Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle, Part 1

The original "Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle", was getting a bit long, so I broke it into two parts. This is Part 1. Click here for Part 2.

I was stirred to begin writing these comments in October 2023, in the midst of the evil, murderous attacks on Israel by Hamas, Hezbollah, and others. They're supported by the leaders of Iran. These are wicked, demon-driven attacks.

Around the world, calls for destruction and violence against Jews are loud and spreading. In this episode, I want to clarify God’s thoughts on all of this. 

If you don’t like what I’m saying, take it up with the Bible. 

Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle, Part 2

The original "Israel Under Attack: The Real Battle", was getting a bit long, so I've broken it into two parts. This is Part 2. Click here for Part 1. 

I was stirred to begin writing these comments in October 2023, in the midst of the evil, murderous attacks on Israel by Hamas, Hezbollah, and others. They're supported by the leaders of Iran. These are wicked, demon-driven attacks.

Around the world, calls for destruction and violence against Jews are loud and spreading. 

Here, in Part 2, I want to further clarify God’s thoughts on all of this. 

If you don’t like what I’m saying, take it up with the Bible. 

When Change is Good

People tend to want things to stay the same. Even people who are in bad situations are often afraid of change. Fear has them paralyzed. But Jesus is all about change, radical change. He died to make radical change possible. More than that, He lives to make radical change happen. After all, He is the Author AND Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2).

May this message stir your heart to a greater passion for our Lord Jesus and the things He is passionate about. 

The Pastor’s Two Masters

This message is subtitled "Caught between The Rock and a Hard Place".

I've never been responsible for a church staff or budget. I've never been a paid church employee. But I can tell you what I've observed. Please take this as a warning, as a light shining into a dark place. 

This isn't a rebuke...that would have to come from the Lord Himself. If this applies to you, I'm honored if you think of me as little more than Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22:21-35). This is God's message, not mine. If you don't like what I'm saying, take it up with the Bible.

Hang on, this could hurt. I may ramble a bit, but I'm making what I believe to be very valid points. Some Pastors manage to avoid this trap, but many don't.

Prophetic Intercession

There are a variety of roles in the Body of Believers. He has a customized role for each of His children (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Whatever your role, great glory has been written into it.  

When it comes to prayer, God wants every Believer to have an intimate and effective prayer life. But not everyone is called to have the same prayer style. There are many good books about growing an effective prayer life. I'm not trying to outdo those. In this episode, I'm simply hoping to supplement those teachings.

Praying in His Name

A close, loving relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the key to an effective prayer life, much more so than ritualistic word formulas or special phrases we hope will make God respond.

Jesus told us to pray in His name, meaning to pray as His representative. Unfortunately, saying "In the name of Jesus" at the end of our prayers has become something less than what He intended.

It's All About Relationship

Being born-again is absolutely free, provided you're willing to pay the high price. That sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. Jesus makes it easy to be born again. But He also makes it very expensive. Let me explain.

The Shalom Dome: A Call to Prayer

In this Bonus Episode, I'm sharing a Holy Spirit encounter that rolled over me in the early morning hours of August 4, 2024. The Holy Spirit is urging me to share this as a call for prayer.

Rethink Yourself

Today, my prayer is 

Lord, let your people wake up before they have to be shaken awake.

In Psalm 19:12, David asks the Lord, 

Who could possibly know all that he has done wrong? Forgive my hidden and unknown faults.

In this episode, I'm talking about an issue that limits the faith-walk of a lot of good people. It's potentially very serious, a big sinkhole in their path through this life. Satan will do his best to take advantage of it before people -- before you -- wake up. You should make this a matter of prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what's ahead in your path: a sinkhole, a pothole, just a rough patch, or smooth sailing.

It Really Is All About Jesus

When you boil everything down, this creation really is all about Jesus and His plans. It's His story. We are simply characters in His play, on His stage, in His theater. He owns the whole nine yards.

No matter what anyone says, Jesus is not a character on our stage. He's not an actor in our play. We exist for Him, not the other way around.  

At this point, you may be asking "If it's all about Jesus, what's in it for me?" The one word answer is "Everything".

Tell Them I Love Them

While praying about the next God's Clay God's Way episode, in my spirit I heard the Lord say “Tell them I love them.” This is the first episode that followed.

The Lord God Almighty loves you and wants to spend eternity with you. He wants to take you through the brokenness of this world to a wonderful new life with Him. That new life begins the moment you're born again, then keeps going far beyond however many years you have left here.

God's Love vs. Hell

The Lord God Almighty, the Creator and Owner of it all, loves you. Yes, you. It's His nature to love. He can't help Himself.

So, if He loves everyone, why does He send people to Hell? The answer is actually very simple, but getting to that simple answer will take laying some groundwork. So hang on, here we go.

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

If you're a born-again disciple of the Lord Jesus, His call is deep and ongoing, extending well beyond your time on this earth. He doesn't want you to look back and see you've lived a Coulda Woulda Shoulda brand of barely there Christianity. He's calling us deeper, to stand strong...and to take a strong stand.

The Unforgivable Sin

Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin. Yes, that's what He said. It's recorded in Matthew chapter 12 and Mark chapter 3. But I think unpacking what Jesus said requires more than a surface reading of those verses. So, what's the big picture He was talking about? My conclusion might surprise you.

What Will Heaven Be Like?

The Bible tells us to set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2. To do that, the more we know about heaven, the better. Faith will unlock these things in your heart. Faith takes as fact truths that are not yet apparent to your physical senses.

God's Master Plan

God has always had a Master Plan, and that plan is glorious, generous, and gracious. It covers far more than people and angels. It includes the many other things He’s created. Today, though, I want us to visualize the portion of His Master Plan for humanity. It will help us see more about why we're here.

Creator God is fully sovereign. He has purposes and plans for every season of this life. But does He always get His way? No, by His sovereign choice, at one level He doesn't always get His way. But, in the big picture, He is getting His way. That sounds contradictory, but it’s not. Let me explain.

Through and To

When faced with the cross, Jesus looked past it to the ultimate joy set before Him. He foresaw the magnificent outcome for Himself and the vast multitude of people He was buying with His sacrifice. He looked past the suffering to the glorious result. That empowered Him to endure. That's what the Bible says in Hebrews 12:2.

We are to do the same thing, looking beyond any present distress we may encounter.