tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54903749061392576832024-03-13T16:39:09.119+01:00tobyknoblauch.deThe website of missionary and author Tobias ("Toby") Knoblauch, Political Scientist M.A.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-14381619585648815052023-11-23T14:15:00.002+01:002023-11-28T09:57:56.622+01:00The awe and wonder of birthdays<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;">I do not really enjoy most birthday
parties: people come together for food, give presents to whosoever’s birthday is
celebrated, and wish him or her a “Happy Birthday”. In Christian circles we
might add a short prayer, asking God to bless that person throughout the coming
year. Now, there is nothing wrong with good food, presents and prayers. But if
that is all there is, the occasion remains like a celebration of a rich harvest
without thanking the One who makes all things grow; it is like looking at
nature, marveling at the countless species of animals and plants without ever thinking
of the one who created them; like delighting in a symphony without honoring its
composer or like being impressed by a magnificent building without realizing that
there must be an architect who drew the plans. It sounds silly, but that is
exactly what we tend to do. We worship created things rather than the Creator!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">David, the great king of Israel, had
a different perspective. He prayed:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"><span class="text"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“For you,
LORD, created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. </span>I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;</span> your
works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Every birthday should be a Thanksgiving Day</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, an opportunity to thank</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> God for creating an absolutely perfect, miraculous
human being, made in his own image, so precious to him that he gave his own son
to die on a cross in order to redeem us from the powers of darkness, pride and
evil that try to keep us from everything our souls long for -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from the moment we are conceived until we die.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;">When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, angels
appeared in the sky, gave glory to God and challenged the shepherds in the
field to do so as well. I think that <i>every</i> birth is surrounded by great awe
and wonder in heaven, no matter whether the newborn is male or female, whether
it is Asian or Caucasian, born in or out of wedlock, into poverty or riches and
no matter whether it is born to Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Atheist or Buddhist
parents, may they live in Gaza or in China, on the Red Sea or the Black one: A
new soul, a unique personality with needs, dreams and a deep longing to be
loved and to love has been born!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;">Therefore, instead of just wishing each
other a “Happy Birthday", let us celebrate our birthdays by thanking God and
by worshipping Him, our maker, for giving us a brother/sister, friend,
neighbor, … - a gift He and we can delight in. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Cantora One; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-19055219547731050252023-10-19T04:12:00.005+02:002023-10-31T17:30:45.155+01:00Hear, O Israel! <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> When the nation of Israel was founded 75 years ago, many people thought it would be the long desired safe haven for the Jewish people. However, on October 7th 2023, the world woke up to the reality that even the best, most powerful military equipment, paired with the best intelligence services in the world were not able to provide the hoped for, impenetrable shelter for its citizens. The Bible promises Israel only one safe haven, and that is not the "Iron Dome", but it is the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10). If you really want to help Israel and if you want to see true peace come to the Middle East, you should pray for Israel to turn to the LORD: </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD alone! Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Fear the LORD your God, serve him only, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land" </span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Deuteronomy 6:4.13-15). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The overwhelming majority of the worldwide about 14 million Jews, still reject the Messiah, the One whom the LORD sent to be the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Remarkably, the rejection of Jesus is the one thing that Israel has in common with all Muslims. This hatred of Jesus will </span><span style="font-size: large;">eventually </span><span style="font-size: large;">somehow unite Jews and Muslims (and all other gentiles), but <u>only when they turn to Jesus will Jews and Muslims be able to make true peace with one another</u>. We, the church, are the only ones who can call both sides to turn to Jesus, and thus be reconciled with God. His love and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus are the only powers that can wipe away the hatred in the hearts of people. So let us not talk about Israel´s "right to defend itself" (it certainly <i>has</i> this right, but, as the Bible teaches, God´s people should not take revenge, but leave room for God´s wrath!), and neither let us speculate about "political solutions" for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict - there is none. T</span><span style="font-size: large;">rue peace is o</span><span style="font-size: large;">nly found in Jesus Christ!</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-26633026614346132012022-10-28T07:56:00.006+02:002022-10-28T07:56:51.294+02:00The Apotheosis of George Washington<div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSB-UK3hyJxSYItWxWg4hRWnpFay6Z7Uhby-XjtBt9ENtUHphv4hYWosWTDlltwkbjAOtFTcFzmQA42fGHGKMwvowUbFtUvsMim3JAAlnCxEucLcnCOnAlQIQBBoDgq4YY9fX5OFYvPNknD-YolLnUtkeZ5sjHahIhtzSZzKA1AeNI_47y6vCB0Qne-g" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="440" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSB-UK3hyJxSYItWxWg4hRWnpFay6Z7Uhby-XjtBt9ENtUHphv4hYWosWTDlltwkbjAOtFTcFzmQA42fGHGKMwvowUbFtUvsMim3JAAlnCxEucLcnCOnAlQIQBBoDgq4YY9fX5OFYvPNknD-YolLnUtkeZ5sjHahIhtzSZzKA1AeNI_47y6vCB0Qne-g" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Apotheosis of Washington?? <i>Apotheosis</i> literally means "the process (or moment) of becoming (a) god". This painting by the Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi shows George Washington ascending to heaven, taking his place among ancient Roman "gods" like Neptune, Mercury and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Minerva</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. It is located not in the hidden corner of some obscure Museum of Conspiracies, but for all the world to see in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, covering 4,664 sq.ft. (433 </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">m</span><sup style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">2</sup><span style="font-family: arial;">). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVt8HNY4NJceXPlFz8-4IpLAqe5ucWmP6DA1jKwmDBpotLkvbSTHUrZ1m-8XADwW58TrMxiV69W5mWw-OhdXqHCDz50zGJ8c6ktDrbeTxq-eDxg-da-BS0TXxPvzssf28KEKghL9SJeEuSjNanCMQm6_z8xfjem1K0XxHb172FOdbKVDwGgT8oPMLl0Q" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVt8HNY4NJceXPlFz8-4IpLAqe5ucWmP6DA1jKwmDBpotLkvbSTHUrZ1m-8XADwW58TrMxiV69W5mWw-OhdXqHCDz50zGJ8c6ktDrbeTxq-eDxg-da-BS0TXxPvzssf28KEKghL9SJeEuSjNanCMQm6_z8xfjem1K0XxHb172FOdbKVDwGgT8oPMLl0Q=w320-h213" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is another blatant pointer to the true foundation of the USA, besides many other heathen, Masonic, non-Christian symbolism in culture and architecure, from the Statue of 'Liberty' in New York, to the Egyptian obelisk of the Washington Monument and the all-seeing eye on the 1-$ bill. Christians must distance themselves from any of these symbols and 'works of art', because they do not honor </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the one true God, the Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but they are </span><span style="font-family: arial;">expressions of rebellion against him, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">abominations for which his wrath comes and rivival tarries!</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Official website of the <a href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/apotheosis-washington" target="_blank">Architect of the Capitol</a>, the organization that is responsible for the upkeeping and presentation of the Capitol and its works of art. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-72412852497952061292022-08-05T09:42:00.004+02:002022-08-05T13:33:59.936+02:00Following Jesus?<p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Cantora One; font-size: large;">If the Jesus whom you are following has not led you to the Father:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Cantora One; font-size: x-large;">STOP FOLLOWING HIM!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Cantora One"; font-size: large;">Jesus said: "I am the way the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father but through me" (John 14:6). Jesus´ heart is to bring those whom he loves to get to know his Father. Many have gone out claiming that they are Jesus, the Christ who was to come to reconcile man to God. If your Jesus has not introduced you to the Father, he is not the real thing, but a demon masquerading as an angel of light, or a human construct, for the best. Satan will be content as long as you <i>think</i> that you are following Jesus. The real Jesus, however, will deliver what he promised: He will bring you to the Father - and you will KNOW that you know Him! So:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Cantora One"; font-size: large;">Stop following the wrong guy and the wrong people, no matter, whom they claim to be and how long they have been around, because they themselves do not know the Father! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Cantora One"; font-size: large;">We are told to test the spirits (1. John 4:1) - so you will not offend the real Jesus by testing him, but the fake one, posing as the real one, will have to show his real face to you. Just tell him to pack and leave, and determine to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, expecting him to bring you into the Father´s presence - that´s why he came and died on the cross for! </span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-56806703183793476512022-06-13T23:40:00.000+02:002022-06-13T23:42:07.486+02:00Abuse in the Catholic church<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-study-uncovers-widespread-sexual-abuse-in-m%C3%BCnster-diocese/a-62118823" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpqtR5N4pI7HdnaU52uhc346ixLWMbpJSW6mp0vswRIMxQ0YHGQBwCrgDDgXh2j-mGugCc8BMq512pTPypcHjhKvhpXUmwAzgIAU7W5b9QE4nkecUxv6dP8rUz7gQlw2UvYXBBFmgBctAC3dGzXlUWe2s-jS7zE5WcnNNoSwn64I4AGZuocJxA3Rq0Ww" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h1 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border-top: 1px solid rgb(211, 207, 202); color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 35px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 20px 0px;">Germany: Study uncovers widespread sexual abuse in Münster diocese</h1><p class="intro" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 40px 12px 0px;">A university study found at least 610 underage victims were abused by clergy in the western German diocese. With many cases going unreported, researchers estimate the actual number of victims could be 10 times as high. <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-study-uncovers-widespread-sexual-abuse-in-m%C3%BCnster-diocese/a-62118823">READ MORE</a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL6JxJBI3mbDLJ5-lSbikiDLObzAnqD854CtXtIvtaPKsZmPDzgXi3CJa9OJHiUAT1jdqzsyVuRtYHTsGIES1vliiOX2nHGxM1InkQU9jA4kO70IIUfHv9IpMHBT3UWv6Wfdam1XJXtCKcUQS9s8eNyuvEZ8d9BFaofhAq0hh6xXfmifcOMOOw9Shkbg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="433" height="54" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL6JxJBI3mbDLJ5-lSbikiDLObzAnqD854CtXtIvtaPKsZmPDzgXi3CJa9OJHiUAT1jdqzsyVuRtYHTsGIES1vliiOX2nHGxM1InkQU9jA4kO70IIUfHv9IpMHBT3UWv6Wfdam1XJXtCKcUQS9s8eNyuvEZ8d9BFaofhAq0hh6xXfmifcOMOOw9Shkbg=w200-h54" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p>Praying for
priests, kids and adult members of the Roman Catholic Church again today.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My heart
breaks about news like this, because I know how easy it is to be tempted and to
fall in this area. I know the father-heart of God for the victims, as well as the
mercy that´s available for those who fell. But I also know that there will be
severest judgment for all who do not repent and those who cover up these atrocities.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As for the
Catholic Church as a whole, each case like this is another step towards its
certain, prophesied complete destruction through the very God whom it claims to
represent. Within one hour it will be destroyed, so if you are still in it: come
out of her, or you will partake in her destruction! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">If you
have been abused yourself, I pray that you will find grace to forgive; if you
have failed, repent and seek forgiveness from God – He wants you to turn to
Jesus, not to a “church” whose leaders do not know him! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-90437274294306833052022-06-05T09:57:00.001+02:002022-06-13T23:43:01.265+02:00Katastrophen die bald geschehen - Wenn Gottes Gerichte die Erde treffen<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/uUoZhv9ejNs" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-43564862827497089922022-03-30T00:10:00.003+02:002022-06-13T23:45:33.782+02:00Ukraine, war and the mercy of God<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BGTbXiXFrWo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-47459345248117486282022-03-30T00:05:00.001+02:002022-06-13T23:46:20.252+02:00Putin, the Orthodox church and nationalism in Russia and elsewhere<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KQR36Z7Pwn4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<p> You can also view the video and read the article at <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2017/10/19/putin-and-the-triumph-of-christianity-in-russia">www.aljazeera.com</a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>My comment:</u></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As President of Russia and former KGB-agent in communist times, you would expect Vladimir Putin to be an atheist. This video from Aljazeera shows a different picture. It examines the relationship between the Russian Orthodox church and the Russian government, and takes a close look at a very nationalistic movement that aims to revive the Russian empire to former glory. Sounds familiar? Right - it sounds like "Make America great again", just under a different flag. It might just explain the disturbing Trump-Putin connection. It certainly does illustrate what happens if the church embraces the use of weapons and force for whatever reason: It can no longer be distinguished from any other secular stream in societies, and ultimately even leads to one part of the "church" fighting wars against another. It is a church without any spiritual power, striving for the things of this world, not compelling any onlooker to repent and turn to Christ, because Jesus is not in it whatsoever. All that´s left is a sense of moral superiority and a wrong sense of being the cure to the problems of the world, while nothing could be further from the truth!</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-9183614855140464102022-02-11T17:07:00.003+01:002022-06-13T23:48:39.961+02:00Warum der Staat Israel ein Ismael ist<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Israel ist, gerade für Deutsche, ein sehr sensibles Thema. In aller Vorsicht will ich mir trotzdem ein paar Anmerkungen erlauben – immer mit der Einstellung des Paulus: </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-align: justify;">"Brüder! Das Wohlgefallen meines Herzens und mein Flehen für sie zu Gott ist, dass sie gerettet werden." Römer 10:1</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><u><b>Die Geschichte Israels – Ein kurzer Überblick</b></u> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> Vor 4113 Jahren, nur 17 Jahre nach dem Tode Noahs</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="background-color: transparent; mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span>,
berief Gott Abraham, den Sohn Terachs, aus Haran</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="background-color: transparent; mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span> aufzubrechen,
führte ihn nach Kanaan und versprach, dieses Land seinen Nachkommen zu geben.
