July 4th is a special day for our Israeli friend and ally Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Thirty years ago, July 4, 1976, he lost his brother in the famed emergency rescue of hijacked airline passengers in Entebbe, Uganda.
Edi Amin held wretched dictatorial sway in Uganda and sought to further terrorize the world by taking Jewish and other passengers off an Air France flight at the Entebbe airport. In a courageous and dangerous move, Israeli commandos swooped in by air, rescued almost all the captives and flew them to safety, deeply embarrassing Amin and his military. There was one single Israeli casualty—Yoni Netanyahu.
On Sunday, June 28, a special memorial was held at Mt. Hertzl in Jerusalem. Netanyahu spoke in remembrance of the rescue and especially of his brother.
Netanyahu appreciates both his brother’s sacrifice and America. The Prime Minister was educated in the United States, accounting for his flawless English. He spent his high school years here when his father was a history teacher in the States. Later, he received degrees from MIT and studied at Harvard. He stirred the world’s anti-terror conscience through the Jonathan Institute, which is named after his slain brother, whose nickname was Yoni.
Netanyahu previously served a term as Prime Minister. In the most recent election, he was again appointed to form the latest Israeli government and is the focus of incredible pressures from all political sides regarding the Palestinian issue and possible attack from Iran.
His appreciation for America is excelled only by his devotion to Israel. On July 1, he attended a Fourth of July Appreciation Day gathering at the home of U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham where he spoke of Israel’s great appreciation for "a close relationship with the U.S." Responding, Cunningham noted the strong US-Israeli bond and said, "The United States is committed to Israel’s security."
In a long ago freedom celebration, Israel left Egypt after sprinkling the shed blood of the lamb on the door posts and lintels and eating the slain lamb whose body was roasted over a fire on a spit. According to some scholars, the spit was a stick lengthwise and crosswise through the shoulders—a lamb on a cross. Paul said, "Christ was our Passover sacrificed for us," in I Corinthians 5:7.
Israel’s liberation and American freedom must always have a stated kinship. Mr. Netanyahu surely understands the sacrifice of his own brother to rescue the innocent passengers in Entebbe on that July 4th, and he must certainly know of Numbers 12 and the slain lamb of his Old Testament.
America’s stability and blessing is inevitably linked to recognition and support of God’s ethnic Israeli remnant as Genesis 12:3 declares. The term "Judeo-Christian ethic" is more than a well-worm phrase. It is an expression of a vital link between Israel and America and between freedom there and freedom here.
Dave Virkler
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Unrest in Honduras
Reports that the ousting of the Honduran president is a military coup are completely false. Having a deep personal interest in Honduras, I called Dr. Gene Priddy of Bible Basics International, which has an active ministry in Honduras and sponsored the two evangelism efforts in which I participated in 2005 and 2008. These home visitation and evening church meetings saw many come to Christ. Gene is in touch with local pastors in Honduras, and they contradict what most of the liberal secular media is saying.
The Honduran form of government is patterned after that of the U.S. with three counterbalancing branches of government—executive, legislative and judicial. The ousted president was attempting to change the law by personal effort through a referendum, which is illegal. He wanted another term of office, which is not permitted by Honduran law.
To accomplish this, President Zelaya was influencing poor voters by giving them items, such as farm equipment, that actually came from Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Chavez had actually shipped illegal ballots into Honduras. Zelaya ordered the military commander to distribute them, and, when he wouldn’t, Zelaya had him fired.
The Honduran legislature and Supreme Court found that was Zelaya was acting illegally and commissioned the military to arrest and remove him, which they did exiling him to Costa Rica. Gene suggested that they took him there out of compassion rather than jailing him in Honduras.
Zelaya had fallen out of favor with most Hondurans, including the Roman Catholic Church and most evangelical leaders, and even many in his own party who do not want a Chavez-type dictatorship in Honduras, but he has garnered sympathy from the UN, the Organization of American States and the U.S. government. He has said that he plans to return to Honduras. The acting president of Honduras says Zelaya will be arrested if he does.
Gene also noted that there is a group of six leftist, socialist and communist nations fomenting revolution in the area. One of these is Nicaragua, which borders Honduras on the south. There have been threats of invasion from Nicaragua.
