Thursday, May 25, 2017

MOVIE REVIEW -"BLOSSOMS OF FAITH" (AMAZON PRIME VIDEO ORIGINAL) #INSPIRING #WARM AND #RECOMMENDED

There is nothing more beautiful than to see true healing, saving Faith bloom out of the depths of personal disaster and tragedy. This is precisely what the producers - Theatre X Entertainment -  the Amazon.com Prime Video movie (45minutes)  “BLOSSOMS OF FAITH”, accomplished in their original production.  Theatre X Entertainment are Christian movie producers and On Demand distributors of their own movie projects. Follow them here on Instragram, Facebook and Twitter.

Most of the reviews done and posted here are from a “consumer” point of view, not a film critic. What we look for where is primarily message, then the presentation of that message as well as the production quality. After two viewings of “Blossoms”, I must tell you that it is easy to become very fond of the character played, expertly, by New Jersey actress Kelly Madan. While Kelly may be a relative newcomer and not known in the usual Pure Flix, Christiano or other Christian movie production company realm, she is easy to emphatize with, extremely believable, humble and likeable, as lead actress on the film.

The intense and fast moving story revolves around the young widowed mother (Madan) who is about to be married and is just having a family moment with her beloved older sister Maria and her two young daughters. Suddenly Maria collapses, suffers a massive stroke and is in a coma after emergency surgery. The major portion of the movie then takes place at her bedside with Betty (Kelly Madan) sitting at her bedside, in shock, pain and completely distraught.
As her sister’s condition worsens, and a priest shows up to perform the “last rites”, it is now obvious that death is imminent. Losing her first husband and now in the immediacy of her beloved Maria passing into glory is just too much for this young single mom, who feels alone, abandoned and lost.  At times like these, no amount of comforting clichés and platitudes from a member of the clergy will reach out and soothe the heart of a person in distress like this. Sure enough, Betty made a spur of the moment to give up her faith in anger and disappointment in God.

Numbness in the soul usually follows someone who has given up on God and there is no difference here…..that is, until circumstances down the hall of the hospital wing, brings our main character face to face with the Truth of the Source of Grace, Mercy and Love - Jesus Christ!

Monday, May 22, 2017

GOD'S CREATION: - THE COLORS OF SPRING 2017

 


PSALM 8

Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth,

Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have ordained strength,

Because of Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.


When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
 
What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?
 
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.



You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,
 
All sheep and oxen—

Even the beasts of the field,
 
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.


Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth! 


(Credit: Bible Gateway - Psalm 8 above)
(Photos by Bernie on iPhone 5S)

Friday, May 19, 2017

WORD OF LIFE, PART 22: "CONSUMING FIRE AND ZEAL - MY DELIGHT"

Psalm 119 is an epic in the entire God-given, God-breathed Scriptures. It is not only the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses) but one of the few chapters of Books of Scripture which covers every range of the Human Condition imaginable.  All sections of each portion of eight verses are sub-headed by a letter of each of the twenty two letters in the Hebrew Alphabet.  Now that we are at the end of our incredible journey through the entire 176 verses, which served up a cornucopia of such rich goodness, we can see the Person of Jesus Christ from beginning to end! 
THE ORIGINAL HEBREW FROM GOD TO MOSES, GENESIS 1:1


In fact, one of the Name of the Lord of Hosts is “Alpha and Omega” or “The Beginning and the End” in the biblical Greek language. The original paleo Hebrew of the Creator of all things is “Aleph Tav” . In theology terms, it is known as the Signature of God and is immediately evident in the very first verse of the Bible – Genesis 1:1, where the Holy Spirit says "In the Beginning created God Heavens and Earth". The English translation does not do it justice, but nevertheless, the “Aleph Tav” – the Great I am, the Beginning and the End because He is Eternal – is right there. "Aleph Tav" is circled in RED and cannot be translated.

"They will look on Me whom they
 have pierced "- Zechariah 12:10
In case there is any doubt, the SIGNATURE of God is found again in Zechariah 12:10, where He says "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn". Here the un-translatable Aleph Tav is found AGAIN to emphasize that Scripture is talking about Jesus (the red arrow).

