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David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Testimonies, Yahweh, Yehovah

“but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven””

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I have a sticky note on my desk speaking of Luke 10.  It struck me as I was reading through the gospel.  Luke 10:17-20.  Jesus sends 70 out and He gives them power over demons and to heal.  It would be the equivalent of waking up in the morning and discovering you had the powers of Superman or Spiderman.  What you could do was astounding, amazing, spectacular.  You were above mere mortals.

To that Jesus responds (my paraphrase), “You guys think that is something?  I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning”.  And then He says in verse 20, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven”.

Our value and worth to God resides in our relationship with Him as sons and daughters, never in our abilities or strengths or accomplishments.  We are to rejoice in who we are to God, not in what we can do.

All of our culture, all of our upbringing, most of our experiences teaches the opposite.  People have value because they are important, intelligent, wealthy, beautiful, productive.  We have a book in the country entitled “Who’s Who”.  We have sports competitions, quiz shows, Mensa, Suma Cum Laude, advanced degrees, etc.

I don’t have to perform for God.  Not only do I not need to perform but there is nothing in me that can accomplish His work.  The Holy Spirit is the One accomplishing the building of the Kingdom of God.  He gives salvation, understanding, motivation, the desire to participate with our Father in what He is doing.  It is His desire to bring glory to Jesus and He is good at what He does.  

It is wonderful to rest in our relationship with Jesus.  It has been granted us by grace.  It can’t be earned, it can’t be bought, it can’t be lost.  We can get misguided, confused, and led astray which Satan delights in and works at.  But we can’t escape the loving hand of our Savior.  May the Lord give us grace to maintain that focus!

You remain daily in my prayers and on my heart,

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

Called . . . Beloved . . . Kept

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Our couple’s study is working on Jude, and I was struck by verse 1.  “…To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.”  This verse says nothing about our responsibility or actions—only the sovereign work of our Father.

“Called”.  Funny that I have never heard a group of Christians calling themselves “the called”.  It emphasizes the sovereign work and choice of God.  God doesn’t call those who are worthy because there is no one worthy.  He saves sinners.  We will be sinners until we stand in His presence and this body of flesh is done away with.  It is not about my works or efforts but about His mercy and grace.

“Beloved”.  This describes our relationship with our Father.  For some inscrutable reason, He has chosen to love us.  He can’t love us more than He does or less than He does.  He loves us perfectly and deeply.  We are always on His thoughts and in His heart.  I think we do a sad disservice when we teach people that our sin separates us in the relationship and causes the Father to be angry with us.  We end up living as Pharisees constantly concerned that we are not good enough and striving to do more and be better.

There is nothing good about sin.  Romans 6 gives 3 reasons not to be involved in sin.  1-We are dead to it.  2-God has provided something better.    3-Sin produces crap and who wants crap?  But if we live thinking that less “sin” (whatever that looks like) makes us more like Jesus we are deceived.  Walking with Jesus makes us more like Jesus.  We won’t walk with Jesus if we think He has something against us or if we think we aren’t good enough.

We can’t move out of the state of being beloved by the Father.

“Kept”.  People lose things all the time.  If you are a professional athlete, you know that you are only secure as long as you can perform adequately.  There is always someone younger, faster, stronger, etc.  We are held in the hand of the Jesus, and we are forever secure, not because we can perform but because He loves us.

Letter from David Coffield.

Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Mental Health, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Sylvia Gunter, Yahweh

God is Able

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

You can sign up to receive Sylvia Gunters weekly devotional at: https://thefathersbusiness.com/devotion/god-is-able/

Able is the Greek word dunatos, related to dunamis, meaning ability, abundance, capability, mighty works, miraculous power, prevailing strength. “God is able” means God has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength. Romans 16:25 says God is able to establish you. Listen to the richness of the verse when read with its full definition “God has mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength to establish you.”

Bring your inability to the ability of God. As you read these verses drink in the bigness of God as you replace “able” with “has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength.”

God is …
Able to give much more. 2 Chron 25:9
Able to deliver from fire. Dan 3:17
Able to raise up children of Abraham from stones. Mat 3:9
Able to give sight to the blind. Mat 9:28-29
Able to destroy in hell. Mat 10:28, James 4:12
Able to perform what He promised. Rom 4:21
Able to graft in the Gentiles. Rom 11:23
Able to make you stand. Rom 14:4
Able to establish you. Rom 16:25
Able to make a way through temptation. 1 Cor 10:13
Able to make all grace abound to you. 2 Cor 9:8
Able to do exceedingly beyond all your asking. Eph 3:20
Able to subdue everything under His control. Phil 3:21
Able to keep all we have committed to Him. 2 Tim 1:12
Able to help the tempted. Heb 2:18
Able to save from death. Heb 5:7
Able to save completely, to the utmost. Heb 7:25
Able to raise men from the dead. Heb 11:19
Able to keep you from falling and to present you before His presence without fault and with great joy. Jude 24

To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 25

Be blessed in the name of God who is able.

© Sylvia Gunter, 2016, Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence Volume 1,

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Testimonies, Yahweh, Yehovah

How God feels about us is unshakeable.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Dear Mike,

How God feels about us is unshakeable.  It is never dependent on how good we are or how poorly we behave.  

God looks at His children, clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and He is forever delighted.  Not a delight that I have ever deserved or earned or ever could deserve or earn.  Those who think they can merit God’s pleasure have no idea of His holiness nor their sin.

It leaves us in a wonderful place of being able to rejoice in our Father’s love and pleasure without worrying about our performance.

Does God engage with us to help us grow up?  Yes.  Does sin produce death?  Certainly.  Is all of our sin paid for on Calvary?  Yes.  I can never sin my way out of my relationship with Father.  I can affect the way that He deals with me.  He is always about growing us up into the image of His Son Jesus.

Hebrews speaks of “fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of faith”, Paul speaks of “not being drawn away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus.”  

Despite my brokenness, despite my failures, despite my weakness, foolishness, stupidity—I am deeply loved by my Father.  It leaves me in the posture of rejoicing in God’s love for me, settled and confident in who I am to my Father (regardless of what others or my performance is saying), and free to move forward in love.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jesus, Testimonies, Yahweh

What is the will of God for you?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Rejoice always, talk with God continually, and thank him for everything.

This is a letter from Dave Coffield, shared with you with his permission.

“Several of us are studying our way through 1 Thessalonians, and I am struck by 5:16,17,18.  ‘Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.‘ One of the guys in the study, Russ, suggested that all 3 verses represent God’s will for us.  I had never considered that before, and I am grateful for his input.

‘Rejoice always.’  It doesn’t say to be happy always.  Rejoice is a choice I make with my will to lift my heart to God in gratefulness regardless of the circumstances.  It is our ability to rejoice in hard and unpleasant circumstances that bear testimony to a watching world to the reality of God and our faith.  It is a compass heading.  I don’t always do a good job of it.

‘Pray without ceasing.’  We can pray without ceasing because our God is always present with us.  We are always in communication; the line is always open.  

Our sin doesn’t separate us from God.  In the early days I believed and taught that.  However, all of our sins have been forgiven on Calvary, past, present, and future.  All of them.  We don’t have to connect with God or regard Him, but He lives inside of us.  We carry Him around with us and Psalm 139 says He has intimate knowledge of us.  Every word, every thought, every deed.

So, the Lord and I talk all day long.  He is a constant companion, an ardent listener and deeply loving of us.  Incredible.  There is nothing that we can’t share with Him, nothing that He doesn’t know, and nothing that He doesn’t care about.  Incredible.  How lonely must be the life of an unbeliever!

‘In everything give thanks.’  We don’t have to feel thankful.  We don’t have to see the event as ‘good.’  We can give thanks because our Father is absolutely sovereign over this world and its smallest events.  So, what we see as an accident, an intrusion, a mistake, is all from the hand of our sovereign Father to accomplish His purposes.  We can give thanks because our Father loves us with a matchless, wonderful, profound love.

So, this is God’s will for us.  May our lives move in this direction.”

God Loves Us, Health, Jehovah, Jesus, Mental Health, Messiah, Testimonies, Uncategorized, Yahweh, Yehovah

Jesus Your Portion

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Transcript of a recent conversation.

M sent Psalm 73:26 to D;

“My flesh and my heart fail, But God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.”

D replies;

“What does it mean when it says my portion forever?”

To which M replies;

“Imagine sitting down for a meal, a feast, and the chef placing your meal/portion in front of you and you know that you know this is the best food for your body, the perfect amount of food for your current needs and the best tasting meal ever. It is your portion.”

“Jesus is your portion. He is the best for you and your needs, the perfect amount of Grace, and he is the best tasting relationship you will ever experience.”

“Jesus is our portion. Perfect in every way for each of us,” forever.

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Counselor

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“Who has encompassed the Spirit of Yahweh, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He take counsel and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge and made Him know the way of understanding? (Isaiah 40:13–14).”

  Whenever the word “counselor” is used in Scripture the fact of creation stands in close proximity (see Isaiah 40:26; also, Romans 11:34, 36). Whatever the Counselor determines is done and none can revoke His decision or rescind His decree. 

Make the following your prayer to Jesus the Counselor

  All the divine ordinances pertaining to the sun, stars, seas, and seasons are controlled and coordinated by the counsel of your omnipotence Counselor Jesus. You are both Generator and governor of all the great features and forces of the entire universe. You are the Counselor who asked the Patriarch Job if he were competent enough to bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or to lose the bands of Orion (Job 38:31). According to astronomical estimates Pleiades is three thousand billion miles away from the sun and yet this constellation controls the whole of our solar system. Whose counsel, other than yours Jesus, is authoritative enough to ordain ordinances that will operate such majestic constellation over the range of these gigantic distances with meticulous precision?

  As this same Counselor Jesus, you communicated to the prophets a clear, concise account of future events, which you call prophecy. You commissioned Isaiah to issue a challenge to human counselors to forecast the future or to foreordain things to come. Isaiah returned with the report that he failed to find a single one who could do it (Isaiah 41:22, 23, 28). In contrast with this impotence stands your divine omnipotence, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done. Saying, ‘My counsel will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’, Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have formed it, surely, I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:10, 11). Jesus you are the only Counselor who has communicated to man a complete record of the ages from the commencement to the consummation.

  You also asked Isaiah to announce the names of collaborators, if there were any, with whom you took counsel in order to ask for advice and aid in your administration; but Isaiah could not submit one solitary name (Isaiah 40:13, 14). Since I am incapable of coining or changing a single decree in your divine purpose, or of constructing or correcting one solitary sentence of your revealed will; since I am incompetent to create and control either planet or comet or determine its orbit, why don’t I acknowledge and adore you Messiah Jesus as the wonderful Counselor, and wholly yield my life to your will, which you prove to be good, acceptable and perfect? (Compare Romans 11:33–36 with Romans 12:1, 2).

    No one else possesses a greater and fuller claim or better title than you Jesus to counsel me. You are altogether entitled to do so because you are the all-wise Creator and also because you submitted to a cruel cross in order to redeem and reconcile. Jesus you are abundantly entitled to counsel me because you are the only One who conquered death and the Devil and defeated the powers of darkness. You are admirably entitled to counsel me because as Heir of all things you alone bear the qualifications to confer heirship; you alone maintain my right to inherit an incorruptible estate by continually making intercession for me. Jesus, you are assuredly entitled to counsel me because of your care under all conditions; you have secured the cancellation of my sins and comfort me in times of sorrow. “With Your counsel You will lead me, And afterward take me in glory.” (Psalm 73:24)

We edited Charles “The Counselor” to be a personal prayer. Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Chiefest Among Ten Thousand

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand (Song of Solomon 5:10).

When King David, in an hour of national emergency, determined to lead his army in battle against Absalom and his rebels, his own loyal followers vigorously protested, saying, “Thou shalt not go forth … thou art worth ten thousand of us” (2 Samuel 18:3). If it were possible for us to muster a group of ten thousand worthies, including the greatest leaders, potentates, celebrities, principalities, governors, dignitaries, supervisors, legislators, presidents, emperors, kings, princes, lords, and rulers, we should find that the one of chiefest dignity, noblest rank and fairest countenance of all would be our blessed Lord and beloved Savior, Messiah JesusJesus Christ (Ephesians 1:21).

No mortal can with Him compare,

Among the sons of men,

Fairer is He than all the fair

That fill the heavenly train.

Messiah JesusChrist is more winsome than any language can possibly convey. The tongues of men and of angels falter when attempting to describe the transporting sight of a transfigured Savior, such as overwhelmed the three disciples on the mount. We need to be stirred to a state of rapture, fired with a burning heart to a degree of holy ecstasy, so that our souls can mount up with wings as eagles to behold in the highest and holiest the Chiefest among Ten Thousand. Lord, reveal Thyself that we may behold Thy beauty in the sanctuary with its dignity and glory, until our enraptured hearts burst forth into songs of adoring gratitude, and we bless Thy holy Name in ceaseless praise.

Messiah JesusChrist is chiefest in the comeliness of His personality, in the winsomeness of His character, in the sweetness of His disposition and in the loveliness of His divine nature. No one is more acceptable in graciousness of manner, or more affable in affectionate kindness than this blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Our Superior is also chiefest in praise, power and perfection; for His is the purest of the holy, the strongest of the mighty and the brightest of the resplendent. He is chiefest as Creator of adoring angels, as Possessor of amazing world, as Maker of astounding stars and as Designer of abiding glories.

What then shall we render to the Lord for His benefits and blessings? Shall we bring an offering of metal or money, fruits or fabrics, gems or gifts? Why, all such things are perishables. What does He regard most from His redeemed ones? The heart’s love and loyalty, the mind’s admiration and worship and the will’s submission with self-abnegating service. These attitudes and activities are of more value to Him than all the mass of material things we may bring.

The more we contemplate Him the loftier and lovelier He becomes, until His personal attributes expand into a whole world of worthiness, a paradise of perfections, a constellation of comeliness and a galaxy of glory. Amazing thought, that He should condescend to bear our sin, our shame and our dishonor (Psalm 69:19).1

1  Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Make this your personal prayer:

If it were possible to muster a group of ten thousand worthies, including the greatest leaders, potentates, celebrities, principalities, governors, dignitaries, supervisors, legislators, presidents, emperors, kings, princes, lords, and rulers, I would find that the one of chiefest dignity, noblest rank, and fairest countenance of all would be you Jesus, my blessed Lord, beloved Savior, and Messiah. (Ephesians 1:21).

No mortal can with you compare,

Among the sons of men,

Fairer are you than all the fair

That fill the heavenly train.

Messiah Jesus you are more cheerful and lighthearted than any language can possibly convey. The tongues of men and of angel’s falter when attempting to describe the transporting sight of you as my transfigured Savior, such as overwhelmed the three disciples on the mount. Help me be stirred to a state of rapture, fired with a burning heart to a degree of holy ecstasy, so that my soul can mount up with wings as eagles to behold in the highest and holiest the Chiefest among Ten Thousand. Lord, reveal yourself that I may behold your beauty in the sanctuary with its dignity and glory, until my enraptured heart bursts forth into songs of adoring gratitude, and bless your holy Name in ceaseless praise.

Messiah Jesus you are chiefest in graciousness of personality, in cheerful childlike character, in sweetness of disposition and in loveliness of divine nature. No one is more acceptable in graciousness of manner, or more affable in affectionate kindness than you the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. As my Superior you are also chiefest in praise, power, and perfection; for you are the purest of the holy, the strongest of the mighty and the brightest of the resplendent. Jesus you are chiefest as Creator of adoring angels, as Possessor of amazing world, as Maker of astounding stars and as Designer of abiding glories.