Bible Basics International is sending another summer team on July 12 to the northern city of Puerto Cortez, which is one of the largest shipping ports in Central America. Twenty-one Americans on the team are slated to do home visitation, child evangelism and also evening family seminars and evangelism. Should there be an invasion by Nicaragua, this would likely be postponed.
Would you breathe a prayer for the team for Honduras, for the legal politicians and for our government to see the situation clearly? And pray for the Hondurans to be sensitive to the Gospel, which alone can give true spiritual freedom and lasting peace.
In a related personal story, I met a young man who is working on a housing development right behind our ministry property. I discovered that he was from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, which is the city where I ministered last July and the largest city in Honduras. I gave him a post card showing downtown San Pedro Sula along with a printed copy of my testimony and the plan of salvation in Spanish. Pray that this brief encounter will enable him to find Christ as Savior.
Dave Virkler
The Honduran form of government is patterned after that of the U.S. with three counterbalancing branches of government—executive, legislative and judicial. The ousted president was attempting to change the law by personal effort through a referendum, which is illegal. He wanted another term of office, which is not permitted by Honduran law.
To accomplish this, President Zelaya was influencing poor voters by giving them items, such as farm equipment, that actually came from Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Chavez had actually shipped illegal ballots into Honduras. Zelaya ordered the military commander to distribute them, and, when he wouldn’t, Zelaya had him fired.
The Honduran legislature and Supreme Court found that was Zelaya was acting illegally and commissioned the military to arrest and remove him, which they did exiling him to Costa Rica. Gene suggested that they took him there out of compassion rather than jailing him in Honduras.
Zelaya had fallen out of favor with most Hondurans, including the Roman Catholic Church and most evangelical leaders, and even many in his own party who do not want a Chavez-type dictatorship in Honduras, but he has garnered sympathy from the UN, the Organization of American States and the U.S. government. He has said that he plans to return to Honduras. The acting president of Honduras says Zelaya will be arrested if he does.
Gene also noted that there is a group of six leftist, socialist and communist nations fomenting revolution in the area. One of these is Nicaragua, which borders Honduras on the south. There have been threats of invasion from Nicaragua.
Bible Basics International is sending another summer team on July 12 to the northern city of Puerto Cortez, which is one of the largest shipping ports in Central America. Twenty-one Americans on the team are slated to do home visitation, child evangelism and also evening family seminars and evangelism. Should there be an invasion by Nicaragua, this would likely be postponed.
Would you breathe a prayer for the team for Honduras, for the legal politicians and for our government to see the situation clearly? And pray for the Hondurans to be sensitive to the Gospel, which alone can give true spiritual freedom and lasting peace.
In a related personal story, I met a young man who is working on a housing development right behind our ministry property. I discovered that he was from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, which is the city where I ministered last July and the largest city in Honduras. I gave him a post card showing downtown San Pedro Sula along with a printed copy of my testimony and the plan of salvation in Spanish. Pray that this brief encounter will enable him to find Christ as Savior.
Dave Virkler
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The 'King of Pop' Dead at 50
He was called the ‘King of Pop’ and was thought to be the single most recognizable person on the planet. But all of the fame, fortune, and some misfortune, came to an abrupt end when Michael Jackson shocked the world by unexpectedly dying at his home at age 50.
Fans brought new meaning to the song "I'll Be There" Tuesday, as thousands descended on the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem to honor their beloved pop star. The Rev. Al Sharpton told fans at the theater, "The spirit of Michael is here. He's bad, he's our brother, he's our friend." Mary Wimberly of Elizabeth, New Jersey, attended the show and said upon arrival, "I felt this is as close as we could get to celebrating him to a new eternal life." The singer will be remembered for his unique dancing and for perhaps for his most recognizable hit tune, “I’ll Be There”.
Michael Jackson had it all – at least from a human perspective. But he also had a sin nature like everyone ever born. For that reason alone, the “King of Pop” also needed the forgiveness of the “King of Kings, Jesus Christ, as he drew his last breath. Mary Wimberly was right in that her idol entered into a new eternity last week. But The Rev. Sharpton was dead wrong concerning Mr. Jackson’s spirit being at the Apollo - or anywhere else on earth!
