When I first got into Judaism I was surprised that, as guests invited over to a family’s house for dinner, the prayer occurred after the meal. I’ve asked several Jews about this and have gotten back several responses ranging from the comical to the over-analytical. For example, one Jew told me that you thank God for the food afterwords to factor the rare situation that it was poisoned … in which case you could thank God personally to His face. Some Jews start to recite laws and commandments, which is fine… but then why would God command us to pray after the meal instead of before?

I read on a blog that a Rabbi had been consulted in the matter and answered “It is easy to eat the meal and then forget God’s blessings on a full stomach, so the Jews ate first and then stopped to thank God for the blessing.” I like that. I like it a lot. I’d add to it, though, that many Jews pray before and after the meal. Before the meal, you’re forced to stop and reflect on the goodness God provides. It turns out to be good for digestion, too, since it forces the people at the table to calm down and relax. After the meal, you’re faced with remembering God after being satisfied and brings a nice, formal closure to the event.

Thinking about this also reminds me of the account of Jesus and the ten lepers mentioned in Luke 17:11-19. Ten men with a fatal disease plead with Jesus to help them. Instead of giving them money or sprinkling pixy dust, he orders them to go see the priests. That’s it. But they knew scripture well enough to know what that meant. In Levitical law it states that when someone has disease and goes to a priest, it’s for examination. These lepers knew that a medical examination would be pointless unless they were healed of leprosy. That faith drove them to the priests who announced them clean and clear of the disease.

Only one of the ten came back to Jesus and the LORD makes a point of it.

Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?

We need to be that 10% who thanks God after providing for us. This is especially true since, as His people, we set the example.

Just as important, let’s strive to thank our neighbors and the strangers who do small things for us. How many times have people slowed down in a parking lot to let you cross in front of them, or swept the floor after a meal so you wouldn’t be stepping on sticky crumbs, or opened the door for you… anything big or small should be recognized, appreciated and thanked since they took the time and thoughtfulness to recognize and show appreciation towards you. We need to make our gratitude known, too. A hearty smile with a look in their eyes while you say the words mean much more than mumbling “thanks” while you look at the ground. Don’t forget the classic hand-written thank-you notes and cards. With all the junk mail we get in the post box, a kind letter rekindles a feeling of humanity and warmth.

Praying before a meal instills patience and praying after a meal instills gratitude; these provide critical lessons in life we have the opportunity to practice to perfection three times a day.

*sigh*

It’s a pretty nasty slap in the face of America overall, and even to Muslims who slobber all over the advertisement because of the recognition it claims to give. Any time commercialism grabs a holiday, no matter what the religion, the occasion becomes bastardized in an onslaught of commercials and advertisements. In this case Muslims are just another flock to fleece. I could only imagine how long it will be before we have an “It’s Eid Al-Adha time, Jareer Brown” or “How the Grinch stole Ramadan” special sponsored by seasonal Hajj flavored Coca~Cola with the slogan “Tastes like you were there!”

As to political correctness, I wish Best Buy kept it “Happy Holidays”. At least that way each person can leave it up to their own imagination what holiday is implied. That’s the way people want it in schools. Let the parents raise the children in the traditional way and make public education stick with the basic “R”s. As it currently stands, children are being indoctrinated about the Quran and Muslim faith while the Bible and Christianity are constantly under attack and there’s very little mention of Torah and Judaism in the schools because that might bring up a dirty Natzi past that, if discussed openly, could embarrass a few German exchange students.

BAH HUMBUG TO IT ALL! (Scrooge is both a hero and anti-hero; commendable for his disdain towards self-indulgent waste while reprehensible for his disregard towards humanity.)

The government should get out of the business of religion, stop promoting it and stop attacking it. The strict morals that coincide with the Muslim, Judaic and Christian faiths are similar enough that consensus could be made without compromise. I doubt any Muslim would argue against the 10 commandments even if they don’t accept them as word from God. Their precepts are reiterated throughout their scripture. If only they could stop executing jihad on every non-Muslim and nay-sayer we would get along muuuuuch better.

