God Said Israel Would Be A Blessing

Just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses told the Israelites, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants” (The World Messianic Bible, Deuteronomy 30:19). Benjamin Netanyahu referred to this passage in his September 27 speech at the UN.  (You can read a transcript of his UN message here.)

There is another famous Bible passage that refers to blessings and curses found in God’s call to Abraham hundreds of years before the time of Moses:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” (The World Messianic Bible Genesis 12:1–3)

Israel is a tiny little country.  If you rank countries by population, Israel would probably be number 100 in terms of population and number 150 if going by geographic size. And yet Israel has made HUGE contributions to the world’s welfare.  Because the world is so anti-Israel these days, I thought it would be to list just some of the ways in which Israel has contributed to world welfare--and for the sake of time, I asked Chatgpt for help.  Here is what Chatgpt came up with:

Israel has made significant contributions to global welfare across various sectors. Here are some key areas:

1. Technology and Innovation

• Start-Up Nation: Israel is known for its vibrant tech ecosystem, producing numerous innovations in fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and software development.

• AgriTech: Innovations in agriculture, including drip irrigation and drought-resistant crops, have helped improve food security worldwide.

2. Medical Advances

• Healthcare Technology: Israeli companies have developed groundbreaking medical devices and technologies, such as robotic surgical systems and advanced imaging techniques.

• Pharmaceuticals: Israel is home to major pharmaceutical firms that contribute to global healthcare through new medications and treatments.

3. Water Management

• Desalination: Israel is a leader in water desalination technology, providing solutions for water-scarce regions globally.

• Water Conservation: Techniques developed in Israel for efficient water use are implemented in various countries facing water scarcity.

4. Humanitarian Aid

• Disaster Relief: Israel has a history of providing immediate assistance during natural disasters, sending rescue teams and medical aid to affected areas.

• Refugee Assistance: Israel has accepted and supported refugees and displaced persons from various regions.

5. Education and Knowledge Sharing

• Training Programs: Israel offers training programs and workshops in agriculture, technology, and disaster management to developing countries.

• Scholarships: Various institutions provide scholarships for international students, promoting education and cultural exchange.

6. Cultural Contributions

• Arts and Literature: Israeli artists and writers contribute to global culture, promoting dialogue and understanding through their works.

7. Environmental Initiatives

• Renewable Energy: Israel is advancing solar energy technologies, contributing to sustainable energy solutions worldwide.

• Biodiversity Conservation: Research and initiatives aimed at conserving biodiversity are shared with other nations.

These contributions reflect Israel's commitment to global welfare and its role in addressing various international challenges.

[Here ends the reading from Chatgpt]

Miracles Aren’t the Measure of a Ministry

I believe in miracles.  I became a believer because I witnessed miracles, and I’ve experienced many miracles since I came to faith.  But miracles aren’t the measure of a ministry.

Let’s look at Matthew 7:21-23. This is where Jesus said,

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ 

Elijah did a lot of miracles, and Elisha performed twice as many miracles as Elijah did. But it was Elijah, not Elisha, who appeared with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. John the Baptist did no miracles, whereas Jesus’ disciples healed the sick and cast out demons. Yet Jesus told his disciples that “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).  So what DID John the Baptist do?  John the Baptist fulfilled Gabriel’s prophecy to Zechariah that John would “bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.” 

God doesn’t see the way man sees.  Man looks at the outward appearance--miracles included. God looks at the heart.  Not only that, but most miracles only affect things that happen here, whereas salvation affects how we’ll spend eternity. From God’s point of view, soul winning is far more important than miracle working.  But I know of nothing that stops believers from experiencing both.

Margot Armer

In The World But Not Of It

Being in the world but not of it is like paddling a canoe on the Mississippi River.  The river is huge, the current is strong, and the water is toxic.  Snakes live there.  If you want to get where you’re going, you need to keep your boat in the water, and you need to keep the water out of your boat. Getting too much water in your boat will sink any boat I know of.

Jesus prayed,  “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from  the evil one.” (John 17:19 NASB). If God took us out of the world, we wouldn’t be able to share the Gospel with the world.  But “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 NASB). We need to see the world’s polluted water for what it is. Is your boat taking on too much muddy water?  Paul says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may  prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NASB).

Margot Armer

What To Do When Someone Tries To Save YOU

Not too long ago, two young Bible-carrying women rang my doorbell.  They were Jehovah’s Witnesses. I invited them in. After all, it isn’t every day two unsaved people come to my door actually wanting to talk about the Bible!

JWs get a lot of things wrong. They believe Jesus is the archangel Michael. They believe the Holy Spirit is a force and not a Person. They have other unbiblical beliefs as well.  But JWs do get one thing right: the God of the Bible does have a Name, and judging from Exodus 3:15, He wants to be remembered by it.

