http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm Mon, 10 May 2010 23:21:46 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=278812 It seems that the whole world is in elections. Israel and the US are just two among the many. Generally, the public wants change, but the political will to bring that off seems to be lagging. Here in Israel there has been a 60 plus period of battle between the leftists who want many of the trappings of Judaism but little of the commitment, while all around us here in Jerusalem literally thousands of Israelis are taking on the dress and the commitment to living the disciplined life of the Chassidim, the “righteous ones”. In other cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa, there is not the same presence of folks dressed in black and white, and attending synagogues faithfully. But here in Jerusalem, one sees droves of people making their way on foot to the nearest place of worship. The government leadership has been both dismal and dangerous because of the compromise and corruption that has marked this administration under the soon-to-be indicted Prime Minister Olmert. It is hard to understand the outrageous decisions that threaten the very existence of the State. When one sits at a table with someone who is planning to kill you, it makes a very weak case when everything is offered to the killer to provide the easiest way to do away with you. And that is exactly what is happening in Israel and the US. How does one know? By sifting all the information that comes in and seeing patterns that are ominous and inevitable. The Lord does set up kings and brings them down, but the ongoing insanity in government is almost unbearable if one spends just a few minutes a day thinking about it. Here in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu sits in the opposition, sounding warnings profound and dark. The general public is for his leadership, but the press gives him almost no coverage. But when polls are taken he comes off away ahead in the lead. The saving grace of the whole matter is that the substitute Prime Minister Livni has not been able to form a coalition, and is mercifully running out of time. This means that there will have to be elections, so that the voting public will be able to express its will over the leadership which has generally ignored the public weal. They have allowed evil expulsions of the best people here, providing nothing for them, and wantonly pursuing them psychologically to try and break their Zionist zeal. However that is not working, and there should be a real political return to the kind of strength that has made Israel famous for resisting catastrophe and devastation. In the US, the treatment of Sarah Palin, as fresh and capable as she is, is a revelation of the grim forces at work to completely obliterate values that have made the nation of the US great in many areas of social concern and international generosity. No one calls Russia when they are in trouble!! It seems though, that a completely new political landscape is about to evolve and grab the reigns of power globally. A new economic system, a new distribution of wealth and vast poverty, is about to paralyze leadership, and wedge them into a block of frightened souls huddling together, hoping against hope that “the more we get together the happier we’ll be!” However, the major “fly in the ointment” is this huge, soulless crowd, who insist on perpetrating acts like the one that happened today. An 86 year old Jewish man was critically wounded here by a terrorist and soon died of his wounds, a couple of days after the Simcha Torah, a joyous festival, had been celebrated.
In other cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa, there is not the same presence of folks dressed in black and white, and attending synagogues faithfully. But here in Jerusalem, one sees droves of people making their way on foot to the nearest place of worship. The government leadership has been both dismal and dangerous because of the compromise and corruption that has marked this administration under the soon-to-be indicted Prime Minister Olmert. It is hard to understand the outrageous decisions that threaten the very existence of the State. When one sits at a table with someone who is planning to kill you, it makes a very weak case when everything is offered to the killer to provide the easiest way to do away with you. And that is exactly what is happening in Israel and the US.

How does one know? By sifting all the information that comes in and seeing patterns that are ominous and inevitable. The Lord does set up kings and brings them down, but the ongoing insanity in government is almost unbearable if one spends just a few minutes a day thinking about it. Here in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu sits in the opposition, sounding warnings profound and dark. The general public is for his leadership, but the press gives him almost no coverage. But when polls are taken he comes off away ahead in the lead.

The saving grace of the whole matter is that the substitute Prime Minister Livni has not been able to form a coalition, and is mercifully running out of time. This means that there will have to be elections, so that the voting public will be able to express its will over the leadership which has generally ignored the public weal. They have allowed evil expulsions of the best people here, providing nothing for them, and wantonly pursuing them psychologically to try and break their Zionist zeal. However that is not working, and there should be a real political return to the kind of strength that has made Israel famous for resisting catastrophe and devastation.

In the US, the treatment of Sarah Palin, as fresh and capable as she is, is a revelation of
the grim forces at work to completely obliterate values that have made the nation of the US great in many areas of social concern and international generosity. No one calls Russia when they are in trouble!! It seems though, that a completely new political landscape is about to evolve and grab the reigns of power globally.

A new economic system, a new distribution of wealth and vast poverty, is about to paralyze leadership, and wedge them into a block of frightened souls huddling together, hoping against hope that “the more we get together the happier we’ll be!” However, the major “fly in the ointment” is this huge, soulless crowd, who insist on perpetrating acts like the one that happened today. An 86 year old Jewish man was critically wounded here by a terrorist and soon died of his wounds, a couple of days after the Simcha Torah, a joyous festival, had been celebrated.]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 23:21:46 GMT B02A5558AD036898B8FA47AF71C9520F http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=278800 There is a very strong sense of an impending attack coming from Iran (and you know who!) Apparently there is a “chess move” afoot where if Israel makes a move to attack the Nuclear setups in Iran, then the 40-50 THOUSAND missiles that are waiting to be deployed by Hezbollah in Lebanon will spring into action. In addition, Hamas, which has been mightily supplied from Egypt, will send missiles over from Gaza. The new rockets that Syria has sent to Lebanon (supplied by Iran) have a distance capacity of 450 kms which brings them in contact with any city in Israel. There are several tunnels which have been dug under the “good fence” between Israel and Lebanon, which allow for dozens of suicide bombers to enter the north of Israel at short notice. The strongest resistance to such an attack would be the atomic bomb supply currently sitting in Dimona, a small city in the Negev, where many preparations have been going on for the last 25 years. But as you know, there is some sort of summit going on during which the UN will be asked to have these atomic facilities neutralized by removing all bombs and other supplies out of Israel. The current Iran leader was speaking at the summit and saying how horrible that atomic weapons are, and that all such weapons should be removed from the Middle East!! How coy!!   The exception from removing atomic facilities from the Middle East would, of course, be Iran and its supply of the same type of weapon which will remain in place and unexamined by the AEIA. This suggestion would leave Israel totally vulnerable to attacks from any quarter. There is little doubt that Iran has also prepared a missile launching facility on a freighter or two, since one such ship just docked in Syria, carrying an Iranian flag, but having originated in Russia. I would not be at all surprised that similar attacks are planned for the continent of North America. At least this is among the statements made recently by a retired US general on an interview on PJTV. Should anything happen to inflame the Islamists, and almost any excuse can be used, then there may be something of a mess in the North American continent. God forbid it!! However the advance of various groups given over to Nihilism, could develop into a serious social conflict. Pray that the Lord will give those in “charge” some rationale to deal with the problems as they arise. Sorry for the dismal comments, but these are times that serious thought must go into our everyday activities. Thank the Lord for a Canadian Prime Minister like Michael Harper. He must be doing some fine things, because he is constantly being attacked. Pray for him in particular.
rockets that Syria has sent to Lebanon (supplied by Iran) have a distance capacity of 450 kms which brings them in contact with any city in Israel. There are several tunnels which have been dug under the “good fence” between Israel and Lebanon, which allow for dozens of suicide bombers to enter the north of Israel at short notice. The strongest resistance to such an attack would be the atomic bomb supply currently sitting in Dimona, a small city in the Negev, where many preparations have been going on for the last 25 years.

But as you know, there is some sort of summit going on during which the UN will be asked to have these atomic facilities neutralized by removing all bombs and other supplies out of Israel. The current Iran leader was speaking at the summit and saying how horrible that atomic weapons are, and that all such weapons should be removed from the Middle East!! How coy!!
 
The exception from removing atomic facilities from the Middle East would, of course, be Iran and its supply of the same type of weapon which will remain in place and unexamined by the AEIA. This suggestion would leave Israel totally vulnerable to attacks from any quarter. There is little doubt that Iran has also prepared a missile launching facility on a freighter or two, since one such ship just docked in Syria, carrying an Iranian flag, but having originated in Russia. I would not be at all surprised that similar attacks are planned for the continent of North America.

At least this is among the statements made recently by a retired US general on an interview on PJTV. Should anything happen to inflame the Islamists, and almost any excuse can be used, then there may be something of a mess in the North American continent. God forbid it!! However the advance of various groups given over to Nihilism, could develop into a serious social conflict.

Pray that the Lord will give those in “charge” some rationale to deal with the problems as they arise. Sorry for the dismal comments, but these are times that serious thought must go into our everyday activities. Thank the Lord for a Canadian Prime Minister like Michael Harper. He must be doing some fine things, because he is constantly being attacked. Pray for him in particular.]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 23:19:57 GMT 220A71CF6E6F2F0A795106BCE8AD0743 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=278799 Palestine: This may seem obvious to most people, but, having just read an interview reported in the Jerusalem Post, I see there needs to be some clarification as to what Palestine was, is and will be.   ~ The name “Palestine” is the Romanization of the word “Philistine” (the sworn enemies of Israel) and was chosen to humiliate the Jews after their prolonged and costly revolt against Emperor Hadrian. He was totally infuriated by the duration of the battle against this puny nation of nothings (in his estimation!). When the revolt was finally overcome, Jerusalem was totally destroyed, covered by 5 inches of salt and left in ruins. Jews were not allowed to live there - ever! The whole area was included in the revolting name of “Palestine”. and though it never was a country, it has retained the name to the present day! ~ In the course of the next several centuries, the land was further impoverished by a continuance of wars and devastation, until the final Turkish overlords claimed it as part of the Turkish empire. Although basically a wasteland, all Turkish rebel leaders plotting against the Turkish homeland leadership, were banished to this political backwater (Palestine) as punishment for defying the leadership. They were never allowed to return to Turkey, and in a lather of political hatred, they took over the leadership of this dead end wilderness. As a consequence, they hated the area, and set about to exploit it in every possible way. Of the few Arabs that lived there, only a minimal number received any land, and only after much fawning and prostrating themselves before their fellow coreligionists. Some had their requests result in hanging before Jaffe gate along with other rebels. Even today there are only two extremely wealthy Arab families that direct opinion and events in Palestine. When they say “Jump” the Arab populace asks “How high?” ~ Palestine never was a nation, but was only a totally exploited land mass despised by its Turkish overlords. Trees were taxed (and often cut down to avoid the tax) or used as railway ties for the Hijaz narrow gauge railway. Eventually, trees were reduced to almost nothing with the consequence of hillsides being leached, losing all the topsoil, and valleys filled with malaria swamps. This once bountiful land became a dustbowl of privation – dreary, and revoltingly barren. The population shrunk to a minimum, industry was almost non existent, and diseases were rampant. Leprosy, malaria, blindness from syphilis, and infant mortality were common.   ~ Into this landscape came the conquering British, opening the land to the rightful, covenanted owners. Returned Israel, at tremendous cost of life and substance, began the long road to recovery and fruitfulness. ~ Here is Israel 100 years later, leading the world in humanitarian and technical exploits, while battling to preserve Western civilization in a sea of potential destructive forces all poised for her annihilation. Every nation seeming to hope upon hope that Israel will be again reduced to rocks, disease, and sand. The whole UN organization of thug-led countries cheer on the sidelines while anticipating another holocaust of the Jews. What they do not know is the Bible has said “To the Jew first, then to the Greek”. It is the rest of the world’s turn this time……the Jews have had their holocaust already ~ Incidentally a conference was just convened in Bethlehem this past week, led by such “leading lights” in the evangelical world as Tony Campolo, denouncing Israel, denying its legitimacy as a nation, and recommending total divestment of any investment in Israel’s present or future. In other words, replacement theology which was invented in Rome, and promoted worldwide, is alive and well. If we withdraw from helping Israel, God, the eternal covenant keeper, will not help US in our approaching crises, as He has made clear in Matt. 25, that helping the least of His  
~ The name “Palestine” is the Romanization of the word “Philistine” (the sworn enemies of Israel) and was chosen to humiliate the Jews after their prolonged and costly revolt against Emperor Hadrian.

