It was back in 1995 when Hannah Clark had a donor heart grafted onto her own failing organ. It was a radical attempt to say the least. And today, the heart of the 16-year old has miraculously healed itself enough so that doctors could remove the donated one. Dr. Douglas Zipes, a past president of the American College of Cardiology, stated concerning the procedure, "This shows that the heart can indeed repair itself if given the opportunity."
The amazing healing powers of the human body reminds Bible believers of the words of the Psalmist in chapter 139 and verses 13-14. “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works.” And for those who doubt the existence of a Creator God, they need look no further than the intricacies and miracle that is the human body.
Christians will also recognize that, while the physical heart may regenerate itself to some degree, the spiritual heart is fully incapable of any repairs. Jeremiah 17:9 describes this heart in the following terms. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” And results of a sinful and broken heart are outlined in Romans 3:10-12. “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”
The only solution to a dead and decaying spiritual heart is revealed in Romans 10:9-11. Paul writes there, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Then when a person comes to Christ in faith, a spiritual surgery takes place with truly miraculous and lasting results.
Hopefully the regeneration of of Hannah Clark’s physical heart has already, or will, give her the precious opportunity to have divine surgery performed on her spiritual one. And, if so, she will find that Christ does not just repair the old heart, but He fully replaces it with an all new one!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Bill Breckenridge
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mourning the Temple
On July 9, observant Jews began a three-week period of mourning which will culminate on Tisha B’Av ("the ninth of Av"), the most sobering day of the Jewish calendar. For three weeks beginning on the 17th day of the Jewish month of Tammuz, Jews who sincerely recall the date’s past significance avoid weddings or haircuts and pray special prayers of remorse and plead for forgiveness.
Tammuz 17 is thought to be the day when Nebuchadnezzar broke into Jerusalem after a long siege. Three weeks later, on the 9th of Av, the First Temple (also known as Solomon’s Temple) was destroyed.
In a remarkable quirk of history, the Second Temple, known as Herod’s Temple and the one visited by our Lord Jesus Christ, was also destroyed on the 9th of Av in AD 70. It was this Temple that Jesus sadly observed and of which He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2).
Tammuz 17 also recalls various other national calamities such as the cessation of temple sacrifices due to lack of sheep one year before the First Temple was destroyed. It is also said to be when Moses descended from Sinai, saw wild idolatry among his people and broke the first set of Ten Commandments.
Tisha B’Av is a day-long observance of special sadness marked by unusual mourning rituals and the avoidance of some otherwise normal activities. Jews’ grief on Tisha B’Av is well founded. If there is no actual Temple there can be no valid Judaism. There are some 613 laws of Jewish life in Old Testament edicts, and 203 of them relate to Temple observances. After the destruction of the Second Temple, accommodating rabbis ruled that the local synagogues served as substitute temples, but Jewish purists know better, and they strive to rebuild the Temple. This accounts for much tension over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is presently is controlled by Muslims.
Strangely, the Jewish month of Tammuz is named after the son of pagan Semiramis, the evil wife of Nimrod, who was the founder of Babylon and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:8 & 9. Legend says that Tammuz died and was raised to life by the power of his mother. Semiramis assumed semi-divine names such as "queen of heaven" and "mother of god." She and her son were worshipped as deities. The image of Semiramis with Tammuz became a religious mother and child idol. The cult spread, and the mother goddess cult infected Israel through wicked Jezebel.
The ancient ceremony observing the death and resurrection of Tammuz involved a sad time of mourning that turned into a forty-day fast. Biblical reference is made to this in Ezekiel 8:14. "So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz." Jeremiah 44:17–19 describes this pagan worship, elements of which are still evident in Lenten observances today, such as hot cross buns that were the "cakes" mentioned in Jer. 44:19.
How Tammuz was incorporated into the Jewish calendar as one of their months remains somewhat of a mystery. It surely is a reminder that their affection for Babylonian pagan religion led to the destruction of their temple and a 70-year exile in the land of its origin. Their reversion to paganism carried its own punishment. It’s a tragic example of Psalm 106:15: "And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul."
Regrettably, a Third Temple will appear, likely in the near future. It will be available to Antichrist, the false Messiah, who will proclaim himself God as II Thessalonians 2:4 outlines. Only when there is full national repentance for their rejection of Messiah and they accept Him will Jewish remorse bear spiritual fruit and the Temple will be theirs.
