The Sabbath and Moses

The Sabbath, already in the world, already introduced to the people of God, becomes a part of the revealed will of God, the Law in the following passage:

Exodus 20:8-11. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you , nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

a. Note how the Lord connects this command to His original introduction of the Sabbath in Genesis. The motivation for keeping the Sabbath in any generation is simply the fact that God rested from His creative works. He establishes this practice then, not as a local custom, but as a universal way to relate to God as Creator and finisher of works. He who is saved from the dead works of sin which only cursed him, understands that his works are finished in Christ's great work, thus giving the Sabbath even more meaning :

Hebrews 4:10. "For he who has entered His rest [in the Spirit ] has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His."

b. From the Exodus 20 accounting we glean that God expected strangers to keep this day holy also. Foreigners. Non-Jews traveling with Israel. Gentiles. No word is given to the Gentile after he leaves the gates of the Jew, but while he is with them, he is not exempt from so special a time.

c. Note that this commandment is the longest of the ten, yet it would seem, the most mis-understood of all.

d. Especially of importance to those who sincerely wish to know God's will in this matter is the placement of Sabbath-breaking alongside murder, adultery, theft, lying, covetousness, idol worship, pantheism, disrespect to parents, and blasphemy . Whatever we are led to think about Sabbath observance for our day, there is no question about the seriousness of this practice for the people of God in the wilderness.

e. In keeping with the last point, does it not seem strange that even men of the world and especially great majorities of the Church honor nine of the ten commandments, but this seventh day thing is set aside in most minds?

f. By stating in clear words "...the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God" there is forever laid to rest the idea of a "first-day" Sabbath. If the day is to be changed for some given reason down the road, let it not wear the name of God's original day. To speak of the Sabbath is to speak of the seventh day, by God's definition.

g. Many have therefore resorted to a New Testament phrase to differentiate between Saturday and Sunday: The Lord's Day. It may not be totally clear what is meant by this title, but the first clue is in the passage we now study, where the Sabbath is referred to as "the Sabbath [day] of the Lord ..." That is, the Lord's Day. Surely every Jew through the apostles at least would have understood it that way, does it not seem probable? So when John, a Jew, says in Revelation, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day," is it likely that he spoke of Sunday?

h. No mention is made in this text regarding exactly how to keep the Sabbath holy. Other Scriptures develop the point that it is not the seventh day as a meeting day, but the seventh day as a day of rest that is being advanced here.

The Sabbath is thus introduced formally to the world, and calls upon us yet today to decide what our connection is to be.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Romance - Why Write It

If you think Romance is a lesser form of fiction, go off immediately and read Pride and Prejudice.

There are many kinds of genre fiction, but nobody accuses Ian Rankin or Ruth Rendell of being lesser writers - simply because they write Crime. Genre fiction has certain expectations and constraints. But what else you do with it is up to you - and your talent.

While writing classic Romances, Jane Austen managed to comment on society, give a feel for time and place, and for people's absurdities, strengths and flaws.

Some Romance is published just for the escapism. And that's fine, too. We all need to escape from time to time. Whatever you choose to do with it, Romance can be fun to write - but don't make the mistake of thinking it's easy. It can be as hard to execute well as any other kind of writing.

Many people believe there's an easy-to-follow formula - a cookie cutter to shape the story with their eyes closed. But this would make Romance fiction incredibly boring - to read and write. Every book would be the same.

As I said, it can be fun to write. But in order to write well, you have to like romance. You must enjoy daydreaming sappy stories. You must go aaah when you hear of love that works out.

Besides being enjoyable, romance can be good practice for writing any form of fiction. You're constrained by the expectations of genre, which frees you up in a strange way to be really creative within those limitations.

It gives you the freedom to concentrate on the important things - every story worth turning a page should have believable characters, conflict that carries us through it, a satisfying ending, a world we can believe in, and language that entertains us.

These are the things that make any book good, no matter what you are writing. Romance forces you to concentrate on these aspects, since these are the aspects that will make your story stand out above the crowd.

Readers want to know that certain things are likely to happen in a Romance, and that other things won't. But we also like to be surprised. We like to be held on tenterhooks - not quite sure which way you'll swing our emotions. And this is what makes any story great.

Jo-Anne Richards is the author of four novels. Her latest is My Brother's Book, published by Picador.

She is co-founder of allaboutlove.net, a website dedicated to romance reading and writing. The site publishes novels and short stories, and runs interactive online writing courses in romance writing. It includes a basic lesbian romance writing course - thought to be unique.

Jesus Christ: The First, The Last, The Eternal

Luke 17:20-17:24 Jesus Christ. The First, The Last, The Eternal. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

There are many times in our lives where we ask ourselves the question;What is my purpose in Life? And there are some who make a living, telling others exactly what it is. Many write books covering the subject and others make movies and presentations, but none really address the answer very clearly. Haven you seen time after time children killing themselves because they say that there is no purpose in their lives? The demands of this life time and especially of this upcoming generation is weighing down many a persons spirit, cutting them to the bone, not leaving them any recourse but to go with the flow, being swept away with peer pressure and company abuse. So what is the answer, is it in a book, a movie, a presentation or a single mans idea of life? No, The answer is in Jesus. Lets read a little Scripture and look at the Son of Man.