What then shall I render to you for your benefits and blessings? Shall I bring an offering of metal or money, fruits or fabrics, gems or gifts? Why, all such things are perishables. What do you regard most from me a redeemed one? My heart’s love and loyalty, my mind’s admiration and worship and my will’s submission with self-sacrificing service. These attitudes and activities are of more value to you than all the mass of material things I may bring.The more I contemplate you Jesus the loftier and lovelier you become, until your personal attributes expand into a whole world of worthiness, a paradise of perfections, a constellation of comeliness and a galaxy of glory. It amazes me that you should condescend to bear my sin, my shame, and my dishonor (Psalm 69:19).

Babe, Christmas, Featured Writers, Manger, Messiah, Ukraine, Uncategorized, Veterans

Ukraine Military Family Christmas

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Dear friends.

It is now Christmas Day in Ukraine and at the same time it is the 668th day of Russian aggression against Ukrainians. Almost nothing has changed in this part of the world in the last 1000 years. Since the formation of moscovia, it has been waging aggressive imperial wars aimed at seizing neighboring territories and other peoples. For nearly 1,000 years, people living in the lands around Kyiv have been repelling these moscow attacks, sometimes successfully, and sometimes not. When the Ukrainians lost defensive wars, moscovia always seized Ukraine, terrorized us and went to war in Europe.

So, my wife and I live in Kyiv: in the church we praise God and sing about Christmas, and at home we worry about the news about war, think, pray and collect help for our militaries and chaplains.

On December 22, my wife, our third son and his wife, our fourth son and I went by car 70 kilometers to a military town in the Kyiv region on the way to Chernihiv. Members of our Church “The Way of Truth”, where I am a pastor, collected 85 Christmas gifts for children from military families. Therefore, we prepared a Christmas program and gifts and came to this military town. It has its own life support system, its own elementary school, and kindergarten, but the school and kindergarten have not been working for two years because it does not have an anti bomb shelter. Russian troops tried to capture this military town in March 2022, but failed, so they fired at it. The military has now repaired almost all the damage, but there are still holes in the asphalt and on the walls of the mark.

The leadership of the military town gathered the children in the building of the kindergarten, because they did not begin to gather in the military club due to possible Russian missile strikes. It was a good time when at the beginning of the Christmas holiday there was a moment of silence for the fallen soldiers, then the children sang for us, and the teachers showed a Christmas puppet show. Then I told the children the Christmas story, we sang the songs “Silent Night”, “Oh in Bethlehem” and others songs for the children, we played with the children and showed them a Christmas cartoon. We gave the children of the military our gifts, which we bought with our own funds. I had a very pleasant feeling in my soul when I gave my gift, which I had collected myself from the things that I had bought personally. Perhaps, I think that those of the American people who provide their personal assistance for God’s victory in Ukraine also feel in their souls the same pleasant feeling of belonging to God’s cause.

Dear friends, we congratulate you on the Birthday of the Baby – Lord.

Glory be to God in heaven and peace on earth.

PS: I continue to look for a new area to conduct an English-language camp for teenagers from military families, continue to work at the Kyiv Theological Seminary as the director of the program “Pastoral Chaplaincy Leadership”, I also still serve as a pastor at the Church “The Way of Truth”, and of course, I have the honor to serve as the head of “Olive Branch” in Ukraine. But I have less energy lately. Remember us in your prayers.

Шановні мої друзі.

Зараз в Україні Різдвяний день і одночасно це є 668 день російської агресії проти українців. За останні 1000 років майже нічого не змінилося у цій частині світу. З моменту формування московії вона веде агресивні імперські війни, що спрямовані на захоплення сусідніх територій і інших народів. Біля 1000 років люди, що живуть на землях кругом Києва відбивають ці московські атаки, часом буває відбиваємося вдало, а часом буває ні. Коли українці програвали оборонні війни, то московія завжди захоплювала України, робила у нас терор або голодомор і йшла воювати далі у Європу.

Отак, я і Марина живемо у Києві: у церкві ми славимо Бога і співаємо про Різдво, а дома хвилюємося від новин, думаємо, молимося і збираємо допомогу для наших військових і капеланів.

22 грудня я, Марина, мій третій син Костянтин зі своєю дружиною Настя, мій четвертий син Марк поїхали за 70 кілометрів у військове містечко у Київський області по дорозі на Чернігів. Члени нашої церкви «Шлях істини», де я є пастор, зібрали 85 різдвяних подарунків для дітей з родин військових. Тому ми приготували Різдвяну програму і подарунки та приїхали у це військове містечко. Там є своя система життєзабезпечення, своя початкова школа, дитячий садок, але школа і садок вже два роки не працюють, бо не має бомбосховища. Це військове містечко російські війська у березні 2022 року намагалися захопити, але не змогли, тому вони його обстріляли. Зараз вже майже всі пошкодження військові відновили, але ще є дірки в асфальті та на стінах відмітини.

Керівництво військового містечка зібрало дітей у будівлі дитячого саду, бо у військовому клубі збирати не стали із-за можливих російських ракетних ударів. Це був добрий час, коли на початку Різдвяного свята була хвилина мовчання за загиблими військовими, потім діти для нас заспівали, а вихователі показали різдвяну лялькову виставу. Потім я розповів дітям Різдвяну історію, ми заспівали для дітей пісні «Тиха ніч», «Ой у Віфлеємі» та інші, ми пограли з дітьми і показали їм різдвяний мультфільм. Ми передали дітям військових наші подарунки, які ми придбали на свої кошти. Я мав у своїй душі дуже приємне відчуття, коли я дарував свій подарунок, який я сам зібрав з тих речей, що я купив особисто. Можливо, я думаю, що ті з американських людей, хто надає свою особисту допомогу для Божої перемоги в Україні також відчувають у своїй душі таке ж приємне відчуття приналежності до Божої справи.

Шановні мої друзі, ми вітаємо вас з святом народження малюка – Царя.

Слава Богу на небі і на Землі мир.

Я продовжую шукати нову територію для проведення англомовного табору для підлітків з один військових, продовжую працювати у Київський богословський семінарії, як директор програми «Пасторсько капеланського керівництва», також я ще служу як пастор у церкві «Шлях істини», і звичайно, я маю честь служити, як керівник «Оливкова гілка» в Україні. Але сил у мене в останній час стало менше. Згадай нас у своїх молитвах.


Valentin.

Valentyn Korenevych,
Colonel (retired)

President of the Public organization “Olive Branch” Ukrainewww.olivebranch.com.ua
Program director of “Pastors-Chaplains Leadership” of the Kyiv Theological Seminary
www.ktsonline.org
+38 097 9638406
This letter was translated by an electronic translator, so I apologize in advance for any errors that you may have noticed.

Babe, Christmas, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Manger, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Eternal word being Great becomes Little

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“A child is born to us, and a son is given to us.”—Is. 9:6

To compass the idea of the immense love of God to men in becoming himself a man and a feeble child for our love, it would be necessary to comprehend his greatness. But what mind of man or angel can conceive the greatness of God, which is indeed infinite?

St. Ambrose says that to say God is greater than the heavens, than all kings, all saints, all angels, is to do an injury to God; just as it would be an injury to a prince to say that he was greater than a blade of grass, or a small fly. God is greatness itself, and all greatness together is but the smallest atom of the greatness of God.

David, contemplating the divine greatness, and seeing that he could not and never would be able to comprehend it, could only say, “O Lord, who is like to Thee? O Lord, what greatness shall ever be found like to Thine?” And how in truth should David ever be able to comprehend it, since his understanding was but finite, and God’s greatness infinite? “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and of His greatness there is no end. Do I not fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord.” Thus all of us, according to our mode of understanding, are nothing but so many miserable little fishes, living in this immense ocean of the essence of God: In Him we live, move, and be.

What are we, then, in respect to God? And what are all men, all monarchs of earth, and even all saints and all angels of heaven, confronted with the infinite greatness of God? We are all like or even smaller than a grain of sand in comparison with the rest of the earth: Behold, says the prophet roman, “the islands are as little dust.… All nations are before Him as if they had no being at all.”

Now this God, so great, has become a little infant; and for whom? A child is born to us: for us he is born, And wherefore? St. Ambrose gives us the answer: “He is a little one, that you might be a perfect man; he is bound in swaddling-clothes, that you might be unbound from the fetters of death; he is on earth, that you might be in heaven.”

Behold, then, the Immensity become an infant, whom the heavens cannot contain: see him imprisoned in poor rags, and laid in a narrow vile manger on a bundle of straw, which was at once his only bed and pillow. “See,” says St. Bernard—“see power is ruled, wisdom instructed, virtue sustained. God taking milk and weeping, but comforting the afflicted!” A God Almighty so tightly wrapped in swathing-bands that he cannot stir! A God who knows all things, made mute and speechless! A God who rules heaven and earth needing to be carried in the arms! A God who feeds all men and animals, himself having need of a little milk to support him! A God who consoles the afflicted, and is the joy of paradise, himself weeps and moans and has to be comforted by another!

In fine, St. Paul says that the “Son of God, coming on earth, emptied Himself.” He annihilated himself, so to say. And why? To save man and to be loved by man. “Where Thou didst empty Thyself,” says St. Bernard, “there did mercy, there did charity, more brilliantly appear.” Yes, my dear Redeemer, in proportion as Thy abasement was great in becoming man and in being born an infant, so were Thy mercy and love shown to be greater towards us, and this with a view to win over our hearts to Thyself.

The Jews, although by so many signs and wonders they had a certain knowledge of the true God, were not, however, satisfied; they wished to behold him face to face. God found means to comply even with this desire of men; he became man, to make himself visible to them. “Knowing,” says St. Peter Chrysologus, “that mortals felt an anguish of desire to see him, God chose this method of making himself visible to them.” And to render himself still more attractive in our eyes, he would make his first appearance as a little child, that in this guise he might be the more charming and irresistible; he showed himself an infant, that he might make himself the more acceptable in our eyes, says the same St. Chrysologus. “Yes,” adds St. Cyril of Alexandria, “he abased himself to the humble condition of a little child in order to make himself more agreeable to our hearts.” “For our advantage was this emptying made.” For this indeed was the form most suitable to win our love.

The prophet Ezechiel rightly exclaimed that the time of “Thy coming on earth, O Incarnate Word, should be a time of love, the season of lovers: Behold, Thy time was the time of lovers.” And what object had God in loving us thus ardently, and in giving us so clear proofs of his love, other than that we might love him? “God loves only in order to be loved,” says St. Bernard. God himself had already said as much: “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear and love Him?”

In order to force us to love him God would not commission others, but chose to come himself in person to be made man and to redeem us. St. John Chrysostom makes a beautiful reflection on these words of the apostle: “For nowhere doth He take hold of the angles, but of the seed of Abraham He taketh hold.” Why, asks the saint, did he not say received, but rather apprehended? Why did not St. Paul simply say that God assumed human flesh? Why would he affirm with marked emphasis that he took it, as it were, by force, according to the strict meaning of the word apprehend? He answers that he spoke thus, making use of the metaphor of those who give chase to the flying. By this he would convey the idea that God already longed to be loved by man, but man turned his back upon him, and cared not even to know of his love; therefore God came from heaven, and took human flesh, to make himself known in this way, and to make himself loved, as it were, by force by ungrateful man, who fled from him.

For this, then, did the Eternal Word become man; for this he, moreover, became an infant. He could, indeed, have appeared upon this earth a full-grown man, as the first man Adam appeared. No, the Son of God wished to present himself under the form of a sweet little child, that thus he might the more readily and the more forcibly draw to himself the love of man. Little children of themselves are loved at once, and to see them and to love them is the same thing. With this view, says St. Francis de Sales, the Eternal Word chose first to be seen among men as an infant, to conciliate to himself the love of all mankind.

St. Peter Chrysologus writes: “How should our Lord come, who wishes to drive away fear, to seek love? What breast so savage as not to soften before such a childhood? What hardness which it will not subdue, what love does it not claim? Thus, therefore, he would be born who willed to be loved and not feared.” The saint would say that if our Redeemer had come to be feared and respected by men, he would have come as a full-grown man and with royal dignity; but because he came to gain our love, he chose to come and to show himself as an infant, and the poorest of infants, born in a cold stable between two animals, laid in a manger on straw, without clothing or fire to warm his shivering little limbs: “thus would he be born, who willed to be loved and not feared.” Ah, my Lord! who was it that drew Thee from heaven to be born in a stable? It was love, the love Thou bearest toward men. Who took Thee from the right hand of Thy Father, where Thou sittest, and placed Thee in a manger? Who snatched Thee from Thy throne above the stars, and put Thee to lie on a little straw? Who changed Thy position from the midst of angles, to be placed betwixt a pair of beasts? It was all the work of love; Thou inflamest the seraphim, and dost Thou not shiver with cold? Thou supportest the heavens, and must Thou be now carried in the arms? Thou providest food for men and beasts, and now dost Thou crave a little milk to sustain Thy life? Thou makest the seraphim happy, and now dost Thou weep and moan? Who has reduced Thee to such misery? Love has done it: “Thus would he be born who willed to be loved and not feared.”

Love then, love, O souls, exclaims St. Bernard, love now this little Child, for he is exceedingly to be loved “Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised. The Lord is a little one, and exceedingly to be loved.” Yes, says the saint, this God was already existing from eternity, as he is now worthy of all praise and reverence for his greatness, as David has sung: “Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised.” But now that we behold him become a little infant, needing milk, and unable to stir himself, trembling with cold, moaning and weeping, looking for some one to take and warm and comfort him; ah, now indeed does he become the most cherished one of our hearts! “The Lord is a little one, and exceedingly to be loved!”

We ought to adore him as our God, but our love ought to keep pace with our reverence towards a God so amiable, so loving.

St. Bonaventure reminds us that “a child finds its delight with other children, with flowers, and to be in the arms.” The saint’s meaning is, that if we would please this divine Infant, we too must become children, simple and humble; we must carry to him flowers of virtue, of meekness, of mortification, of charity; we must clasp him in the arms of our love.

And, O man, adds St. Bernard, what more do you wait to see before you will give yourself wholly to God? See with what labor, with what ardent love, your Jesus has come down from heaven to seek you. Hearken, he goes on to say, how, scarcely yet born, his wailings call to you, as if he would say, O soul of mine, it is thee I am seeking; for thee, and to obtain thy love, I am come from heaven to earth. “Having scarcely quitted the Virgin’s womb, he calls thy beloved soul after the manner of infants, Ah, ah, my soul, my soul! I am seeking you; for you am I making this pilgrimage.”

O God, even the very brutes, if we do them a kindness, if we give them some trifle, are so grateful for it; they come near us, they do our bidding after their own fashion, and they show symptoms of gladness at our approach. And how comes it, then, that we are so ungrateful towards God, the same God who has bestowed his whole self upon us, who has descended from heaven to earth, has become an infant to save us and to be loved by us? Come, then, let us love the Babe of Bethlehem, is the enraptured cry of St. Francis; let us love Jesus Christ, who has sought in the midst of such sufferings to attach our hearts to him.[1]

[1] Alphonsus Liguori, The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus Christ; Or, The Mysteries of the Faith, ed. Eugene Grimm, The Complete Works of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori (New York; Cincinnati; St. Louis; London; Dublin: Benziger Brothers; R. Washbourne; M. H. Gill & Son, 1887), 32–39.

