The Answer to a Mystery

 

Saturday, October 22, 2016

 I was excited to re-read this blog today. Several months ago, I learned about a book that was impacting Jewish people and many were accepting Yeshua of Nazareth as their Messiah.  This of course was causing an uproar in the Orthodox Community.  Copyright 2018! I have read this book twice and given it to many people. It is the story of Jewish revival! The Rabbi, the Secret Message (and the Identity of) Messiah!  By Carl Gallups  it is hard to put down and has short chapters.  Gma J

 “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery – so that you will not be wise in your own estimation – that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so, all Israel will be saved: just as it is written” (Rom. 11:25-26a).

 Hey Gang:  I thought I had completed my blog-writing, prior to leaving for Israel, but there is a rapidly developing miracle coming together; I felt I should alert you so you can do some research on your own - to put meat on the skeleton. 

 In the past year or so there has been tidbits showing up that indicate many Jews are beginning to recognize the emptiness in their chest cavity, just the size of Yeshua Ha Mashiah; they are asking very serious questions.  This is a relatively new phenomenon yet, in some ways, it is not.  We have witnessed the rise in numbers of Messianic Communities in Israel and America, and other places in the world, for more than twenty years. 

 Although the number of Messianic Jews is relatively small, the seed-planting program that “Jesus is their long awaited for Messiah”, seems to be growing at a steady and rapid pace. 

 Several weeks ago, a story surfaced that the leadership of the Orthodox communities of Israel doing all in their power to squelch this growing interest.  That said, the young, especially woman of Orthodox community, have been growing very cold towards the emptiness of the Orthodox teachings.  

  What began with a small prayer- group type, sharing this feeling with each other, began to rapidly expand throughout the communities?  It is now suggested that more than 30,000 Orthodox Jews are in serious study to find out who Jesus is, and, is ‘He the One?’  as John the Baptist asked?

 My friends, this is no small issue.  Up until recently the Orthodox Leadership were literally willing to go to very drastic extremes to prevent the “Yeshua as Messiah” belief from penetrating their very closed world. Joel Rosenberg shared an amazing story this week: “Have you heard that Israeli leaders are urging Jews to read through the entire Bible, verse by verse, chapter by chapter?” 

 Imagine an announcement from our White house: “Now folks, this is what I believe will fix our nation. I want you to join with me and the Senators and Representatives, and all the underlings in the Belt Way- to read through the Bible.”  Every medical facility in America world receive mega calls from people having heart attacks just hearing this

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kicked off the new school year by encouraging children to rediscover the Word of God and Biblical roots of their Jewish Heritage. 

Netanyahu, known as Bibi to his friends, with his bride, hosted another in a series of Bible study groups in their official residence. They are studying, “What is the connection Jews have to the Temple Mount?”  

 So much for separation of church and state!  (The recent ruling by the U.N that the Temple Mount has no Jewish roots and is Palestinian and has always shown the bias of that Organization.)

 Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, and several government officials have launched something they call the “929” Chapters.  Purpose – to encourage all Israelis – even the most secular and non-religious among the people- to continue reading verse by verse, chapter by chapter through the full Hebrew Bible or “Tanakh”, until everyone finished together in the summer of 2018 for the 70th anniversary of the prophetic rebirth of the Jewish State.  

 Exciting times!  I will close with this challenge!  Read the Bible through -verse by verse, chapter by chapter. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. It is Okay if you don’t understand it all-   God cannot bring to your remembrance what you have not mut in your Think-Tank!

 Blessings

Gramps

 

God Is Awesome and Mighty! How Mighty in Your Eye

 

Friday, October 27, 2017

 Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him!  But the thunder of his power who can understand?”  (Psalm 79:11).

 Hey Gang:  Have you ever looked around you and notice how vast is this universe that God has made? Scientists tell us they do not have a clue how big the universe really is.  I think we could all agree that “God is truly all powerful”. The power of God is amazing and has always been a wonder for me.