The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 reveals what happens to a believer in Christ upon death. In verse 6 he writes. “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Those who die in Christ are immediately with Christ and leave nothing on earth other than memories and the lasting effects of whatever ministry they offered to God. Likewise, the spirits of all who die outside of Christ are removed from the world – only to a place of suffering as they await final judgement.
For the Christian, the motto “I’ll Be There” is the confidence and blessed hope of their faith. They need not hope or guess that they will someday be there with God in heaven for a new eternity. And their outlook is not a boasting in their own good works or attempts to please a holy God. It is rather based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and on the promise of the Scriptures. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)
The ‘King of Pop’s’ spirit is gone and his eternal fame is sealed - somewhere. But for those who yet live, they still have the golden opportunity to be able to say concerning forgiveness and eternity in heaven, "I’ll be there"!
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Bill Breckenridge
Fans brought new meaning to the song "I'll Be There" Tuesday, as thousands descended on the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem to honor their beloved pop star. The Rev. Al Sharpton told fans at the theater, "The spirit of Michael is here. He's bad, he's our brother, he's our friend." Mary Wimberly of Elizabeth, New Jersey, attended the show and said upon arrival, "I felt this is as close as we could get to celebrating him to a new eternal life." The singer will be remembered for his unique dancing and for perhaps for his most recognizable hit tune, “I’ll Be There”.
Michael Jackson had it all – at least from a human perspective. But he also had a sin nature like everyone ever born. For that reason alone, the “King of Pop” also needed the forgiveness of the “King of Kings, Jesus Christ, as he drew his last breath. Mary Wimberly was right in that her idol entered into a new eternity last week. But The Rev. Sharpton was dead wrong concerning Mr. Jackson’s spirit being at the Apollo - or anywhere else on earth!
The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 reveals what happens to a believer in Christ upon death. In verse 6 he writes. “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Those who die in Christ are immediately with Christ and leave nothing on earth other than memories and the lasting effects of whatever ministry they offered to God. Likewise, the spirits of all who die outside of Christ are removed from the world – only to a place of suffering as they await final judgement.
For the Christian, the motto “I’ll Be There” is the confidence and blessed hope of their faith. They need not hope or guess that they will someday be there with God in heaven for a new eternity. And their outlook is not a boasting in their own good works or attempts to please a holy God. It is rather based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and on the promise of the Scriptures. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)
The ‘King of Pop’s’ spirit is gone and his eternal fame is sealed - somewhere. But for those who yet live, they still have the golden opportunity to be able to say concerning forgiveness and eternity in heaven, "I’ll be there"!
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Bill Breckenridge
Will Teens Die Young?
According to new research, nearly 15% of teens today think they will die young.
Dr. Iris Borowsky, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, based the study on the responses from 20,000 kids. In the past, many teens would be involved in dangerous forms of behavior mostly because their youth made them feel nearly invincible. But today, more are engaging in certain unhealthy activities because they feel life to be hopeless and having little or nothing at stake. The study found that such thinking threatens to turn their fatalism into a self-fulfilling prophecy and that these kids are seven times more likely to suffer from AIDS, do drugs, get into fights, and even attempt suicide.
It is beyond sad to see young people living in the greatest nation on earth and possessing such a negative and destructive attitude. Why would those who have nearly unlimited opportunities, and who are the envy of most kids on the planet, feel so clueless and hopeless? And why on earth would those who live the ‘good life’ feel it to be a ‘bad life’?
The answer is simple. It has little to do with where they live, what they own, or how they feel. The answer is spiritual. At the core, hopelessness and depression is about an emptiness in the depths of the soul – irregardless of one’s current lifestyle or future prospects.
The basic reason for the presence of despair in a life is the general absence of God’s Holy Spirit in the heart. Without God, man is left alone to produce his own joy and contentment. He is left primarily to external circumstances and his own devices for gratifying internal effects. Also, statistics reveal that many who achieve great levels of outer fortune often possess limited inner peace. Again, the entire matter is all about the spiritual.