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Mental Health, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Testimonies, Uncategorized, Yahweh, Yehovah

Embrace the suck

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Written by Dave Coffield

“God is far more likely to use pain, suffering, sorrow, grief, troubles, and such to grow us up into the character and image of His Son than He is to use happy times and pleasure.  I know what I like better.”  

“There is a reason that James says to ‘count it all joy when you encounter various trials’ and Paul says, ‘not only this but we also exult in our tribulations‘.  What would it be like to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord in the difficult times that He brings into our lives to accomplish good things in us?”

“The Army has a term I like.  ‘Embrace the suck’.  The understanding that you will be in environments that are difficult, painful, stressful, etc.  You endure it.  Hebrews says of Jesus, ‘Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame…‘”

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post, J3 Khai Restoration, Jesus, Recommended Reading, Testimonies

Our faith grows to the extent that we grow in our connection and relationship with Jesus.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

It is a great privilege to share with you my experience as a broken man with a mighty God.  The older I get, the more impressed I am with Him and the less impressed I am with me.

I think Hebrews 12 has great advice for us.  “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.”  Endurance is basically hanging in there, moving on when we would rather stop.  I have run a 20 miler.  The question at mile 17 was no longer whether I could run again, but whether I could keep walking.  

Our couple’s study was working on James 2 last night and our discussion helped my understanding.  Faith is an ongoing connection with God.  It is not a one-time intellectual assent to God’s existence.  The noun (faith) and the verb (believe) share the same root word.  Our faith grows to the extent that we grow in our connection and relationship with Jesus.

Pick up the Bible, listen to the voice of God as He speaks.  Respond to Him.  It is as simple and profound as it gets.

Nobody does it well all the time.  Nobody gets it right all the time.  No one.  And it is ok because every believer has been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, all our sins have been forgiven, we have been adopted into His family, we are completely loved and accepted, we have eternal life.  Incredible. 

When Thanksgiving rolls around, I am drawn to Hebrews where it says, “Through Him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”  Giving thanks is a sacrifice we give to God.  Proud people are never thankful, they are entitled, they deserve it.  Humble people recognize that everything they have that is good comes from the hand of our loving Father (the bad and the good).  And we give thanks.

Your brother,

David

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Praying for America, Yahweh, Yehovah

I am Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13)

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

As we Americans celebrate our independence, shall we say our beginning, today, July 4th, 2023, let us consider Jesus who has provided for our greatest freedom and who has not beginning or end.

“Other than you Jesus, no person exists who is in possession of titles and designations beginning with every letter of the alphabet, and no one can truthfully say that your names are merely incidentals casually coined. Every title you bear Messiah Jesus is wisely selected with a set purpose in view, and the profound accumulation of so many such, which rank highest in renown, vouch for that famous unchallengeable declaration made in your Word that a name is given to you, ‘which is above every name’ (Philippians 2:9). No other person, so manifoldly potential in capacity and so many-sided in practical ability, exists.”

“In majesty of power, in dignity of grace, in beauty of virtue and in eternity of love, you are without compare Messiah Jesus. The expansive orbit of your incorruptible glory never diminishes, the high tide of your imperial authority never recedes, and the floodlight of your immortal loveliness never declines. Age cannot palsy your perennial power, nor can the throes of time terminate your thoughtful tenderness. The years cannot compel you to yield your youthful vigor, nor can the centuries circumscribe your complete control. Duration cannot disintegrate your dominion, nor can millenniums mutilate your matchless majesty or mar your mercy.”

“What a glorious luster environs your abiding love Jesus! What a gorgeous miter engraces your attractive brow! What a gracious scepter engages your almighty hand! What a generous nature expresses your heavenly mind! Yet, withal, the tender touches of your wondrous grace and the silken sympathies of your plenteous mercy are dispensed alike to all; for you are no respecter of persons.”

“Can any one of us, or all our capacities combined, ever expect to fully comprehend you, Gods Messiah? How profitable it is to pause a moment and muse on your regal majesty and royal meekness. How edifying it is to think for a while on your replete might and resplendent mercy. How delightful the exercise to contemplate for a time your renowned merit and resourceful ministry. Each of these features surpasses in value and virtue the noblest estimates of the most venerable minds. Appraisers and valuators are altogether out of place in this domain; for the only suitable attitude is reverent worship.”

“When we attentively consider you Jesus, behold, your bountiful blessings are without boundary, your ocean-wide sufficiency is without trace of a shore, your lustrous lovingkindness is without limit, your care and considerateness are without circumference and the fervor of your fragrant faithfulness is free from all faction or friction, formality, or frustration. No artist, musician or poet can make you perfect. If we attempt to portray your obvious qualities and virtues using earthly analogies, we will need to utilize thousands of them. Should we venture to present your vocations and virtues even partially, we should require a whole host of types, symbols, memorials, images, and figures of speech to depict the range of your renown and to voice the riches of your resource within the visible realm, to say nothing of those functions which remain unrevealed. No other known Leader is so admirable, no other Ruler is so adaptable, no other Deliverer is so acceptable, no other Helper is so accessible, and no other Lover is so adorable as you are, Jesus Gods Messiah.”

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984). (Reworded into a personal prayer by J3 Khai Restoration Ministries)

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh, Yehovah

“The Builder of the Temple”

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“Behold the man whose name is The Branch … and He shall build the temple of Yahwehthe Lord (Zechariah 6:12; also Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20–22).”

“The temple that was rebuilt by the remnant that returned to Jerusalem from Babylon was but a temporary structure. The five significant features that had been identified with Solomon’s temple were withheld. God did not write afresh the tables of the law, nor permit a new ark of the covenant to be made. He withheld from its precincts the divine oracle, the holy fire and also the Shekinah glory. However, He promised a greater Builder and a greater Glory, One who would far surpass in workmanship any of the structures erected by man. Living stones cut from the quarries of human nature and polished to excellence and perfection by the Spirit of God were to be built by Him into a holy temple in Yahwehthe Lord. The temple Christ builds is constructed from perfected lives, every stone bearing evidence of the character and nature of the Builder Himself. The inter-relationship of redemption is to be centered in eternal fellowship. The dedication of this temple when completed will mark the brightest and most blessed day that ever dawned; for it ushers in a reconstituted kingdom (Zechariah 6:13), a reconfirmed victory (14:4) and a regenerated world (14:9). Then we shall rightly adore the Builder for His wisdom, will and work, while angels wonder and worship (Ephesians 3:10).”

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

“Eternal Fellowship,” communion, relationship is the crux of the Gospel!!! Jesus says, “This is eternal life, that they might know you, the one true God, and him (Jesus himself) who you have sent. (Jn 17:3)”

Cellular Health Coaching, Dr. Gary Samuelson, Health, Recommended Events, Recommended Products

Join the Global Cellular Health Community!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

30% Discount Until Monday, April 24th at 10 am MST.

I highly recommend you join our Global Cellular Health!!! The training, encouragement and fellowship Dr. Gary Samuelson and this community have given me helped me recover quickly from a heart attack and heart surgery, reduce my blood sugar levels so I could come of Metformin and improve my overall health!!

This excellent presentation is 42 minutes short.

I am also a trained Cellular Health Coach and will be starting a new group who will go through the Cellular Health Coaching Essitional Course within the next 90 days.

You can’t go wrong when you learn how to be healthier and help others do the same!!!

“Self-care is not selfish.” MJW

David Coffield, Jesus

“I am completely accepted and delighted in as I am now.”

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I am ambivalent as I sit with the Lord in front of this paper. No blinding flash of brilliance, no keen insight, no remarkable perspective. No real sense of what God has in mind as I write. 

It does seem that guilt is a primary motivator in our experience as Christians. Maybe shame as well. Guilt and shame that we fall short so consistently. The nagging feeling that God is deeply disappointed with who I am and what I do. The realization forged through countless cycles of renewing zeal, striving mightily and still coming up short.

What if God were deeply delighted with who we were and what we were doing? What if God actually delighted in us because of the work of Jesus on Calvary? What if we were acceptable as we actually are right now? What if we would live in that mindset?

This is Good Friday. It is the day we celebrate the death of Christ on Calvary for our salvation. It is the great gift exchange. Jesus taking all of our sin and giving us all of His righteousness. It is 2 Corinthians 5:21 ‘He made Him, who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’

I hope we never stray from the reality of Calvary and the wonder and miracle of salvation. I hope we grow in our understanding of grace day by day.

What are leaders afraid of? That people won’t grow without being pushed, exhorted, guilted? A healthy baby will grow. It doesn’t have to be pushed or watched or exhorted. It grows and it is happy to do so. 

Every day I am asking the Lord to help me come to the place where I serve Him with gladness. Where I delight to do His will. Where I see my relationship with Jesus as an incredible privilege and a marvelous opportunity. Where I am thrilled with the privilege of engaging with Him in relationship and in what He is up to and what he has designed me to do.

I am in the process of growing up in Christ. But I am completely accepted and delighted in as I am now. 

Your Brother, David

Praying for America, Uncategorized

First Prayer Of The 1774 Continental Congress

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!

Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.

Amen.

From Praying America Great Again, accessed April 13, 2023.

God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Recommended Events, Team Africa, Uncategorized, Yehovah

Malawi Resurrection Weekend Conference

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.
Pastor Patrick Readson Welcoming the Ambassadors to the Conference

Friends, I, Michael Weiss, will teach during the Lion Of Judah Resurrection Weekend Conference in Malawi via Zoom.

Please join us at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88371043387 (Passcode: HooYah)

There are going to be 7 sessions, the list below is in Central Standard Time.

Friday, April 7th at 1 pm

Saturday, April 8th at 2 am, 6:30 am and 12 pm

Sunday, April 9th at 2 am, 6:30 am and 12 pm

I do not know the exact time during each session when I will start teaching because there will be beautiful praise and worship first and we don’t know how long Holy Spirit will lead this time before He invites me to share.

But, please come join us for the worship time, Africians worship God with all their hearts, souls and bodies!!!

God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Personal Reflections, Uncategorized

God’s If, Then for you in Exodus 19

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Exodus 19:3–6 (NASB95)

3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel:

4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.

5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;

6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

Health, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3Khai Ambassadors, Team Africa, Uncategorized

“What God cannot do does not exist.”

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Our friend Patrick in Malawi has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. In response to our asking how Patrick was doing today, Jan 4th, his wife Mervis wrote:

“What God cannot do does not exist. He specializes in wonders and miracles. He will provide the necessary resources to help him [Patrick] through this in Jesus name.”

Please pray for Patrick and his family as you are led and also if led please provide a gift to help pay his medical bills.

After clicking this link choose Malawi as a sub-fund and type “Patrick Surgery” in the note area so we know where to direct your kind and generous donation.

https://app.easytithe.com/app/giving/khairestoration

Cellular Health Coaching, Personal Reflections, Uncategorized

Lindell Cooley Healing Testimony

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Shared at Church of His Presence November 6th, 2022

https://churchofhispresence.org/more-sermons?sapurl=LytyZHNtL2xiL21pLyszcjdjNzVuP2VtYmVkPXRydWUmcmVjZW50Um91dGU9YXBwLndlYi1hcHAubGlicmFyeS5saXN0JnJlY2VudFJvdXRlU2x1Zz0lMkJuMmduOHJ3

I had a similar experience of God’s peace and confidence I would be fine last April during my heart attack and heart surgery.

I apologize that I couldn’t get the link to work better in this post.

Featured Writers, Uncategorized

Religious Freedom Court Cases Recently Won

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Please listen to this presentation by Attorney Kelly Shackelford, from First Liberty, to the ProFamily Legislators Conference last month about cases won in Federal and Supreme Courts concerning free speech, the right to assemble, the right to pray in public, the overturning of the Lemon case from 1971 and many more.

His presentation is broken into two parts on the Wallbuilders webpage:

https://wallbuilderslive.com/religious-liberty-precedent-with-kelly-shackelford-part-1/

https://wallbuilderslive.com/reclaiming-religious-liberty-with-precedent-with-kelly-shackelford-part-2/

I am very encouraged by what Kelly shares and hope you will also!!

Reclaiming Religious Liberty with Precedent – with Kelly Shackelford, part 1
God Loves Us, J3 Khai Ambassadors, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Personal Reflections

Jesus is Wisdom

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

As you read a chapter of Proverbs each day identify that wisdom is Jesus and Jesus is wisdom.

“To those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:24, NASB95)”

“Christ is called ‘the wisdom of God.’ If we are taught in the Scripture that Christ is the same with God’s wisdom or knowledge, then it teaches us that He is the same with God’s perfect and eternal idea. They are the same … and I suppose none will deny. But Christ is said to be the wisdom of God (I Cor. 1:24, Luke 11:49, compare with Matt. 23:34); and how much doth Christ speak in Proverbs under the name of Wisdom especially in the 8th chapter. (Jonathan Edwards An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1903) p. 75 ff. )”

“By His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God. (1 Cor 1:30, NASB95)”

“Jesus is all wisdom, complete in Himself, and if we desire more wisdom from the Father (James 1:5), He answers by revealing more of His Son to us.  We ask for wisdom, we get Jesus.  We look for wisdom, we see it in Jesus.  We want to know wisdom (Prov. 1:2), we must know Jesus, and none other. The wisdom from God is found in only one person— and His name is Jesus. (By Steve McCranie, accessed Dec 1st, 22: https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/jesus-is-our-wisdom/)”

Could we say the fear or reverence of God is the beginning of knowing Jesus?

When you get to know Jesus better you get to know God the Father and Holy Spirit better as well, since they are One person.

Featured Writers, Health

Rachelle can help you be more balanced; spirit, soul and body!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I trust and seek her advice often!!!

Check out her Telegram Channel: https://t.me/energybalancingconcepts

Hello, my name is Rachelle Evitt, creator of the Energy Balancing Channel. I am an Applied Kinesiologist through the Kinesiology Institute with John Maguire. John’s students are highly trained in Structural, Biochemical, Emotional, and Energetic Kinesiology Principles.

I am also certified in Body Talk, a Quantum Energy Balancing Modality that is a sister system to Applied Kinesiology. I use both modalities when working with clients.

In addition, I am a licensed Massaged Therapist, a certified Trainer under NETA (National Exercise Trainers Association), and trained in Essential Oils through the CARE Institute.

I take clients both in my office and on Zoom doing Health Coaching using Applied Kinesiology and Body Talk principles. Direct Message me if you are interested in working with me to improve your health.

Welcome to the Energy Balancing Concepts Channel. My goal with the channel is that we learn new ways to IMPROVE HEALTH while EXPANDING the MIND 🌿

–Rachelle Evitt

https://t.me/energybalancingconcepts

Personal Reflections, Ukraine, Uncategorized

260 Days of War in Ukraine

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

My dear friends, my prayer partners, I thank you for the fact that sometimes through such letters I can turn to you to maintain this friendly and prayerful connection of ours.

Thank you for this and thank you to our God. I am writing to you this update of my news, news of the church and “Olive Branch” in Ukraine, and I wish you a great day!
Today is the 260th day of the war on the land of Ukraine. The Russian enemy is trying to destroy critical infrastructure facilities of Ukraine by launching its missiles and Iranian drones. Our people are heroically eliminating the consequences of destruction, and our anti-aircraft forces are trying to shoot down as many of these flying enemy objects as possible. Other troops of ours repel the influx of mobilized Russians near Donetsk and Luhansk, other troops of our troops push the enemy out of the Kharkiv and Kherson regions. I believe that by the grace of God and with your support, we will overcome this Russian demonic enemy together. The chaplains we train and support have a huge and important part to play and serve the military in this process.

