Facing the Giants / Înfruntând uriașii

"And if we win, we praise Him; and if we lose we praise Him. Either way. We honor Him with our actions and our attitudes." ( Coach Grant)

"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." (Romans 14:8)

"With God, nothing is impossible." (Luke 1:37)

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrew 11:1)

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Part 2 Link

David vs. Goliath

"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.  His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle?[...]

Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel![...]

Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.[...]

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. (1 Samuel 18)

Asking the wrong question | Why vs.What for?

We are all looking for answers in our lives, particularly when things go wrong. So long as everything is going well, we tend to simply accept the natural course of things. It's as if everything good in our lives is expected, while bad things demand an explanation.

Looking back on the history of Israel, I often ask myself why did the chosen people have to endure so much evil and so many tragedies? Human understanding has no logical answer to this question. But perhaps we're asking the wrong questions.

A few weeks ago, Rona Ramon made me aware of the difference between lama and le'ma, "why" versus "what for". In one of her last interviews, the wife of Israel's first astronaut said that "it became clear to me that the question lama was pulling me under. There was no answer as to why my husband Ilan and my son Assaf lost their lives. I wouldn't find any answer to that question. That is why I am asking: le'ma? For what reason did this happen to me?"

In mid-December, Rona died of cancer at age 54. She leaves behind three children. In february 2003, her husband, Ilan, was killed when the Space Shuttle Columbia burnt up on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. He was just 48-ears-old. Six years later, her oldest child, Asaf, died at age 21 when his Israel Air Force jet crashed during a training exercise.
The tragedy deeply moved Israeli society. "I would like to understand what for."A play on words, as can often happen in Hebrew. Vowels are expressed simply by means of marks under the letters, such as is the case with lama and le'ma.
To the question of Why? Rona found no answer, but, there was an answer to the question What for? The Ramon foundation that she founded supports the young generation in the Land, in particular in the field of science through the Ramon SpaceLab.

Why me? The question of why only serves to drag us backwards, looking for causes in the past, bemoaning our fate and wallowing in self-pity. The why has us searching for reasons for our actions, or lack of action. A why only rarely leads to satisfactory answers, because question is turned towards the past.

What for? A what for directs our eyes forward. As a result, we are not putting ourselves in the center, but rather focusing on the purpose. Even if both questions sound similar, and can sometimes have the same answers, the emphasis is different. In what for there is power, as it is not asking for reasons, but rather for an objective. And that gives hope and encourages us. A what for? helps us to move on.

So for what reason did Israel have to endure so many tragedies both in the times of the Bible and following the rise of the Church? For what reason was Joseph thrown into the pit by his brothers and sold to the Ishamaelites? Are people affected by tragedies cursed people, or strengthened people? Did Israel and Joseph give in to self-pity, or did they look to the future?

Both placed the purpose of their suffering as their focal point and did not look back. Lot's wife destroyed her future because she looked back. Directing our eyes forward gives us hope and encourages us. Joseph's detours brought him to his goal, to the right-hand of Pharaoh. Thus he was in a position to first rescue the gentiles from starvation, and, in the end, save his own family. From Israel, faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sprang forth and culminated in the coming of the Messiah.

Israel's existence glorifies God, but it angers God's enemies. As a result of this spiritual tension, the nation of Israel has suffered throughout the generations. But the trade-off has been that hope and truth pointing to the existence and faithfulness of God have remained alive in the world. If Israel had had a boring and radiant life without any problems, then none of us would have asked the question: What for?

The question here is how one formulates the question.

Aviel Schneider - Israeltoday

I have everything

Can we have everything...
...or should having plenty be enough?

The biblical story of Jacob and Esau teaches us an important difference between having plenty (rav in hebrew) and having everything (hakol) - and this could change the way we think about and appreciate what we have.

We all know how the classic story begins with Jacob grasping the heel of his brother Esau in order to try and be the firstborn. God had warned Rebecca that: "Two nations are in your womb; and two peoples  shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other; and the older shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents" (Genesis 25:27).

