Jerusalem Divided for Peace?

There MUST be a “two-state solution” for Israel and the Palestinians. So says the Pope, Barack Obama, virtually every European Leader etc. etc. According to the learned of this world, it’s not even a question anymore. Israel must submit to a “two-state solution”. And just what is the two state solution? Ostensibly, it is one in which Israel shares ownership of the land given to them by God with the Palestinian people. For those advocating such a “solution” their opinion on whether Israel was given her land directly from God must fall into one of two camps: 1) The land was never given to Israel by God and thus this claim is bogus – thus making a liar out of the Bible or 2) The land was given to Israel by God but is subject to man’s decision to overrule that God – in the interest of “peace”. I can guess which of the these options the Palestinians, Europeans and President Obama believes. This Pope is somewhat of a question, however with him earthly pragmatism is probably trumping biblical orthodoxy on this one.

Here’s what the Lord had to say on this issue of Israel and its capital Jerusalem:

He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves - Psalm 47:4
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure…He gave their land as an inheritance, a special possession to his people Israel. - Psalm 135:4 & 12

So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me. “The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. - Acts 13:16-19

Were they Saved?

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many… (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV) My wife and I were talking about a celebrity who we learned had died recently. One of my first thoughts (as is customary) was “were they saved”? Did that person accept that Jesus died for their sins so that they could live forever in Heaven? Though neither my wife nor I could know the real answer to that question, if we went by the “evidence” of how that person lived their public life, then it appeared highly unlikely that a salvation conversion would have occurred in their life. If so, then their death was indeed a tragedy. Acceptance of Jesus is indeed the difference between life and death (for eternity). Look at this diagram below (taken from a previous publication by author Bruce Wilkinson). The size of the circle denotes the average life span of our present life on earth. The length of the line denotes the first .000...

Funerals for the Unsaved or Unbelievers

I am not a leader of a church, but I oftentimes wonder how does one lead a funeral service for someone who dies without knowing Jesus Christ as Lord ? Admittedly I have not been to many funerals in my lifetime, though they are appearing to come more frequently lately, but the fact is that funerals are held daily throughout the world and as such this is a pertinent question to someone just about every day. I’ve been to the funeral where the person lived a fairly routine life, taking care of their families and other responsibilities as best they could, paying taxes and doing the average things that we as human beings do on a consistent basis. They however had no visible relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ. When this person dies, the surviving family members are oftentimes left scrambling trying to find a person and a place to officiate the funeral services – generally because the deceased did not have a regular church that they attended. Funeral homes sometimes ...

Coal Miner’s Error – What Kind of God?

The unspeakable tragedy that was endured by the families of the men who died in the coal mining tragedy in West Virginia will undoubtedly expose their faith in God to ridicule and scorn by some unbelievers, and may even shake the faith of some believers. How could a loving God allow the chain of events to occur in such a cruel way where the families were led to believe that their loved ones were alive only to find out that all except one was dead? This has to be one of the mysteries of God that is hard to figure out. However what kind of faith would we have if we are to turn on God because we don’t understand? Man has an enemy in the devil who is trying to destroy us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. His relentless attacks never cease. Yet by and large we get though each day unscathed! We do so only by the hand of a loving, protecting and faithful God. Always remember, man is what is wrong in the world, not God. We are directly or indirectly responsible for the tragedies ...

Treasure In Clay Jars

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