Yesterday I went to the seminary. I arrived at nine o’clock in the morning, and five minutes after that the electricity went out until 1 p.m. I didn’t know what to do next, because all my work was concentrated on the computer. I have to check students’ homework, give grades and report to the seminary. But how to do it without electricity? It was cold in the seminary, but there were offline classes for students in two classes. Lighting for them was provided by a small generator, which also helped in preparing dinner. There are almost no generators in Ukraine now. KTS ordered a large generator in Europe, but they said that it can be in Kyiv only after December. I went around the offices saying hello and I talked a little with those who were in the seminary. The offline classes were conducted by two of our teachers Richard Perhai and Mark McDonell. I met Mark’s wife named Donna and had a nice chat with her. I also spoke with the rector of the seminary about the fact that the state of Ukraine does not recognize diplomas of religious educational institutions with some rare exceptions. Therefore, our Protestant chaplain graduates in the Ukrainian army are now mainly appointed to the positions of assistant chaplains, and the Orthodox are appointed to the positions of chaplains, because the Orthodox and Catholics have three licensed educational religious institutions, and the Protestants have only one, but it is in the Russian-occupied Kherson.

There are currently 43 church members in the Way of Truth Church, but some have gone away from the war and have not yet returned, and some of them have already fallen away from the church and possibly from God as well. I think they will not return to Ukraine. It is very sad as a pastor that when the trials came because of the suffering of the war, people fall away from the faith. But we as a church are trying to support the members of the church and for this we conduct offline service, we do several different small groups, and today at 07.30 we opened the preacher’s weekly morning school. Now there are seven preachers in it. Thank God.
I am preparing the eleventh couple for marriage in the church.
I have a dream to make an Olive Branch Ukraine camp for teenagers from military families this summer, even in wartime conditions. You will pray for God’s will and His support in this.

By the grace of God and with your support, “Olive Branch” in Ukraine continues to support the “Pastoral Chaplaincy Leadership” program at the KТS, and for the fall of 2022 we had the following course plan and it has been completed:
1) On September 9, an offline School of Chaplains was held in the city of Cherkasy. The graduation of the school with the presentation of certificates for 19 students took place on October 29, 2022;
2) On September 19-23, online teaching of the “Administration of Chaplain Service” course took place, the teacher was Chaplain US Army David Williams. About 40 students, free listeners and volunteer chaplains were present. I have received positive feedback from students about David’s teaching;
3) October 3-7 online teaching of the course “Preparation and conduct of spiritual training programs”, teacher Stacey Conard, was attended by about 30 students, free listeners and volunteer chaplains. Stacey’s teaching was very positively received by the audience;
4) On October 17-21, I had to teach an offline course “Introduction to Chaplaincy” for the first year of study for 5 students. We were preparing a holiday at the seminary for first-year students on Monday, but the enemy hit Ukraine with 55 missiles and 30 drones, so the seminary decided to teach all students online again. So I taught online again. Thanking God, I had 22 students and free listeners attend the course. That’s more than five!

I hold meetings like this every Tuesday for Olive Branch leaders and members.
Every second Tuesday of the week I have online training from Jeff and Nancy Jernigan on the Civilian Security Program.
I was invited 10/12/2022 as a teacher to a regional conference in the city of Odesa for pastors of this region, because many local churches have a disagreement with their members who are military chaplains.

“Post” or “Present and not finished time”

Today, after 260 days of war, I can say that I have real personal experience of living in a country at war.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a popular topic of training, conferences and seminars in Ukraine today. But now the use of this concept in Ukraine differs from the generally accepted one. The difference is that the word “Post” is not appropriate to use now, because the action of the suffering of war or stress in our country is not yet finished, this action continues. I catch myself because I have traumatic stress, my wife has stress, the believers in the church have a lot of stress. I can’t imagine what feelings people who have no hope in God feel, I can’t imagine what Ukrainian soldiers feel when 75 to 100 of their friends die on the front every day. I know for sure that I have a lot of stress that affects me like a wave. After every alarm signal, turning off the lights and water, bad news from the combat zone, after the shelling of the city where I live, this wave of stress rises uphill, and my motivation and desire to do something goes down rapidly. My human relations in the family, in the church, in society also suffer from these waves. It becomes difficult to communicate, to refrain from irritation and resentment, every little thing can be like a pebble that starts a rockfall, that is, a conflict. I have today, now, not an easy test of God through suffering, this is not the past time, it is the present time. Who will teach me and other people how to live in such stress that lasts a month, a year, or more?
After the rapist leaves, Ukrainians will recover for some time and then decide to forgive the Russian aggressor, but not now. And the topic of love for enemies according to the Bible does not belong here at all, because this topic concerns persecution for faith in Christ, and not a state of hostilities. The enemy must be destroyed, but we have not to enjoy the killing and not to incite rage, as Clive Lewis wrote in the book “Just Christianity”.
Therefore, conversations and sermons about the fact that it is necessary to forgive right now in the conditions of war are not true and even harmful and offensive for Ukrainians, because I emphasize once again that the phase of war or violence in Ukraine is not over, it continues its effect in time.

How, when and who should be forgiven?
In the message to the Ephesian church it is written: 4:32 forgive one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. In the Gospel of Luke 6:37: forgive and you will be forgiven.
Very often I began to hear this phrase during brutal hostilities and violence against the civilian population. As someone insists in his teaching that I or we Ukrainians must forgive the Russians, here is an example for you to understand. If you heard the screams of a child or a woman being raped by a sadist, what would your actions be? Are you going to stand by and say: if you are a Christian, then forgive him?
First, I think the first thing you should do is stop the rapist and tie him up.
Secondly, to calm down the victim and ensure her safety and peace.
And thirdly, tell the girl or woman exactly what Christ said, about forgiveness.
So, people who say that Ukrainians should forgive Russians right now are like a cynical preacher who repeats the words of Jesus without considering the tragedy and pain of the victim. Such a person does not truly love, he does not think that the first thing that should happen is that the act of violence or the war should end first and the victim needs time to gain a sense of security.
Those of you who understand this do not talk about forgiveness, but pray and help Ukraine in every possible way. Thank you very much. There is a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

I liked Jeff Jernigan’s words in his letter to me. Here’s what he wrote to me about forgiveness: “Forgiveness is not something people are contemplating very much at the moment. Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 declares there is a right time for many things including a time to embrace or refrain from embracing, a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Forgiveness is a process, not simply an event. Many of the scriptures about forgiveness assume this reality. In time, there will come opportunities to forgive. Over time, if we do not forgive, the result will be bitterness that eats at our very soul. One pastor said it is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. We cannot be demanding about forgiveness, but let the Holy Spirit lead us each to place of wholeness in this matter. The theological section on forgiveness is quite long. Perhaps you can shorten it by acknowledging the challenge and providing some guidance. 

Psalm 27 provides considerable comfort for those suffering under the tyranny of disaster and violence”. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the cdefense of my life;Whom shall I dread?2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.3 Though a host encamp against me,My heart will not fear;Though war arise against me,In spite of this I shall be confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the LordAnd to dmeditate in His temple.5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;He will lift me up on a rock.6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,And be gracious to me and answer me.8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,“Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”9 Do not hide Your face from me,Do not turn Your servant away in anger;You have been my help;Do not abandon me nor forsake me,O God of my salvation!10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,But the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,And lead me in a level pathBecause of my foes.12 Do not deliver me over to the adesire of my adversaries,For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LordIn the land of the living.14 Wait for the Lord;Be strong and let your heart take courage;Yes, wait for the Lord.

 New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 27:1–14.

I also hear the following statements: we must love everyone, because it is written in the Bible.

This is indeed in the Bible. But for us to correctly interpret these words, we need to learn to distinguish God’s command to an individual person or God’s command to society, or to the church, as a gathering of people.
So, according to the Bible, we can love other people with brotherly love (Greek phileo), but we cannot and should not love everyone with the highest form of God’s love (Greek agape).
If we love God (Greek agape), then we are able to love (Greek phileo): our wife, children, truth, neighbor, goodness, people of our local church, as well as all those who love God.
Therefore, only those people who believe in Him and are obedient to Him can truly love God.
Psalm 30:24: Love the Lord, all you righteous ones
Deuteronomy 10:19:  loves the stranger
Prophet Zechariah 8:19: Love truth and peace
Colossians 3:19: Husbands, love your wives
1 Peter 1:22: Always love one another
1 Peter 2:2: Love the pure milk of the word,
Gospel of John 13:34, 15:17: Love one another (the listeners – Judaic stood around Jesus).
Therefore, all other people who do not believe in God and are not obedient to Him, we should not so much love them as much as we should respect them, but the evil that is present in these people, we should hate, like our Father.
1 Peter’s letter to the church 2:17: Respect everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, respect the king.
Prophet Amos 5:15: Hate evil and love good.
Therefore, God can only be loved by people who believe in Him and are obedient to Him. First of all, we are obliged to love people who believe in God. And we should respect people who do not believe in God, but hate evil in them. Love has different degrees: agape, phileo, eros. Because of our sinful nature, we cannot and should not love everyone equally.

One must love one’s enemies
In Matthew 5:44, Jesus said: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you.
To understand these words, and any others in the Bible, one must understand to whom and under what circumstances they were spoken, that is, the historical and cultural context. Then your theology will be Christ’s. These words apply to me or you personally, the words of Jesus are 100% true. But if the sphere of application of these words is different, for example, the sphere of my family, city or country, then these words cannot be applied in the same way here.
Remember Jesus’ command to the disciples to sell their clothes and buy themselves weapons for self-defense. Remember the words of Jesus? Luke 22:36: … sell your clothes and buy a sword;
I will remind you that I am not talking about my personal enemy and not about those enemies who want to destroy my church for faith.
I’m talking about a different case, that is, about an enemy who climbs into my house. I can kill such an enemy legally (the book Exodus).
I am talking about such an enemy who destroys my home, my family, my country, who wants to destroy my nation. Such an enemy must be destroyed, and then talk about forgiveness.
I forgive such an enemy in two cases.
1. When he is defeated and I see his surrender.
2. When he will apologize to me and the country, or will no longer be able to threaten others, as happened with the empires, which today are no longer on the world map.

If they hit you on one cheek, turn the other
Whoever slaps you on the cheek, give him a friend too, and whoever wants to take your cloak, don’t forbid your shirt either. (Luke 6:29)
Who often repeats these words today?

I think that a person who has no experience of waging war in the city of his residence and does not understand the fear of artillery shelling, aerial and rocket bombardment. It is difficult for many people outside of Ukraine to understand the effects of fear. They are afraid that they may be killed, maimed, raped right in their own homes. And our Russians do it en masse.

Almost all of the churches of Ukraine and ours switched to the Gregorian calendar, so we do not plan to celebrate two Christmases and two Easters. On November 20, we have Thanksgiving, December 25 is Christmas. Every year, our church collects from 30 to 50 gifts for children with its own funds and sends them to children who live near the war zone.
Thank you all again for your support and prayers. Thank you to all of you who receive my update letters and remember us and pray. This means that you also help Ukraine and serve the needy people of the country in Ukraine, who have endured Russian aggression for 260 days, many of them do not have housing, food, water, medical care, work, security.

A short addendum to my letter from Jeanа Szegedа. 

The women’s service consisted primarily of establishing a connection with the sisters who, due to military actions, were displaced by the war throughout Ukraine and abroad. Then we managed to organize weekly women’s meetings in ZOOM – every Monday for prayer and support. Caroline Grub and Linda were invited to the meeting. The American sisters suggested holding thematic international meetings every first Monday of the month. So we held meetings on the topic of “Compassion”, “Hope”, “Loyalty” and others. Such meetings were attended by women from Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Bulgaria, as well as from areas where hostilities are taking place. They went out without lights, explosions could be heard, our prayers were a great support for all of us. Help was provided to a sister in Kropyvnytskyi (medicines were sent for the military unit, where Sister Valya Syzenko is serving). A women’s service was held in Irpen for women who lost their homes as a result of Russian shelling, involving children from large families of believers. The victims were presented with bedding and a set of household chemicals sewn by Halyna Danyuk’s sister. A visit was also held for the purpose of spiritual communication with the transfer of a set of farm products, a set of fruits, books “Prayer Book of the Ukrainian”, dry food for the animals they saved from their farm – dogs and cats.
The service of the women’s Christian club “Anna” in Ivano-Frankivsk is actively developing – a Christmas service for military families is being prepared. Women’s Christian club “Esther” (Alexandria, Kirovohrad region) held a service for elderly single women. Ukrainian women of the “Olive Branch” raised funds for the intelligence group, where Cheremisyna’s nephew Tetyana, a resident of Kherson, is fighting. In Dnipro, the online prayer group is led by Anna Yermalayeva, who is in Poland as a refugee. We ask for prayers for our sisters in the diaspora and in Ukraine. Thank you for the prayers and support of the American sisters! May God bless you all, brothers and sisters!

Information from senior hospital chaplain Mykola Dudko from CherkasyOur soldiers Aare very brave and courageous. These are heroes. They are being treated in our hospital. And after recovery, they rush to their brothers again, to protect our earth … We, as chaplains, constantly support them, for Wwhich. Soldiers do not want to be photographed (for security reasons).
Knowing that members of the olive brand have worked in the hospital for a long time as medical chaplains and have a lot of expertise, he was invited to participate. It is needed for the introduction of medical chaplaincy in health Care Institutions.

I add to the letter a file with advertising for the introduction of hospital chaplaincy in Ukraine with the Participation of Olive BranchThank you for letting me know you on this earth and for being with God.May God bless you abundantly.
I wish that we have in the soul a peace from God.
Valentin.

Valentyn Korenevych,
Colonel (retired)

President of the Public organization “Olive Branch” Ukrainewww.olivebranch.org.ua
Program director of “Pastors-Chaplains Leadership” of the Kiev Theological Seminary
www.ktsonline.org
+38 097 9638406
This letter was translated by an electronic translator, so I apologize in advance for any errors that you may have noticed.

Featured Writers, Personal Reflections, Uncategorized

Grace

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Quotes from recent letter from Dave Coffield

“The only true basis for personal security and significance was [is] grace. As long as either my security or my significance is tied to performance, what others think about me, my internal sense of good or bad, how I am feeling – I will feel insecure and insignificant.”

“I don’t work to gain the favor of God; I work because I have His favor.”

“May our days be filled with gratitude for His incredible gift of grace!”

Well said David

Featured Writers, Recommended Reading, Veterans

TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND: PRINCIPLES OF CIVILIAN CONTROL AND BEST PRACTICES OF CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“This is one of the best explanations on how our civil and military leadership work together to ‘Support and Defend’ our Constitution. ” Sergeant Major Michael J. Weiss, Sr., U.S. Army Retired

Copied from https://warontherocks.com/2022/09/to-support-and-defend-principles-of-civilian-control-and-best-practices-of-civil-military-relations/ Sep 14, 22.

We are in an exceptionally challenging civil-military environment. Many of the factors that shape civil-military relations have undergone extreme strain in recent years. Geopolitically, the winding down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the ramping up of great power conflict mean the U.S. military must simultaneously come to terms with wars that ended without all the goals satisfactorily accomplished while preparing for more daunting competition with near-peer rivals. Socially, the pandemic and the economic dislocations have disrupted societal patterns and put enormous strain on individuals and families. Politically, military professionals confront an extremely adverse environment characterized by the divisiveness of affective polarization that culminated in the first election in over a century when the peaceful transfer of political power was disrupted and in doubt. Looking ahead, all of these factors could well get worse before they get better. In such an environment, it is helpful to review the core principles and best practices by which civilian and military professionals have conducted healthy American civil-military relations in the past — and can continue to do so, if vigilant and mindful.