There was never any doubt that the entire Bible is all about Jesus, even without His bold signatures seen here as examples. However, Jesus Christ is not just a letter of the Alphabet. The two letters, represented here in Psalm 119 as the Aleph (first eight verses) and Tav (these final verses) are a reflection of one of His Mightiest Attributes. John 1:1 tells us Jesus is the WORD Who became flesh.  1 John 1, Jesus is called the “Word of Life”. On the way back to earth in Judgment and Victory in Revelation 19:13,  He is called “The Word of God”. When we read the Scriptures, we are reading BOTH the Word of Life, the Words of Life AND the Word of God. When we study the Law, we are studying Life, as the Law giveth Life. It is not a bunch of legalistic jargon but the parameters to keep us from hurting others, ourselves and the Holy Name of God. So when we see the Laws of God and His statutes magnified in the verses of Psalm 119, we have the explicit power words from Heaven right before us. It should behoove us to take them, well, as “Gospel”!

Psalm 119:169-176
Tav.
169  Let my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.
170  Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word.
171  Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes.
172  Let my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.
173  Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.
174  I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.
175  Let my soul live that it may praise You, and let Your ordinances help me.
176  I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.

When Yahweh spoke to Solomon at the dedication of the incredible First Temple in Jerusalem around 832 BC, Almighty God gave Solomon and option of ANYTHING he could wish for, and God would grant it. Solomon prayed for nothing else but “BIYN” – a discerning (wisdom with feet) mind. At the start of his life as King, Solomon also had the major component of wisdom – the Fear of the Lord. Verse 169 is an significant acknowledgement of the Power of God (read “respect, awe, fear”) from one who is wise enough to seek the counsel, love, protection and Grace from the Lord, for in this case – discernment. In a world where true wisdom is so rare, the there is a huge caveat to the dispensation of Discernment by the Holy One of Israel. This caveat is the umbrella under which the attributes of such a recipient of this special portion of Grace stand.

A full comprehension brings us to a large and awesome view of the One True God. Job 42:2a recognizes the omnipotence of Almighty God when Job says “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted". In light of this, we look at the final eight verses of Psalm 119 and what they light up in the lamps of our very souls. This can only occur due to the confirmed Power, Majesty and Grace of God Himself.  

Verse 169 - I believe. I call on God. He answers me. I fear Him. He opens the eyes of my heart.
Verse 170 - I believe. I pray with persistence and faith in the hearing of those prayers. God will deliver, according to His Plan, Purpose and Timing.
Verse 171 - I believe. Therefore, I worship, praise, lift up the Name of Jesus as Lord and bow down before Him, to the glory of His Name. For His Name is a strong and mighty Tower and His Name brings me wisdom.
Verse 172 - I believe. I sing because Your Spoken Word, through the Scriptures always proclaim directly from Heaven, that which is pure, fair, righteous, honorable and good - because God is Good. He is Sovereign.
Verse 173 - I believe. Therefore I know He will be with me. His ministering angels are at the ready, when we call and even when we do not even know we are in need of divine protection. This is easily confirmed in the testimony of every true follower of Christ. He watches over us, because we chose to obey when He called us to Salvation, Transformation and Sanctification.
Verse 174 - I believe. Therefore I must draw closer to the Flame. Our God is a consuming Fire and zeal for His House, His Truth, His Word, His Way should, would and will always invade and reside in every part, portion and fiber of my being.
Verse 175 - I believe. Therefore my soul is alive with life and hope and faith and power and fearlessness. But my soul also resides in the eternal realm right now! In addition, the laws and commands of the Lord, which are for my protection and for a good life, have now become a delight to keep and walk in daily! Our consciences are clear and hearts testify to this truth.
Verse 176 - I believe. Even when under duress, stress and my life is a mess...or need to confess, God shows up and gives His best. When I stumble, He keeps me from falling. When I fall, He reminds me of my calling. When I hurt, He sends a healing balm. When I try to run from Him, He pursues me as His law is written in my heart. This is WHY I can never walk away from Him, nor do I want to, deep down inside. This is WHY I love His law. This is why I will never forget His Law, His Commands and His Word of Life - because they are embedded in my very spirit and I will testify to Him, until my final breath, to the Praise and Glory of His Name. Amen and amen. 

