For “Sunday Scripture” on Mothers Day:
Honor Our Mothers
“The importance of mothers in building stable families cannot be overstated. They deserve honor for the selfless sacrifices they perform each day. This blog post is for them.
Mother’s Day is a day designed to formally give our mothers extra honor. This can take the form of a card, flowers, breakfast in bed or a special dinner. Mother’s Day is a good time to remember and thank your mother for her selfless love, all the service she does behind the scenes and how she is always there for you when needed. Of course, not all people have mothers like this—but many of us do.
In today’s society, sometimes the role of a mother is not as highly esteemed as it should be. A mother who chooses to focus on raising her children is sometimes referred to as “just a stay-at-home mom.” Some see this as a waste of a woman’s potential and think it’s a pity that someone would sacrifice her goals to change diapers.
Yet being a mother is one of the most important roles on earth. Let’s look at some of the important characteristics and roles of a good mother.”
Continue Reading at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/honor-our-mothers/
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If you continue reading Ephesians 6 to verse 4, it also says “Fathers, (and mothers) do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the LORD.”
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Israel at 70
The Amazing Story
“The dreams of a people would at last begin to be fulfilled with the remarkable events leading up to 1948 and in the years since. Yet there is a much greater fulfillment still to come.
As modern Israel turns 70, we look back at what led up to the amazing reestablishment of a Jewish state in the Holy Land after centuries of exile, and the struggle endured since—and ahead to promises and yearning yet unfulfilled.
Photo collage by Shaun Venish/Mariusz Prusaczyk/Mathias Rhode/PaylessImages/123RF
The state of Israel’s formation and continued existence have been according to God’s plan.
The modern state of Israel, likely the most complicated and controversial geopolitical entity in the world today, was born 70 years ago on May 15, 1948. Many have described the history of its existence, settlement and survival as miraculous.
And, given that Bible prophecy reveals a Jewish political presence in Jerusalem and the surrounding area in the end time, and given that this development seemed unlikely if not impossible for centuries, it is quite sensible to recognize the hand of God at work in bringing this about. God declares that He brings to pass what He has foretold (Isaiah 46:9-11).
The dreams of a people would at last begin to be fulfilled with the remarkable events leading up to 1948and in the years since. Yet there is a much greater fulfillment still to come.
What is the story behind the formation of the Israeli state? Many readers will be somewhat familiar with the Jewish nation’s existence in the Holy Land at the time of Jesus Christ and the apostles, but what followed after that? The amazing story is a remarkable testimony to God’s faithfulness in bringing about what He promised and foretold.
The Jewish people saw their ancient presence in the land formerly known as Canaan, and in New Testament times as Judea, Samaria and Galilee, as a fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham—the territory referred to as the Promised Land. And even after the Romans cast them out, the Jewish people continued to look to God’s promises and prophecies of bringing the tribes of Israel and Judah back to the land.
Observant Jews, those who continued to follow Jewish religious traditions, retained a deep longing to return to their homeland. Their annual Passover and Yom Kippur (or Day of Atonement) services typically ended with the plea, “Next year in Jerusalem!”
After so long, the dreams of a people would at last begin to be fulfilled with the remarkable events leading up to 1948 and in the years since. Yet, as the Bible reveals, there is a much greater fulfillment still to come.
The Diaspora
Near the end of His ministry, Jesus foretold the temple’s imminent destruction (Matthew 24:2). The plight of Jewish exile from the land of Israel began in A.D. 70 at the hand of the Roman emperor Vespasian through his son and successor Titus, who was then a general, just 40 years after Jesus spoke those words. The city of Jerusalem and the temple of God where Jesus had worshipped and taught were destroyed.
The Jews expected the Messiah to be a nation-restoring king who would set them free from Roman rule—not the sacrificial Lamb of God sent to free them from a spiritual slavery they were ensnared in yet largely ignorant of.
The Jewish desire for independence from Rome ultimately led to uprisings that brought about their own undoing, and to this day the Arch of Titus stands outside of the Colosseum in Rome as a testament to the conquest that initiated 1,800 years of “Diaspora”—the dispersion and scattering of the Jewish people out of the land of Israel. The building of the Colosseum itself was funded by the spoils of the war with the Jews.
Another Jewish attempt to cast off Roman rule 65 years later, the Bar Kokhba revolt of A.D. 132-135, was crushed by the Romans under Emperor Hadrian. This resulted in the expulsion of the Jews from Jerusalem, which was transformed into a pagan city with a pagan temple atop the Temple Mount.
The centuries dragged on, and the Promised Land was eventually conquered and subjected to Muslim rule, which would last for many more centuries. It seemed impossible that Jewish rule could ever be reestablished there.” Continued at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/israel-at-70-the-amazing-story
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God’s Enduring Love for Israel
The Bible explains the divine purpose for Israel’s existence in the ancient world and as a modern nation today.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/3zhIDKgZIvo
Transcript:
[Darris McNeely] “Here today, we are going to look at a nation and a people whose very existence tells us God and the Bible can be trusted. God does care about this world. Who is this nation? We are going to look at the story of the State of Israel. For more than 70 years the presence of the Jewish state in the Middle East is a sign that God cares and is involved. To understand the State of Israel is to understand the grace of God.