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10-11)
"Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both."’" (Zech. 6:12-13)
Dave Virkler
Tammuz 17 is thought to be the day when Nebuchadnezzar broke into Jerusalem after a long siege. Three weeks later, on the 9th of Av, the First Temple (also known as Solomon’s Temple) was destroyed.
In a remarkable quirk of history, the Second Temple, known as Herod’s Temple and the one visited by our Lord Jesus Christ, was also destroyed on the 9th of Av in AD 70. It was this Temple that Jesus sadly observed and of which He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2).
Tammuz 17 also recalls various other national calamities such as the cessation of temple sacrifices due to lack of sheep one year before the First Temple was destroyed. It is also said to be when Moses descended from Sinai, saw wild idolatry among his people and broke the first set of Ten Commandments.
Tisha B’Av is a day-long observance of special sadness marked by unusual mourning rituals and the avoidance of some otherwise normal activities. Jews’ grief on Tisha B’Av is well founded. If there is no actual Temple there can be no valid Judaism. There are some 613 laws of Jewish life in Old Testament edicts, and 203 of them relate to Temple observances. After the destruction of the Second Temple, accommodating rabbis ruled that the local synagogues served as substitute temples, but Jewish purists know better, and they strive to rebuild the Temple. This accounts for much tension over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is presently is controlled by Muslims.
Strangely, the Jewish month of Tammuz is named after the son of pagan Semiramis, the evil wife of Nimrod, who was the founder of Babylon and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:8 & 9. Legend says that Tammuz died and was raised to life by the power of his mother. Semiramis assumed semi-divine names such as "queen of heaven" and "mother of god." She and her son were worshipped as deities. The image of Semiramis with Tammuz became a religious mother and child idol. The cult spread, and the mother goddess cult infected Israel through wicked Jezebel.
The ancient ceremony observing the death and resurrection of Tammuz involved a sad time of mourning that turned into a forty-day fast. Biblical reference is made to this in Ezekiel 8:14. "So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz." Jeremiah 44:17–19 describes this pagan worship, elements of which are still evident in Lenten observances today, such as hot cross buns that were the "cakes" mentioned in Jer. 44:19.
How Tammuz was incorporated into the Jewish calendar as one of their months remains somewhat of a mystery. It surely is a reminder that their affection for Babylonian pagan religion led to the destruction of their temple and a 70-year exile in the land of its origin. Their reversion to paganism carried its own punishment. It’s a tragic example of Psalm 106:15: "And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul."
Regrettably, a Third Temple will appear, likely in the near future. It will be available to Antichrist, the false Messiah, who will proclaim himself God as II Thessalonians 2:4 outlines. Only when there is full national repentance for their rejection of Messiah and they accept Him will Jewish remorse bear spiritual fruit and the Temple will be theirs.
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10-11)
"Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both."’" (Zech. 6:12-13)
Dave Virkler
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Pastor Seeks Christian/Muslim Union
Mega-church pastor Rick Warren, known for his best seller ‘The Purpose Driven Life’, has again raised some eyebrows in the evangelical community. This time it was for his attendance and remarks at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America.
Warren told several thousand American Muslims that "The two largest faiths on the planet must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.” The pastor described the problems as the “five global giants" - specifically war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy. During his 20-minute long speech Warren urged Muslims and Christians to “respect each other even while disagreeing”.
Pastor Warren cannot be faulted for extending a friendly hand to those of another faith. Jesus would no doubt have done the same. He cannot be faulted for addressing the “five global giants” that plague humanity and cause universal suffering. Jesus would have felt likewise. And Warren cannot be faulted for speaking about destructive stereotypes – something Jesus would also have seen as sin. But with that said, there remains the questionable matter of working together for good in the light of those little spiritual and religious ‘disagreements’. That might have raised the eyebrows of the Lord depending on what those disagreements are, where they lead, and how they are handled.
It is all well and good to treat people well, break destructive stereotypes, and work together for the common good. But when dueling religious systems converge during those efforts there must be, at some point, a serious spiritual encounter. There must come from the Christian context a moment when a ‘disagreement’, if it is over the path of salvation, must be addressed. For a true disciple of Jesus Christ to be concerned and involved in righteous causes is admirable. But to somehow stop short of sharing his or her faith along the way is eternally dangerous, negligent, and a basic denial of God’s primary plan and purpose.