He was totally infuriated by the duration of the battle against this puny nation of nothings (in his estimation!). When the revolt was finally overcome, Jerusalem was totally destroyed, covered by 5 inches of salt and left in ruins. Jews were not allowed to live there - ever! The whole area was included in the revolting name of “Palestine”. and though it never was a country, it has retained the name to the present day!

~ In the course of the next several centuries, the land was further impoverished by a continuance of wars and devastation, until the final Turkish overlords claimed it as part of the Turkish empire. Although basically a wasteland, all Turkish rebel leaders plotting against the Turkish homeland leadership, were banished to this political backwater (Palestine) as punishment for defying the leadership.

They were never allowed to return to Turkey, and in a lather of political hatred, they took over the leadership of this dead end wilderness. As a consequence, they hated the area, and set about to exploit it in every possible way. Of the few Arabs that lived there, only a minimal number received any land, and only after much fawning and prostrating themselves before their fellow coreligionists. Some had their requests result in hanging before Jaffe gate along with other rebels. Even today there are only two extremely wealthy Arab families that direct opinion and events in Palestine. When they say “Jump” the Arab populace asks “How high?”

~ Palestine never was a nation, but was only a totally exploited land mass despised by its Turkish overlords. Trees were taxed (and often cut down to avoid the tax) or used as railway ties for the Hijaz narrow gauge railway. Eventually, trees were reduced to almost nothing with the consequence of hillsides being leached, losing all the topsoil, and valleys filled with malaria swamps. This once bountiful land became a dustbowl of privation – dreary, and revoltingly barren. The population shrunk to a minimum, industry was almost non existent, and diseases were rampant. Leprosy, malaria, blindness from syphilis, and infant mortality were common.
 
~ Into this landscape came the conquering British, opening the land to the rightful, covenanted owners. Returned Israel, at tremendous cost of life and substance, began the long road to recovery and fruitfulness.

~ Here is Israel 100 years later, leading the world in humanitarian and technical exploits, while battling to preserve Western civilization in a sea of potential destructive forces all poised for her annihilation. Every nation seeming to hope upon hope that Israel will be again reduced to rocks, disease, and sand. The whole UN organization of thug-led countries cheer on the sidelines while anticipating another holocaust of the Jews. What they do not know is the Bible has said “To the Jew first, then to the Greek”. It is the rest of the world’s turn this time……the Jews have had their holocaust already

~ Incidentally a conference was just convened in Bethlehem this past week, led by such “leading lights” in the evangelical world as Tony Campolo, denouncing Israel, denying its legitimacy as a nation, and recommending total divestment of any investment in Israel’s present or future. In other words, replacement theology which was invented in Rome, and promoted worldwide, is alive and well. If we withdraw from helping Israel, God, the eternal covenant keeper, will not help US in our approaching crises, as He has made clear in Matt. 25, that helping the least of His]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 23:19:08 GMT 36EEE5E4EB8E9E4B59285E0A24FB21AC http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=278798 I have just come across a book called “The Church and the Jews” by Dan Gruber. It is an extremely clear statement as to what happened at the Nicene Conference of 325 AD when Catholic (Universal) Orthodoxy was born. Anyone not acknowledging the church created by Constantine as the sole representative of Christ’s truth, was branded as an heretic and threatened with death if he did not repent and follow the Constantine “line”. A controversy started when it had to be decided when to celebrate Passover. Constantine maintained that the church must not celebrate anything that the Jews celebrated, since they were really “vicious killers that killed our Lord!” So from that time on the church was to celebrate on Easter Sunday - since “Sun” (Apollo) worship was already doing well in Rome. The church (he claimed) would be unified if Sunday was the day chosen to worship. From this simple beginning, the Church developed more and more distance from anything Jewish. Constantine really shifted the church’s foundation from its Biblical Judaic position to a Graeco-Roman foundation, in an attempt to eliminate any association with the Biblical festivals and God appointed worship times. Without any authority but his own, he made myriad changes in the church, which eventually lead to a calendar based on the Sun and not the moon, and to all the days of the week being named after Greco-Roman gods. It is amazing how there are now many writers and commentators who see this very serious, high handed move of the Roman emperor, as one which created a church dependent on the State for approval and support. The God of the Bible was placed in a secondary role while a “holy Roman empire” emerged as friend and provider for observant Christians. Any person or group finding itself in opposition to this arrangement was considered a rebel seditionist, worthy only of elimination. Millions were done away with once the orthodox creed was established as the only way to think - the Spanish Inquisition was a direct result of this thinking. Praise the Lord that the power of the Inquisition was finally done away with in 1823, and we as believers are gradually edging towards a new revelation of the importance of following the Bible, and not just political decisions. This will be costly but it is the only way to go!! (A loud resounding “AMEN” from the editor!!)
A controversy started when it had to be decided when to celebrate Passover. Constantine maintained that the church must not celebrate anything that the Jews celebrated, since they were really “vicious killers that killed our Lord!” So from that time on the church was to celebrate on Easter Sunday - since “Sun” (Apollo) worship was already doing well in Rome. The church (he claimed) would be unified if Sunday was the day chosen to worship.

From this simple beginning, the Church developed more and more distance from anything Jewish. Constantine really shifted the church’s foundation from its Biblical Judaic position to a Graeco-Roman foundation, in an attempt to eliminate any association with the Biblical festivals and God appointed worship times. Without any authority but his own, he made myriad changes in the church, which eventually lead to a calendar based on the Sun and not the moon, and to all the days of the week being named after Greco-Roman gods. It is amazing how there are now many writers and commentators who see this very serious, high handed move of the Roman emperor, as one which created a church dependent on the State for approval and support.

The God of the Bible was placed in a secondary role while a “holy Roman empire” emerged as friend and provider for observant Christians. Any person or group finding itself in opposition to this arrangement was considered a rebel seditionist, worthy only of elimination. Millions were done away with once the orthodox creed was established as the only way to think - the Spanish Inquisition was a direct result of this thinking.

Praise the Lord that the power of the Inquisition was finally done away with in 1823, and we as believers are gradually edging towards a new revelation of the importance of following the Bible, and not just political decisions. This will be costly but it is the only way to go!! (A loud resounding “AMEN” from the editor!!)]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 23:17:03 GMT A38272AF2B3DB962BC4C3BBFD42D0DB2 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=278797 While glancing at the weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post, I was struck by an article’s title: “The Israel Defense Forces Have Drastically Reduced Suicides in the Army’s Ranks”. I had never realized that the army, with its high morale had such an extensive problem with suicide, but apparently, the suicide rate rivals highway deaths, and ranks higher than the number of students in US colleges who end their lives. Finally, after the army had consistently dealt superficially with the phenomena, parents of the deceased teens and early twenties put together an organization that is translated as “Path to Life”. Through persistent pressure from this organization, and finally admitting that there is a problem, the army is dealing amazingly with it. There is a drastic reduction in the number of young people who decide that life is too much. Praise God for that!! Incidentally, if a soldier has a spiritual connection with his Jewish Faith, then this certainly retards, if not removes the tendency to self destruction. Perhaps some of the techniques and focus that the army applies could retard the devastating tendency that young people have in North America to do the final step. Certainly the demarginalizing of Faith as a real option in young people’s lives in N.A , would act as a real deterrent .
Finally, after the army had consistently dealt superficially with the phenomena, parents of the deceased teens and early twenties put together an organization that is translated as “Path to Life”. Through persistent pressure from this organization, and finally admitting that there is a problem, the army is dealing amazingly with it. There is a drastic reduction in the number of young people who decide that life is too much.