Abrahams Sohn Isaak und dann auch dessen Sohn Jakob lebten zwar nach seinem Tod
weiter in Kanaan, hatten dort jedoch trotz großen Reichtums keine richtige
Heimat. Sie lebten als Fremdlinge im Land, bis Jakob mit seiner ganzen Familie
nach Ägypten zog, wo sein Sohn Joseph durch Gottes Führung zu Macht und Ansehen
gekommen war. Es folgten 400 Jahre Sklavendienst, dann der Exodus und 40 Jahre
in der Wüste Sinai. Schließlich, 685 Jahre nach der Verheißung an Abraham,
fielen die Mauern Jerichos und das Volk Israel begann, angeführt von Josua, das
Gelobte Land, das Land, in dem Milch und Honig fließen, in Besitz zu nehmen -
vor 3425 Jahren!</span></div></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Gott führte sein Volk weiter, durch Richter, Könige und
Propheten bis zum Exil in Babylon (586 v.Chr.). Die Selbständigkeit Israels war
damit vorüber. Viele kehrten zwar aus dem 70-jährigen Exil zurück, bauten den
zerstörten Tempel und auch die Stadtmauer Jerusalems wieder auf, aber das ganze
Gebiet des ehemaligen Königreiches, das unter König David seine größte
Ausdehnung erreicht hatte, war fortan von anderen Mächten besetzt: Zunächst von
Medo-Persien, dann von den Griechen, gefolgt vom Römischen Reich. In diese Zeit
hinein kam Jesus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Die Mission Jesu</u></b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Viele hatten gehofft
und erwartet, dass der verheißene Messias das Volk Israel von der Herrschaft
fremder Mächte befreien und es wieder zu alter Größe führen würde. Hätte es die
heutige Technologie bereits gegeben, hätte man auf den Märkten des Landes
wahrscheinlich T-Shirts und Baseballkappen mit dem Slogan "Make Israel
great again!" kaufen können :)</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Jesus hatte jedoch etwas ganz anderes, viel Besseres, im
Sinn: Gott den Vater zu ehren, ihn zu repräsentieren und seine Werke zu tun, so
dass durch den Glauben an seinen stellvertretenden Tod am Kreuz Menschen aus
allen Nationen zu Gott dem Vater kommen und unter seiner Königsherrschaft als
Kinder Gottes frei leben könnten. Um in dieses Königreich einzutreten, bedurfte
es - und bedarf es auch weiterhin - keiner bewaffneten Revolution, sondern
lediglich das Eingestehen der eigenen Unvollkommenheit, gepaart mit dem
kindlichen Glauben an den stellvertretenden Tod und die Auferstehung Jesu. <a name="_Hlk8842490">Es ging Jesus nicht darum, die Herrschaft Roms zu beenden,
sondern die Herrschaft der Sünde! </a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Nachdem er von seinem Vater Joseph das Tischlerhandwerk
erlernt hatte und viele Jahre still und treu in diesem Beruf gearbeitet hatte,
wanderte er etwa 3 Jahre lang durch das Land Israel, predigte, heilte und trieb
Dämonen aus. Er liebte, lachte und spielte. Er lehrte, tröstete und weinte. Er
betete, war begeistert von der Schöpfung ("Sehet die Lilien…"). Er
litt. Er starb. Und er stand zu neuem Leben auf! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Von Politik keine Spur. Rebellion gegen die Römische
Besatzungsmacht? Fehlanzeige. Kein Hinweis auf einen Plan, 1900 Jahre später
seine Strategie zu ändern und nun doch zum Kampf für ein unabhängiges Israel
aufzurufen. Warum dann also die Euphorie vieler evangelikaler Christen über den
1948 ausgerufenen Staat Israel? Ist dieser Staat, so wie viele behaupten,
tatsächlich eine Erfüllung biblischer Prophetie, und somit geradezu ein Beweis
von deren Richtigkeit? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Header3"><b><u>Gottes Verheißung der Rückkehr Israels</u></b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Etwa 3400 Jahre vor der Gründung des modernen israelischen
Staates hatte Gott dem Volk Israel durch Moses die Wahl zwischen Segen und
Fluch gegeben. Missachtung der Gebote Gottes würde demnach zur Zerstreuung der
Juden in der ganzen Welt führen, wo sie viel leiden müssten. Die Geschichte der
letzten zweitausend Jahre bestätigt dies auf geradezu erschreckende Weise. Gott versprach aber auch, dass er sein Volk von allen Enden
der Erde in das Gelobte Land zurückbringen würde:</div><p></p>
<p class="BibleVerse" style="text-align: center;"><span class="versenumber">"</span><b><u>Wenn</u></b> nun
dies alles über dich kommt, es sei der Segen oder der Fluch, die ich dir
vorgelegt habe, und du es zu Herzen nimmst, wenn du unter den Heiden bist,
unter die dich der HERR, dein Gott, verstoßen hat, und <b><u>du dich bekehrst zu dem HERRN, deinem Gott</u></b>,
dass du seiner Stimme gehorchst, du und deine Kinder, von ganzem Herzen und von
ganzer Seele in allem, was ich dir heute gebiete, so <b><u>wird der HERR, dein Gott,</u></b> deine
Gefangenschaft wenden und sich deiner erbarmen und wird <b><u>dich wieder
sammeln aus allen Völkern, unter die dich der HERR, dein Gott, verstreut hat</u></b>." <br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">5. Mose 30:1-3 </span><o:p style="text-align: left;"></o:p><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">(Hervorhebung von mir)</span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Gott macht die Rückkehr der Juden in das Gelobte Land ganz
klar von einer Umkehr zu ihm abhängig: <i>Wenn</i> Israel sich bekehrt, von
ganzem Herzen und von ganzer Seele, <i>dann </i>wird er es zurückbringen. Da
diese Wendung zum Herrn bisher im großen Rahmen nicht stattgefunden hat, kann
der 1948 gegründete Staat Israel und die damit verbundene Einwanderung von
Juden aus der ganzen Welt nicht die Erfüllung dieser Verheißung sein! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Die Staatengründung 1948<br /></u></b><span style="text-align: justify;"> Theodor Herzl und andere Zionisten, die um 1900 für einen
eigenständigen, jüdischen Staat eintraten, beriefen sich auch gar nicht auf die
Verheißungen der Thora oder der Propheten; sie waren keine Männer, die Gott von
ganzem Herzen suchten.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3; text-align: justify;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="text-align: justify;">
Sie suchten, verständlicherweise, eine Heimat für ihr Volk, das in den 1900
Jahren nach der Vertreibung in alle Welt immer wieder Pogrome, Verfolgung und
Vertreibung erfahren hatte. Angesichts des aufkommenden Antisemitismus in
Deutschland zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts erfuhr die Zionistische Bewegung
mehr und mehr Zulauf, so dass die Zahl der jüdischen Siedler in dem damals
unter ottomanischer und (ab 1918) britischer Hoheit befindlichen Gebiet
Palästinas zwischen 1900 bis 1948 von 50.000 auf 650.000 anwuchs.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4; text-align: justify;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a></p><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Während der Ruf Abrahams, der Exodus aus Ägypten unter Moses
und die Inbesitznahme des Landes unter Josua klar und deutlich von Gott
initiiert und geführt waren, sucht man solch klare Führung in der
Entstehungsgeschichte des heutigen Israels vergeblich. Es gibt keinen
brennenden Dornbusch, sondern nur ein Votum der gerade neu entstandenen
Vereinten Nationen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Der heutige Staat Israel ist deswegen zunächst einmal ein
Staat wie jeder andere auch. Seine Bevölkerung von 8,7 Millionen Einwohnern ist
ein Mix von Menschen verschiedener Rassen und unterschiedlichem religiösen
Hintergrund. Neben den etwa 6 Millionen Juden (75%), gibt es 1,6 Millionen
Araber (20%). 5% der Bevölkerung sind anderer ethnischer Herkunft. Unter den
Arabern wiederum gibt es sowohl Moslems (insg. 18%) als auch Christen (insg.
2%). Der Großteil der jüdischen Bevölkerung ist nicht religiös und möchte vom
Gott der Bibel ebenso wenig wissen wie der durchschnittliche Westeuropäer.