1. Civilian control of the military is part of the bedrock foundation of American democracy. The democratic project is not threatened by the existence of a powerful standing military so long as civilian and military leaders — and the rank-and-file they lead — embrace and implement effective civilian control.

2. Civilian control operates within a constitutional framework under the rule of law. Military officers swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not an oath of fealty to an individual or to an office. All civilians, whether they swear an oath or not, are likewise obligated to support and defend the Constitution as their highest duty.

3. Under the U.S. Constitution, civilian control of the military is shared across all three branches of government. Ultimately, civilian control is wielded by the will of the American people as expressed through elections.

4. Civilian control is exercised within the executive branch for operational orders by the chain of command, which runs from the president to the civilian secretary of defense to the combatant commanders. Civilian control is also exercised within the executive branch for policy development and implementation by the interagency process, which empowers civilian political appointees who serve at the pleasure of the president and career officials in the civil service to shape the development of plans and options, with the advice of the military, for decision by the president. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is not in the formal chain of command, but best practice has the chairman in the chain of communication for orders and policy development.

5. Civilian control is exercised within the legislative branch through the extensive powers enumerated in Article I of the Constitution, beginning with the power to declare war, to raise and support armies, and to provide and maintain a navy. Congress determines the authorization and appropriation of funds without which military activity is impossible. The Senate advises and consents on the promotion of officers to the pay grade of O-4 and above. The Senate is also charged with advising and consenting to certain senior-level civilian political appointees. Congress conducts oversight of military activity and can compel testimony from military or civilian officials, subject to narrow exceptions such as executive privilege. Members of Congress empower personal and committee staff to shape the development of policies for decision by the committees and Congress as a whole and thereby play an important role in civilian oversight of policy.

6. In certain cases or controversies, civilian control is exercised within the judicial branch through judicial review of policies, orders, and actions involving the military. In practice, the power to declare a policy/order/action illegal or unconstitutional is decisive because the military is obligated (by law and by professional ethics) to refuse to carry out an illegal or unconstitutional policy/order/action.

7. Civilian control is enhanced by effective civil-military relations. Civil-military relations are comprised of a dynamic and iterative process that adjusts to suit the styles of civilian leaders. Under best practices, civil-military relations follow the regular order of the development of policy and laws, which protects both the military and civilian control. Under regular order, proposed law, policies, and orders are reviewed extensively by multiple offices to ensure their legality, appropriateness, and likely effectiveness. However, regardless of the process, it is the responsibility of senior military and civilian leaders to ensure that any order they receive from the president is legal.

8. The military has an obligation to assist civilian leaders in both the executive and legislative branches in the development of wise and ethical directives but must implement them provided that the directives are legal. It is the responsibility of senior military and civilian leaders to provide the president with their views and advice that includes the implications of an order.

9. While the civil-military system (as described above) can respond quickly to defend the nation in times of crisis, it is designed to be deliberative to ensure that the destructive and coercive power wielded by the U.S. armed forces is not misused.

10. Elected (and appointed) civilians have the right to be wrong, meaning they have the right to insist on a policy or direction that proves, in hindsight, to have been a mistake. This right obtains even if other voices warn in advance that the proposed action is a mistake.

11. Military officials are required to carry out legal orders the wisdom of which they doubt. Civilian officials should provide the military ample opportunity to express their doubts in appropriate venues. Civilian and military officials should also take care to properly characterize military advice in public. Civilian leaders must take responsibility for the consequences of the actions they direct.

12. The military reinforces effective civilian control when it seeks clarification, raises questions about second- and third-order effects, and proposes alternatives that may not have been considered.

13. Mutual trust — trust upward that civilian leaders will rigorously explore alternatives that are best for the country regardless of the implications for partisan politics and trust downward that the military will faithfully implement directives that run counter to their professional military preference — helps overcome the friction built into this process. Civil-military teams build up that reservoir of trust in their day-to-day interactions and draw upon it during times of crisis.

14. The military — active-duty, reserve, and National Guard — have carefully delimited roles in law enforcement. Those roles must be taken only insofar as they are consistent with the Constitution and relevant statutes. The military has an obligation to advise on the wisdom of proposed action and civilians should create the opportunity for such deliberation. The military is required ultimately to carry out legal directives that result. In most cases, the military should play a supporting rather than a leading role to law enforcement.

15. There are significant limits on the public role of military personnel in partisan politics, as outlined in longstanding Defense Department policy and regulations. Members of the military accept limits on the public expression of their private views — limits that would be unconstitutional if imposed on other citizens. Military and civilian leaders must be diligent about keeping the military separate from partisan political activity.

16. During presidential elections, the military has a dual obligation. First, because the Constitution provides for only one commander-in chief at a time, the military must assist the current commander-in-chief in the exercise of his or her constitutional duty to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Second, because the voters (not the military) decide who will be commander-in-chief, they must prepare for whomever the voters pick — whether a reelected incumbent or someone new. This dual obligation reinforces the importance of the principles and best practices described above.

Signatories:

Former Secretaries of Defense

Dr. Ashton Baldwin Carter
William Sebastian Cohen
Dr. Mark Thomas Esper
Dr. Robert Michael Gates
Charles Timothy Hagel
James Norman Mattis
Leon Edward Panetta
Dr. William James Perry

Former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Gen. (ret.) Martin Edward Dempsey
Gen. (ret.) Joseph Francis Dunford Jr.
Adm. (ret.) Michael Glenn Mullen
Gen. (ret.) Richard Bowman Myers
Gen. (ret.) Peter Pace

Cellular Health Coaching, Dr. Gary Samuelson

Cellular Health Group Coaching

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Discover the world of cellular health, life-changing knowledge and apply personal action steps by enrolling in the group I am leading starting August 25th.

“This training and the action steps I took reduced the severity of my heart attack last April and facilitated my speedy recovery. The action steps I have taken have also enabled me to lower my sugar levels and stop taking Metformin. I don’t think you will not get a better understanding how our bodies function, at the cellular level, than from Dr. Gary Samuelson. With this knowledge I will help you craft action steps to improve your overall health and vitality. I would love to help coach you to live out your DNA to its fullest potential.” Michael Weiss

Watch this short 13 minute conversation Dr. Samuelson and I had recently.

Cells In Motion – via Dr. Samuelson’s reference to Harvard.edu

Improve your life one action step a week with the other members in my group starting

Thursday, August 25th at 6 pm CST.

1661468400

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Cellular Health Group Coaching

We will spend 12 weeks together learning about the 5 Laws of Physical and the 6 Laws of Mental and Emotional Health. During these 12 weeks we will work together helping you craft at least one SMART action step for each law.

SMART = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

The 5 Laws of Physical Health: Hydration, Nutrition, Exercise, Respiration and Sleep.

The 6 Laws of Mental and Emotional Health: Belief, Attitude, Learning, Choice, Balance and Action

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One-time payment of US $697

or two payments of US $367

Basic Segment/5 Laws of Physical Health

Session 1 – Hydration – The Water Cycle provides “natural water” to all living organisms – Natural Water contains absorbed essential minerals and biological materials – Proven benefits of hydration with natural water to each of our body systems

Session 2 – Nutrition 1 – All nutrients come from the indomitable plant – Macronutrients and Micronutrients – Needed Micronutrients and consequences of Nutritional Deficiencies

Session 3 – Nutrition 2 – Nutritional Requirements of the Cell – Carbs and Sugars in our metabolism, why excess is harmful – Proven benefits of Individual Nutrients to each of our major body systems

Session 4 – Exercise – Composition and function of muscle tissue and fascia – Principles of building muscle, messengers, atrophy, fat fuel – Detailed Exercise program for each muscle and proven benefits

Session 5 – Respiration – Oxygen and Redox Chemistry – Cellular Metabolism, why oxygen is needed – Oxidation and Reduction, Cellular Messengers, stress reduction, proven benefits

Session 6 – Sleep – Why we need sleep – Diurnal Cycles/Circadian Rhythms – Optimal Sleep and proven benefits

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Intermediate Segment/6 Laws of Mental and Emotional Health

Session 1 – Belief – Belief dictates behavior and pretty much everything else – Enormous Power and Purpose of the Subconscious Mind – The Subconscious Mind realizes all our beliefs

Session 2 – Attitude – Attitude is the manifestation of belief – Belief and Attitude lead to self-actualization – How Attitude programs the subconscious mind

Session 3 – Learning – Learning programs Believe -> Behavior – Emotion is the key to learning – Benefits of learning to the mind

Session 4 – Choice – Universal Governing Principle of all Nature – We choose our beliefs and attitudes – Choice = Freedom: Ways to remove mental blocks

Session 5 – Balance – Identify areas in your life where you feel anxious and “out of balance”. This is an indication that adjustments need to be made. Write them down. – Read your Goal Worksheet one more time again. This timekeeping in mind how your goals can help you regain your balance. Identify the Goals that will help you regain balance. – Recommit yourself to these goals with the new understanding you have gained. – Bring your Goal Worksheet up to date and make the adjustments necessary to bring you back into balance.

Session 6 – Action ACTION – The most important Law of Mental Health ❤️ Action makes it happen

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Featured Writers, Guest Post, Testimonies, Ukraine, Uncategorized

Eyewitness Account From Ukraine

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

From my friend, Valentyn Korenevych, in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Dear friends, remember that now I wish everyone not a good day, but God’s day. You admit that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine began on February 20, 2014, when the Russians captured Crimea and then eastern Ukraine. Eight years later, the Russians decided to capture and destroy the whole of Ukraine, so on February 24, 2022, at 4 am, they began bombing our Ukrainian airfields, military units and cities. Today is the forty-first day of the active phase of the war. We Ukrainians defend our faith, our way of life, our land. A strong servant of Satan, hidden in the Kremlin walls of ancient Mordor: an old evil that pretends to be light under the guise of pagan Orthodoxy and Z occultism, is leading Russia to its doom. The unburied corpse of an idol man (Lenin) for about 100 years lies in the center of the Russian capital, near the cemetery of the same murderers and thieves.
We Ukrainians, as residents of the state of Gondor in the Tolkien writer, live in Mordor (Muscovy), and since 1487, we have been fighting with the Muscovite orcs for the right to live freely and believe in God.

This is my little introduction to give you a better understanding of how I feel and what is happening around me in Ukraine. Because I noticed that many people from other countries do not understand the essence of these events and continue to believe in fairy tales about good Russia. By the way, the name Russia is also was stolen by orcs in Kievan Rus, as now Russian orcs steal and take out of our cities, even fleeing Ukraine, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, toilets, tablets, computers and more. But it’s not scary, we will still work and buy it all. It is not terrible that they destroyed our cities, we will rebuild. The scary thing is that they are killing our people by throwing bombs and missiles at us. And even worse is what they do with locals and children in the occupation. The city of Bucha, near Kyiv, where someone called the second Srebrenica. The name is not for the number of deaths, but for the cruelty. People and children were shot, tortured and raped by orcs there. Corpses, corpses… people. But it is not yet known what is being done in other Russian-occupied cities.

I have been with my family in Kyiv for a week now. Arrived on March 29 with my family (five of us). It helped a lot to have a car that all you raised money for me. We left Kyiv in this car for Cherkasy and we came back, and now I am transporting some things for the military in this car. Because transport is almost non-existent in Ukraine now. Thank you all again. May our God bless you all with His blessings.

In Kyiv I try to be useful to other people.
I communicate with military chaplains over the phone and various messengers.
I support them in various ways.
I take medicine to military units.
Every night for 41 days I have a church prayer for our military.
I join the online seminary every Sunday night.
Every Monday I conduct online communication with the employees of Olive Branch Ukraine.
On Sunday, I worshiped with the Lord’s Supper in our military building. Now there is no electricity and it is very cold.
On Thursday, Vasily and I will teach our pastors to understand chaplaincy.

The Russians have already left Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr and Sumy oblasts, so military teams are currently working there to clear roads and buildings. Today the first road to Chernihiv, my mother’s city, was opened. The city is 70% destroyed, and there is no water, gas, electricity or heating. My mother begs for food and an apartment every day, which she does not have, and still does not have a safe way there. My mother is 79 years old, I don’t know if she understands that or if she’s so stubborn. Maybe in ten days I will try to go to Chernihiv.

Today, at the door of our rented room called “Olive Branch” and the Church “Way of Truth”, I hung an announcement for needy people that those who need food, please contact. We plan to help those who do not have jobs and money for food, especially refugees.

Thank you, my friends, co-workers with God, I feel your prayers and other help. We all Ukrainians feel. The Russians bombed almost all our strategic enterprises, oil depots, food bases, airports, blocked seaports and river ports, but thanks to you our army fires bullets, shells, missiles, our tanks, cars and planes are at war, air defense is alive. Four million refugees are abroad, and they are safe.

I thank God and you for your countries contribution to all this. God works through you in times of war. I would like to thank you all in some way, but I do not know what and how?

Postscript. In Cherkasy on March 8, Marina and I went outside for a walk. We walked 500 meters to the city center when the alarm siren sounded. Marina immediately hunched over like a very old woman. It’s scary when you’re standing in the middle of the street of a still peaceful city, and the sirens around you are buzzing around, and you realize that you’re standing face to face in front of a cruise missile, and you’re defenseless (I didn’t mention God right away). I still didn’t have time to understand how Marina dragged me to the bomb shelter at a school. We waited at school for a while, but without waiting for the alarm to end, we went outside. We walked another 500 meters and I saw something strange, surreal. Near the market, right during the alarm, women were selling yellow and red tulips. It flashed in my head, today is Women’s Day, April 5th! And even more surprising was the fact that these tulips were lined up for men of all ages, who nervously shrugged, looked around, but stood in line, and they bought these flowers, mostly only one flower. To this day, I have before my eyes a picture: anxiety, the market, tense men, yellow and red tulips. I did not dare to stand in line, and did not buy a flower for Marina, because then such a purchase seemed strange and inappropriate. When I came home and calmed down, I was a little ashamed that I did not overcome myself and did not buy a flower for Marina. Suddenly, about an hour later, the son of the owner of the apartment where we lived, Lieutenant Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine., came and brought three flowers for Marina. Such are our military in Ukraine!
That is why Women’s Day, thanks to the military in Ukraine, exists even during the war.
Thank God for Ukraine and America and our other friends in Europe.

Valentyn Korenevych,
Colonel (Retired)

President of the Public organization “Olive Branch” Ukraine

www.olivebranch.org.ua
Program director of “Pastors-Chaplains Leadership” of the Kiev Theological Seminary
www.ktsonline.org

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Uncategorized

Jesus “is affectionately loving, altogether lovely and always lovable.”

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“Christ monopolizes loveliness by His heart of lowliness, He multiplies preciousness by His spirit of meekness and He magnifies graciousness by His deeds of kindness. As Bridegroom He is affectionately loving, altogether lovely and always lovable.”

The Bridegroom of the Bride

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29).
In that bright and beautiful narrative of the book of Ruth, Boaz, the notable kinsman who played the part of restorer and nourisher, also became the beloved bridegroom (Ruth 4:15). When the storm of sorrow and the waves of dire distress which Ruth had encountered died down, a new dawn of radiant splendor broke upon her life, in that she made the soul-stirring discovery that Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, was actually her kinsman and her redeemer. The damsel found in this nobleman a stronger sympathy than she had known before, a sweeter society than she had previously experienced and a dearer relationship of remarkable renown; for Boaz, the mighty, became her very own bridegroom.

