Change Your Self-Image

Written by Terri Savelle Foy

When I was a little girl growing up in church, many times they would call all the children of the church up to the front for the guest minister to pray over. We would all be lined up waiting for the preacher to get to us and wondering what he might say. I would hear all these amazing things about the kids down the row, then I would hear the preacher say things to my sister like, "You're bold and courageous! You're a powerhouse! You're a lion!"

I would be standing there just waiting to hear what awesome things he might say over me. Suddenly, he'd get to me and his voice would become very soft and he'd almost whisper, "And you're just precious! You're a little sweetheart. You're a peacemaker and a little lamb." I thought, "That's not fair! I want to be the lion!"

Don't Play the Game!

Written by Kenneth Copeland


"I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" (John 5:41-44).

Honor. Godly honor. It's the kind of honor that keeps its word and standard of integrity no matter what. It never fails—it always succeeds.

Every day, commitments of honor are required of you. You have choices to make regarding ethics in your job, disciplining your children, keeping your marriage strong—and it's hard. 

What About Sex?

Written by Spencer Patrick


Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:18 NKJV)
Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about sex. Sex is short for sexual intercourse which is part of the intimate relationship between the husband and wife. It is not a physical exercise, it is not something that people want to do as a part of the so-called "dating process."

Sex is sacred.

Why is it that we are permeated with sexual things in our media? Why is it that you cannot turn the channel on secular TV station in the United States and watch a sit-com (situational comedy) that doesn’t have a sexual innuendo? Why is it that when you take the train in Tokyo, you have to see images of women with oversized busts or weekly magazine adverts that try to sell copies of their magazines with "Sex" written on it?

When You Face Trials

By Suzie Eller


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3 (NIV)

I planted them at the same time. In the same way. With the same tender love and care. Every time I watered one, I watered the other. Everything was the same ... almost.

One red begonia flower was planted between a crepe myrtle tree and a hydrangea bush, tucked under the protection of the sloping roof. The other flower was planted next to the concrete sidewalk and had no shelter from the pounding rain or scorching sun.

At the end of the summer I was surprised by what I saw.

The little flower tucked under the tree and bush, with just the right amount of filtered sunlight and water, had not grown.

I Want to Run Away

By Lysa TerKeurst

"If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him—then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you." Deuteronomy 11:22-23 (NIV)

One of the worst feelings in the world to me is feeling stuck.

Stuck in a situation where I can't see things getting better. I look at the next 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, and all I see are the same hard patterns being repeated over and over.

I try to give myself a pep talk and tap into that part of me that chooses to see the bright side. But it isn't there.

Life suddenly feels like it will forever be this way.

Do You Have "I" Issues?

By Jennifer Rothschild

"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30 (NIV)

In the late '70s I sat with my folks in a hospital room in the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. The doctors who had just completed tests on my eyes were explaining what it meant to have retinitis pigmentosa. They described how I would slowly lose my remaining sight and eventually be totally blind. My mind raced and my heart welled with confusing emotions. I was silent in that hospital room that day.

A few days later at my next visit, I only wish I had been silent.

We went back to the same room with some of the same doctors. This time it was to help me get on a rehabilitative program. One doctor described how large, thick glasses might help with the little vision I still had. Another discussed walking with a cane. Another doctor told me how important it was for me to have an oversized magnifying glass and advised me to use a flashlight to find my locker at school.

God Wants His Job Back

By Karen Ehman

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
I have a confession to make: I crave control. You know—as in I like to be in charge; the shot-caller; the boss.

I'm pretty sure I was born ready to be in charge. As a toddler, I lined my frilly dolls and any willing playmates or siblings up in a way that suited my preferences. In elementary school, I couldn't wait to be selected for special duties, like heading up a game or putting on a play.

Yes, from birth I instinctively ordered and organized anything within my reach—objects, circumstances, and later in life, even living, breathing human beings. I didn't need a boardroom to prove that I was a natural born boss.