For those in God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, even the most negative external circumstances can be countered and accompanied by an unnatural inner joy. James, in his New Testament wisdom book, wrote of this unique ability in chapter one of his letter. In verse 24 he penned, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Then, too, Peter reaffirmed this amazing potential for the Christian in 1 Peter 4:12-13. “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
The unlikely scenario of possessing a consistent inner joy, come what may, is also confirmed to and guaranteed by the one who offers it as part of His salvation benefits plan. In John 15:11, Jesus stated, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.“ Paul also shares the source of spiritual joy in Romans chapter fifteen. Verse 13 states, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
For the young and old alike who struggle with hopelessness, the only sure remedy in this life and the promise of eternity with God’s in the next, is through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. This is a real and ‘living hope’ – one that explains the Christian’s unexplainable victories even in the face of life’s most unmanageable problems!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)
Bill Breckenridge
Dr. Iris Borowsky, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, based the study on the responses from 20,000 kids. In the past, many teens would be involved in dangerous forms of behavior mostly because their youth made them feel nearly invincible. But today, more are engaging in certain unhealthy activities because they feel life to be hopeless and having little or nothing at stake. The study found that such thinking threatens to turn their fatalism into a self-fulfilling prophecy and that these kids are seven times more likely to suffer from AIDS, do drugs, get into fights, and even attempt suicide.
It is beyond sad to see young people living in the greatest nation on earth and possessing such a negative and destructive attitude. Why would those who have nearly unlimited opportunities, and who are the envy of most kids on the planet, feel so clueless and hopeless? And why on earth would those who live the ‘good life’ feel it to be a ‘bad life’?
The answer is simple. It has little to do with where they live, what they own, or how they feel. The answer is spiritual. At the core, hopelessness and depression is about an emptiness in the depths of the soul – irregardless of one’s current lifestyle or future prospects.
The basic reason for the presence of despair in a life is the general absence of God’s Holy Spirit in the heart. Without God, man is left alone to produce his own joy and contentment. He is left primarily to external circumstances and his own devices for gratifying internal effects. Also, statistics reveal that many who achieve great levels of outer fortune often possess limited inner peace. Again, the entire matter is all about the spiritual.
For those in God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, even the most negative external circumstances can be countered and accompanied by an unnatural inner joy. James, in his New Testament wisdom book, wrote of this unique ability in chapter one of his letter. In verse 24 he penned, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Then, too, Peter reaffirmed this amazing potential for the Christian in 1 Peter 4:12-13. “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
The unlikely scenario of possessing a consistent inner joy, come what may, is also confirmed to and guaranteed by the one who offers it as part of His salvation benefits plan. In John 15:11, Jesus stated, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.“ Paul also shares the source of spiritual joy in Romans chapter fifteen. Verse 13 states, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
For the young and old alike who struggle with hopelessness, the only sure remedy in this life and the promise of eternity with God’s in the next, is through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. This is a real and ‘living hope’ – one that explains the Christian’s unexplainable victories even in the face of life’s most unmanageable problems!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)
Bill Breckenridge
Monday, June 22, 2009
Current Unrest, Ancient Origin
Tehran has exploded as thousands have taken to the streets to object to what they assume was a rigged presidential election in Iran. Although the two top contenders are close in philosophy, the 60% of the populace that is under age 30 has multiple grievances regarding religious and political oppression overall. In modern times, that part of the world has known little stability, and the American government is sometimes justifiably sluggish in backing friends or denouncing foes. An eight-year war between Iraq and Iran formerly put the U.S. on the side of Saddam Hussein only to later oppose and depose him in the Gulf Wars.
It is little wonder that there is continuing commotion in Iraq and Iran.
Iraq is home to Babylon, Ur and Nineveh. The Tigris River (called Hiddekel in Gen. 2:14) and Euphrates River, waters of great prophetic significance, flow through Iraq. These rivers’ termination evidently was in the Garden of Eden where Satan’s deception flourished in Adam and Eve’s fall. Eden’s presumed location at the northern end of the Persian Gulf is adjacent to Iran, the current focus of strife.