Natürlich gibt es auch einen Anteil von kulturell-religiösen Menschen, die z.B.
die großen Feste des jüdischen Kalenders auf traditionelle Weise feiern. Der
Anteil der strenggläubigen, orthodoxen Juden ist mit etwa 10% dagegen relativ
gering.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Wenn nun aber der heutige Staat Israel nicht die Erfüllung
der Prophetien ist, wieso ließ Gott dann zu, dass so viele Juden schon jetzt
wieder im Gelobten Land leben? Das ist eine gute Frage, auf die letztlich nur Gott selbst
die Antwort kennt. Es wäre jedoch nicht das erste Mal, dass versucht wird, ein
von Gott verheißenes Ereignis durch bloßes menschliches Vermögen Realität
werden zu lassen. Abraham selbst war diesen Weg gegangen, als er auf seine Frau
Sara hörte und mit ihrer Magd Hagar schlief, um den von Gott versprochenen Sohn
zu zeugen. Die Geschichte ist bekannt. Gott hätte Abrahams Hilfe nicht benötigt
und letztlich gebar Sara den verheißenen Sohn trotz ihres fortgeschrittenen Alters.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Der heutige Staat Israel entspricht daher eher dem Sohn
Hagars als der Erfüllung der Verheißung, denn er wurde mit viel menschlicher
Kraft realisiert, ohne den Geist Gottes. Die Erfüllung der Verheißungen bezüglich
der Rückkehr der Juden ins Gelobte Land steht demnach noch aus und wird sich
ohne großes menschliches Zutun ereignen, so dass alle Ehre dem zuteilwerden
wird, dem sie gebührt. Keine Organisation, kein Politiker, kein Geschäftsmann
wird sich rühmen können, irgendeinen Anteil daran gehabt zu haben! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>Was bedeutet das für die christliche Gemeinde?</u></b><br /> Wenn der jetzige Staat Israel tatsächlich nur ein Ismael und
kein Isaak ist, wie sollte die Gemeinde dann zu ihm stehen? Nun, die Juden sind trotz ihres Ungehorsams weiterhin Gottes
auserwähltes Volk:</p><p class="BibleVerse" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">"Hinsichtlich des Evangeliums sind sie zwar Feinde um
euretwillen, hinsichtlich der Auswahl aber </span>Geliebte<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="background-color: white;"> um der Väter
willen." </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Römer 11:28</span></div><p></p><p class="BibleVerseReference"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Schon alleine deswegen gebührt ihnen unser größter Respekt. Wir sollten für sie beten, ihnen helfen, ihnen beistehen, sie lieben. Das Beste, was wir für sie tun können, ist, so zu leben,
dass sie selbst hungrig werden, sich an den Gott ihrer Väter zu wenden, ihn
suchen und anbeten. Jesus ist auch für sie der einzige Weg zum Vater, darum
müssen wir auch ihnen das Evangelium deutlich predigen:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="BibleVerse" style="line-height: normal;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Denn es ist kein
Unterschied zwischen Jude und Grieche, denn er ist Herr über alle, und er ist
reich für alle, die ihn anrufen; denn jeder, der den Namen des Herrn <span style="text-align: left;">anrufen wird, wird gerettet werden." <br /></span><span style="text-align: left;">Römer 10:12-13</span></div><p></p><p class="BibleVerseReference"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Als Staat an sich hat das heutige Israel bei Gott, denke
ich, keine Sonderstellung inne. Gott liebt keinen Staat mehr als einen anderen.
Aber er liebt ein <i>Volk</i> mehr als alle anderen, und dieses Volk sind die
Juden:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="BibleVerse"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Aber jetzt, so spricht der HERR, der dich geschaffen,
Jakob, und der dich gebildet hat, Israel: Fürchte dich nicht, denn ich habe
dich erlöst! Ich habe dich bei deinem Namen gerufen, du bist mein. Wenn du durchs Wasser gehst, ich bin bei dir, und durch
Ströme, sie werden dich nicht überfluten. Wenn du durchs Feuer gehst, wirst du
nicht versengt werden, und die Flamme wird dich nicht verbrennen. Denn ich bin der HERR, dein Gott, ich, der Heilige Israels,
dein Retter. Ich gebe Ägypten als Lösegeld für dich, Kusch und Seba an deiner
Stelle. Weil du teuer bist in meinen Augen und wertvoll bist und
ich dich liebhabe, so gebe ich Menschen hin an deiner Stelle und Völkerschaften
anstelle deines Lebens."</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jesaja
43:1-4</div><p></p><p class="BibleVerseReference"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Na, wenn das keine Liebeserklärung ist! Die Juden sind immer
noch der "Augapfel Gottes" (vgl. Sacharja 2:8). Das bedeutet, dass
der HERR sich auf besondere Weise um sie kümmert, und trotz ihrer Rebellion,
ihres Ungehorsams und ihrer Gleichgültigkeit ihm gegenüber versteht, sie zu
segnen, wie ein Vater auch einen gegen ihn rebellierenden Jugendlichen zu
segnen weiß. Ungehorsam schützt nicht vor Liebe; Erwählung, andererseits,
schützt nicht vor Disziplin:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="BibleVerse" style="text-align: center;">"Denn wen der Herr liebt, den züchtigt er." <span style="text-align: left;">Hebräer 12:6</span></p><p class="BibleVerseReference"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Als der Augapfel Gottes sind alle Juden jedoch auch
gleichzeitig heute noch das Hauptangriffsziel des Teufels, der alles, was zu
Gott gehört, hasst. Er versucht noch immer, das auserwählte Volk Gottes zu
vernichten. Er hat dies durch den Nationalsozialismus unter Hitler in Deutschland
versucht, und durch andere Völker und deren Anführer zuvor. Es ist ihm nie
gelungen und es wird ihm auch nie gelingen – aber versuchen wird er es
weiterhin. Als Christen müssen wir daher jedem Antisemitismus klar und deutlich
entgegentreten.<a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Satans Hass richtet sich dabei nicht nur gegen die Juden,
sondern auch gegen diejenigen, die durch den Glauben an Jesus "in den
Ölbaum eingepfropft" sind, wie es Paulus in Römer 11 ausdrückt, nachdem er
zuvor in mehr als zwei Kapiteln die Frage der Erwählung Israels und der
Errettung von Menschen aller Nationen erläutert hat. Der Feind beabsichtigt die
Zerstörung Israels und aller Auserwählten Gottes, aber er ist nach ein paar
tausend Jahren Erfahrung schlau genug, um zu wissen, dass direkte
Konfrontation, sprich Verfolgung, weniger effektiv ist als Verführung. So
meinen viele Millionen Menschen, sie seien Christen, weil sie einer Kirche oder
einer Gemeinde angehören, haben aber ihr Leben nicht Jesus übergeben; sie
bleiben geistlich tot. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Ähnlich gibt es viele orthodoxe Juden, die glauben, dass sie
allein aufgrund ihrer Abstammung gerettet sind. "Ohne Glauben aber ist es
unmöglich, Gott wohlzugefallen" heißt es in Hebräer 11:6 sehr deutlich!
Und bereits im ersten Kapitel des Römerbriefes ließ Paulus keine Zweifel
aufkommen:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="BibleVerse" style="text-align: center;">"Denn ich schäme mich des Evangeliums nicht, ist es
doch Gottes Kraft zum Heil jedem Glaubenden, sowohl dem Juden zuerst als
auch dem Griechen." Römer 1:16</p><p class="BibleVerseReference"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Header3"><b><u>Auch bedenkenswert:</u></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Israel vertraut nicht wirklich auf Gott, sondern
auf seine militärische Stärke - was nach Jeremia 17:5 einen Fluch nach sich
zieht!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Im Alten Testament war Israel wiederholt
versucht, auf die Hilfe Ägyptens, der größten Militärmacht der damaligen
Zeit, zu vertrauen, was Gott überhaupt nicht gefiel (siehe z.B. Jesaja 30). Heute haben
die USA die Rolle der stärksten Weltmacht übernommen, und die Versuchung
ist groß, nun auf sie zu vertrauen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Der militärische und politische Beistand
westlicher Nationen, der von so vielen Evangelikalen begrüßt wird, könnte sehr
wohl ein Faktor sein, der einer ganzherzigen Umkehr des Volkes Israel zu seinem
Gott im Wege stehen! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Der Bund der Beschneidung wurde mit Abraham und
Ismael geschlossen, Isaak war noch nicht geboren. Ismael war zwar nicht Erbe
der Verheißung, aber er wurde trotzdem reich gesegnet (siehe 1. Mose 17:20)!
Auf ähnliche Weise hat Gott das jüdische Volk durch die ganze Geschichte
hindurch mit vielfältigen Fähigkeiten gesegnet.<a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Die Juden stehen seit der Kreuzigung Jesu unter
einem Fluch, den sie selbst auf sich gebracht haben, als sie (nicht nur ein
paar wenige Leute, sondern "das ganze Volk") Pilatus zuriefen:
"Kreuzige ihn!" Und: "Sein Blut komme über uns und über unsere
Kinder" (siehe Matthäus 27:23-25)! Dementsprechend liegt dieser Fluch auch
heute noch auf dem Volk Israel, und kann nur durch den Glauben an Jesus
gebrochen werden.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Segen und Fluch standen für das Volk Israel zur
Wahl (siehe insbesondere 5. Mose 28): Segen bei Gehorsam, Fluch bei
Ungehorsam/Unglaube – wobei leider letzteres für den allergrößten Teil des
jüdischen Volkes gilt, denn nur ein minimaler Prozentsatz der Juden glaubt an
Jesus.<a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Viel Positives, aber auch Negatives, ja,
anti-christliches ist von Juden ausgegangen.<a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Der Gründer der Illuminaten, Adam Weishaupt, war ein deutscher Jude und ein
Freimaurer. Die Verbindungen zwischen dem Freimaurertum und Judentum sind
vielfältig, sowohl personell als auch in Bezug auf Rituale und Traditionen. So
wird z.B. der "Davidstern" in den Logen der Freimaurer verwendet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Der Davidstern ist heute das bekannteste
Wahrzeichen Israels. Der Legende nach soll König Salomo ihn erstmals am
Königshof in Jerusalem eingeführt haben, aber in der Bibel sucht man ihn
vergeblich. Der Davidstern ist nichts anderes als ein Hexagramm, wie es von
vielen Religionen schon vor König Davids Zeit für magische Zwecke gebraucht
wurde, u.a. im Hinduismus, Buddhismus und auch bei der Anbetung Baals. Wohl
erst im Mittelalter fand das Hexagramm über die Kabbala, einer mystischen
Bewegung, den Weg ins Judentum. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Schlussfolgerungen:</u></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Die Gemeinde, und auch die politischen
Vertreter der Israel wohlgesonnenen Staaten, brauchen ganz viel Weisheit vom
Herrn, wie wir Israel wirklich am besten helfen können. Mein Eindruck ist, dass
wir Israel gegenüber klarer bekennen müssen, dass Jesus der von den Schriften
angekündigte Messias ist, und es nicht bei politischer, wirtschaftlicher und
militärischer Hilfe belassen dürfen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Auf jeden Fall sollten wir die kleine, aber
wachsende, messianische Gemeinde in Israel und in allen Teilen der Welt im
Gebet, durch Freundschaft und praktische Hilfe unterstützen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Da der Ursprung des Davidsterns nicht biblisch,
sondern okkult ist, rate ich von einem Tragen in Form eines Schmuckstücks ab.
Mit dem Siebenarmigen Leuchter, der auch "Menorah" genannt wird,
steht doch eine gute Alternative ohne zweifelhafte Vorgeschichte zur Verfügung!
<a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Oft haben Christen eine höhere Hemmschwelle
Juden gegenüber Zeugnis zu geben: "Sie sind doch Gottes auserwähltes Volk;
wer bin ich denn, dass ich ihnen von ihrem eigenen Gott erzählen sollte?"