What It Takes to Struggle with Something Hard

By Rachel Olsen

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIV)

Beginning in my twenties, I wrestled each day with chronic pain and fatigue. The first few years of it, doctors had no idea why.

Then came the diagnosis: fibromyalgia.

I was told this condition was poorly understood, not very treatable, and also not reversible. In fact, they called it "degenerative," meaning it would worsen as I aged. In short, doctors said I had no chance to conquer this pain.

The pain worsened for a couple years and I couldn't image what my life would be like five, ten or fifty years down the road. I prayed for deliverance.

Feasting at God's Table

Written by Carolyn Savelle


It's that time of the year again! People are preparing for festive holiday dinners and get-togethers. The Thanksgiving holiday seems to kick off the chain of seasonal events! The children are busy making out their Christmas lists, the malls are gradually becoming more crowded, decisions are being made about where to spend the holidays, and the bank account is swiftly decreasing.

During all this hussle and bussle, it is very easy to get stressed out, depressed, bombarded, and most of all—sidetracked!

When I say sidetracked, I'm referring to your personal time with God. Most of us are guilty of getting so caught up in our Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday planning that our quality time with God takes a back seat for a while. "There's just not enough time in a day!" 

Pope Says Jesus' Birth Date Is Wrong

GINA MEEKS

 

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Pope Benedict XVI

Jesus was born several years earlier than commonly believed, according to a new book by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff argues in his book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives that the Christian calendar is based on a miscalculation.

This latest publication, which delves into the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, completes Benedict's trilogy. His first book was about Jesus' public ministry, and the second about His death.

“The calculation of the beginning of our calendar—based on the birth of Jesus—was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years,” 85-year-old Benedict explains in his book, which has a print run of 1 million copies.

No More Surprises

Written by Kenneth Copeland

"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10).

God is not full of surprises. He's not an unpredictable being who likes to keep you guessing. Countless believers, however, have the idea He is. 

"You just never know what God is going to do," they say. They base that idea on 1 Corinthians 2:9 which says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." They interpret that scripture to mean that God is keeping secrets from His people. 

But, praise God, He isn't! 

In fact, verse 10 says He's given us His Spirit to reveal those secrets to us! He wants us to know everything that's on His heart. 

It's God's Will to Heal You

Written by Mark Brazee

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42)

The average Christian is in the same position as this leper was - not knowing whether it is God's will to heal or not. The believer may think, I know God is able to heal. I just don't know whether or not it's His will to heal me.

The leper knew the ability of Jesus. He came to Jesus and said, "Lord, if You will, You can make me clean." I've heard the same thing from people in prayer lines. They stand there praying, "Oh, Lord, I know You're able to heal me."

Postpartum's Gaping Black Hole

I had no idea what was happening to me. I only knew that the worst thing in the world was to be conscious.                              by Denise Blumberg 

My first struggle with Postpartum Depression occurred when I was still living in the United States, with my husband and three kids. I was 33 years old, and had for the previous six years been working on my Ph.D. A mere two weeks after submitting the final draft of my thesis, I gave birth to a healthy, eight-pound baby girl. She was born at home, by choice, and I was surrounded by friends and care-givers.

The period immediately following her birth was exhilarating. My Ph.D. came through during Sukkot, which added to an already festive Yom Tov. Life was normal and happy. I was busy with the kids, tending to my family's needs, the house, going back to aerobics classes – all the normal functions of daily living.

My Battle With Postpartum Depression

Even though I felt myself being sucked into an abyss of darkness, I refused to reach out for help.by Shoshana Kagan

Looking down at my 6-month-old daughter, Rivka, I am filled with immense gratitude for this sweet bundle of joy in my arms. I caress her warm soft skin and gaze gently into her sparkling eyes. Relishing in the simple joys of motherhood I relax in my chair as I feed my child, letting my mind flow.

Suddenly, I sit up with a start and my dreamy smile slowly evaporates. A far off memory has jolted me. In my mind’s eye, I see a younger version of myself holding another six month old little girl. I am catapulted a decade back in time. I’m 24 years old and I’m holding my second child Devorah who is screaming.