Praise God for that!! Incidentally, if a soldier has a spiritual connection with his Jewish Faith, then this certainly retards, if not removes the tendency to self destruction. Perhaps some of the techniques and focus that the army applies could retard the devastating tendency that young people have in North America to do the final step. Certainly the demarginalizing of Faith as a real option in young people’s lives in N.A , would act as a real deterrent .]]> Mon, 10 May 2010 23:15:00 GMT 357CB0DB6BAA86792C326399115C5438 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=48869 Bible Study on Jewellery ADORN: - ENGLISH:- to decorate with ornaments - deck - grade - trick - array - attire - bedeck HEBREW:- = kashet Pictogram:- = yaffeh Pictogram:- = sheklel Pictogram:- = pa'er Pictogram:- BIBLE:- - 1 Tim 2:9 - - Titus 2:10 - - Jer.31:4 - - Lk.21:5 - - Peter 3:5 - - Rev.21:2 - Isa. 61:10 - - 1 Peter 3:3 - JEWELLERY:- ENGLISH:- objects of precious metal set with gems and worn for personal adornment HEBREW:- = ta'asiyat tekshitim = mis'har b'takshitim = takshitim = avanim y'karot = tzorfut BIBLE:- - Ezek.16:12 - - Gen.24:53 - - Ex.3:22 - - Ex.11:2 - - Ex.12:35 - - Ex.35:22 - - Num.31:50,51 - - 1 Sam.6:8,15 - - 2 Chron.20:25 - - 2 Chron. 32:27 - - Job 28:17 - - Song of Sol. 1:10 - - Song of Sol. 7:1 - - Isa. 3:21 - - Isa. 61:10 - - Ezek.16:17,39 - - Ezek.23:26 - - Hos.2:13 - - Mal.3:17 - BIBLICAL HISTORY OF JEWELLERY WOMEN:- - Isaiah hit out hard at women of his day who trusted in ornamentation, in sharp contrast to the poor women then - women wore headbands, bangles, crescent necklaces, earrings, bracelets, nose rings, veils, head-dresses, ankle chains, perfume bottles, charms, signet rings, beautiful robes, cloaks, capes, purses, mirrors, tiaras, linen clothing, shawls, and sashes - if an archaeologist digs up a site now, he can usually find pieces of Jewellery. Gold earrings were usually hollow, but silver ones were heavier and more elaborate - necklaces contained semi-precious stones (feldspar (green), and carnelian (orange/red) - jewllery artisans were in prevalence throughout the whole country. Even the ordinary person wore jewellery - when reliance was made on these ornaments, it produced a pride which God hates (Isa.3:16-23). The prophet was addressing the fact that more time was spent on their appearance before men than before God. - In the New Testament, Peter and Paul bropught this into a balance as contrasted with this extreme preoccupation with ornamentation. In 1 Peter.3:3 we read that It was NOT that women ought not to wear these things, but that their reliance upon them for ALL their beauty was idolatry, and meant a warped spiritual relationship to God. Paul also concurred with Peter on this. (1Tim.2:9) MEN:- - as might be suspected, adornment was primarily for the opposite sex, but men DID wear SOME jewellery - belts, girdles, - things which kept their tunics in place so they wouldn't become an annoyance as they walked. - swords or daggers were used inside belts - if a man were rich, he had a signet ring on his finger. (Lk.15:22). Rings were more than just ornamental. Sometimes the signet ring was also worn around the neck These were the credit cards of those days - the legal signature. Men would dip the ring in wax and its design was pressed on any legal document. - there were no pockets on garments worn then, so one had to carry a small purse ordinarily made out of leather. (Lk.12:32) This purse was tucked under the belt. In it were coins and anything else that was precious. - sometimes a gold star was worn on the forehead by nobility. Priests wore them as a diadem. This idea originated from the Roman period in Egypt. LESSON LEARNED: - the importance of our appearance should never take pre-eminence over our walk with God. Jesus took food and clothing always under consideration, but He instructed that our loving Heavenly Father would take care of us. Worry about this would be a doubt of God's power and faithfulness to us. (Lk.22:27,28) - contrary to some Christian legalistic denominations, God is not against jewellery or adornment. He did it Himself throughout creation!! He is not against our beautifying ourselves. What He does NOT like is our concentration on it - our DEPENDENCE on it to gain favour from others. (exampl;e of TV girl who had total "make-over") God is far more concerned with our inner man, because when IT is in shape, a glow comes forth not born of cosmetics or adornment. Some times, cosmetics and jewellery camouflage our needs and sin. Even when our inner man is in a turmoil, our appearance can be beautified or covered up through cosmetics etc. but eventually this catches up with us. God has an entirely different way of assessing beauty. He does not regard the appearance, but looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7) We should be spending just as much time, if not, far MORE time in beautifying our INNER man - adornment, whether through cosmetics or jewellery, should never be used or worn to seduce men - care CAN be given to assess the colours we are wearing- to match up, to complement the style or mood of what we are wearing as a dress OTHER ADORNINGS - at creation (finishing touches) - between Isaac and Rebecca (as a sign of endearment) - the doctrine (to make it palatable, understandable, and beautiful to the common man) (Titus 2:10)
ADORN: -

ENGLISH:- to decorate with ornaments - deck - grade - trick - array - attire - bedeck

HEBREW:-

= kashet

Pictogram:-

= yaffeh

Pictogram:-

= sheklel

Pictogram:-

= pa'er

Pictogram:-

BIBLE:-

- 1 Tim 2:9 -

- Titus 2:10 -

- Jer.31:4 -

- Lk.21:5 -

- Peter 3:5 -

- Rev.21:2

- Isa. 61:10 -

- 1 Peter 3:3 -

JEWELLERY:-

ENGLISH:- objects of precious metal set with gems and worn for personal adornment

HEBREW:-

= ta'asiyat tekshitim

= mis'har b'takshitim

= takshitim

= avanim y'karot

= tzorfut

BIBLE:-

- Ezek.16:12 -

- Gen.24:53 -

- Ex.3:22 -

- Ex.11:2 -

- Ex.12:35 -

- Ex.35:22 -

- Num.31:50,51 -

- 1 Sam.6:8,15 -

- 2 Chron.20:25 -

- 2 Chron. 32:27 -

- Job 28:17 -

- Song of Sol. 1:10 -

- Song of Sol. 7:1 -

- Isa. 3:21 -

- Isa. 61:10 -

- Ezek.16:17,39 -

- Ezek.23:26 -

- Hos.2:13 -

- Mal.3:17 -

BIBLICAL HISTORY OF JEWELLERY

WOMEN:-

- Isaiah hit out hard at women of his day who trusted in ornamentation, in sharp contrast to the poor women then

- women wore headbands, bangles, crescent necklaces, earrings, bracelets, nose rings, veils, head-dresses, ankle chains, perfume bottles, charms, signet rings, beautiful robes, cloaks, capes, purses, mirrors, tiaras, linen clothing, shawls, and sashes

- if an archaeologist digs up a site now, he can usually find pieces of Jewellery. Gold earrings were usually hollow, but silver ones were heavier and more elaborate

- necklaces contained semi-precious stones (feldspar (green), and carnelian (orange/red)

- jewllery artisans were in prevalence throughout the whole country. Even the ordinary person wore jewellery

- when reliance was made on these ornaments, it produced a pride which God hates (Isa.3:16-23). The prophet was addressing the fact that more time was spent on their appearance before men than before God.

- In the New Testament, Peter and Paul bropught this into a balance as contrasted with this extreme preoccupation with ornamentation. In 1 Peter.3:3 we read that It was NOT that women ought not to wear these things, but that their reliance upon them for ALL their beauty was idolatry, and meant a warped spiritual relationship to God. Paul also concurred with Peter on this. (1Tim.2:9)

MEN:-

- as might be suspected, adornment was primarily for the opposite sex, but men DID wear SOME jewellery

- belts, girdles, - things which kept their tunics in place so they wouldn't become an annoyance as they walked.

- swords or daggers were used inside belts

- if a man were rich, he had a signet ring on his finger. (Lk.15:22). Rings were more than just ornamental. Sometimes the signet ring was also worn around the neck These were the credit cards of those days - the legal signature. Men would dip the ring in wax and its design was pressed on any legal document.

- there were no pockets on garments worn then, so one had to carry a small purse ordinarily made out of leather. (Lk.12:32) This purse was tucked under the belt. In it were coins and anything else that was precious.

- sometimes a gold star was worn on the forehead by nobility. Priests wore them as a diadem. This idea originated from the Roman period in Egypt.

LESSON LEARNED:

- the importance of our appearance should never take pre-eminence over our walk with God. Jesus took food and clothing always under consideration, but He instructed that our loving Heavenly Father would take care of us. Worry about this would be a doubt of God's power and faithfulness to us. (Lk.22:27,28)

- contrary to some Christian legalistic denominations, God is not against jewellery or adornment. He did it Himself throughout creation!! He is not against our beautifying ourselves. What He does NOT like is our concentration on it - our DEPENDENCE on it to gain favour from others. (exampl;e of TV girl who had total "make-over") God is far more concerned with our inner man, because when IT is in shape, a glow comes forth not born of cosmetics or adornment. Some times, cosmetics and jewellery camouflage our needs and sin. Even when our inner man is in a turmoil, our appearance can be beautified or covered up through cosmetics etc. but eventually this catches up with us. God has an entirely different way of assessing beauty. He does not regard the appearance, but looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7) We should be spending just as much time, if not, far MORE time in beautifying our INNER man

- adornment, whether through cosmetics or jewellery, should never be used or worn to seduce men

- care CAN be given to assess the colours we are wearing- to match up, to complement the style or mood of what we are wearing as a dress

OTHER ADORNINGS

- at creation (finishing touches)

- between Isaac and Rebecca (as a sign of endearment)

- the doctrine (to make it palatable, understandable, and beautiful to the common man) (Titus 2:10)]]> Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:28:21 GMT C92A4794B56DA0F4EC94900EA301FDE0 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=43666 The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow! How often we have heard that assertion and take a certain amount of comfort in knowing its truth. The only question that arises immediately is “What was He like yesterday??" From what has He maintained his “sameness”? With everything around us going through extremely rapid changes, what is the relevancy of knowing that the God we worship never changes? This question is profoundly important as we arrive again at the fixed time of the year when the most revolutionary event occured - i.e. the time when the third member of the Godhead made Himself known with such clarity, that men who lived in Jerusalem from every country in the world, were staggered into belief. Even as the curse on the citizens of Babel caused the confusing and scrambling of all languages, the blessing on the citizens of all varieties of languages and cultures staying in Jerusalem, heard the Word of God clearly. Clearly enough to rush to become part of what God was doing in that city. What was going on in the city was called - Pentecost! Three times a year, the Hebrew people were to appear before the Lord, prepared to worship during an appointed time and at an appointed place. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) was one of those times. It was to be an holy convocation, dedicated totally to the rituals that the Lord had requested to be done. Out of each house, two loaves of bread were to be brought to be waved before the Lord as First Fruits. Not only leavened bread, but also two lambs were to be waved before the Lord. The lamb`s blood caused the event to be holy.   It was on the completion of this holy day, that the early disciples, who had been waiting in Jerusalem for the power from on high to come, burst forth with unimaginable conviction! This conviction was the birth pangs of what became the church. It had irresistable power that swept the crowd into its vortex of commitment and into a richer awareness of God`s presence following the event of the cross. Although the fervour of that day in Jerusalem has cooled, the renewal it brought with it has gained a new interest among those who have become aware of it. All over the world, as this spring festival is remembered, there is the awareness of ancient connections that provide hope and joy. Even as the cycle of spring issues forth from every tree, God`s promises issue forth from this event to challenge us all to a renewal of our souls. As we hear of revival and renewals internationally, we are quickened to celebrate and expect renewal in ourselves. The witness that was promised to go to the ends of the earth has gone there, and is now returning with a multiple harvest of souls in its wake. Even as this is a harvest of first fruits physically, it is also a harvest of souls spiritually. Even as this feast remembers the first fruits from the Dead (Yeshua), we anticipate the winter of our own souls melting before the action of the Holy Spirit as He brings His tongues of fire to bear on us!! As we commemorate the fact that God thundered forth His commandments from Mt. Sinai many years ago, let us also rejoice that it is indeed possible now to obey them, not through our human grit, but through the power of His indwelling Spirit which appeared on the exact day of Pentecost in the upper room to 120 disciples.
This question is profoundly important as we arrive again at the fixed time of the year when the most revolutionary event occured - i.e. the time when the third member of the Godhead made Himself known with such clarity, that men who lived in Jerusalem from every country in the world, were staggered into belief. Even as the curse on the citizens of Babel caused the confusing and scrambling of all languages, the blessing on the citizens of all varieties of languages and cultures staying in Jerusalem, heard the Word of God clearly. Clearly enough to rush to become part of what God was doing in that city. What was going on in the city was called - Pentecost!


