Treasure In Clay Jars

In both Israel and the United States, the issue about building walls to protect their borders is very much in the news today. Both countries feel they are being besieged by neighbors who take advantage of “unwalled” borders to in effect destroy their culture and nationality. In Israel, it is the continuing problem of suicide bombers, who routinely enter Israel and blow themselves up along with Israeli citizens as they go about their daily lives. In the US, it is the stream of illegal immigrants and who knows whom else, who stream primarily across the US/Mexican border. Socially, these illegals puts a strain on US social services. Militarily, other illegals whose intents are far more malevolent, may one day attempt to destroy one or more American cities. As I thought about writing this post, my thoughts focused on the routine character of “fortified” cities described throughout the Bible, therefore reinforcing the position of those in favor of building these walls to protect their count

Since the turn of the century, we have seen a dramatic increase in Muslim inspired terrorism throughout the world, highlighted (or should I say low lighted) by the attacks of September 11th, 2001. One of terrorist's primary tactic is the suicide bombing, where again September 11th was perhaps the most spectacular example. However, we have seen this insidious act hundreds of times in places such as the Palestinian attacks on Israel, the Al Qaeda attacks throughout the Iraq war, the subway bombings in London, the hotel bombings in Bali, Indonesia, the theater attacks in Russia and the hotel bombings in Jordan. The insanity of the notion (evidently taught by radical Muslim philosophy), that one will enhance their standing before God by killing themselves and others in the process, is the kind of lie and deception that comes only from the master deceiver himself: Satan. The Bible calls Satan out in this way: …He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is

Today is Good Friday (the day of general public acknowledgement that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for the sins of all people), and I happen to be sitting with someone who was Jewish and another who was Catholic when the topic of what we had for lunch came up. The Catholic person remarked in mocked horror that she had pork and exclaimed that her mother would be horrified given that she was raised “Catholic”. The Jewish man responded that he had a kosher snack in honor of Passover. As I observed the exchange, the thought of the God’s scripture in the New Testament came to my mind: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anythi