Kerkscheuring maar alles bij het oude gebleven

English: Restored Reformed Church in Houten, the Netherlands Nederlands: Hersteld Hervormde Kerk te Houten in Nederland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Het is nu meer dan 10 jaar geleden dat het in Nederland donderde.

Als een afgehouwen tronk bleef de hervormde kerk achter. Nog steeds denkt ds. L. W. Ch. Ruijgrok met pijn en verdriet terug aan de landelijke kerkscheuring waaruit ruim 10 jaar geleden de Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN) en de Hersteld Hervormde Kerk (HHK) voortkwamen. Maar de tijd van vooruitkijken lijkt definitief aangebroken.

Als wij echter rondkijken zien wij toch niet zo veel verschil met voorheen. Op vele plaatsen lijkt alles bij het oude gebleven.

"In de ene gemeente had de kerkscheuring diepere gevolgen dan de andere,"

 antwoordt de synodepreses.

 "Hier in Poortvliet is bijvoorbeeld alles bij het oude gebleven. Andere gemeenten kwamen behoorlijk in de knel: geen kerkruimten, geen pastorieën, geen verenigingsruimten meer enzovoort. Met nul euro is men verdergegaan."

Ruijgrok vertelt dankbaar dat zendings- en evangelisatiewerk, een predikantenopleiding aan de VU, landelijk jeugdwerk en diaconaat tot stand zijn gekomen.

 "Maar we blijven ‘kerk in gebrokenheid’. Nog niet alles is op orde. Een aantal gemeenten zit nog steeds in de knel. Sommigen gemeenten zitten financieel erg zwaar. Anderen zijn in wel heel beperkte omvang achtergebleven zodat het niet eenvoudig valt om het kerkelijke leven voort te zetten."

> "De kerk hoeft geen goed geoliede machine te zijn"

Eieren leggende klokken en eieren verstoppende paashazen niets vandoen met Jezus opstanding

De atheïstische blogger Bart Schutging een gesprek aan met Andries Knevel en tweette:

F... it, willen jullie christenbashing? Dan krijgen jullie het: Jezus is dood, Jezus is dood, Jezus, Jezus, Jezus is dood! {https://twitter.com/bpschut/status/585145518025748481}

Natuurlijk weten wij dat Jezus dood is. God kan niet sterven, maar Jezus was een mens van vlees en bloed die voor de mensheid zich heeft opgeofferd. Hij wenste niet zijn wil te doen, wat hij zou gedaan hebben indien hij God was, maar enkel de Wil van God.

'Volwassenen die geloven dat #Jezus uit de dood is opgestaan zijn dommer dan kinderen die denken dat de paashaas eieren heeft verstopt.' {https://twitter.com/bpschut/status/584633246773813248}

 Na deze tweet van de atheïstische blogger Bart Schut voelden sommige christenen zich beledigd.Wat opvalt is dat vele mensen de onchristelijke paastraditie van eieren verstoppen en verhaaltjes van paashazen en eieren leggende klokken niet uit elkaar kunnen houden.

EO-coryfee Andries Knevel besloot als volgt te reageren:

 "Klein misverstand, Bart. Jezus was dood en leeft weer. Je hebt het laatste nieuws gemist. De evidence is overweldigend."

 "Je bedoelt Zombie-Jezus," reageerde Schut. "En 'bewijs'? Dat hoeft toch helemaal niet als je geloof hebt?"

Hierbij wordt weer eens vergeten dat toenertijd de polemiek nog groter was dan nu en er voldoende bewijs moest geleverd worden om de mensen te overtuigen en er voor te doen kiezen om zelfs hun leven erbij in te laten.

Jezus verscheen aan meer dan 500 mensen na zijn opstanding en bewees dat hij geen geest was zoals God een geest is. dit moest mensen er van overtuigen dat hij uit de dood was opgestaan, geen geest en niet de God der goden was, maar weldegelijk de gezondene van God die de Messias moest genoemd worden.

Related articles

• Open Heavens Devotional: Great Expectations
• The place where Jesus was brought up
• Happy Easter
• Easter Egg Design Ideas
• Happy Easter!
• Easter surprise
• How to SURVIVE EASTER 2015
• Easter 2015: Easter Food, Easter Eggs & More
• The Real Story Behind The Easter Basket
• Easter Treats and Fun Ideas!