Three times a year, the Hebrew people were to appear before the Lord, prepared to worship during an appointed time and at an appointed place. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) was one of those times. It was to be an holy convocation, dedicated totally to the rituals that the Lord had requested to be done. Out of each house, two loaves of bread were to be brought to be waved before the Lord as First Fruits. Not only leavened bread, but also two lambs were to be waved before the Lord. The lamb`s blood caused the event to be holy.
 
It was on the completion of this holy day, that the early disciples, who had been waiting in Jerusalem for the power from on high to come, burst forth with unimaginable conviction! This conviction was the birth pangs of what became the church. It had irresistable power that swept the crowd into its vortex of commitment and into a richer awareness of God`s presence following the event of the cross.


Although the fervour of that day in Jerusalem has cooled, the renewal it brought with it has gained a new interest among those who have become aware of it. All over the world, as this spring festival is remembered, there is the awareness of ancient connections that provide hope and joy.

Even as the cycle of spring issues forth from every tree, God`s promises issue forth from this event to challenge us all to a renewal of our souls. As we hear of revival and renewals internationally, we are quickened to celebrate and expect renewal in ourselves. The witness that was promised to go to the ends of the earth has gone there, and is now returning with a multiple harvest of souls in its wake. Even as this is a harvest of first fruits physically, it is also a harvest of souls spiritually. Even as this feast remembers the first fruits from the Dead (Yeshua), we anticipate the winter of our own souls melting before the action of the Holy Spirit as He brings His tongues of fire to bear on us!!

As we commemorate the fact that God thundered forth His commandments from Mt. Sinai many years ago, let us also rejoice that it is indeed possible now to obey them, not through our human grit, but through the power of His indwelling Spirit which appeared on the exact day of Pentecost in the upper room to 120 disciples.
]]> Thu, 28 May 2009 18:07:17 GMT 1ECF81A3C964311F9ECDB71CFBDBC537 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=37765 In other words, there was no such thing as Good Friday or Easter. Both commemorations were an invention of the Roman Emporer Constantine in the 4th century. One cannot calculate 3 days and 3 nights from Friday to Sunday morning. According to most recent calculations by Biblical scholars, Yeshua was crucified Wednesday afternoon, and He rose at midnight Saturday. Easter was a pagan celebration, giving homage to the goddess Ashtar.

According to most recent calculations by Biblical scholars, Yeshua was crucified Wednesday afternoon, and He rose at midnight Saturday.


Easter was a pagan celebration, giving homage to the goddess Ashtar.]]> Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:10:50 GMT 8A9BF349E58F6E40E021976DECFE0851 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=37650 In the first century, fundamental changes occurred, which drew the central authority away from the apostolic order into a new philosophical order. As the church of Jerusalem, under the direction of James, lost its effectiveness because of the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the believers, the conduct of the church affairs fell under the auspices of more non-Judaistic leadership. The progressive effect of this change of authority was a disintegration of the Hebraic basis for liturgy, and its replacement by Greco-Roman philosophical ideas. Following the second uprising around 135 A.D., there was a purposeful rejection of many of the Judaistic influences that were part of the establishment of the early church. Among those things rejected were the annual memorials, known as the Biblical Festivals. There was a desire on the part of the early church fathers, such as Justin Martyr, to gain the sympathy of the Roman rulers who were profoundly enraged by the last rebellion of the Jews in the second century. Since the early church was regarded as part of the Jewish Faith, the political stigma connected with things Jewish attached itself to the church as well. The Roman influence, instilled in the early Church, fathered a deep abiding resentment towards the Jews. When the first universal Church leader, Constantine, made the Christian church the official religion of the Roman state, he, as emperor of Rome, established practices which completely destroyed any continuity between the fledgling Church, and the roots of the Faith. Instead, pagan holidays (Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter) were substituted for the Biblical ones, and these are in place today. Under later leaders, the calendar was changed from the lunar calendar, determining time from the moon cycles, to the solar calendar, reflecting the sun worship prevalent in Rome. This changing of the calendar completely altered the Biblical time cycle for festivals, and separated, finally, any relationship between the Biblical time scale and that of the Church. Commemorating Biblical Feasts is a realignment with the early beginnings of the Faith, and a memorial celebration as a reminder of what God has done in History.
The progressive effect of this change of authority was a disintegration of the Hebraic basis for liturgy, and its replacement by Greco-Roman philosophical ideas. Following the second uprising around 135 A.D., there was a purposeful rejection of many of the Judaistic influences that were part of the establishment of the early church.

Among those things rejected were the annual memorials, known as the Biblical Festivals. There was a desire on the part of the early church fathers, such as Justin Martyr, to gain the sympathy of the Roman rulers who were profoundly enraged by the last rebellion of the Jews in the second century. Since the early church was regarded as part of the Jewish Faith, the political stigma connected with things Jewish attached itself to the church as well.

The Roman influence, instilled in the early Church, fathered a deep abiding resentment towards the Jews. When the first universal Church leader, Constantine, made the Christian church the official religion of the Roman state, he, as emperor of Rome, established practices which completely destroyed any continuity between the fledgling Church, and the roots of the Faith. Instead, pagan holidays (Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter) were substituted for the Biblical ones, and these are in place today.

Under later leaders, the calendar was changed from the lunar calendar, determining time from the moon cycles, to the solar calendar, reflecting the sun worship prevalent in Rome. This changing of the calendar completely altered the Biblical time cycle for festivals, and separated, finally, any relationship between the Biblical time scale and that of the Church. Commemorating Biblical Feasts is a realignment with the early beginnings of the Faith, and a memorial celebration as a reminder of what God has done in History.]]> Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:28:57 GMT AA2C41022C3CC38D6F5ECCA3701812BF http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=35873 Daily reports roll into cyberspace, announcing the fact that Israel is becoming an anathema again in the minds of countries where the biased news has painted a black picture of Israel's self defence. There is an old expression which says, “That which comes around, goes around.” It means that there is little new under the sun, that history definitely repeats itself. On March 10th,, 2009, the ancient Feast of Purim will be celebrated. This is a festival which commemorates the time in the distant past, when almost all of the nation of Israel was living within the borders of Persia. As has happened so often in the history of Israel, her existence was threatened by the rulers of that country. Iran is the present name of Persia, and again, its present ruler is threathening to totally wipe Israel off the map. In the ancient event, there was an influential leader, Haman, whose ego was profoundly insulted when a certain Jew, Mordecai, didn't bow down to him when he rode in the street. By evil manipulation, he convinced the king, Ahasueras, that all the Jews should be destroyed. The present leader of Iran (Persia) has also in this day convinced the leading religious leaders that Israel deserves to be obliterated! Haman prepared a huge gallows upon which he was going to hang Mordecai, following the destruction of Israel. Achmedijad, the present leader, is preparing a nuclear holocaust for the nation of Israel. Should this occur, it will not only involve Israel, but could well involve numerous other nations in the Middle East area. In the case of the original event, a young, beautiful woman, Esther, volunteered to speak to the King, even though it could mean death to her. The only woman on the scene now, who could try to prevent a holocaust of Israel, is not very beautiful, not very self sacrificing, but she IS Jewish. Her name is Hilary Clinton. This has to be the height of irony! However, this time the power of the United States is being controlled by someone who has vowed support for Israel, but apparently has made a secret pact with one of Israel's enemies, Saudi Arabia. There presently isn't an Esther, but there has been an election in Israel, which has brought to power a new sympathetic leader, Benjamin Natanyahu. Now for the most ironical touch - his name means “son of my right hand, gift from God!” It will be intriguing to see if this “gift” will turn the tables on those who are seeking the destruction of Israel at this moment of observance of the time when God saved the people of Israel.
On March 10th,, 2009, the ancient Feast of Purim will be celebrated. This is a festival which commemorates the time in the distant past, when almost all of the nation of Israel was living within the borders of Persia. As has happened so often in the history of Israel, her existence was threatened by the rulers of that country.
Iran is the present name of Persia, and again, its present ruler is threathening to totally wipe Israel off the map. In the ancient event, there was an influential leader, Haman, whose ego was profoundly insulted when a certain Jew, Mordecai, didn't bow down to him when he rode in the street. By evil manipulation, he convinced the king, Ahasueras, that all the Jews should be destroyed. The present leader of Iran (Persia) has also in this day convinced the leading religious leaders that Israel deserves to be obliterated!

Haman prepared a huge gallows upon which he was going to hang Mordecai, following the destruction of Israel. Achmedijad, the present leader, is preparing a nuclear holocaust for the nation of Israel. Should this occur, it will not only involve Israel, but could well involve numerous other nations in the Middle East area. In the case of the original event, a young, beautiful woman, Esther, volunteered to speak to the King, even though it could mean death to her. The only woman on the scene now, who could try to prevent a holocaust of Israel, is not very beautiful, not very self sacrificing, but she IS Jewish. Her name is Hilary Clinton.

