Youth on a Mission

Please Help Melinda Johnson with a donation for a Youth on a Mission trip to Puerto Rico in June 2013.
Donations can be sent to The Pentecostals of Bossier City pastored by Bro. Jerry Dean in care of Melinda Johnson for Youth on a Mission. Thank You for supporting our young people spreading the Gospel throughout the world.

The Pentecostals of Bossier City
2833 Viking Dr.
Bossier City, La 71111
(318) - 742 - 9539

REPORT REVIEWS

REPORT REVIEWS (Isa 53:1): Anyone reviewing or editing a report will make his observations based on former information concerning the subject. Thus when viewed from another vantage point the results will be different. 

Every Jewish authority I have ever heard of or read after who wrote before Jesus Christ came into the world accepted this chapter as describing the Messiah. But once He came and was rejected it was most natural that they discredit that idea so today the Jewish writers ascribe this to the Israelites who have been Jehovah's suffering servant. So the answer to "Who has believed our report?" is that person who recognizes the attributes and purposes of the Messiah.

Even by the later Jewish interpreters who give a different exposition of the prophecy, it is admitted that it was formerly referred to the Messiah. This is admitted by Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Abarbanel, and Moses Nachmanides. Among the testimonies of the ancient Jews are the following: The Chaldee Paraphrast, Jonathan, expressly refers it to the Messiah. Thus, in Isa_52:13, he renders the first member, Behold, my servant the Messiah shall prosper.’ Thus, in the Medrasch Tanchuma (an old commentary on the Pentateuch), on the words ‘Behold, my servant shall prosper,’ it is remarked, This is the king Messiah, who is high, and lifted up, and very exalted, higher than Abraham, exalted above Moses, higher than the ministering angels.’ Similar is the language of rabbi Moses Haddarschan on Gen_1:3 : ‘Yahweh spake: Messiah, my righteous one, those who are concealed with thee, will be such that their sins will bring a heavy yoke upon thee. The Messiah answered: Lord of the world, I cheerfully take upon myself those plagues and sorrows. Immediately, therefore, the Messiah took upon himself, out of love, all torments and sufferings, as it is written in Isa_53:1-12, “He was abused and oppressed.”’ Many other passages may be seen collected by Hengstenberg, Chris. i. 485, 486.

God has always left a door open for those who do not want to believe Him or His Word. He will not force anyone to follow Him but will abundantly reward those who do. Regardless how fool-proof some scriptural authority is there will be a way found around it by the skeptic. Or regardless how much evidence there is against some man-made doctrine those who believe have a way to justify their beliefs. As the saying goes, "A man who is convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Our responsibility is to tell the truth whether it is believed or not.

Kelsey Griffin

It's My Body I Can Do What I Want

How many times have you heard that statement?
The source of this prohibition is Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not etch a tattoo on yourselves.” This prohibition applies to all tattoos besides those made for medical purposes, such as to guide a surgeon making an incision.

Although some of the commentaries
seem to believe that this is one of the Torah’s chukim, the commandments whose rationales transcend the ken of human intellect, other commentators do offer several explanations for this prohibition:

The human body is G‑d’s creation, and it is therefore unbefitting to mutilate G‑d’s handiwork. It is especially unbefitting for members of G‑d’s chosen nation to mutilate their bodies. One must believe that G‑d, the greatest artisan of all, formed him or her in the most fitting way, and one must not change this form. Changing one’s body (unless it is for health reasons) is tantamount to insulting G‑d’s handiwork.
In ancient times, it was customary for idol-worshippers to tattoo themselves as a sign of commitment to their deity—much like an animal that is branded by its owner. On many occasions the Torah forbids practices that emulate pagan customs, considering that following their traditions is the first step towards subscribing to their idolatrous beliefs and services.
The covenant of circumcision is unique in its being a sign in our bodies of our relationship with G‑d. Making other signs in one’s body would weaken and cheapen this special sign.
Chabad

What's in a Word?

One of the most important words and concepts in Scripture is that of 'the Word' itself. It forms the opening thought of John's Gospel in the New Testament which echoes the thought and structure of the opening passage of Genesis. Genesis opens with:
"In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . ."

Whilst John draws attention to this by writing:

"In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in [the] beginning with God. All things were made by him . . ."

Thus the Word is closely associated with creative activity. In Isaiah 55.11 the 'word' goes out of God's mouth, just as His breath/Spirit does. In fact both the word for Spirit and the word for mouth derive from verbs meaning to blow, puff or exhale. Both Spirit and Word are associated with creation in Genesis 1 ("The Spirit of God was brooding . . ."; "And God said, let there be . . . "). The significance of Isaiah 55.11 is that the 'word' never returns void ('empty', a different word but one with similar meaning to 'void' in Genesis 1.2), it always accomplishes (Hebrew: 'âsâh 'to make or create', used in Genesis 1) its purpose. Now these are key meanings of the actual Hebrew word for 'word', but here described in several sentences.