The greater reality of the New Testament is reflected in this record; for the Son of God became the Son of man, our near kinsman; so that by identity of life and integrity of love, He might redeem and raise up His Bride, the Church, to share the intimacy and immortality of an eternal union with Himself. The illustrious and illuminating portrayal in the record of Ruth supplies an index to infinite movements that find complete consummation in the marriage of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7).
By virtue of Christ’s identifying Himself with human history, God wrought out His great regenerative purpose of salvation. If the celestial One had not entered into the realm of the terrestrial and overcome the infernal power of darkness, mankind would not have had any title to the heritage of light with its infinite glory and incorruptibility.
The Apostle Peter presents this Bridegroom as the perfection of all preciousness, the sum-total of exquisite beauty and majesty; whose life is everlasting, whose love is everabiding and whose endowments in an unwithering inheritance are to be eternally enjoyed. Christ monopolizes loveliness by His heart of lowliness, He multiplies preciousness by His spirit of meekness and He magnifies graciousness by His deeds of kindness. As Bridegroom He is affectionately loving, altogether lovely and always lovable.

The Scriptures disclose a series of illustrious bridegrooms in whose lives are given glimpses in faintest tracery of the tenderness of this eternal Lover. Glimmers of Him are reflected in the first love of Adam for Eve, in the faithful love of Abraham for Sarah, in the fervent love of Isaac for Rebecca, in the fragrant love of Jacob for Rachel, in the fruitful love of Joseph for Asenath, in the faultless love of Boaz for Ruth, and in the fascinating love of Jonathan for David.

The majestic countenance of the heavenly Bridegroom shines as the sun in its strength, so that the mystery of beauty is manifest at its best and brightest. Through Him the divine luster of lovingkindness beams forth in all the richness of moral goodness. He discharges the highest obligations perfectly. He has always been chivalrous in conflict, valiant in victory, constant in courtesy, loyal in love, thoughtful in tenderness, kingly in kindness and gracious in gentleness. No one is able to find in Him a single trace of failure or the slightest taint of fault or forgetfulness.

How solicitous He is in His care, how steadfast in His love, how sympathetic His heart and how sensitive His Spirit in understanding! Emanuel displayed infinite affection in coming to earth to select and secure His Bride, the Church, and to present her to Himself without spot or wrinkle or any such blemish. He has designed that His Bride share with Him in joint heirship His celestial home and heritage. Little wonder that the name of this Bridegroom is adored for its unrivaled glory and that His love is admired for its unchanging fidelity.

What a thrill comes to the soul when we anticipate sharing a home with Christ beyond the hills and the horizon. A mansion beyond the mists and the mountains. A possession beyond the plains and the planets. A society beyond the stars and the sky. A dominion beyond the darkness and death. A state of bliss beyond the sun and the shadows. A titled estate beyond the trials and tribulations of time. A paradise beyond the perils and pains of the present era.

Thou glorious Bridegroom of our hearts
Thy present smile a heaven imparts,
O lift the veil, if veil there be,
Let every saint Thy beauties see.

Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Charles J. Rolls, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Uncategorized, Yehovah

Are you hangry for Love? Jesus is the Bread of Life!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“Christ is the true legacy of life; He heartily loves, tenderly calls, sincerely welcomes and gladly receives all who come to Him. No one can have too much of His preciousness, sweetness, or loveliness; all He bestows is fresh and fragrant and satisfies forevermore.”

The Bread of God

The bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33).

The context shows that the emancipation from Egypt, which was followed by the supply of manna forty years in the wilderness under Moses, is closely associated with this new claim. During that period of national history, four outstanding experiences are recorded. These experiences relate to the Passover lamb, the Red Sea deliverance, the uplifted serpent and the fording of Jordan. The Apostle John introduces the spiritual significance of these same four features in the opening three chapters of this Gospel. These memorable links with the past, together with Jacob’s well (John 4), and the pool at the sheep gate (John 5), furnish an illuminating background in relation to the far-reaching claim Christ made of being the Bread of God from heaven.

The secret of Israel’s sustained strength was linked with the lamb in Egypt, the power at the Red Sea, the manna in the wilderness and the old corn in Canaan. These reflect Christ in His personal holiness at the crucifixion, “a Lamb without spot,” His prevailing power in resurrection (John 2:19), His perfect humility in submission, “the Bread which came down from heaven,” and His pre-eminent honor in glorification, as the One enthroned high above all principality and power.

The third of these is the subject here, where Christ declared Himself to be the Bread of God. To draw definite attention to the fact of His own manifestation and ordained mission, He refers to the source from whence He came and the sequence of that coming. Bread, in the use we make of it, is brought to nourish those who are alive; but Christ the Bread of God imparts life eternal. John is careful to mention among the essentials of this life, birth, breath and bread, and attributes these in turn to the Triune God. The physical bread we eat is from wheat grown in the ground, from whence our bodies are derived. The calcium, silicon, iodine, iron, phosphates, etc. in an organic form are packed into the wheat in order to build up our strength. In like manner, if we are to become partakers of spiritual life and immortality we must needs eat the Bread of God, which is made up of righteousness, goodness, lovingkindness, graciousness, perfectness, holiness, and such like which result in Godlikeness.

Our Lord also claimed, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me” (John 6:37). This is a sure anchorage for faith; for by our coming it is obvious we form part of the Father’s gift. The decision to do so leads to a great discovery. “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). An eternal mystery is unveiled to everyone that comes. Christ is the true legacy of life; He heartily loves, tenderly calls, sincerely welcomes and gladly receives all who come to Him. No one can have too much of His preciousness, sweetness, or loveliness; all He bestows is fresh and fragrant and satisfies forevermore.

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Uncategorized

The Gospel is about how Good God is, not how bad we are!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The Lord Has No Equal

To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing.
O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:25-31 (NLT)

Uncategorized

The Gospel is about how Good God is, not how bad we are!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The Lord Has No Equal

Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand?
Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
Are you so ignorant?
God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
and makes his tent from them.
He judges the great people of the world
and brings them all to nothing.
They hardly get started, barely taking root,
when he blows on them and they wither.
The wind carries them off like chaff.

Isaiah 40:21-24 (NLT)

God Loves Us, Jesus, Messiah

The Gospel is about how Good God is, not how bad we are!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The Lord Has No Equal

No, for all the nations of the world
are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
as though it were a grain of sand.
All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
mere emptiness and froth.

Isaiah 40:15-17

Testimonies, Uncategorized

I’m So Stoked

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“I’m living the Dream,” Ben Gravy

Ben Gravy loves to explore and find one-of-a-kind waves to ride. In this short clip, Ben is sharing his excitement about catching one Bonzi Pipeline wave recently. The waves that day were bigger than they usually are.

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxa6WUsdzdHia6IljNpRwMjnhucUwGDrJv

I love Ben’s honesty about being so afraid in the morning he told himself he wasn’t going to surf that day.

Ben’s experience is universal. Having a dream that is so big were to afraid to even paddle out into the line-up with all the other dreamers. But, each time we try we experience something new, that we could not experience if we didn’t “Go For It.” I have

I have dreams that scare the crap out of me and I know, from experience, that going for it out weighs staying on the shore.

I want to be in the middle of the arena with the Teddy Rosevelt’s of the world, not an onlooker from the stands.

Let’s do it together!!!

Defination of Stoked: being in an enthusiastic or exhilarated state. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoked)

Personal Reflections, Testimonies

When am i going too . . .

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

 

My lower back hurts a lot this morning. When I laugh, cough, stand up, sit down, basically live life, my brain feels a scream of pain from my midsection. I hate it when I am immobilized like this.

 

Why did this happen again? Did an evil force do it to me again? Did the divine hand of God reach down and touch my back yesterday morning with the intent of causing me pain so I will finally learn a specific lesson? Or am I responsible?

 

I believe I am responsible!

 

I have known since 2003 that when I keep the core of my body strong, I reduce my risk of back pain and immobilization by over 85%. In 2003 my back said stop again, and our orthopedic surgeon recommended fusing some of my lower vertebrae to prevent this from happening again. I had been babying this issue for many years, and some say it’s from jumping out of excellent airplanes.

 

Wise friends encouraged me to get a second opinion, which I did. Six weeks later, another orthopedic surgeon said I didn’t need surgery. “One of your discs still has a bulge but, your leg numbness is gone; you can move without pain, you’re doing fine.” “What do you attribute this excellent recovery to?”

 

“Pilates”

 

I told the doctor I saw a Pilates TV commercial and started doing the floor exercises as I was able. Slowly the numbness in my left leg decreased and stopped. Slowly I was able to dress myself, especially but my Army boots on, without pain. Slowly the muscles that wrap around my waist got stronger and stronger, supporting my lumbar vertebrae and discs keeping the bulge from causing problems.

 

The Doctor replied, and wrote in my medical record, “patient should do Pilates regularly.”

 

I believe God gave me Pilates. Instead of healing me he was daily giving me the grace to do Pilates. For me, instead of a one time miracle he is giving the the miracle of his sustaining grace everyday. Instead of me remembering one awesome thing God had done I have the opportunity to be with him as he and I walk together daily.

 

His grace is always sufficient for every one of my needs whether I appropriate it or not.

 

When am I going too appropriate his grace? I hope more often then in the past!!!

 

Are you going to acknowledge and appropriate his loving, kind and faithful grace right now?

 

He is only this whisper away, “I need you God, I surrender to your will and way.”

 

Shalom to you and yours!

Guest Post, The Daily Blessing, Uncategorized

The National and International Day of Repentance and Solemn Assemblies Regarding Abortion on December 1, 2021

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

https://www.nationaldayofrepentance.org

We believe America is at a crossroads and that our time is short. God hates the shedding of innocent blood and the Mississippi abortion case presents us the best opportunity since 1992, to see the reversal of Roe v. Wade. But we need to pray desperately.

The Supreme Court has announced the day of Oral Argument in the Mississippi Ban on Late Term Abortion Case (Dobbs) for Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

Will you partner with us in helping to organize and call for a National Day of Repentance and Solemn Assemblies where we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways on the day of Oral Argument for this case?

We must have physical assemblies, perhaps in front of the Supreme Court, on the National Mall, in front of abortion clinics, and in churches across the nation. As well, we will be having a national 24-hour zoom call on the day of Oral Argument. We also believe we should be praying the day before, the day of, and the day after Oral Argument. Organizing this call will help generate millions of Americans and others to pray for the Supreme Court all the way through June 2022, when the decision will probably be announced.

America has committed the 4 great sins that can bring national destruction:

1. We have forsaken God (1962 Supreme Court Prayer case)

2. Shedding innocent blood (1973 Roe and Doe )

3. Sexual immorality on a vast scale (repeatedly)

4. The love of money and greed

We must repent of all these things.

There must be actual concrete ways to demonstrate turning from our sin on that day. Our suggestions would include praying in front of abortion clinics, signing The Moral Outcry Petition, helping the poor, the homeless, donating to pregnancy resource centers – either with time or donations, committing to pray more, and committing to be more publicly vocal that abortion is a crime against humanity and offering help to those considering abortion, etc. We value your suggestions also.

We encourage everyone, everywhere in America to pray as the Holy Spirit leads in accordance with your understanding of prayer and your sphere of influence. We need each denomination in America that still believes the Bible and that God hates the shedding innocent blood to stand up and cry out to the Lord.

We need to reach the fourth step of II Chronicles 7:13-14. We have prayed, we have humbled ourselves somewhat, but we have not yet turned from our wicked ways. We need to continue to confess that and see that this is the only remedy. The alternative is national or existential destruction, but if we turn, God will heal our land. Could you please share this short video call for a National Day of Repentance on the Day of Oral Argument in the case that could reverse Roe, December 1, 2021? Over 40 ministries are joining in this call. Will you join us? I believe this could be the last opportunity for the Nation and the Body of Christ to repent and TURN from the wicked ways of abortion.

God bless you

Lilian Schmid

Prayer Strategist and Coordinator 

lilianschmid@prayerstrategy.org

Prayer Strategy for the Spheres of Influence – Prayers and Forums for the Spheres of Influence in our Families, in the Church and in the Marketplace

God Loves Us, J3 Khai Restoration, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Personal Reflections, The Daily Blessing, Yehovah

The Gospel (Good News) is about how good God is, not how bad you are!!!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.
John 3:16 & 17:3 combined, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believed in him would not know Father, Son and Holy Spirit but would know Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Life eternal is living in relationship with God every moment from now on!!! You are loved always and always.

What is Meant By “these ten times” in Numbers 14:20-23?

David Talley — March 31, 2014

Numbers 14:20-23 states, “Then the Lord said, ‘I have pardoned them, according to your word. But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.’” What is meant by “these ten times?”

One option is to understand this phrase as a rhetorical number. It would be similar to a parent saying to a child, “I have told you ten times to clean your room.” The parent has not necessarily communicated with the child exactly ten times. The point is that there have been countless times that communication has been made. In the Numbers passage, the point would be that the Lord has been persevering with His people through countless illustrations of rebellious behavior, which was testing Him. Another option is to understand this phrase as an actual number. This would mean, then, that the Lord had been tested an actual ten times by the behavior of the people.

Regardless of which option one might choose based on the evidence available, it is important to have an understanding of what it means to “test” the Lord. A clue is provided for us in Numbers 14:11, which is the Lord’s response to the people in the situation, which precipitates Numbers 14:20-23. In Numbers 14:11 it states, “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?’” The Lord performed signs (Egyptian plagues, parting of the waters of the Red Sea, etc.) for Israel intending that it would produce belief in them. However, as soon as Israel moved beyond an event where they had seen a sign from the Lord and then encountered another similarly difficult situation, they did not evidence belief. Thus, they tested the Lord. Another clue for this is provided in Exodus 17:6, where it further defines “testing” as Israel’s raising the question, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Again, when the nation encountered difficulty, their response did not evidence a belief that the Lord could move on their behalf and meet them in their place of need. Indeed, in their minds, he was absent.

Either option for understanding “ten times” is plausible because we do not have a record of every event that occurred for Israel during this time period. All we have a record of is “snapshots” of various events that occurred through the nation’s journeys. However, the second option is supported in a rather interesting way from the biblical text. The “signs” of the plagues against the Egyptians are intended not only to judge the Egyptians, but also to instill belief in the nation of Israel. Israel watched the powerful work of God in the ten plagues. Then, the Lord delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians and took them out of the land. How does Israel respond when they encounter difficult situations along the way? Do they evidence belief or does their response “test” the Lord with their lack of belief?

If you were to read Exodus 14 through Numbers 14 (it is not necessary to search through the book of Leviticus) with an eye toward Israel’s response to the various difficulties encountered during their journey, it is interesting to note that there are ten occurrences where they grumble and complain rather than evidence belief in the Lord. Note the following passages:

1.         Exodus 14:10-12

At the Red Sea where it seemed that Pharaoh’s army would destroy them

2.         Exodus 15:22-24

At Marah where they found bitter water

3.         Exodus 16:1-3

In the Desert of Sin as they hungered

4.         Exodus 16:19-20

In the Desert of Sin as they paid no attention to Moses concerning the storing of the manna until the morning

5.         Exodus 16:27-30

In the Desert of Sin as they disregarded Moses concerning the gathering of the manna on the seventh day

6.         Exodus 17:1-4

At Rephidim as they complained for water

7.         Exodus 32:1-35

At Mount Sinai as Aaron led the people in making the golden calf

8.         Numbers 11:1-3

At Taberah where the people raged against the Lord

9.         Numbers 11:4-34

At Kibroth Hattaavah in the grumbling provoked by the rabble for quail

10.       Numbers 14:1-3

At Kadesh in the Desert of Paran when the people refused to receive the good report of Joshua and Caleb but rather wished themselves dead

So finally in Numbers 14:11, the Lord cries out “how long?” Repeatedly the Lord had demonstrated His faithfulness in each situation of difficulty. However, as soon as Israel encountered another difficult situation, they evidence unbelief through their grumbling and complaining. Their complaining cried out loudly, “Is the Lord among us or not?” As a result, the Lord concludes, “and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice.”