This has to be the height of irony! However, this time the power of the United States is being controlled by someone who has vowed support for Israel, but apparently has made a secret pact with one of Israel's enemies, Saudi Arabia. There presently isn't an Esther, but there has been an election in Israel, which has brought to power a new sympathetic leader, Benjamin Natanyahu. Now for the most ironical touch - his name means “son of my right hand, gift from God!” It will be intriguing to see if this “gift” will turn the tables on those who are seeking the destruction of Israel at this moment of observance of the time when God saved the people of Israel.]]> Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:13:01 GMT 12464274D75CA910709FC21C4478B0C2 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=35871 "Passover??For Christians?? For ME?? NO way - that's only a JEWISH thing!"so you say.We invite you to take a second look. First off, all the first earlybelievers in Jesus, whether they were Jewish or Gentiles, celebrated notonly Passover, but ALL the other Biblical Feasts (i.e. Trumpets,Tabernacles, Passover, Pentecost - and even the Sabbath on the 7th day!) So whathappened? In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantine decreed theseGodly dates illegal, and severely persecuted any believer caught observingany of them. In order to give believers something to commemorate, heinvented Advent, Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and the Sunday Sabbath. Being a political leader, he randomly drew his ideas from paganfestivals and deities, and doctored them up so that they were palatable andinoffensive. He also boldly changed the Biblical names of the days, months,and years, adjusting all these to the solar calendar rather than the Biblical lunar one - even though scriptures warn us not to tamper with God'sset times which would result in a curse. With the passing of time, thesechanges became easier, and then a habit, and then tradition, and nowaccepted as the gospel truth and a way of life. This unembarrassed strayingaway from the truth has left most Christians not realizing this error. Soattached are we to Constantine's festivals that most believers can not andwill not emerge out of them, nor see the tremendous lessons in the feastsGod has ordained! Yeshua is woven into every one of them - loud andstrong!Now that's the history. So let's retrace our steps: Passover was thecelebration that commemorated the ancient Israelites coming out of thebondage of Egypt and its cruel taskmaster, Pharaoh. The Psalmist Davidrecorded that it is good to "joy in another's joys". If it were not forGod's profound interventionfor the Israelites there would have been noMessiah, as the blood line would have been cancelled through which Yeshuawas born centuries later. To bring it home to us, we can see that Pharaoh isa symbol of Satan, and the Israelites are we who have been gloriouslybrought out of his domainthrough faith in the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach.Their Canaan has become OUR Heaven! In short, we have passed from death untolife! The same God Who brought the Jews out of Egypt with a strong rightarm, has just as supernaturally brought US out of the power of sin and evilthrough the atoning blood of Yeshua. Regard this as the bigger miracle! Bycelebrating Passover, this is a chance to enjoy a multiple spiritual NEWBIRTHday party!! At this Passover celebration, you will discover preciousnew insight into this most ancient of all the Biblical feasts - a doorwayinto observing ALL of them as your yearly cycle of worship to the King ofall kings! It will be honoured with much beautiful pageantry, revelatoryexplanations and teaching, delicious food, and close fellowship - with theLord and your fellow brothers and sister seated at your table. Celebrating the Biblical feasts is a worldwide awakening reflected in Christians livingin every country throughout God's kingdom on earth right now. This is partof the preparation of the Body of Christ for the Messiah's imminent return.Why not be a part of what God is doing?
In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantine decreed theseGodly dates illegal, and severely persecuted any believer caught observingany of them. In order to give believers something to commemorate, heinvented Advent, Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and the Sunday Sabbath. Being a political leader, he randomly drew his ideas from paganfestivals and deities, and doctored them up so that they were palatable andinoffensive. He also boldly changed the Biblical names of the days, months,and years, adjusting all these to the solar calendar rather than the Biblical lunar one - even though scriptures warn us not to tamper with God'sset times which would result in a curse. With the passing of time, thesechanges became easier, and then a habit, and then tradition, and nowaccepted as the gospel truth and a way of life.
This unembarrassed strayingaway from the truth has left most Christians not realizing this error. Soattached are we to Constantine's festivals that most believers can not andwill not emerge out of them, nor see the tremendous lessons in the feastsGod has ordained! Yeshua is woven into every one of them - loud andstrong!Now that's the history.

So let's retrace our steps: Passover was thecelebration that commemorated the ancient Israelites coming out of thebondage of Egypt and its cruel taskmaster, Pharaoh. The Psalmist Davidrecorded that it is good to "joy in another's joys". If it were not forGod's profound interventionfor the Israelites there would have been noMessiah, as the blood line would have been cancelled through which Yeshuawas born centuries later.
To bring it home to us, we can see that Pharaoh isa symbol of Satan, and the Israelites are we who have been gloriouslybrought out of his domainthrough faith in the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach.Their Canaan has become OUR Heaven! In short, we have passed from death untolife!

The same God Who brought the Jews out of Egypt with a strong rightarm, has just as supernaturally brought US out of the power of sin and evilthrough the atoning blood of Yeshua. Regard this as the bigger miracle! Bycelebrating Passover, this is a chance to enjoy a multiple spiritual NEWBIRTHday party!!
At this Passover celebration, you will discover preciousnew insight into this most ancient of all the Biblical feasts - a doorwayinto observing ALL of them as your yearly cycle of worship to the King ofall kings! It will be honoured with much beautiful pageantry, revelatoryexplanations and teaching, delicious food, and close fellowship - with theLord and your fellow brothers and sister seated at your table.

Celebrating the Biblical feasts is a worldwide awakening reflected in Christians livingin every country throughout God's kingdom on earth right now. This is partof the preparation of the Body of Christ for the Messiah's imminent return.Why not be a part of what God is doing?]]> Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:04:23 GMT 6642E82BC38DF590F1AEE83D9C42F028 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=35553 HallEL: childlike celebration, bordering upon being a trifle foolish in the eyes of man (Psa. 22:22) ChaDESH: sing a NEW song (prophetic, creative, radical) ToDAH: hands in adoration (Psa. 50:23) TehiLAH: confess God's word in song - authority in hearts - scripture songs - singing in the Spirit - (Psa. 40:3) SaMACH: to be as happy as the sun - God's light changes the hearts - forgiveness - love - "changed from glory to glory" (2Cor.5:7) - victory over our trials BaRAHK: bowing down (Psa. 72:15) GUHL: dance - allow Holy Spirit to guide movements YaDAH: raise hands unashamedly (Psa. 9:1) MaCHAWL: round circle dancing - (King David, Bar Mitzvah, wedding) (Lk. 15:25) - music and dancing in My Father's house ShaBACH: - to shout (Psa. 117:1) AHAZ: leap and dance (Lk. 12:23) (10 lepers healed- only 1 praised) - (Acts 3:3 - lame man) Processions - (Psa. 68:24:27) - - dignified (sometimes happy - sometimes solemn) AhCAR: warfare over cities - (Ps.149:9) 1) to assault evil powers 2) punishment for sin and power over people 3) bind rulers of darkness with chains (drugs/violence/crime) 4) bind nobles with fetters of iron (over churches and families) 5) execute written judgment (by speaking the word, we see Satan flee) ZaMAHR: prophetic - without singing or words - drives oyut evil spirits (1 Sam. 16:23) (King Saul and David) (Psa. 22:22)

ChaDESH: sing a NEW song (prophetic, creative, radical)

ToDAH: hands in adoration (Psa. 50:23)

TehiLAH: confess God's word in song - authority in hearts - scripture songs - singing in the Spirit - (Psa. 40:3)

SaMACH: to be as happy as the sun - God's light changes the hearts - forgiveness - love - "changed from glory to glory" (2Cor.5:7) - victory over our trials

BaRAHK: bowing down (Psa. 72:15)

GUHL: dance - allow Holy Spirit to guide movements

YaDAH: raise hands unashamedly (Psa. 9:1)

MaCHAWL: round circle dancing - (King David, Bar Mitzvah, wedding) (Lk. 15:25) - music and dancing in My Father's house

ShaBACH: - to shout (Psa. 117:1)

AHAZ: leap and dance (Lk. 12:23) (10 lepers healed- only 1 praised) - (Acts 3:3 - lame man)
Processions - (Psa. 68:24:27) - - dignified (sometimes happy - sometimes solemn)

AhCAR: warfare over cities - (Ps.149:9)
1) to assault evil powers
2) punishment for sin and power over people
3) bind rulers of darkness with chains (drugs/violence/crime)
4) bind nobles with fetters of iron (over churches and families)
5) execute written judgment (by speaking the word, we see Satan flee)

ZaMAHR: prophetic - without singing or words - drives oyut evil spirits (1 Sam. 16:23) (King Saul and David)]]> Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:19:52 GMT F129A8272370D8BF6712EF101C130B36 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=34893 If there is one thing that the Western world prides itself in is “logic”. Rationalism was the reigning philosophy during the 17 the to the 19th century. By the 18th c. , with Isaac Newton having discovered the laws of levers and many other brilliant conclusions in Science, the contemporary society thought that within a few short years, all nature would be understood . Understood enough to give Man the control that he needed to dictate how he should live, without the help or interference of something called”God”. Such luminaries as Descartes could boldly declare “I think therefore I am”. This was the battle cry of the atheists that accompanied or followed Descartes. A “new man” had arisen with his man made wisdom “in his wings.” Gradually pride of life fashioned and determined by man, took hold of each “thinker” and drove him to treat the idea of a higher authority with contempt. Western man had come of age and he was now free to cast off any idea of limitation because of moral considerations, that he had been told by “religious types.” Every avenue was open to his inquisitive, well oiled intellect. Nothing should escape being investigated : every private or modest activity was pried open and thoroughly examined then turned inside out for all to see its “secret” character. Freedom was written on every lamp post.......freedom is regarded as the essence of happiness. Now we have reached a point where every hedonistic thought and indulgence is trumpeted about as “life style” and its depravity regarded as deeply important to life's inherent meaning. Not only must it be tolerated, but encouraged at every level. Otherwise chances are, our society's “progress”might grind to a halt, and we may be forced to take on responsibility for our actions. God has assessed this attitude, knowing that this path leads to spiritual death, soulic stupour and cannabalistic narcissism. So he has sent a totally irrational, death dealing religion that serves its god with total abandonment towards itself, others of its adherents and the entire Western world of moral ingrates. As was made clear on an interview on BBC last evening, everyone outside of faith in Allah deserves death and a true adherent to this god's book, the koran, will make himself totally available to carry out homicide, suicide, patricide or any other “side” to remove unbelievers from the earth. All the humanist doctrine of the basic goodness of mankind, is having this philosophy thrown back in his face just before he loses his head.   Intellectual liberalism loses its case for absolute freedom, when confronted with absolute commitment to goodness and to evil. Since it is usually repulsed by goodness in raw simple faith form, it is left with the alternative—absolute evil. This is what we are dealing with on the political and personal level. God have mercy!! Here and there among the tragedies of the recent confrontation in Gaza, surfaced absolute goodness. A new awareness came upon many soldiers of the IF as a result of miraculous events that occurred, brought about by the myriads of prayers that were ascending their behalf. “If my people will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins and heal their land!” This is a promise!!
Such luminaries as Descartes could boldly declare “I think therefore I am”. This was the battle cry of the atheists that accompanied or followed Descartes. A “new man” had arisen with his man made wisdom “in his wings.” Gradually pride of life fashioned and determined by man, took hold of each “thinker” and drove him to treat the idea of a higher authority with contempt.

