Sunday, September 1, 2019

Remembering Valerie Harper by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller

 
September 1 - 7, 2019 / 1 Elul 5779
 
  

Elul: How to Realistically Change the World

by Rabbi Benjamin Blech
  

[VIDEO] Message in the Western Wall: A True Story

by Rabbi Yaakov Cohen
  

“Our Boys”: The HBO Series Uses a Jewish Tragedy to Condemn Israeli Society

by Rabbi Benjamin Blech
  

Discovering Love: Celebrating My First Wedding Anniversary

by Sigalleitt Sharel
  

Elul: If Not Now, When?

by Emuna Braverman
  

Remembering Valerie Harper

by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
Weekly Torah Portion Click Here...
 
Today's Quote – Elul 1
Worrying Does Not Empty
Today's Photo – Elul 1
Herd of Sheep in Beit Shemesh
This stunning photo by Yosef Symonds of a herd of sheep in Beit Shemesh, reminiscent of biblical times in the Land of Israel.
 
 

Featured at Aish.com

 
 
ADHD Helped My Granny Survive Auschwitz
 
Rebbetzin Faigy Hoch: My Teacher, My Friend
 
 
One Intermarried Couple's Journey
 
[TODAY'S RECIPE] Let’s Go Moroccan
 
 
 
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Into the Light :: By John Lysaught

Published on:  by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles, John Lysaught
John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
The world is trying to extinguish the light of believers. At work, in the media, in entertainment, and in society in general, believers are being set aside for worldly morals and values that are getting more contrary to God’s light and into darkness quickly. We have to maneuver this world and shine the Light of God into our lives and the lives of others. There is darkness all around and the battle is here; and many people are turning from God and trying to destroy believers.
It is sad to see the depravity of man do this. Those opposed to God want to force-feed us their beliefs. They want to cover our light and place us in dark places to not be seen or heard. They want to change us, but will take silencing us as the alternative. Is this working? Yes, it is. If it weren’t, we would not be in the middle of this mess, and I’d be writing something else. But here we are, in the middle of the storm of the prelude to the coming of Christ. Until then we must be strong and never give up in our faith.
Jesus tells us He is the light of the world (John 8:12). Do you believe this? I do. I wholeheartedly believe this. I also have the light of His life by following Him and so do other true believers. The world makes this hard sometimes, but I hold fast to Him nonetheless. The world wants believers to feel like outsiders in society, and you know what? I’m glad they do. If they accepted us as one of their own, then something is wrong. They walk in darkness and believers walk in the Light of Christ. Because we walk in the light, people despise us and turn their anger and wrath our way.
Just like a compass will tell us in what direction we are heading, the Light of Christ guides us through the wilderness of the evil world we live in. We are strangers in a foreign land, and we need to follow the light in the darkness that surrounds us each day. The way we do this is to look up. We look up to Christ and follow His ways, not the world’s. The light is always in front of us, so there is no need to look elsewhere. We need to stand strong and stable in our walk with Christ to ensure we can resist the Devil and his minions of demons and unregenerate man. If we take our focus off of Christ, we can stumble into sin by succumbing to temptations.
When we do stumble, we have no one else to blame but ourselves. When we lose sight of the Light of Christ, this is when we fall to sin. And we will.  We are rebellious by nature and will fall on occasion. Yet, when we turn and look forward again, the light is still there, bright as ever, never diminished, and always strong. We can have the faith and trust that the light of Christ will always be there for us to look to as we follow Him through this hard life.
Jesus says in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
The world is covering itself in a blanket of utter darkness, void of any hint of light of any sort. Believers see this, but those that are blinded cannot. They believe it is the norm. They see darkness as how the world is supposed to be and needs to be. They see evil as good and good as evil. They are backwards in their thinking and beliefs. They worship and cling to anything, anything that is ungodly in place of worshiping the true God of the universe. It befuddles me why this happens. It is so hard to fathom that one can expend so much energy and effort to turn to anything and anyone else but God and His love.
What goes through the mind of people? They have been fooled and blinded by evil.
It truly is a battle of light and darkness; and as a whole, the darkness is taking over like in the days of Noah. The Lord will tarry for only so long before He has had enough. The world hates us; and even though we don’t know the day or time of Christ’s return (Mat. 24:36), we know until then we will have to stand our ground in our battles.
There is no doubt that the world is trying to squash the Light of Christ in us. A chip here. A chip there.  Attempts to murder us through a thousand little cuts. This is the battle we must stand against. We are being cut down, little by little, piece by piece – this we must stand against. We must hold our heads high in our faith and walk with Christ, the Son of the Most High God. No excuses, no bending.
We must stand strong. We are in battle. Each day, we face the enemy through others or through the temptations of the world that Satan has crafted through society. We cannot let our guards down. We can’t take a break, and we can’t take time to rest. If we do, we open ourselves up to being devoured.  This isn’t so much of a physical battle as it is the spiritual battle we are encompassed by.
To live in the light, we must be on guard at all times – no rest for the weary. We are on the battlefield of spiritual warfare, and souls are at stake. Yes, we may be saved but that is no excuse to hide and cower in the shadows. Light is meant to shine, not put under the bed. We turn on the lights when we arrive home when it is dark, and we need to do the same in darkness of everyday life.
To be the light of Christ is to follow Christ. We may do so in our personal circles of influence, but what about outside of that circle? Are we “praise Jesus” on Sunday mornings, only to berate an employee at the place we go after church during the week? Do we live in the light of Christ at all times, or only when we need God on our side? I’ve seen both sides of this.
When we follow the Light of Christ, we too must be the Light of Christ. Not just on Sunday mornings, but at all times, each and every day.
2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Isn’t that awesome that He has shined in our hearts? Isn’t it awesome that we can share that light to others?
Through acceptance and faith in Christ, we have the Light of Him in us – to be loving, to discern good from evil, to know that we are Heaven-bound. We are the children of God, adopted into His Glory. The joy and peace of knowing this is unfathomable to explain.
Words cannot express what we have in Christ; and yet, His Light can shine forth from us to others in the minute facets of our lives to the momentous events we encounter from the joyous times to the trying times.
All glory and honor to Him.
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Marijuana Legalization’s Demonic Advocates :: By Gary Ritter