Delivery from Darkness : Bringing postpartum depression out of the closet.

Bringing postpartum depression out of the closet.    

by Rabbi Baruch and Michal Finkelstein

Excerpted from Delivery from Darkness, A Jewish guide to prevention and treatment of postpartum depression.

"I Was Being Buried Alive," the author's personal account

I was irritable; I cried; I was exhausted, yet had trouble sleeping. Getting through each day seemed nearly impossible. My own children avoided me; my husband tiptoed around me. I was convinced that my family and the world would be better off without me.

Although I was a certified nurse midwife at that time, my lack of experience and understanding of postpartum depression (PPD) matched that of the average layperson and, unfortunately, most medical professionals. PPD was something that happened to "other" women who already had psychological problems.

Superwoman Is Dead

Most mothers fight a constant battle between stress and guilt.

by Emuna Braverman

“The Age of the Superwoman is dead,” says Samantha Parent Walravens, editor of the recently released TORN: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood. I called Ms. Walravens at her Northern California home to discuss the impetus for the book and her goals and vision. We forged an instant bond because I know first-hand exactly what she is talking about.

Many of us today have bought into the superwoman myth. We think we can do it all – careers, children, healthy marriages – and then we realize that we still need to sleep at night!

ISRAEL - The British Mandate

The British promised to create a Jewish state, but served their own Arab-linked interests as millions died in the Holocaust.   

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

World War I changed the map of the world. This huge conflict waged over four years (1914-1918) pitted the Allies (chiefly France, Britain, Russia, and later, the U.S.) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Turkish Ottoman Empire) against each other. The end result of the struggle was very dramatic:

• Russia of the Czars disappeared. In the midst of the war, and in some part because of it, the Russian Revolution succeeded, creating the Communist state known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The History of Hatikvah

In celebration of Israel’s birthday we examine the history of our national anthem.

by Marnie Winston-Macauley

Israel, our homeland; a small country that stands for huge ideas and ideals. This small country took a barren desert, surrounded by enemies, and turned it into a lush land, wealthy in its values, and remarkable in its achievements for the region, and for the world.

With the anniversary of Israel’s independence upon us, let us celebrate by looking at our anthem, Hatikvah which has been the voice of Jews for over one hundred years.

The Miracle of Jewish History

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In the final analysis, Jewish history makes no rational sense.

On January 16, 1996, then President of Israel, Ezer Weizmann, gave a speech to both Houses of Parliament of Germany. He gave this speech in Hebrew to the Germans, fifty years after the Holocaust, and in it he beautifully summed up what Jewish history is. He said:

"It was fate that delivered me and my contemporaries into this great era when the Jews returned to re-establish their homeland ...

"I am no longer a wandering Jew who migrates from country to country, from exile to exile. But all Jews in every generation must regard themselves as if they had been there in previous generations, places and events. Therefore, I am still a wandering Jew but not along the far flung paths of the world. Now I migrate through the expanses of time from generation to generation down the paths of memory ...

Surprised By God

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Ephesians 3:14-21

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. —Ephesians 3:20

After 10 years of renting in a charming location, we discovered that our landlord suddenly needed to sell the house. I asked God to change the circumstances and make it possible for my wife and me to stay in this place we’d made home, where we’d watched our children grow up. But God said no.

When it comes to my needs, I worry that I’m asking for the wrong thing or that I’m not worthy of the request I’m making. But God’s no doesn’t need to shake our faith when we’re grounded—surrounded I like to say—in His love. In Ephesians 3, Paul understood that those who know the love of Christ intimately (vv.16-17) can trust God to have a loving reason for saying no.

What We See in Each Other

1 Samuel 16:1–13
“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7
Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to find a new king. When he got there, Samuel saw Eliab, one of Jesse’s sons. “Surely, he is the one God has chosen to be the next king,” Samuel thought. Evidently, like the previous king, Saul, Eliab was tall and striking. But Eliab was not the one God had in mind.