Western man had come of age and he was now free to cast off any idea of limitation because of moral considerations, that he had been told by “religious types.” Every avenue was open to his inquisitive, well oiled intellect. Nothing should escape being investigated : every private or modest activity was pried open and thoroughly examined then turned inside out for all to see its “secret” character.

Freedom was written on every lamp post.......freedom is regarded as the essence of happiness. Now we have reached a point where every hedonistic thought and indulgence is trumpeted about as “life style” and its depravity regarded as deeply important to life's inherent meaning.
Not only must it be tolerated, but encouraged at every level. Otherwise chances are, our society's “progress”might grind to a halt, and we may be forced to take on responsibility for our actions.

God has assessed this attitude, knowing that this path leads to spiritual death, soulic stupour and cannabalistic narcissism. So he has sent a totally irrational, death dealing religion that serves its god with total abandonment towards itself, others of its adherents and the entire Western world of moral ingrates.

As was made clear on an interview on BBC last evening, everyone outside of faith in Allah deserves death and a true adherent to this god's book, the koran, will make himself totally available to carry out homicide, suicide, patricide or any other “side” to remove unbelievers from the earth. All the humanist doctrine of the basic goodness of mankind, is having this philosophy thrown back in his face just before he loses his head.
 
Intellectual liberalism loses its case for absolute freedom, when confronted with absolute commitment to goodness and to evil. Since it is usually repulsed by goodness in raw simple faith form, it is left with the alternative—absolute evil. This is what we are dealing with on the political and personal level. God have mercy!!

Here and there among the tragedies of the recent confrontation in Gaza, surfaced absolute goodness. A new awareness came upon many soldiers of the IF as a result of miraculous events that occurred, brought about by the myriads of prayers that were ascending their behalf.

“If my people will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins
and heal their land!”

This is a promise!!
]]> Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:49:22 GMT 2F817FC4CA499756027964A320E30E01 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=34358  My toleration has reached its limit! I do not have any more patience whatsoever with the diet of UNholy stuff that is pouring out from 99% of the modern born-again churches. It is sheer junk – theologically, poetically, and musically! I have really had it! The wonder of it all is that the Lord doesn't seem to be stretching over the balcony of Heaven and screaming! Or even worse! Please don't ask me to go to one more service where the so-called “musicians” (most of whom do not read music) and the composers who “write” it (which means they hum it and hope you catch it) do not humble themselves to really write notes down and learn HOW! The theology in the songs is sheer drivel – and not only that, but the definition of “love” is anything but DIVINE Love. I call it “bedroom worship” (crossover songs). Sensual love is NOT the same as Godly Love at all. The worship “team” looks like they fell out of bed or were qualifying to walk the streets. Maybe the word “team” IS right after all – they dress like they really ARE going to a football game! The music? Look, I've played just about every kind of music on a professional level, so I AM broadminided, but I find this stuff unbearable. It goes NOwhere, it's impossible to follow, and is a dead BORE! I thought we had more revelation than the Jewish temple worship. We are FREE!! Ha! Give me the elaborate and meaningful wardrobe of the ancient Levitical priests any day to this parade of blue jeans with holes, sloppy T shirts, and tight skirts up to the thighs. Let me ask them something – if Yeshua appeared during the worship coming down the aisle in all His glory, would we even DARE to look like that in the Presence of indescribable Royalty? Would we jive and rock in our adoration then? Would we blast the living daylights out of the drums so nobody can even hear themselves think? The singers coo their way like any sub-average singer on secular shows,. And at that, most of them are poor replicas. Airy fairy voices – more breath than tone. Doesn't anyone take music lessons any more? And where are the solo instruments? Didn't a whole bunch of high school kids take instrumental music classes? Where are the clarinets, the trumpets, the strings, the flutes? How come we are obliged to imitate a REAL sound on the electric keyboards, when the REAL flute player is sitting in the audience and is refused her participation, as it's not COOL!?? Hey – how about singing scripture again? Novel, huh? How about using some good language and grammar? How about some worthy poetry? How about expressing true prostrate adoration in a worthy manner, instead of chewing gum and blowing bubbles in the church pew? There is a pattern for worship, and it is NOT built on our tastes! It is not meant to please our preferences. It is exalted – it is glorious – it is wondrous – it is HOLY! HOLY! HOLY!!!! If once we understand that the root meaning of “holy” in the Biblical Hebrew word “kadosh” - means OTHER THAN, not the SAME AS, maybe we'll get somewhere!! I am not trying to be a smartee, or super-intellectual, or a snob, or arrogant, or any such thing. It's just that I feel the LORD'S indignation!! Can we not come up with something better than THIS??
The theology in the songs is sheer drivel – and not only that, but the definition of “love” is anything but DIVINE Love. I call it “bedroom worship” (crossover songs). Sensual love is NOT the same as Godly Love at all. The worship “team” looks like they fell out of bed or were qualifying to walk the streets. Maybe the word “team” IS right after all – they dress like they really ARE going to a football game! The music? Look, I've played just about every kind of music on a professional level, so I AM broadminided, but I find this stuff unbearable. It goes NOwhere, it's impossible to follow, and is a dead BORE!

I thought we had more revelation than the Jewish temple worship. We are FREE!! Ha! Give me the elaborate and meaningful wardrobe of the ancient Levitical priests any day to this parade of blue jeans with holes, sloppy T shirts, and tight skirts up to the thighs.

Let me ask them something – if Yeshua appeared during the worship coming down the aisle in all His glory, would we even DARE to look like that in the Presence of indescribable Royalty? Would we jive and rock in our adoration then? Would we blast the living daylights out of the drums so nobody can even hear themselves think? The singers coo their way like any sub-average singer on secular shows,. And at that, most of them are poor replicas. Airy fairy voices – more breath than tone. Doesn't anyone take music lessons any more? And where are the solo instruments? Didn't a whole bunch of high school kids take instrumental music classes? Where are the clarinets, the trumpets, the strings, the flutes? How come we are obliged to imitate a REAL sound on the electric keyboards, when the REAL flute player is sitting in the audience and is refused her participation, as it's not COOL!??

Hey – how about singing scripture again? Novel, huh? How about using some good language and grammar? How about some worthy poetry? How about expressing true prostrate adoration in a worthy manner, instead of chewing gum and blowing bubbles in the church pew? There is a pattern for worship, and it is NOT built on our tastes! It is not meant to please our preferences. It is exalted – it is glorious – it is wondrous – it is HOLY! HOLY! HOLY!!!!

If once we understand that the root meaning of “holy” in the Biblical Hebrew word “kadosh” - means OTHER THAN, not the SAME AS, maybe we'll get somewhere!! I am not trying to be a smartee, or super-intellectual, or a snob, or arrogant, or any such thing. It's just that I feel the LORD'S indignation!! Can we not come up with something better than THIS??]]> Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:05:29 GMT 24CD23609537484924F6402E08C8B41F http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=33500  Apparently instead of heading for global warming we are headed for a short cold period. One of the things that affects our climate is sunspot activity on our sun. Whenever this activity slows down there is a cold trend on earth. Right now there is almost no sunspot activity and almost no solar wind. Sunspots are huge (as large as 170,000 miles high) gaseous explosions created when helium is changed to hydrogen in the heat creating process on the sun's surface. Recently I saw pictures of the sun and there are no sunspots hence the likelihood of a short "ice age". Sunspots are huge (as large as 170,000 miles high) gaseous explosions created when helium is changed to hydrogen in the heat creating process on the sun's surface. Recently I saw pictures of the sun and there are no sunspots hence the likelihood of a short "ice age".]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:15:00 GMT 3252C5473992275EB84498332077D38F http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=31899 First of all – what ARE the Biblical Feasts? Not Advent, not Christmas, not New Year's Eve or day, not Lent, not Good Friday, not Easter – and DEFINITELY not Valentine's Day or not Hallowe'en!! (More about those on another posting.) The Biblical Feasts we will present in order, starting at the Biblical spiritual new year, which is not Rosh HaShanna, as that is the civic new year. First we have Passover (Pesach) in the spring, then Pentecost (Shavu'ot) early summer, then a long wait till the fall till the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teru'ah or Rosh HaShanna), then the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), then the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), then the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), and lastly the Feast of Esther (Purim). (We have a separate blog on their pronunciation on our web site.) All God's greatest acts have occurred on Biblical feast days. (Yeshua's birth was never celebrated by early Christians – not until the Roman Emperor Constantine inaugurated it – as Christmas - in the 4th century.) Shabbat is also a weekly Feast. No, not Sunday – the SEVENTH day! (There's another blog about that on our web site.) Here is a list of what happened on those feast days – prophetically. Feast of Passover: Yeshua's death Feast of First Fruits: Yeshua's resurrection Feast of Pentecost: coming of the Holy Spirit Feast of Trumpets: (only feast not fulfilled) – when Yeshua will return) Feast of Tabernacles: when Yeshua was born (that's when we SHOULD be celebrating that!) All my life I have known the Lord, having given my heart to Him when I was only 8 years old! Being born into a wonderful evangelical family of committed faith was a great spiritual impetus to me. From early childhood I read the Bible – especially meaningful to me was the Old Testament. I am sure that if you have read the scriptures over a period of years, you will have come to the same discovery that I have – i.e. a verse or chapter read at one time will take on further revelation at another point later on. Such was the case with Isaiah 56, which I feel is the mandate for Christians celebrating the Biblical Feasts, along with the Jewish people. Why did I not SEE this years ago? Probably because – very simply – God has a timing in these personal revelations. Although there are other hints throughout the Bible to substantiate Christians celebrating the Biblical Feasts, I think Isaiah 56 is the best. Read the passage below – but first you must understand some definitions that will help you. 1) In verse 4, where it uses the word “sabbaths” - it refers to not only the Biblical yearly feasts which were called ”sabbaths” , but also, of course, the Biblical weekly sabbath – the SEVENTH day. 2) In the old Testament, when the term “sons and daughters” is used, it refers to the Jewish people. 3) When the term “strangers and foreigners” is implemented, it means Gentiles (like Ruth) who embraced the faith of Israel, which now to us in this day and age, means those who have come to faith in the God of Israel through the acceptance of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua. We are grafted into WHAT?? The commonwealth of ISRAEL!! That means that THEIR promises are not ONLY theirs, but OURS too. Certainly NOT INSTEAD OF - as that would be what is called “Replacement Theology”, a heresy to which many denominations subscribe, but of which we have no part whatsoever! Now it's time to read that scripture: (Isaiah 56:1-8) ?1 - Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. ?2 - Blessed [is] the man [that] doeth this, and the son of man [that] layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. ?3 - Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree. ?4 - For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant; ?5 - Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. ?6 - Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; ?7 - Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. ?8 - The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather [others] to him, beside those that are gathered unto him. Does this not BLESS you???
The Biblical Feasts we will present in order, starting at the Biblical spiritual new year, which is not Rosh HaShanna, as that is the civic new year. First we have Passover (Pesach) in the spring, then Pentecost (Shavu'ot) early summer, then a long wait till the fall till the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teru'ah or Rosh HaShanna), then the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), then the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), then the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), and lastly the Feast of Esther (Purim). (We have a separate blog on their pronunciation on our web site.)

