What Jesus Did - Misleading around the Messiah and the final assessment

Many false prophets will rise and mislead many. (MHM)

You will hear about wars that are being fought. And you will hear stories about other wars beginning. But don’t be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes. (ERV) 

Key Thought

Life in the end times for Jerusalem will be tumultuous. Wars, famines, earthquakes will be on the earth. But these are merely like the labour pains of a woman in childbirth. They were not to become frightened or disoriented. The Lord who reigns, the Lord who will conquer, is still in control and things will happen at his command. Nothing will be left to chance.
While these events anticipate the downfall of Jerusalem, they are only the beginning of the end of the old age. They were not to be afraid. The Lord, who passed through death, the Lord who triumphed in crucifixion, is Lord of all.
Jesus’ disciples would not go where he hasn't been before. No, they were to go about doing what they were supposed to do. They were to be alert! They were to be ready! They were to be faithful! But, is he talking merely about the fall of Jerusalem or about the end of time? It mattered to those who lived through the destruction of Jerusalem, but the point is basically the same for us whether Jesus is talking about a major disaster or The Major Disaster. We are to be faithful and ready and unafraid. Jesus will not forget, abandon, or leave us. When he comes in glory, we will share in it too! We are to be faithful, ready, and unafraid!

Today's Prayer

O Lord, Master and God of all time, and the One and Only God who dwells above time, give me a sense of hope in Your son, a heart of patience, and an eye of expectancy as I await your deliverance, whether it is from the problems that press around me now or whether it is the ultimate deliverance of Jesus’ return! God, do show me your glory and let the coming of your son also be a sign of liberation be for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, you son and representative on earth, I pray. Amen.

Text in Context:

Jesus left the temple area and was walking away. But his followers came to him to show him the temple's buildings. Jesus asked the followers, "Are you looking at these buildings? I tell you the truth. They will be destroyed. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground. Not one stone will be left on another." Later, Jesus was sitting at a place on the Mount of Olives. The followers came to be alone with Jesus. They said, "Tell us when these things will happen. And what will happen to show us that it is time for you to come again and time for the world to end?" Jesus answered: "Be careful! Don't let any person fool you. Many people will come and use my name. They will say, 'I am the Christ. ' And they will fool many people. You will hear about wars that are being fought. And you will hear stories about other wars beginning. But don't be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes. Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places. These things are like the first pains when something new is born. "Then people will treat you badly. People will give you {to the rulers} to be persecuted (hurt) and killed. All people will hate you. All these things will happen to you because you believe in me. At that time, many believers will lose their faith. They will turn against each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will come. They will cause many people to believe wrong things. There will be more and more evil in the world. So most believers will stop showing love. But the person that continues strong to the end will be saved. The Good News about {God's} kingdom will be told in the whole world. It will be told to every nation. Then the end will come.

Matthew 24:1-14 (ERV)

Dutch version / Nederlandstalige versie > Wat Jezus Deed - Misleiding om de Messias en het laatste oordeel

Knowing where to go to

“The world gets out of the way for the person who knows where he is going”
- Unknown

For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding
1 Chronicles 29:15

Indeed, the Master will continue to rescue me from every harmful thing and preserve me for his celestial Kingdom. To him be the glory throughout all future periods of time. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”
Hebrews 11:13-14, 39-40

My God, grant that I deliberately go forward in this life
and give that I put my steps in the right direction with the right intentions
and let me grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Him be the glory, now and forever!

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Weten waar naartoe te gaan

Sarleinsbach Pfarrkirche - Sprinzenstein-Epitaph 2i (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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2013 update:

 

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Seeing the world through the lens of his own experience

"Everyone sees the world through the lens of his own experience. We perceive our world from a particular time and cultural background. It is easy to assume that Jesus and his disciples were much like ourselves. In our movies about Jesus he is often portrayed as a "hippie" with blond hair and blue eyes. It is not as easy to see Jesus as a homely, middle eastern Jewish rabbi who spoke Hebrew and went by the name "Yashua Ben Yoseph".

If we want to understand Jesus and his message in its original context we have to try to understand the world from his point of view. The most natural assumption in the world is that we put ourselves in the mindset of a first century Jew. If we read the Gospel from this perspective, does the message change? An intellectualized Gospel of the 20th century North American or a Social Justice Gospel which resonates so well in Third World today may miss the message found in a 1st century story of a Jewish Messiah.