Christ said to the people listening to one of His sermons they needed to “discern this time” (Luke 12:54-56). He said they were able to look up at the sky and to see a cloud rise out of the west and they would say “a shower is coming.” And if the south wind would blow “it’s going to be hot.” But this same people had trouble discerning exactly who He, Jesus, was as He taught them and they could not act upon the message of the gospel that He taught.
How about you?
Can you discern your time, our time, our time in prophecy? Can you discern today’s world with all the many events that are shaping our lives? Let me show you how by looking at a part of the world that we regularly hear about.
Let’s look at the State of Israel. This tiny nation in the Middle East plays a significant role in world affairs. The State of Israel is 70 years old, having been created in May of 1948 and recognized by the United Nations. Israel lives in a tough Middle Eastern neighborhood. They are continually forced to defend their existence to survive.
However, in spite of 70 years of hostility Israel has developed a vibrant and prosperous society. Its people make positive life-enhancing contributions to the world in many critical areas such as technology, medicine, education and humanitarian efforts. So, why does Israel struggle against continual danger? Why must it defend itself before the court of world nations? Why all the antagonism and the hatred?
If we are to understand this paradox of hostility and blessing surrounding the State of Israel we must look to the Bible for the story. It is in Scripture where we see the backstory of Israel’s origin. Only in the Bible do we find the divine purpose for Israel’s existence, both in the ancient world and as a modern nation today. God had a purpose for Israel then and God has a purpose for Israel today. To understand Israel is to understand the grace of God. Let me repeat that. To understand Israel is to understand the grace of God.
Let’s understand how this story of Israel began. It is found in the Bible.
The ancient nation of Israel was a nation composed of descendants of the twelve sons of the man that we know as Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Isaac was the son of Abraham, and Abraham of course he is the father of the faithful people, all faithful people for that matter, who seek after the God of creation. Looking at Jacob it’s an interesting story. Any man who had twelve sons makes for an interesting story and Jacob was no exception. The book of Genesis tells Jacob’s story. His life involves every element of a good story. It has betrayal, revenge, children by multiple wives and concubines. It’s all there, the good and the bad.” Continued at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-television-program/gods-enduring-love-for-israel
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Update.
As for Mother’s Day today, the 13th. May, I do not have good memories of my mother who took off when I was 4 years old, and I was glad when she left. So I was battered around different places until I was out on my own at 15. My father was in the Air Force overseas, so even though he had custody of me, he couldn’t take care of me. I did live with him and one of my step-mothers, for a couple of years when I was 13, but I never saw him, as he was always working. But today, I did wish my daughter and granddaughter ‘Happy Mother’s Day’. Becky, my ex-daughter-in-law who died of cancer, used to take me out to eat on Mother’s Day.
Monday, the 7th. May was a Holy Day, and the church service was at the usual 11 am, with a potluck afterwards. So, on Sunday, I made a beef stew with lots of veggies. Still no leavened bread allowed until dusk that evening.
The Bible readings were Psa. 113, 114 and 118, and Exo. 13:17-15:26 about a pathway in the Red Sea drying up for the Jews to pass, and then the water came crashing back down to drown Pharoah and his men. Then 2 Sam. 22:1-51 and Rev. 15:2-4. The Teaching was about how we need to be washed in The Blood of The Lamb.
On Tuesday, Zack did a bit more painting in the mini-house. On Wednesday, it was a shopping and ‘un-shopping’ day as I had some things to buy and return in Conroe. But it got hot very quickly that day so I didn’t stay in town very long. In the summer, if I can’t park the van in the shade of a tree, I don’t like to get back in it. Even though my sunshades and AC work fine, it still takes a while to cool down.
Thursday was a key day. A contractor finally showed up, and on time, to work on the mini-house. While his two helpers worked on installing the kitchen drain, one inside and one under the house, he installed the 15-light door in between the new living room and bedroom, and he even nailed up the trim, plinth blocks and rosettes.
Friday is always my ‘preparation day’, getting ready for the Sabbath, so we don’t work on the mini-house. I work on other stuff though. Getting my clothes ready, according to the weather forecast, and preparing food for the potluck. Sometimes I have an extra hour so that I can list something for sale. This Sabbath I had to go to the POA (Property Owners Assn.) meeting and vote. We had a man on the ballot who has been good about cleaning up our neighborhood, and I wanted to make sure that he could continue with authority. I left as soon as I had voted, but I knew he would win.
So, as I was going to be late for church, I made a beet and mandarin salad (which has no mayo) that I could keep on some dry ice in a cooler until I got to the church. I arrived there in time to participate in the last couple of hymns, prayers for those in need, and hear the Teaching which was ‘On the Way To Freedom’. The Bible readings are at the start of the service so I missed Lev.19:-20:27, Amos 9:7-9:15, 1 Cor. 6:9-20, 1 Pet. 1:13-16, so I was able to read them later that day.
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