Is Prophecy Playing Out?

There is so much talk of the End Times and the date of December 21, 2012 that it all can make our heads spin.  We are seeing so much turmoil, not only in this great country of ours, The United States of America, but in the world over.  We are still fighting for democracy and survival in Iraq and Afghanistan and now in countries lining North Africa.  We have seen governments fall in Egypt and Tunisia and now we are seeing the potential fall of Muamar Qaddafi in Libya.  Are these signs that the Arab world is looking to become more like the United States or are we looking at something more devastating?  Well, according to Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, "World history centers around Israel.  As news unfolds, now and in the future, the key nation to watch is not the U.S. or China, but Israel.  The Bible says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem"  (Psalm 122:6,NIV).

This is not to say that when the world is in crisis that it is always Israel that is to blame.  It means that what is happening is the possibility that prophecy is playing out and that the war between Gog and Magog is beginning to play out.  When I received an envelope last evening from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the letter from Franklin Graham was drawn out, I really began to think about what is happening in the Middle East.

Here is what the Bible says about the War of Gog and Magog:  Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 is where the Prophecy is spelled out.  This is from the NIV Translation of the Holy Bible:  I will take each chapter and verse and try to spell it out for you and for me:

The word of the LORD came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of^[a] Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of^[b] Meshek and Tubal. ⁴ I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. ⁵ Persia, Cush^[c] and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, ⁶ also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. 

It is Ezekiel that God is talking to here.   Gog is referring to a foreign prince and MaGog is his land.  In prophecy of the Apocalypse, Gog and Magog refers to Russia.  It is said that large armies from the North will reign down on Israel and God with His mighty hand stop the invading armies from destroying Israel.  There are beliefs at the same time in other parts of the world that Gog and Magog refer to giants or demons.  No one knows for sure, yet they are mentioned and they are most likely real.

 ⁷ “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. ⁸ After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. ⁹ You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. 

Verses 7-9 shows how God tells the hordes along with Gog that they will be called to arms.  At the same time what is interesting here is the mention of future years and how Gog will invade a land that has recovered from war.  Thinking of future years, could God be talking about now?  Could He truly be talking about the war on terror that exists today?  I mean, think about it.  There are terror attacks inside Russia.  The northern countries of Africa are collapsing under the pressure of the people.  Could Qaddafi in Libya truly be right when he says that it is Al-Queda who is tearing his country apart?  I do not think that they are directly involved, they could be indirectly which means that it is possible the Muslim Brotherhood is attempting a strangle hold in these Arab countries so that eventually war with Israel is imminent.

At the same time, is God involved here getting ready to play out the scenario of the prophecy explained in Ezekiel 38 and 39?  Only time will tell.

  

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. ¹¹ You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. ¹² I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.^[d]” ¹³ Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages^[e] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”

 ¹⁴ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. ¹⁶ You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

 ¹⁷ “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. ¹⁸ This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. ¹⁹ In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰ The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹ I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. ²² I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. ²³ And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’ 

Ezekiel 39

 ¹ “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of^[f] Meshek and Tubal. ² I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. ³ Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. ⁴ On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. ⁵⁶ I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD. You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD.
 ⁷ “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel. ⁸ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. This is the day I have spoken of.
 ⁹ “‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. ¹⁰ They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD.
 ¹¹ “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.^[g]
 12 “‘For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. ¹³ All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I display my glory will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign LORD. ¹⁴ People will be continually employed in cleansing the land. They will spread out across the land and, along with others, they will bury any bodies that are lying on the ground.
   “‘After the seven months they will carry out a more detailed search. ¹⁵ As they go through the land, anyone who sees a human bone will leave a marker beside it until the gravediggers bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog, ¹⁶ near a town called Hamonah.^[h] And so they will cleanse the land.’
 ¹⁷ “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. ¹⁸ You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls—all of them fattened animals from Bashan. ¹⁹ At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. ²⁰ At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.
 ²¹ “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them. ²² From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God. ²³ And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. ²⁴ I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.
 ²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob^[i] and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. ²⁶ They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷ When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. ²⁸ Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. ²⁹ I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

Daily Devotion

We Are All Children of God

by David M. Brown

Founder, Mission Lighthouse Ministries

On Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter, I, as many did at my church, got to witness two young children accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Messiah and the Son of God.  Then, they were Baptized in the Lord.  This was an incredible sight as well as an incredible blessing for children to want to know Jesus Christ and to have eternal life in Him.

A few days before Resurrection Sunday, my Brother-in-Christ and best friend posted something on Facebook that really touched not only my heart but I am sure many that read the post.  It went something like this:  His oldest daughter, all of six years old, after coming home from school told him that she wanted to take a nap.  She went off to her room and a few minutes later, my friend went to go check on her to see if she was really taking that nap she said she wanted to take.  When he opened the door, he was blessed to see that his daughter was on her knees at her bed and she was praying to God.   What a sight that had to be.  God is Great!  Amen!

So, today, my Brother-in-Christ and I had one of our morning conversations and sometimes they seem to be filled with a lot of "useless information."  I certainly have been told that I am filled with this talent and I can only say that God blessed me with it.  At the same time, he mentioned to me, which is something that I already knew, he gets up before heading off to work and holds daily devotions with his daughter.  He has another younger daughter and there is no doubt that he will soon be including her in the Daily Devotions as she comes of age to understand them.

Let the Children Come to Me

This brought me to share what the Gospels of Jesus Christ says about the little children and the following is based on Luke 18:15-17, the English Standard Version which says the following:  "Now they were bringing even infants to Him that He might touch them.  And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked Him.  But Jesus called them to Him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."'  

Because my wife and I do not have children, it is not for me to tell anyone who does how to treat them or how and when to teach them about God.  Yet, Jesus, who was and is God in the flesh, took not only the young one's as His own but proclaims that we are all children of God.  Think about it, He created Adam and Eve, the first two children of God and even proclaimed in Genesis 1:26 that We will create them in our image.

It is great every time I hear that another Child of God comes to Him through accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Messiah and as the Son of God.

God Bless You and all Children of God!

Amen

What Does Resurrection Sunday Mean to Me?

by  David M. Brown


A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I remember what my life once was like.  I was born and grew up in a great Conservative Jewish home living first in North Miami Beach, Florida, then Atlanta, Georgia and for some time in the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C.  I also found myself living in the Holy Land, the Land of Milk and Honey, the State of Israel also known as the Land of Israel and the Jewish State.  Living the life of a devout Conservative Jew, I believed the last of the names listed but today, I know it is also the land where my Personal Lord and Savior, My Messiah and the True Son of God was born, ministered, died and rose again.

You surely recognized the title of this commentary or testimonial as calling tomorrow Resurrection Sunday.  Why?  Well, as many people have asked over the years, where does the idea of the bunny and easter eggs come into the story of Jesus Christ's life, ministry and death and resurrection?  Easily said, these are not symbols of His life.  They are simply symbols of the time of the year, Spring.