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

WORD OF LIFE, PART 21: "REAL HOPE COMES FROM HERE"


Previously, (Part 19, verses 145-152) we looked at how the Lord set up the

mechanism of addressing the deep matters of the Soul. Depression is nothing to be trifled with, but the Bible has the answers. The key to discerning is the wisdom of the biblically wise and experienced who are continually in sync with the Holy Spirit and can expound on the Words of Scripture, which were designed for the Soul.

There is no one more perfect and full of insight on the Human Condition than the Creator Who made us. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. One day when we get to heaven, it will be even more incredible. It is only then we will fully comprehend why our Heavenly Father sent His One-of-a-kind (Begotten) Son- Yahweh, the Lord Jesus to become like us, so His divinity can address our hurts and needs from first-hand experience. There is nothing, nowhere else in this entire thing called Life and the Universe, which is even close enough to spell the word “compare”.


So when the Lord teaches on the downer of a topic like Depression, He also shows us the way out. The way out is Hope. Hope is always there. However, there is a mechanism which the man, woman and child of God can access to easily grasp this Hope! This Hope is found in a renewed spirit, a restored heart and a right perspective.  In my upcoming new book, based on the actual Prayers of the Bible, we go deeper into the Divine Plan and Purpose of Prayer, by using the actual words of Scripture, in context, to accomplish that. But for now, there are several key points we can discern from these next eight verses of Psalm 119, which will help the lost, hurting and those in despair.

Psalm 119:161-168
Shin.
161  Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words.
162 I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I hope for Your salvation, O Lord, and do Your commandments.
167 My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.

The Oracles of Hope:
Verse 161 is proof that the truly born-again has a heart and mind stayed upon Jehovah, fully resting in Him and NO ONE - no king, commoner or in-between, can remove us from Him. We have an eternal promise which will overrule death, because this world really has not power over us, except in a temporary sense. So be encouraged - we have already won!

Verse 162 shows a person in distress, yet, such a person rejoicing in the Word, Power and Promises of God in the Scriptures because the Holy Spirit testifies they are true. Right off the bat, this is no minor thing or anything to be trifled with.

Verse 163b shows from WHERE this Hope comes from. That is, “loving God, His Bible and the Word Who became flesh – the Lord Jesus Christ”.

Verse 164 is explicit proof that a person grounded in Truth (of Scripture) will be full of non-stop praise and worship! Our life, our demeanor, our self-discipline and witness are also testimonies to the Resident Power within us – the Spirit of the Living Christ!

Verse 165 is an ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE to those who believe God. Why? Because we are the ones who have the True Inner Peace with passes ALL understanding! The world cannot get us! We start hospitals and risk our lives for those who hate us and forgive those who trespass against us! Why? Because we have the Pax Domine – the Peace of God in Christ.

• Verse 166 is another absolute guarantee.  We all know what the Rapture of the Church is.  That is the time when the Living and the dead in Christ rise up at the Trumpet Sound when Jesus sends His Angels to bring His children home to heaven. That Final Rescue has been longed for by man since Jesus ascended back in to Heaven in Acts 1:9-11 and with every believer since. That Final Rescue is one day closer each day as there IS  a real timeline to events prophesied in Scripture. That Final Rescue will only be for those who obey God, love God and commit their entire lives to Him as Lord, Savior and Master.

• Verse 167 shows the reason we follow the Words of Scripture so closely, or at least try to, since we really cannot do this under our own power. We could, should and would want to be like Christ for one simple reason – He first loved us. There was nothing lovable about us in in our makeup and sinful life that will appeal to heaven to have mercy, love and compassion on us. It is ONLY Grace that we did not die in our sins and get dispatched to hell, as most of mankind was/is/will be. It is only God’s Love, which even when we were yet sinners, sent the Son of God (Jesus) to die on the Cross for us. We love Him and want to be like and obey His Word, not just because He saved us from Hell, but because He restored us to right standing before Him (justification)…..because He is maturing us in Him (sanctification)….to one day allowing us to spend eternity with Him (glorification). WOW!

• Verse 168 brings us to a major acknowledgement of one of the major Attributes of God – His Omniscience (all-knowing). The sooner people understand not just Who God is but How all Powerful and incredible He is, the better for us.  Our view of God determines the permanent condition of our souls, our standing before God and our effectiveness as His people. The more we study His Word, are obedient to the Holy Spirit, wonder at His Universe and love Him, the more we will come as close to a true knowledge of the Almighty, this side of Heaven.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

WORD OF LIFE, PART 20: "DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL- BUT BREAKTHROUGH COMING!"