Published on:  by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles
In a recent article I wrote titled “Marijuana, Salt & Light” I chronicled my experience attending a local city council meeting in which the subject of approving marijuana sale and grow facilities in our community was front and center. The majority of the council members were all for approval of these businesses, seeing nothing wrong with them since our state has given them a green light despite federal regulations to the contrary. A very small number of us from our church and a couple other Christians were able to push back and cause the council to at least think through some of the issues in a subsequent work session. My wife and I went to that work session, so I wanted to outline a few more thoughts and issues that came to the fore.
As I thought about the initial meeting we attended, I reflected on one particular person on the council.  I’d seen her around previously and had a funny feeling about her. After that meeting, I came to believe that God was giving me a discerning sense about her.  Something about her made me uncomfortable.  There was something not right. Was it demonic—witchy, if you will? I believe so.
Alerted to this subsequent work session of the council, we planned to go. As the time drew near for the start of the meeting, I began getting nervous, and an agitated, very uncomfortable, feeling grew in me that was totally out of character. I didn’t like it, yet didn’t seem able to do anything about it.
The work session proceeded, and the determination of the majority of the members to move forward was evident. One of them, however, spoke out against approval. He had been thinking about this and said that he couldn’t in good conscience vote for it and in the same breath tell his grandson not to smoke pot. The hypocrisy was too much for him.
In the time for public comments, I asked why the council would even think this was a good idea, questioning the premise rather than the details of implementation. Prior to that, the agitation within me had grown considerably. When I spoke, I was pretty animated, perhaps even strident. I didn’t like how I came off, but whatever was negatively working in me was quite strong.
In reflection, trying to assess what I experienced, I’m convinced the demonic element I previously sensed was behind my discomfort, perhaps as a harassing spirit. Other members of the council were gung-ho for this resolution. They were enthusiastic to bring this scourge into the community that can do nothing but cause chaos and darkness. In my estimation, forces beyond them must be strongly at work.  Are they aware of what’s pushing them? Maybe there’s more than just that one woman on the council who’s in league with powers beyond what we can see.
Am I paranoid about this? Am I seeing demons behind every tree? Am I attributing more to this effort to legalize marijuana sales in the community than what I should?
I don’t think so. We know Biblically in these end times that lawlessness will increase. At the point of the Rapture, it will increase exponentially. I believe I got a glimpse of this in the force that was coming against me. The Holy Spirit lives within me, and I certainly have that which is greater. However, as Jesus said when He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, these spirits only come out by prayer and fasting.
All this tells me that I need to step up my game. I have a consistent morning time with the Lord and His Word. Without that, I don’t know where I’d be. What I see, though, is the need to better prepare for encounters such as these. I need to truly take the Words of Jesus to heart, particularly prior to a known encounter with Satanic elements.
A word to all reading this: If you haven’t run into a situation like this yet, the times are such that the likelihood is you will. We all need to be more diligent in our preparation. The Holy Spirit can use us as we are, but how much more could He do through us to attack the enemy if we’re better prepared through our time spent with the Lord?
——————-
Gary W. Ritter is a lay pastor, Bible teacher, and serves as Missions Director at his church.  He is also a prolific author.  His Whirlwind Series is comprised of three books: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind, and There Is A Time.  All these books are also contained in the collected volume of the just-released Whirlwind Omnibus.  Gary has a standalone novel of supernatural suspense, The Tattooed Cat, and plans to release Alien Revelation – The Unveiling, the first novel in a new series The Sons of God Chronicles on September 4, 2019.  You can reach him via his website at www.GaryRitter.com or at his Facebook Author page at https://www.facebook.com/gritter3390.   You can also see his video Bible teachings on his Gary Ritter YouTube page – look for the fish symbol.