References
Snopes on Best Buy and Christmas
Snopes on Best Buy and Eid Al-Adha
Best Buy Bans Merry Christmas But Wishes Customers a Happy Eid Al-Adha in a National Advertisement
Best Buy Stands By Message Of Happy Eid Al-Adha Ad
Thanks, Best Buy for 2010 “Happy Eid Al-Adha” Wishes

Quran’s Message For Muslims Regarding Other Religions:
2:191 And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers.

2:193 And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah.

2:216 Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not.

2:244 Fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is Hearer, Knower.

5:33 The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom.

In baseball there’s a term called “sacrifice”. A batter deliberately hits the ball in a direction that will likely get caught, but far enough away from the other basemen that members of his team can advance to the next base. There’s also a religious term “sacrifice” which could involve killing an animal or human to pour that blood over something to appease a deity.

Since God forbids human sacrifice, and Jesus constantly referred to himself as the Son of Man (not Son of God), could it be that Jesus was giving us a message throughout his teachings that his death wasn’t for atonement or as a human sacrifice, but rather to advance people to God? Would I be at this point today, seeking out what God wants if it weren’t for someone hanging up for execution nearly 2000 years ago?

So what is spiritual success? For a teacher it’s leading people to God and enlightenment of the truth and a better life. For the individual it’s to live out the truth, to live a better life now and have an even better eternal life later.

How does anyone get spiritual success? John Macarthur Jr. said “Spiritual success requires commitment to others.” but the scriptures indicate it has to do with commitment towards God. People were committed towards the priests during Jesus’ day, but Jesus didn’t condone the acts of those people and even condemned the acts of the priests. Commitment towards the wrong person isn’t a path to success. So that brings me back to my search for God. The key to spiritual success is finding Him and being obedient to what He has to say. More often than not what I hear is theology and philosophy that people taught over the years directing towards self-inflicted suffering, which doesn’t equate to denying one sense to accentuate another. Fasting, for example, for the sake of suffering through it doesn’t get anyone anywhere but hungry. Fasting to deny that physical element of comfort that can impede on our search for the spiritual can make people more observant of the spiritual world around them.

I still have more searching to do… On a final note, is it possible to prosthelytize myself?

There are some issues with this that Jews have. First, God forbids human sacrifice of any kind so – why would He go against His own law and sacrifice someone? Second, there are plenty of blood sacrifices that aren’t for sin atonement but merely for thanksgiving. Third, there are plenty of atonement “sacrifices” that don’t involve blood or killing an animal. Consider Abram giving his tithe to Melchizedek. Consider the laws of a peace offering in Leviticus 3. Also consider the offering of the first fruits. The point I’m making is that there is more than one type of sacrifice. Some require blood and others don’t. What we need to look at are the different types of atonement.

• Kippur (כִּפּוּר) as in Yom Kippur (יוֹם כִּפּוּר) (http://www.ulpan.net/yom-kippur) represents an atonement with God that involves making your heart right with others.
• Kapparah (כַּפָּרָה) represents certain types of sin atoned through animal sacrifices – usually birds (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0011_0_10735.html).
• chet’ (חֵטְא) [rhymes with "hate"] (http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2399&t=kjv) represents more of harsher need for atonement: sin that we are guilty of. This type of atonement can also be translated as “punishment”.

Kippur is a root for other words such as frost or washbasins (כְּפוֹר), asphalt or village (כּוֹפֶר). These are all things that cover. In that similar fashion, atonement means to cover. Frost covers and destroys the plant in doing so. Asphalt and villages cover the harsh landscape making them habitable. There are different meanings and purposes. Sometimes that atonement comes in forgiveness and sometimes it comes in discipline which can range from paying for damages to death.