Modern English translations render God’s Name as Yahweh, but according to the Karaite Jewish Author Nehemia Gordon, the pronunciation of that name--the Tetragrammaton--may very well be Jehovah.

Meanwhile, if the Lord should bless you with a couple of JWs on your doorstep, here are some pointers. Invite them in. Be cordial. Be loving. Share your testimony. (No one can argue with your testimony. You’re the expert when it comes to your own experiences.) If they offer you literature, take it. (Shred it after they leave--that will be one piece of paper they can’t give to someone else who might be taken in by it.) And meanwhile be prepared.  If nothing else, order or download Rose Publishing’s pamphlet,10 Questions & Answers on Jehovah's Witnesses.

May God bless all of us with lots of opportunities to share the Gospel!

Margot Armer

God’s Sovereignty - Part 5

Here Are SOME of the Reasons Why Bad Things Happen

Sometimes God takes the righteous to spare them from future calamity:

Isaiah 57:1 says
The righteous man perishes,
and no one lays it to heart;
devout men are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;

Sometimes God allows bad things to happen to urge them to turn to God

Isaiah 9:12b-13
For all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
13 The people did not turn to him who struck them,
nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.

Sometimes bad things happen to keep us from committing the sin of pride:

In 2 Cor. 12:7 ESV Paul said

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Sometimes bad things happen for the glory of God

When Jesus healed the man born blind, “his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:2-3)

Sometimes bad things happen to encourage fruit in the fruitless.

In the parable of the fruitless fig tree in Luke 13, when the owner of the vineyard told the keeper to cut it down, the keeper of the vineyard said, “Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” I’d like to point out here that two bad things happened to the fruitless fig tree: not only did its roots get disturbed, but to add insult to injury, the keeper of the vineyard then fertilized it with manure.

Sometimes bad things happen to bring more fruit to the fruitful.

I’ve already said that sometimes bad things happen to encourage fruit in the fruitless. But sometimes seemingly bad things happen to bring more fruit in the fruitful. John 15:2 NIV, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Sometimes bad things happen for training purposes:

This is the “no pain, no gain” principle found in Hebrews 12, beginning in verse 7:

7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline — which all receive — then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness.n 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Beloved, God loves us. He says, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline” (Rev. 3:19)  And the prophet Jeremiah wrote,  “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:31-33 ).

God doesn’t afflict willingly!

In closing, I have a word from God for all of us -- Revelation 3:19-22:

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Margot Armer

God’s Sovereignty - Part 4

At this point in time we may not understand all there is to know about the problem of evil, but I believe God has revealed enough about this subject in the Bible so that if our hearts are in the right place we can trust and love God no matter what happens. 

In Exodus 33:13 we see that Moses prayed this prayer: “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.” God answered that prayer. Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.” And Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The hidden things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.”

So today let’s look at the revealed things.

First of all, we need to know that God is not the source of wickedness. 

God may in fact create calamity, but God is not the source of wickedness or wicked acts. First John 3:8 ESV says, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”  

James 1:13,14 NIV, “13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 

In other words -- and this one passage deserves a sermon all by itself -- God cannot be tempted to sin and He doesn’t tempt anyone else to sin. However, the devil can tempt you if you allow it by not dealing with your own evil desire. James 1:14 says that “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”

So first, we need to understand that God is not the source of sin and wickedness.

And second, we need to know that even though God is not the source of wickedness, He often uses wickedness, in the form of wicked people, evil spirits, and even Satan himself to perform His own purpose. 

Psalm 76:10  states, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." Here we learn that God will take man's wrath toward Him and turn it into praise. Any leftover wrath--wrath that won’t end up in praise to God--is leftover wrath that will be restrained.

We see this principle in operation in Job. In Job chapter 1, the Lord said to Satan that everything Job had was in Satan’s hands, but--and I quote--”on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

After Job’s children were killed, Job said, "the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21 ). And Job was right! In Job 42:7, God says to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Job said God had given and taken away his children (as well as his cattle and other possessions). And God told Eliphaz that Job had spoken the truth about God. So both are true. Satan killed Job's children, and God was responsible because He had allowed Satan to do that.

But all’s well that ends well.  In Job 42:10 (NIV 1984), we learn that  “After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” 

Job got double for his trouble.

In chapter 1, Job had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

In chapter 40, Job had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

If God doubled Job’s animals, why didn’t God double Job’s children?  Why didn’t Job have 14 sons and 6 daughters? I’ll tell you why. For those who believe the Bible, what we have here is mathematical proof of life after death. If we could ask Job today how many sons and daughters he has there in heaven with him, his answer would be 14 sons and 6 daughters.  