More looking for similarities

Moses Isserles (or Moshe Isserlis) (1530 - 1572) - a Rabbi and Talmudist, renowned for his fundamental work of Halakha (Jewish law), titled the Mapah (HaMapah), a component of the Shulkhan Arukh. He is also well known for Darkhei Moshe, a commentary on the Tur. Isserles is also "the ReMA" (or "the RAMA") רמ״א, the Hebrew acronym for Rabbi Moses Isserles. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Christianity we do find the same problem as in Judaism having different faith groups all claiming that they are the right Jews or right Christians.

Rabbi Eliezer Silver who visited a displaced persons camp after the war, encountered a Jew who told him he no longer wanted anything to do with Judaism.

He explained that there was a Jew in the camps with a siddur that he would share only with those who were willing to give up their daily slice of bread.

 “If that’s what Judaism is all about, I want nothing more to do with it.”

Rabbi Silver asked him gently:

 “And what did most people do?”

 “They gave up their bread and took the siddur. They starved!”

Rabbi Silver asked

“Why,” “do you look at the one Jew who could behave so dastardly? Why not reflect on the many more Jews who were willing to starve in exchange for a few minutes of precious prayer?”

Rabbi Yaniv says the same to an Ashkenazi whose wife is Sephardi
 

Why are you looking at one disparity in the difference of custom between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews rather than the astounding number of similarities they share?

The differences are so negligible that they just prove the rule – we are one people with one Torah. Jews are forbidden by the Torah to eat or even own leavened products on Passover.

We should remember that God took His People out of Egypt to make them one nation, united by the Torah. The Jews should take this at heart and should know their common history and their common goal.

 Some eat rice, some don’t, and it matters not. We are one family, the children of Israel.

explains Yaniv.

Also the Christians living all over the earth should know that there are differences depending on where they live and what season it is. Most important is that they do not take part in pagan traditions, like the Easter bunnies a.o..

Please do read the interesting exhortation of rabbi Yaniv:

Ask the Rabbi: The great Jewish divide – rice at Passover

+++

Related articles

• What Is a Jew
• What Is a Jew?
• How Men Prepare for Passover, Molotov Cocktail Terror and the BIG Shabbat
• L'Chaim: 14 Black Jewish Celebrities [Photos]
• 10 Things Every Christian Should Know About His Religion
• What Is Group Evolutionary Strategy?
• Shas Readying For Mass Gathering on Chol Hamoed
• Shas Campaign Idolatry and Class-Warfare
• Not Just for Passover Recipes: Sephardic Style Haroset Bites
• Poll: 74% of UTJ Voters Will Repeat 2013 Vote; Shas Loses 42% of Haredi Electorate

2015 Passover

In 2015, Passover begins on the evening of Friday, April 3, 2015 at nightfall, and ends after nightfall on the evening of Saturday, April 11, 2015.

Related articles

• Ask the Rabbi: Hostess gifts at Passover?
• Kosha Dillz Passover Playlist
• Not Just for Passover Recipes: Sephardic Style Haroset Bites
• Ben & Jerry's Offers a Passover-Themed Ice Cream
• Mastering the art of pre-Passover cooking
• 30 Spring (holiday) Crafts and Printables For Kids
• Passover Recipe Roundup 2015
• A Modern Passover Menu from Kim Kushner - Menus from The Kitchn
• Likud and UTJ May Have Coalition Deal Before Passover
• THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE CONDUCTS... - The Temple Institute

Old story to inspire and to give hope to those who are oppressed

English: David Cameron's picture on the 10 Downing Street website (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This week we are in the holy week, remembering the slavery in Egypt and how God liberated His people. All over the world you shall be able to find people who read the story of Pesach which has still lessons for today and can give hope to those who are oppressed around the world.

Also David Cameron in his Passover message to British Jews, the Prime Minister spoke about this hope of the Pesach story. He called for increased efforts to bring peace to areas of conflict.
Mr Cameron said:

 “In so many countries, families and friends will be coming together to celebrate the freedom of their ancestors.

“Even thousands of years on from the Exodus, the story of emancipation inspires millions around the globe.

Jews and Christians should remember these days and as we celebrate redemption and freedom this Pesach or Passover, we can consider how the Jews were the lowest of the low in Pharaoh’s Egypt, how they were oppressed and humiliated, but also how god took them for Himself, protecting them and promising them a Holy Land. But God promised liberation, freedom and peace and that message of peace should also resound these days. 

