The last two weeks I have found myself stressing about some conflicts I thought I would be facing with people and my stress level had become greatly increased. In fact, I found myself so preoccupied with the possible confrontations I started to despair and was convinced I was going to lose out in every one of the three issues. However, I found with the passage of time all three possible incidents never did occur due to extenuating circumstances i.e. God solving them.

Did you notice my continued use of the personal pronoun I? If you did and you are human, no doubt you have done the same thing, that is, being so focused on one issue that we lose sight of the big picture.

This is Satan’s greatest weapon against us; focus on small singular issues taking our eyes off the Jumbotron so to speak. If this pattern continues, not only do we get distracted but our attitude toward God takes on a negative tone and things go downhill from there.

I won’t say all problems get resolved like the above mentioned problems but it is safe to say God will help us in time of need if we stay focused.

Remember the words of the prophet, “When the enemy comes sin like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will rise up a standard against him.” Isa 59:19 NKJ

Stop worrying, don’t get distracted and trust God, He will work it out!

The question of Iran’s potential nuclear threat is a topic that cannot be avoided but are there any answers?

For instance is Iran a threat regionally? If you consider Israel, you would say no but if you consider their support of Hezbollah, a radical Shia terror group, then Lebanon’s existence becomes an issue.

If you consider Iran’s support of radical terror group Hamas a Sunni organization, you not only see a threat to Egypt you see Iran using both Sunni and Shias in a combined effort against Israel.

We look at the continual attempts at negotiations; we realize that Hudna, the use of negotiations to continue proliferation while lulling your opponent to sleep is working for Iran and not the world.

Another question is, will Israel attack Iran to eliminate their nuclear threat? The answer is more than likely yes, but probably not until she stands completely isolated and the threat is too great to ignore any longer.

Remember November 4, 1979 after the U.S. Embassy was seized in Tehran and the hostages let into captivity the world received a very chilling message. The Ayatollah Khomeini declared that the war was not between the U.S. and Iran but rather Islam verses the world.

Although the questions about Iran are being focused on Israel as the primary issue, the truth is the answer lets us know Iran’s nuclear threat is a reality, both regionally and globally.

The question of Iran’s potential nuclear threat is a topic that cannot be avoided, but are there any answers?

For instance, is Iran a threat regionally? If you consider Israel, you would say no, but if you consider their support of Hezbollah, a radical Shia terror group, then Lebanon’s existence becomes an issue.

If you consider Iran’s support of radical terror group Hamas a Sunni organization, you not only see a threat to Egypt you see Iran using both Sunni and Shias in a combined effort against Israel.

We look at the continual attempts at negotiations; we realize that Hudna, the use of negotiations to continue proliferation while lulling your opponent to sleep is working for Iran and not the world.

Another question is, will Israel attack Iran to eliminate their nuclear threat? The answer is more than likely yes, but probably not until she stands completely isolated and the threat is too great to ignore any longer.

Remember November 4, 1979 after the U.S. Embassy was seized in Tehran and the hostages let into captivity the world received a very chilling message. The Ayatollah Khomeini declared that the war was not between the U.S. and Iran but rather Islam verses the world.

Although the questions about Iran are being focused on Israel as the primary issue and answers to these questions but the truth is the answer lets us know Iran’s nuclear threat is a reality both regional and global.

The last two weeks I have found myself stressing about some conflicts I thought I would be facing with people, and my stress level had become greatly increased. In fact, as I found myself so preoccupied with the possible confrontations I started to despair and was convinced I was going to lose out in every one of the three issues. However, I found with the passage of time all three possible incidents never did occur due to extenuating circumstances i.e. God solving them.

Did you notice my continued use of the personal pronoun I? If you did and you are human, no doubt you have done the same thing, that is, being so focused on one issue that we lose sight of the big picture.

This is Satan’s greatest weapon against us; focus on small singular issues taking our eyes off the Jumbotron so to speak. If this pattern continues, not only do we get distracted but our attitude toward God takes on a negative tone and things go downhill from there.

I won’t say all problems get resolved like the above mentioned problems but it is safe to say God will help us in time of need if we stay focused.

Remember the words of the prophet, “When the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him.” Isa 59:19 NKJ

Stop worrying, don’t get distracted and trust God, He will work it out!

I like Peter Wagner’s evaluation of people wanting to change things when he said, “Indifferent people cannot make a different world.” While indifference seems to be not a very strong indication, remember if indifference goes unchecked, serious problems arise.

Think of Hitler’s Germany, where so many people were indifferent to the government’s treatment of the Jews and before it was over their indifference would lead to joining in the persecution or having to fight against it.

World leaders have been indifferent to Iran’s nuclear proliferation only to now realize just how serious the threat to the world it really is. While the list could go on and on, indifference seems to always be the precursor in history prior to things changing dramatically.

The world as a whole is crying out for, protesting for, even demanding changes be made, yet within this dynamic lies many indifferent people. Christians today certainly are the ones that need not be indifferent to things. Rather we should be found seeking G-d’s will and how we can fill in the gaps and choosing the correct causes.

Prior to Jesus’ ascension He appeared to His eleven closest disciples and in Matthew 28:17 we read that they worshipped as a group but some doubted. Indifference was found even in this great gathering of disciples, but the indifference soon became changed as the Holy Spirit directed lives. May we all be found that way so the right changes can be made.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem has been the site of Palestinian activity. While minor in scope at the moment, it could lead to yet another “Intifadah” uprising.

When these uprisings occur  it obviously hurts Israel,  but there is much damage done to the Palestinian/Arab side that goes  unreported. The last Intifadah started by Yasser Arafat stifled an Israeli- Jordanian plan to develop a potash plant that would have brought many jobs and new prosperity to both sides.