Jacob eventually outwits Esau and 'steals' his brother's birthright in exchange for  a bowl of lentil stew. Jacob then flees from Esau and goes to live with his uncle Laban in Haran, and as the years passed by, each brother becomes the head of a large, wealthy and successful family. When they finally meet up again,  it is instructive that the first thing the brothers want to show each other is how much they have and how rich they have become.

In their dialogue (Genesis 33:8-11), we read that while they embrace and weep in each others arms, Esau marvels at Jacob's large family. "What, are these your wives and children?" he asks, Jacob introduces his family and explains, "These are the children whom God has graciously given your servant," Still feeling unsure, Esau wants to know why Jacob is parading all of his wealth before him." What do you mean by all this company (family) which I have met?" he asks. Jacob tells him that he only hopes, "to find favour in your sight." But Esau will have none of it and gloats to his brother saying, " I have plenty, my brother. Let what you have to be your own." Jacob however, insists and implores Esau, "Please take my gift which has been brought to you because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything."

It was hard for the older Esau to accept a gift from Jacob. He wanted his younger twin brother to see that he had also made something of himself. Describing his wealth, Esau claims, "I have plenty". It was as though he was boasting to Jacob, "Don't worry, I am rich too and will even surpass you one dau, I don't need your help."

Jacob tells his brother that he is not doing too badly either, and says, "I have everything." What a difference! Jacob is satisfied with what he has and feels that he already has "everything." Content with what God has given him, he can offer his older brother some of his wealth. Esau, on the other hand, says that he has "plenty," but he clearly wants more, at least more than his brother.

For Esau, "plenty" describes an amount that can be counted, calculated and compared with others. Believing he has "everything," Jacob has found contentment with what he already has. He knows that the source of his full and abundant life is God, and that is why he tells Esau:"Because God has dealt graciously with me, I have everything."

Aviel Schneider

Cine moare

Moare câte puţin cine se transformă în sclavul obişnuinţei,
urmând în fiecare zi aceleaşi traiectorii;
cine nu-şi schimbă existenţa;
cine nu riscă să construiască ceva nou;
cine nu vorbeşte cu oamenii pe care nu-i cunoaşte.

Moare câte puţin cine-şi face din televiziune un guru.

Moare câte puţin cine evită pasiunea,
cine preferă negrul pe alb şi punctele pe "i" în locul unui vârtej de emoţii,
acele emoţii care învaţă ochii să strălucească,
oftatul să surâdă şi care eliberează sentimentele inimii.

Moare câte puţin cine nu pleacă atunci când este nefericit în lucrul său;
cine nu riscă certul pentru incert pentru a-şi îndeplini un vis;
cine nu-şi permite măcar o dată în viaţă să nu asculte sfaturile "responsabile".

Moare câte puţin cine nu călătoreşte;
cine nu citeşte;
cine nu ascultă muzică;
cine nu caută harul din el însuşi.

Moare câte puţin cine-şi distruge dragostea; cine nu se lasă ajutat.

Moare câte puţin cine-şi petrece zilele plângându-şi de milă şi detestând ploaia care nu mai încetează.

Moare câte puţin cine abandonează un proiect înainte de a-l fi început;
cine nu întreabă de frică să nu se facă de râs
şi cine nu răspunde chiar dacă cunoaşte întrebarea.

Evităm moartea câte puţin, amintindu-ne întotdeauna că "a fi viu" cere un efort mult mai mare decât simplul fapt de a respira.

Doar răbdarea cuminte ne va face să cucerim o fericire splendidă.

Totul depinde de cum o trăim...

Dacă va fi să te înfierbânţi, înfierbântă-te la soare.
Dacă va fi să înşeli, înşeală-ţi stomacul.
Dacă va fi să plângi, plânge de bucurie.
Dacă va fi să minţi, minte în privinţa vârstei tale.
Dacă va fi să furi, fură o sărutare.
Dacă va fi să pierzi, pierde-ţi frica.
Dacă va fi să simţi foame, simte foame de iubire.
Dacă va fi să doreşti să fii fericit, doreşte-ţi în fiecare zi...

( Martha Medeiros )

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Marturia lui T.L Osborn despre William Branham/ T.L Osborn's testimony about William Branham/ Testemunhodo T.L Osborne sobre o William Branham [ RO /EN / POR]