I will be the first one to tell you that I would never have believed that Jesus Christ died and rose again and still would not if I remained in my old life.  I would say this as well, I am not even sure if I would be alive today if I did not come to accept Him as my Lord and Savior.  I feared death because I had no idea what was in store for me afterward.  I have heard about Heaven and Hell but I was never sure what any of this meant.  I have heard of pergatory and being in limbo, but once again, had no idea what any of this meant until I read Dante's poems and stories in American Literature classes in my first year in college.

Then, I felt that it was absolutely necessary to pick up the Holy Bible and begin to read.  Read I did and read I do each and every day.  Way back when, I would spend hours and days in Hebrew School reading from the Torah and the Siddur (Jewish prayer book) but I still did not find a lot of the answers that I was looking for.  In neither of these great books did I ever find the mention of the Precious Name of Jesus Christ.

When I came to my decision to accept Jesus Christ into my life, I learned from my first pastor that there were many signs in my prior life that led me to the day of my conversion.  I did not see them until he and I talked for nearly three hours.  Wow!  I learned that he knew more about my life than I knew about my life.

So, today, as I have done over the last ten years since my conversion into the life of Jesus Christ, I come to gather my thoughts, dwell in His Word and come to an understanding that without knowing and accepting Jesus Christ, I would still be asking the same questions and definitely continuing to fear death and even fear itself.  I would still be lost and wondering what was to come in my life after death, if anything without Christ.

Dwelling in the Word, the Holy Bible and knowing Jesus Christ, I have the greatest understanding of what my life is to be and how I am to lead it.  Understanding the story of the Resurrection is so important that knowing without it, we would not have a Christmas.  Without the Resurrection, we would all be wondering, what happens to us after death?

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."  And they remembered his words and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest, Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.  Luke 24:1-12 English Standard Version

So, just as was foretold in the Scriptures, Jesus Christ had risen again.  He has Risen!  He Has Risen Indeed!  Jesus is Alive!  He is with us!

So, Resurrection Sunday means to me that I have eternal life because I have accepted Jesus Christ into my life, into my heart and into my mind.  He is truly the Son of God, the Messiah!  And, there is no turning back!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Ten Years Ago, I was Born Again

by David M. Brown

Well, this was supposed to start off differently but I have to tell you a little story.  Earlier today, I was typing a Facebook Post, which was the subject of what I am posting here in my blog.  It was being done on my SmartPhone while I was getting ready to have dinner.  Well, I knew that my battery was getting low but I had no idea that as I was about to finish my post, the phone said GoodBye!  Then, it went black.  Oh well, I bowed my head and prayed and felt myself even laughing with God.  He did this to me because He knew that a Facebook Post would not do what I have to say here, justice.

So, here it goes.....Tomorrow, Saturday, March 9, 2013, will be the tenth anniversary of my death.  That is my spiritual death.  I "died" and was then Born Again at my home church of Mount Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia.  What this means is this:  I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Lord and Savior, as the Messiah and as the TRUE Son of God.  I will not go through the entire day with you as I am soon publishing a book about how my old life led me to that day, ten years ago.

After my new life began, I said and will always say, there is no turning back.  You see, over forty-eight years ago, I was born into a Conservative Jewish family in North Miami Beach, Florida.  For nearly thirty-nine years, I lived the life of a devout Conservative Jew.  I married as a Conservative Jew to my wife Amy, who was born a Southern Baptist.  There has been a great deal of things that I have learned over the last ten years and one of these things is that they might not have been the easiest ten years but no one said it would be easy.  That includes God and His Son Jesus Christ.  Neither of them promised an easy life.  

At the same time, I have learned that with my God and Jesus by my side, how can I fail?  Failure would not and will never be an option.  You see, in my old life, I tried everything.  I always believed in God, I would be foolish not to.  Why?  I was reminded that I was a Jew and that meant that I was part of the Chosen People.  Well, I have learned in the last ten years that the Chosen People are the Jews, yet, I also believe and know that Christians are also part of the Chosen People.  How could we not be?  Jesus was a Jew, so does this not make Him part of God's Chosen People?  He was and is God in the Flesh, is He not?  

An injustice would be done here if I do not quote the following:  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:1-5.

We are now in the time of the celebration of the life of Jesus Christ.  We celebrate His ministry and then His crucifixion and then His all powerful resurrection.  Yes, three days after His crucifixion on the Cross on Mount Cavalry, He rose again as promised, three days later.  I always love to use this time for reflection and to definitely say Thank You to My Lord and Savior for the sacrifice that He made on that Cross.  He died taking our sins and our transgressions with Him.  This was so much for the Son of God to endure.  I want to believe that I carry my Cross and that I carry it in His Grace.

There are a number of issues that I have pondered over the last ten years and I know that the decision I made on that Sunday morning at Mount Carmel Christian Church was the right one.  As I said earlier, there would be no turning back.  I have heard over the years that there have been those who have believed in Jesus Christ and have accepted Him into their lives and then turned away.  My only question when I hear this is:  Why?  Why turn away from The Lord and Savior?  Why turn away from The Messiah?  Why turn away from the True Son of God?

One of the issues was my marriage to my wife Amy.  In the nearly first three years of marriage, I asked myself and I asked God if there was a way that our marriage could be made stronger with one faith in the house?  Would my remaining a Jew and losing my sight of Him hurt our marriage or make no difference?  I found out, it would have made a big difference.  I found out that by accepting Jesus Christ in my life, I would be helping strengthen our marriage and at the same time I would be getting ever so closer to God.

The second issue was what was more important in my life, growing closer to God or continue to worship money and the need for more.  I grew up and always knowing that something was just not right.  Yes, I wanted to be successful as my parents were but I did not want to make money the number one issue in my later years.  I wanted to make God my number one issue and being closer to Him.  It was knowing Him and knowing Jesus that would become my "goal" in life.  This was not going to happen if I made money, the want for material things in my life to be the issue before God was the issue.

The third issue was how would my love for Israel change?  Well, it has not changed at all.  Actually, it has grown ever more stronger.  It was the area of this world that He came to us and it was the area of this world where Jesus came to us, where He conducted His ministry and it was where He died and rose again.  Israel is a great country, a great friend of the United States and I continue to be strong in my relationship with the Land of Milk and Honey and this now makes me a Christian Zionist.

