Silly Obama, tricks are for kids!

So Obama's latest "peace" plan is to divide Jerusalem into two and make the holy city the capital of a Palestinian state. Now I am TOTALLY ignorant when it comes to world news, so I don't feel educated enough to comment on why this is a bad idea from a political perspective. But I do know what the Bible tells us about Israel. (btw Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and yes I had to look that up because I didn't know that because I only read news on finance.yahoo.com).

#1 Jerusalem is part of the land that God promised to Israel. God tells Abraham” To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7), “For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever” (Genesis 13:15), and “To your descendants I have given this land.” (Genesis 15:18). In fact, Israel currently possesses only a fraction of the land God has promised. "Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Great Sea on the west." (Joshua 1:4) and " On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- he land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."" (Genesis 15:18-22).

Translation: Based on today’s geography, land that is rightfully Jewish peoples is all of the land modern Israel currently possesses, plus all of the land of the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

#2 God promised and gave the land originally to Jews (descendants of Isaac and Jacob) not to Arabs (descendants of Ishmael). In Genesis 17:18-22 Abraham asks if Ishmael can receive the blessing to inhereit the land, God specifically says "no" and that it will be Isaac instead. Also, in Genesis 35:10-12 God says to Jacob Isaac's son, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

Biblically speaking, Israel has a right to exist as a nation in its own land that God gave to the descendants of Jacob, grandson of Abraham. At the same time, Israel should seek peace and display respect for its Arab neighbors. Psalms 122:6 says“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.”

#3 Don’t mess with God’s chosen people!
God to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12: 3.

Hopefully you have learned something new because I definitely did in researching this topic. For an interesting perspective on why Obama's plan will cause conflict and not peace go here.

Pop Quiz Hot Shot!

POP QUIZ HOT SHOT.. there's a bomb on the bus. Wait, it's not 1994, and Keanu Reeves is no longer an A list celebrity so people probably don't remember this reference, failblog.org! Anyways, I just ate a delicious cupcake from cakelove that Alison got me for my birthday, and I feel the need to exercise instead of just going to bed immediately, so here I am working out my metatarsals. Below I'll present a list of sayings and you have to decide whether or not it comes from the bible, then we'll review and see how you do, READY OK (no i was never a cheerleader, but Alison was and she helped me look up some of the bible verses!)

Statement #1: God helps those who help themselves
Statement #2: Everything happens for a reason
Statement #3: Jesus didn't come to bring peace, he came to bring a sword.
Statement #4: The truth will set you free.
Statement #5 : Being a Christian will bring you health, wealth, and happiness.
Statement #6: Joesph, one of Jacob's 12 sons, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, was known for his faithfulness, and eventually became 2nd in command in Egypt behind Pharaoh, was part of the bloodline of Christ.
Statement #7: Jesus died once for all sins, past present and future.
Statement #8: The new testament states to follow only 9 of the 10 commandments.
Statement #9: God will never give you more than you can handle.
Statement #10: Those who honor their father and mother will be rewarded with long life.

***************************ANSWERS BELOW******************************************************************

Explanations: For the sake of your own attention span, I've kept this brief. If you want more details, just ask me =)
Statement #1: Not in Bible.
This is actually a quote from Ben Franklin and it appeared in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757. In fact the Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 declares, "For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat..." Romans 5:6 tells us, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."
Statement #2: Not explicitly in the Bible.
Original author of this quote is unknown. The bible does talk about how God has overall plans and purposes though. ex. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Statement #3: Yes in the Bible.
The verse below indicates that following Jesus in his original Jewish society may not bring peace to a family, but may "split" it up, the precise function of a metaphorical sword. Matthew 10:34-36 (Jesus talking) "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.For I have come to turn 'a man against his father,a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw—a man's enemies will be the members of his own household."
Statement #4: Yes in the Bible.
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Statement #5: Not in Bible.
The bible no where promises heath or wealth. The bible tells us that 11 of the 12 disciples were persecuted for their faith and eventually martyred for their belief in Jesus. Additionally, look at what 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 says about the apostles: For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored. To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the off scouring of all things until now.
Statement #6: No.
Judah, the son of Jacob that convinced his brothers to sell their brother Jacob into slavery, is in the direct bloodline of Christ. Matthew 1:-1-3 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah...
Statement #7: Yes in the Bible.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit...
Romans 6:10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all...
Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. [regarding past sin. also note: think about this statement. He didn't say north from south, because if you go north long enough you eventually will end up going south. but if you go east, and keep going east, you will still always be going east]
Hebrews 10:10-12, 14 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. ...because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Statement #8: Yes.
In reading John chapter 9 we see that Jesus himself is working on the Sabbath effectively making the Keep Holy the Sabbath i.e. don't do work , hereby null and void.
Statement #9: Not explicitly in the bible.
No where does the bible directly say that God will not give you more than you can handle in terms of suffering. Often times 1 Corinthians 10:13 gets misquoted, but this verse tells us that God will not let us be tempted beyond our ability but will provide a way of escape so that we can withstand the temptation without giving into sin. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Statement #10: Yes in the Bible.
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.