God warned Samuel not to assess people by their physical appearance. God reminded the old prophet that he doesn’t look at the outside; he looks at the inside. So each of Jesse’s sons passed before Samuel, but God did not indicate that any of them was the man God had sent him to find. Finally, David, the youngest son, came in from the fields. Then the Lord spoke to Samuel, telling him this was the right one.

Stir Up the Power

"Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears....I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you.... For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:4,6-7)

There are times when you know what God has called you to do, but you just don't feel you have the inner resources you need to do it. Somehow you've simply run dry. You know the Word says that "out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). But, during those times, you can't even find the creek bank, much less the river.

The Word of God tells us how to handle those situations through a clear command: "Stir up the gift inside you." 

You Are a Work in Progress

by Rick Warren

“This will continue until we are ... mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.” (Ephesians 4:13 CEV)

Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth. Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life.

Referring to this process, Paul said, “This will continue until we are ... mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him” (Ephesians 4:13 CEV).

You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing the character of Jesus will take the rest of your life, and even then it won’t be completed here on Earth. It will only be finished when you get to Heaven or when Jesus returns.

The Servant, Steward of Justice

Isaiah 42:1–9

God’s word through Isaiah is that he has appointed a servant, or trusted envoy, who will usher in a new order—a bringer and establisher of justice, whom we all long for and look forward to with hope. Evangelical leader Charles Colson emphasizes how we need that hope:

We cry out for the demands of justice to be satisfied, and we even sense that they will someday … How could we possibly live with the unfairness of this world if we did not have a belief that at some point the accounts will be reckoned? The nonbeliever has to chalk this up to the spin of the wheel and futile human remedies. But the believer, who trusts in a loving God, knows all believers have the same ultimate hope.

Our longing for justice is fulfilled both now and in the “not yet” by Jesus the Messiah. Best-selling author Philip Yancey elaborates:

The Joseph Story

Written by John Grant

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18

Recently, we attended a drama presentation of the story of Joseph and his family. The Bible story became alive to me as I witnessed one of the greatest stories of reconciliation.

God prepares His servants in many ways to accomplish His purpose. The story of Joseph is repeated every day in the lives of His people. The circumstances may be different, but the results are the same. God trains His servants through sometimes difficult “boot camps.” When that training is complete, He places them in strategic places to be a provider-both physically and spiritually.

Antibiotics: How Much Is Too Much?

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – It’s very easy to go to the doctor and get a prescription of antibiotics when you’re sick. But should you be taking them so often? A new study of Medicare data from 2007 to 2009 suggests that there was a wide discrepancy in antibiotic prescribing for older patients based on geography and the season in which the prescriptions for the medication were written. 

The overuse of antibiotics is common and can lead to unnecessary spending on prescription medicine, as well as increase the risk for adverse effects and antimicrobial resistance.

 

Yuting Zhang, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues used Medicare data (comprising about 1 million patients per year) to examine geographic variation in antibiotic use among older adults in 306 hospital referral regions, 50 states and the District of Columbia, and four national regions (South, West, Midwest and Northeast). They also studied quarterly change in antibiotic use across the four regions.

 

Christ-likeness Is Produced Through the Holy Spirit

by Rick Warren

“God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13 NLT)

It is the Holy Spirit’s job to produce Christ-like character in you.

The Bible says, “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT). This process of changing us to be more like Jesus is called sanctification.

Tired of Waiting

By Tracie Miles

"Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them." Genesis 25:26b (NIV)

Do you ever get tired of waiting on God to answer your prayers? I do.

I get tired of saying the same old prayer day after day, month after month, year after year. Tired of telling God about the same old problems still going on. Tired of hearing myself pray about the same old issues, leading me to wonder if God is as tired of hearing my prayer requests as I am of praying them.
Recently I bowed my head and admitted to God that I was simply tired of praying and waiting.
In a heavy state of emotional exhaustion, I turned to my Bible. I hoped a few verses would jump straight into my heart and give me patience. That day I read about when Isaac's wife Rebekah gave birth to twin sons. One sentence in particular caught my eye and God used it to speak hope into my soul.