Is there such a things as the "dark night of the soul"?  Some would defintely agree with this.  Even the strongest believer can stumble into a dark hole and come face to face with a crisis of Faith. This is nothing abnormal. Is there such a thing as Despair in the Believer? You bet there is. Apart from being a saved and sanctified child of the Living God, the faithful are still human beings, in a fallen world. The thing we have to consider is our response and then God's role in emerging revived and renewed when we run off a spiritual cliff. The Bible is full of examples for us, of great souls who suffered under great physical, mental and even spiritual torture.

Jeremiah is called the "Weeping Prophet". There is an entire book of the Old Testament called Lamentations which is exactly as it sounds. It contains the wailing and weeping of a man who simply believed, did what God told him to do and paid some heavy costs for it, as a man. The thing was that his "lament" was not about himself, but his people. Does the lost nature of the people around you and I cause us to weep and be scared over their eternity away from God, because they keep rejecting Him? If it does not, we are in worse shape as the Body of Christ than we thought!

The Apostle Paul spent most of his life, post-conversion to Christ, being persecuted and in situations which would have destroyed the modern western believer. Christians in China, the Middle East and Asia face the same thing and worse. He said "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies" (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

Please, let us look closer at Paul's response here from this passage:

 ~ Afflicted (attacked, sometimes in bad health or slammed by life in so many ways. YET - NOT CRUSHED. Sometimes physical pain or a variety of illnesses can easily distract us from our previous joyful walk with the Lord. How do we keep from being depressed and the feeling of being hit by a 2000 pound boulder? Community. God created us to fellowship with the saints, from our immediate families to those in our churches and small groups. Here is where we need our fellow saints to come around us and lift us up in prayer and encouragement.Do not neglect the fellowship of the saints.

 ~ Perplexed (in other words "WHY, LORD?....Why ME, Lord?").  YET NOT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR. There is nothing which we suffer in this life, which people from ALL backgrounds have not experienced since our time on this planet began 5777 years ago (from the current Hebrew Calendar). Solomon said it best all through Ecclesiastes - "there is nothing new under the sun". How we deal with it and ALLOW others to help us cope, will decide how long we stay in the dead zone and not allow ourselves to partake in a "pity-party".
 ~ Persecuted (from the extreme hatred and evil we see in non-Christian countries to judges/politicians forcing Christians to disregard their beliefs in the West). YET NOT FORSAKEN, because we know WHO is with us. We are a people sealed by the Holy Spirit and the world only has so much power against the Godly.
 ~ Struck Down (financially in harsh economic times; physically by evil or ill-health or morally by a corrupt culture). YET NOT DESTROYED. Modern culture and society can only distract and destroy us and our children if we allow them to. The Key is Faithfulness to Abba Father and the Word of God. The lock is guarding our hearts and instructing our children to not partake in the evil and cultural rut and filth of these times.

We see this in the next section of our Journey through Psalm 119:
Psalm 119:153-160
Resh.
153   Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I do not forget Your law.
154   Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
155   Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
156   Great are Your mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your ordinances.
157   Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not turn aside from Your testimonies.
158   I behold the treacherous and loathe them, because they do not keep Your word.
159   Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160   The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

These verses are almost completely similar to what Paul was talking about in the passage we just looked at above (from 2 Corinthians 4:7-10). 
Psalm 119:
Verse 153 tells of the affliction and need to be rescued from the "dark night of the soul" or the dark place or traps which have befallen us.  YET we do not forget God's Word in the Bible and His Promises. We know from studying the Bible that the Law actually gives life.

Verse 154 tells us that when we cry out "Why Me?" we have an Advocate with the Father who will plead for us. Scripture and the Holy Spirit CONFIRMS that this Advocate IS JESUS! THEN, this same verse informs we can ask for a renew of Spirit and the Word (the Bible) and the Word Who became Flesh (Jesus) will most certainly do so! (P.S. Question to self: "Is Jesus your Lord" or are you?)

Verse 155 tells us of the sure judgment and eternal disaster facing the rich, poor, middle income or the powerful and those who reject God and persecute His Elect. So let that alone and let's move on. We ask "how long shall the wicked reign"? Well, they will face God on That Day too....and will have a different final destination. Do NOT dwell on that but pray for their eyes to open before it is too late for them.