Currently the unrest on the Temple Mount and within Israel’s borders has the potential to upset many key issues.

First: Iranian interference with the Palestinians would up the ante of Israel’s ability to strike at Iran and defend her internal security needs,  and lets the Jewish State realize what could happen should they choose to strike.

Second: The Syrian/Iranian pollution of the system also sets the tone for a new wave of violence that could emanate from both he southern Lebanon and Syrian borders. Further, the reality of the unrest,  although subsided for the moment,  can be used as a great tool of negotiation as Islam seeks to regain total control of Jerusalem.

Looking at the possibilities that can develop in the near future the unrest on the Temple Mount is far more than just a few subversive militants or frustrated Palestinians.

Should another Intifadah break out the ramifications are serious indeed,  but sadly,  like the others,  it will be another case of both sides not giving anything except a list of casualties, a shattered peace process, and no real hope of peace for the future.

I like Peter Wagner’s evaluation of people wanting to change things when he said, “Indifferent people cannot make a different world.” While indifference seems to be not a very strong indication,  remember if indifference goes unchecked,  serious problems arise.

Think of Hitler’s Germany where so many people were indifferent to the government’s treatment of the Jews, and before it was over their indifference would lead to joining in the persecution or having to fight against it.

World leaders have been indifferent to Iran’s nuclear proliferation only to now realize just how serious the threat to the world it really is. While the list could go on and on,  indifference seems to always be the precursor in history prior to things changing dramatically.

The world as a whole is crying out for, protesting for, even demanding changes be made, yet within this dynamic lies many indifferent people. Christians today certainly are the ones that need not be indifferent to things but rather we should be found seeking God’s will and how we can fill in the gaps and choosing the correct causes.

Prior to Jesus’ ascension He appeared to His eleven closest disciples,  and in Matthew 28:17 we read that they worshipped as a group but some doubted. Indifference was found even in this great gathering of disciples,  but the indifference soon  changed as the Holy Spirit directed lives.  May we all be found that way so the right changes can be made.

]]> http://pastorsteveatpca.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/time-to-decide/feed/ 0 chris http://pastorsteveatpca.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/%e2%80%9cno-one-wins%e2%80%9d/ http://pastorsteveatpca.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/%e2%80%9cno-one-wins%e2%80%9d/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:46:13 +0000 Christine http://pastorsteveatpca.wordpress.com/?p=553 ]]>

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem has been the site of Palestinian activity. While minor in scope at the moment, it could lead to yet another “Intifadah” uprising.

When these uprisings occur it obviously hurts Israel, but there is much damage done to the Palestinian/Arab side that goes  unreported.  The last Intifadah started by Yasser Arafat stifled an Israeli Jordanian plan to develop a potash plant that would have brought many jobs and new prosperity to both sides.

Currently the unrest on the Temple Mount and within Israel’s borders has the potential to upset many key issues. First, Iranian interference with the Palestinians would up the ante of Israel’s ability to strike at Iran and defend her internal security needs, and lets the Jewish State realize what could happen should they choose to strike.

Second,  The Syrian/Iranian pollution of the system also sets the tone for a new wave of violence that could emanate from both he southern Lebanon and Syrian borders. Further, the reality of the unrest, although subsided for the moment, can be used as a great tool of negotiation as Islam seeks to regain total control of Jerusalem.

Looking at the possibilities that can develop in the near future,  the unrest on the Temple Mount is far more than just a few subversive militants or frustrated Palestinians.

Should another Intifadah break out the ramifications are serious indeed,  but sadly,  like the others , it will be another case of both sides not giving anything except a list of casualties, a shattered peace process and no real hope of peace for the future.

The old cliché states “history always repeats itself” but have you ever wondered why this is true?

It is because of us. That is, mankind.And history bears this out in the fact that there are so many years of war as opposed to so  few years of peace.

First – James 4:1-3 defines wars coming from the internal mechanism that bypasses God’s desire. Therefore it is our lust and need to temporarily satisfy that lust that causes conflict.

Second – Mankind has an incredible ability to mess up a good thing, starting with Adam and Eve all the way up to the very present moment. Some empires start off good and go bad, some are evil from the onset but that self destructive nature always overrides morals and ethics.

Assyria, Persia, Greece, both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, Arab Empire, Mameluke Ottoman Empire, Spanish, Romanov Russia and the Empire of Great Britain all had common bonds. Every world superpower made advances in every area possible: arts, education, engineering, and science.

All of the above world powers had another parallel, they lasted an average of 238 years. Time always works against any entity, nation or political force that does not keep God at the center of its operation, because we are by nature children of wrath – Eph. 2:3

That’s why I pray for Jesus’ Kingdom to come because His government will never end and it will be righteous and equitable for all.

During the glory days of Rome,  a great famine held the Northern African colonies in a death grip. How happy the starving people were to see the Roman galleons off in the distance crying, “Caesar has sent the ships!”

The tragic reality brought the story to end in quick fashion as the deprived citizens of Rome realized the only cargo on the ships was sawdust for the floors of the circuses being dispatched to the Roman colonies.

Today as our country is in the grips of such financial dismay how many of us stand looking to the horizon for our ship to come in and bring the relief so desperately needed. Many are longing for food, medical supplies and even financial support only to be sadly disappointed that, for whatever reason, it just is not there.

Yet, many of us forget there is a G-d that watches over us ready, willing and available to meet any and all of our needs. Sadly we take our eyes off of Jesus in the storm and begin to sink as our trust is not in G-d but rather in the system.

We can never forget that G-d is our source. The widow that trusted the word of the prophet saw unlimited provision even in the midst of a horrible drought. I Kings 17:7-16.

Yes things are bad but with god we need not fear. Put your trust in G-d, He will never fail you even when the system does!