Healing -- A Forever-Settled Subject

By Kenneth W. Hagin

One of the paramount questions believers ask today is not whether God is able to heal, but whether He is willing to heal. Is it always God’s will to heal? The answer is, “Most assuredly, yes!”

When we want to understand God’s will about a subject, we go to God’s Word, because God’s Word is God’s will. And the Bible tells us that healing is the will of God. The Bible also tells us, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119: 89) and “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my [Jesus’] words shall not pass away” (Luke 21:33). Healing is a forever-settled subject because God’s Word is forever settled!

Possessing the Promise of Healing

By Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin 

Divine healing is an accomplished fact. It is a gift, like salvation, already paid for at Calvary. Have you accepted God’s gift of healing? Are you experiencing it in your life in full? If not, it’s time for you to possess the promise of healing and enjoy complete health in every area!

“I have prayed and prayed. I have been in healing meetings all over the country and have been prayed for many times, but still I am not healed. Can you help me?”

This plaintive appeal has been heard many times by ministers. They pray for sick persons, but often the sick leave as they came—not healed.

The Christ Cure

By Kenneth W. Hagin

We have the anointing or power of God. And with that power, we can take what God says in His Word, believe it, act on it, and receive it for ourselves.

And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a cer­tain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

—Acts 9:32–35

This portion of Scripture tells the story of a helpless paralytic named Aeneas, who was healed when Peter told him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you . . .” (Acts 9:34 Weymouth). As the story opens, we see a man named Peter who has been scurrying from town to town, vil­lage to village, synagogue to syn­agogue, and anywhere else he could find to preach.

The Father's Care

By Kenneth E. Hagin

John 17:23 says, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” I want you to notice particularly the expression “ . . .and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” There’s no truth so far-reaching as the blessed fact that our Father God cares for us. John 17:23 says God loves us even as He loves Jesus!

In the Old Testament, God was Jehovah, Elohim, and El Shaddai to Israel. The children of Israel did not know Him as Father. They did not know Him as a Lover. Under the Old Covenant, He didn’t indwell men; He dwelled only in the Holy of Holies. He dealt with the lawbreakers and the disobedient in awful judgment. They were commanded to love and obey Him, or suffer the consequences.

Walking in Love

By Rev. Lynette Hagin

Many people refer to First Corinthians chapter 13 as “the love chapter.” Too often, we want to skip over reading that part of the Bible. I will readily admit that there have been times in my life when I wanted to ignore that chapter.

But during those times, the Lord continued to lead me to read it. First Corinthians 13:4–7 in the Amplified says, “Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].”

What's the origin of the Israeli flag?

IFCJ

The flag of the State of Israel was largely the design of David Wolfsohn, who succeeded Theodor Herzl as president of the World Zionist Organization, a group that seeks to establish a home for the Jewish people in Israel that is secured under public law. 

The flag was introduced in 1891 as a symbol of the Zionist movement. Wolfsohn wanted to create a flag that would capture the essence of the problems faced by the Zionist movement and the Jewish people in the decades before the Jewish state was brought into being in 1948.

What Is a Shofar?

IFCJ September 12, 2012

A shofar is a trumpet made from the horn of a kosher animal, traditionally a ram, which is blown at certain Jewish festivals, but particularly on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. (This year Rosh Hashanah, which ushers in the High Holy Days, begins at sundown this Sunday.)

One hundred blasts are sounded on each of the two days of Rosh Hashanah (except when it falls on the Sabbath) as a reaffirmation of God’s sovereignty and kingship. The shofar is also blown at the end of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which concludes the High Holy Days.

Israelis You Should Know: Golda Meir

IFCJ

     

Lived: 1898-1978

Occupation: Teacher, Politician, Author

Why she’s impressive: After immigrating to Israel from the U.S. with her husband Morris in 1921, Meir served Israel in many key positions, including Israel’s envoy to Moscow, Minister of Labor, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After World War II, she traveled around the world to rally support for the establishment of the Jewish state. When she was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, Meir became Israel’s first and the world’s third woman to hold such an office.

