Appraising David

David is perhaps the most complex person in the Bible. II Samuel describes his adult years, including his insidious sins and his incredible insights. As I have heard different people teach on his life, I’ve noticed some skepticism regarding his true legacy and place in history. You hear people say things like “I would not want to be David in heaven; everyone will be reminding him of his mistakes for all eternity.” And “David only got a small honorable mention in the ‘Hall of Faith,’ Hebrews 11, because of his sins.” It’s valid to ask the question “Why is David considered a great king of Israel, considering his great sins?...What’s the deal with David?”

Ancient Paths Testimony

Yesterday, my wife and I completed a seminar "Ancient Paths" that went for three evenings and half a day Saturday. The main gist of the seminar was to examine the ancient traditions in scripture which relate to family and society.“This is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths:Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves...” Jeremiah 6:16 ESV The phrase "ancient paths" is from Hebrew "Olam," which signifies tried and true eternal principles.

The Flesh and Spirit, Getting Personal

While other books in the Old Testament deal with the struggle between the flesh and the spirit, such as Judges, this one, I Samuel, brings the comparison home in comparing the personal lives of Saul and David. There’s great dramatic tension in this history regrading the throne of Israel. Who will rule as king and how? In this power struggle we see real applications to our own lives in terms of the flesh and the spirit. "...the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish" (Gal. 5:17). I gleaned a lot reading Ray Stedman’s commentary 1 Samuel: The Death of the Flesh and also see Galatians Chapter Five as a kind of concise commentary on the book.

Christians in Support of Crimean Tatar People

May 18th marks the official 65th anniversary of the deportation of the Tatar people from Crimea. Every year there are demonstrations in the center of Simferopol to remember this violent chapter of history. The people were considered Nazi sympathizers by Stalin, at least that was the justification he used. They were suddenly removed from their homes and freighted by off by train to various countries, many dying either on the trains or in the ensuing months following arrival.

As Christians, we want to express our support of all people, including Tatar people. Last Sunday we prayed for peace for the upcoming demonstrations 18 May. We would appreciate it if you would also pray for peace on that day and for these people in general. Yura and Christina, in the photo on the right with son Bogdan, minister to the Tatar people in Crimea. Their team wants to hand out free tea at the event and also to express the support of Christians by presenting some large signs offering that only God can heal the inner wounds and any bitterness that remains.

New World Ardor

I just viewed DVD "Endgame" (Alex Jones 2007) about the history and current status of the New World Order. All I can say is that it's much further along than I had imagined. Plans for the North American Union are moving along, while most U.S. citizens haven't heard of it or don't take it seriously. The “Georgia Guidestones” pictured on right, stand as a monument to the goals of the dark one world agenda, including the desire to "maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature." Do you think you and your family will be on the VIP list?

Extraordinary Grace in Ordinary Life

In the book of Ruth, the ordinary veils the extraordinary. In this true historical account, we see how ordinary people are caught up into the extraordinary grace and mercy of God. The book isn’t about prophets, kings or battles, but it does have a certain kind of romance. It shows how God weaves the beauty of His redemption into both the big picture of history and the minute details of everyday life. It’s packed with meaning. When you look for God’s hidden grace you’ll find it, both in life and in this book.

There are different interpretations for the meaning of the name Ruth, but "friend" and mercy" are the main ones. The mercy of God is a key theme and shown in two ways in this story. Firstly, it shows the dramatic history of the people involved. It shows how Ruth, a Gentile woman, was saved from famine, along with her mother in law, Naomi, only to become an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ. Secondly, it shows a picture of spiritual salvation, how God’s grace and mercy extend beyond Israel to all people who would believe in Him.

Man Builds Noah's Ark to Scale

Man Builds Noah's Ark ... to exact scale given in Bible.

"Now that I am old and gray...give me the time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about allyour mighty miracles."
Psalm 71:18

Working Replica of Noah's Ark Opened In SCHAGEN Netherlands. The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was opened to the first crowd of curious townsfolk to behold the wonder. Of course, it's only a replica of the Biblical Ark, built by Dutch Creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.

Rupert Murdoch: “Internet Will Soon Be Over”

Billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch gave a strange response when asked about plans for mainstream news websites to charge for content, declaring, “The current days of the internet will soon be over.”

He was making reference to the fact that corporate media websites cannot continue to survive under their current failing business model.

The establishment media is dying and advertising revenue has plummeted as people turn to blogs and the alternative media for their news in an environment of corporate lies and spin. This has forced sectors of the corporate media to charge the dwindling number of loyal readers they have left for news content, a practice which is set to become widespread according to Murdoch. This will only send more people over to the alternative media as the old organs of de facto state-controlled propaganda wither and die.

Facing the Tests of Life

“Life is a test, it is only a test. Had this been a real life, you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.” I'd read this spoof about the “emergency broadcasting system” somewhere and it is funny because there is a lot of poignant truth to it. Much of our lives are spent in tests and trials. It’s been said, “If you aren’t in a trial, you are either just coming out of one or just about to enter one.” The truth is, though, the scriptures do show us where to go and what to do, if we are interested in looking into it.

The book of Judges offers a unique perspective on tests and trials. The book of Joshua outlines the path to victory, but Judges shows the track record of the nation of Israel, and it wasn’t so great. But each situation offers valuable lessons. If leaving Egypt is a picture of spiritual salvation, occupying the Promised Land portrays some of the struggles of the Christian life. The book shows how our fallen human nature is prone to failure but also shows how God is prone to faithfulness and grace, in spite of our failures.