Gott hat jedoch schon im Alten Testament angekündigt, dass er eines Tages durch
Menschen mit fremder Sprache zu Israel sprechen wird (siehe Jesaja 28:11). Das
sollte uns ermutigen, normale Begegnungen mit Juden überall auf der Welt, ob
als Tourist im Swimmingpool eines Hotels, als Geschäftspartner, Nachbar oder
Arbeitskollege zu nutzen, um ihnen von Jesus zu erzählen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Weil Jesus vor 2000 Jahren nicht kam, um Israel
von der römischen Besatzung zu befreien oder ein weltliches Reich zu bauen und
sich dieser Plan bis heute nicht verändert hat, sollten wir dem Staat Israel eine
niedrigere Priorität einräumen als dem Reich Gottes, denn das eine ist nicht
identisch mit dem anderen!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 32.45pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Wir sollten dafür beten und ringen, dass sich
die Juden zum gekreuzigten und auferstandenen Herrn wenden, nicht dafür, dass
sie die nächste militärische Auseinandersetzung mit den umliegenden Nationen
gewinnen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 14.45pt; text-align: justify;">Gottes Wege sind immer höher als
unsere! Wenn das auf ein Volk zutrifft, dann für Israel. Er wacht über sein
Volk, und er wacht über die Erfüllung seines Wortes. Wir können ihm vertrauen,
die Nationen zu steuern. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a name="_Toc534802652"></a><a name="_Toc536141039"></a><a name="_Toc536142509"></a><a name="_Toc536145631"></a><a name="_Toc536146199"></a><a name="_Toc536147674"></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Zur Berechnung der Jahreszahlen,
siehe die von mir erstellte Grafik „Biblische Altersangaben im Alten Testament“,
die auch als Faltblatt erhältlich ist. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> Abraham war in Ur (im heutigen Irak) geboren worden; gemeinsam mit
seinem Vater und anderen Verwandten lebte er</span><span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"> </span><span lang="X-NONE">jedoch einige Jahre im
etwa</span><span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"> </span><span lang="X-NONE">1.000 km entfernten Haran</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"> (in der heutigen Türkei)</span><span lang="X-NONE">.</span><span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Eine gute Einführung zur
Staatsgründung Israels 1948 bietet Michael Comay: Der Zionismus. Hänssler
Verlag 1985. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Statistische Daten in
diesem Abschnitt aus Fischer Weltalmanach, verschiedene Jahrgänge und aus dem
monatlich erscheinenden Magazin Israel Heute - Jubiläumsausgabe 1948-2018.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Wie wir dies tun können,
und zum Verhältnis von Christen zu Politik generell, siehe mein Buch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wie Christen die Welt verändern können</i>. CreateSpace
2019.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> Der Einfluss jüdischer Geschäftsleute und Bankiers auf Weltebene
ist legendär. Die Rothschilds, eine Familie mit deutschen Wurzeln (ihr
ursprünglicher Nachname war "Bauer") gehören zu den reichsten
Dynastien der Welt. Viele Unternehmen und Medien der Welt werden von Juden
geleitet, inklusive Facebook. Karl Marx, Albert Einstein, Siegmund Freud und
viele andere berühmte Künstler, Wissenschaftler, Autoren und Politiker
waren/sind jüdischer Abstammung.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Nach Schätzungen liegt
der Anteil der sogenannten Messianischen Juden zwischen 0,05 und 0,65% der etwa
14,7 Millionen Juden weltweit</span><span lang="X-NONE">. </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Alle Daten in diesem Abschnitt aus</span><span lang="X-NONE">: <a href="http://www.joshuaproject.org/"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.joshuaproject.org</span></a> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">und Fischer Weltalmanach, verschiedene </span><span lang="X-NONE">Jahrgänge und <a href="http://www.israelheute.com/"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.israelheute.com</span></a>
(Stand 12.</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">02.2019).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Um irgendwelchen
Vorwürfen vorzubeugen, möchte ich betonen, dass dies m.E. </span><span lang="X-NONE">auch auf meine Heimatstadt und auf Deutschland insgesamt zu</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">trifft</span><span lang="X-NONE">.</span><span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Christian%20Life/Das%20heutige%20Israel%20ist%20ein%20Ismael!.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="X-NONE" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">Zur Geschichte des
Davidster</span><span lang="X-NONE">ns</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">/Hexagramms
siehe z.B.</span><span lang="X-NONE">: <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/holocaust-remembrance-day/the-star-of-david-isn-t-just-jewish-1.5323219"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.haaretz.com/jewish/holocaust-remembrance-day/the-star-of-david-isn-t-just-jewish-1.5323219</span></a>
(Stand 12.02.2019).</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-40903894008034243162021-11-24T10:42:00.002+01:002021-11-27T11:51:34.434+01:00Lessons from Afghanistan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nz2z5NyYfDU/YZ5V7zBvrfI/AAAAAAACTfg/vOC3sk_o9pQ3Oxbh9QUZ4VKajfvHqrsngCNcBGAsYHQ/s300/NATO%2Bin%2BAfghanistan%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nz2z5NyYfDU/YZ5V7zBvrfI/AAAAAAACTfg/vOC3sk_o9pQ3Oxbh9QUZ4VKajfvHqrsngCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/NATO%2Bin%2BAfghanistan%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div></div><p style="text-align: justify;">After twenty years in the country, NATO forces from the US., Britain, Germany and many other nations left Afghanistan in August 2021. The world watched in horror as desperate people tried to cling to the last military airplanes leaving Kabul airport after the Taliban had taken back control over the country. Twenty years of service by hundreds of thousands of soldiers, who scarificed their time and many even their lives, hundreds of billions of dollars invested into the mission of the armed forces and the projects of GOs and NGOs - it seems like all of this was wasted. Politicians, the media and military leaders speak of a failed mission. As a missionary, who served in Thailand from 1998-2017, I asked the Lord what lessons, if any, the church can learn from the experience of the "secular" mission for the work of missionaries and mission agencies among the unreached peoples of the earth. The following thoughts came to my mind; they are not meant as the ultimate conclusion of the matter, but rather as suggestions to be considered for further evaluation and as help in the process of decision-making:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">None of the soldiers went to Afghanistan because they thought it was a great idea or because they wanted to go on vacation. They were ordered to go there!" >> Missionaries go when and where ordered by the Lord. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Soldiers left when they were ordered to, nobody stayed behind! >> Most missionaries arrive on the field with great zeal, but are rather reluctant to return home; could it be that our terms are limited? </li><li style="text-align: justify;">There might be a time, when a mission must face the fact that it is better to end it. The longest time the apostle Paul stayed in one place was three and a half year (in Ephesus). He normally past on the responsibility to the local church, even though that meant risking failure.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">The Afghan government, police and army that was trained and equipped by the Western allies, failed to hold the ground against the Taliban, who basically had remained waiting quietly in the underground throughout the twenty years>> Yes, it could be that planted churches will not last after a missionary leaves (all seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2-3, planted by Paul, are in Turkey and have seized to exist).</li><li style="text-align: justify;">When missionaries leave, they most likely leave behind a lot of "stuff": buildings, cars, land their foundations owned, schools, computers, etc. (hopefully no guns and tanks :)) We will not have a guarantee that it will be used only for the intended purposes. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">The objective of the NATO mission in Afghanistan was not clear: Why are the troops there? How long will they stay? What will they do? How do we measure "success"? If these questions are not answered before the deployment, they hold potential for great frustration. "Undefined" and "indefinetly" may sound heroic, but might not be the best answers for succesful missions.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"> Sometimes, it might look to others or to the missionaries themselves as if their mission was a complete failure. If we think so, we might become bitter and angry with the commander in chief, the Lord Jesus, who had ordered us to go in the first place: didn´t he know how hard it would be? Why did he send us anyway? It is therefore essential to look at the results of the mission from His perspective! You might not have achieved what you had planned and hoped for, but look at what He <i>did</i> do!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">I just recently had an opportunity to talk to one of the eight missionaries who were taken captive by the Taliban in 2001; in spite of the current situation, she pointed out the good things that were accomplished, from improvement of the infrastructure to lives that were impacted by personal relationships and prayer. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">For me personally, I have to face the reality that, in spite of my ministry there for almost twenty years, Thailand remains an overwhelmingly Buddhist nation to this day and the church has not exactly exploded in size, either. However, many lives were - and remain - impacted, not at least my own!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">The NATO forces did not succeed to establish a new political, economical and/or social system or at least to significantly change the old one. While transformed individual lives do not count as success in a political, military operation, they are essential for ambassadors of Christ. It is the other way around: What good is it if misisonaries "win the world" (= change systems), but do not win a single soul for Christ? The church has therfore to keep in mind that missionaries never go to a country or a region to change systems, but to impact people!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">The US and other nations have offered to fly out thousands of Afghans who "helped" the troops and/or worked with them (e.g. as translators), and help them to to start new lives in America or Europe. While this is very generous, I do not think that missionaries should nurture hopes of people we get to know and/or work with, to see their relationship with us as a means to leave their home country. After all, who went where to help whom? </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Lastly, a sobering reminder: If an army sends soldiers on a battle field, there <i>will</i> be some casualties. Likewise, some missionaries will be injured, and some will die on their assignments. Like any nation takes care of those who were wounded in the battle, the church should take care of missionaries who return home injured, rather than leaving them subject to the good will of secular social welfare systems. Otherwise, who would heed the call to go in the first place?</li></ul><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1Ntpi2dz4w/YZ5WJweoc1I/AAAAAAACTfk/FpUvEKdZPUErIB46e7_w9dBMv7Df76gEQCNcBGAsYHQ/s300/NATO%2Bin%2BAfghanistan%2B4.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1Ntpi2dz4w/YZ5WJweoc1I/AAAAAAACTfk/FpUvEKdZPUErIB46e7_w9dBMv7Df76gEQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/NATO%2Bin%2BAfghanistan%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-84496308864783126832021-04-03T10:03:00.000+02:002021-04-03T10:03:16.424+02:00Is God unjust?<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are some kingdoms of
this world that seem to be more blessed by God than others. How can that be? Is
God unjust? I think we find the answer when we address a basic misunderstanding
in our view of history. Because we all grew up learning that the different
peoples developed independently from one another, created their own culture and
religion and that now, for the first time ever, missionaries would tell the
people of a foreign God, whom they never heard of before. But that is not the
story of mankind. Truth is that all peoples trace back to Noah’s three sons and
their wives. After the flood, Noah lived another 350 years, and we can be sure
he told the people around him everything he had experienced and everything he
knew about God. Abraham was 58 years old when Noah died, so there is a good
chance that these two actually met!</span><span style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> While Abraham’s family had preserved the heritage and feared the one true God,
others moved away further and further – both geographically and spiritually.
