Faith News Today
Hebrew text from David’s border fortress (November 10, AD2008)
All facts for this article came from the website IsraelNN.com (see the live link at the bottom of the story.
(Israel) Archaeologists have discovered the oldest Hebrew text ever found to date. They discovered the text at a site they believe was the front line fortress in the war against the ancient Philistines. The site overlooks the Elah Valley where David slew the giant Philistine warrior Goliath with a rock from a sling. The text is written in ink on a pottery shard (ostracon). It consists of five lines of text in Proto-Canaanite characters separated by lines. The discovery was made be archaeologists Professor Yossi Garfinkel and Sa’ar Ganor of the Hebrew University. The find is being called the most important ever made in Israel since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The writing on the shard seems to be a letter sent from one person to another and archaeologists have still not completely deciphered it. A preliminary analysis shows that it contains the words king (melech), judge (shofet), and slave (eved) and that the words may be part of names as in “Achimelech” or “Evedel” (meaning King’s brother or Servant of God).
Carbon 14 dating of the material near the shard (olive pits and other bits of pottery) revealed a date from between 1,000 to 975 BC which is the time of King David’s reign. The writings predate the Dead Sea Scrolls by as much as 1,000 years.
The site where the shards were found is known as Khirbet Kheyafa also known as the “Elah Fortress” because of its location at the Elah Valley near Beit Shemesh. Archaeologists believe the fortress controlled a strategic point over looking the Elah Valley, the site of much of the conflict between the Hebrew and Philistine nations.
For the complete story go to: www.Israelnationalnews.com/news/news.aspx/128174
The facts for the following article were taken from a story on the Christian Broadcasting Network website under the byline of Wendy Griffith, CBN News Senior Reporter.
Troopers resign rather than compromise the name of Jesus. (November 3, AD2008)
Throughout the State of Virginia, Governor Tim Kane (Democrat) has initiated a ban on the name of Jesus from State discourse. In response, thousands of believers gathered on the front lawn of the Governor’s mansion to proclaim their love for Jesus Christ and their support for several State Troopers who resigned as chaplains and refused to bow to the Governor’s whims. When the Governor’s policy was handed down this summer prohibiting chaplains from praying publicly in Jesus' name - State Trooper Mike Honaker knew what he had to do. "I said, if Jesus is out of the program, than I'm going to have to get out of the program too," Honaker said.
Former chaplain Rex Carter said, "John 14: 13 and 14 where Jesus says, 'If you ask anything in my name' - it doesn't say in a generic name, it says, 'if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.'"
As a result there is legislation pending in the Sate legislature initiated by a group of Progressive legislators to overturn the Governor’s Draconian policy. All of the Troopers still have their jobs as State Troopers however they no longer serve as chaplains. Gordon Klingenschmitt, former chaplain and rally organizer said, "Every time the name of Jesus is stamped out, it spreads like wildfire everywhere else."
Some of the chaplains say this is bigger than a state agency or even the commonwealth of Virginia.
Carter explained, "This is an issue dealing with our religious and our constitutional freedoms."
Honaker added, "This is about the existence and the direction of a nation."
As the Christian faithful we have to be vigilant. We are going through an era of tremendous animosity toward followers of Jesus, all in the name of Diversity and Political Correctness. The rights of Christians are under siege everywhere and if we do not struggle against this trend we will be overwhelmed. Remember the Prophet Elijah (I Kings and II Kings) and his struggle against the great persecution of believers in his day, yet, he remained faithful. We must have the memory of Elijah and other heroes of God ever in mind and keep up the good fight, trusting in the name of Jesus to see us through. Be brave - speak truth to power – never give up…
Faith For Tomorrow
Some very good advice. (October 25, AD2008)
All facts for this article came from a Washington Times story by Mary F. Calvert.
On October 5, AD 2008 Pope Benedict XVI convened a three week synod that has just ended under the title, “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”. 253 bishops went to Rome for the synod, including Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, a specialist in teaching the faith. "We want to help our people access Scripture more directly," Bishop Wuerl said in an interview shortly before he left for Rome. "By saying, 'I should not just come to the word of God through liturgy, I should be reading the Bible, I should be praying over the pages of the Bible on my own, I should be going to study groups in my parish that are looking at the Bible,' so it becomes a greater portion of our experience of the church."
When asked whether the synod was a reaction to huge Roman Catholic losses in Latin America, where Catholics are joining more Bible-oriented Protestant groups, Archbishop Wuerl said, "I don't know if it is so much a reaction, but a recognition that if you evangelize, you evangelize with the Word of God." He went on to say, "I'd say Catholics are finding more opportunities to access the Bible through prayer and study groups in their parish. The need to widen access to the Word of God, that is the focus. We want Catholics to realize the Word of God is available to all believers."