All God's greatest acts have occurred on Biblical feast days. (Yeshua's birth was never celebrated by early Christians – not until the Roman Emperor Constantine inaugurated it – as Christmas - in the 4th century.) Shabbat is also a weekly Feast. No, not Sunday – the SEVENTH day! (There's another blog about that on our web site.)

Here is a list of what happened on those feast days – prophetically.

Feast of Passover: Yeshua's death
Feast of First Fruits: Yeshua's resurrection
Feast of Pentecost: coming of the Holy Spirit
Feast of Trumpets: (only feast not fulfilled) – when Yeshua will return)
Feast of Tabernacles: when Yeshua was born (that's when we SHOULD be celebrating that!)

All my life I have known the Lord, having given my heart to Him when I was only 8 years old! Being born into a wonderful evangelical family of committed faith was a great spiritual impetus to me. From early childhood I read the Bible – especially meaningful to me was the Old Testament.

I am sure that if you have read the scriptures over a period of years, you will have come to the same discovery that I have – i.e. a verse or chapter read at one time will take on further revelation at another point later on. Such was the case with Isaiah 56, which I feel is the mandate for Christians celebrating the Biblical Feasts, along with the Jewish people. Why did I not SEE this years ago? Probably because – very simply – God has a timing in these personal revelations.

Although there are other hints throughout the Bible to substantiate Christians celebrating the Biblical Feasts, I think Isaiah 56 is the best. Read the passage below – but first you must understand some definitions that will help you.

1) In verse 4, where it uses the word “sabbaths” - it refers to not only the Biblical yearly feasts which were called ”sabbaths” , but also, of course, the Biblical weekly sabbath – the SEVENTH day.
2) In the old Testament, when the term “sons and daughters” is used, it refers to the Jewish people.
3) When the term “strangers and foreigners” is implemented, it means Gentiles (like Ruth) who embraced the faith of Israel, which now to us in this day and age, means those who have come to faith in the God of Israel through the acceptance of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua. We are grafted into WHAT?? The commonwealth of ISRAEL!! That means that THEIR promises are not ONLY theirs, but OURS too. Certainly NOT INSTEAD OF - as that would be what is called “Replacement Theology”, a heresy to which many denominations subscribe, but of which we have no part whatsoever!

Now it's time to read that scripture: (Isaiah 56:1-8)
?1 - Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. ?2 - Blessed [is] the man [that] doeth this, and the son of man [that] layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. ?3 - Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree. ?4 - For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant; ?5 - Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. ?6 - Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; ?7 - Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. ?8 - The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather [others] to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

Does this not BLESS you???

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:23:15 GMT 9F45B92B45C3604151B74B0036A2EE49 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=31898  Music of the western world has built on ancient Chinese discoveries of harmonics. 3000 years ago while making a close study of the movement of the planets and stars, Chinese court astronomers discovered harmonic principles that they translated into frequencies for structuring musical instruments. Using strings made from cat gut, they experimented with various string lengths and came upon sounding patterns such as a sounding string when halved in length, produces and octave sound. That is, each division of a sounding string produces harmonics. Taking this information, they applied it to a string instrument and by varying the sounding length of a string, made divisions that eventually led to multiple stringed instruments. The prevailing philosophy at that time was Confuscianism whose aim was disciplined peace. In the course of making the “qin” instrument, the whole tone scale was discovered. If you go to a keyboard and play just the black notes, you will play the whole tone scale. It was agreed that this scale which has no harsh dissonances, was a perfect sound to generate beauty and peace. This scale has characterized Chinese music for many centuries thus it has become the founding source of harmony for that nation. Following the Chinese music development, came the growth of Indian music. India had music experimenters who created 24 scales between note one and note 8. In addition to amazing harmonies, there were superbly conceived and demandingly performed rhythms. We in the Western World have to thank both these civilizations for leading the way to the amazing array of musical sounds gracing our places of entertainment and contemplation. while making a close study of the movement of the planets and stars, Chinese court astronomers
discovered harmonic principles that they translated into frequencies for structuring musical instruments. Using strings made from cat gut, they experimented with various string lengths and came upon sounding patterns such as a sounding string when halved in length, produces and octave sound. That is, each division of a sounding string produces harmonics. Taking this information, they applied it to a string instrument and by varying the sounding length of a string, made divisions that eventually led to multiple stringed instruments.

The prevailing philosophy at that time was Confuscianism whose aim was disciplined peace. In the course of making the “qin” instrument, the whole tone scale was discovered. If you go to a keyboard and play just the black notes, you will play the whole tone scale. It was agreed that this scale which has no harsh dissonances, was a perfect sound to generate beauty and peace. This scale has characterized Chinese music for many centuries thus it has become the founding source of harmony for that nation.

Following the Chinese music development, came the growth of Indian music. India had music experimenters who created 24 scales between note one and note 8. In addition to amazing harmonies, there were superbly conceived and demandingly performed rhythms. We in the Western World have to thank both these civilizations for leading the way to the amazing array of musical sounds gracing our places of entertainment and contemplation.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:19:38 GMT 58C6B5113FEA9801FCA6386C1BB27FC5 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=31802  1) Natural grief MUST occur after trauma. 2) in the case of Christians, its duration can be limited by a Divine intervention in a redemptive form of understanding of what God is saying. Grief must issue OUT of ourselves, or it will turn INward into self-pity, and worse still, into unbelief and idolatry (idolatry of the thing or person we lost, or idolatry of grief itself). 3) The more intense grief, the more intense lesson God is trying to teach us. 4) God showed me that grief was coupled with unbelief, in that I would rather cling on to the present state of feelings of intense sadness affirming it never will be any better, than believe God's promise for ultimate deliverance!! - Shame on ME!! 5) Prolonged grief IS an IDOL (an idol is anything which demands unduly of one's time and energy, but does not produce positive fruit. Every negative thing we utter nurses that idol's LIFE and OUR death!) 6) There is no mention in the Bible of Abraham grieving when he was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac (because Abraham KNEW God's ways!) 7) Yeshua had natural human grief in the garden, but He knew He must be obedient to the next step, which was crucifixion. 8) Yeshua did not have natural grief on the cross. His grief came BEFORE the cross and was experienced in a depth unknown to us - but only in the garden of Gethsemane. (In fact, as He hung from the cross, it was a paradoxical and peculiar time of joy of which we have no earthly knowledge, as He carried out His Divine purpose of redemption.) 9) in the Bible, God always delivered His servants who were trapped in grief OUT of the physical enclosure they were put in (Jonah in the whale, Joseph down the pit, Daniel in the lion's den, and Yeshua in the tomb. Yes, they ALL had an expression of grief if you examine their plight. Deliverance happened for them in different ways. With Jonah, it was through a final spewing out by the instrument God used - the whale. With Daniel, it was a miracle of closing the lion's mouths. With Joseph, God used ungodly people who took advantage of his plight and used it for their own ends. But with Yeshua, it was the power of God that caused him to break out of His bounds HIMSELF into resurrection life. That was God's HIGHEST way. It is for US too. Use WHO and WHAT He has put IN you to come OUT of grief.) 10) Only the immature Christian will say: "God's ways are past finding out." But did not God's servant Moses KNOW God's ways?? Did not King David state it WAS possible to comprehend the purpose of the tests of life? It IS conceivable to understand what God is doing DURING our trials. ASK Him. The more quickly we can adjust to HIS perspective, the more quickly we will get out of wallowing in our grief, and get on with the next step. 11) We were originally created for joy, and not sorrow. Initially, Adam and Eve did not have to go through sorrow to know true joy - until they sinned. From that point on, man had to EARN joy through sorrow. Yeshua's sacrifice made a way back for us who appropriate His redemption, to that primary joy! 12) God wants us to know more of His nature and WHY He does things the way He does by changing OUR mindset to HIS way of thinking. Suddenly our spiritual eyes open, and we find ourselves saying, "Of course, now I see it! God was using this grief to sound an alarm in me, to put things that are out of order in my life into HIS divine order. How brilliant of Him! I never would have dreamed to do it THIS way!" This is followed by our humble recognition of how really UNGod-like we are!! - If I examine the action that brought on the grief, I can now see that He could do it in no other way! It's PERFECT!! It was HIS way - His PERFECT way of saying, "Come UP to another level of understanding." And WE thought it was all going DOWNwards!! 13) it is entirely in our hands as to how long we grieve. If we prolong our grief, we delay, and even incapacitate God's Hand from showing us His true purpose. 14) The trial which we think only centres around the person(s) causing us to grieve is really OUR problem. How are we re-acting to it?? ("I deserve better?" (self-righteousness) "This has never happened in OUR family before?" (pride) "Life is not worth living?" (lie) "What will happen IF?" (fear) "How can this problem EVER resolve?" (unbelief) Or even, "Why does it ALWAYS happen to me??" (rejection) (a poignant question revealing former grief as yet unresolved) 15) OUR way is to make it all better as fast as possible. If I take that "quick-fix" route, I am setting myself up for another crash of grief, till I learn that GOD'S way takes longer. 16) We can try to sublimate the grief - but we are still DELAYING God's wanting to talk with us. 17) Grief did not HAVE to come (with the exception of a death), had we listened to and obeyed God's voice away back . 18) Suppressed grief will eventually call around again. 19) Grief is also linked with the anti-Christ spirit, which sets itself up as the most "decent" and "dependable" cure of the problem (eg. "I will fix it - if nobody ELSE will!!") (often linked with a spirit of perfectionism i.e. "It didn't turn out as smoothly as I had planned and envisioned. It doesn't really help my self-image!") 20) If Yeshua had remained FOREVER in the valley of grief in the Garden of Gethsemane, we would STILL be waiting for our salvation and resurrection life. 21) The next step after grief IS crucifixion (dying to self, acknowledging I can do nothing of myself, and letting God work it out ALL BY HIMSELF without any of my concocted schemes or remedies). I panic. "But this is impossible!" This is very difficult for mothers to do, as they think they can fix anything! (They assume God's role of healer.) It is also terrible for fathers in that they feel this is THEIR responsibility. (They assume God's role of protector.) This is unbelief again, that just God can really handle it - we think He needs our help!) 22) If we allow God's dealings NOW to perfect us, (dying to our own remedies) this is one way of shoring up stability for the even rougher times ahead. 23) The really encouraging thing is that one day in Heaven there isn't going to be any more of this awful stuff called grief whatsoever. The more quickly we come out of it HERE points prophetically to that blessèd time! Anything we can do now to assume and walk in that joy ahead is GODLY. That IS the resurrection from the grief!! 24) The number "24" reminds me of the 24 elders in the book of Revelation who will bow down at His feet in adoration in the throne room of Heaven. I AM an elder in the body of Christ. I SHOULD know God's ways by now. The older and wiser elders are NOT in a position of human strength, lining up to get their glory buttons or even their crowns. But, contrary to human ways, they are bowing down to Him Who alone perfects that which concerns them. Thus I will yield to HIS ways till the day I die or am taken up to meet Him at His coming. P.S. - The above observations were dictated to me by the Holy Spirit after yet another blow - the worst of all - in a series of unfathomable and bewildering pain stretched over a period of 30 years in full-time ministry! Yes, I have experienced well the icy grip and the crippling pangs of grief. But even though I have TASTED grief, - I am determined from now on not to make a MEAL out of it!! Nothing I had read on the topic, no advice I had from stammering lips who fished for the right words, or others who triumphantly rebuked me - made a bit of sense to me in helping toward my healing until this day! I am still very fragile - but I AM going to be victorious! I will NOT be wiped out again, rendering me useless to pray about the very situation for which I had cause to grieve.
2) in the case of Christians, its duration can be limited by a Divine intervention in a redemptive form of understanding of what God is saying. Grief must issue OUT of ourselves, or it will turn INward into self-pity, and worse still, into unbelief and idolatry (idolatry of the thing or person we lost, or idolatry of grief itself).