Those first ten children didn’t die after all--they simply had a permanent change of address.

Margot Armer

God’s Sovereignty - Part 3

Why does God let bad things happen?

People who fall into the error of commanding God or questioning God’s wisdom are people who don’t understand the sovereignty of God. They become obsessed with the problem of evil. They ask, if God is ruler of the universe, then why do bad things happen? 

I submit to you that bad things happen because God allows it. God is omnipotent and omniscient and victorious and besides being omnipotent and omniscient and victorious, we know from the Bible that God is also good. We need to trust that Father knows best.

In Luke 18:18-19, we read that a ruler asked Jesus,  "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”  By the way, I’d just like to say here that in John 10:14, Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” No one except God is good. Jesus is good, therefore Jesus is also God. 

When we ask why bad things happen, what we are really asking is why things we don’t understand are happening.  We are asking why things that the world would consider to be tragedies are happening.  Why things that appear to be calamities are happening.

Beloved, we serve a God Who not only made us, but Who is also omniscient and omnipotent, which is to say He is all-knowing and all-powerful. More than that, He is just and righteous and loving and good. And He is wise. In the King James version, Romans 16:27 says, “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” Another translation [GOD’S WORD] puts it this way: “God alone is wise. Glory belongs to him through Jesus Christ forever! Amen.”

We are treading on dangerous ground when we start to question why God does anything. It is not our place to decide whether God should or shouldn’t allow something to happen.

In Isaiah 45:9 ESV God says,  “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?”

This theme is actually a repeat of Isaiah 29:16 NIV, where God says, “You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘You did not make me’? Can the pot say to the potter, ‘You know nothing’?”

Instead of trying to second-guess God, we would do much better to be like Habakkuk or like Job, who set their hearts to bless the name of the Lord no matter what:

Here’s what Habakkuk said in Habakkuk 3 beginning in verse 17:

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

And here’s what Job said in Job 1:21 NIV, immediately after he lost all his flocks, all his servants, and all his children.  He said,  “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

I am extremely impressed by Job’s behavior—and so is God. (See Ezekiel 14:14, where God lists Noah, Daniel, and Job as examples of righteous men.

Margot Armer

God’s Sovereignty - Part 2

On Monday, I pointed out that sometimes our desire to get our own way interferes with our ability to interpret scripture.  Here’s an example. There is a verse in the King James Version of the Bible that goes like this: “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.”

I can’t tell you how many sermons I’ve heard on this particular verse, almost always quoted out of context. This verse is Isaiah 45:11, and I believe that not only is it often quoted out of context, I  believe it is almost always quoted from a very poor translation of this passage.  The KJV is one of my favorite Bible translations, but I believe the KJV got it wrong on this one. No matter what certain preachers say, it is not our place to command God to do anything.  

So let’s read this verse in context, still in the King James.  I’m going to start in Isaiah 45:6, where it says: 6b I am the Lord, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

I would like to pause right here and point out that verse 7 is another poor translation.  God doesn’t create evil. Other translations do a better job here. I like the JPS Tanakh, which says God makes weal and creates woe, or the NASB, which says God causes well-being and creates calamity, or the NIV, which says God brings prosperity and creates disaster.

Moving on, in the KJV this passage continues:

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.

9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

Now let’s read that last verse in the ESV, which is a more modern -- and I believe a better -- translation of this passage:

11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: “Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

The 1985 Jewish Publication Society Tanach says:

11 Thus said the LORD,
Israel's Holy One and Maker:
Will you question Me on the destiny of My children,
Will you instruct Me about the work of My hands?

In context, this passage is talking about the sovereignty of God. It’s telling us not only that God is sovereign, but also that it’s not our place to question what He does. People who quote Isaiah 45:11 out of context or who read it in the KJV are ignoring the fact that in context, and especially when you read it in Hebrew or in most other English translations, this passage is all about the impropriety of a creation talking back to its Creator, rather than commanding Him to do something.

Margot Armer

Let’s Call it Sonday

I typically write Monday’s blog on Sonday. I’m spelling it Sonday today on purpose.

Except for Shabbat, Jewish days have numbers instead of names. The seven-day Jewish week starts on what I’m referring to as Sonday, and it goes as follows:

1. Yom Rishon (יום ראשון) - First day 

2. Yom Sheni (יום שני) - Second day

3. Yom Shlishi (יום שלישי) - Third day

4. Yom Revi’i (יום רביעי) - Fourth day 

5. Yom Chamishi (יום חמישי) - Fifth day

6. Yom Shishi (יום שישי) - Sixth day

7. Yom Shabbat (יום שבת) - Sabbath day 

The names of American weekdays come from the first century Roman week later adopted by Emperor Constantine in A.D. 321. Roman days were named after the sun, the moon, and five planets, along with the “gods” that supposedly governed those particular heavenly bodies. 