Is any of this important to us? Our response to this is to consider how we might put the Lord to the test in our own lives. We can read about the Lord’s faithfulness in the Bible, and we have seen his faithfulness in our lives. Yet, when we encounter our next difficulty, do we evidence belief in Him, a belief that knows we can trust Him through the difficulty?

David Talley

David Talley is a professor of Old Testament at Talbot School of Theology. Talley enjoys research in the areas of Old Testament theological themes, local church ministry, and contemporary theological issues. His dissertation research on the judgment of pain in Genesis 3 continues to be a focus in his research as he formulates a perspective on Godly living in a difficult world. Talley is passionate about understanding and teaching the truths of God’s Word, discipling and equipping others, and “passing on the faith” to the next generation. In 2013, he completed a survey book on the Old Testament, which blends the information of the biblical text with the transformation of the heart. His research has also been published in The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, Eikon (formerly the Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood) and the Christian Research Journal. 

https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2014/what-is-meant-by-these-ten-times-in-numbers-14-20-23 (Accessed August 30th, 2021)

508c1a, Nonprofit

Preparing For Launch: J3 Khai Restoration Ministries, 508c1a

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Hello, Friends! The following message is from a post I shared in the fundraising campaign that Connie created to help raise funds for establishing nonprofit status for what will now be called J3 Khai Restoration Ministries.

I’m very excited to be taking the necessary steps for J3 Khai to become an official entity that allows me to provide tax receipts for the donations you so generously share with our family of kingdom Ambassadors.

If you are a nonprofit ministry leader yourself, I invite you to learn more about the 508c1a corporation structure, and consider making the transition to a 508c1a for your own ministry. The benefits are tremendous, and I will be happy to tell you what I have learned from Destiny 508 concerning this matter.

___________________________

A Message From Michael
July 4, 2021  
Dear Friends,
J3 Khai Restoration Ministries (J3Khai) is on its way to becoming a legal and recognized Non-Profit. Destiny 508 is going to ensure our Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, board structure, and financial accountability are neat, clean, and organized at a discounted rate of $2,400. (Includes filing fees, training, and mentoring fees)

I want to operate J3Khai legally as a faith-based organization in order to “maintain a clear conscience with God and Man.”

Thank you Connie very much for creating this campaign. I could not do it without you. HooYah
Michael J. Weiss, Sr. 
J3 Khai Restoration

When You Are Ready to Register, Destiny 508 Services Does it All

What’s included when you register your new 508c1a Faith-Based Nonprofit with Destiny 508?

Most people are familiar with 501c3 to be able to offer tax deductible receipts to your donors but did you know there is a second legal way for churches that is a lot simpler?

At Destiny 508, we help Christian ministries and churches create a nonprofit status under tax code 508c1a. We really love the simplicity of the 508c1a model and we believe you will too.  The 508c1a option is a  privilege we have in the United States tax code as faith-based organizations which allows us to eliminate time consuming reporting requirements and retain freedom of speech in order to share our message without government restrictions. 

Below are what is included in your filing fee when you work with us to Register your 508c1a Faith-Based Nonprofit. 

LEARN MORE About DESTINY 508

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Connie’s House has been approved as a Destiny 508 Affiliate, so she will receive an affiliate commission if you make your purchase using her link. (at no cost to you)

She appreciates your support of her efforts to develop her publishing company, where she will offer fundraising and marketing services for the household of faith.

A Gift For You From Connie’s House

How To Paint Whimsical Pups and Kittens On Canvas Totes

J3 Khai Restoration, The Daily Blessing

Jehovah Bless You and Are only your chronic issues/symptoms being treated?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.
Jehovah bless you and keep you,
Jehovah make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
Jehovah lift up his countenance upon you and give you shalom.
Numbers 6:24-26

Note: We just watched the first episode. Thought-provoking. Dr. Samuelson has not approved breaking his entire teaching in segments yet. When you go to the Cellular Health Coaching site you can also sign up for group coaching with the listed Coaches. Brief Cellular Health Coaching Introduction by Dr. Samuelson

Proven, Healing Breakthroughs Backed By Science Webpage

Copied from the Proven Webpage

“The mounting health crisis facing the western world grows every single day.

Cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, chronic pain and opioid addiction, the list goes on and on. Virtually everyone has someone who has been affected by these devastating conditions.

One of the greatest gifts you can give them, besides your love and support, is a new perspective.

The knowledge and wisdom you are about to receive can open whole new possibilities for health and wellbeing. It can give one of the most precious gifts of all…

Hope.

And that’s what this is all about.

You will meet the world’s top experts we tracked down to crack code on which natural and alternative medicines are the most effective for what ails us. We traveled around the earth to bring their lifetime of experience, research and knowledge direct to you.

You will hear dozens of inspiring stories from people who have overcome many of these diseases using the same information you will get in this docuseries.

You will learn from the greatest collection of master healers, doctors and caregivers ever assembled into a single documentary experience.

You will witness regular people who healed “incurable” conditions, restored health where drugs failed, and got off toxic pharmaceuticals.

There are so many folks out there suffering… and the medical system often doesn’t have the answers they need.

If you know anyone who would benefit from this healing knowledge, we encourage you to share this docuseries with them. It could transform their life.”

Cellular Health Coaching Webpage

Brief Cellular Health Coaching Introduction by Dr. Samuelson

God Loves Us, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Personal Reflections, The Daily Blessing, Yehovah

Jehovah Bless You and The Gospel is about how good God is not how bad we are.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.
Jehovah bless you and keep you,
Jehovah make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
Jehovah lift up his countenance upon you and give you shalom.
Numbers 6:24-26

The Beginning (Origin or Source) of Creation

“Investigate where we will, not a grain of grace, not a mite of mercy, not a spark of sympathy, not an atom of authority, not a trace of truth, not a fraction of faith, not a look of love and not a glow of glory exist without His (Jesus) originating energy. If we examine the vaster things we must admit that the whole earth is full of His glory, whether this glory be reflected from the sublimity of the sky which is so measureless, the splendors of the stars which are so countless, the shining of the sun which is so exhaustless, the spaciousness of the heavens which are so trackless, the surging of the ocean which is so ceaseless, the spectrum of light which is so matchless, the designs of the snowflakes which are so numberless, the springs of fountains which are so traceless, the superiority of mountains which are so ageless or the fragrance of flowers which are so taintless. These few features in themselves introduce a range of wonders that are indescribable.”

Rolls, Charles J.. The Indescribable Christ: The Name & Titles of Jesus Christ A to G . Believer’s Bookshelf Canada Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Featured Writers, God Loves Us, J3Khai Ambassadors, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Personal Reflections, The Daily Blessing, Uncategorized, Yehovah

Jehovah Bless you and the Glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.
Jehovah bless you and keep you,
Jehovah make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
Jehovah lift up his countenance upon you and give you shalom.
Numbers 6:24-26

“God, who said, ‘Let brilliant light shine out of darkness,’ is the one who has cascaded his light into us—the brilliant dawning light of the glorious knowledge of God as we gaze into the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:6 (TPT)

Learn about Akiane, this painting of Jesus and her other works by clicking here!

Reduce stress while driving Part II

Can driving the speed limit reduce stress?

Note: In this video I say, “when a police officer points his gun at you.” I meant to say, when a police officer points his speed monitoring gun at you,” not his weapon.

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post

Staying in Grace

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Letter from David C., used by permission.                                                                                                               

I was having lunch with my friend Drew today and he asked me a question (he is really good with questions).  How do you personally keep from drifting away from grace and moving into Law?  I don’t have well thought out answers.  I have a few thoughts though.

Embrace the brokenness.  I don’t care how sharp a person is, if they measure themselves against the absolute, holy Law and standard of God—they are toast.  In Galatians Paul says that one of the functions of the Law is to show us that we are lawbreakers and in need of Christ.  The more I see of the beauty and majesty and glory of Jesus in the scripture, the more I am aware of my tattered, shabby, grubby nature.  At my best I am a victim of the mercy and grace and love of God.

A proud person will have difficulty embracing grace.  They don’t need it.  There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.  God is always opposed to the proud and He always give grace to the humble.

Embrace genuine fellowship.  Acceptance is hard to come by in a ministry committed to performance.  There are a few brothers I have with whom my life, in all of its brokenness, is accepted, cared for, encouraged.  Such people are a rich treasure.  The critical, legalistic, high performing people I try and avoid.  Paul says we are to accept one another as God has accepted us in Christ.  How is that for a goal to strive for?

Embrace the relationship through the Word.  The problem with the Scripture is that you can read it, study it, memorize it, just like the Pharisees did but they missed Jesus.  It is being willing to sit in the relationship at His feet and believe that we are wanted, desired, loved.  If the ministry is your preoccupation, your focus, your passion…it will be difficult to engage relationally with the Lord.  I am not anti-ministry.  It is an incredible privilege to participate with the Lord when we are invited into the process, but it is His work and His glory.  Paul makes the comment in 1Corinthians 3.  “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.  So, neither the one who plants not the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”  Our value, I believe, is in our relationship with God as His sons and daughters.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us

Being totally, utterly, completely accepted by the Lord. 

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Letter from David C., shared with his permission

There is something incredible about being totally, utterly, completely accepted by the Lord.  We are accepted because we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ and our sins are forgiven and we are filled with the Holy Spirit and adopted into His family.  I don’t merit or deserve what God gives me.  It is a wonderful and rare thing when you also experience acceptance from another person.

62+ years walking with the Lord and I am realizing that I will carry my brokenness into the kingdom.  It is a fantasy and an illusion to think that I can clean my life up, deal with the problems, get my act together, stop sinning, etc.  I tell believers sometimes that sin does 2 good things in my life.  It keeps me grateful for the mercy of God, and it allows me to identify with my fellow broken brothers.  We are either ok as we are now or we will never be ok. 

In my daily prayer list and time with the Lord there is a section where I am asking God to grant 3 things to me.  1-that I would not be wise in my own eyes.  2-that I would offer to God the sacrifices that are pleasing to Him—a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.  3-that I would walk and live in the shoes of the Tax Collector in Luke 18 (God be merciful to me, the sinner).

I have one of those head colds.  Congestion, sore throat, cough, headache.  Not bad enough to seek medical help and not good enough to function well.

I am grateful that joy and happiness are very different.  Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and we can express it regardless of the way that we feel.  It is independent of our circumstances.  It doesn’t mean it always works well for me. 

It is funny but, in my experience, emotion rarely supports faith.  Faith is a willingness to hear the Word of God and obey it.  Faith always involves God speaking and us obeying.  It is almost never a matter of “feeling like it”. 

The foggy head is having trouble wrapping this up well.  Imagine that.  When all is said and done, may our Lord be praised!  May His name be magnified and may we speak of His glory, power, coming kingdom, and nature!

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post

Ascribe To The Lord The Glory That Is Due His Name

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

This Letter was written by David C., used with permission.

The Army has a saying “embrace the suck”.  I think for me, a good saying in the Christian life would be “embrace the brokenness”.  We seem to be on a continual journey to improve, get better, fix stuff, shape up, get it right, etc.

Paul’s comment is 2Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.”

There will always be a qualitative difference of the glory of God expressed within us and the flesh in which it is contained.  My desire is for personal glory.  I want people to look at my life and ooh and ah.  It is sin of course.  John the Baptist had it right when he said, “He must increase but I must decrease”.  We live in a narcissistic culture in which everything is about the person, their success, their glory, their accomplishments.  It is the Holy Spirit who helps us lift our eyes to Jesus and ascribe to Him glory and honor.  I like Psalm 115:1  “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your loving kindness, because of your truth”.

It leaves me with 2 goals.  

One, is not to attempt to fix my brokenness for my glory.  I have flaws and brokenness that will be with me as I come into the presence of Jesus.  If I were to write a book, I would title it, “The Fellowship of the Broken”.  Some are more “healthy” than others but all are broken in some way.  Some things God works on, some He fixes, but most remain so that His glory might be displayed.  2Corinthians 12 is a good read.  If anyone had a reason for confidence and was sharp…it was Paul.  Yet he comes to the place where he will boast in his weaknesses.

Two, is to ascribe to the Lord the glory that is due His name.  I will speak of the goodness of the Lord, His majesty, His works, His power, His coming kingdom all the days of my life as He gives me grace.  Psalms 29 and 96 say basically the same thing, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory that is due His name”.  What do we talk about?  What speech fills our time?  What is our agenda?  No one gets it right all of the time of course.

Uncategorized

Turbulence develops and refines our character to be more like Jesus.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Weekly Letter from David C.

When I get to the 5th of the month, I am delighted with Psalms and Proverbs.  I love the contrast between Psalm 21 and Psalm 22. {David reads 5 Psalms a day. He multiplies the calendar date by 5, and the last of the 5 Psalms he reads that day is that number. On the 5th of each month, he reads Psalms 21-25.}

In Psalm 21 David is living the ideal Christian life.  “You have given him his heart’s desire, and you have not withheld the request of his lips.  For you meet him with the blessings of good things; You set a crown of fine gold on his head.”  Ideal.  Wonderful.  Every Christian’s desire and hope for how the Christian life will go.  David is getting what his heart desires and his prayers are being answered.  Sign me up!

In Psalm 22 David is in the pit of despair.  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.  O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest.  Yet You are holy.”  What has happened?  David is troubled, in despair, and he can’t get God to answer him and do what he wants.

Welcome to the normal Christian life.

Welcome to the walk of faith.

It is in the turbulence of this life that our character is being refined to be more like Jesus and the evidence of Jesus is being manifested.  Paul encouraged the Christians in Philippi to “do all things without grumbling or disputing”.  Why?  So that Christ could be manifested to the watching world.  

Do I believe that God works all things together for good for His children?  Do I believe that I am to give thanks for everything for that is God’s will for me?

We never get it right all of the time.  Jesus did and it is His righteousness in which we are clothed as believers.  We are in the process of being grown up, matured into the likeness of Christ. 

Your brother,

David

David Coffield

Is the Lord righteous in all of His ways and kind in all of His deeds?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Letter to me from David C.

Two things that the Scripture teaches that I need to embrace daily.  The sovereignty of God and the goodness of God.  If God is not sovereign; then life is a roll of the dice and there is no guarantee of a desirable outcome.  If God is not good; then we are subject to evil and calamity.

But God is both sovereign and good.  Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all of His ways and kind in all of His deeds.”  My failure to understand it does not change the reality of it.

We struggle to think that God is good and sovereign when we watch bad things happen in our lives and the lives of others.  We tend to “sell” Christianity as a life enhancing experience where God is committed to our happiness, success, pleasure, health, etc.  Hebrews says that God “scourges every son that He receives”.  What?!  Why?  Because we need it.

We need it to grow into the image and character of Jesus.  Years ago, before I purchased a bench grinder, I had a hand file to sharpen the lawn mower blade.  It was slow, hard work.  There are elements in our lives that I think God is working to refine, sharpen, change, improve.  It takes time.