Luke 17:20-24, And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Counselors, psychriacrist and others say they know what people need, but they never mention Jesus. Jesus, The Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Word, The Prince of Peace, The Lord of The Sabbath, The Christ, The Seeker of the Lost, The Avenger, The Rewarder, The First, The Last, The Eternal, The Faithful Witness,The First Begotten of the Dead, The prince of the Kings of the Earth, The Bright and Shining Star, The Alpha, The Omega, The First, The Last, The Morning Star, The Holder of The Key of David, and the Amen. Man writing book after book explaining what our purpose is in this life, giving us, theology, terminology, making trees, animals and even man gods to pray to and seek healing from. False hope, false doctrine, Idol worship and man science.

Trying to explain our origin from science, evolution and revolution, new wave religions that can neither hear nor answer prayer. Mankind building up man as a demigod, searching our purpose from the stars and from the Big Bang Theory.

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Matthew 11:27 is a perfect place to start finding your purpose on this earth. You must be known of The Father, you must be recognized by the All Mighty, without Him there is no purpose in your life, except to die and be judged. Is your purpose in life to posses? James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Jer 17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

Luke 12:19-20 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
The Bible says no.

[Ref.Jam_1:6, Jam_1:7; Job_27:8-10, Job_35:12; Psa_18:41, Psa_66:18, Psa_66:19; Pro_1:28, Pro_15:8; Pro_21:13, Pro_21:27; Isa_1:15, Isa_1:16; Jer_11:11, Jer_11:14, Jer_14:12; Mic_3:4; Zec_7:13;]

Is our purpose in life to receive Glory from our name and position in life? John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 2Co 12:6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Phi 3:18-19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Well the Bible says no, mans glory is fading and foolish to try to achieve.

Is our purpose in life to gain riches? Jesus said; Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! the deceitfulness of riches Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Rev 18:15-17 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Well again the Bible says no. So then you ask, What is our purpose in life and who is this Son of Man, Jesus Christ? The answer is simple; Romans12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Our purpose in Life is to be a living sacrifice to God, to seek His Glory, His Wisdom, His Knowledge, His Acceptance as Children of The Almighty. Our purpose in Life is to Serve as our Saviour Served. Then can we also say that our purpose in life is not to be subject to ordinances?

Col 2:20-23 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. Can we also say then, that this Son of Man is a living word from God that is a guide to righteousness, to Glory, to Honor, to Life, not as we know it but a life eternal in Spirit and not in the flesh? A regenerative Spirit that leads us to God?

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus, The Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Word, The Prince of Peace, The Lord of The Sabbath, The Christ, The Seeker of the Lost, The Avenger, The Rewarder, The First, The Last, The Eternal, The Faithful Witness, The First Begotten of the Dead, The prince of the Kings of the Earth, The Bright and Shining Star, The Alpha, The Omega, The First, The Last, The Morning Star, The Holder of The Key of David, and the Amen. Seek out the Son of Man while He still may be Found and know your purpose in Life.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Sermons International
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Jesus, The Master Copywriter

One of the longest threads in the history of Michel Fortin's Copywriter's Board is "Jesus, The Master Copywriter." This topic caused a stirring back then and pulled in many opinions that both agreed with my position and bluntly disagreed with my views.

Irrespective of how you assess the Bible, as mere literature or Holy Writings, the fact is that there are many copywriting lessons to be learned from this all time bestseller. Considering the position that the Bible holds in the literary world and the number of books inspired by the Bible you shouldn't be surprised that the "secrets" of persuasion are also hidden in its pages.

Here was where the great literary genius William Shakespeare got his inspiration and he is considered the master of English literature.

It so happens that I also get my inspiration from these pages-for copywriting!

Now let's look at one example and it's recorded in the Gospel according to John in chapter 4 of his book. It commonly called the story of the woman at the well. And it goes something like this ...

It's midday and Jesus waits by a well while his disciples go to a nearby town to buy food. A woman approaches the well to draw water, a very uncommon time since the most women come in the cooler parts of the day to collect water.

Jesus asks her for a drink to which she is very surprised that a Jew should ask a Samaritan woman for such a favor. These two people groups had no dealings with each other except for trade and business.

The woman questions Jesus request to which he replies that if she really knew who she was talking to she would ask him for living water so she never has to return to the well again. What? This really got her attention because such "living water" would mean that she would never have to face the stare of neighbors who shunned her as a moral failure.

But she is puzzled by the fact that Jesus has nothing to draw water from the well, so how could he give her "living water"? She immediately compares him to Jacob who dug the well centuries ago, "Are you claiming to be better than Jacob?"

Once Jesus had her attention he immediately asked her to call her husband. She immediately went on the defensive and claimed she had no husband. Then Jesus indicated that the man she was living with was not her husband but she was married four times before. Ouch!

This was a personal blow to her ego but it came only after Jesus had gained her interest by making her an incredible offer-living water.

Because this subject was so uncomfortable she tried to change the course of the conversation into a theological debate about the right place to worship. Jesus entertained her question anyway and she finally became convinced that he was not an ordinary man.