Verse 156 reminds us to keep our FOCUS ON HIM because in the midst of this darkness, despair, depression and even death, He is willing and able to bring us around to His side, heal, reveal goodness, while He conceal our hurts. He is a good, good God and full of Love, Mercy, Grace, Long-suffering, patience and Kindness. Take Him at His Word.

Verses 157 and 158 tells us that we MUST understand the spiritual battle we are in. We are horribly misinformed by weak teaching if we do not recognize this truth. Read Ephesians 6:12 and be alert at all times. Hate ALL forms of evil and do not fellowship even with fellow Christians when the Holy Spirit reveals what they are about to do can lead to potential sin and ruin. The enemy, the devil, is looking for an opportunity to destroy us. Don't let him.

Verses 159 and 160 can be summed up like this: the weeping Prophet Jeremiah's despair, weeping and hurt over the destruction in the book of Lamentations are so intense and stunning. YET in the midst of all of that, here is what the Holy Spirit led Jeremiah to write in Lamentations 3:22-24: "The LORD'S lovingkindnesses (mercy and grace) indeed never cease, For His compassion never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

WORD OF LIFE, PART 19: "SOULCARE CAN DEFEAT DEPRESSION"

The entire Book of Psalms (all 150 of them) is considered the Prayer Book of the Bible for a reason. They cover every emotion known to men and women. From joy to wonder and from sadness to grief…and a whole lot more. A lot of the Psalm cover the topic of Depression. Most people’s historical perspective begins, for them, from the day they were born. It is actually not so. There is nothing new under the sun.  The sheer volume of human beings suffering from depression seems huge, but when considered in context of almost 10 billion people alive in the world today….well, it is somewhat understandable.

Well-known men and women, highlighted in both the Old and New Testament suffered from the same sort of depression in varying degrees. Yet they had no modern band-aids like the mass consumption of anti-depressant drugs like North Americans. ALL they had was Faith….and their Faith in the One True God – Yahweh.  Elijah ran and hid a cave depressed after Ahab and Jezebel tried to kill him, thinking that he (Elijah) was the only man of God left in the world (1 Kings 17:4) God sent ravens, of all created beings, to minister to Elijah and to feed him divine and tasty food and water. This nourished both body and soul as the prophet knew God literally was looking out for him.


King David was overwhelmed by depression several times in his fourteen years on the run from the jealous wrath of King Saul, who trying to kill him. Being constantly on the move in deserts and caves took a toll on this young man. Psalm 119:145-152 is not about this particular depression in the future great king of Israel, but it is about a man under pressure, or a woman or anyone alive today, since the Bible was written 100% for our instruction, edification and correction in our thinking and lifestyle.


From even a casual study of the psalms, we see a person of Godly character either in the depths of despair, danger and drifting who, never the less, never allows himself to be pulled away from his Faith and Trust in Yahweh. Rather than explain what each verse means, it is more impactful, meaningful and full of spiritual significance, if we read, meditate and ask the Lord the following portion of Scripture in our spirits. Start here:

Psalm 119:145-152
Qoph.
145   I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord! I will observe Your statutes.
146   I cried to You; save me and I shall keep Your testimonies. 
147   I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words.
148   My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.
149   Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.
150   Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
151   You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.
152   Of old I have known from Your testimonies that You have founded them forever.

In verses 145-147, the man of God describes what He did to reflect his emotional and spiritual lack of alignment with the Joy of the Lord. But the second part of EACH verses, shows a Godly person (today - you and I, fellow Christians) who will remain FULLY focused on God, His Word and His Truth - regardless. This reminds of Job when he says "Though He slame, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation (Job 13:15-16a)

Job is the epitome of a soul who is surrendered to God, as well as, hopes in Him. He says so in Job 13:16a "this will also be my Salvation".  In Psalm 119:148, we see why the old school discipline of "Soulcare" is so important in Biblical counseling. 