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Prophetic Realities :: By Daymond Duck

Published on:  by RRadmin7 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles
First, the U.S. was giving the Palestinians (PA) millions of dollars a year through the UN, but the PA refused to discuss Pres. Trump’s peace proposal.
On Feb. 1, 2019, Pres. Trump cut off the money, so the PA is now hurting financially.
They cut the salaries of their officials, released officials, cut benefits to their people, etc.
On Aug. 18, 2019, Pres. Trump said the PA attitude is changing, and he thinks they will cut a deal to get the U.S. money restarted.
Getting Israel and the PA to agree to a peace treaty is not going to be easy, but some believe there is a slight possibility that it could happen.
Second, Pres. Trump’s statement that he will probably release his peace plan after Israel’s elections on Sept. 17, 2019, is catching the attention of prophecy teachers that believe the Rapture will be on Rosh Hashana.
They are not predicting that the Rapture will happen this year, but they realize that Rosh Hashana is about two weeks after the Israeli elections (Sept. 30-Oct. 1).
Many significant events have happened on Jewish Feast Days, and these prophecy teachers are wondering if Pres. Trump will release his peace proposal on Rosh Hashana and if something significant will happen around that time (another major fulfillment in Bible prophecy, the Rapture, war, what).
Who knows, but it is interesting that Pres. Trump’s peace proposal has been delayed several times, the first Israeli election failed to produce a new government, the election will be repeated, and now Pres. Trump is talking about releasing his peace proposal as Rosh Hashana is approaching.
Third, Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for the whole world at the end of the age (Zech. 12:1-3).
On Aug. 21, 2019, someone described as a senior Israeli official said Prime Min. Netanyahu will reject Pres. Trump’s peace proposal if it calls for the division of Jerusalem.
Two days later, PA Pres. Mahmoud Abbas said the entire Palestinian nation will enter Jerusalem as millions of fighters along with Arab, Islamic and Christian nations (perhaps a misguided reference to the Islamic Mother of All Battles, also called the Battle of Armageddon by Christians).
What Pres. Trump’s peace proposal says about Jerusalem will be significant, and the Middle East is already like a ticking time bomb (ready to explode).
Fourth, on Aug. 21, 2019, an article by a prominent Saudi Arabian political analyst (Abdul Hameed Al Ghabin) was printed in Israel’s most widely read newspaper suggesting that Jordan should be officially recognized as the Palestinian state, and control of the Temple Mount should be transferred to Saudi Arabia.
This is not a new proposal, but this is the first time this writer has seen it coming from an important source in Saudi Arabia.
There was a time when a person could lose their head for saying something like this.
Fifth, God promised to bless those that bless Israel and to curse those that curse Israel (Gen. 12:1-3).
On Aug. 21, 2019, the U.S. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Israel to strengthen the ties between the two nations in several areas (praise God).
Sixth, the Bible teaches that there will be a world government headed up by a man called the Antichrist during the Tribulation Period.
A reader sent me part of podcast with Rush Limbaugh talking about world government.
In essence, Limbaugh said world government is not a conspiracy theory; it is coming out of the EU, but it is active all over the world; power mad, money crazy globalists are trying to eliminate nations and the borders of nations; the one obstacle in the world is Pres. Trump and the U.S.; Pres. Trump has busted their globalist dreams, but things could be different in 20-30 years, etc.
I am not well-informed on political systems, but I am thankful for Democracy.
I think it is good for the people to be in control.
But to have a shadow government instead of the people deciding who is qualified to run for office, giving mega-bucks to their person of choice, writing the laws, dictating what is right and wrong, trying to overthrow those that were elected (Russian collusion), etc., is dangerous for any nation.
Seventh, several articles have appeared in the news lately saying that archaeologists think they have found evidence that the Biblical account of Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple is accurate.
Archaeology and prophetic fulfillment are constantly proving the accuracy of the Bible.
Everyone is strongly advised to recognize the reality of what is happening, and make their salvation sure.
Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com
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Whom Do You Trust? :: By Nathele Graham