She finally left her water pots-the very thing she came for-and ran into the village to tell every one about her encounter. (Talk about word-of-mouth advertising.)

You are free to read the original narrative for yourself but here are some pointers that may be of interest to you as a copywriter and marketer:

1. Jesus spoke to her as an individual not as a crowd or a group of people. He made her feel that she was the most important person to him right there and then. Every good copywriter is able to make the reader of the sales letter feel like they are listening to a friend sharing some good advice, instead of one nameless member in a crowd.

2. Jesus knew her problem. He understood his "market" and what the woman was looking for. If you can determine the driving force behind your target market then the sale is 50% made. She wanted water but MORE than just water. She was looking for a reason to make a change in her life.

3. Jesus spoke to her in the language she understood. He entered the conversation that she was already mentally engaged in. She wanted a way to stop coming to the well at midday but more so a reason not to be ashamed of her life. Speak in the language of your market and you'll get them listening. Speak about what they are already interested in and you have a friend.

4. Jesus answered her objections by selling himself as the solution to her problems. She had two major objections: He had nothing to draw the water and they had a big difference in beliefs. Both of these objections were answered which led to the "sale." He not only treated her with respect (it wasn't considered proper for a man to speak with a woman in public like this) but also gave her hope for the future. We can say that he over-delivered, so much that ...

5. He made a happy customer who was more than willing to share the good news with others!

This narrative is a classic study of how to turn "enemies" into friends, prospects into your best "evangelist" and curiosity seekers into lifelong customers.

Go ye and do likewise!

Ray L. Edwards is a freelance copywriter, copywriting coach, Internet marketing consultant and published author. He has made his clients millions of dollars online and can be contacted about his services at http://www.webcopy-writing.com

The Only Solution for World Peace

We know that this sounds insane, and too good to be true, but the Messiah is now on Planet Earth. The Holy Biblical Signs of his arrival from the Prophet Isaiah were that he was to be accompanied by great rocks of hail, (The breaking up of the Antarctic Iceberg, and the breaking up of the Arctic Greenland Iceberg), and a great destroying tempest of overflowing waters, (The Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina). 4 signs, North, South, East, West.

In the Holy Bibles of Christianity Islam and Judaism God of Mount Sinai promised through the prophets Moses, Isaiah, Malachi, Ezekiel, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad, that God would smash down a wall, a Levi, with a destroying tempest of overflowing waters, leaving filth in the streets, announcing that the Messiah was on Earth. We wrote, dated, and predicted all of this in detail with Biblical citations in March 2005 online at The Temple of Love, months before Katrina hit on August 29, 2005.
http://www.thetempleoflove.com
on New Page 3, Our Differences.

In 33 AD the Jewish people in Israel believed Psalm 2 that God would help the Messiah take a rod of iron and smash the occupying Roman Empire just like God had helped Moses part the Red Sea and drown the Egyptian Army. This did not happen. Instead, Jesus united 2 billion Christian people today with a few simple words. Then Muhammad united a billion Muslims today with a few more words. Today, Nov. 4, 2005, the Christian and Muslim people are expecting their Messiah Jesus Christ to return on a flying white horse from Heaven to defeat the evil on Earth and usher in an era of Peace forever. We hate to be grinchlike, but this will not happen either.

Saving life on Earth is up to Us All. You, are the Messiah. By definition, All of Us on Earth today, United as One, toward the common goal of creating World Peace and Paradise on Earth Forever, have the ability to create it now. We must all choose now weather to be the saviors or the destroyers of all life on Earth forever. God said through King David in Psalm 82:6, You are Gods, You are children of God, All of you. You are also potential Messiahs. Our fate rests in our own hands. We survive or we perish. Its up to us now.

The Temple of Love Unites Christianity Islam Judaism and Everyone else, and the countries they all live in, by tying us together with our common threads and resolving all of our differences. The Temple of Love is the only solution for saving life on Earth from extinction in nuclear world war and its aftermath nuclear winter then ultraviolet summer. World Peace is our only hope. We have become too smart, too technologically advanced for Nuclear World War, and its aftermath nuclear winter then ultraviolet summer, our present heading, which will have zero survivors, unlike New Orleans and the Tsunami. It's common knowledge.

The Monotheistic Lie

Avraham who is known as the father of nations is credited with bringing monotheism to the world 3500 years ago, opposing those of many gods and beginning a tradition that has spread throughout the world-but, that is simply not true. There was never a question among the ancients as to the reality of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, but their contention was the Creator had abandoned creation into the hands of the stars and constellations to who they prayed.

True it was the affluence that fed the earth was conveyed on the wings of angels attached to the tenuous little shafts of star-light that surround the world with illumination; were it not for the darkness of space a mantle of light covering the solar system would be visible. They called the Creator-God of gods. The only question was: where is God.

Since God, Creator, is neither physical nor spiritual, therefore nothing in creation from the lowest physical manifestation until the highest metaphoric hint of the truth can encompass God; to the Creator creation is but a small thing, an easily done accomplishment. Perhaps, thought the ancients, God created, but God left. Avraham came to announce to the world that God was present in the seven outer worlds of the solar system and in the four corners of this physical earth where life abounds.