  Recently, I watched a documentary on the Weather Channel about the most violent storms ever recorded.  One that stands out in my memory bank was St Helen’s.  We had the opportunity to drive through the devastation caused by that mighty storm and the only word that seemed to fit was – “awesome!”

 (FYI- Scientists learned at that site that trees can be petrified in a matter of minutes, not necessarily ions!  God is an Awesome Creator!)

 The news is filled with rhetoric from Iran and other Muslim nations that they now have enough power to annihilate the little Satan (Israel) and the big Satan (the United States).  Iran claims that they will soon have the materials to build six atomic bombs.  In their warped minds they believe they will have sufficient power to spit in God’s eye and blow away the “apple of God’s eye”. 

 Ezekiel paints us a totally different picture!  He wrote the following words of assurance to the children of Israel: “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers, so you will be My people, and I will be your God.” (36:28)

  Each day we make decisions, will we feed the black dog of our lives or the white dog.  The question is ever before us, “Whom will I serve today?”  God is faithful and true and makes no promises that He does not intend to keep.  Keep in mind the adage: “Your values, determine your choices and your choices determine your destiny!”

Soooo, brothers and sisters, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that “something is fixing to happen” and we make decisions each day that will determine which side of the fence we will be when the event of all times – the coming of Yeshua to collect His sheep- will occur. 

I pray this morning that each, and every one who reads this Gramp’s Message, will have their Spiritual house in order, their armor spit-shined and in place and have made sure those around them also know of the great event that is just around the corner.  Jesus is coming again – SOON!

Blessings,

Gramps

 

You Are Something Very Special!

 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well" (Psa. 139:14).

 Hey Gang, As I have traversed through this life on earth, I have grown more amazed daily at the magnificence of God's creation, namely me.  I have been amazed with the unlimited capabilities of the control center that God placed in our heads.  I have read and heard it said many times that the average person uses but a tiny bit of that capacity.  Have you ever taken a moment or two just to take a deeper look at the center of your electrical system, your brain? 

  God placed this magnificent miracle in each, and every person whom He created.  You do believe you were created by God even before time began, don't you?  Paul made this clear in his letter to the Colossians, "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him" (Col. 1:16).

  I woke up this morning with the song "We Shall Behold Him" running through my electrical system.  I wish I could say I always wake up with a song on my heart but that would be an untruth.  But within a few moments the song passed, and the challenges of the day became my focus.

  Now for the ‘goodie’ of the day, God also gave us the ability to program our electrical systems to bring honor and glory to our Creator.  I have often used the analogy that we have knobs on the inside of our foreheads which are designed for us to hang knowledge on,  so that God can pull it out of us when the need should arise. 

  Here is a question for you to ponder this morning?  Can God pull out of you knowledge or truth that you never put in? Oh, I know the God is all powerful and can do as He pleases but do you think He might depend on you to put into your brain things so that He can pull out when the alligators begin to snap at your heels?  

  I do believe that is what Paul was talking about in his letter to the Romans when he wrote, "I urge you, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship."   That is the principle; now he gives the application "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:1-2). 

  Soooo, good and faithful believers in Yeshua, your task for the day is - take a few minutes and hang a new piece of God’s truth on one of those knobs in your head that God can use to mold you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. He gave you 66 books to choose from.

 Blessings, 

Gramps

Protection For Troubles Times!

 

Friday, December 30, 2016

 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

 Hey Gang:  Did you know “…man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  Does that mean that, if we seek His Word, He will reveal it to me personally?  You beat your sweet bippy that is what it means!  Peter put it this way “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (I Peter 2:2). 

 Wow, that is pure milk to the soul.  Stop for minute, before the day begins to fill your brain with the mundane things of the world, and write these words down on a card or the palm of your hand: “Your Word, my Lord is like milk and honey to my soul”. 

 I pray you will hear the words of a battled scared old dude who has been around the mountain a few times when I say – I can measure the peaks and valleys of my life by the times I let God take control of my life and the times when I said, “Okay God, I can take it from here.”  