The fourth issue was would I be accepted in my new life?  My family seemed to not have a problem, yet, I knew that it would be hard on my mother.  My father, already deceased before I made the decision to accept Jesus Christ, I know would have accepted my decision.  My mother had a hard time at the beginning but then began to attend church with Amy and I, yes, more during Easter and Christmas.  She said this after one Christmas production at Mount Carmel Christian Church as I was driving her home:  "You know, the Christian people are the most loving people I have ever come to know/"  I said, "That is was this is all about. This is what Immanuel teaches us.  Love!"  You see, she came to love the Christmas song, "Oh Come, Oh Come Immanuel."  She did ask me who Immanel was and I read to her the part in the Old Testament from the Book of Isaiah:

 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

The fifth issue is that of fellowship.  I was wondering how I would be accepted in church?  Would I be called the "Token Jew?"  Would I be always looked at in a strange way.  Well, this certainly never happened and I really felt great from the first time I ever walked through the doors of a church.  What I have to say here is this:  The first Brother-in-Christ that I met was at Mount Carmel Christian Church.  It was one night in choir practice and since then, we have been Brothers ever since.  His name is Alex and I am so ever grateful that God brought us together.  We have prayed together, we have laughed together, we even climbed mountains together.  Without Jesus, we would never have met and as I said, I am ever so grateful.  God bless you Brother!  God is Great!

The fifth issue was would I be able to keep focused on God and Jesus?  How was I supposed to do this?  I knew that reading the Holy Bible, committing to prayer and committing to devotional time with God in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening, at meals and whenever I need Him, He would be there.  He has been there and I love Him for this!  This includes worship.  I have to say this:  I love music and I come from a musically inclined family.  My wife and her brother Tim for many years formed the duet "Golden Breeze" and would sing many great Gospel songs, many of them written by Tim and put to music by Amy.  I wanted to sing to but I never made it in choir when I would attend synagogue.

So, I made it in choir at my home church and I sing in choir in my new church.  I love worship time with God and Jesus and I love to spend daily time in God's Word.  Both of these make a great couple.

Finally, I have to say thank you to my two church homes that I love so much.  Now, I am not saying that I am in love with two buildings.  I love those who make up the church.  This includes the congregation, the pastors and all of those who make the church successful through Christ.

First, Mount Carmel Christian Church, the first church I ever entered. It was where I accepted Jesus Christ.  I have to say thank you to Pastor Brother Randy who helped me see Jesus Christ.  He Baptized me and I will never forget him,  I also want to throw a shout out to Brother Billy, Brother Wye, Brother Art and the congregation.  Love you all and God Bless!

Second, I want to say that my new church, Mountain Park First Baptist, is a great new home.  Amy and I felt a calling to attend Mountain Park First Baptist after visiting for a couple of weeks.  More about this in the book that I am writing.  I want to send a shout out to the Pastoral Team, Senior Pastor, Brother Paul, Brother Josh, Brother Ron and t rest of the pastoral team that has made our transition so smooth.  I have to say that God is Great!

So, to end this testimony on my tenth year of my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and as the Messiah and as the True Son of God, I want to say that all that I do from this day forward will be for God's Will and not for me but for Him!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16.

Thank you Jesus!  Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

About Mission Lighthouse Ministry

Mission Lighthouse Ministry : The Rebirth

The Beginning.

In March 2003, I made the most important decision of my life.  I was 39 years of age at the time and it was a lifetime in the making.  Being born a Conservative Jew, I grew up knowing God and praising and worshiping God but not knowing a lot of the reasons as to why I worshiped God except for the fact that I had to, who it was that I was and where it was that I was truly headed in my life and discovering as I got older, God was getting further and further away from me.  It was getting to the point that I was afraid that I was going absolutely nowhere in my life that I had to find a way to rediscover my life and it had to include God.  It had to include not only here and there and when I had time but on a daily basis.

So, after meeting my wife Amy, a Southern Baptist, and marrying in May 2001, I discovered by attending church once in a while with her and her family in Atlanta, Georgia, that I was beginning to hear The Word again, the Word of God, The Holy Bible and it was time that I lived in it and with it.  I knew of the Jewish law as I was accustomed to try and follow and live the Ten Commandments and to know at least the Pentateuch, the First Five Books of Moses.  That is as far as it went for me, though.  I had never stretched my learning and my knowledge beyond the laws delivered to Moses from God on Mount Sinai.  

I had heard the name of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, The Messiah and the Son of God but only through the mouths of my non-Jewish friends.  I heard the name when I would be asked the all-important question:  "Why do you not believe in Jesus?"  I could only respond, "I am Jewish and I am not supposed to believe in Him."  Really, the answer was this:  I had no answer.  You see, growing up in a Jewish household, His Name  was not even allowed to be mentioned.  Unfortunately, when it was mentioned, it was in vain.  Little did I realize that I was not only cursing the Son of God but I was cursing God as well.

If there was such a thing of a Jewish Last Will and Testament Party as there is a high school senior Last Will and Testament Party, I would certainly be named, "The Least Likely to Convert to Christianity."  Well, that would certainly not have stuck.  Actually, at my high school senior Last Will and Testament Party, I was named, "The Most Likely to become an Israeli army general."  Go and figure.

The Conversion.

On Sunday, March 9, 2003, my life as it was known died away.  The person that I had known, no longer existed.  What was even greater, I was born again into Jesus Christ.  I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Lord and Savior, that He is the Messiah and that He is the Son of God.  I had been attending church for sometime before this day, almost a year, and I began to learn the truth.  What I have also learned is that knowing the truth is an eternity of learning. 

More about my conversion and what led to it in my new book:  Testimony of Faith:  What led me to Jesus which is due to be completed in 2013.

Why Mission Lighthouse Ministry?

Not long after conversion, I wanted to begin my time of witnessing to others and to teach them about Jesus Christ.  I also wanted to use my testimony, God's Word, the Gospels to do just that.  As scripture says:

"As servants of God (my emphasis) we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger, by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left...." 2 Corinthians 6:4. ESV

"For we are God's fellow workers (my emphasis).  You are God's field, God's building."  1Corinthians 4:9. ESV

and,

"Therefore, we are ambassador's for Christ (my emphasis), God making His appeal through us."  2Corinthians 5:20.  ESV

So, Mission Lighthouse Ministry was born knowing these three parts of scripture:  I am a servant of God, I am one of God's fellow worker's and finally, I am an ambassador for Christ.

The Name:  Mission Lighthouse Ministry

In secular terms, the idea of lighthouse to me means the lighthouse that stands watch to protect seafaring mariners so that their vessels do not come too close to shore and run aground.  This is the same thing about Christ.  He is our protector, making sure that we do not run aground, get lost and go to the darker side.  He is the Light and He is wants us, needs us to stay out of the darkness of Satan.

I love the study of the history of Lighthouses but they have such a deeper meaning.  A more spiritual meaning for me.  

Here is some scripture to back this up:  

The Light of the Gospel

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.  But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways.  We refuse to practice cunning or "tamper with God's Word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what we proclaim is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  2Corinthians 4:1-6. ESV

So, Mission Lighthouse Ministry is re-born.  It is my "tool" to present to you the infallible Word of God.  Just as I have come to accept and understand who my Personal Lord and Savior is, Who the Messiah is and who the Son of God is, I hope the same for you.