Iran is actually the heartland of ancient Persia, the second most mentioned land area in the Bible and the kingdom that displaced Babylon. In Daniel 5, the famed "handwriting on the wall" spelled out Babylonian King Belshazzar’s wretched end. Iran was called Persia until 1935, and its language and culture is more Persian than Arabic. About the time of its name change, Iranian ambassadors to Germany developed a fondness for Hitler. The theme of Hitler’s "Aryan Supremacy" actually found its way into the modern name. Iran is close to Aryan, a language of Indo-Europeans, which the Iranians really are.
Daniel’s four-kingdom prophecies found in Daniel 2 and 7 included that second kingdom of Media-Persia. Daniel 10:13 gives us insight into the territorial demon influence of the area. That is not surprising since Ur, which is Abraham’s birthplace, and the site of the Garden of Eden are nearby. Supernatural collision in that land area is revealed as "the Prince of Persia" contests the angel Gabriel, who is on a mission to share divine truth with a mortal prophet. This passage indicates that strong demon powers hover there, and, if there is no easy analysis of perpetual unrest, it may be the result of confusing supernatural evil activity.
Also consider that there are more Jews living in Iran than any other Middle Eastern country. In his book "Inside the Revolution," Joel Rosenberg says, "…the big untold story is that more Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ than at any other time in human history." Further, quoting a mission leader, he writes, "… I personally believe that if every Iranian who secretly believes in Jesus could come forward right now and declare his or her faith publicly, the number would top one million."
We should be praying for the unrest to bring about a more favorable climate for Christian belief and evangelism. President Obama and his advisors on the Middle East need our fervent intercessory prayers. The area strife and confusion may never be resolved until Christ reigns in the Millenium. Until then, we hope and pray for at least a minimum of unrest so that God’s spiritual purposes may be realized.
Dave Virkler
It is little wonder that there is continuing commotion in Iraq and Iran.
Iraq is home to Babylon, Ur and Nineveh. The Tigris River (called Hiddekel in Gen. 2:14) and Euphrates River, waters of great prophetic significance, flow through Iraq. These rivers’ termination evidently was in the Garden of Eden where Satan’s deception flourished in Adam and Eve’s fall. Eden’s presumed location at the northern end of the Persian Gulf is adjacent to Iran, the current focus of strife.
Iran is actually the heartland of ancient Persia, the second most mentioned land area in the Bible and the kingdom that displaced Babylon. In Daniel 5, the famed "handwriting on the wall" spelled out Babylonian King Belshazzar’s wretched end. Iran was called Persia until 1935, and its language and culture is more Persian than Arabic. About the time of its name change, Iranian ambassadors to Germany developed a fondness for Hitler. The theme of Hitler’s "Aryan Supremacy" actually found its way into the modern name. Iran is close to Aryan, a language of Indo-Europeans, which the Iranians really are.
Daniel’s four-kingdom prophecies found in Daniel 2 and 7 included that second kingdom of Media-Persia. Daniel 10:13 gives us insight into the territorial demon influence of the area. That is not surprising since Ur, which is Abraham’s birthplace, and the site of the Garden of Eden are nearby. Supernatural collision in that land area is revealed as "the Prince of Persia" contests the angel Gabriel, who is on a mission to share divine truth with a mortal prophet. This passage indicates that strong demon powers hover there, and, if there is no easy analysis of perpetual unrest, it may be the result of confusing supernatural evil activity.
Also consider that there are more Jews living in Iran than any other Middle Eastern country. In his book "Inside the Revolution," Joel Rosenberg says, "…the big untold story is that more Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ than at any other time in human history." Further, quoting a mission leader, he writes, "… I personally believe that if every Iranian who secretly believes in Jesus could come forward right now and declare his or her faith publicly, the number would top one million."
We should be praying for the unrest to bring about a more favorable climate for Christian belief and evangelism. President Obama and his advisors on the Middle East need our fervent intercessory prayers. The area strife and confusion may never be resolved until Christ reigns in the Millenium. Until then, we hope and pray for at least a minimum of unrest so that God’s spiritual purposes may be realized.