I’ve read some Jewish sites that claim blood has never been a requirement for atonement, but that there are other ways to get the atonement without involving an animal sacrifice. Depending on your definition of atonement, that’s true, and in Biblical standings there’s more than one type of atonement. The King James translation often uses the phrases “sin offering for/of atonement”, “atonement money” and “[a levite does something to] make an atonement for them/him”. Atonement may be achieved through repentance, animal sacrifices, money sacrifices (for census), confession, restitution, Yom Kippur, tribulations (suffering), corporal or capital punishment sentenced and executed by a court system, and death. The type of atonement is based on the need. Atonement and sanctification are intended to bring the people back to God and to keep order amongst the people. Noxiae poena par esto – Cicero (let the punishment fit the crime).

Jesus took the laws one step further and made it a matter of the heart. When we think about sin we’re guilty of it. If you hate your brother, you’re a murderer. If you eye down a woman, you’re an adulterer. When you imagine taking something that isn’t yours, you’re a thief. Not just that, you’re guilty of sin if you don’t do your duty. If you don’t base yourself to help those in need, if you don’t seek out the widows and orphans to provide for them, and if you don’t plan ahead to take care of your parents in their old age you’ve committed a crime. Suddenly everyone is guilty according to Jesus.

Having some lower-class bastard from the ghettos telling people that schoolteachers, government officials and the judges in the courts are all wicked wouldn’t make a good impression in any society at any time yet that’s exactly who Jesus was known as. Strangely, through his execution He proved himself right. The priests of His time performed the role of teachers, government officials and judges. Having banded together for His execution, they only proved Him right. So then the question is – was Jesus simply stirring up the hornets nest to prove a point, or was he really sacrificed by the hand of God, unbeknown to those involved and acting out predestined roles?

One born a Jew can become a Wiccan, Buddhist, Athiest, and any other imaginable religious zealot other than Christian and still be considered a Jew; yet any Jew who believes in Jesus as the Christ and Messiah is no longer considered a Jew – he dies to his Jewish heritage according to recent man-made ordinances and laws. But there’s another twist. Christians who come to understand more of God’s intent in all of us following His laws, and start following them are shunned by other Christians. Those who were born Jew get to still consider themselves Jews even if the world denies it. The Christians who live out Judaism, on the other hand, are a sort of amalgamate nobody. Jews won’t allow them to become Jewish. Christians consider them to have “left the faith”. Either way you look, both the Jews and the Christians who move towards Messianic Judaism are screwing themselves socially. It becomes a continual sacrifice and the atonement of tribulation is always nearby.

You can read more about Jewish atonement here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Judaism

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. – Colossians 2:16-17

The writer of Colossians wrote this well after Jesus died and rose again. Notice, however, that he states a future tense: “shadow of things to come”, not “shadow of Christ”. Most commentaries that allude to how Christians should not celebrate the feasts and holy days commanded by God misuse this verse to state that the laws, feasts and sabbaths were merely shadows of Christ. Although I agree with how each law, ordinance, rule and especially each festival outlined in the Torah reflect both the behavior of God and the fulfillment that comes through Jesus, they are not suddenly without merit because they reflect the Messiah who came and left. Since we anticipate the Messiah to reappear to save His people from destruction and to rule over the world, these festivals hold even more weight than ever because the substance of them has been revealed to us. Knowing Christ is the meaning behind these festivals makes them even more important to participate in.

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” – Luke 22:14-20

This was unlike other Seder dinners. It was performed the night before the day that Passover is generally prepared, the 14th day of Adar. During Passover, the first and the seventh day are sanctified as sabbaths (Exodus 12:15-16). So Jesus’ Last Supper and Communion happened on the 12th, He was scourged and killed on the 13th (the day the lambs were slaughtered for the feast – the day of preparation) which means the mention of the Mary’s coming to the tomb on the first day of the week so as to not profane the Sabbath (capital “S”) does not include the first Passover sabbath. Jesus was in the tomb for two sabbath days as well as the day he was buried (Matthew 27:57-66,28:1-6). That means it was Thursday, not Friday, that He was killed. Evidence that Christ was in the grave for three days and three nights aside, why would He have such a strong desire to eat the Passover with His disciples if He were only being held back from eating it for a few days unless the Passover hasn’t been fulfilled in the kingdom of God through His death alone? The secret of the Passover fulfillment lies in Communion.