God Bless!  Glory Be to God!  

In the Most Holy and Precious Name of Jesus Christ,

David M. Brown

Founder

Mission Lighthouse Ministry

Tucker, Georgia

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Merry Christmas from Mission Lighthouse Ministry

According to the computer's clock, which is pretty accurate, we are now six minutes into Christmas Day.  It is 12:06 a.m., in Atlanta, Georgia.  As founder of Mission Lighthouse Ministry, I would like to say Merry Christmas to all of the reader's of this blog.  It is a simple blog.  There are not a lot of bells and whistles but what is important, is to keep it simple, keep it modest and keep it plain.  You see, Jesus Christ was born on this day well over 2000 years ago.  Happy Birthday Lord Jesus.  Thank you for being my Messiah, the Son of God, Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.

Where do we learn the Story of Jesus' Birth? In the New Covenant, The New Testament, Book of Matthew and the Book of Luke.  The scripture presented here is from the English Standard Version Holy Bible which was given to me as a gift from my loving wife Amy on Christmas Eve.  The complete story of Jesus Christ's Birth is in the Book of Luke, yet, at the same time, it was prophesied in the Book of Isaiah in the Old Covenant, the Old Testament.  It is said that there are over 350 prophesies of the Coming of Christ and they are spelled out in the Old Testament.  However, I can only focus on what is said in Isaiah at this moment.

After the scripture, there is a movie from New Line Cinema called, "The Nativity Story" presented here as found on Youtube.  It is nearly one hour and forty minutes long but it is worth sharing it here.  I am not sure about the copyright's here but it has been shared on Youtube and I hope you enjoy it.

Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign .  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call him Immanuel."  Immanuel meaning God with Us.

Isaiah 9:6 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."


Reference for the scripture is the English Standard Version translation of the Holy Bible.

The Nativity Story - New Line Cinema (Youtube.com)

Enjoy!  Merry Christmas!

David M. Brown

Mission Lighthouse Ministry is Back!

Mission  Lighthouse Ministry was founded in mid-2003, when I accepted Jesus Christ as His Personal Lord and Savior, the Messiah and the Son of God and then was Baptized into Christ.  It has been and still is my intention to help Spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through commentary, worship and praise, community involvement and through fellowship with not only those who already have come to know Jesus Christ but for those who are still looking and wanting to understand Him.

For those of us who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, we become like Him.  So, as He was and is the royal priesthood and the sacrifice, so are we.  In 1 Peter 2:9 English Standard Version (ESV), it says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light."

On this day, the day before the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Christmas Eve, I was led to bring Mission Lighthouse Ministry back.  It was God who called out to me to do so.  You see, of late, I have been having what some of us might consider to be nightmares or dreams.  Each is different in their own way, similar in meaning in others.  They have not been the best in nature, only something that the devil himself has been doing to get me to move away from my Love for God.  "Sorry, mr. devil man, you lose".

So, with this said, I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one a beautiful Merry Christmas and with the grace of God may you all be blessed with good fortune in His Name and enjoy the time with your family and friends.

I leave you with the following scripture from the Old Testament, ESV, The Sign of Immanuel, Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call him Immanuel."  Immanuel means:  God with us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Happy Birthday Jesus!

David M. Brown
Tucker, Georgia
Christmas Eve
Monday, December 24, 2012

Jesus Is Arrested, The Gospel According to John18:1-11

Arrested!  The Lord and Savior, the King of the Jews?  The Messiah and the Son of God?  How could this ever happen?  What did He ever do to deserve the treatment that He got from His own people?  He was innocent and He committed NO Crime, yet, HE WAS ARRESTED?

Jesus Christ was arrested in the Garden of Gathsemene, the night of the Last Supper, the Night of Passover, because He spent His ministry preaching the Word of God.  He was teaching the people what it was the God wanted them to hear and to learn, not what it was that He alone was teaching.  He said to the people, "You now arrest me?  I preached in your synagogues and I preached in your temple, and you did nothing to Me.  Yet, now you come and take me away?

He was certainly right.  It made absolutely no sense.  Now, many years ago, growing up a Conservative Jew, I would have thought differently.  We were taught that Jesus Christ was a blasphemer, but was I ever wrong.  Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He was brought to earth as God Himself in the flesh.  He went to the Cross as God in the flesh.  However, all of this had to be done so that prophesy could be fulfilled.

What would you have done if you were in the shoes of Judas Iscariot?  What would you have done if you were in the shoes of the Jewish High Priests?  These are easy questions if prophesy was to be fulfilled.  At the same time, do you not think that the Jewish people were scared that Jesus was right?

Here is another video for your viewing and I hope that you enjoy it.  Feel free to leave me any comments that you would like as long as they are kept clean and they are good for discussion.

Jesus is  Arrested Video 1
http://youtu.be/-SoO1FkTxEg

Jesus is Arrested Video 2
http://youtu.be/bV53y-14DCI

Happy Mother's Day to all of the great mother's out there.  I also say Happy Mother's Day to my mother who nearly 2 years ago succumbed to Polysythemia Vera which in the end turned into Acute Leukemia.  May you rest in peace mom!

Jesus Prays for His Disciples and All Believers John 17:6-26

Here you will find the first in a series of videos created by David Brown, co-founder of Mission Lighthouse Ministry in Atlanta, Georgia.

The first one was done after Easter and this is where the videos will begin.  There will be reading of scripture, some brief words based on the scripture and how it affects us today and possibly in the future.

Thank you for visiting Mission Lighthouse Ministry and remember there is a website for the Ministry at www.missionlighthouseministry.org.

Should you have any questions or need to be prayed upon even have a praise report, feel free to comment here or visit our website and we will be more than happy to post it.

Thanks and God Bless.


David M. Brown
Co-Founder Mission Lighthouse Ministry

So Much on My Mind, Yet, Not a Lot of Time

I want to start this blog post by saying that I really do wish I had all of the time in the world to do nothing but write, do my photography, but most importantly talk about God and His Word.  I am one who has been doing a great deal with this ministry and I want to continue, which I am going to, so that I can witness to those who have yet found God in their lives.  Yesterday, Christians around the world celebrated Easter and looking at Facebook many of them including myself knew that Jesus Christ went to the Cross an innocent man, one that committed no crime, yet, did so for us.  Then we also knew that on the Third Day, He defeated death, He defeated satan and He defeated the world as He AROSE and that HE IS ALIVE!

Then Monday comes.  How do we feel?  Are we still thinking about Sunday?  Do we still know that Jesus is Alive?  Do you still dwell in the Word of God?  Do you still walk with Him and Talk with Him?  I know that I do and that it will not stop.  Jesus Christ is my best friend, my Messiah, My One and All and He is also my Lord and Savior.  Things are not what they used to be for me, but knowing that Jesus is in my life, I have to continue to put Him first before life itself.  