Dave Virkler
Friday, June 19, 2009
Taking the Controls
During the flight from Brussels to Newark, no one outside the capable crew knew that 60-year old Continental Airlines Captain Craig Lenell had died at the controls of the huge airliner. At first, fellow crew members thought he was asleep since he’d had recent physicals and was believed to be in perfect physical condition.
With seamless transition, the two co-pilots took control, and no passengers were even aware of fruitless defibrillation efforts in the cabin by an on-board physician passenger. The flight crew went about their business without spreading the unrest that word of an in-flight death might cause.
Without missing a step, the crew flew on to a safe landing and the attendants cheerfully served the passengers. Passengers heard of the captain’s fate only after landing.
This astounding saga carries some profound spiritual lessons.
Death may strike anywhere, any time and anyone. As children of Adam, our mortality is a settled fact with uncertain timing. As Romans 5:12 promises, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." Every human was riding with Adam when he sinned away his natural fellowship with God. Death was selective in Captain Lenell’s case but comprehensive in Adam’s descendants.
Death is a surprise to many unsuspecting souls who think they are immune from its ravages. James 1:11 likens us to shriveling vegetation. "For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits." Death was likened to a marching soldier without the order to halt in Ecclesiastes 8:8. "No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war …"
Someone once said, "When it comes time to die, make sure the only thing left to do is die." It can be said of the good captain that he died at his post doing his life’s work, which his wife reports was his abiding passion. The tombstone of a well-known mountaineer bears his finest commendation: "He died climbing."
Another encouraging lesson from the cross-Atlantic passing is the immediate action of the well-trained crew. Recalling the well-trained and capable crewmembers is a happy afterthought for the unaware passengers. They reacted superbly and will be remembered for grace under
duress.
It is a lesson for believers everywhere. None of us is indispensable, and we may be called Homeward at any moment. If our churches and families are trained for transition, life will continue as understudies take our place on a moment’s notice.
Joshua trained under Moses, fighting the enemy at his command (Exodus 17:9), going to Mt. Sinai with the great lawgiver (Ex. 24:13), and staying by Moses in troubled times (Ex. 33:11). Finally, the mantle was passed, and, as God prepared to take Moses, he was instructed to pass the baton of leadership to Joshua.
One of the greatest political, moral and military rites of passage in all history is found in Deuteronomy 31:6-8:
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
Moses had flown the national plane of Israel to the border of the Promised Land. Joshua took the controls and landed his people safely in Canaan.
Perhaps true leadership is knowing when to transfer authority to God’s appointed successors. In the heights over the Atlantic, that transition came quickly and without warning. Those waiting in the wings nobly took center stage, and the flight went on to a safe landing.
Good lessons for all of us.
Dave Virkler
With seamless transition, the two co-pilots took control, and no passengers were even aware of fruitless defibrillation efforts in the cabin by an on-board physician passenger. The flight crew went about their business without spreading the unrest that word of an in-flight death might cause.
Without missing a step, the crew flew on to a safe landing and the attendants cheerfully served the passengers. Passengers heard of the captain’s fate only after landing.
This astounding saga carries some profound spiritual lessons.
Death may strike anywhere, any time and anyone. As children of Adam, our mortality is a settled fact with uncertain timing. As Romans 5:12 promises, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." Every human was riding with Adam when he sinned away his natural fellowship with God. Death was selective in Captain Lenell’s case but comprehensive in Adam’s descendants.
Death is a surprise to many unsuspecting souls who think they are immune from its ravages. James 1:11 likens us to shriveling vegetation. "For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits." Death was likened to a marching soldier without the order to halt in Ecclesiastes 8:8. "No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war …"
Someone once said, "When it comes time to die, make sure the only thing left to do is die." It can be said of the good captain that he died at his post doing his life’s work, which his wife reports was his abiding passion. The tombstone of a well-known mountaineer bears his finest commendation: "He died climbing."
Another encouraging lesson from the cross-Atlantic passing is the immediate action of the well-trained crew. Recalling the well-trained and capable crewmembers is a happy afterthought for the unaware passengers. They reacted superbly and will be remembered for grace under
duress.
It is a lesson for believers everywhere. None of us is indispensable, and we may be called Homeward at any moment. If our churches and families are trained for transition, life will continue as understudies take our place on a moment’s notice.