Today’s English day names are still derived from the sun, the moon, and those same five planets whose “gods” the Romans chose to honor. (Later on, some of the Latin names were replaced by the names of corresponding Norse “gods.”)

Exodus 23:13 says, “Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and don’t invoke the name of other gods or even let them be heard out of your mouth.” (WEB) You may disagree with me about this, but when I refer to Sonday--even when I spell it Sunday--I am not referring to a heathen god.  I am referring to the first day of the week. Quakers, of course, would disagree with me.

Up to and including 1751 the Julian calendar was used in England.  English Quakers used the Julian calendar, but they objected to using the names of days (Sunday through Saturday) and months (January through August) that were derived from pagan gods. 

Up until 1752, Quakers had no problem with the months September to December, since those names were derived from numbers.  For the other months they used “First Month,” “Second Month,” etc.  For reasons unknown to me, when the Gregorian Calendar was adopted, Quakers decided to refer to all months by their number.

I don’t actually mind spelling Sonday the usual way.  Today Sunday refers to a day of the week, not the name of a heathen god. However, I like to spell it Sonday because I find it interesting that according to the Bible, two very Christian Old Testament holidays should always fall on Sunday. What the world calls Easter and the Old Testament calls Firstfruits should always happen on Sunday. What Jews call Shavuot always happens 50 days after Firstfruits—and since the fiftieth day after any Saturday is a Sunday, Pentecost always lands on Sunday too.

In other words, Firstfruits and Shavuot “just happen” to mark two exceptionally important Christian milestones:  the day Jesus rose from the dead (“Easter” Sunday) and the day the earliest Christians received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The way I like to think of it, both those holy days happen on a Sonday.

Margot Armer

God’s Sovereignty - Part 1

God’s sovereignty has enormous practical importance. It is because God is sovereign that He can keep His promises to us. Nobody can trick Him.  Nobody can defeat Him. Nobody can make Him do what He doesn’t want to do. It is because God is sovereign that we can trust in Him.

Sovereignty is a word that means supreme power and authority over a particular area. And since God created the universe, when we say God is sovereign, we are saying that God has supreme power and authority over the universe that He created. And God is in fact sovereign. He has dominion.  He has the power and the right to control everything. In Hebrew we pray, “Baruch atah Adonai elohenu melech ha olam,” “Blessed are you O Lord, our God, King of the universe.” Another translation of this would be “Blessed are you O Lord, our God, King of eternity.”  God is the ultimate ruler over time and space. He is King over the heavens.  He is King over the Earth.  He is King over everything.

The God of the Bible is the God of all power. The Bible says, “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” (Revelation 19:6).

God’s sovereignty is based on His omnipotence.  Omnipotence is a word that means that God is all-powerful.  In other words, God can do anything that is consistent with His nature. But He cannot lie, He cannot die, He cannot change, and He cannot be tempted with evil. Let me give you chapter and verse for that.

1. God cannot lie. Titus 1:2 says that God cannot lie.

2. God cannot die. First Timothy 6:16 says that God is immortal.

3. God cannot change. James 1:17 says that with God “ there is no variation or shadow cast by turning” (HCSB).

4. God cannot be tempted with evil. James 1:13 says, “God cannot be tempted with evil”

So we see that God cannot lie. He cannot die. He cannot change.  He cannot be tempted with evil, or in other words, He cannot be tempted with wickedness. But when we preach about what God will and won’t do, it is important to line up our teaching with the Word of God, because God doesn’t think the same way we do. In Isaiah 55:8, God says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.

Right about now, you may be wondering why I’m re-hashing these basic Bible truths.  They need to be restated because there are so many preachers out there who are ignoring what the Bible actually says in order to preach what they wish it said. People seem to have forgotten that God does what He wants, and not necessarily what we want.  And sometimes our desire to get our own way interferes with our ability to interpret scripture.

Coming Thursday: Can we actually boss God around?

Margot Armer

Two of God’s Greatest Preachers Never Spoke in Tongues

When I first became a believer, charismatics used to insist that speaking in tongues was THE sign of having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I no longer believe this. I do still believe that speaking in tongues is a sign of having been baptized in the Holy Spirit--I just don’t believe it’s the only sign.

Even though his story is contained in the New Testament, it’s clear to me that John the Baptist was basically an Old Testament prophet. And in Matthew 11:11 Jesus says something mind boggling: “Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.” 

From Jesus’ point of view, John the Baptist was greater than Moses.  Greater than Elisha. Greater than Elijah.  And yet we know that John the Baptist did no miracles (John 10:41). What did John the Baptist do that made him greater than the miracle workers we read about in the Old Testament?  Here’s what the angel Gabriel told John’s father Zacharias:

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:15-17 (WEB)

Elijah, of course, did many miracles--and his servant Elisha did twice as many.  What did John do? 