+
Please do find also to read:

1. First month of the year and predictions
2. Remember the day
3. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
4. Seven days of Passover
5. Day of remembrance coming near
6. Remember the day
7. Observance of a day to Remember
8. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
9. Shabbat Pesach service reading 2/2
10. A new exodus and offering of a Lamb
11. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
12. 14-15 Nisan and Easter
13. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
14. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
15. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
16. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
17. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
18. High Holidays not only for Israel
19. As the Lord commanded Moses
20. The Pesach Seder and Eliyahu
21. Preparation for unity
22. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
23. A Great Gift commemorated
24. Servant of his Father
25. An unblemished and spotless lamb foreknown
26. A Messiah to die 

+++

Related articles

• Passover story gives hope to today's oppressed peoples, says David Cameron
• Cameron: The Alternatives to Iran Deal Are 'Not Attractive'
• Cameron-acclaimed head to take charge at King Solomon High School
• The Pesach Seder and Eliyahu
• THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE CONDUCTS... - The Temple Institute
• PM: We must fight extremism with everything we have

Have faith in your faith...doubt your doubts

“For thus said the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. And ye would not:” (Isaiah 30:15 ASV) 

 “But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.” (James 1:6 ASV)

Have faith in your faith...doubt your doubts.

Confidence "Develop it!" Learn and live out! "Hold it!"
... In quietness and confidence shall be your strength ...

Ask in faith with no doubting

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Heb vertrouwen in je geloof ... twijfel aan je twijfels

Related articles

• Head of waters: the intercessory role of tears (dailymedit.com)
  After raising Lazarus from the dead not only did many people believe in him like never before (like Israel shouted, the Lord he is God), immediately the plan of death against Jesus was ratcheted up one notch. We also know that before Elijah stood to call down fire  from heaven he was involved in intercessory prayer to bring Israel back to God (James 5:16-18), just as Jesus intercede before the grave of Lazarus. Both resulted in people coming to God.
• How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace (fromguestwriters.wordpress.com)
  Peace is in every bodies hand. It is there to make easily when the person wants to put aside his own individual egoism. when we let go of all the bothering things, the struggles we have in us and we do encounter each day, than we shall find ‘soulavement’ mitigation of all inner and outer pains, alleviation of ‘ourselves’.
• Open Heavens Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Emmanuel (emmanuelayeni.com)
  For you to fully key into the revelation of "God with us", you need to understand who God is. God revealed who He is in discrete parts through His redemptive Names to the saints of old.
  God is the Elshaddai: He is the All-Sufficient One. This means that He has enough resources to meet all your needs - be it spiritual, physical, emotional or psychological. Also, God is Jehovah Jireh: the Great Provider. He has the ability to turn your austerity to prosperity and poverty to wealth (Philippians 4:19). Another Name for God is Jehovah Rapha: the Healer. Are you sick? He has the ability to cure you of all ailments - be it pathological, soul sickness or spiritual sickness. God is also Jehovah Nissi: He is the Man of War. Are you facing any battle? The Almighty God has the ability to fight all of your battles for you and to grant you total victory. Are the enemies of your life mammoth? Turn to Jehovah Nissi today.
  +
• Salvation is based upon faith through Jesus (prophecynewsandviews.wordpress.com)
  The Faith in the Lord is important for one to obtain salvation. If we know the Father we must know the Son.
• The Decalogue in Deuteronomy 5 (the Ten Commandments) (etsop95.wordpress.com)
  With regard to the “no more” of Deuteronomy 5:22, there is some significance to this. “God’s law was perfect and He was satisfied to add nothing more to His Ten Commandments” (p. 37). This Law was perfect and, it is implied, nothing perfect is erased or removed. This Law was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant. The Law of Moses, on the other hand, was something not placed IN the Ark of the Covenant, but put beside the Ark of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 31:24-29). This is not to go unnoticed.
• motivation and perspective (dailymedit.com)
  For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. (ASV) God's truth confers his ability and holiness on us. Jesus told his disciples that they are clean by the word in which he spoke to them. ...
• How to Be Unafraid in a Fearful World (momentaltruths.wordpress.com)
  The voices from our TVs and radios are filled with distressful, sorrowful, calamitous news from near and afar. It seems a cosmic evil force is taking over the minds and hearts of people as revealed in their horrendous treatment towards others. The terrifying and dreadful rise of ISIS in the Middle East stains news stories with the innocent blood of the thousands they have martyred in the name of their god.
• Yĕhovah (learningtolive2015.wordpress.com)
  Yĕhovah (or Jehovah) is the one true God. Yĕhovah is the existing one.  So, what does that mean for us?
  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
  
• The Spirit of the Lord (activeinspiration.wordpress.com)
  God’s favour shining on his people, and his grace shining in them, to praise him, and that he may be for ever glorified in his saints.