This knowledge of God's presence was conveyed through a single word: Echud/One; the Talmud-Book of Law breaks down each of the three letters, reducing them to numbers then extrapolates: the Oneness of God (Aleph/One) is in the seven heavens and the earth (Chet/8) and the four corners of the earth (Dalet/4). One is a philosophic idea portraying the relationship forged between Creator and creation.

The idea of One goes beyond the first of many-the dot progenitor of a line-One is unique and indivisible. Those who say God is the accumulation of all existence diminish the idea of One. The beginning and the end is comparable one to infinity; infinity is made up from many ones and one is the beginning of infinity-thus the comparison to God falters. There are no parts to God, only the effluence of God is divided up into particulars according to the needs of creation.

The Creator is not defined by creation in any shape, form or fashion; being beyond creation God is available to everybody and everything all the time everywhere. It is why we pray in our minds and in our hearts because this innate knowledge permeates the human experience. It is this knowledge that Avraham brought into the world by means of his life which was full of miracles giving witness to the fact that God was truly in the world.

This fundamental idea of Echud/One was later enshrined in what is known as the Shema Yisroel, a saying of six words-the mainstay of Jewish faith declaring: God is One. When religion came along 2000 years ago this pristine idea was adopted, usurped, expropriated and finally manipulated into something other than the truth: God is one among many instead of One indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Monotheism is the lie of religion trying to reduce the important message delivered by the father of nations, Avraham, who came to help the world from the darkness of chaos. It is the purpose of religion to hide the truth so the seeker will become reliant on a poor substitution-dogma. In the laws of charity, the greatest gift one can give to a poor person is a means to become self-supporting. The Talmud-Book of Law insists wealth is only found in the knowledge of the truth.

Dovid Krafchow lives in San Francisco and is the author of Kabbalistic Tarot published by Inner Tradition and a new series of five ebooks called The Dance of the Pig: a cosmology and world history based on the Cabala, available only at JewishBohemian.com Dovid is a Jewish elder and teacher, unaffiliated and non-religious. He stridently believes that in the end it is the individual who changes the world

The Sabbath - More Than Just a Day Off

After the Law is given to keep the Sabbath holy in Exodus 20, we meet this re-enforcement of the command:

Exodus 31:12-17. "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, Surely my sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord Who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death. For whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done in six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."

It doesn't get a lot clearer than that. This Sabbath is forever. But some new elements are added that we should look at:

a. First there is the element of time. Not only is the Sabbath from the beginning of creation, but now it is to stretch forever. God sees no time here when Sabbath-keeping is not to be in vogue.

b. Nevertheless, some will say, and this is another point that seems new to this passage, there must be a people called Israel forever in order for there to be an eternal Sabbath, for this practice is to be a sign between God and this special people. Correct indeed. Let us hear once more from the apostle to the Gentiles talking about something oh so Jewish:

Romans 11:12-26 [portions]. "If their [Israel's] fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness... if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches... hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in... and so all Israel will be saved."

What are you saying, Paul? He's saying Israel is forever. He's saying God bypassed the Jewish nation temporarily to open the door to other nations, but when all is said and done there is only one tree, one nation, and it is called Israel! The program of God is for Israel His chosen, but I am a part of Israel if I continue on in faith. Israel is forever. Not Israel according to the flesh, that is, all those born as Jews, but the Israel of God, His blood-covenant people, people of the New and Better Covenant established by and in Messiah. We will speak more of this later, but for now we understand, that if Israel can be forever, so can her Sabbaths.

c. There is also added in our text the notion of refreshment. The spirit is revived and made to prosper again on that seventh day. Fleshly entertainment cannot bring this about, but rather the coming together of God's people for prayer, worship, and Word. Thus is suggested the means by which the Commandment is to be kept.

d. Once more note the death penalty for Sabbath-breakers. God wants His people blessed. He will be severe in His enforcement.

There is one final mention of Sabbath in the book of Exodus:

Exodus 35:2-3. "Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day."

a. Is this latter regulation because of the work involved in creating a fire? Or is cooking of all sorts here forbidden?

b. Notice in all of the passages that this is more than just a day off. It is a holy time, an opportunity to draw near to God on a weekly basis, with no hindrances. The rich and the poor and all other class divisions are here given an equal fifty-two days a year to draw near to God and refresh their spirits.

An enticing idea, for those who desire fellowship with God. 52 retreats a year, every year, until Jesus comes.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

On Fear, From 40,000 Feet Up

Emotion, that is, how I "feel" from moment to moment, is not a good guide for where a life should go. Take the disciples. They truly loved Jesus, or so it seemed. They certainly "felt good" about Him. They listened to His Words, experienced His power, became for three years attached to Him. So when Jesus talked of dying they truly believed they were ready to die with Him. That is, they felt they were ready. We often mix those words believe and "feel" as though they were the same. We have probably, similar to the disciples, convinced ourselves that we are in a totally bonded relationship with Christ, and that anything He wants we will do. But are we listening to what He wants?