This Seder dinner was a training Seder conducted by a teacher to students. Jesus didn’t drink any wine throughout this Seder, though He blessed it (Luke 22:18). The bread He broke is referred to as the Afikomen. The Afikomen is one of three special matzos that are set aside. Unlike the other two, it is broken in half and half of it is placed in a cloth and buried somewhere in the house for the children to find at the end of the Seder. The one who finds it gets a reward, then the Afikomen is divided amongst the partakers of the feast. Nobody seems to know how this ritual came about, but as Christians we see the symbolic significance. Jesus, one of the holy Trinity, was broken, shrouded and buried. All those who seek Him will find Him, and everyone who’s saved from death (that’s what the Passover dinner represents) partakes of Him. This is how Christ fulfills the feasts. Without Him, many of the symbols have reduced meaning. With Jesus, however, the symbols have even stronger importance. The cup after supper is the third cup, known as the “cup of redemption” or the “cup of blessing”. This third cup literally represents the blood of the lamb that redeemed them from death in Egypt. Jesus said “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:20) So the blood no longer comes from the lamb that saved the Jews from death in the tenth plague, but from the Son of God personally.

When Jesus told His disciples to “do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19) He hadn’t yet been handed over for crucifixion. Passover lasts a whole week. For seven days we’re commanded to not eat any leavened product, but to eat matzo throughout its duration. We are to continually remember Jesus until His grand return on the LORD’s Day. It’s on that last day when all of God’s people are delivered from death and given the Land God promised Abraham that the Passover will be fulfilled. Jesus’ fervent desire is to savor a special moment with His disciples because He won’t be back for a while.

Now a question arises on whether or not those under the new covenant also partook of Passover and whether or not Christians should today. Consider that Paul was wise and addressed people in context of what they lived and understood. When addressing Jews he would talk about their heritage, and when addressing Gentiles he would mention customs that Jews wouldn’t have any connection to. Then why, in I Corinthians 5:4-8, would Paul write about the Passover to Gentiles? He even states “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Why would he say to Gentiles “our Passover” unless they were already celebrating it and understood the meaning? When Paul addresses believers in Romans, he calls the Jew (Rom 2:17) because they have both adapted God’s law into their hearts and have been grafted into Judaism through Christ.

There was one other bit of advice Chava shared with me before I left her store. “Don’t listen to anybody. But read. Read a lot.” Her point couldn’t be more clear as I read blog after forum after commentary on what makes a Jew, on how Jews aggressively attest against Christians, on why a Christian can never be a Jew… but in Scripture I see otherwise. I see God telling even the Christians that there’s benefit in celebrating His Holy days, on observing the Sabbaths, on recognizing the time that God created for us to share His love with each other.

Finally, consider this. If God doesn’t intend for us to keep his celebrations, why does he command it from the survivors, Gentile and Jew, after defeating the world at Armageddon? God is the same now as he was 3500 years ago. A new covenant, like a Persian law, can only supplement the laws already made. It never voids the foundations already set.

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. – Zechariah 14:16-19

There are 613 commandments outlined in the Torah. We’re often just told about the main ten, and more often assume that only those ten were written on the stones God gave Moses. Each law we break is a mark against us. Jesus painfully takes those marks on Himself.

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. – Colossians 2:13-14

The risk any person has by attempting to live out the laws is pride, or as the writer of Colossians puts it, “false humility.” What is the benefit of following any of the Judaic law?

Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. – Colossians 2:16-17

The first benefit is that we don’t have to accept the judgment of anyone other than Christ. The next one is that God provides for the “Head”. Something I’d like to point out before moving forward is that the book of Colossians has controversy as to who actually wrote it. Nevertheless, whether it was dictated directly by Paul or was written by one of his disciples under his authority is not really the issue, but that this group of churches was struggling with legalism and asceticism. Legalism is when the letter of the law is more important than the law’s intent. It makes any law burdensome. In the case of God’s law, legalism puts focus on the law itself rather than on God. Christ put down legalism several times, pointing out that more often than not the person pointing at the letter of the law justified not following it himself. Lawyers were called vipers for a reason. Asceticism is the philosophy that through living a terribly restricted and debased lifestyle one could attain a higher order of spirituality. Jesus confronted this matter, too, when he talked about making a big deal when we’re fasting. There is something spiritual that occurs during a fast, but that spiritual experience doesn’t give anyone a larger bandwidth to God. It’s not a gateway into mysticism. So when it’s later written”

Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world , do you subject yourselves to regulations – ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using – according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

Notice that the commandments and doctrines that are being addressed are not the ones from God, but those from other men. Which means, as Colossians 2:16 states, when other men, Jew or Gentile, start getting uptight and judgmental because one decides to take a day of rest or doesn’t execute one of the feasts in just a certain way, one can accept the freedom that Christ offers and disregard the legalism of man’s influence on the law in favor of loving the Creator who ordained the law.

If all the Prophets and the Law hang on the commands to Love God with all our heart, mind and soul… and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40) then Jesus doesn’t void the Prophets or the Law. In fulfilling the Prophets and the Law, Jesus does two things: 1. Attests to the deity of God on behalf of the Prophets and 2. Pays the atonement on behalf of the Law. Doing so doesn’t discredit the Prophets or the Law, but reinforces them. Why, then, would a leader of Christ play God in deciding what is and what isn’t pertinent today? God is the same today as he was when giving the Law to Moses. The new covenant justifies the old one; it doesn’t nullify it.

This apologetic is not about turning a hand up against Christ, but about the merits of incorporating the Jewish lifestyle with all its blessings and curses as a Christian. It’s a journey of a man towards the God that accepts and loves despite our grievous nature, but also about a God of Law and justice that lays out the rules in life and the consequences of disobedience.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:8-10

Most pastors stop before talking about why we were created. That’s where my journey begins: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Workmanship is the quality of integrity applying to the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture, people, or artisan. We could apply that definition directly here. Those whom God has called are to demonstrate love and righteousness to the the world as evidence of the fruit of the spirit that God provides. In short, we are defined as the goodness of the hand of God on the Earth. It’s important, though, to recognize the pretext because it humbles us and defines our relationship with God.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. – James 2:20-26

What happens to Ephesians 2 if faith is dead? This is not intended to open a debate between Calvinism and Armenianism, but invariably does so anyway. Instead I’m just going to point out three fundamentals presented in these two texts.

• It’s grace through faith that saves us.
  • Faith without works is dead.
• We are created for good works that God has already prepared for us to do.

What I see is an obvious statement. Those who have the faith for God’s grace to save, are also compelled to do good works. But “good” in the human psyche is relative. Fortunately, Christ recognized this when presenting a profound statement to a young (unmarried), wealthy merchant.

Now as Jesus was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. – Mark 10:17-22

Only God is good. That sets a very high standard. That means for us to do good, we must be as righteous as God. Although this is an impossible achievement from man alone, we have righteousness in faith provided it is demonstrated by our works.

This is how living faithfully is like a ritual. There are moments when after fall short of expectations we’re given the chance to try again (and God is a teacher who tests us). Each successive attempt only emphasizes the righteousness accounted to faith because we have faith that God continues to be our teacher. Righteousness is defined throughout all of God’s word, including the Laws of Moses (2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Deuteronomy 6:25). As we act righteously, denying ourselves for our Creator, we further establish that faith.

It was her first day in the maternity ward and knew only what she was trained for. Contractions were two minutes apart, lasting more than a minute each, and the patient was well over eight centimeters dilated. Ironically, I had read how to deliver a baby in a taxicab in the strange book “The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook” just the night before, never imagining I would actually use that knowledge.

A new nurse rushed in and looked at me. “Are you ready?” she asked. “What?” I questioned what she was asking me to do. “Go get some towels, you’re going to deliver a baby!” As I rushed for a towel, another nurse draped one over my arms. I ran back and gave encouragement to the lady who was already in stirrup position. “You’re doing great!” Honestly, I had no idea how she was doing. A nurse told her to push and just as suddenly I was holding up the head of a newborn. The baby was still half way in her mother until after another push when she suddenly slipped out.