For some time now, I have felt some changes in my life that have been both physical and spiritual.  Less than a year ago, I lost the last full time job that I had.  It was tough because of the way that I am living.  It is tough to still be out of full time work, but I also know that I have to put Jesus first because He will save me one way or another.  I have been diligently searching for that "paycheck" job because I know that it pays the bills.  However, due to age and due to a great deal of over qualifications, it has been hard to land a decent job, if one at all.

I thoroughly understand that with the way things are today, finding a job that I want or would like to have may not be in "the cards."  So, this means that I have to once again take the first thing that comes along.  I wish that was a possibility but when you are sending resumes day in and day out and do not get a single response, it is disheartening.  However, I still know that I have to put Jesus Christ first because He is going to save me.  

Here is what the Holy Bible has to say about working:  

Labor Alone Will Not Satisfy the Cry of the Soul
All the labor of man is for his mouth,
And yet the soul is not satisfied. Eccl 6:7 (NKJV)





Jesus Came to Help Us with the Burden of Labor "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NKJV)

We Were Created to do Good Works
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10 (NKJV)

There Is An Inheritance and Reward for Being Faithful to Our Work
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Col 3:23-24 (NKJV)

We were created to do good works.  This is what I want to do.  No matter what it is that I do, I know that the Lord Jesus is there guiding me and giving me strength to complete my tasks.  I am a writer.  I like to take photographs.  I like to read, especially God's Word.  I like to spread the Good News of the Gospel.  Is this not work?  Is trying to work a ministry in the name of Jesus Christ, not work?  Does work always have to be about the mighty American dollar which is slowly sliding into worthlessness?

Our work, no matter what it is, is given to us by God.  He put us on this earth for a reason.  He placed us here to do a particular job and expects us to do it well.  Over the span of the last ten years, I believe, no, I know I did my work well.  I did not particularly do it for me, I did it for my everlasting life and love for the Lord.

As I write this blog post, I am still slightly suffering with gout and something with my prostate.  I am in pain at times but I still move on and ahead.  I do this because God gives me the strength to do so. I write my articles and I post them on social media sites for people to read.  I take pictures and post them on Facebook for people to enjoy.  I write about the Gospel on this Ministry blog site so people can understand what the Holy Bible, what the Word of God is all about.  Are people reading?  Are people looking?  Some are, not many, but some are.

Sometimes I get into a fit of depression because what I try to do seems to fail and sometimes fail miserably.  But you know what?  I still have God on my side.  There is no line to stand in, God is first and no one can cut before Him.  When I do good, God lets me know.  When I do something that is not quite right, God lets me know and sets me back on the right path.

I want my friends to know that I listen to them.  Most of them speak with God in their heart.  Some speak to me as if I am a twelve year old kid.  Both are equal because I know that God is in all of their hearts.   However, sometimes it is hard to follow the latter because they do not understand me.  They do not, I believe want me to succeed.  But, again, as long as God is in my life, I will succeed and I will do so by His grace, not someone else's.

Whatever comes to me in my life, I will know that I have done what I could in God's favor.  I know that I gave my all and I know that is what He is seeking from me.  I know that when I fall, it is not from the hands of my fellow man who picks me up, it is the mighty Hand of God that stands me upright and tells me to push on.

From this day forward, I will continue to do what I have been doing.  Working for God.  Spreading His Word because His Word is above all else.  I will continue to talk to Him through prayer as prayers are answered.  Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow morning, but they are answered.

What I do from this day forward will be for His grace and for what He did for me -- He went to the Cross so that I might live another day.  I will continue to push forward for Him so that He knows that I LOVE Him for what HE did.  He was innocent and free from committing any crime.  Yet, the people hung Him high and they pierced Him in the side, they watched Him bleed and take a beating that no one man should have to endure for being innocent.  It is for Him that I continue to write and to take pictures. It is for Him that I keep this blog and the ministry going.  It is for Him that I breathe and sing and spread His Good News.  

We are all placed on this earth for a short while.  What we do should be in His service.  When we are done on this earth, there are no bags to pack, no vehicles to load on the heavenly train, no jewelry, no money, no nothing.  Just our soul.  What we earn stays here.  We pray it forward and give to our loved ones who remain until it is their time.  We have to enjoy what we have done and what we have earned here on earth and do so quickly because time is short, there is not a lot of time left.  

So, remember, it is not about me.  It is not about you.  It is about Him.  It is about what He did and we need to spread that across the lands and across the seas.  There are so many that have not come to know Him yet, but they will.  They will hear His name.  They will have a choice.  They will one day say, "What have I done?"  "What have I done for the grace of God?"  Sing alleluia to the Lord because He is Great.  He is the Mighty and Powerful Counselor of Counselors.  He is the Rising Sun.  He is the thunder and He is the rain.  He is the Light and He walks with us in Darkness and guides us to safety.  He is Emanuel - God with Us.  He is our All-in-All.

Thank You Lord for giving me the strength and the courage to write this.  Thank You Lord for what You did so that I can see the Light.  You are the Light, You are the Lamb of God.

In The Mighty and the Most Powerful Name of Jesus Christ and in His Service, I remain His forevermore.


David M.Brown
Grayson, Georgia

Easter - A Time of Reflection - Am I Responsible?

Easter - a time of reflection - especially for someone like myself as I lived the life of a Jew for nearly 36 years.  Here I sit writing what I feel today, at this moment as I have read many postings today on Facebook and Twitter about how people feel at this time of the year.  What I am about to write here is something that I have been thinking about for sometime now and it has been effecting my heart and my mind and my strength and my soul. 

I think about what it was that I was doing and how I was feeling as I was a part of something big, really big.  I was part of history, I was part of something that I feel I cannot take back.  I was part of what happened to my Messiah, My Lord and Savior and the one true Son of God.  I was part of a rejection to the Son of God when His Mother Mary and His Father Joseph was looking for a room in the inn.  I played the role as the Innkeeper who turned them away from a room so Mary could deliver the baby Jesus.  Recently, I played the role of the one disciple, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus to the guards of the High Priests and to the Romans.  I played the part of one man who did not believe in Him for nearly 36 years. 

However, I discovered that there was room for me at the Cross.  There was room for me in the crowds at my Messiah's Trial in front of Ponchius Pilate, the Roman Governor in Jerusalem.  There was room for me in the crowds when Jesus was beaten and was whipped like no man should ever have to be for being innocent, for committing no crime.  I was in the crowds along that long road, the Via de la Rosa, which led ever so high to that Mount known as Cavalry.  There was room for me in the crowds along that street stained with my Savior's blood.  I stood back and did not do a thing.  What was wrong with me?  Why could I not believe then as I surely do now?  Am I responsible?  Am I responsible for my Savior's death?  Am I responsible for not storming the Roman soldiers as they nailed my Savior's hands and my Savior's feet to the Cross?  Am I responsible for not climbing that Cross and freeing My Savior who was not a criminal, but God in the flesh?  He hung their high, bleeding, dying for me.  It was my fault.  I sinned.  I did not listen. 