Published on:  by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles, Ron & Nathele Graham
“Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1).
When I was a child, I had an older brother. How I pestered him! Although we argued like most kids, he taught me many things. Thanks to Mike I learned how to lather my hands with soap and blow bubbles through my fingers. He also taught me to hold a blade of grass between my thumbs and make a whistle. Sometimes, if I hadn’t pestered him too much, he’d let me sit on the bar of his bike and would peddle me around the yard. He was seven years older than me, and I thought he was wonderful. One day he had an idea. “Let’s see how much you trust me.”
I was to stand with my back to him and fall backwards. He promised to catch me before I hit the ground. I’ll never know for sure if he would’ve caught me because I just couldn’t bring myself to trust him that much. I was never fully able to trust my brother, but over the years I’ve learned that I can always trust God.
“But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works” (Psalm 73:28).
God will never ask you to do something that’s contrary to Scripture, but you may be asked to do something based upon trust. Maybe God will ask you to step out in faith and witness to people around you. With so much sin and wickedness around, that can be intimidating. That happened to Noah. People had fallen into an utterly depraved way of life.
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). 
The fallen angels had corrupted all flesh, and that’s the reason for God’s judgment; only Noah and his family had stayed genetically pure. God told Noah that the entire earth would be flooded and all flesh would be destroyed. Noah was told to build an ark. He and his family would only be saved from the judgment if Noah trusted God.
“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth” (Genesis 6:12). 
God waited as long as possible to send His judgment, but there was no repentance in the hearts of people. Noah trusted God’s directions and built the ark. In so doing, he was a witness to the wicked people around him. Nobody repented, but in spite of what others did, Noah was obedient and trusted God. We can learn from his example.
Another great example of trusting God was shown by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were young when they were taken captive from their home in Jerusalem to the pagan city of Babylon, but they never stopped trusting God almighty. Some of King Nebuchadnezzar’s advisors, who hated these men, wanted to get rid of them. They knew that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God Almighty and would continue to be faithful in their worship of Him. These evil ones devised a plan.
A huge golden statue was created and a decree was issued commanding that, at certain times, everyone would fall down and worship the golden idol or be thrown into a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the statue and wouldn’t even pretend to worship that false god in order to save their lives. They were arrested and taken before Nebuchadnezzar, who demanded to know why they disobeyed the law.
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).
They trusted God to either deliver them from death in the furnace or to deliver their souls from eternal death. Their trust was rewarded. They were tied up and thrown into the furnace, but God protected them, and they survived the fire. When they were taken from the furnace, they weren’t singed and didn’t even smell of smoke. Their trust in God was a witness to Nebuchadnezzar, who admitted that the God they served had delivered them.
When you face choices or temptations, where do you go for guidance? We usually know who will give us the advice we want instead of the advice we need. Christians should always go to God first. Pray and let the Holy Spirit guide you. He will never lead you into sin, but will guide you along the path of righteousness. Also search Scripture to find many examples of men and women who trusted God and acted in faith.
In addition to the above examples, there’s Moses who needed to trust God in order to face Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go. He was turned down many times, but God kept sending him back; and Pharaoh finally let them go. When Moses failed to trust God, they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.
Then there’s Hannah who yearned to have a son. She trusted God and prayed that He would allow her to become pregnant. In God’s perfect timing, she gave birth to Samuel who grew to be a wonderful prophet of God.