Eventually, only bits and pieces of the true story remained and new ‘gods’ were
created. Wherever truth got lost, forgotten or outright rejected, the glory and
the blessing of God departed; and with every new god invented or called upon,
the kingdom of darkness expanded. In some places, you can feel a much stronger
presence of evil than in others, or, to say it positively, you can feel the
presence of God in some places more than in others. But God lets it rain on the
just and the unjust.</span></p><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tobyi/Documents/Book%20-%20Christians%20&amp;%20Politics/Book%20Sovereignty%20Word.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noah’s
son Shem lived another 152 years; by then, Abraham had already died, his son
Isaac was 110 years old and Jacob 50! See Appendix 4 in my book "Christianity, Politics and the Sovereignty of God" (This article is an exert from Chapter 5.1 "Kingdom Geography").<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-10023611887959053152020-12-11T19:01:00.004+01:002020-12-11T21:36:50.653+01:00Be assured: The LORD is God!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxcshLt6MK8/X8agx6q-WsI/AAAAAAACPuo/692O5t_s_ccveweaFZ4dPndINGZDBsRYwCNcBGAsYHQ/s605/Fullscreen%2Bcapture%2B01.12.2020%2B205643.bmp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="605" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxcshLt6MK8/X8agx6q-WsI/AAAAAAACPuo/692O5t_s_ccveweaFZ4dPndINGZDBsRYwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Fullscreen%2Bcapture%2B01.12.2020%2B205643.bmp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span><div style="text-align: justify;">I think we are about to see that God does not need judges, Supreme Courts and presidents to "save Christianity". He is not only <i><b>a</b></i> god, like Gideon's father may have hoped Baal to be, but the LORD is <i><b>God</b></i> and he <i><b>can</b></i> defend himself when someone tries to break down his altar!</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span>God is not impressed with laws and locations of diplomatic missions. Faith, hope and love are the things that move him, and they mark those whom he has moved. Yes, it will become more uncomfortable to be a Christian even i</span>n the U.S., as in other Western, nominally Christian nations. But when opposition increases, it will seperate the ones who truly want to serve the King from all of those who just want to have their best lives now. Are we ready to love like Christ did? He called Judas his friend unto the last minute, even though he knew that he would betray him, When Christ returns, will he find such a love in his church? Will he find it in you and me? Rather than shouting alloud on the street corners (a.k.a. "social media"), we should repent in sack and ashes and ask for his fire to re-ignite his love in our hearts. Let us all use this unusual, once-in-a-lifetime Christmas season to beseech him for that!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-29933766693993593692020-04-01T03:12:00.000+02:002020-04-02T22:58:42.251+02:00Is this what we prayed for?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two months ago it was far away in China. One month ago it was a little bit closer, in Italy. Now it´s all over Europe, the U.S. and all around the globe. Even India with its staggering 1.3 billion people is in shut-down mode with only the most essential functions still operating: Covid-19 has invaded the planet. A tiny little virus has turned the entire world upside down!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, what´s going on? Is this some evil plan by demonic forces? Is it a conspiracy of the pharma industry? Was the virus really manufactured by scientists as a biological weapon? Is it God´s judgment? Are we in the end-times? Or is it just a natural phenomenon that happened randomly?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As Christians, we can be assured: God is in control! At the end of the day, it doesn´t matter where the virus came from or who made what mistake that might have caused more damage than necessary. The better question is, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">like it should be in every disaster,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> how we as Christians should respond to the crisis. I think our response should be threefold: Worship, Work, Witness. Yes, "www" - we can even use the world-wide-web to do it! Let me say a few words to each of these three responses.</span></div>
<br />
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WORSHIP: Remarkably, some things that seemed to be so important to many of us, are now shut down (football stadiums, concert halls, temples, even churches...). I believe God is calling us back to worship Him, independent from whether he gives or takes. We sang it in songs, didn´t we? God deserves our worship in the good days when we have an abundance of everything (health, wealth, family, job, etc.) just as much as in the difficult times when things are rough, we are getting old or loved ones die. We might not understand. We can grieve. We can and should fight, pray and fast for victory, recovery, and safety. But it would be the greatest if, in everything, we could say with Job: "Though he slay me, yet I will trust in (= worship) him!" Nothing can separate us from His love, therefore let nothing keep us from praising Him!</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WORK: Many of the frontline workers in hospitals and nursing homes are dedicated Christians, who, together with believers of other religions as well as atheists, are tirelessly serving the sick and dying, risking and often sacrificing their lives for the sake of others. Even if the virus was God´s judgment, Christians should always seek to help and serve. It was Christ´s mission, and as the Father had sent him, so he has sent us into this world. Of course, that does not only apply for doctors and nurses but to every believer in his/her circle of influence.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WITNESS: The first two "w"s would be incomplete without this one. After all, what good is it, if a vaccine and a cure for Covid-19 are developed, everybody goes back to work/school but remains untouched in their hearts and souls? Neither CNN nor the governments of this world will call sinners to repentance. How will the lost hear of the loving Savior unless somebody tells them about him?</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is tempting for me to also focus on the plans of the enemy, as I am not unaware of his schemes (see 2. Cor. 2:11). It is not very difficult to see how the Antichristian forces are using the current events to pursue their agenda. But thoughts like these will be labeled conspiracy by the conspirators, I try therefore to focus on the positive things God is doing or wants us to do respectively. Just a few thoughts on something that C.S. Lewis is said to have written as early as in 1942:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCC2Uld02pc/XoPKjdfpzHI/AAAAAAACNMw/ohUqJqR2pBU_GGBJWYY3g3podld3bJiPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CS%2BLewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="750" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCC2Uld02pc/XoPKjdfpzHI/AAAAAAACNMw/ohUqJqR2pBU_GGBJWYY3g3podld3bJiPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/CS%2BLewis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I think what Jesus says here is a very good description of how God can use the current crisis for good. I also agree that the enemy would like to promote anxiety, fear, and panic - the opposites of peace, faith, and trust. Satan always comes to steal, destroy and to kill. I don´t think, however, that he has any interest in shutting down businesses, schools, sports events, and even churches, as these have become idols for many that have replaced true worship of the living God, the creator of all things. It seems more plausible to me that Jesus did the former (closing of places, financial turmoil) to bring about the latter (restoration of families, etc.)! So, maybe Covid-19 is really what we prayed for when we asked the Lord for revival!?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">See also <a href="https://kingdom2050.blogspot.com/2017/02/gods-sovereignty-in-natural-disasters.html">God´s sovereignty in natural disasters, accidents and terrorist attacks</a> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-88995717078847705672020-03-26T18:09:00.001+01:002020-03-26T23:21:30.774+01:00What it takes to shake nations<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IgyVoeRIjQ/XnzDc4Kr9FI/AAAAAAACNHc/Iqy6fhYfIZgG5Zzxe6B3n94nPNAKayieQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2-format2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="111" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IgyVoeRIjQ/XnzDc4Kr9FI/AAAAAAACNHc/Iqy6fhYfIZgG5Zzxe6B3n94nPNAKayieQCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/2-format2020.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gambling/Entertainment: Las Vegas closed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay_HNSvpyrg/XnzDtHhb0EI/AAAAAAACNHo/B7VVmvnxCd8hY4SSIU3p_j1RiRHeCClIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stock%2BMarket%2BCrash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay_HNSvpyrg/XnzDtHhb0EI/AAAAAAACNHo/B7VVmvnxCd8hY4SSIU3p_j1RiRHeCClIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/Stock%2BMarket%2BCrash.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dow Jones, DAX down</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">About 2600 years ago, the prophet Zephania foresaw: </span><span lang="NL" style="background: white;">"<span class="text">The </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"> will be awesome to
them</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span lang="NL" style="background: white; line-height: 110%;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span lang="NL" style="background: white;">when he destroys all the idols (gods) of the land. The
nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land"</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> (Zep 2:11) - </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Who would have thought that He
could do this with a little virus?</span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sports: Stadiums closed, Olympics postponed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Music: Concert Halls closed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Arts: Theaters closed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Entertainment/Gambling: Las Vegas closed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hollywood: Cinemas closed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Travel: Hotels closed, flights canceled<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Economy: DowJones, DAX down<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, even Religion: Churches, mosques; temples
closed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">None
of the things mentioned above are evil or bad in themselves. But if they become
the center of our lives (i.e. our idols), God is able to turn entire nations upside
down anytime. What an opportunity to reconsider our ways! </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Turning disasters into opportunities</span></u></b><br />
The church by and large missed 9/11. Let´s use <i>this</i> time to proclaim the gospel to the nations!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b>You will not hear it from the government, nor from the media: Jesus Christ still saves!</b></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qH5gTpfsjHs/XnzIzrpIlTI/AAAAAAACNIM/G8giZTw9oWQIHnhTmdj9fpHNBXsxeswMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2-format43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="566" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qH5gTpfsjHs/XnzIzrpIlTI/AAAAAAACNIM/G8giZTw9oWQIHnhTmdj9fpHNBXsxeswMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/2-format43.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPWuLXHkssk/XnzDmr2vq8I/AAAAAAACNHk/SubxVSP4f_Q3ES4apMaVplXa8z3RE2pGgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sample-4_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="448" height="175" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPWuLXHkssk/XnzDmr2vq8I/AAAAAAACNHk/SubxVSP4f_Q3ES4apMaVplXa8z3RE2pGgCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/sample-4_2.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKcySMGEoVA/XnzJ31ig_hI/AAAAAAACNIY/ZxhdfUx_F_U039fSmhJuMU2P1HIFbFaSACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Worshipping%2BHands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="150" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKcySMGEoVA/XnzJ31ig_hI/AAAAAAACNIY/ZxhdfUx_F_U039fSmhJuMU2P1HIFbFaSACNcBGAsYHQ/s200/Worshipping%2BHands.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPWuLXHkssk/XnzDmr2vq8I/AAAAAAACNHk/SubxVSP4f_Q3ES4apMaVplXa8z3RE2pGgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sample-4_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 110%;">____________________________________________________________</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 110%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 110%;">Churches can be closed. Websites and chatrooms
can be shutdown. </span></b></div>
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 110%;"></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 110%;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 110%;">But the word of God cannot be bound (see 2 Tim 2:9)!</span></b></span></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-68265728897266512662017-05-30T11:30:00.001+02:002021-11-17T10:56:21.243+01:00Our attitude towards sickness and healing<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some thoughts, jotted down after listening to a teaching by Bill Johnson on unanswered prayer. I hope you will find <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">some encouragement and/or some food for thought and further reflection. God bless!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"If you just had enough faith, you would be healed!" This is not a cruel thing to say to somebody who is sick (even though it certainly can come across in a condemning way), but it is throwing them a life-line, pointing them to the only solution to their problem. It is actually cruel <i>not</i> to tell them that they should have faith for their healing!</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The opposite of "a little faith" is not GREAT faith, but NO faith! Jesus said that with faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains – no "great" faith required even for such a monumental task. Jesus also simply asked whether He will find "faith" on the earth when He returns – again no "great" faith required or expected. Similarly, Jesus asked the disciples after He stilled the storm WHERE their faith was. He did not rebuke them for not having "enough" faith, but simply made it clear to them that their faith was in the wrong thing (i.e. in their own ability top maneuver through the rough sea, in this case).</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Complacency and ignorance tolerate unanswered prayers." Bills Johnson</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Accepting sickness in our lives somehow seems to be easier than believing God for healing, as you will not be disappointed (you cannot be disappointed if you didn't really expect to get anything in the first place), but it simply does not glorify God.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If we pray for somebody to be healed, but doubt that God wants to heal that person, we are actually saying that we have more compassion for that person than God, but that is impossible. That makes me think that God wants to heal me more than I want to be healed myself!</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If we expect to be healed because of some kind of merit from our side, we are doomed. God is our Father, and as such we do not have to and we <i>cannot</i> do anything to earn His favor. He heals us because He loves us.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to be healed so that my life glorifies God. It's a sad, man-made theology that says God would be glorified when we accept sickness because He wants to teach us something or build character in us. Jesus never told that to ANYBODY who came to Him for healing!</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rather than shaking or being bedridden or being dependent on medicine, I am convinced it glorifies God much more when I am hiking through the mountains, enjoying His creation while snorkeling off the coast of the <st1:place w:st="on">Cayman Islands</st1:place>, riding a bicycle to a waterfall around Chiang Rai, or playing football, being fully alive FOR Him, IN Him and together WITH Him.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I do not want to be healed merely so that I can SERVE God better, but to ENJOY Him more (even though it will certainly be much more fun to preach, teach, drive busses, clean stuff or do whatever, rather than being miserable, unable to do anything. Jesus did not die on the cross because the Father needed servants… He wanted CHILDREN <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God wants us to pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is no sickness in heaven, thus to "seek His Kingdom" here on earth entails for people to be healthy and whole.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Timothy 3:12 says that everybody who wants to lead a godly life will suffer PERSECUTION, not sickness.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I do not want to accuse God ("You don't want to heal me") and neither do I want to blame myself ("I deserve to be sick") but I am guilty of self-pity, believing that I have to convince God of how miserable my situation is – as if He had not noticed.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Healing was God's idea, not ours.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mt 6:33 ("Seek first His Kingdom"): We should never make our needs the primary focus of our prayers, even though it is absolutely legitimate to pray for our "daily bread" – instead, we should always be praying for what is on HIS heart.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Answers to prayer reveal God" – we need to pray for more than one thing at any given time, not to focus on just one issue. The breakthrough in one area will give us the hope and perseverance to see breakthroughs in other areas.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some things God does not give to soldiers / fighters, but only to sons and daughters. This point seems to be the easiest one, but often turns out to be the hardest, because we grow up being taught that we only get what we deserve…</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just in case you were wondering: No, I am not a parrot. God created me to be a son, made in His image, not a parrot who just says what we think He wants to hear…</span></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-67367160876783652512017-02-11T07:07:00.004+01:002020-12-12T08:50:52.207+01:00The Gospel<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://toby5210.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_84.html" target="_blank">Deutsch</a> <a href="http://toby5210.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html" target="_blank">ภาษาไทย</a></span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">I don't know how the gospel was presented to you, but I am
convinced that Jesus will not come into anybody's life as a guest. He will
either enter as Lord or He will remain outside. God opened my eyes to this
reality on what began as a normal Friday in February 1989.</span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">I had driven about 3 hours to the city of <st1:city w:st="on">Muenster</st1:city>,
<st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place>.