However, Jesus Christ, the Begotten Son of God, said this among His dying words:  "Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do."  Did we not know?  Did I not know?  How could I not?  He taught us about Love, about friendship, the difference between good and evil.  Why did I not know?  How could I not know? 

He died!  I cried and I wept and I screamed for my Lord and Savior.  Was it too late for me?  What was I to do?  Run and hide?  Jesus forgave me when He went to the Cross.  He forgave that part of humanity that was blind to who He was.  He was God, God in the Flesh!  Why could I not see it?  What would it take?  I was waiting for a Messiah.  Someone different, but I was blind. I want to see, Lord Jesus!  Make me see!

He did make me see.  He said that He would raise the temple in three days!  He arose!  He did come back to life like He said He would!  What a beautiful day that was!  He is alive in my heart and in my mind and in my soul.  Jesus is ALIVE!

I now know.  I now know who the Messiah is.  He said that He would return and it would be at the time of His Father's Will.  I have accepted You Lord Jesus as my Savior!  I no longer fear death because of You!  You have taught me what Love is all about.  You have taught me what it means to be a Christian.  You have taught me as long as I accept You I will live in eternity with You.  I know it is a two-way street.  I have to fight temptation.  I have to push satan aside and not let him win over me.  With Your walk with me and with Your talk with me, I know You are here.

Thank You Lord Jesus for guiding me to a path of righteousness.  I know that I may sin from time-to-time, but I also know that You forgive me of these sins because of what You did.  That Old Rugged Cross took You from me for a short time, but I know that You are here.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Now, I know I must do my part.  I must go out into the world and tell people about You.  The souls like me which at one time or another could not see.  They could not believe.  They are lost, but I know through You they can be found.

Happy Easter everyone!  HE IS ALIVE!  HE AROSE.

David Brown
Co-Founder
Mission Lighthouse Ministry

Events at Home Church - Mount Carmel Christian Church, Stone Mountain, GA

Hello and Happy Easter Week Everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that the home church that Alex Aleman and I belong to, Mount Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia has a lot of great events that are happening to lead up to Easter Sunday.

First and foremost, there is Wednesday evening fellowship dinner, Bible Study Classes and Choir Practice.  All of these great electives are fun and full of the Holy Spirit as we all should be.  Dinner begins at 5:30pm and is kept open until 6:15pm.  The cost of the dinner is 7.00 and is so worth it as there is plenty of food to go around, including dessert and salad and there is even kid's meals as well.

Second, tomorrow morning, I will be giving a presentation for the Young at Heart at Mount Carmel Christian Church.  It is entitled, "Passover-A Celebration."  I am so looking forward to this, I cannot wait.  This begins at 11:30am.

Third, tomorrow evening, at 7:00pm, there will be a Communion Service.  It is expected to last for 45 minutes and it celebrates the life, the crucifixion and the rising of Jesus Christ back to life!  This is going to be a great presentation and communion will be offered.  Come one and come all for this great service.

Fourth, Friday morning, Good Friday, Mount Carmel Christian School will be presenting a service in the main sanctuary at 10:30 am.  This is going to be service to remembers, so, if you have the time, come witness a great Good Friday service.

Fifth,  on Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 1pm - 3pm, there will be a Mount Carmel Christian Church Family Fun Day for everyone!  Please bring your children and your appetite for the Lord and for your stomachs!  There is also an Easter Egg Hunt with over 10,000 eggs to be found!

Lastly, on Sunday, April 24, 2011, there is going to be a very powerful, heart-filled, Easter Service at Mount Carmel Christian Church starting at 10:30am in the main sanctuary.  We are looking for you as is the Lord to attend.  Come and worship that the Lord is Alive!

Happy Easter and Happy Passover to one and all!


Dave Brown

Alex Aleman Photography Establishes Raffle for Christian Mission

Win a $210 photo session from Alex Aleman Photography for ONLY $10. Watch the video to learn how. Alex is holding a raffle to send some mission minded people (Callan Trainer and Michael Simms) to help the Rapha House in Cambodia. The Rapha House help young... girls who fell victim to the sickening world of Sex Trafficking. Some as young as 5 years old. If you have kids, especially girls, that really hits home. Its a great deal and a great cause.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=178127762239607&comments

This is just another great thing that Alex enjoys doing as he is a great Christian and has been offered by GOD with so many great talents.

Alex and his wife Carrie live in Lilburn, Georgia and have two beautiful girls, Christina (4) and Chloe (2).

2011 Easter Message from David Brown, Co-Founder, Mission Lighthouse Ministry

First, I have to apologize for not keeping up with a daily blog posting, but this will soon change.  There really is no excuse, but what I have to say is this:  I have certainly not forgotten about the Easter holiday because I have been practicing for the production that my home church, Mt. Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia is getting ready to put on.  It is scheduled for Sunday evening, April 17, 2011 at 7pm.  It is called, The Easter Song and it may have taken some of us a little bit longer to get into the music and its message, but it is strong and so is the drama. 

"It is going to be the best production, yet," says Trudy Daffron, interim choir director for Mount Carmel Christian Church.  She is certainly right about that. She went on to say this, "whether we have a hundred or more in the audience that night, or we sing to ourselves, we will certainly be touched in a whole new way by this particular production."  Again, she was right.

Speaking of Easter, itself, I want to say this.  This is the time of the year that sees more conversions to the Christian Faith than at any other time of the year.  I can certainly go into all of the statistical readings of this and at sometime during this post, I just might do this.  However, what I would like to talk about is the last days of Jesus before He was crucified, Why He was crucified and What the ramifications are today because of His crucifixion. 

Easter as we know, is a Christian holiday to celebrate not only the crucifixion, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also the spring season, to a degree.  We find ourselves decorating our homes in more pastel colors, wearing clothes that are more pastel in color, and probably planting flowers that are pastel in color.  But, the most important thing to think about is what Easter is truly about and that is Jesus Christ and what it is that He did for us by sacrificing His life for ours.

I would like to point out the scripture that talks about His last days and then get back to Easter and what it means to us.  I am going to start with Matthew 26:17 and go forward to the crucifixion and then continue on.  I will do all that I can to paraphrase what is going on at this point.

The Gospel according to Matthew:

Judas Iscariot front right leaving after being discovered as the Betrayer by Jesus.

We are at the point in the story leading up to Jesus' crucifixion where Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, also considered a thief, had met with the Chief Priest's to do his part in turning Jesus over to them.  He would receive thirty pieces of silver for his service to them and then he waited for the right time to turn Jesus in.  At the same time, Jesus did already know that Judas was the one who was to betray Him to the Chief Priest and that Peter, another of the disciples was eventually going to reject Him three times.