From Verses 148-152:
Soulcare tells us that we have a true Hope in times of trouble, and precisely when we do not feel like it, is when we should meditate and focus on His Word.
Soulcare tells us that because God's Spirit lives in His Redeemed, He will hear our prayers and renew a right spirit within us, according to His Will and purpose.
Soulcare tells us that our God is never far from us, even when He remains silent for as long as He wants or wishes to be. He is still near us.
Soulcare tell us that all of this is true because His Word, promises and laws can be trusted, not just because they were actually written from ancient days, but because they have always existed....even before the Creation of Planet Earth.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

WORD OF LIFE, PART 18: EVIDENCE DEMANDS THE TRUTH

There have been several huge archaeological finds in recent years which have confirmed Biblical accounts from thousands of years ago, which were written down in the “Old Testament”. A whole of lot these finds are chronicled in the huge volume of written and video work of the Biblical Archaeological Society (BAS). They included the over 2000 year old Dead Sea Scrolls, which confirmed the Book of Isaiah. Herod's Fort is still around and so many other finds like King David's palace outside the walls of Jerusalem. Shepherd's Field in Bethlehem where the angels appeared to poor shepherds and Jesus' Mount of Transfiguration still exist. There is just too much evidence out there, which a believer can hold on to as MORE proof of our Faith.

CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE BOOK BY BOOK MODERN CONFIRMATION OF ANCIENT BIBLICAL EVENTS!

There is not just evidence of the authenticity and truth of the Word of God, but evidence of God Himself! Think of all the former atheists who have set out to disprove the existence of God and Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Some well-known ones are currently in the news, due to their body of work in Apologetics as well as in media. The brand new movie “The Case for Christ” gives us the biography of the best known of all these modern atheists – Lee Strobel – who lived an unsavory rebel life as the legal correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. After his wife gave her life to Christ as Lord, the furious Strobel set out to disprove not just the existence of God, but the authenticity of the Bible.

As they say, the rest is history. Lee Strobel’s life in the last thirty years as the premier explainer and teacher of all things Christian, through his popular “A Case For….” Series, is evidence of the forgiving and transforming Power of God! The other well-known apologist for the Gospel is J. Warner Wallace, the former Los Angeles homicide detective whose salvation story is just as amazing as his work in forensics in proving the Gospel accounts! Click here to watch Wallace's testimony as a former atheist, now defender of Christ.

Watch Lee Strobel's testimony of his dramatic conversion from atheist to Christian here!

Psalm 119:137-144
Tsadhe.
137   Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments.
138   You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness.
139   My zeal has consumed me, because my adversaries have forgotten Your words.
140   Your word is very pure, therefore Your servant loves it.
141   I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.
142   Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.
143   Trouble and anguish have come upon me, yet Your commandments are my delight.

144   Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.
We serve a God and Creator Who is Just, Righteous and Holy. At the same time, He is both compassionate, patient and fair (verse 137). He is the God Who says to the skeptic and sinner, like you and I, “come let us reason together as men, though your sins be scarlet (so dark and despicable), I will make them as white as snow (I will purify your soul…)".from Isaiah 1:18.

He is without error, without sin and transparent. Everything He does for our good is out in the open. All Creation testifies to and about Him.  He is more than fair (verse 138) and just otherwise none of us would be alive or have any hope for eternal life. We are a people who have been rescued from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of His marvelous light and yet, we see so much heresy, corruption and worse in the so-called “professing” Christian world as well as the outright hatred and criminal activity by proponents of other religion against Christians worldwide. 

It is absolutely in order for us believers in the west to be outraged at the vile attacks on our brethren in Egypt around this past Easter and what has been going on. This Scripture confirms it in verses 139 and 141. We must despise evil….BUT without sinning ourselves! Hate is not a good thing. We hate sin and evil it perpetrates. We even hate the demonic activity behind those who commit these atrocities. But we also need to pray for those doing the acts, even if it is for them to cease and desist and definitely, for their conversion and salvation to Christ.

Verse 144 shows us how then shall we live in this current paradigm. There are many of our brethren who are not clear how to respond because, more and more, no one teaches them these difficult things from the Scriptures. At times like these, we find comfort, Truth and our marching orders in the solid and exquisite Word of God.

These words from verses 140-142 (see below) speak so eloquently to this issue, that we should repeat them here and let them sink in. These three verses are worthy to be read over and over until we seal them in our spiritual hearts and can access their meaning at the drop of a hat. We do these things – rest in these words, because it is the RIGHT thing to do. Amen.
Psalm 119:140-142:
140   Your word is very pure, therefore Your servant loves it.
141   I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.
142   Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.