I get really irritated with Christians who preach that you can take 2 verses, memorize them, and you will be fine.  Really irritated.  We have been shaped by our experiences in life over time and, for the most part, they are not easily fixed.  God is growing us up.  It is through the crucible that refining comes.  Proverbs says, “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests hearts”.  The word “tests” is the same thought of “refining”.  God doesn’t wonder about the status and nature of my heart…He knows.  And He knows how to refine and shape me towards the image of His Son.  There is far more pain involved in the process than I am happy with.  

You hear occasionally in the Special Ops community the phrase “embrace the suck”.  It is the willingness to lean into the pain and push through.  For the believer it is giving thanks in all things because our loving Father is both sovereign and good.  Is it pleasant?  No.  Can we rejoice?  Yes.  We have the Holy Spirit and the ability to choose to override our emotions and lift our eyes to our Father.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jesus, Yahweh

How do we measure spirituality? Discipleship?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

A letter from Dave C.

A metric is how we measure or evaluate something.  For age, it is about the passage of time, years, days.  For weight, it is usually about pounds.  For height, it is about inches.  How do we measure spirituality?  Discipleship?  What is our “metric”?

We used to work at the 7 basics of the Christian life—Quiet time, Scripture memory, Bible Study, Witnessing, Prayer, Application, Fellowship.  On my team we used to evaluate every week the quantity and quality of our engagement in those activities.  I often say that a Navigator would make a good Pharisee.  How do we evaluate if a person is a disciple?  It used to be the completion of the Design for Discipleship Series, the memorization of the TMS, regular participation in the group activities, and good progress in the basics.

Of course, John 8:31,32 is the only definition that Jesus gives of what it means to be a disciple of His.

Our couple’s study is looking at Luke 18 and I was struck hard by the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in 9-14.

The Pharisee was at the top of his game in terms of religious performance.  The best of the best.  He was religiously righteous, and he knew it.  He was outperforming everyone around him easily.

The Tax Collector was the bottom of the Jewish culture.  A person working for Gentiles who was taking money from his fellow countrymen.  Abhorrent.  Tax Collectors and prostitutes got along well.  But the Tax Collector’s statement was, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner”.

The Lord’s conclusion?  “I tell you the Tax Collector went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.”  

I am beginning to think that our metric ought to be the humility of the heart and not the religious performance.  Pride is a terrible thing, and I suspect we are often blind to it.  I haven’t plumbed the depths of this, but I sense something profound and powerful lies here.  May the Lord give us eyes to see our own hearts and the hearts of those around us and to walk in humility.

Your brother,

David

Uncategorized

Three Reasons My Friend David Prays

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I can think of 3 reasons that motivate me to pray.

One reason is the relationship.  Prayer, in my simple understanding, is talking to God.  You can talk; you can pray.  You can think, you can pray.  God speaks to us through the Word, and we speak to Him in prayer.  It is a relationship based on the sacrifice of His Son Jesus that adopts us into His family as beloved children.  When we get performance focused, we drop the relationship because of the guilt we carry of an “inadequate” life.

A second reason is praise.  We are instructed, “In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”  When we are focused on self, life tends to revolve around us.  Our pains, our joys, our problems, our glory, etc.  When we are focused on Him, it lifts our attention and our hearts into His presence.

A third reason is people.  Paul was fanatical in his praying for people.  We unfortunately focus on his ministry and short him on his praying.  “I do not cease giving thanks for you while making mention of you in my prayers.”  “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”  We don’t tend to value prayer for people because we usually don’t see God doing what we asked Him to do.  That doesn’t mean that the prayer is not valuable, critical.

There is a verse in Psalms that I like by David, “Evening and morning and at noon I will complain, and murmur and He will hear my voice.”  We are always invited to pour out our hearts before Him and it doesn’t need to be pretty.    God is the one entity in the universe who completely understands us, completely loves us, and is delighted to fellowship with us.  He will never fail to do what is good in our lives (although we get into an argument about what is good).  I know what I like, He knows what is good.

Your brother,

David C.

Uncategorized

Even though there are 3 S’s against us (Self, Society, and Satan), Greater are the 3 S’s for us (Sovereign God, Savior Jesus, and Holy Spirit)

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Paul says that we are to “take the shield of faith with which we will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one”.  Satan is described by Jesus as a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies whose desire is to steal, kill, and destroy.  He has free access to our lives.  Sobering, isn’t it?

Paul further says that we are not ignorant of his schemes.  The first time I read that I thought, “I’m ignorant”.  The flesh is straightforward.  No mystery about it.  You can read the 15+ list in Galatians 5.  The world is a little more subtle trying to conform us into its thinking.

Satan attacks our faith.  He attacks our confidence in the goodness of God (why would a good God who loves you let (fill in the blank) happen to you?  He attacks the word of God, our willingness to accept the word simply and believe what is said.   Jesus told Peter that Satan had demanded permission to sift him like wheat.  If I had been Peter I would have said, “Surely you told him no?”  Peter gets sifted and he learns something invaluable about himself.

Satan is described also as the “accuser” of the brethren.  He gets an ear, and he whispers things like, “you are no good, you don’t measure up, you are a failure, you are a subpar Christian, God really doesn’t love you, He won’t come through for you, etc.”  The antidote is to take the shield of faith.

Faith to me as a simple definition is God speaking and me obeying or believing.  God speaks through the Scripture.  A Christian without the word in his life is on dangerous ground.  I choose to believe what God has said and is saying, not the lies of Satan or the world in which we live.

Your brother,

David

Uncategorized

Happy Holy Week From Ukraine

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

From Valentyn Korenevych, Colonel (Retired), President of “Olive Branch” Ukraine

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, my acquaintances and friends, I convey to you my festive Easter greetings from myself and Marina, from the Kyiv church “The Path of Truth”, from our seminary community in Kyiv, from “Olive Branch” Ukraine and from our entire country Ukraine, which is defending itself from Russian aggression.I congratulate you all on the wonderful historical holiday of Easter, when about 2025 years ago a miracle from God was accomplished on Earth – Jesus Christ, born of Mary, was resurrected! He was the first to rise from the dead, He is God’s firstborn, He is my pledge that I will also be resurrected!

On this fourth Easter in Ukraine, which is still taking place during hostilities, our soldiers, officers, chaplains, civilian volunteers and peaceful citizens continue to fulfill the words of the Lord Christ: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

I thank you all for supporting us during the war in various ways. In this way, you continue to reflect the qualities of the Father in Heaven. For me, He is first and foremost holy, then loving, and of course, just. It is when we reflect these three qualities in our lives that we come closer to God’s likeness and do His work as the Son.
Ukrainians are tired, but we do not give up, we are exhausted, but we pray constantly, we are stressed, but we have hope.

I also want to separately thank the Americans who live permanently in Ukraine or often come to Ukraine to support those who have weakened. Thank you and I pray for you during 1145 days of full-scale aggression.

Whenever an American couple leaves our seminary after completing their service, I always have great gratitude and good memories of them in my heart. And this good memory is hidden in God and in my heart. May God bless them for their sacrificial work.
Next, I will give an excerpt from a letter from an American couple, who also dedicated their lives to Ukraine. Now this couple does not live permanently in Ukraine, but from time to time they return to us to spend as much time with us as they can. May God bless them for their sacrificial work. 

Here is an excerpt from their letter:

“We continue praying for a fair end to the war. We spent ninety days in Ukraine followed by three days of travel . In Ukraine, we experienced 33 days out of 90 hearing or seeing the war firsthand—missiles, drone swarms, helicopters and anti-air fire.During our last Stateside Assignment, we were in over fifty church services. I have taken dozens of video of strikes and defense for future visits. The first drone witnessed came one morning around 2:45am. I first began seeing what looked like fireworks near the city center. After realizing fire was coming from multiple directions to a point, tracer rounds, I observed an Iranian Shahed drone flying in our direction along a city tram line, just above apartment high-rises, at about fifty mph. I would watch our map app tracking drones, typically entering Kyiv from the northeast, making their way around the city clockwise. Defense would use search lights located throughout the city, open fire on drones over the Dnipro River running through the middle of the city and as drones passed over wooded areas, attempting to avoid strikes on citizens and infrastructure. An eerie feeling came when search lights panned in our direction, followed by AA fire with tracers. Drones remained close to civilian rooftops for cover, but once they reached a wooded area, the sky would light up with defensive fire. Over the last three months we have seen multiple drones shot down in an explosion and literal ball of flame to the ground. One landed on a nearby airport followed by explosions I could not see. Hours later, while watching the news, I realized missiles were striking the city center, simultaneous to the drones attack on the airport. One drone was hit over the airport but continued forward, striking an apartment building behind a Toyota dealer we use, and killing an older man asleep in his apartment. On multiple occasions we observed Ukrainian helicopters following and firing on drones—cowboys. One Sunday morning, on our way to church, a drone passed in front of us, just above traffic. It was not a Shahed, but a smaller, metallic airplane shaped drone we had seen on video taken downtown during a visit by the British Prime Minister. In another location, a week earlier after a military settlement visit, we had been parked 30-feet from a missile strike that created a large hole in the road and blown the windows and doors out of a metro station and McDonald’s. One couple had drone debris land on their house, another church leader with windows blown out of their rented apartment, another with spent anti-air land in their yard, and one church family experiencing at least five drone and over twenty missile strikes in the last three years. Most drones are very loud. Imagine a remote controlled, aircraft propeller engine times ten. Tank tread grooves have worn into main streets and an 18-wheeled truck imitates the sound of drones all day and night. Shock waves from missile strikes felt like they went right through us. Truck mounted machine guns can be heard for miles and often parked on bridges during drone swarms. Rush hour traffic simply drives around them, business as usual. Launched anti-air missiles give off several swoosh and thumps per second. We had daily air alerts over 95% of three months and observed active warfare one-third of the time. Sleep deprivation was the most difficult issue. Several days we experienced below 15F with windchill pushing passed zero while praying and watching from 22nd floor balconies. We have been in Ukraine three months at a time while almost all Ukranians have passed the three year mark without a break. The Church continues to move forward.
….Much has been said about the clothing the Ukraine president wears. As we have travelled in countries such as Georgia and Romania, we see products on shelves that say, “Made in Ukraine”. This gives patrons the choice to support the Ukraine economy in the midst of a war. In Ukraine we also see clothing sold that promotes Ukrainian patriotism while supporting the country’s economy. This is the same type of clothing the Ukraine president has worn since the beginning of the war. During church visits on Stateside Assignment, we displayed examples of this clothing. The president is not “disrespecting” the American president by wearing a “sweatshirt” anymore than Elon Musk in the Oval Office, but adding to the patriotism and economy within his own country at war. He is identifying with the Ukrainian people who elected him…. We had a routine that when in bed we would not get up unless hearing explosions or our phone app vibrated us awake. During attacks I would move from the front to the back balcony keeping watch and would tell my wife if she needed to sleep on the kitchen floor where we had the most walls for protection. 
Thank you for praying, giving, going and sending!”

This Monday I start teaching a five-day course for student chaplains.
 We have formed a group of full-time military chaplains for master’s studies at the Tavria Christian Institute in Kyiv, about 25 people, and we have also formed a group for simultaneous bachelor’s studies at the KTS and the Humanitarian Institute in Bucha, about 20 people. We are also involved in the formation of a master’s degree for chaplains at the state institute in Ostrog. Remember this in prayer, because both the work has increased and the expenses for paying teachers and translators have also increased.
At KTS, we are renovating my office and a special class for chaplains has already been created.

We are completing the translation into Ukrainian of a 400-page manual for chaplains from author Mark Jumper.

I invited the author of another manual for chaplains, Naomi Paget, to KTS this fall. She agreed to teach.

And on May 26, a course from the authors of many books, Chris and Ranela Adsit, will begin at KTS.

We have an English-language camp ahead in July for teenagers from military families, and in August in the Carpathian Mountains we are planning a special event for women, who serve for all military people.

All the best to you. Hold on to God courageously. With God.
I wish that we have in the soul a peace from God.
Valentin.

Valentyn Korenevych,
Colonel (retired)

President of the Public organization “Olive Branch” Ukraine
Program director of “Pastors-Chaplains Leadership” of the Kyiv Theological Seminary
www.ktsonline.org
+38 097 9638406

Give to Olive Branch Ukraine via this webpage: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/Zy9iEw?vid=1iw7fl Enter “Ukraine” to annotate that there is where you want this gift to go.

This letter was translated by an electronic translator, so I apologize in advance for any errors that you may have noticed.

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I am free to fail because my Father loves me unconditionally, apart from my performance.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Yesterday my heart was heavy, and I was in dialogue with my massage therapist.  She made the comment, “Failure is a beautiful thing”.  It resonated with my soul.

Our lives are spent trying to avoid failure, hide failure, minimize failure, and keep from failure at all costs.  But how do we learn anything of significance without failure?  We fear failure because it strikes at the core of our self-image.  We spend our lives trying to secure a good self-image through performance.  We are special, we are high speed, low drag.  We are elite.  It goes on and on. 

Each day in my dialogue with God, I ask Him to help me believe that my value to Him resides in my relationship with Him as His son and not in my performance for Him.

I am always struck in John when Jesus is baptized and comes out of the water and the heavens part, and the Father leans out and declares, “You are My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased”.  Jesus hadn’t done anything!  It was Who He was that mattered to the Father, not His performance.  The performance of Jesus would come because of the relationship, not to secure the relationship.

Almost no one in this world (apart from some believers) feels that they are ok apart from their performance.  School, military, job, our culture—they all teach acceptance based on performance.  

But our God is about grace.  When you look at Psalm 113 & 1 Corinthians 1, you can see the people that God picks for His team.  The poor, needy, barren, foolish, weak, base, and despised.  A bunch of losers.  I am bringing up the back of that pack.    He chooses these so that He will receive the glory.

I am old enough now to know that I am never going to “get it together”.  My brokenness will be with me as I stagger into the Kingdom pointing to the marvel and wonder and grace of Jesus!  I am free to fail because my Father loves me unconditionally apart from my performance.  Blessed is the name of our Lord!

Written by David C.

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Read Your Bible For Relationship

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I went through AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Ft. Sam Houston years ago.  When the cadre asked our class how many were going airborne, about ¾ of the class said they were.  When the day came to board the bus to Ft. Benning, 3 of us got on.

It seems like you can get a Christian to do anything except spend time in the Bible on a daily basis to seek the face of the Lord.

The only definition I know of given by Jesus as to what makes a person a disciple of His is given in John 8:31,32.  “If you abide in my words, then you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Not much different than Joshua being told “this book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night…”  Or the Israelites being instructed by God in Deuteronomy 6, “There words, which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up…”

If there is one thing Satan hates, it is a Christian in the Bible.  If there is one thing the flesh hates, it is a Christian in the Bible.  And, if there is one thing the world hates, it is a Christian in the Bible.

Read it for relationship!  In the early years of my walk with the Lord I didn’t have the mindset that the Bible was essentially God speaking to me.  You can go to the Bible and miss Jesus.  The Pharisees did it.  Paul makes the comment that “knowledge puffs up, but love edifies”.  It is as a result of beholding the glory of the Lord in the Scripture that we are being transformed into the image of Jesus. (2Corinthians 3:18)  

When I rise in the mornings my request of the Lord is that He would speak to me, that He would let me hear His voice.  Psalms, Proverbs, the gospels.  

Written by David C.