Then, on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked Him where they should make preparations for the Passover.  Jesus told them to go into the city (Jerusalem) and them him that the Teacher says:  "My appointed time is near.  I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house." (Matthew 26:18)  So the disciples did as Jesus said and prepared the Passover. 

Evening fell, and Jesus was now celebrating the Passover with His disciples by reclining at the table.  He then went into the story.  He said that one of the twelve would betray Him.  They were all sad and began to say one at a time that it was surely not him.  Jesus told them that it would be the one who dipped his hand in the bowl with Him.  Jesus then went on to say that "woe is the man who betrays the Son of Man!  That it would be better if he was not born at all.

Judas then went on to say that it was surely not him.  This is when Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (Matthew 26:25).  This is when Jesus took the bread and broke it then gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat, this is my body (Matthew 26:26).  Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Then He said, "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."   (Matthew 26:27-29). 

In the Garden of Gasthemene, Jesus told the Disciples that they would fall away on account of Him.  Peter told Him that even if all fall away on account of Him, he never would.  Here is how Jesus replied in Matthew 26:34:  "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."  Peter told Jesus that even if he had to die with Him that he would never disown Him.  Everyone else said the same.  Sometime from the end of the Passover feast to the leaving for the Garden, Judas had left the room and returned to the Chief Priest. 




While in the Garden, Jesus told His disciples sit elsewhere while He prayed to His Father alone.  He then returned to them and asked them why they could not keep watch for even an hour while He prayed to His Father.  He seemed to be saying this directly to Peter.


A couple of times, Jesus went to pray to His Father and again the disciples would fall into sleep as their eyes were heavy.  Jesus is now troubled to the point of tears.  In Matthew 26:45-46, He asks the disciples, "Are you still sleeping and resting?  Look the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise, let us go!  Here comes my betrayer."


While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived.  With him was a large crowd sent to arrest Him.  The crowd was armed with clubs and swords and they were sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

Then Judas said to the armed men and I am paraphrasing here, the one that I kiss is the one who you are to arrest.  He then walked up to Jesus and said, "Greetings Rabbi."  and then kissed Jesus on the cheek.

Jesus was taken aback by what was occurring in the Garden. 


He asked if they thought He was leading a rebellion for them to come with such weapons.  He went on to ask them why He was not arrested when He sat with the people in the Temple and taught.  He would also say that the scriptures prophesied all of this to this point, so He did not stop what was happening.  However, one of Jesus' companions stepped forward, drew his sword and cut the ear off of one of the servants of the high priests.

Jesus then told him to put his sword away.  He went on to say that the one who draws the sword will die by the sword.  (Matthew 26:52).

Then, without warning, all of the disciples fled and abandoned their Lord.

I will leave the next scenes for tomorrow as I want to stop here and talk about Judas Iscariot.  Last Christmas, I had the opportunity to play the Innkeeper who turned Mary and Joseph away as she was to soon give birth to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Yet, in reading scripture, there was not much about the innkeeper.  I truly believed that the innkeeper who rejected Jesus' parents was also the one who then told them about the barn and that they could have it for the night.  He was also the one who offered fresh hay and blankets to them.  That is my thinking, but I could be wrong.  I say this because I did not find in scripture where Mary and Joseph walked for miles upon miles looking for an inn.

Now, for Easter, I get to play the part of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I have to say that even though there are no lines, the thought of playing such a part is not easy.  I also do get to sing with the choir, but playing this role is tough.  I accepted it, so there is no being upset about it.  It is part of the story and I live with it.

Judas found what he did was not right, especially during the questioning and the beatings that Jesus began to endure from the high priests and others.  He took on the guilt and returned the silver pieces to the priests and then went off and hung himself.  Thank God I do not have to do this in the production, but it is worth mentioning anyway.


So, goes the story of the Last Supper, the New Covenant created by Jesus, the betrayal and the rejection of Christ by His disciples.

Next is the trial and the walk up the Via DelaRosa to Mount Cavalry.

Bible Series 2011: Jesus Teaches About Oaths and Eye for Eye...: Matthew 5:33-42

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord,"  Matthew 5:33  You know, there is not a day that goes by that someone in the world is not taking an oath for some reason or another.  It could be the president of the United States of America who takes the oath of office every 4 years on January 20th.  The oath ends, "So help me God."  This basically means, whatever it is that you are taking an oath for, you are asking God for your help during these times.

At the same time, when you accept Jesus Christ to be your savior, know that He is the Son of God and that He is the Messiah, then you are claiming an oath to follow Him and to seek His guidance.  This is probably, no, it is definitely, the most important oath that you can ever take.  What else is important here is to not fall back on your old ways and to remove Him from your life.  Study the Word, Pray daily over all things good and bad, fellowship with your Christian brother and sister and make an oath that you will witness Him to others who are lost and have not yet spoke the oath and then you will know that you have kept your promise.

Jesus Teaches About an Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, Matthew 5:38-42  "You have heard that it was said, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

The way society is and the way it is today, especially, it seems to forget this beatitude.  There are court systems set up throughout the world to handle all sorts of aspects of life dealing with capital crimes, war crimes, business dealings, you name it, they are there.  We are judged in these courts for what we have done whether it be good or bad.   Jesus tells us to not fret if we are struck.  He tells us to give us our cloak to the one who wants our tunic.  Why not give it to him? 

Then He goes on to say that if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Simply put, do not stop, keep going.  Witness to the people.  Tell them the story of Jesus.  Talk to them about the Gospel.  Go the extra mile.  Do not be afraid.

 And, finally, for the one that asks for something, give it to him and tell him to Pray it forward.  Many times the one who gives does not ask for it back.  Spread the News of the Gospel and make it the best time you could ever have.  If someone wants to borrow from you, give it to him.  This one is a little tougher, but look at it this way:  Does some one want to borrow your Bible?   Does someone need your help financially or need that one tool to get a job done?  If so, give it to him.  However it turns out in the end, remember it is for God to judge, not you or me.

Scripture from the New Testament, NIV, Thoughts following are from David Brown, co-founder of Mission Lighthouse Ministry.
 

Do You Believe Yet? A Look at History and then You Decide on God or Coincidence

First, I would like to say that our prayers are going out to the people of Japan as well as those in Hawaii and on the West Coast of the United States after the powerful 8.9 Quake that hit in the afternoon in Japan.  May God be with you and your families as you now struggle for survival as well as rebuilding after this devastating act of nature.

Now, I want to share with you, not only with my Christian Brothers and Sisters, but those who have yet to find the Lord Your God, a couple of stories that I read from a book entitled, "Psalm 91:  God's Shield of Protection," written by Peggy Joyce Ruth and Angelia Ruth Schum.  It is a book that I was given at a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Event the weekend of March 4-6, 2011 from the Chaplain Corps of the 3rd Medical Command Deployment Support out of Fort Gillem, Georgia.