Heb vertrouwen in je geloof ... twijfel aan je twijfels

“Dit zei God, de HEER, de Heilige van Israël: ‘In rust en inkeer ligt jullie redding, in geduld en vertrouwen ligt jullie kracht.’ Maar jullie wilden niet.” (Jesaja 30:15 NBV)

“Vraag vol vertrouwen, zonder enige twijfel. Wie twijfelt is als een golf in zee, die door de wind heen en weer wordt bewogen.” (Jakobus 1:6 NBV)

Heb vertrouwen in je geloof ... twijfel aan je twijfels.

 Zelfvertrouwen " Ontwikkel het! " Leer en leef eruit! " Hou het vast! '
... in stilheid en vertrouwen zou uw sterkte zijn...

Vraag in geloof zonder te twijfelen

English version / Engelse versie > Have faith in your faith...doubt your doubts

Related articles

• The Fullness (hiwaychristian.wordpress.com)
  The Wisdom of God among men is that they should have faith. The miracle among men, from God, is that there are many who do have faith. The Faith from God believes (with a certainty) that Jesus is the Christ of God.
• Breath Of Life (franciscanflowers.wordpress.com)
  It is God’s invitation to choose His life
  – It is what keeps us alive in Christ
  – It is His ability in us to love and serve
  – It is His Spirit’s Holy Breath holding us close.
• God #1 (straightbackallears.wordpress.com)
  God is not close fisted and will give without bounds you will need to know how to take, the etiquette of receiving, this is adult responsibility,
• Harmony Between One God and No God (bobmschwartz.com)
  The harmony between one god and no god, between this god and that god, is work that has been done and will be done. It is often blocked and prevented by something in each that relies on primary distinctions.
• Crisis of Humans - What Grows in the place where God is Murdered? (daspoets.wordpress.com)
  Modern Religion is Pathetic substitute to God’s existence
  They profit from humans Without giving back any of assurances of God
  They are merchants of belief
  
• Faith In God (pureglory.net)
  Faith imitates God
  +
  Faith is not wishful thinking
  Abraham believed God’s promise of a son when he was childless
  Follows and trusts God into the unknown
  Envisions the son and descendants as promises fulfilled

Wereldwijd een 1,253 miljard katholieken

1,25 MILJARD KATHOLIEKEN WERELDWIJD

17,7% van de wereldbevolking is katholiek

Het gaat er eigenlijk niet zo slecht aan toe in de Katholieke Kerk. Niettegenstaande de vele schandalen van de agfgelopen jaren mag deze kerk zich zelf nog zien aangroeien. Ook al zijn er geen cijfers voor China en Noord-Korea  waren er op 31 december 2013 wereldwijd een slordige 1,253 miljard katholieken, dat zijn 25 miljoen gelovigen of 2% meer dan in het jaar daarvoor. Daarmee vormen katholieken 17,7% van de wereldbevolking. Naar schatting 4,8 miljoen katholieken zijn in de statistieken niet meegeteld, omdat het exacte aantal katholieken in landen als  onduidelijk blijft.

Het aantal priesters en permanente diakens is in 2013 licht gestegen, terwijl er tegelijk een daling was van het aantal mannelijke en vrouwelijke religieuzen. Dat blijkt uit het nieuwe ‘Statistische Jaarboek van de Katholieke Kerk’ dat deze maand werd gepubliceerd.

Related articles

• Question to all bloggers and writers about China Daily Mail
• Indonesia: China'a claims to the South China Sea" not legal"
• China threatens 'decisive' response after Myanmar bombing

1.253 billion Catholics worldwide

For the Catholic church it does not look so bad in their community. The number of priests and permanent deacons rose slightly in 2013, while at the same time there was a decrease in the number of religious men and women. This is evident from the new "Statistical Yearbook of the Catholic Church" which was published this month. According to the yearbook, there were on December 31, 2013 1.253 billion Catholics worldwide. That are 25 million believers or 2% more than in the previous year. Thereby forming Catholics 17.7% of the world population. An estimated 4.8 million Catholics are not counted in the statistics because the exact number of Catholics in countries such as China and North Korea remains unclear.

Related articles

• 10 Secrets The Catholic Church Hopes You've Forgotten
• Catholic church near Mumbai attacked
• Catholics and Anglicans prepare ecumenical burial fit for a king
• Catholics and Anglicans prepare an ecumenical burial fit for a king
• Good Friday community worship at St. Joseph Catholic Church
• Pope finds popularity and dissent at 2-year mark
• A mission of love
• Pope Francis Condemns Attacks On Christian Churches In Pakistan
• CCJP intensify fight on albino attacks in Mangochi
• Merger of Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Christian Patriarchate Achieved