Bishop Wuerl’s words are true for all believers, we all need to be reading the bible, we need to be praying over the pages of the bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading. Ask your pastor to recommend a good study bible for you and make every attempt to understand what the Word of God is teaching you. Do not study the Scripture with the object of memorizing parts that you can quote to your friends to impress them with your piety. Memorize the word of God until it becomes a part of you, a part of your everyday life. Do not attempt to memorize Chapter and Verse if it does not come easy to you, you can always buy a good Concordance for that. The most important things in life are those things known only to you and to God.
Faith For Tomorrow
This day in the year 2008 the Ministry is praying for revival, the people of God are praying for the Holy Spirit to pour out his strength into the Ministry that we may reach out and touch our region, our nation, and the whole world with the good news. It has happened before and it will happen again.
What was the Faith News the day after the great San Francisco earthquake in AD1906?
What happened on Azusa Street in Los Angeles on that day that astonished the city and eventually changed the world? To learn more simply click on the link titled, wikipedia.org/azusa street revival, just to the right of this text:
Spirit Led Ministries:
Another ministry you should investigate is the ministry of T. D. Jakes (the Pentecostal Pope). Again if you look at the right hand column under Spirit Led Ministries you will see a link to the Potter's House Ministry (thepottershouse.org), the ministry of Pastor Jakes. Check out their website and watch one of their television broadcasts. You will be blessed by the preaching of one of the great preachers of the gospel.
One of the most effective organizations bringing Jesus Christ to a starving world is the ministry of the Assemblies of God. There is an Assemblies of God Church in just about every town in the country. The Assemblies of God attempts to reach the whole world with its outreach. Some Assemblies of God ministries are super churches with thousands of members and others are young ministries just starting out with but a few members. Assemblies of God (USA) has a website with many resources for those searching for a deeper meaning and purpose in life. Check out their website, Click on the live link to the right under Spirit Led Ministries (www.ag.org).
Faith Community Church pastored by Dr. Jim Reeve and his wife Marguerite Reeve is located in Southern California in the Community of West Covina. If you live in Southern California anywhere near West Covina which is located in the San Gabriel Valley, Faith Community Church is a great local church. They also have a television and radio ministries, you can check their website for times and dates when "Balanced Living" the television ministry is being broadcast in your area. It is worth watching. Check out the Faith Community Church website under Spirit Led Ministries in the right hand column (www.go2faith.org/).
One of the most effective organizations bringing Jesus Christ to a starving world is the ministry of the Assemblies of God. There is an Assemblies of God Church in just about every town in the country. The Assemblies of God attempts to reach the whole world with its outreach. Some Assemblies of God ministries are super churches with thousands of members and others are young ministries just starting out with but a few members. Assemblies of God (USA) has a website with many resources for those searching for a deeper meaning and purpose in life. Check out their website, Click on the live link to the right under Spirit Led Ministries (www.ag.org).
Faith Community Church pastored by Dr. Jim Reeve and his wife Marguerite Reeve is located in Southern California in the Community of West Covina. If you live in Southern California anywhere near West Covina which is located in the San Gabriel Valley, Faith Community Church is a great local church. They also have a television and radio ministries, you can check their website for times and dates when "Balanced Living" the television ministry is being broadcast in your area. It is worth watching. Check out the Faith Community Church website under Spirit Led Ministries in the right hand column (www.go2faith.org/).
The News of the day:
Followers of Jesus should know what is going on in the world and they should be careful not to be lead about by skillful propagandists. Check out the live link (www.foxnews.com) in the right hand column under News of the Day for the Fox News Channel’s Website. Faith For Tomorrow believes that Fox News is one of the best news outlets for fair and balanced reporting, allowing viewers and readers to get the facts so they can make up their own minds.
Faith For Tomorrow urges all Christians who can financially afford it to tour Israel. Yes friends, tour the Holy Land. Show your support for the only solid Democracy in the Middle East by using your vacation money to take a wonderful inspiring trip and at the same time do God's work. Walk in the places where Jesus and the Saints of God walked. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem. Remember friends, there has never been a time when Israel hasn't been a safer place to be than most any large city in the United Sates. As believing Christians we are obligated to support Israel with all our might and even sometimes with our treasure.
Click on the live link, gotoIsrael.org, in the right-hand column under travel to learn about wonderful, economical tours of the Holy Land.
If you are contemplating a trip to any other destination check out the website of Hotel.info.