  Isaiah nailed it down in Chapter 53:6 when he wrote: “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way”.  Now turn up your dome of intellect a notch before reading the final phrase of this verse, “For the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him”. 

 Wow! Can you beat that!  He carried every sin, every iniquity, and every transgression to the cross on his back.  I have heard many say they wish they could wash away the mistakes they made in their past.  If that is you, wish no more, for the price has been paid in full. That is what the cross is all about – forgiveness and being washed as white as snow.  Neat – heh! 

 So good folks, be advised that when you run into a clinker in the road today, or tomorrow, or perhaps you will luck out and make it to next week, – but this I know, Satan has his dart machine loaded and will watch your every step and every thought and fire when he knows you have left your armor in the closet.  But know this also, God has provided a hedge of protection to protect His children from the evil one’s attacks! – His Word; His Name; His Armor; His Presence! Hallelujah!!

Blessings.

Gramps

A Time to Weep and A Time to Fight

 

Friday, October 30, 2015

“Encourage the exhausted, and strength the feeble.  Say to those with anxious heart, take courage, fear not.  Behold, your God will come, with venge- ance.  The recompense of God will come.  But He will save you,” (Isa. 35:3-4).

Hey Gang:   We All Need a Word from God to See US Through Perilous Times.   I find it absolutely amazing that, as the world is being shaken to its very core, people are turning their backs on God in droves.  I wonder why every Pastor in our land is not shouting from the roof tops of their churches that there is a better way; that there is a God in heaven who stands at the door of every heart asking politely to come in and bring “The Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control into every person’s life.

 I live in a small town and we have a small-town newspaper.  This morning the front page informed me that two people were arrested for possession of and selling drugs, the police are looking for information on anyone who might have information on several burglaries, and the trial of a young person who is accused of child molestation was turned over to the jury. 

 On page two was an article pertaining to an atheist organization seeking to make a police department remove “In God We Trust” from the back of their cruisers and their other attempts to make colleges and universities cease from allowing chaplains and coaches to pray with their teams.

 A few weeks ago, we had yet another tragedy in one of our schools that has removed prayer and reading of the God’s words of peace and love and even forgiveness from their schools.  The very sick individual, before killing nine students, asked them if they were Christians.  Those who answered “yes”, were shot in the head and those who said “no” were shot in the leg. 

 We add this catastrophic event to the growing list of sick folks that believe killing will fill that vacuum that exists in their chest cavity.  One person asked the question, “Why would God allow that to happen?”  Another answered, “Don’t blame God, He is not allowed in our schools anymore.

 As a child in elementary school, we began each day with a ritual that included, the Pledge of Alliance to our country, a portion of Scripture and the Lord’s Prayer.  We allow no such rituals in our government funded schools today.  We do not want to make any of our students uncomfortable.   I wonder, was anyone was uncomfortable when the very sick person asked the students if they were Christians before he shot them? 

  I wonder how many youngsters, that have chosen the wrong paths of life, would have chosen the right paths of life, if the Word had been planted in their hearts, in their elementary school years, and they had learned that there was a God who listens for, and answered their prayers. A time when America was truly the ‘home of the free and the brave’. 

 Well, enough venting for the day.  The title of this epistle is a Time to Weep and a Time to Fight.  I am saddened by the rapid road to decay our nation has taken, but I am even more saddened that I do not hear more voices in the wilderness shouting “Enough, enough.”  It is time for God’s people to don their armor, fill their lamps with oil and come out fighting.”  I would remiss if I did not mention that Franklin Graham will soon begin his visitation to every state in our union to alert those who are interested in the dangers that face our nation.  You might want to consider signing up to support him in prayer both for the Word he is about to share, and for safety for he and his entourage.  

Blessings,

Gramps

PS Franklin Graham continues to share the Gospel. Currently in a tour in America sharing the Gospel of God’s Love. He was in in MI last week and continues-join him in prayer for our country!