In other words, dâbhâr means both the 'word' itself and its accompanying creative 'act'. It occurs over 1400 times in Scripture and is translated by 85 different English words in the KJV (Its root verb, dâbhar, occurs over 1100 times and required 45 different English words). This reinforces the need to know the underlying Hebrew text and language as misinterpretations can easily be made based upon different English words whilst the same Hebrew word can be behind all of them. Dâbhâr can also be translated by 'power', 'purpose', 'book', 'provision', 'reason', 'work', 'matter', 'thing', 'cause' or 'commandment' (e.g., the 10 commandments), it could be a written report, single utterance, whole book, or prophetic message.

Thus there is no distinction as has sometimes between made in the Greek between logos and rhema words of God. For instance, in the Greek Old Testament the Word (logos) heals those bitten by the serpent whilst the Word (rhema) preserves those that believe.
Hebrew Word Studies

The Word was not just spoken it contained the power to fulfil. When the prophet heard a Word from the Lord it contained the driving force to impel its delivery. Jeremiah (20.9) could not restrain the Word any longer, but had to let it out. Just as the New Testament describes it the Word is alive and active, creative and explosive. It also was life to its hearers (Deuteronomy 32.46-47 and Jesus' words in John 6.63,68).

Digging Deep

My approach to teaching is called "grammatical-historical hermeneutic"
It seeks to discover the original intent of the author of a text by studying the grammar/syntax in the author's historical and cultural context.
The goal of interpretation is therefore to discover the (singular) meaning of the writer as he intended that meaning to be communicated to his original audience.
This will result in an accurate understanding of the texts of Scripture that allows the unique voice of each original author to be heard without imposing a preconceived theological system to filter the results.

Midstream Adjustment

In Parshat Toldot, Isaac wants to give the special "birthright" blessing to his son Esav. Rebecca, however, knows prophetically that Esav is undeserving of such a position, so she has Esav's twin brother Jacob disguise himself and receive the blessing instead.

Afterwards, when Isaac realized the switcheroo - that he had indeed blessed Jacob - he began to tremble greatly. Isaac trembled even more than he had years earlier at the Akeida, when he was bound on the Altar ostensibly to be slaughtered.

Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz explains why Isaac trembled so greatly. It's because he realized that for all these years, he had incorrectly judged Esav as being worthy of Jewish leadership. All his hopes and dreams for Esav would now go unfulfilled. It was a shock to Isaac's system, having to adjust to the new reality - the truth as it now became known.

Let's try to appreciate how shocking this could be. Imagine you were living in the Soviet Union during the mid-20th century, as a card-carrying member of the Communist party. You read volumes of Marxist ideology, and believed all the propaganda that Communism will ultimately liberate humanity. But then, the Communist experiment proved a failure, and the Soviet empire broke apart amidst a flood of capitalistic spirit. How crushed you are!

Yet will you be willing to admit that you'd been wrong all this time?

All of us, at one time or another, find ourselves clinging to an old position, even when we know it's wrong. We have so much invested that it's painful to admit our mistake. But we need to realize that it's even more painful to go through life repeating that same mistake.

In this parsha, Isaac understands clearly that it was God's will that Jacob be blessed. Even at an old age, Isaac is able to change, to grow, and to move forward with the new reality.
Rabbi Shagra Simmons

Life Goes On

“Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.” — Genesis 23:1–2

The Torah portion for this week, Chayei Sarah, is from Genesis 23:1–25:18 and 1 Kings 1:1–31.

While it is true that the title given to each weekly Torah portion is usually found in the first few words of the reading, the title is not chosen arbitrarily. It is a one – or two-word description of the entire portion. So it is a little puzzling as to why this week’s portion is called Chayei Sarah, “The Life of Sarah,” as it begins with Sarah’s death and ends with Abraham’s demise. If the reading is sandwiched by death, why does its title speak about life?

The Sages teach that the really righteous people in the world are called ‘living’ even after they have passed on to the next world. Why? Because the righteous leave a living trace in those who come after them.

Three things happened in this week’s Torah reading after Sarah’s death. First, Abraham bought the burial cave of Machpelah; second, Isaac married Rebekah; and finally, Abraham married a woman named Keturah, but then sends her children away with gifts. Don’t these three events describe everything Sarah had lived for?

Sarah’s life’s work was to spread the Word of God, to settle in the Holy Land, and to ensure that Abraham’s legacy would continue on in Isaac. After she died, the first piece of real estate in Israel was purchased, beginning the formal acquisition of the Holy Land. Next, Isaac found a marriage partner who is committed to the same values that his parents stood for; together they continue to spread the Word of God. When Abraham sent his other children away, we are reminded of the time that Sarah sent Hagar and Ishmael away, ensuring that Isaac would be Abraham’s sole heir. Sarah’s final wish was to ensure that Abraham’s mission would be continued by Isaac alone, just as God had predicted.

While the Torah portion may begin with Sarah’s death, it goes on to describe everything that she had lived for. And that is why it is appropriately called “Sarah’s Life.”

What do you live for? What changes do you want to see in the world? In our busy and hectic lives, sometimes it’s hard to think past the next five minutes or the next few days, let alone past our entire lives. But we need to think much larger than the minutes and days that make up our lives. We need to think beyond our own lifetimes and into the lives of our family and others we impact. What can we do now that will live on through them? What legacy will we leave behind?

When we live our lives in a way that shapes the next generation, our lives never truly end.

HLM