Because Esther trusted God, she found courage to go before the king and expose a plot to kill all the Jewish people.
One of my favorite examples of trust is Peter. The disciples were in a ship during a violent storm. Jesus had stayed behind but decided to go to them. How? Well, He walked on the water to get to them! The disciples were troubled by this, but Jesus calmed their fear. Peter was never shy and wanted to walk on water too.
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28). 
Jesus invited him to come, and Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water to Jesus.
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30).
Had Peter kept his eyes on Jesus and not looked at the storm around him, he wouldn’t have failed.
“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).
We are much like Peter. We trust Jesus until we look at the storms, then we sink. He’s always faithful to catch us when we cry out to Him.
We all need advice at times, and it’s important that we choose our mentor wisely. Before you trust someone for advice, be sure they’re grounded in God’s word.
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6).
Are you lonely and desire to be married? God ordained marriage, but finding the person God has in mind for you is challenging. “Living together” isn’t an option for a Christian, so instead of asking Facebook friends who may or may not have a Biblical foundation or life experience in such matters, go to a Christian who has trusted God with such feelings.
“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Ephesians 5:3).
Is your job a challenge? There’s a solid Christian near you who has had trouble on a job and can help you to be a good employee in spite of trouble.
“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ” (Ephesians 6:5). 
Are you tempted to use misleading facts to get what you want? That’s called bearing false witness, and there is a God-fearing person you can go to who will guide you in God’s ways. If you have financial trouble, trust God for help. Every situation in life needs to be put in God’s hands. Trust Him and don’t stray from His ways. If you live in opposition to Him, you can’t expect Him to honor your cry for help.
Sometimes we trust things. Instead of trusting God to provide what we need to survive in this world, we think possessions and money will solve all of our problems. That’s not true. Oh, it’s good to have enough money to pay the bills and to have a little left over, but don’t put your trust in it. The love of money can cause you to make wrong decisions in order to get more money.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Remember, it’s God who provides for your needs, so the money is actually His. Use it to glorify Him.
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).
Money comes and goes, but God is eternal, and He will never leave you. Put your trust in Him.
One of our human failings is the lack of patience. We want answers and we want them now. God’s timing is perfect because He sees the future and knows when the time is right for His perfect answer.
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). 
While you wait, you need to prepare for Him to fulfill your request. If it’s a job you need, then learn the skills required. If it’s marriage you desire, then learn how to be a godly spouse. Don’t compromise in your choices. Trust that God is making a way. There are many details that need to be put in place before your prayer can be answered. On the other hand, maybe what you’re praying for really isn’t best. Maybe God has something better for you. This is why Christians need to trust God.
Today, it seems as if people, even Christians, trust in everybody except the Lord. Instead of going to the Lord in prayer when there’s a problem, or talking with a Christian friend who lives by Scripture, the first choice is social media. That’s a real problem in society today. If you have a problem and go to a friend for advice, will that advice be based upon Scripture? If the friend is a Christian, then there’s a chance it will be Godly advice; but many people who claim to be Christians don’t live by Scripture. Too many Christians have compromised with the world, so their advice can’t be trusted.
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8). 
Even when we don’t fully understand His reasons, we can always trust God.
I didn’t trust my brother because I doubted that he would catch me.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Trust God because He will always catch you.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html
All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.
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