Watch out US, if you are not yet doing so

[hupo]

I would be concerned about this!

David

[Ruth Ann]

We're watching and making noises about this.

It's creeping into our country though. 

[Colin2000]

Hi David/Ruth, 

Now that is very very interesting.  In England the   opposite appears to have happened.

Where before English Law was founded on Christian Law and its culture now Christian morality has been dustbinned in favour of English/Europeon Law on discrimination/PC.

Slightly different in that Law in a civil case in Florida is using Islamic Law, here The Archbishop of Canterbury has appeared to favour Sharia Law in civil divorce cases among Muslims!

I wonder whether this is a two way influence or coincidence perhaps!

Yours in Christ,

Colin.

[Ruth Ann]

Satan either way.

[olivet]

[color=#6200ffThst meaans they will need a shari'a inspired judge].

How about demanding English Common Law decide our cases here, or Spanish Property and Constitutionasl Law instead of PC judges and PC rulings laws[/color]

[hupo]

Come to think of it, we are being overwhelmed by Jewish law... the orthodox type ... the law that makes sure we get as far away from God as possible, Obey the "great" rabbis and leave God to the rest of the world.

Sort of "OK God, we got your message, all 10 of them. So thanks, but now we'll take over as you don't seem to be connected to the real world"

David

[Ruth Ann]

That's a good way to put it David. That's exactly the way it is with most of religious Israel.

[olivet]

This reminds me of the parable of the Rich Young Man, he did everything required but failed to follow the first commandment, to love God, to follow Jesus

[hupo]

I would suspect this is the situation with most organized religions

"Organized" seems to be a very negative concept in this context

David

[Ruth Ann]

I'm doing a study on Romans. Just in the first chapter are such truths!

One of the huge ones is that man in his fallen nature and to satisfy his baser nature, replaces God with others he wants to worship, even when he has the real deal right in front of him!

And that replacement of truth with the lie is a snowball rolling faster and faster and gathering more sin and lies as God allows the sinner to act out his God replacement in more and more immoral and God hating ways.

Your post just made me connect with Romans 1.

[hupo]

I'm doing a study on Romans. Just in the first chapter are such truths!

One of the huge ones is that man in his fallen nature and to satisfy his baser nature, replaces God with others he wants to worship, even when he has the real deal right in front of him!

And that replacement of truth with the lie is a snowball rolling faster and faster and gathering more sin and lies as God allows the sinner to act out his God replacement in more and more immoral and God hating ways.

Your post just made me connect with Romans 1.

I never grew up with or on the gospel and it is still pretty vague to me in many places

Just read Romans 1 again and I see what you mean RA,

Unfortunately it is all too true, especially for those who should know better, having lived their lives in religious surroundings.
There are many wonderful truths in God's word yet somehow they seem to be misunderstood, mis-used and especially misguiding the next generation
I spent several months with a Chabad Rabbi who practically knew the bible back to front, yet wouldn't open the book in any of the lessons we had together.
Why? Because Shneorsson, their "Messiah"'s letters were  the authority on anything they considered Divine.
This was quite a shock for me as I foolishly thought that Rabbis had the know-all about God

Many Israelis drift away from religion all together, pretty disgusted with the way the religious issues are run.

Yet there seems to be an awakening. The Spirit is doing something in people's hearts
There is much hope in this feeling. I think it is world wide and not just here.
I would even dare say that what we see in the Arab world is some kind of awakening even if very remote right now

At any rate, this Chabad Rabbi has my prayers. He is a good person and will see the light sooner or later

David

[Ruth Ann]

We have a Jewish community here. Only less than 1% of the Jewish in my area are believers in Yeshua. That's a very small number. I've been working with a Jewish missionary to the Jewish people and we have done street evangelism. We used Isaiah 53 because the Torah portion always skips this chapter in Isaiah. Most don't seem to have ever read it. Anyway, we take every chance we get to share what Jesus did for us with the people on the street as well as pass out tracts that are quite intriguing and have their own great messages. We have had 3 on the sidewalks decide for Yeshua. It's a hard way to share but you do get the peoples' attention. 

What kind of things made you think about Yeshua possibly being your Messiah and your Savior? Guess I'm looking for what will make them think about Yeshua even when they walk away from me.

If you don't have anything that's ok. I really should just continue to rely on the Lord for the words in my mouth. But I never seem to have the right ones and my speaking is always so clumsy when I'm talking to people on the street.

[hupo]

I did have "things" as you call them, make me think of Yeshua

One of my older daughters (they're twins) became a believer first in our family.
I didn't have a problem with it but "it wasn't for me"
Over time I could see a special tranquility in her home (She has 5 kids, a husband and a whole bunch of goats, rabbits, chickens etc) so I asked her about it. She told me about Yeshua. I asked her how do I contact this Yeshua and she said I should just talk with him like a friend. I did, feeling totally stupid but it worked and after about two months of sticking my heels in the ground, I gave up.
The great support I had was with Dor (in this forum) from Alaska who I happened to meet on a chat thingy.
We had loads of arguments about Yeshua but something seems to have gotten through this thick skull and this is where I'm at today.
This was way back in 1996 and she's still supporting me

I don't know if this is of any help but it does take time to convince stiff-necked Jews
You will need lots of patience and to my mind, showing Yeshua in you is at times more effective than talking about him

David

[Ruth Ann]

Thanks, that helps.

[olivet]

RA

How can you show Jesus, how can they see Jesus, 

St Francis of Assisi invited a fellow Franciscan to preach the gospel in town.  They walked the entire distance to town, then walked around the town all day.  The other Franciscan queried, we did all that walking all day and you never preached once.

St Francis answered "Preach the gospel and if necessary speak"

The answer would lie within, a state of grace and prayer and praise, but St Francis had a brown habit which pointed to his vocation, preaching the gospel.

Any ideas

[hupo]

If we have Yeshua in us and we let it be seen, it should be good preaching

Not everyone has the verbal capabilities

David

[olivet]

Hupo

Americans are not very community minded, the gov't fills that void.  Maybe it is because the country is so large, so it is easy for us to fall into the pit of socialism.

You can spend the entire day alone in a sea of people.  Not all, but many are disturbed if you joke or speak with them about the trivial happenings of the moment.  They are over worked and busy rushing from place to place, from job to job just to pay their bills.  Some are just plain self centered.

[Ruth Ann]

Olivet, I'm not sure.

I think we should have a joy and peace that is visible to others.

And we should love others, family, friends, strangers...

When talking to someone my attention should be on that one only. It's hard to do sometimes.

Love is in actions.

But showing the light of Messiah in our lives is only part of it.

We were commanded to tell of his love and sacrifice for the world.

To the Jew first...

[olivet]

RA

I agree..but my answer refered to the larger community...the christian community needs to be the light to that larger community...but many sadly prefer their isolation

[Ruth Ann]

I guess my observation is that individuals rarely witness in their daily lives. And that we are to be light to the world.

The gathering of lights, the churches, should also.

What do you think they should do that they aren't doing?