Yes, the disciples were so overcome by how they felt that they all claimed they'd die for Jesus... even in opposition to Jesus' clear statement to the contrary. "No, you won't. You'll deny you even know me."

Hear Peter's self-assurance, a trait many of us will recognize as self-deception: "Yes, those other guys, they're weaklings. I suspected it all along. But there's a reason you've favored me with leadership of this bunch. Even if they all leave you, I will not!"

No Peter, back off. Sit down. This won't work until Pentecost. Then you will have your fill of suffering for Jesus. But you're not ready now. Yes, Peter, there'll come a time when they will take you to places you do not want to go. You'll be forced to stretch out your hands as your Master did, and die His death. But you're not ready now. Wait for the Spirit to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.

I often believe, or is it feel, that the Christ in the church of North Korea has called me to itself somehow. I have said to the Lord that I will go. But I have not gone. I have stayed and done what it is possible to do from this side of the world. Now, only the Spirit ordains times and seasons, but is it because of my utter lack of self-awareness that His time is not now?

The writer of Proverb 28 says that "the wicked flee when no one pursues." So much of our fear to do His will is nonsensical. In the full light of Heaven, it is all nonsensical. If we have been promised that we can never be separated from the love of Christ, why do we hesitate to do anything He asks? "The righteous," that same wise one goes on, "are as bold as a lion." Righteousness, right relatedness to Christ is what gives boldness. There truly is "no fear in love" says John. "Perfect love casts out fear."

So love and righteousness knock fear down. Faith too, in the promise: "I will never leave you or forsake you." This promise was given to Israel and Joshua but the writer of Hebrews says it is ours. We can laugh at fear from now on...

...said he, glibly. Easy for me to laugh at your fear, criticize your stubbornness to get on with God's program for your life. Oh how I need to deal with my own:

For example, I write all this from an airplane, many thousands of feet in the air. Not too exceptional, you say. Except for the fact that for years I feared the very thought of entering an airplane. A bad experience on a night flight years ago made me earth-bound until recently. But if I am being called to be a part of the team that will give the Good News to North Korea, if I am to relate to a people who must live in fear every day of their lives, and in hunger and want, surely facing this mostly irrational fear is something that has to be done. God is gracious. In His time He will finish the work He has begun in me.

My point today is that so often our emotions do not match up with the realities of our nature. In another but related context Paul says, "What I want to do, I do not do..." We often dream beyond our reach. But of course, never beyond His. We want things that we cannot obtain by any fleshly means, but if they are His wants, they will be obtained by His means.

Oh for more of Him! Oh to know His will, and not to flinch when he says, "It's time."

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

What Do They Have that We Don't Have?

They, meaning the suffering church. The persecuted church. The church in pain. We, meaning the western church. The comfortable church. The prosperous church.
Are they really different from us, or is it only that there is a government in place that hates Jesus more than ours does? Or does it mean that we don't speak up and speak out enough for Jesus? Do we speak the whole truth about Christ or are we afraid of political correctness?

Consider the relatively recent stories of the following brothers and sisters (these are current stories.) Perhaps in the reading, God will convict us of work we are not doing, or at least make us grateful to belong to such a wonderful family of people.

In CHINA, a pastor serves a 3-year prison sentence in a labor camp. His wife has just been released, and now fearfully cares for their son. The pastor's church has been raided during a worship service.

In PAKISTAN, two evangelists working with Muslim converts are attacked by the Taliban. One is shot and killed instantly. Threats to the other. Two Muslims wounded, one escapes.

In INDIA a law has been passed in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Under it, anyone forcibly converting someone can be imprisoned up to two years. In this state of six million, only eight thousand are Christian. Using this law, Hindus beat three Christian brothers, giving them internal injuries.

In LAOS, 12 pastors are arrested after meetings. One of them is being denied visitors.

And so on and on the cross of Christ is carried . How we appreciate those who take upon them the very character of Christ. May God give us grace to die with them and with Him.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

Could Christian Pride Get You in Trouble?

There's a good chance that most of us know at least one person who seems to be very prideful. These people are often hard to deal with and can easily get their feelings hurt. When someone who has a lot of pride, gets trapped in a corner, they often come out swinging in full attack mode.

When a Christian has a lot of pride, and is faced with a problem about their religion, the opposition had better be prepared, especially if this person is large and intimidating. I'm not referring to every Christian here, I'm not even referring to every Christian with a lot of pride either, I'm referring to Christians who mix their prideful beliefs with factual evidence.

These people can often become stubborn and the more that you push or pull, the deeper they dig their heels in, until they can't even be moved in either direction. It's almost like they're feet are buried in a large concrete slab of cement.

Yes pride can get you into trouble, they key is, knowing how to get yourself out of trouble. When someone approaches you with a question about your beliefs that you don't have the answer to, simply respond with," I will have to do some research and get back with you."

Don't let your pride get in the way and create an enemy out of someone that could provide you with some useful information about other beliefs or even your own religion. Think about it, your pride can often dig holes that you might not be able to get out of.

Eliminate Bible Propaganda

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're Interested in Christianity.