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. . . . He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:4-8 (WEB)

So far as we know, Dwight L. Moody never spoke in tongues.  Like John the Baptist, Moody did not minister healing or miracles.  Moody did, however, receive an infilling of the power of the Holy Spirit, after which hundreds began to be saved whenever he preached. If you read the account of what happened to Moody I think you’ll it’s fair to say he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Like John the Baptist, Moody was preparing a people prepared for the Lord.

I thank God that I do speak in tongues.  But it’s obvious to me these days that God is way more impressed with soul winners than He is with tongue talkers--unless those tongue talkers also happen to be about their Father’s business.

Margot Armer

P.S. You can read about “The Day Dwight Moody Was filled with the Holy Spirit” here.

Zechariah 14: A Prayer Request

“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
(Is. 40:8 WMB)

Zechariah 14 is a prophecy about the ultimate victory and reign of the Lord, the geographical transformation of Jerusalem, and the judgment of the nations. The chapter ends well, but it begins horrifically with a prophecy about a time when Jerusalem will be attacked by “all the nations.” 

Does “all the nations” refer to the United Nations? Time will tell.  

Here’s how Zechariah 14 starts:

“Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” (Zechariah 14:1-2 ESV)

I have always been troubled by Zechariah 14:2, but since the word of our God stands forever and Zechariah 14 is right there in the Bible, it seems inevitable that a time will come when there will be women living in Jerusalem who will be raped as Zechariah 14:2 takes place.

I don’t believe it would do any good to pray that God’s word won’t happen. Since “The word of our God stands forever,” I believe it’s inevitable that Zechariah 14:2 will come to pass. God’s word is going to happen. But what I can do—and what I’m asking you to do—is to pray that God will mitigate the circumstances. “God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb” isn’t in the Bible, but let’s pray that He will do just that:

• Zechariah 14:2 says “the women” will be raped.  Providentially, it doesn’t say that all the women will be raped. I am praying that God Himself will choose to keep many of Jerusalem’s women from being raped in the first place.  

• And since Zechariah 14:2 doesn’t mention men, and since I’ve read that men were also raped on October 7, I’m praying for the men of Jerusalem—that none of Jerusalem’s men will be raped at all.

• I am also praying that none of the rapes foretold by Zechariah will be exacerbated by the same horrific pattern of mutilation and extreme brutality that took place in Israel on October 7. 

• And while I am at it, I am praying for the speedy and safe return of all those Jerusalemites--half of the city’s population--who will be taken captive according to Zechariah 14:2.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” (Psalm 122:6 KJV)

Please join me in prayer.

Margot Armer

Dung Happens

Disclaimer:  Bad things happen for many reasons.  This is only one of them. 

Here’s what Jesus said:

He [Jesus] spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Luke 13:6-9 (KJV)

I asked Google how digging around a fig tree’s roots would help it to grow. Google’s AI said, “Digging at the tree's drip line and severing roots that extend past the leaves can encourage healthier root growth and make the tree more productive. Fig trees prefer restricted root systems, and root restriction can reduce leafy growth and increase fruit production. Digging a shallow trench around the tree can help it retain water that might otherwise run away from the base.

I don’t know about fig trees, and I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it if my roots got disturbed.  And that’s not all the dresser of the vineyard recommended. He also planned to use manure (dung) to fertilize it.  When God’s people aren’t bearing fruit, dung happens.

Just saying.

Margot Armer

Tisha B’Av 2024

Disaster could have happened to Israel on Tuesday--but it didn’t.

I say disaster could have happened Tuesday because Tuesday was the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, which began at sundown on Monday, August 12, and ended at sundown on Tuesday, August 13. 

Tisha B’Av is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, a day of prayer and fasting for religious Jews, and the date on which many Jewish calamities have happened throughout history. Both the First and Second Temples were destroyed on Tisha B’Av. The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed on Tisha B’Av.  Ten thousand Jews were killed on the 9th of Av during the First Crusade.  Jews were expelled from many different countries on Tisha B’Av in many different years. The Nazi’s Final Solution was approved on Tisha B’Av. And that is just a short list.

This year Hamas launched 2 of its new M-90 rockets on Tisha B’Av. They were aimed at Tel Aviv. One of those rockets landed in the sea; the other landed in Gaza.  If Tuesday’s rockets had gone where Hamas wanted them to go, it would have been yet another Jewish calamity that “just so happened” to take place on Tisha B’Av. 

If God had wanted to send a message of gloom and doom to Israel, He could easily have done so on Tisha B’Av at the hands of Hamas. The fact that He didn’t is a very good omen indeed.