The symbolic linking arms for good causes with those outside of Christ, although quite profitable, can make it quite difficult to share what matters most. It can make nearly it uncomfortable if not impossible to explain the wretched destiny of those who fail to accept the Savior and gain Him as their eternal advocate. A difference in theology concerning forgiveness of sin is not just some ‘disagreement’. It is paramount! It is simply and surely all that really matters in this life and the next!
The Bible is clear that ‘disagreements’ are not acceptable or valid in matters of redemption. Acts 4:12 puts it this way. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Then the Savior Himself worded it as clearly as He possibly could in John 14:6. “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The Bible teaches that there is simply no theological wiggle room for ‘disagreements’ in this single most crucial category. There may be more than one way from point A to point B on a road map. But the journey to heaven is a single unbroken line running from forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ to life everlasting with the Creator God.
Life in the real world often means associating with and working along side of lost people. Some will have no religion at all and other may be fully entrenched in some ‘world-class’ false one. But for the believer in Christ, all such relationships should be bathed in prayer and based on the premise of the eventual sharing God’s true plan of salvation. In the final analysis, the ‘five global giant’ problems will someday end when Christ returns. On that day, all worthy efforts to have dealt with these issues will be complete, but also quite incomplete, unless they were somehow intertwined with reaching people with forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ.
Bill Breckenridge
Warren told several thousand American Muslims that "The two largest faiths on the planet must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.” The pastor described the problems as the “five global giants" - specifically war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy. During his 20-minute long speech Warren urged Muslims and Christians to “respect each other even while disagreeing”.
Pastor Warren cannot be faulted for extending a friendly hand to those of another faith. Jesus would no doubt have done the same. He cannot be faulted for addressing the “five global giants” that plague humanity and cause universal suffering. Jesus would have felt likewise. And Warren cannot be faulted for speaking about destructive stereotypes – something Jesus would also have seen as sin. But with that said, there remains the questionable matter of working together for good in the light of those little spiritual and religious ‘disagreements’. That might have raised the eyebrows of the Lord depending on what those disagreements are, where they lead, and how they are handled.
It is all well and good to treat people well, break destructive stereotypes, and work together for the common good. But when dueling religious systems converge during those efforts there must be, at some point, a serious spiritual encounter. There must come from the Christian context a moment when a ‘disagreement’, if it is over the path of salvation, must be addressed. For a true disciple of Jesus Christ to be concerned and involved in righteous causes is admirable. But to somehow stop short of sharing his or her faith along the way is eternally dangerous, negligent, and a basic denial of God’s primary plan and purpose.
The symbolic linking arms for good causes with those outside of Christ, although quite profitable, can make it quite difficult to share what matters most. It can make nearly it uncomfortable if not impossible to explain the wretched destiny of those who fail to accept the Savior and gain Him as their eternal advocate. A difference in theology concerning forgiveness of sin is not just some ‘disagreement’. It is paramount! It is simply and surely all that really matters in this life and the next!
The Bible is clear that ‘disagreements’ are not acceptable or valid in matters of redemption. Acts 4:12 puts it this way. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Then the Savior Himself worded it as clearly as He possibly could in John 14:6. “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The Bible teaches that there is simply no theological wiggle room for ‘disagreements’ in this single most crucial category. There may be more than one way from point A to point B on a road map. But the journey to heaven is a single unbroken line running from forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ to life everlasting with the Creator God.
Life in the real world often means associating with and working along side of lost people. Some will have no religion at all and other may be fully entrenched in some ‘world-class’ false one. But for the believer in Christ, all such relationships should be bathed in prayer and based on the premise of the eventual sharing God’s true plan of salvation. In the final analysis, the ‘five global giant’ problems will someday end when Christ returns. On that day, all worthy efforts to have dealt with these issues will be complete, but also quite incomplete, unless they were somehow intertwined with reaching people with forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ.
Bill Breckenridge
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Benjamin Netanyahu and the Fourth of July
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-worn phrase. It is an expression of a vital link between Israel and America and between freedom there and freedom here.
Dave Virkler
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-worn phrase. It is an expression of a vital link between Israel and America and between freedom there and freedom here.
Dave Virkler
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
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