Rapture Or Second Coming? A Second And Third Distinction Refuted

Those who hold that the "catching away" of the church to glory and the second coming of Christ are two distinct events teach that, at the rapture, all believers are resurrected, whereas at the Second Coming there is no resurrection until antichrist is defeated. This is called "begging the question," using your preconceived conclusion as proof of your conclusion!

In Revelation 19 we are shown an army of believers behind Jesus, meeting Him in the air. They have just been resurrected and are on their way to conquer the earth. They are not fresh from the graves, it is reasoned, so it is assumed they have been with Jesus seven years and therefore are not resurrected.

But the theory calls for more than the two Bible raisings, the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation called for by Jesus (John 5:28-29). It demands a third resurrection, for one is seen in Revelation 20:4-6 also. Here, John, relating things not always in order, but sometimes by topic, states in chapter 20 that the persons he sees are part of the first resurrection. He does not see a resurrection, but sees the ones who have been resurrected. That means that there was no resurrection seven years before , except in the Hollywood style movies of our own generation.

John is saying here that he saw thrones set up after antichrist is judged. The reign with Christ foretold here is for all those who suffer with Jesus. Romans 8:17, "If we suffer with him" we are "heirs with Christ." The whole creation is awaiting our reign, 8:19. II Timothy 2:12, "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him." Revelation 5:10 quotes the "elders" , those who have gone on before us, as saying, "We shall reign on the earth."

So in talking of the thrones he brings in a description of the persecuted saints who reign with Jesus. He is not implying that the whole army following Jesus is not a resurrected entity. He is in fact in perfect harmony with Daniel 7:25-27:

"He [little horn] shall persecute the saints of the Most High...then the saints shall be given into his hand [tribulation] for a time, and times and half a time [the same three and one half years of John's Revelation]. But the court shall be seated, [judgment]...and the greatness

of the kingdoms...shall be given to the saints of the Most High [resurrection]..."

There are two resurrections coming (John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:4-5). The first, and the second. The first, when Jesus comes to earth. The second, 1000 years later, the resurrection of the damned. By calling this pre-tribulation event a "rapture", the fact that it is a resurrection is covered up. But , added to the two resurrections of revelation 20, well, that's just one too many.

Another supposed distinction seen between rapture and second coming: Immortality is given believers at the rapture, but at the second coming

they already obviously have it. Here again, normally logical scholars break the rules of logic by using the conclusion to prove the point. It is seen as utterly impossible for saints to be raised, glorified, "immortalized", and coming back to earth in so short a time. Forgotten, perhaps, is what happened on "Resurrection Day", commonly called Easter. Jesus in His new body began immediately to do the work God called Him to do, though He had been dead for three days. In our new bodies, made after the image of Christ, will be placed new instincts, skills, and powers. A simple flight to Jesus does not seem all that complicated for a God who can speak worlds into existence, and raise up Christ from the dead in an instant.

We shall all rise. We shall be changed. In a moment! In the twinkling of an eye. Dead shall rise and experience the same miracle. And their first assignment: Hold on! We're going for a ride with King Jesus while he pours out judgment on the earth.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Where Did God Come From?

If you believe in certain religions, like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and even Buddhism, there's a good chance that you believe in some sort of God like being or cosmic force, especially the one that created our world that we live in today.

Where did God come from? What are we doing here? And where are we going, after we die. Some of these questions, are hard to answer and scientifically difficult to prove. There is very little evidence to prove, where God actually came from, what are we suppose to be doing here and where we are going to go, after we die.

If nobody knows where God came from, why are there so many religions, that believe in a God? Think about it for a moment, the Christian God, was the creator of the universe, and the creator of everything. Where's the proof? Why do people continue to study the Bible, and believe in a God, that they can't really even put their hands on?

If God is truly real, why wouldn't we have ever seen him? It doesn't make a lot of sense, to believe in imaginary beings, or invisible entities and pray to a God that we might not ever see or touch. It might not make a lot of sense, but if you ask serious religious followers, of these religions a question like, can you prove that there actually is a God, there's a good chance that these religious believers will reply, with a simple yes.

They have no proof, no evidence, and almost base their entire beliefs on faith, instead of facts. Rarely do they seek any evidence or even read their religious text, with a goal to understand what they're reading. Most of these people take everything that they learn, lock it away in their head, and never ask any serious questions about their religious beliefs, like these.

If there is a God, why wouldn't he show himself? If there is a God, why wouldn't he prove that he does exist, so that others wouldn't have to doubt his existence? Something to think about, on the days that you're not going to your place of worship.

Who's God Is More Powerful

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

Paradise - A Garden in a City

A preacher once told me, when you're trying to show how crooked a stick is, just find a straight stick and lay it beside the crooked one. I haven't followed that wise advice always. I've often, for example, contradicted Kim Jong Il, who claims that his version of Korea is a Paradise. Communist propaganda has shared that imagery often through its history. The worker's Paradise.

Have you ever chuckled when you realize that these founders of atheistic states use Biblical imagery to describe their strange concoctions?

Today I lay before you and Mr. Kim and the workers of the world the straight stick. The real thing. The Bible's description of Paradise. Those who are averse to Biblical literalism will have trouble with this. But I believe in a literal God who sent a literal Saviour into a literal world to save literal mankind from its literal sins. A literal reward is in store for them, totally out of this world.