What Is a Kibbutz?

IFCJ

In Hebrew, kibbutz means “communal settlement,” and that describes some of what goes into these rural communities dotting the Israeli countryside.

First founded in 1909 by a group of young Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, the original kibbutzim (the plural of kibbutz) were guided by the Marxist principle “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Members of a kibbutz shared meals, property, possessions, farming duties, and child-rearing responsibilities. They were dedicated to living off the land and being a strong, giving Jewish community.

What Is Aliyah?

IFCJ

In its simplest sense, aliyah is when a Jewish person immigrates to Israel – but this is part of a larger movement, the return of the Jewish people from exile around the world back to the land promised to them by God.

The term is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “to go up” or “to ascend,” referring to the journey to a land with exalted meaning for the Jewish people – the land of their spiritual ancestors.

For many Jews living outside Israel, making aliyah is a lifelong dream with deep spiritual motivation. As Rabbi Eckstein writes in his book How Firm a Foundation:

Proof of Ancient Bethlehem Discovered in Jerusalem

IFCJ

Imagine living in a place so rich with history that significant archeological finds are commonplace. That’s the reality in Israel.

Case in point: the recent discovery of a seal, or bulla, that dates from the 7th or 8th century BCE found in routine excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in the walls around Jerusalem National Park.

Eli Shukron, director of the excavation for the IAA, explains the significance of the discovery, “This is the first time the name Bethlehem appears outside the Bible, in an inscription from the First Temple period, which proves that Bethlehem was indeed a city in the Kingdom of Judah, and possibly also in earlier periods.”

For archaeologists this is important because the small clay seal provides evidence of what Christians and Jews have long known to be true -- that Bethlehem wasn’t a “fabled biblical town,” but a real bustling city filled with commerce and trade with neighboring towns. 

What Is a Tallit?

The tallit, a Jewish prayer shawl, is a four-cornered garment that is usually white and made either of wool, cotton, or silk. Knotted tassels, or fringes, are attached to the four corners in fulfillment of the biblical command from the book of Numbers to envelop the wearer in God’s word.

Jewish men wear the tallit during morning prayers. Some also wear a garment called thetzitzit or tallit katan (small tallit) under their shirt all day as a reminder to observe all the commandments of the Torah.

Often, the portion of the tallit around the neck and on the shoulders features a special piece of cloth woven with silver threads, called the atara, or “diadem.” 

Enoch, Who Walked with God

Ami Farkas

At synagogue this past Sabbath, our Torah reading covered the first portion of the book of Genesis. We revisited the Garden of Eden, tasted the bitterness and shame of Adam and Eve’s sin, and traversed through ten generations between Adam and Noah. In the midst of all this, my attention was transfixed on the short but meaningful story of Enoch.
I assume that when most people study Genesis, they don’t give much notice to Enoch, whose sole appearance in the Torah is limited to a few verses: Genesis 5:18-25. And considering the lives of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the contributions they made to mankind, Enoch plays a minute role in the grand scheme of things. The story of Enoch might be short, but it has deep lessons we should not ignore.

Your Salvation Is Secure

“Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself.” —Church marquee

“Forbidden fruit creates many jams.” —Church marquee

Hundreds of years ago, one of the great church fathers, Martin Luther, patterned his whole day around ensuring that he didn’t sin. He was terrified that if he sinned, he would lose his salvation. Every evening he’d wrack his brain, trying to remember if he did something, said something, or thought something sinful.

Have you ever done that? It’s pretty miserable just to think about, isn’t it? If you believe that by sinning you can lose your salvation, tons of questions come up. How many sins do you have to commit to get booted out of the family? Or is it qualitative? Is there a “badness scale” of sin on which we can rate ourselves? Where is murder? Rape? Suicide? Adultery? Child abuse? Lust? Stealing? What about laziness or procrastination? How do we know if something is really a sin or not?