Margot Armer

How to Have Peace in Perilous Times

Let’s talk about peace. Even among Christians, there are a lot of people who aren’t experiencing the peace of God right now. It seems as though almost everyone is worried. Worried about getting sick.  Worried about losing their jobs.  Worried about food shortages. Worried about finding another job to replace the one they used to have. Worried about making ends meet. Worried about the economy. Worried about politics. Worried about the times we live in. (If  you haven’t given your life to God, you should be worried about the times we live in.)

I believe we are living in the end times. I believe Jesus is coming soon. How soon, I don’t know—I don’t believe anybody knows—but the apostle Paul told us that in the last days perilous times would come, and these are certainly perilous times. There have been perilous times of one sort or another from time to time throughout human history. But I happen to be old. As it happens, I am older than King David was when he died, and the Bible describes King David as having been “full of years.” And to put my age in even more perspective, I am not only older than King David was, I am also older than the Modern State of Israel.  I mention all this because one of the benefits of being old is that when you get to be my age, you know from your own personal experience what has actually happened within living memory. Old folks can remember what things were like 50 or 60 or 70 years ago. And any elderly person can tell you that times have definitely changed. But the Apostle Paul didn’t just tell us that in the last days perilous times would come. He also told us why those times would be so perilous.

We find Paul’s description of the perilous times that would happen in the last days in Second Timothy, chapter 3. The New King James Version captions this passage “Perilous Times and Perilous Men.” Paul says here:

​But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5a NKJV)

The Apostle Paul is telling us here the reason the perilous times will come. And Paul says that the perilous times will come for or because of the kind of people who will be living in the last days. (The Greek word γάρ means for or because.) 

Now I personally believe that throughout history there have been some men—and some women—who exhibited the symptoms Paul mentions.  I believe that there have always been some  people who were “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

What makes me believe we’re living in the perilous times that Paul said would come in the last days, is that today there are so very many people who exhibit these particular symptoms. And I believe they exhibit these symptoms because we are also seeing—certainly here in America we’re already seeing it—something many Christians refer to as the Great Falling Away. Many people have lost their moral compass because they are surrounded by—and brainwashed by—wickedness. And because wickedness has become the new normal, they’ve lost their love for God.

In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples had just asked Him to tell them the sign of His coming and of the end of the age. And beginning in verse 10 we see what Jesus said:

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14 NIV 1984)

In verse 10 we saw that Jesus said that at that time, “many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate one another” and in verse 12 we see that it is “because of the increase of wickedness” that “the love of most will grow cold.”

In 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, the Apostle Paul is writing “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1a NIV). In verse 3, Paul says: “that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV). I just wonder how many people will have to fall away for it to qualify as THE falling away.

I became a believer in the Jesus Movement of the early 70’s. The General Social Survey (the GSS) is a survey taken every two years by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. Back in 1972, in the first GSS, only 5% of Americans self-identified as having no religious faith. In 2022, 29% of Americans self-identified as having no religion. And according to the latest Pew Research Center findings issued on January 24, 28% of Americans are now religiously unaffiliated. I would have to say that here in America we are definitely experiencing a falling away. And it is because we are experiencing this falling away that we are also experiencing perilous times.

Please don’t misunderstand me here:  I’m not saying that what we’re going through is THE Tribulation. In John 16:33, Jesus told us we would have tribulation. Believers have experienced tribulation ever since Jesus was here the first time.   But John 16:33 is also the verse where Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (NKJV)

Right about now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I titled this blog How to Have Peace in Perilous Times.  Here’s why: the Gospel is Good News.  The word Gospel means Good News. And the Good News today is that we can experience peace no matter what is happening around us. 

Back in the day, I used to see bumper stickers that said: Know God, Know Peace—No God, No Peace. That’s good preaching, because if you know God—really know God—you will have peace. But if you don’t know God, you won’t experience what Paul called the peace that passes understanding. Paul said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV).

So I am here to tell you today that even in times like these, If you know God—really know God—you will know peace. That’s good news.

But if you don’t know God—if you don’t have a personal relationship with Him—if you don’t have God—then when times get really tough, you won’t have peace. If you don’t know God, you won’t have peace even when times aren’t tough. You may find distractions, but you won’t find peace.

For more on becoming a child of God, read Messianic Milestones.