The tiny baby was so slick and slippery I was afraid she would drop out of my hands and onto the hard floor. That’s when the coarse towel suddenly made sense. The doctor came in slamming open the door, still clothed in slacks – had he really been golfing!?

I can’t attest for other cultures, but very few American men will ever have the blessing of delivering their own child. That experience continues to teach, and it’s in that lesson I begin this apologetic. Being born doesn’t happen instantaneously. It takes about twenty minutes to fully deliver a baby. In that event there’s a time when the baby is half in and half out no matter how quickly the delivery takes place. Being born again has similar properties.

Abraham’s rebirth began through faith in God and obedience to Him, but his name wasn’t acquired for 25 years. Through that journey Abram continued to change into a more faithful man. It was this faithfulness that was counted as righteousness, not any acts, but the actions that Abram performed reflected his faith. Moses was 40 when he left Egypt and it wasn’t for another 40 years until God revealed Himself to Moses. Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days. Saul was blinded for for three days. Even Christ was in the grave three days. From the chrysalis of a caterpillar to a butterfly to the metamorphosis of a tadpole to a frog, these periods of changing from one world into the next are reflected in nature as well. The point is that spiritual rebirth isn’t necessarily a sudden event that one can point a date and time to.

In my case, varying events in life – the drama of death to the elation of new birth, the insight of good friends’ late night conversations and the path in my career – each step draws from me a spiritual response just as much as it requires a mental or emotional one. Only die-hard atheists argue that man isn’t a spiritual being. As such there must be a spiritual realm we walk in parallel to our physical one.

Despite what we might have been taught in school, the United States wasn’t entirely born in 1776. We were still at war 1783 when the Treaty of Paris was signed, signifying the end of the American Revolutionary War. The Constitution of the United States of America was ratified by most states in 1788. We didn’t have a President until 1789. In 1790 the last of the 13 original colonies, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution. This is why the following chart shows America starting in 1790.

The antagonizing acts of the British went on for ten years from 1764 to 1774, spurring revolts, outcries and vexation across the North American territory. From that point a congress convened and war began against the British, lasting from 1775 to 1781 with the Declaration of Independence written in 1776.

This chart that follows was gathered from a blog that’s been spread around the internet by Chuck Baldwin titled “U.S. To Break Up Soon?”

Assyria (859-612 B.C.): a 247-year reign.
Persia (538-330 B.C.): a 208-year reign.
Greece (331-100 B.C.): a 231-year reign.
The Roman Republic (260-27 B.C.): a 233-year reign.
The Roman Empire (27 B.C.-180 A.D.): a 207-year reign.
The Arab Empire (634-880 A.D.): a 246-year reign.
The Mameluke Empire (1250-1517 A.D.): a 267-year reign.
The Ottoman Empire (1320-1570 A.D.): a 250-year reign.
Spain (1500-1750 A.D.): a 250-year reign.
Romanov Russia (1682-1916 A.D.): a 234-year reign.
Great Britain (1700-1950 A.D.): a 250-year reign.
The USA (1790-2009 A.D.): 219 years and counting.

According to this chart, most major world empires in history only lasted an average of 238 years. That means we’re statistically due for a political collapse.

According to the Time article

Hoover admits that revolutions may be good or bad, “but St. John’s horseman had no good purpose … We do not allow our imaginations to extend to the idea that St. John was prophesying Communism, even though one is tempted, partly because of the prophetic statement that power was given to the horseman ‘to take peace from the world.’ “

In 1954, when this article had been written, China had just finished turning over to a Communist government in 1959 and was considered more of a casualty of Communism than a superpower. The main threats to the U.S. were Russia and Japan. Korea was considered a middle domino between China and Japan, hence the Korean war, which ended in 1953. America and its media were hopeful like an arrogant teenage boy, thinking our nation was impervious to death.