Long ago, God chose a special people for himself. He promised Abraham and his descendants that through them would come a redeemer who would bless all nations. So it was that Israel looked forward to the coming Messiah (anointed one). Jesus was very clear in regard to the spiritual authority God had bestowed upon the Jews. We see this in his remark to the Samaritan woman in John 3:22. The Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham too, but they worshipped him according to their own standards.

Jesus said:

"You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." John 3:22

The Gospel has become many things in the name of "spirit and truth" (John 3:23) yet God chose to bring forth salvation from within a Jewish context. Jesus cannot be properly understood apart from Old Testament Judaism.

Despite this reality, the Christian world has generally abandoned the Jewish context in which the Gospel was born. Gentile believers, in a reaction against Jewish "traditionalism", commonly discard all things Jewish as obsolete. As a result, Christian traditions have replaced the old Jewish ones.

Over the centuries, the Church developed a version of faith which accommodated its own cultural expressions. This is most readily illustrated by noting the many pagan practices that have been "christianized" and assimilated into our faith experience. It is just as revealing to note how little Jewish tradition was adopted. These "new" traditions are now so embedded we can hardly imagine Christianity without them. Imagine trying to live without Christmas or Easter, both pagan in origin, now fundamental centerpieces of the Christian experience.

There has been a paradigm shift from a Middle Eastern Jewish Messiah to a Western Greco-Roman Christ. So much so, in fact, that Christianity today bears little resemblance to the religion Jesus participated in on the earth. In the minds of most Christians, Judaism may as well be a different religion altogether.

I will suggest that Judaism is not a "different" religion. Rather, Christianity and Judaism are two perspectives of One God. Christianity is no more complete without its Jewish heritage than Judaism is without the Messiah. We may not be comfortable with accepting that Jesus and his disciples were all proud Jews, but I firmly believe it is in our interest to do so.

It is good to remember that the foundation for "Jewish" culture was established directly by God himself. Judaism is the original backdrop of the Gospel story. The Jewish Torah is our own beloved Christian Old Testament. Our God is One, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Christians should take pride in the fact that this Jewish heritage as it is ours as well. Even we Gentiles have a just spiritual claim to all things promised to the Jew through Jesus our Messiah (Christ)."
-------
GB - The Agora

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem (tzit zit) of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'"
Zechariah 8:23

+ About looking throught the lens > If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright

I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday  Morning  Commentary.

  My confession:  I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.  I don't feel threatened.  I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.  It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .  If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.  I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.

  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.  Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.  In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:  This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

  Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).  Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.  She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives..  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'  In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc..  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said OK.  Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he's talking about.  And we said okay.

  Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves..  Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'  Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

  Are you laughing yet?  Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.  Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.  Pass it on if you think it has merit.   If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did.  But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

      My Best Regards,  Honestly and respectfully,  Ben Stein

If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright

"If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright,
Then the world appears rosy and cheery;
Or if viewing the world through a lens that is dark,
The whole world will seem weary and dreary.

But the world hasn’t changed, for it’s only the lens
That’s distorting whatever we see.
So abandon the lens and seek truth, pure and free,
For God lives in both truth and reality!"
- Peggy Ferrell, Poems and Prayers

"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself,
goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it –
he will be blessed in what he does."
James 1:23-25

Lord, give that I shall view the world more properly
and study Your Word.
And that I shall let me direct in this world by your blessed Word,
in Jesus name, Amen.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > De hele wereld door middel van een lens bekijken
+++
2013 update:

Words (Photo credit: sirwiseowl)

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Blaming their circumstances for what they are

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don't believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up
and look for the circumstances they want, and,
if they can't find them, make them."
- George Bernard Shaw

"Be joyful always; pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"I am not saying this because I am in need,
for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Philippians 4:11

Lord God learn me to look up to the circumstances in the right way.
Keep the bad things away of me.
Make that I can be pleased with the things that surround me.
I thank you that I may be here on earth and hope to share in Your Kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > De schuld van omstandigheden
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2013 update: 

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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The World framed by the Word of God