Answer Key: 1:no, 2:no, 3:yes, 4:yes, 5: no, 6:no, 7:yes, 8:yes, 9:no, 10: yes

Mmmm, Yeah... I'm Gonna Need You To Come In On Saturday, mmm K?!

It's a Friday afternoon. You've shut down your computer, and start heading for the exit, when you run into your boss (think deer in headlights look) and he asks you to come into his office for a minute, ugh. Your boss explains there is a last minute project that needs to be done before Monday and asks if you would be willing to come in tomorrow (Saturday), work from 9:00am -9:00pm, and in return get paid $1,000. Although you will have to cancel all your Saturday plans, you decide to accept your boss's offer because you could really use the extra money in these economically unstable times. So the next morning you show up bright and early, work your butt off for 12 hours straight, and get your assignment done promptly at 8:59pm. Although exhausted and worn out, you are content. You feel accomplished. You worked hard, and earned the money. You start doing the victory "i'm the man" dance while waiting for the elevator, when suddenly your co-worker Bob appears out of no where. You ask Bob what he's doing here on a Saturday. Bob says the boss called him last minute and asked him to come in at 8:00pm and work for an hour to help on a last minute project. Bob also reveals that your boss offered to pay Bob $1,000 for his work. WTH (heck). Bob continues to talk saying how generous he thinks your boss is and how grateful he is for such a sweet opportunity, but you don't hear Bob. You are angry. What once left you feeling content, now leaves you feeling disgruntled. You feel robbed, schooled, played, juked. You are jealous of the generosity displayed towards Bob and are thinking "IT'S JUST NOT FAIR" . To make matters worse, Bob says that the boss actually also had people come in at 12:00pm, 3:00pm, and 6:00pm and paid them $1,000 also. GOO! You contact your boss expressing your anger with his unfair treatment saying `Bob worked only one hour, and you have made him equal to me who has worked all day'. Your boss says "Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to Bob as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last."

Now what if I told you that the above illustration is exactly what the kingdom of heaven is like. What if I told you that some people will spend most of their life being devoted to God and will have the same reward (eternal life/heaven) as those who come to God later on in their life?! In fact, what you just read is a modern day version of 'the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard' from Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus often spoke in parables so that it would be easy to understand his message. What I take away from this parable is

#1 Getting to heaven is not based on merit, but rather on God's grace/generosity. God's love for us disregards our levels of obedience, performance, or achievement. He loves us no matter how long we have been working (i.e starting at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, etc) God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have labored a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour. [Note: even though our works don't change God's love for us or affect our status in heaven, someone who does have a personal relationship with God and loves God would follow his commands and be obedient to Him as a way to show love for God ]

#2 God is sovereign. He created the world! He created you and I ! He is the ultimate ruler who owns everything. He can bless who he wants and often blesses those most undeserving , in our example Bob (can we say "grace"?! )

#3 Go on brush your shoulder off! Don't begrudge God's generosity to others! Instead of grumbling about blessings we didn't receive and felt were owed to us, and instead of getting jealous when we see grace being given to others, such as Bob, we should be content with what we have (1 Timothy 6:6, Hebrews 13:5)

And finally, if you would like to read the actual story from the bible, you may do so below !
Matthew 20:1-16
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.' 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, 12 saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first last."