What I would like to first say is this:  Psalm 91 is referred to as the Soldier's Prayer and this is what is said in the Psalm from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible:

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!"

For it is He who delivers you

from the snare of the trapper

And from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions

And under His wings you may seek refuge;

His refuge is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand  at your right hand,

But it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes

And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the LORD, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra,

The young lion and the serpent

you will trample down.

"Because He has loved Me,

therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high,

Because he has known my name.

"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him, and honor him.

"With a long life I will satisfy him,

And let him behold My salvation.""

Psalm 91 is very powerful and in the book, Psalm 91, there are many stories of God's love upon His people throughout the many wars and conflicts that have effected our world, our country and our lives.  So, in reading the book, I would like to share at this moment in time, two stories that I read.  One comes out of the Second World War and the other out of the present day conflict in both Afghanistan and Iraq.  Just know this, if you do not know God now, I surely hope that you give yourself room in your heart for Him and for His Son Jesus Christ.

Bill's Goats and Dunkirk, France (World War II)

Chapter 16, God Answers My Call, Psalm 91, ppgs. 104-108.  "He will call upon me, and I will answer Him (Psalm 91:15.)  The story opens up with a young man named Bill who had a heard of goats on some land by the bayou.  During recent floods and with the flood waters rising, some men saw the goats being overtaken by the flood and hoisted them up into the loft of a barn so that they would not drown.

By the next morning the water turned into something like a rushing river about a mile wide.  It began to wash away uprooted trees and everything in its path.  By this time, Bill heard about what was going on with his goats and he set out in a tin-bottom boat to do what he could to rescue his goats.  If he was unable to get to them he knew that they would die from thirst and suffocation.

One of the goats named, Little Willie, was the most precious of the herd.  The reason for this was that Bill had spent much time bottle-feeding Little Willie.  The first cry from the herd was from Little Willie and Bill could hear this as he approached the barn in his boat.  When Bill was able to force open the loft door amid the rushing waters, the first goat to jump was Little Willie and he landed in his arms.  Boatload by boatload, goat by goat, Bill was able to get every one of his goats out of the loft and to safety.

A television camera crew from Abilene saw what was going on and made the story of the saving of the goats a news story that was shown both on the six o'clock news and then again at ten o'clock.  This story was extremely heartwarming.  GOD is extremely merciful and He certainly answers us when we are sincere in our call for help.

Location of British troops and German 

troops at Dunkirk, France

There is no doubt how important individual prayer is.  Then comes the story of Dunkirk, France during World War II.  This is where how important collective prayer is.  The story of Dunkirk goes something like this.  Early on in the war, there were hundreds of thousands of British, French and Belgian troops trapped with the German army just miles behind them and the English Channel in front.  The English Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, warned the nation of Great Britain, that no more than twenty or thirty thousand of the two hundred thousand British soldiers would be rescued from the exposed beaches.  What happens after this is most astonishing and definitely underestimates the power of an entire nation in prayer.

Troops being rescued and evacuated from Dunkirk. 

The Church of England filled to capacity, the King and Queen knelt at Westminster Abby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the good Wilhelmina, and members of parliament were all on their knees.

Now there were three things that occurred during this time:

1.  There was a sudden regrouping of the German troops and the Nazi generals ordered a halt twelve miles from Dunkirk.  Hitler made a rash decision to hold the troops there indefinitely.

2.  The weather became a great hindrance to the enemy planes that were firing on the English trapped on the French Coast.

3.  Every imaginable vessel that would float, from private boats piloted by bank clerks, fishermen, Boy Scouts, yachtsmen, barge operators, college professors, and tugboat captains began the rescue mission.  Even London fire brigade boats got in on the action.  Shipyards were even set up to repair vessels that were damaged, so that they could return to pick up more loads of soldiers.

In the end, here are the following numbers of soldiers that were rescued:   

Over 7,000 the first day

47,310 the second day

British, Belgian and French troops lining up for the evacuation

53,823, 68,014 and 64,429 in the next three days.

The final total evacuated were 338,000 British, Belgian and French Troops.  Is this not God answering the call of the collective people's in prayer?  Does this not show that prayer does work?  It is certainly hard to say no to these questions.  The answer is clear:  God does answer the call of the individual as well as the collective in prayer!

One last tidbit from this story is that on the boats that were taking soldiers to safety, men began to pray, even many who had not ever prayed before.  At a camp in England, men requested permission to pray.  This is when it became apparent to all of Britain that their prayers were being heard.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

"A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you...for you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place."  (Psalm 91:7,9).  This scripture surely fits into the category of this next story about four men who should have truly been badly wounded, if not deceased from an attack that occurred on them and their humvee at the Saddam Canal in Iraq.

The humvee, commanded by Marine Staff Sergeant Bryan Jackway was attacked by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher.  Without warning, the driver's side of the humvee had been hit by a rocket from the RPG twelve inches from where the driver was sitting.  Waves of fire and shrapnel rippled through the cramped compartment.  Such a hit rarely leaves any hint of human remains.

The high-explosive rocket hit with all of its force inside the cabin of the vehicle.  There were four men inside.  As the rocket struck the door frame, it was as if an invisible hand channeled its force.  Most of the force traveled through the driver's open window, while the rest smashed against the inside of the front glass.

The windshield exploded from the inside out.  The bulletproof glass disintegrated into a fireball.  The jagged shards of glass showered the road in front of SSgt. Jackway's humvee.  All four men were engulfed in a wall of heat and flame.  Those in vehicle's behind this humvee knew that America had just lost four Marines.

"Dear God - I'm alive!" SSgt. Jackway shouted after opening his eyes, then grabbing his chest and arm.  He was pounding himself to make sure that he was alive.  He then picked up the radio to call in casualties which he did not yet bother to look at the other men in the vehicle.  What he found was astounding.  All four had survived the rocket attack and all without a scratch!  The driver had been sitting exactly where the blast had occurred.

The following scripture from Psalm 91 was one that SSgt. Jackway could not get out of his head.    "I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.  He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;  I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue and honor him.  With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation."  (Psalm 91:14-16).

Need anymore be said by what Psalm 91:14-16) says about the story told.  By the way,  this was an excerpt of a story told in a book written by Navy Chaplain (Lt) Carey H. Cash in his book, "A Table  in the Presence."

No matter whether you are a soldier, airman, Marine, Coast Guard, sailor or even a civilian, Psalm 91 is one that should be read over and over again.  It is one that is so powerful because with it God is with you.  Do not wait for trouble to come upon you.  Read it in times of safety and times that you may not feel so safe.  Read it with all of your heart and understand its meaning.  For every member of the military that believes in the LORD, this is your protection and this is all about your salvation.

Thank you to all service members everywhere for their service and for their dedication to the United States of America, the greatest country on God's green earth!

David M. Brown
Friday, March 11, 2011