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1

"Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." Nehemiah 9:6

"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7

"By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent." Job 26:13

"A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." Psalm 24:1-2

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." Psalm 33:6

"The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land." Psalm 95:5

"Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands." Psalm 102:25

"To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 136:5-6

"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion." Jeremiah 10:12

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding." Isaiah 40:28

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." Isaiah 45:7

"Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together." Isaiah 48:13

"And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?" Isaiah 51:13

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3

"And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:" Acts 4:24

"Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?" Acts 7:49-50

"And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:" Acts 14:15

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;" Acts 17:24

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:" Ephesians 3:9

"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" Hebrews 1:2

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:" Hebrews 1:10

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:3
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The Bible

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > De Wereld tot stand gekomen door het Woord van God

Christadelphian Family Bible School

The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire

Saturday 23rd May - Friday 29th May 2009
Christadelphian Family Bible School

Dear Brethren and Sisters,

Greetings to you all in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only 3 months to go before our next Family Bible School!! I hope that this doesn’t set too many alarm bells ringing.  Rather is it mentioned as a gentle reminder of things you may still have to do; for instance, make sure that you are booked in!, and if you make sure that other brethren and sisters have booked in as well, we all need confirmations and reminders in one way or another!  Looking at it from another angle, how wonderful that in only 3 months time we will, God Willing, once more be able to share the joy of fellowship around The Word of Life.  We will be able to leave behind the things of the world and concentrate on ‘the things of the Kingdom’.

What is the world offering us today?  A new President of the U.S.A., replacing Mr. Bush, ‘a professed Christian’ who when asked about whether he believed all of the Bible, Mr. Bush replied: “Probably not.  No, I’m not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it “. As for Mr. Obama, in his inaugural speech he misquotes scripture on several occasions and even refers to Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount as being “so radical that even our own (USA) defense system couldn’t keep it”.  He asks the question “what Scripture should we use to guide us?”.  He then almost mockingly misquotes Leviticus and Deuteronomy as well as the words of Jesus.  What a comfort to “know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men”.

Then, of course, there is the World wide economic situation, brought about by the love of materialism, “For the love of money is the root of all evil:  which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”.

Brethren and Sisters, these things should at least make us sit up and take notice, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Surely I come quickly. Amen.  Even so come Lord Jesus.”

Our first speaker each session this year will be Bro. Jonathan Cope and he will be looking at “Lessons from the Life of Samuel” under the following headings:          
Monday: “I have lent him to the Lord”
Tuesday: “Speak, for thy servant heareth”
Wednesday: “The Word of Samuel came to all Israel”
Thursday: “Make us a King to judge us”
Friday: “I have provided me a King”

Dining Room. Seats will again be reserved for those who wish to keep the same seats for the whole week and if
so, they should contact Sis. Sandra Harding on 01564 826176 by 18th March.  Families with children up to 8 years will be allocated seats in the children’s area and children up to and including 11 should sit with their parents.

Help Forms. So far not many of these have been returned, but we do need help, so we would really appreciate it if you could return them. If you have lost it or not had one please contact Sis. Rachel Sutcliffe on 01327 342668 and she will be happy to send you one.

We look forward to another week of strengthening and being strengthened along the way.

On behalf of the Bible School Committee,

Graham Harding.

The thought of losing rekindles the joy of having

"The thought of losing
rekindles the joy of having."
- Tom Payne

"Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith
into this grace in which we stand;
and we exult in hope of the glory of God."
Romans 5:1-2

Due to distance ourselves from this world it seems to many that we have a lot of losses.
But by following Christ we win a lot.
We are pleased and grateful that we are justified by faith.
We are pleased that through Jesus Christ we have received reconciliation.
And we are grateful to you God, that you have made all this possible for us poor sinners.

Dutch  version / Nederlands> De gedachte aan het verliezen ontsteekt de vreugde van het hebben

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2013 update:

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The world is but a great inn

The world rings changes,
 it is never constant but in its disappointments.
 The world is but a great inn,
 where we are to stay a night or two, and be gone;
 what madness is it so to set our heart upon our inn,
 as to forget our home?
-- Thomas Watson

Lord God, I realize that I only am a passing stranger here on earth.
 Make my stay here at this inn worthwhile
 and that I keep faithful to you   and that I make a good preparation for the Kingdom where I want to live forever.

Dutch version / Nederlands > De wereld is een grote herberg