While driving, my friend and I listened to a teaching tape by Wilhelm Pahls, a
German evangelist. I had never heard a man speaking so passionately about
bringing people to Jesus, never before and hardly ever since. I knew that the
things he said were true, and it was as if he spoke directly to me. Every word
pierced my heart. Without having a scientific proof for it, I <i>knew</i> that
the Bible was God's word. I had no defense, no reason not to accept what Jesus
had done for me and that He now wanted to come into my life as Savior and Lord.
After we finished listening to the tape, I had maybe the most terrible two
hours of my life. We went to visit my friend's girlfriend in a hospital, but I
could not participate in the unfolding conversation whatsoever. There was a war
going on inside of me! A part of me wanted what Jesus was offering, another
part of me wanted to stay in control of my life, and reasoned against it. And
one of the main reasons why I hesitated was that I knew I could never have the
kind of sex I desired if I really followed Jesus. </span></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">I finally found a reason to leave the room and went back to
the parking lot. I could not look into anybody's face and everything seemed to
be dark and gray around me. I arrived at the car, but instead of getting my
guitar out of the trunk I sat down in the driver's seat and prayed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 110%;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">I do not remember what exact words I used when I
prayed, but when I opened my eyes, the world looked different. Everything dark
and gray was gone. I got out of the car and I recognized trees, people, LIFE! I
literally saw the world with new eyes! I read later in 2. Corinthians 5:17 that
those who are in Christ are a new creation, and I sure felt like that!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 110%;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 110%;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">From my book "Tempted, But Holy!" You can purchase the book from Amazon and other online bookstores or directly from me <a href="https://toby5210.blogspot.com/p/store.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-51436427718782443542017-02-10T09:37:00.000+01:002017-09-29T17:44:22.902+02:00God's sovereignty in natural disasters, accidents and terrorist attacks - A short study<div class="_4_j7 _5s6c" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tsunami warning sign in Phang Nga, Thailand</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tsunamis, floods, storms, earthquakes... do those kind of disasters just happen? Are they God's judgments? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A common answer from Christians is that God certainly did not cause these disasters, but that he is grieved by the destruction they cause, the lives that were taken, etc. I want to suggest 6 reasons why this kind of thinking stands on very shaky ground, and does not align with what the Bible reveals about God's character. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ultimate question is whether anything seemingly bad can be caused by God. He might have reasons that we don't understand, but I don't think that "God allows disasters, but didn't want them to happen" is a very smart answer. Indeed, it's an unbiblical answer.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If God is not causing (for whatever reason) natural disasters like tsunamis, floods, fires, earthquakes, etc., what would be his role? Just by common sense and, yes, logic, I see 6 options: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><br /></span></span></div>
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a) He is <i>not able</i> to prevent them from happening (which would mean he is not all-powerful (but all Christians hold that he is all-powerful)</div>
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b) He is <i>not willing</i> to prevent them from happening (and thus protect the innocent and the children); a person who was able to prevent a disaster/crime/accident, but didn't do anything can be held responsible (at least in a German court)! </div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
c) He didn't see them coming/was surprised by them; that would mean he is not all-knowing (but of course all believers hold that God is all-knowing)</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
d) He knew it would happen, but didn't warn at least his people, so they could evacuate the innocent & children </div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
e) He simply doesn't care what's happening (but every true believer knows that God is interested even in the smallest detail of our lives - even the hair on our head is numbered…)</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
f) God is not in control - either Satan or men is, and God has to allow things that he doesn’t want to happen (this seems to be the politically correct answer in modern day evangelicalism, but it does not stand a Biblical test, neither does it solve the above mentioned concerns) </div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
g) ______________________________<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>__(please let me know if you have another thought) </div>
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Any of the above mentioned options make God look to me like a toothless grandpa who would love to see everything being peace, joy and pancakes, but can’t quite muster the strength to really do anything of significance, and who retreats therefore to crying and weeping. The Bible, however, speaks of an all-powerful God, before, during and after the cross, who does whatever he wants and whom nobody can resist…</div>
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Job said that he would worship/trust/hope in God "though he slay me" (Job 13:15). And in Job 2:10 Job says ""Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.""</div>
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Isaiah 45:7 "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things." </div>
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Psalm 105:7 “He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.”</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Revelation 16:7 "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Saying all that does not mean that every natural disaster is God's judgment. Thailand frequently sees major mudslides destroying villages, and most of them indeed can be blamed on forest encroachment and following erosion. In some cases we can therefore speak of man-made disasters. But a tsunami that kills hundreds of thousands of people is definitely not man-made. The options are thus that natural disasters are either caused by God himself, or that he at least allows Satan or “nature” to cause them, for whatever reason. In the Old as well as in the New Testament are many examples of natural disasters being directly caused by God. Many times children were killed together with their parents, who had sinned (e.g. Numbers 16).</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Now some point out that Korah’s rebellion, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the flood were before the cross, and that now nobody has to be afraid of being judged by God, because all punishment was laid upon Jesus on the cross. That is a very good argument, but even after the cross we read about God pouring out his wrath, especially in the book of Revelation. Only <i>in Jesus</i> are we saved from God’s judgment. Those who do not believe in Jesus remain under God’s wrath, in spite of the cross (John 3:36)! But just as God was able to safe whomever he wanted through the flood in Noah’s days, or from the plagues in Egypt, God is able to protect whomever he wants from natural disasters, accidents and terrorist attacks in our time. Therefore, I am not afraid that I will die in a freak accident, unless it’s by God’s appointment. He will fulfill his purpose for me (Psalm 138:8), and no devil and no earthquake will be able to remove me from this planet before God’s purposes have been fulfilled in my life. That’s my strong conviction and confidence!</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
God is able to safe! But if he chooses not do that, he will have reasons. And I tend to think that God is not merely interested in displaying his awesome power, making man realize how powerless he is, in spite of internet, bank accounts, nuclear bombs and international space stations. God might sometimes really use disasters as judgment and as call for repentance. And then it’s even more tragic when man does not respond by humbling himself and repent! I would say that the USA completely missed the boat in the aftermath of 9/11. While there are many great, god-fearing people in America, who really love God with all their hearts, the overwhelming majority of Americans pay nothing but lip-service to God or even openly oppose godliness on every level. Now the very symbols of the things that most Americans (and other Westerners) really trust in were attacked on 9/11: The World Trade Center was the symbol for economy (banking, trading, insurance, money) and the Pentagon obviously is the symbol for military might. A godly response would have been one of humility and repentance, but America responded in pride, and put even more trust in the economy and in the military. This led to two disastrous military campaigns (Iraq and Afghanistan) and the global financial crisis in 2008.</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
So, if you think that God never judges anything in our days, you better think twice… you might ignore the very thing that God is using to shake up people’s consciences, and you might just put a band-aid on wounds that will lead to certain death and eternal separation from God if not treated rightly!</div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
For further reading I recommend John Piper’s book “Suffering and the Sovereignty of God”, which you can download for free at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desiringgod.org%2FResourceLibrary%2Fonlinebooks%2Fbytitle%2F2439_Suffering_and_the_Sovereignty_of_God%2F&h=ATNeF_rG0ePPakhfdr0bXAk8x671TxdfxheTr47EsOcKMRRXAUE8QomFg5uGWJ0fmt-mVk8_FXF4uzLt0yIlehuYmZHyKU10mF5244tlJlOApuu1z-OidI9Urx-L6qs5WbYh&s=1" rel="nofollow noopener" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.desiringgod.org/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>ResourceLibrary/onlinebooks/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>bytitle/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>2439_Suffering_and_the_Sovereig<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>nty_of_God/</a></div>
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* Before about 200.000 people were killed by the tsunami in 2004 in Banda-Aceh (Indonesia) there were no churches in the region; now there are 26… so in some ways the tsunami opened the doors not only for emergency relief teams, but also for the gospel! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-3726986894350078482017-02-10T09:18:00.001+01:002021-11-17T10:55:41.710+01:00Marks of a disciple<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">
The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of attributes that mark a disciple of Jesus Christ.</div>
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A disciple...</div>
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<li>follows Jesus</li>
<li>wants to be discipled (!)</li>
<li>is faithful</li>
<li>loves people</li>
<li>is not only interested in him-/herself</li>
<li>cares for others</li>
<li>is concerned about other people’s salvation<br />(if you are not concerned about this, you are most likely not saved yourself!)</li>
<li>is interested in world-evangelization</li>
<li>is a giver, not just a taker</li>
<li>is obedient</li>
<li>knows he/she is forgiven</li>
<li>has assurance of salvation</li>
<li>is marked with the blood of the lamb</li>
<li>is a sheep</li>
<li>is chosen (not just called)</li>
<li>loves Jesus</li>
<li>knows God</li>
<li>honors and treasures the Scriptures</li>
<li>disciples others</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-43132092514280245972016-07-19T08:56:00.000+02:002016-07-19T08:56:44.757+02:00Facing temptation<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Bible leaves no room for doubt: Practicing homosexuality
is sin. So how could God possibly redeem same-sex attraction? I am convinced
that same-sex attraction is a gift, rather than a curse. But, like every gift
that God has given, we can either use it for good, according to God's purpose
and for his glory; or we can use it for our own, selfish and, in the long-run,
harmful purposes according to the lies of the enemy. So the answer to our
question is actually rather simple: God wants people, who feel attracted to