The presence of the tree of life in the middle of the garden called Eden in Genesis 2:9, ties Eden to the place that John calls Paradise (Hebrew, Pardace, "forest, orchard" ) in Revelation 2:7, where the tree surfaces again.So anything that can be said of Eden can be said of Paradise. Not only that, but the descending city of God called the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22 likewise contains that tree. That's three names for the same incredible capital of the New World. The Bible actually speaks much of this place, enough to make us desire it with all our heart if we are His.

The original man and woman were placed in a simple garden. But they encouraged an unwelcome guest there, and defiled the entire place. God could not allow them to partake of eternal life in their sinful condition. They were cast out.

Paradise was then hidden from man's view by angel guards who to this day do not allow any unauthorized persons to enter. Can a garden be uprooted and taken into the sky, or was this place somehow disconnected from the mainland to begin with? That seems to be the greatest mystery, one which we will thoroughly understand when we need to.

Meanwhile, Jesus says that in His Father's house are many dwelling places (John 14) and that He has gone to prepare a place for us. We assume he has been building this city, house by house, over the years until now it is a luscious place that combines the finest architectural styles of heavenly beings with the natural wonders of the original "park" (the oriental meaning of Paradise ).

Did Jesus really believe in a place called Paradise? Oh yes. He would not have lied in His dying breath - or any breath. He promised his cross-fellow that on that very day, after the pain, after the shame, they would be together in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

Other famous house guests include the apostle Paul, II Corinthians 12:4, who became a believer in a literal Paradise one day when he was suddenly whisked up to the place himself. His fleshly pride would not have been able to bear the talking about such splendors that he saw, if he had not been given from then on a grievous thorn of reminder, 12:7.

Oh it's real. It's coming. Just as we have always heard. Jesus promised it to all just as He promised it to the thief, in Revelation 2:7, " To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God."

Pray for North Korean believers today. Pray that they will overcome the Satanic torment that follows them into concentration camps and hunger and loss. Pray for Western Christians too, that they will overcome riches and comfort and lukewarmness.

For the city with the garden is only for overcomers.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Story of Chosun, Part Six

In world history it is now the entry into the "Dark" or "Middle" ages. Romanist priests throughout Europe and Buddhist priests in the far-eastern nation which will one day be Korea,

But there is political trouble in the East also. A tribe called the Khitans in the northern part of the Korean peninsula continues to aggravate the area and seek dominance. They attack their southern neighbors (Koryo, eg) in 1010 with an army of 400,000, and are even successful until they reach the capital Pyongyang (still capital of North Korea). They are resisted and beaten back.

But every year they try again, and every year Koryo, heir of the old "Korguryo", ancestor of modern Korea, appeals to China, and is denied by same. Many thousands continue to die. China today seems to be ignorant of Korean woes also, as it sends NK refugees back to certain tragedies in their own land. China then and China now is for China.

In 1019, Koryo wins a major and decisive battle, gaining kudos from surrounding regions. All of this with no help from big Sister. By 1020 there is a formal peace with the Khitans. So much for negotiation being better than might.

Enter a new, but really continuing, struggle, between Confucius & Buddha. It is frustrating to see Korea trying to choose between two equally damning philosophies. One might appreciate the high moral standards of one like Confucius, the problem being that the wise one did not die for his people, and unless someone can be counted on to be the sin-bearer, all the wisdom and morality under heaven will be to no avail.

In 1032, Khitan threatens again. A certain bridge is left standing by the people of Koryo and the Khitan kingdom is insulted. An attack is considered. And while they consider, Koryo builds a wall from the Yalu River (present northwestern boundary of North Korea,) across the peninsula to the Japan (East) Sea! Appeasement is not their style.

Ironically, after China has denied Koryo any assistance for so many years, she has the boldness in 1077 to ask Koryo to aid against Kitans, who now threaten a weakened Empire.

One more note of interest in the 11th century. In 1093 a 2nd capital now appears in Koryo: Han-yang . Today we call this city Seoul. It is the capital of South Korea.

Century twelve sees the continued rise of Koryo, but with continued conflict with challenging neighbors. A splinter group of the Khitans, the Yujin tribe, receives a welcome visit from a monk of Koryo. He marries there. A couple of generations down, one related to him, Agolta, actually becomes the chief of that tribe. In 1114 the Yujin tribe breaks away altogether from the Khitans, eventually even conquering them.

So Koryo has a dangerous neighbor to the north again. Much later in the century, Cho-Wijong of Pyongyang rises up, gathers a following, fails in a bid to threaten Koryo. In fact, the king of Koryo lays siege to Pyongyang, starving its residents. A famine even leads to cannibalism, as we have seen in the modern version of this land today.

Eventually the rebels are defeated and scattered, the whole country is in a state of anarchy. And the king, like Nero of Rome, parties through the entire debacle. Once again we are reminded of modern times and the present reign of a dictator who lives like the richest of the world's monarchs while his people suffer and die.

The history of Korea is a sad story, century after century. Next time: enter the Mongols. Things don't get better.