Margot Armer

Psalm 83

Bible students disagree about whether Psalm 83 is historical, prophetic, or both.  It was written by Asaph, one of the chief musicians appointed by David to lead worship in the tabernacle, and it starts out this way:

God, don’t keep silent.
Don’t keep silent,
and don’t be still, God.
For, behold, your enemies are stirred up.
Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
They conspire with cunning against your people.
They plot against your cherished ones.
“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
For they have conspired together with one mind.
They form an alliance against you.
Psalm 83:1-5 (WEB)

Asaph goes on to list a number of ancient people groups that can be associated with modern regions and countries. The ancient people groups may have conspired against the descendents of Jacob back in Asaph’s day, but the fact that the Bible doesn’t record all of those conflicts leads me to believe that either:  (a) God answered Asaph’s prayer before some of the conflicts actually happened, and/or (b) Psalm 83 was a prophecy about the times we’re living in right now, because these same biblical conspirators are all nations that modern-day Israel contends with—and might find themselves at war with—at any time. 

Asaph lists these nations as follows:

The tents of Edom
The Ishmaelites
Moab
The Hagrites
Gebal
Ammon
Amalek
Philistia
Tyre
Assyria
The children of Lot

I’m not big on geography, so I had to consult Microsoft’s Copilot to find out which modern countries Asaph was referring to. Here’s the breakdown:  

The tents of Edom—Southern Jordan
The Ishmaelites—Saudi Arabia
Moab—Central Jordan
The Hagrites—Saudi Arabia and parts of Jordan
Gebal and Ammon—Northern Lebanon
Amalek—Southern Israel and parts of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula 
Philistia—The Gaza Strip
Tyre—Southern Lebanon
Assyria—Northern Iraq, plus parts of Syria and Turkey
The children of Lot—Jordan 

Believers, if you love Israel, don’t forget to pray:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Those who love you will prosper.
Peace be within your walls,
and prosperity within your palaces.
For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God,
I will seek your good.
(Psalm 122:6-9 WEB)

Margot Armer

Coffee Miracles

I became a believer in the first place  because I witnessed a number of supernatural healing miracles, and I’ve lived a life of miracles ever since.  I owe some of the miracles I’ve experienced to the teachings of Merlin Carothers. 

Back in the seventies, Merlin Carothers’ books were very widely read.  I read them and so did almost all of the other believers I knew.  According to Foundation Of Praise, “Carothers is the first author to have three books listed simultaneously on the top ten-bestseller list of the National Christian Bookseller Association. His unique concept of praising in all things brings results that can only be termed miraculous.” 

Putting Merlin Carothers’ teachings into practice certainly brought miraculous results for me.

Merlin Carothers went to be with the Lord in 2013. He taught that believers should praise God for EVERYTHING—good or bad—because Romans 8:28 says that “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” 

Back in the seventies, Merlin Carothers’ books were so popular among charismatic Christians that occasionally one believer would say, “Praise God!”—whereupon another believer would ask, “What’s wrong?” 

I’ve witnessed and experienced many undeniable miracles since I became a believer.  Some of those miracles were huge and others were small, but all of them increased my faith--and as I’ve already mentioned, I owe some of those miracles to the teaching of Merlin Carothers. For example, back in the seventies I went to a Full Gospel Businessmen’s dinner and because most of the believers I knew at that time were steeped in Merlin Carothers’ teachings, I was shocked to hear the people I was sitting with actually complaining instead of praising God. They were complaining because at that particular dinner each person only received a single cup of coffee—no refills allowed.

I can’t remember exactly what I said to the people I was sitting with, but I do know it included “Praise the Lord!” Moments later, a waitress (or perhaps an angel) left the kitchen carrying a round glass coffee pot with a plastic handle. The pot was full of coffee.  The kitchen was on the other side of a very large, very full, very noisy dining room. From where we were sitting, the kitchen was way out of earshot. The waitress couldn’t possibly have overheard what we’d said, but she was headed in our direction.  She walked all the way across the dining room carrying the coffee pot high in the air. She then put the coffee pot right down in front of me, said “Here’s your coffee,” and left. I shared the coffee with my table mates. So far as I know, we were the only attendees that night who got more than one single cup of coffee.

Speaking of coffee, some years after that I attended Charles & Frances Hunter’s school of ministry in Kingwood, Texas. There was a somewhat cantankerous coffee machine in the basement of the big blue dome where we met for class. I continued to praise the Lord when I needed coffee, and I was always able to get the coffee machine to work, but I’m not positive there were any actual miracles involved.  However, every once in a while another student would find me and ask, “Margot, would you please come kick the coffee machine with your anointed foot?” So that’s what I would do. After all, faith without works is dead.

Margot Armer

LIGHTS OUT!

Paris was named the City of Light (Ville Lumière) at the beginning of the nineteenth century because it was the first city in Europe to use gas lighting to illuminate its streets. On the night of July 27, 2024 Paris did not live up to its nickname as a major power outage struck a large part of Paris. From what I can tell from various news reports, Sacré-Cœur was the only building in the blacked-out area that still had light. 