their own gender, to love people of their own gender with <i>His</i> love. What
God created to be an expression of his own father-heart, Satan wants to pervert
and reduce to a sexual level, just as he is trying to reduce the love between a
man and a woman to a mere sexual experience. Most Christians are aware that the
relationship between a married couple is supposed to be much more than just a
god-sanctioned boundary for sex, but a picture and a reflection of Christ's
love for his bride, the church. In a similar way, God intended the love between
two men to be an expression and a demonstration of the love of God the Father
for his Son, Jesus. The sexual confusion of our days, which is really nothing
new, but has existed since biblical times (see <st1:city w:st="on">Sodom</st1:city>
and <st1:place w:st="on">Gomorrah</st1:place>),
shows how far the enemy has succeeded in deceiving mankind to believe his lies.</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When Adam and Eve tasted the forbidden fruit, they found it
had not only <i>looked</i> delicious, but it actually <i>was</i>. To this day,
there <i>is</i> some kind of pleasure in sin – that is why it is so attractive
to us. But not only are there negative long-term consequences of sin, but the
rewards of trusting and obeying God's instructions far outweigh the pleasures
of sin. Adam and Eve were not scolded for thinking that the fruit was delicious,
but because they did not believe God that it would be better for them if they
abstained from eating it. That is the nature of all temptation: it promises us
some kind of gratification, but it covers up the fact that it will not really
satisfy our deeper need. And this need is the presence of God, His blessing, His
glory and His delight in us. So don't be afraid if you face temptation, because
you have the opportunity to get one step closer to what you are really looking
for – if you resist the temptation! Giving in, on the other hand, will take you
one step further away from the One who is the <i>only</i> one who can fulfill
your deepest desires. If you <i>know</i> that you have not really found what
you are looking for, and many of you <i>do</i> know that, then don't despair
but simply turn to Jesus, repent and start to follow him. He is waiting to
fulfill your greatest dreams and longings. He wants to give you life, abundant
life, a hope and a future. Come now and taste and see that the Lord is good!</span></div>
</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-49406768767181179672015-11-22T00:26:00.003+01:002021-11-22T14:33:45.126+01:00Religionen<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> "Alle Flüsse münden im Meer." So heißt es in einem Sprichwort, das ich oft höre, wenn ich in Thailand mit Menschen über ihren Glauben spreche. Gemeint ist damit, dass doch letztlich alle Religionen zum selben Ziel führen. Hört sich toll an, oder? Wenn das so wäre, dann wäre in der Tat alle Mission hinfällig, und Jesus hätte sich die Erteilung des Missionsbefehls ("Gehet hin in alle Welt und predigt das Evangelium aller Kreatur") eigentlich sparen können. Hat er aber nicht. Er erhob den Anspruch, der einzige Weg zum Vater zu sein, und dass niemand zu Gott kommen könnte als alleine durch ihn. Es ist im Übrigen auch gar nicht wahr, dass alle Flüsse im Meer münden, denn es gibt einige, die in Wüsten und Steppen versickern oder in einem See ohne Abfluss enden...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Alle Religionen haben jedoch in der Tat eines gemeinsam: Sie sind eine Erfindung von Menschen! In Religionen versuchen Menschen die Welt zu erklären und den Menschen zu lehren, wie sie leben sollten. Die Geschichte Gottes mit dem Volk Israel, so wie sie im Alten Testament berichtet wird, ist jedoch der Bericht darüber, wie sich Gott den Menschen offenbart hat. Es ist also genau anders herum: Hier versuchen nicht verschiedene Autoren zu erklären, wie Gott ist, sondern hier erklärt Gott den Menschen wie er ist und wie sie leben sollten. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Es ist halt nicht so, dass alle Religionen gleich sind. Pure Logik macht das unmöglich: Wenn eine Religion sagt, es gäbe nur einen Gott, eine andere jedoch lehrt, dass es 300 Millionen Götter gibt (Hinduismus), und eine weitere wiederum behauptet, dass es überhaupt keinen Gott gibt (Buddhismus), so können doch unmöglich alle wahr sein. Nun gibt es ja manche Schlauberger, die ganz gerissen einfach erklären, dass alles wahr sein kann, wenn man es für wahr halten möchte. Ich habe tatsächlich mit Menschen gesprochen, die mir sagten, dass die Gleichung 2+2=5 für mich wahr sein könnte, wenn ich es denn nur glauben möchte. Na, Menschen, die so denken, wünsche ich viel Spaß dabei, die Mathelehrer ihrer Kinder von ihrer "Wahrheit" zu überzeugen! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> So, wie es mathematische, physikalische und auch historische Wahrheiten gibt, so sollte es uns auch bei den Fragen nach Gott, einem Leben nach dem Tod, Himmel und Hölle und anderen "geistlichen" Dingen eigentlich darum gehen herauszufinden, was denn nun wahr ist. Leider machen sich viele Menschen jedoch nie wirklich auf die Suche nach solchen Wahrheiten, da sie sich von Sätzen wie "<i>Wissen</i> kann man das ja nicht" einschüchtern und abschrecken lassen. Ja, aber wer sagt denn das eigentlich? Die Bibel jedenfalls sagt unter anderem, dass sie geschrieben wurde, damit wir <i>wissen</i>, dass wir ewiges Leben haben. Hiob, ein Mann der unglaubliches erlitten hatte, sagte schon im Alten Testament, dass er <i>weiß</i>, dass sein Erlöser lebt. Und auch ich bin so frei dir zu sagen, dass ich <i>weiß</i>, dass es Gott gibt, dass Jesus von den Toten auferstanden ist, dass meine Sünden vergeben sind und dass ich nach meinem Tod für immer in Gottes Gegenwart im Himmel sein werde. Du hast richtig gelesen: Ich <i>hoffe </i>nicht, dass dies so ist, sondern ich <i>weiß</i> es. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Das war nicht immer so, denn bevor mich Gott in seiner Gnade zu sich rief und ich am 10. Februar 1989 auf einem Parkplatz in Münster wiedergeboren wurde, war ich geistlich tot. Ich war zwar als Kind und Jugendlicher in die Kirche gegangen, aber so richtig sicher war ich mir nicht, ob es Gott denn wirklich geben würde. Dann offenbarte sich Gott mir auf einem Berg in Norwegen, und ein paar Wochen später verstand ich, dass meine Sünden mich noch von diesem Gott trennten. Und seitdem habe ich keine Religion mehr, sondern eine Beziehung zu Gott. Nur geistlich tote Leute können mit Religion zufrieden sein! Leider haben auch die meisten Pfarrer, Priester und Bischöfe in den großen Kirchen lediglich eine Religion, die zwar mit vielen Wahrheiten gespickt ist, die aber gleichzeitig versucht, die Praktizierenden mit Ritualen zufrieden zu stellen. Gott kennen tun sie nicht, und sie wissen dies auch; man muss es ihnen gar nicht beweisen, dass sie von Gott getrennt sind. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Wenn eine Religionsgemeinschaft die Wahrheit nicht wirklich gefunden hat, wird sie zwangsläufig etwas hinzufügen müssen, um Menschen bei der Stange zu halten. So entstehen religiöse Systeme, in denen nicht nur viele äußerliche Dinge wie z.B. große religiöse Gebäude, religiöse Gewänder, Zeremonien und auch - nicht zuletzt im evangelikalen und charismatischen Lager(!) - gewandte Redner benutzt werden, die von der Inhaltslosigkeit der Lehre ablenken und Respekt einflössen sollen. Die Verpackung, die jedem Geschmack angepasst werden kann, sieht also sehr attraktiv aus, aber hinter dieser Fassade ist nichts - das Paket ist leer! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Die Angst vor Bestrafung hält die meisten Menschen erfolgreich davon ab, die Regeln, die Lehre und die Autoritätspersonen der jeweiligen Religionsgemeinschaft in Frage zu stellen. Perfekte Liebe jedoch lässt keinen Raum für Angst. Und hier ist der echte Unterschied zwischen der Wahrheit (Jesus) und der Lüge (Religionen): Während Jesus uns befreit und alle Lehre in der Gemeinde das Ziel verfolgt uns zu liebevolleren Menschen zu machen, die sich ihres Wertes, ihrer Berufung und ihrer ewigen Bestimmung gewiss sind, lassen Religionen ihre Gläubigen immer mit einem Gefühl der Ungewissheit zurück, in dem man nur hoffen kann, dass das eigene Leben am Ende irgendwie gut genug war, um in den Himmel zu kommen bzw. man aufhört zu existieren (Buddhismus). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Da, wo echte Beziehung mit Jesus gelebt und gelehrt wird, wird man gerne auf religiösen Pomp verzichten. Der geistlich tote Mensch, der von der Bibel auch als "fleischlicher" Mensch bezeichnet wird, ist von Äußerlichkeiten leicht beeindruckt:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;">"Die Tempel sind doch so wunderschön!" </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">"Der Pastor ist so ein guter Prediger: Er hat 2 Stunden über nur einen Vers gepredigt!"</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">"Diese Religionsgemeinschaft/Kirche existiert schon so lange, die kann doch gar nicht falsch sein!"</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">"Aber dieser bekannte Künstler, Komponist, Politiker, Sportler... ist doch auch ein Moslem/Christ/Freimaurer/Mormone/Scientologie/Buddhist..."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">"Wir sind Buddhisten/Katholiken/Baptisten/Moslems weil unsere Vorfahren es auch waren" (nach dieser Logik sollten wir eigentlich in Deutschland immer noch Wotan und sonstige germanische Gottheiten anbeten...).</span></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Ein geistlich lebendiger Mensch wird hinter die Fassade schauen wollen, und fragt immer nach dem Inhalt, anstatt sich von der Verpackung blenden zu lassen. Es wird jedoch immer mehr Aufwand betrieben, Menschen mit immer schickeren Verpackungen von der niedrigen Qualität des eigentlichen Produktes abzulenken. Mir wird das immer deutlich, wenn ich mal wieder ins Kino gehe, und mir den neuesten Actionfilm anschaue: Die Technologie, der Sound, die Spezialeffekte, die Kameraführung... wow, absolut fantastisch und beeindruckend. Aber die Handlung des Films? Die Moral von der Geschichte? Naja, man kann ja nicht alles haben, oder? So wird die Verpackung zum Selbstzweck. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Und genauso gehen viele an die Fragen heran, die sich eigentlich jeder normale denkende Mensch irgendwann einmal stellen sollte: Wer bin ich? Warum bin ich hier? Wo gehe ich hin? Gibt es Gott? Was ist Wahrheit? Befriedigen Sie diese Fragen nicht mit geistlichem Fastfood, sondern suchen Sie echte Antworten, bis Sie sie finden. Wer sie gefunden hat, merkt das auch. Wer noch nicht gefunden hat, weiß dies auch. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Wenn Sie jetzt unzufrieden sind, weil Sie feststellen, dass Sie zwar eine Religion haben, aber nicht wirklich sicher sind, ob denn dies alles wahr und echt ist, schlage ich Ihnen vor, dass Sie sich direkt an den Herrn Jesus wenden, denn er hat gesagt, dass er niemanden ablehnen wird, der zu ihm kommt. Bekennen Sie ihm Ihre Sünden - Sie überraschen ihn damit nicht, denn er kennt Sie sowieso viel besser als Sie sich selber. Vergeben Sie denen, die Ihnen Unrecht getan haben, gerade auch denen, die Ihnen ihre Religion beibringen wollten. Die meisten haben es gut gemeint! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Möge der Herr Ihnen große Gnade schenken und sich Ihnen offenbaren. Ich bin sicher, dass er das tun wird, wenn Sie es ehrlich meinen! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(Post von 2015, mit leichten Veränderungen im November 2021)</span></div><br /><div class="fb-like" data-action="like" data-colorscheme="light" data-height="The pixel height of the plugin" data-href="http://wasdenkstdudenn.blogspot.com/2015/04/uber-religionen.html" data-layout="button_count" data-send="false" data-show-faces="false" data-width="The pixel width of the plugin"></div><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-37497926-3', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-5388269684299564452015-10-31T06:51:00.000+01:002015-10-31T07:05:36.477+01:00It's October 31st - Reformation Day!