3) The more intense grief, the more intense lesson God is trying to teach us.

4) God showed me that grief was coupled with unbelief, in that I would rather cling on to the present state of feelings of intense sadness affirming it never will be any better, than believe God's promise for ultimate deliverance!! - Shame on ME!!

5) Prolonged grief IS an IDOL (an idol is anything which demands unduly of one's time and energy, but does not produce positive fruit. Every negative thing we utter nurses that idol's LIFE and OUR death!)

6) There is no mention in the Bible of Abraham grieving when he was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac (because Abraham KNEW God's ways!)

7) Yeshua had natural human grief in the garden, but He knew He must be obedient to the next step, which was crucifixion.

8) Yeshua did not have natural grief on the cross. His grief came BEFORE the cross and was experienced in a depth unknown to us - but only in the garden of Gethsemane. (In fact, as He hung from the cross, it was a paradoxical and peculiar time of joy of which we have no earthly knowledge, as He carried out His Divine purpose of redemption.)

9) in the Bible, God always delivered His servants who were trapped in grief OUT of the physical enclosure they were put in (Jonah in the whale, Joseph down the pit, Daniel in the lion's den, and Yeshua in the tomb. Yes, they ALL had an expression of grief if you examine their plight. Deliverance happened for them in different ways.
With Jonah, it was through a final spewing out by the instrument God used - the whale. With Daniel, it was a miracle of closing the lion's mouths.
With Joseph, God used ungodly people who took advantage of his plight and used it for their own ends. But with Yeshua, it was the power of God that caused him to break out of His bounds HIMSELF into resurrection life. That was God's HIGHEST way. It is for US too. Use WHO and WHAT He has put IN you to come OUT of grief.)

10) Only the immature Christian will say: "God's ways are past finding out." But did not God's servant Moses KNOW God's ways?? Did not King David state it WAS possible to comprehend the purpose of the tests of life? It IS conceivable to understand what God is doing DURING our trials. ASK Him.
The more quickly we can adjust to HIS perspective, the more quickly we will get out of wallowing in our grief, and get on with the next step.

11) We were originally created for joy, and not sorrow. Initially, Adam and Eve did not have to go through sorrow to know true joy - until they sinned. From that point on, man had to EARN joy through sorrow. Yeshua's sacrifice made a way back for us who appropriate His redemption, to that primary joy!

12) God wants us to know more of His nature and WHY He does things the way He does by changing OUR mindset to HIS way of thinking. Suddenly our spiritual eyes open, and we find ourselves saying, "Of course, now I see it! God was using this grief to sound an alarm in me, to put things that are out of order in my life into HIS divine order.

How brilliant of Him! I never would have dreamed to do it THIS way!" This is followed by our humble recognition of how really UNGod-like we are!! - If I examine the action that brought on the grief, I can now see that He could do it in no other way! It's PERFECT!! It was HIS way - His PERFECT way of saying, "Come UP to another level of understanding." And WE thought it was all going DOWNwards!!

13) it is entirely in our hands as to how long we grieve. If we prolong our grief, we delay, and even incapacitate God's Hand from showing us His true purpose.

14) The trial which we think only centres around the person(s) causing us to grieve is really OUR problem. How are we
re-acting to it?? ("I deserve better?" (self-righteousness) "This has never happened in OUR family before?" (pride) "Life is not worth living?" (lie) "What will happen IF?" (fear) "How can this problem EVER resolve?" (unbelief) Or even, "Why does it ALWAYS happen to me??" (rejection) (a poignant question revealing former grief as yet unresolved)

15) OUR way is to make it all better as fast as possible. If I take that "quick-fix" route, I am setting myself up for another crash of grief, till I learn that GOD'S way takes longer.

16) We can try to sublimate the grief - but we are still DELAYING God's wanting to talk with us.

17) Grief did not HAVE to come (with the exception of a death), had we listened to and obeyed God's voice away back .

18) Suppressed grief will eventually call around again.

19) Grief is also linked with the anti-Christ spirit, which sets itself up as the most "decent" and "dependable" cure of the problem (eg. "I will fix it - if nobody ELSE will!!") (often linked with a spirit of perfectionism i.e. "It didn't turn out as smoothly as I had planned and envisioned. It doesn't really help my self-image!")

20) If Yeshua had remained FOREVER in the valley of grief in the Garden of Gethsemane, we would STILL be waiting for our salvation and resurrection life.

21) The next step after grief IS crucifixion (dying to self, acknowledging I can do nothing of myself, and letting God work it out ALL BY HIMSELF without any of my concocted schemes or remedies). I panic. "But this is impossible!" This is very difficult for mothers to do, as they think they can fix anything! (They assume God's role of healer.) It is also terrible for fathers in that they feel this is THEIR responsibility. (They assume God's role of protector.) This is unbelief again, that just God can really handle it - we think He needs our help!)

22) If we allow God's dealings NOW to perfect us, (dying to our own remedies) this is one way of shoring up stability for the even rougher times ahead.

23) The really encouraging thing is that one day in Heaven there isn't going to be any more of this awful stuff called grief whatsoever. The more quickly we come out of it HERE points prophetically to that blessèd time! Anything we can do now to assume and walk in that joy ahead is GODLY. That IS the resurrection from the grief!!

24) The number "24" reminds me of the 24 elders in the book of Revelation who will bow down at His feet in adoration in the throne room of Heaven. I AM an elder in the body of Christ. I SHOULD know God's ways by now. The older and wiser elders are NOT in a position of human strength, lining up to get their glory buttons or even their crowns. But, contrary to human ways, they are bowing down to Him Who alone perfects that which concerns them.

Thus I will yield to HIS ways till the day I die or am taken up to meet Him at His coming.


P.S. - The above observations were dictated to me by the Holy Spirit after yet another blow - the worst of all - in a series of unfathomable and bewildering pain stretched over a period of 30 years in full-time ministry! Yes, I have experienced well the icy grip and the crippling pangs of grief. But even though I have TASTED grief, - I am determined from now on not to make a MEAL out of it!!

Nothing I had read on the topic, no advice I had from stammering lips who fished for the right words, or others who triumphantly rebuked me - made a bit of sense to me in helping toward my healing until this day! I am still very fragile - but I AM going to be victorious! I will NOT be wiped out again, rendering me useless to pray about the very situation for which I had cause to grieve.

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:40:00 GMT 57EBF5DF96F517CBD6D2A4BB9E4D1241 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=31799  It was great to see the large crowds that turned out to demonstrate for democracy and become politically involved this past week. Often we Canadians are just too indifferent to the political process and consequently have become vulnerable to the kind of shenanigans that are going on in Ottawa right now. Prime Minister Harper has conducted himself with candor and has done the right thing to force the coalition conspirators to live with their underhandedness. It is not hard to imagine what a dismal Prime Minister the present leader of the Liberal party would make and not difficult to imagine what 4 years of carping and harping on the theme of withdrawal the PQ would make. It is interesting to note that when the early French Canadian settlers were given the choice of remaining in Canada or leaving to live in the US, that the choice of leaving meant that they retained only their French names, everything else of their language, culture and creativity disappeared. I, for one, value deeply the contribution that French Canadians make to the overall picture of Canada with their artistic vitality and sport enthusiasm........it is constantly interesting and we and they would lose so much should they decide to “go it alone”. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:11:45 GMT 3F1584D087217E086D00F8CA59C1A933 http://mervandmerla.com/blog.cfm?feature=293921&postid=31797  According to Israel 21C writer, Karin Kloosterman, new developments in gearing large windmills will allow for constant spinning of the propellers with smooth transition from low to high speed without disengaging the transmission. IQWind, is an Israeli company that has experiments under way which will make wind power 25% cheaper and much more efficient than it is at present. The secrets of these new engineering technologies are still under wraps, but the first working model will be out by March of '09, with commercial production likely available in the following 2 years. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:10:48 GMT 26A4EFB8DE9F2E34FEE037ADC2C530A6