Machiavellian politics seem to always ring true. Over time many factors worked at decaying the United States from the inside out, and that greed went as far as the people of the republic. Debt spending went to record highs and in an emotional climax the President was allowed to sign many of the freedoms that represented our sovereignty over in a “Patriot” act. Our current President claimed that we needed to increase debt spending to support our nation. The conclusion is obvious. People are angry with the government. I’ve been hearing it for years. Anti-American and pro-communistic ideas have been feed to me and my peers all through school and college. Stories of Robin Hood were twisted into a communist slant rather than a true representation of a revolt that happened in Ireland centuries ago.

If China were to call their debt on us, we’d have to concede and pay restitution. Other countries would want their piece of the American soil, too. In a feeble move, the President would have to pull our armed forces out of the Middle East and bring them back to native soil to fight. Many Americans would become civilian minute-men to fight for our President and our country. Other Americans would become revolutionaries and fight for a new order. While we’re out of the Middle East, a revolutionary war breaks out there. Israel somehow gains back the holy mound in Jerusalem. Ultimately the Red Horse wins.

From what I understand, Russia is supposed to gain incredible power over the nations south of it, west of it and of some special land elsewhere. Eventually the world powers in Europe, possibly Greece, rise up a leader who mocks God. We know the drill … 666 and more tribulation. Thus begins the period of the abomination of desolation.

Now comes the question on what to do when the New World Order arises. Fight politically, not physically, and accept captivity into a new Babylon. According to scripture the Jews believed they could get away from their terrible behavior without consequences… they believed they had a right to fight to stay on their land while Babylon conquered them. Even though prophets warned them to just go and not resist, many of them fought and died anyway. If God’s chosen ones couldn’t stave off their punishment, what makes us think we can do better? Still – before world-wide revolution, there will be the four governments. Before that will be world-wide economic collapse. According to Scripture the end is near but we’ve got a few years to go.

I’m an impatient man. Perhaps through being spoiled by the invention of microwave ovens, cell phones and the internet I’ve come to expect the natural forces of nature to work with the same punctual immediacy.

But I’ve been learning something lately that God’s Word says on the matter: “… let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4). It goes on to talk about asking in faith to receive wisdom, endurance and eventually healing. It mentions that faith without works is dead. It parallels the patience we need to have to that of a farmer, who does his work and waits for the garden to grow. “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8).

I have a strong feeling that James is writing to the Jews during the time of Shavuot, known as the feast of first fruits. That’s a season when we reflect on God’s goodness. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…”. We receive at the feast of first fruits the implanted produce that God brought to fullness. Similar farming allegorical references are made throughout the book of James, which is why Shavout comes to mind.

Back to patience – When a farmer starts he doesn’t stop working. He’s pulling out weeds, protecting the plants from hail and bugs, and warding off other animals that might devour his hard efforts. Patience takes action, and isn’t entirely about waiting.

I’ve been warned by two different people that this will take at least six months to naturally heal. Poetic that a growing season lasts six to eight months.

There’s plenty to do … and plenty to *not* do. As a farmer, you don’t look out at the crop a month after planting it and, not satisfied with how quickly the plant is growing uproot it. I have to remember this stuff – I’m not a farmer, so thinking this way doesn’t come naturally. Exercises, meditation, prayer, diet, supplements, rest, acupuncture, and reflexology seem to all play a part in this. Not overexerting myself, not lifting items more than five pounds, not overeating, not eating junk food, not getting upset.

That last one – not getting upset – is the most difficult for me, and one of the greatest causes of my hernia flaring out. I can’t explain it other than maybe by getting tense and upset my muscles down there tighten (like stiffening my neck when I get angry) which pushes the hernia, rather than pulls it. Excessive coughing fits have been known to create inguinal hernias where the “patient” hadn’t had one before, so this seems feasible.

So to heal, I need to be patient. That seems to mean I don’t get angry or upset when healing isn’t happening fast enough to my liking. It also means that I take action in belief that this can be cured in time.

As a side note, I am not being foolish about this. I have educated myself on the dangers of this condition and am prepared to move towards surgery in the event that it heads towards a life threatening condition. I also have regular check ups with a doctor. “Watchful waiting” is being practiced intelligently.