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/105160025271056868339/LutherExhibition?authuser=0&feat=directlink" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBZteMDZSls0ETC3arYOkIDtkICZW00GfiZ1T68lqg9SaV3kr6xTb9PudIiX28UAqN-F3gcbrXCTrRXmrgW2-FHkgajANwm_7GtVeLYTMBwt5s4MCLkP-rqiOe1ZSiCWDJ_1b4I7Bb3A/s320/Dubai+-+Berlin+%252877%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/105160025271056868339/LutherExhibition?authuser=0&feat=directlink" target="_blank">Click</a> for more pictures of this beautiful exhibition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">498 years ago on this day, Martin Luther nailed a paper with 95 theses to a door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany, and thus started what became known as the Reformation. In Luther's day, only real witches and sorcerers thought about "Halloween," because it was (and still is!) the most important day in the lives of all those who knowingly worship Satan. Nowadays, hardly anybody thinks of the events that were so crucial for the forming of protestant churches as we have them today in every country on the planet, while millions even here in Thailand are "celebrating" Halloween. It indeed looks as if darkness has increased. The light of the gospel, that once shined so brightly in Germany has been dimmed by dark forces, and voices that proclaimed eternal truths as clearly as Martin Luther once did, have been widely silenced by political correctness and a spirit of tolerance that tolerates everything except the truths contained in the Scriptures. To bring the gospel back into the country from which it used to go out to all corners of the globe (e.g. through the Moravians), I have started to make plans for a project that I named "Back to Wittenberg." Its goal is to mobilize at least 100 teams from around the world, who would sojourn to Germany in 2017 to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In cooperation with local churches, the teams would preach the gospel on the streets, markets and public squares as well as in schools, churches and other venues all over the country. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is time for another Reformation, a Great Awakening in Germany! Please pray for the leadership of YWAM Germany as they will discuss my project proposal next week. Thank you!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-7197396111439602912015-03-14T23:05:00.002+01:002015-03-14T23:08:38.492+01:00Paul on Malta<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> As I have been reading the Book of Acts recently with the special emphasis on Healing, I was amazed about Paul's experience on Malta, a tiny island in the Mediterranean Sea. Paul, together with all 276 passengers, had just survived a two-week long odyssey through a storm that ended up with the ship breaking apart when it ran aground just off the island. So here is the picture: Paul, like all the other passengers, is tired, cold, wet, hungry and weak after a long fight with the forces of nature. On top of all that, he get's bitten by a poisonous snake, which leaves him quite unimpressed, though, while it certainly made an impression on the locals who expected Paul to die after the snake-bite. But what really got the locals' attention was what happened afterwards:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Acts 28:7-9</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Do you see that? Paul heals one guy and then "the rest of the sick" on the entire island were healed as well! Wow! Now, as I said, Malta is a small island, today's population is about 400,000. So let's say there were just a few thousand people living on the island in Paul's days, but anyhow, <i>every</i> sick person among them was healed by Paul! I like verse 8, where it says that Paul "after prayer" healed the father of the official. That means he did not <i>pray</i> for the sick, but he <i>healed</i> them. <i>All</i> of them. Not a single sick person stayed behind, and this on an island where they had never heard of Jesus before. People were healed who could not have had any faith in the Lord, simply because they had never heard of him. Praise the Lord: Paul really walked in the fulness of his calling, according to Mark 16:17-18. It looks like Paul spent about 3 months on the island, which gave him plenty of time to preach the gospel and then to teach the young believers. But the church planting strategy that Paul used was to heal people before he told them the gospel... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> It looks to me that we could still use this strategy today, especially among the unreached. People like Heidi Baker in Africa are doing just that. Of course, some critics say that it doesn't really help the people if they are healed physically, but remain lost in sin. That is true. But, my Bible says that the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Many times I realize that most churches in the Western world are not exactly overflowing with joyful people. We <i>do</i> have a lot of sick people, though, and we have come up with great theological crutches to justify our sickness. It seems to be that the longer an area has been "christianized," the harder the ground for healings to take place, and - going hand-in-hand with that - the less joy there is. I am sure there was lots of joy in Malta's young churches, as there were many grateful people who had received healing. A gratefulness that expressed itself, among others, also through abundant giving to the cause of missions, by the way (see verse 10).</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><u><b>Conclusion</b></u>: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> I want to dare to expect healing for myself and for others. I am encouraged to go to unreached villages in Thailand and expect God to heal the sick, whether they have heard of Jesus before or not. And, for greater joy in the churches, it might in deed be good to start with healing, rather than teaching all kinds of other things first... :) jtol (just thinking out loudly) :)</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-53548380071259606302015-03-13T11:31:00.001+01:002021-11-17T10:57:13.825+01:00DiscipleshipJesus told us to go into all the world and make disciples. Some challenging thoughts to those of us who are claiming to do that.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Whom are we discipling? </u></b><br />
Jesus did not wait for people to apply at his ministry, but he approached his disciples and asked them to follow him. Likewise, we should not wait for people to choose us as their mentor, but we should choose people to follow us!<br />
<br />
<b><u>Requirements in a mentor - disciple relationship</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Required: The mentor needs to love the person he calls to follow him!</li>
<li>Not required: The person called loving the one who calls him. </li>
</ul>
In fact, the motive of the person called does not really matter:<br />
<ul>
<li>he might be looking for financial stability and wealth (like Judas)</li>
<li>he might be looking for an increased social status (e.g. from fisherman or tax-collector to teacher religious authority)</li>
<li>he might be in it for some other personal benefit (like a "Greencard," English language, education,...)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><u>How or why did Jesus choose the 12 apostles?</u></b> </div>
<div>
Obviously, Jesus prayed before he made his decision. But here are a few characteristics that I found:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The natural gifts, talents and abilities of the disciples were not important - on the contrary: God chooses the foolish things!</li>
<li>Jesus didn't abandon the disciples when they show certain signs of progress, growth and maturity after a while</li>
<li>The <i>only</i> criteria that Jesus seemed to have was that <i>he loved them</i>!</li>
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That is good news for <i>us</i>, because Jesus chose <i>us</i>. After 3 years of having been with Jesus, the disciples did not "get" most of the things that Jesus had taught them, but Jesus didn't kick them out of the discipleship training school. How much did we not get yet that he has been teaching us all along? And how much did the people we disciple not get yet, even though we have been trying to teach them for years?<br />
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Remember: The only thing that is required for you to make disciples is that you love them. So keep on loving them. If you haven't really started to make disciples yet, then maybe now is a good time to call somebody you love to follow you. It will mean that you allow that person to be a part of your life, because I cannot see there being a different way of making disciples. That's how the Master did it, and I don't think we have come up with another, better way than that yet.<br />
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The <i>goal</i> of discipleship, but not required at the beginning, is to love Jesus. After 3 years of having been with Jesus, Peter can't help but to realize that indeed he loved the one whom he followed. And it is in that very moment, that the Lord releases him to feed his sheep... Before then, Peter had been send out to preach and to heal, but only now, after he realized that he really loved the Lord, was he given the greatest task of all - to make disciples :)<br />
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Brothers and sisters in the ministry: Let us delight in this high calling!<br />
May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you all!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-8878824870707021442015-01-20T00:20:00.000+01:002021-11-17T10:57:29.944+01:00Honoring God's work in one another <span style="font-size: x-small;">Sitting in a classical concert tonight I found myself in awe of the musicians' excellence. Each member of the orchestra performed on his or her instrument with almost stunning perfection. And while each instrument by itself would be nice to listen to, the real feast for the ear (and the spirit) is to hear the orchestra play the symphony together. It made me realize how little I appreciate what God is doing in and through other people. No, it is even more than that: I don't really appreciate WHO HE IS in other people. I don't know about you, but I don't like it when I have the feeling that people are trying to point out to me what God still needs to do in me, how far I am falling short and how many problems there still are. It makes me feel belittled and unappreciated. But I know that I often look at people in the same way. And with that I am expressing a lack of appreciation not only of the person I am thinking about, but also of who Christ is in that person. "Jesus in us, the hope of glory," it says in Colossians 1:27. Instead of pointing out other people's faults and shortcomings, let us honor what the Lord has already done and what he is currently doing in one another. Yes, let us honor who He is in one another. We have more reason to thank Him than we think. And not only that we should ask the Lord to show us what he is doing in the lives of our Christian brothers and sisters, but also in the lives of those who don't yet follow the Lord. If we honor and praise the Lord for that, not only will we encourage one another, but we will also pave the way for God doing even more! Because why should He do anything else if we don't give him praise for what He has already done?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh Lord, open our eyes that we would see who you are in us; for your name's sake, I pray.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490374906139257683.post-89337733099124181192014-11-20T11:52:00.003+01:002021-11-17T10:58:25.188+01:00Instant prayer answers Part 3: God sends a friend!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span>It had been a long journey already. After a 2-week excursion from my university in Germany to the Greek island of Naxos, I had traveled by myself to Turkey in order to see the ruins of Ephesus. It had been an exciting time to walk where the apostle Paul and other heroes of our faith had walked some 2.000 years ago. This morning I had taken a bus from Selcuk via Izmir to Bursa, where I now had to wait for a ferry that would take me across the Sea of Marmara to Istanbul. Being alone in a different culture (Turkey is a Muslim nation) and not speaking the local language I was feeling quite lonely already, and when I found out that I had to wait several hours for the next departure, I couldn't help but feeling a little bit downcast. "Lord, I could really need a friend," I prayed silently, just in my thoughts. Immediately, as soon as I had had this thought, a man approached me and said in perfect English "You look like you could need a friend!" He invited me to have some tea and for the next couple of hours we talked as if we had known us for years. This was a great example for me that our Father in heaven really knows what we need even before we ask him, as Mathew 6:8 says. Because the man must have started to approach me from where he had been sitting before I even prayed! Needless to say that the waiting time for the ferry flew by in no time. So, dare to ask for a friend even when you are far away from home and it seems impossible that there should be anybody near by who cares for you. Our Father knows what we need, always :) Oh, by the way, this was before the time of cell-phones, internet and Facebook. Are we missing out on opportunities like these because of technology? Just wondering...</span></div>
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