russia (Russian Arms Deals)

India gives names to 3 frigates built by Russia
the Yantar shipyard
© RIA Novosti Igor Zarembo

KALININGRAD, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - Three frigates being built at the Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad for the Indian navy have been named by the Indian president, a shipyard spokesman said on Wednesday.

Russia is building three Project 11356 modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy under a $1.6 billion contract signed in July, 2006.

"Three frigates for the Indian navy, which are being built at our shipyard, have been given names - the Teg [Saber], the Tarkash [Quiver], and the Trikand [Bow].

Indian President Pratibha Patil has personally named the ships," Sergei Mikhailov said.

"All three hulls have been completed... The first frigate in the series is expected to float out in October. The shipyard should be able to deliver all three vessels to the customer in 2011-2012," the official said.

Yantar's director Igor Orlov earlier said the shipyard had previously taken out a $110 million loan from Russian national development bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) but has now been forced to seek an additional $60 million loan due to "financial constraints."

The Talwar class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 metric tons and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

Russia has previously built three Talwar class frigates for India - INS Talwar (Sword), INS Trishul (Trident), and INS Tabar (Axe).

All of the new frigates will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles rather than 3M-54E Klub-N anti-ship missiles, which were installed on previous frigates.

They will be also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil air defense system, two Kashtan air defense gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo tubes, and an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.