Tamar!

Raped by her Brother and then hated by Him?

With the many translations of the Holy Bible and the many search engines the term rape is not to be found in them and in relation to this account many have implied incest, but consensual sex is not rape!

Tamar was raped and the Hebrew word here is used in the context that this young woman was over powered by her brother, Stongs H7901 Shakav.

Later on in the end of the account we have the term violated H6031 Anah, but still not raped?

It is not clear why the term rape is not used, perhaps since it was mostly men doing the translation and they ignored the emphasis to suit there own power over the woman?

2 Samuel 13:5-22, Psalm 55:20, Isaiah 24:5.

Happy New Year 2024!

Jesus and the Law?

Many unwise believers today think that God has given up on His law and its application in our lives, but as we who have a personal faith should know that He has not and the Law of God is eternal!

Yes we are free from the curses of breaking the Law and its punishment, because Jesus fulfilled this for us on the cross and His rising from the dead!

But the law is still not to be abused or ignored and the ten Commandments are part of the 613 laws that cover all area of our lives, they are not archaic as some believe, because of where we might live in the world and we are advised to obey them in our relationship with Jesus, while also pointing them out to both Kosmon and to Ekklesia?

Exodus 20:1-17, Leviticus 19:22, Matthew 19:17-19, 1 John 4:7-21.

The cost of Faith!

Bearing Witness?

All believers will be challenged about our faith in Jesus, about truth, honesty and integrity and we have both a testimony and a knowledge of God and what He is doing for us!

When we think of Stephen the first martyr of the Ekklesia, we see a man who could not be out done and so out of spite and jealousy free slaves handed him over to the religious men of the day to have him stoned to death.

Many believers around the world today are being murdered for the name of Jesus, wither they practice or not, they bear the name Christian and Islam is one of the most hostile followed by all atheism nations who make excuses for truths they cannot bear to hear?

Matthew 10:15, Mark 13:9, Luke 21:13, John 15:26, Revelation 6:9-11.

The book of Revelation?

A mirror to the soul re-exploitation!

Replacement theology has lead many believers to discount the teaching of the book of Revelation as having no practical application in our modern world, but sometimes it is referred too in relation to End time events and the return of our Lord Jesus?

Otherwise the key elements of the salvation of Israel and the underlying secret slavery in society is avoided, it is a mirror of guilt in relation to service, servitude and cheap workers for clothing, medical care and a under payed work force and former imperial slavery and the lack of compensations to the survivors?

God is the only one who really knows our hearts, we may be serving Him in good faith, while hiding the secrets of prostitution, dishonesty, tax evasion and corruption, secret societies and much more!

John 9:41, Titus 3:3, Hebrews 4:13-14, 2 Peter 2:19, Revelation 7:1-8, 18:13.

Lack of Preaching!

Fear?

Is it fear of the laws of the lands, or is it being lazy and hoping our gracious God will do it for us, as we lounge about hoping for that great revival to come?

Has prayer replaced preaching or is it seen as old fashioned and like many things in modern society old and not of any value?

God does not change, only we do and this has been foretold in the New Testament that people will grow cold, that truth is no excuse to stop, since many still want to hear and many will claim on the day of Judgement that they never heard.

John 3:3, 14-18, Romans 10:17, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Hebrews 9:26, 10:10, Revelation 3:20.

Have house groups?

Killed the western Christian Churches!

Many believers have come to the conclusion that the onset of cell groups have ruined many congregations in the western Ekklesia, because they are an excuse for cliques’ and family related groups to control lost freedoms?

Many of these groups seem helpful in their outlook, but what they do is they kill the midweek prayer meeting and getting together for that oasis of fellowship.

In many other lands distances are an issue to travel and small groups probably work better, but we really should be able to combine the two and find that even the abandonment of the evening service is also something to be brought back to help the many who are struggling at work, home and other?

Matthew 25:1, Acts 1:14, 1 Corinthians 11:20, Ephesians 5:19.

The Ukraine?

No Peace!

As believers how do we deal with a world leader who refuses peace and is also provoking conflicts with other nation who are seeing through him and his mantra of lies to get a shopping list of weapons, that even his armed forces are failing to deploy in a proper manner, but rather waste on the battlefield?

Zelensky has rebuked many people who have suggested peace, this is nothing new David was rebuked by the peoples he lived with in hiding and it was a struggle for him!

Jesus tells us He did not come into our world to make peace, but with a Sword to cause division and to see who really loves Him more than our own loved ones?

Psalm 35:20, 120:7, Matthew 10:34-39.

We are abused, but we press On!

Mission and Leadership.

One cannot say, ‘Today that many in the western Ekklesia go through this set of circumstances in the palatial panelled homes and insurance policies, holding anti-Semitic views and much other worldly rubbish?

We wonder why we no longer have revivals and if we do, they are not what they once were! Even one hundred years ago many famous preachers pointed out the lounging of missionaries on the field on the continent of Africa and many other far flung places?

Here we are challenged by these Apostles going out to share Jesus in hostile societies and unbelieving Jews, with very little of comfort, except they had faith and the strength to trust God and in the process we have the book of acts, telling to us the growth from the Way, ‘Hedos to Ekklesia and two thousand years of continued growth.

1 Corinthians 4:11-13, 2 Corinthians 11:23, (Matthew 8:20), Lamentations 3:45.

Blessing God!

Many believers only see it the other way?

But in the New Testament we find two passages in the Gospels in relation to two men blessing God, one in relation to John the Baptizer and the other in the Temple at Jesus’ circumcision. Luke 1:64 and 2:28 respectively.

Zechariah could speak and Simeon had lived long enough to see this day of both the last and greatest prophet John and the Messiah.

Many people today are living a long time again and some believers will live long enough to see our Lord returning on the clouds of glory, but even more so since we live the this time of Spirit and truth John 4:23-24, we should bless the Lord everyday both in prayer and in worship!

Hearing and Doing!

Righteousness and Justification?

For hundreds of years the Jews were caught in a legalistic trap and they have maintained that now for the last two thousand years, since they are blinded by God so that the Gentiles might come into faith.

We who are saved under grace must be aware of legalism creeping into our walk with Jesus, but I think this verse, gives to us the answer and if we do, what we hear from the word of God we are doing well.

Discipline in the Christian life/walk is invaluable, but let us keep the application of doing right in relation to the commandments?

Exodus 20:1-17, Romans 2:13, Galatians 2:16-17.