Joshua trained under Moses, fighting the enemy at his command (Exodus 17:9), going to Mt. Sinai with the great lawgiver (Ex. 24:13), and staying by Moses in troubled times (Ex. 33:11). Finally, the mantle was passed, and, as God prepared to take Moses, he was instructed to pass the baton of leadership to Joshua.
One of the greatest political, moral and military rites of passage in all history is found in Deuteronomy 31:6-8:
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
Moses had flown the national plane of Israel to the border of the Promised Land. Joshua took the controls and landed his people safely in Canaan.
Perhaps true leadership is knowing when to transfer authority to God’s appointed successors. In the heights over the Atlantic, that transition came quickly and without warning. Those waiting in the wings nobly took center stage, and the flight went on to a safe landing.
Good lessons for all of us.
Dave Virkler
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
NHL Cup = Battle of The Birds
People were standing 20 deep on some streets and throwing black and gold confetti. Others were dressed in the team jersey, with some clinging to handmade replicas of the most recognizable trophy in all of professional sports.
It was all about the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the highly coveted ‘holy grail’ of sports – the Stanley Cup! The memorable series came down to a game 7 and a narrow 2-1 final score. The last furious minutes saw a talented and desperate Detroit Red Wings hitting the goal post and then being denied a chance at overtime by a miraculous save by a young Pittsburgh goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury. The staggering save, with just precious seconds left on the clock, will be a haunting memory for the losers in red for years to come. The series was a rematch of last year’s final, but this time around the hungry and younger Pens prevailed.
The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. It was established in 1893, and winning it requires more than just physical skill or talent. It is also about pure survival. The vicious nature of the game and the intense grinding playoff stretch has been likened more to a war zone than a mere sporting event. And no single championship is more highly valued by or sought after by those who sacrifice everything to win it.
The reason is simple. To win the Stanley Cup is to also to have one’s name literally inscribed on the 35 pound piece of hardware. It is seen as almost becoming immortal. It is an exclusive fraternity and even many of the greatest have done everything imaginable in the sport, only to see the cup elude their grasp. And most everyone who has ever played the sport, at any level, has at some point dreamed of being honored in such a lasting and unique way.
Again, the inscribing of names into the rings of hockey’s grand trophy is every player’s fantasy. It certainly was the dream of this young fanatic. But the seeming permanence of the cup and its long history will not last forever – not according to the Bible. In 2 Peter 3:10 the apostle spoke about a future day that will see the physical creation literally and fully burn away. Verse 10 reads, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
The Scriptures teach that material things are but temporary – all of them. That’s why the Savior stressed the point as He did in Matthew chapter six. Beginning in verse 19 He warned, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Then John wrote about a future day of judgement and revealed the existence of a literal book containing a list of literal names. It is also comprised of a very select group – namely who possess salvation through personal faith in Jesus Christ. (Revelation 21:27) Paul also spoke of this exclusive book club in Philippians 4:3 and how it contained the names of his fellow workers in the ministry.
The vast majority will proceed through their brief and rather pointless lives seeking material security and comfort and often worldly fame and fortune. Some will achieve great things - humanly speaking, A select few may even experience mountain top sensations like seeing their name fastened on Lord Stanley’s unique trophy. But worldly glory will someday become eternally gloomy if, at life’s end, one’s name has been restricted from the book of Lord Jesus. An absence there will mean a presence elsewhere and in a place of unimaginable torment! (Mark 9: 43-48)
Ultimately, all must address and answer the question of all questions posed by Jesus himself in Matthew 16:26-27. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Certainly the obvious answer is nothing humanly or earthly speaking – including the likes of a Stanley Cup! To ignore the question is to remain spiritually lost. But for those found in Christ, that all-important question has been answered and forever settled. Their names forever reside in His special book.