Sacré-Cœur is a beautiful Catholic church located on top of Montmartre, and because Montmartre is the highest point in Paris, anyone in the blacked-out area could easily see the church bathed in light and shining in the darkness. Matthew 5:14 (NKJV) says “a city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Neither could Sacré-Cœur.

I have been unable to find a news report on the natural cause of the blackout, but a lot of people are mentioning a supernatural one.  A day before the outage, the 4-hour opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games featured a tableau showing French DJ Barbara Butch standing with a number of so-called “drag queens” lined up behind a very long table.  The scene reminded many people of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Towards the end of the tableau, a very large round serving platter rose in front of that display to reveal the nearly naked French singer Phillipe Katerine covered in blue makeup and surrounded by food. According to the Hindustan Times, “The rain-soaked ceremony saw the blue man, dressed sparsely in flowers and leaves, singing “Nu” (“Naked”) as he floated down the River Seine.” I don’t think God appreciated that particular display.

So do you think God killed the Paris lights to make His point?  I think He did--even if it turns out that the French electricians and/or other investigators are eventually able to find a so-called “natural” cause for the enormous Paris power outage. The Bible often uses “it so happened that” when describing things God does.

Margot Armer

By Reason of Use

I’ve heard it taught that tongues that have been interpreted are equivalent to prophecy.  I have a tendency to nitpick, so it seems to me that based on 1 Corinthians 14:6, tongues that have been interpreted are equivalent to revelation OR knowledge OR prophecy OR teaching.  I base this on 1 Corinthians 14:5-6 (ESV), which says:

“Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?” 1 Corinthians 14:5-6 (ESV)

Half a century ago I spent my first years as a believer as a member of Pittsburgh Church of the Brethren while Russ Bixler was still its pastor. Our Sunday morning services were strictly traditional, but on Sunday nights people came from all over Pittsburgh to see what God would do during our very charismatic Sunday evening prayer services.  I can’t remember ever missing a Sunday evening while Russ was still the pastor there, and I can’t remember ever experiencing a prayer service in which miracles did not take place. I’ll tell you about the miracles in another blog. The subject that’s on my heart right now is the importance of learning how to judge prophecies and messages in tongues.

In the King James Version (we all used the KJV back then) First Corinthians 14:29 says this: “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.” Russ took the importance of judging prophecy very seriously, and because tongues that have been interpreted can be the equivalent of prophecy, Russ also believed in judging tongues.  In fact, he believed in judging tongues even before they were interpreted.

Every Sunday night, three elders sat on a bench behind Russ that faced the congregation. From time to time, someone would stand up and deliver a message in what sounded like tongues.  As soon as that person stopped speaking, Russ would turn around and look at the elders, who would all three simultaneously nod either “yes” or “no”. I never saw the elders disagree, and I never saw them look at each other to see what the other elders thought. “Yes” meant the utterance was a message in tongues that should be interpreted and shared with the congregation; “no” meant “NO.” When the elders voted no, Russ would tactfully explain that the utterance wasn’t a message that was meant to be shared publicly.

After I’d been attending the Sunday evening services for a while, I realized that I always knew how the elders were going to nod.  I “just knew” whether a message was legitimate or not.  Hebrews 5:14 (WMB) talks about people “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.” Eventually I found I “just knew” other things as well because I’d learned to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit was every so quietly telling me.

Every charismatic congregation has its own way of judging tongues and/or prophecies--or not.  I thank God that He placed me in a congregation that enabled me to exercise my spiritual senses.

Margot Armer 

Do you want to be blessed?

Do you want to be blessed? Bless Israel.

I listened yesterday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress. You can read the full text of his address here.  He said in part:

When Israel acts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons that could destroy Israel and threaten every American city, every city that you come from, we’re not only protecting ourselves. 

We’re protecting you.

My friends, if you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.

Prime Minister Netanyahu was speaking about why America should help Israel protect itself and us.  He made a very good case for why our country should come to Israel’s aid.  Here’s another one: When we bless Israel, God blesses us.

When Abraham was seventy-five years old, God told him:

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so  you shall be a blessing;

And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” 

Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)

And Psalm 122 says:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

“May peace be within your walls,

And prosperity within your palaces.”

For the sake of my brothers and my friends,

I will now say, “May peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

I will seek your good. Psalm 122:6-9 (NASB)

As I’ve already mentioned, Prime Minister Netanyahu told us that “When Israel acts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons that could destroy Israel and threaten every American city, every city that you come from, we’re not only protecting ourselves. We’re protecting you.”

Similarly, if and when America acts to protect Israel, we wouldn’t just be helping Israel.  We would helping America by bringing God’s blessings upon ourselves. 

Margot Armer