Only Christ can save a Korean heart. Please pray for more and more of Jesus to be sent to more and more Koreans.

Category: NK: History

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Manipulating Bible Verses - Thou Shall Not Murder

If you're a Christian, you've probably heard of this Bible verse. Thou shall not murder. If you've heard of it, you probably know that it's one of the 10 Commandments or one of the original laws from Moses. However, most people don't know about its application to Christianity.

If I was to tell my children, not to lie and always tell the truth but I was a liar, would this be considered a good example for my children? If my children seen me lying and then I told them not to lie, would they consider that a lie? Does this example make sense to you?

As the parent, I'm the example. As the children, they are my disciples or followers. By lying to my children, I am showing them that it is okay to lie or stretch the truth or even manipulate the English language for my personal benefit.

How much different is this example from the example of the way some Christians use the Holy Bible? "Thou shall not murder," to me translates into," you should not kill." That's pretty simple and easy to understand, wouldn't you agree.

I could easily manipulate this Bible verse into, thou shall not murder, only applying it, to killing someone without a reason or you can kill someone in the name of God. You can change the meaning of anything if you really want to.

The point I would like to make here, is that the truth always comes out in the end, once the lying and the manipulation becomes visible. Do you have the ability to tell who's lying and twisting the Bible scriptures for their benefit or personal gain?

Bible verses that are clearly written, shouldn't have any hidden messages. "Thou shall not murder," is easy to interpret, once you understand what all four of these words mean and this task can easily be accomplished with a dictionary.

Thou - refers to you, the person being addressed or written to.

Shall - it will happen in the future or is intended to happen.

Not - is often used to express refusal, denial or the negation of the statement, just made.

Murder - the crime of killing another person deliberately and not in self-defense.

With the definition of these four words sitting right in front of us, you could still interpret this Bible verse in the few different ways. I'm going to take a stab at it and interpret it as I see it.

"You should not kill another person deliberately or outside of self-defense."

This means that I am not allowed to kill anyone, in the name of God, during war, or for any other reason except for defending myself.

When it says," Thou shall not murder," how does this apply to animals or anyone who is involved in a death sentence. Judges, lawyers, prison guards and other individuals who are directly involved in the murder of someone else.

How many other Bible verses have been manipulated for the benefit of Christianity?

God Said What

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're interested in Basic Christianity.

In North Korea - Help! Someone Call 911!

Behold one cup of rice. During the dark famine days, and in certain portions of North Korea today, in certain people groups and ages, this is the rationed amount for an entire day. Eight ounces. Eight or nine hundred calories. Every day. Until you die by starvation.

The international minimum standard for calories per day is said to be two to three times that much . North Korea sets the standard at 1,600 calories per day, about 450 grams, less than two cups per day. Some people in Korea actually are given that much. In fact Party faithful are given up to 900 grams, twice the standard set by the Kim government. Some receive as little as 300. Perhaps less.

That's one topic. The amount of food the government expects one to live on. The other topic is, even with the low NK standard, will North Korea have enough food to meet its goals? If the state is now giving, as I have read elsewhere, 550 grams per day to its adults and 300 to children and elderly,that's 15 million persons times 550, and 7 million persons times 300. Therefore, 12,000 + tons of grain per day, or nearly 4 million tons per year.

Can North Korea produce 4 million tons per year? It hasn't always. During the famine years of the 90's it was about half that much. No one is daring to say that the situation has improved dramatically, only mildly. Free markets have popped up here and there but if the rice isn't there to sell, the proper economy means nothing.

And don't forget the recent floods. And don't forget how donated foods are still misdirected to feed the government's loyal ones. There is still so much to do. In fairness, there are projects scattered over the country attempting to right the problem. But so far no one has come up with a workable solution.

No, we're not out of the rice fields yet.

On the way home tonight, the car in front of me on the freeway suddenly veered to the center lane and almost crashed into a truck. Then a hard right and off went that same car went onto the shoulder and beyond, finally turning on its side and sending up a stream of smoke. I was shaken. I pulled over, got out of my car, and since I do not carry a cell phone, I began madly waving my arms to try to get people to stop and/or call 911. Many did, both. And creative Americans found the way to get the needy victim taken care of. They smashed a window. Pulled the man out, as it was obvious he was not only conscious -though bleeding- but quite aware of what was happening and willing to cooperate. He'll be fine now.

Perhaps I philosophize too much, but it occurred to me as I climbed back in my little car, shaking but thankful, that there are some of us, due to age, due to lacking skills, etc. whose only job is to wave our arms and hope that God will send help. Maybe there's some creative prayer warrior, some gifted financier, some talented economist, who will get on over to North Korea and start doing what needs to be done. Surely most of us don't have things on our agenda that are more important? I mean, I wanted to get home tonight after a day at work. But this man who was possibly dying in a car...

Anybody out there? These articles are not written to make people cry and sigh, but to motivate them to action. Chosun is in serious trouble. Dying as a nation. Almost totally without Christ. Doomed therefore forever. Hidden from the light and the truth found in Jesus Christ alone. There's got to be something you can do. Will you pull over and help a vehicle spinning out of control?

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.