- Theirs is a life characterized by exchange – an exchange of sinfulness for righteousness, of selfishness for godliness, and of carnality for spirituality. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Theirs is a life that has been saved through the sacrifice of Christ and not by some feeble, self-styled, extended effort to try to please, in vain, a holy God. (Hebrews 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Theirs is a life filled with the blessings of God’s infinite power, love, hope and peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Theirs is a life of responsibility and service to their Savior (Ephesians 2:10)
- And theirs is a life complete with the God-given promise of a glorious future that can never be tarnished or taken away. Eternal wrath has been replaced by eternal rewards for those things done in God’s name and in His strength. (Revelation 22:12-13)
Only a select few will ever appear on a silver ring on hockey’s great Stanley Cup. But any who are willing can make their way through faith into the pages of God’s eternal book.“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Bill Breckenridge
It was all about the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the highly coveted ‘holy grail’ of sports – the Stanley Cup! The memorable series came down to a game 7 and a narrow 2-1 final score. The last furious minutes saw a talented and desperate Detroit Red Wings hitting the goal post and then being denied a chance at overtime by a miraculous save by a young Pittsburgh goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury. The staggering save, with just precious seconds left on the clock, will be a haunting memory for the losers in red for years to come. The series was a rematch of last year’s final, but this time around the hungry and younger Pens prevailed.
The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. It was established in 1893, and winning it requires more than just physical skill or talent. It is also about pure survival. The vicious nature of the game and the intense grinding playoff stretch has been likened more to a war zone than a mere sporting event. And no single championship is more highly valued by or sought after by those who sacrifice everything to win it.
The reason is simple. To win the Stanley Cup is to also to have one’s name literally inscribed on the 35 pound piece of hardware. It is seen as almost becoming immortal. It is an exclusive fraternity and even many of the greatest have done everything imaginable in the sport, only to see the cup elude their grasp. And most everyone who has ever played the sport, at any level, has at some point dreamed of being honored in such a lasting and unique way.
Again, the inscribing of names into the rings of hockey’s grand trophy is every player’s fantasy. It certainly was the dream of this young fanatic. But the seeming permanence of the cup and its long history will not last forever – not according to the Bible. In 2 Peter 3:10 the apostle spoke about a future day that will see the physical creation literally and fully burn away. Verse 10 reads, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
The Scriptures teach that material things are but temporary – all of them. That’s why the Savior stressed the point as He did in Matthew chapter six. Beginning in verse 19 He warned, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Then John wrote about a future day of judgement and revealed the existence of a literal book containing a list of literal names. It is also comprised of a very select group – namely who possess salvation through personal faith in Jesus Christ. (Revelation 21:27) Paul also spoke of this exclusive book club in Philippians 4:3 and how it contained the names of his fellow workers in the ministry.
The vast majority will proceed through their brief and rather pointless lives seeking material security and comfort and often worldly fame and fortune. Some will achieve great things - humanly speaking, A select few may even experience mountain top sensations like seeing their name fastened on Lord Stanley’s unique trophy. But worldly glory will someday become eternally gloomy if, at life’s end, one’s name has been restricted from the book of Lord Jesus. An absence there will mean a presence elsewhere and in a place of unimaginable torment! (Mark 9: 43-48)
Ultimately, all must address and answer the question of all questions posed by Jesus himself in Matthew 16:26-27. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Certainly the obvious answer is nothing humanly or earthly speaking – including the likes of a Stanley Cup! To ignore the question is to remain spiritually lost. But for those found in Christ, that all-important question has been answered and forever settled. Their names forever reside in His special book.
- Theirs is a life characterized by exchange – an exchange of sinfulness for righteousness, of selfishness for godliness, and of carnality for spirituality. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Theirs is a life that has been saved through the sacrifice of Christ and not by some feeble, self-styled, extended effort to try to please, in vain, a holy God. (Hebrews 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Theirs is a life filled with the blessings of God’s infinite power, love, hope and peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Theirs is a life of responsibility and service to their Savior (Ephesians 2:10)
- And theirs is a life complete with the God-given promise of a glorious future that can never be tarnished or taken away. Eternal wrath has been replaced by eternal rewards for those things done in God’s name and in His strength. (Revelation 22:12-13)
Only a select few will ever appear on a silver ring on hockey’s great Stanley Cup. But any who are willing can make their way through faith into the pages of God’s eternal book.“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Bill Breckenridge
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
