New Excavation

 BiblePlaces Blog: New Excavations at Ashdod-Yam 

New Excavations at Ashdod-Yam

A new excavation is beginning this summer at Ashdod-Yam that you may want to consider joining. If its location on a beautiful Mediterranean beach appeals to you, you can skip the rest of this post and sign up here.While the site was settled for several millennia and includes an impressive Early Islamic and Crusader fortress (see photo below), the excavation will focus on the Iron Age enclosure with particular interest in the late 8th and early 7th centuries (the time when Hezekiah and Manasseh were ruling in Judah). The project’s website lists five goals for the planned five seasons of excavation:To understand the history of the site during the period of Assyrian domination and hopefully to discover an Assyrian emporium.To learn about the sea trade that occurred at the site.To study pottery from the first half of the 7th century.To discover evidence of Greek mercenaries stationed at the site on behalf of Egypt.To shed light on the Philistines after their conquest by Babylon in the 6th century.The excavation website provides more information about the history of the site, excavations during the 1960s, and a diagram of the ruins. You can also see a list of the extensive staff and support the project through a donation. The home page includes some impressive images of the site. The excavation is co-directed by Prof. Angelika Berlejung of the University of Leipzig and Dr. Alexander Fantalkin of Tel Aviv University. Registration is now open!

Egos and Stones

Ego! We all have one, and whether we admit it or not, we all like to have it stroked. Yet, we may be surprised at how much it consumes of us and our lives and how much it can dominate us. 

Jesus teaches, "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.(Mar 10:31)" Even we  who would call ourselves his followers, let this statement bounce right over our heads sometimes. In our desires to "be right" our ego will often shine in ways that in any other mindset would cause us to blush.  We will resort to innuendo, name calling, character assassination, maligning, slander, and more. 

• Saul of Tarsus, is the epitome of this example in Acts when he begins the persecution of Christians for being Christians. Present at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7), he hears the crowd as well as Stephen defending the faith in front of the crowd. Instead of listening, he gets caught up in the frenzy of the "we're right and you can't be" crowd. Rather than listening to what Stephen has to say, he "consents" to the name calling and things that lead to the crowd stoning Stephen, to which he gives his approval of.  He let his own ego outweigh his spirit and the scripture, to consent to taking another man's life.  
• Diotrophes (3 Jn.9) is a good example of ego gone wild and what can happen to a person as a result of letting it happen. 

The question, is why? The answer is because we get hurt and the only way that our psyche knows how to respond is in the same fashion as the crowd that crucified Jesus, or stoned Stephen. We spout innuendos, call names, malign, make fun of, and throw stones. Self centered ego does not consider others, their feelings, or even more importantly WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH!  We only know that our ego is hurt and we respond, hate for hate, insult for insult, eye for eye.   Yes, those to whom we are addressing may be wrong!  But, that does not give us the privilege or position of becoming their judge or their executioner. God will deal with them - but in the meantime, He expects us to do what He tells US to do. 

Consider, that EGO - Edges God OUT!  There is no room for God, where ego rules.  The next time you feel the urge to let your ego out, remember that you are chasing God out when you do. 

Lk 22:3,4  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 


Rom 1:28  Furthermore, because they did not think it worthwhile to keep knowing God fully, God delivered them to degraded minds to perform acts that should not be done. 

Jer 9:6  You yourself live in the midst of deception, and because they are deceived they do not know me," declares the LORD. 

Who do you know? God....or yourself? Picked up any stones lately?

Jim

The View from ETERNITY

There is a direct connection between long-term thinking and success. Every successful person or venture, has been so because they had the foresight to think ahead. In contrast, a study has shown that the more people focused on short-term gain, the more likely they were to fail. 

Thinking ahead for a Christian, should be easy. When you and I talk of long-term thinking, we call it eternity. We're not thinking 40 or 50 years into the future, we're thinking time without end. Having this mindset helps us deal with the momentary problems that come your way. 

Paul stated in Rom.8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."  Simply put, life here has its troubles, heartaches and trials. But that is nothing compared to the glory of eternity that awaits us.  Out challenge here is to use your talents, time, treasure, and influence for God’s purposes. We cannot be foolish with TIME that God has given us. We should not be foolish as the Prodigal son, and squander what God provides (Lk.15:13) on living that does not befit eternal purposes. We should not live as those drunk on wine, drugs, or alcohol with the lifestyle of "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die." Our intoxication if there is any, should be in the Spirit, doing spiritual things, seeking those treasures that are heavenly, so that our reward shall be eternal (Mt.6:20). Compared to what’s in store for you in eternity your current pain, problems, situations, headaches, etc. are petty.

Please do not misunderstand, it’s not easy to be a believer, to do what’s right. There are many times it’s not easy to do the right thing in the face of temptation. It is not easy to tell others about Jesus, when they may be antagonistic. It’s not easy to make a determination to do what is right regardless, just because it is right. But the benefits of following God's voice and obeying what he teaches will far outlast the pain. It’s simply foolish to focus only on short-term results.

Prov.29:18 states, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law."  Because the one who abides in God's way prepares for eternity. When this vision is missing? PEOPLE PERISH! So, take a minute and look at your life from an eternal perspective. What are you facing now, that you would change if you saw it from the perspective of eternity? What concerns, problems, etc do you have now, that if viewed from an eternal perspective, are as big or important as you thought them to be?

Job 1:21  And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 

Jim

Sea of Galilee

 Mysterious structure in the Sea of Galilee | Ferrell's Travel Blog 

Mysterious structure in the Sea of Galilee

Posted on April 10, 2013 | 7 CommentsScientists report the discovery of a mysterious structure in the Sea of Galilee on the SW “corner” near the site of Bet Yerah.According to Live Science here, this structure is made of large basalt blocks. These volcanic stones are common in the region.A giant “monumental” stone structure discovered beneath the waters of the Sea of Galilee in Israel has archaeologists puzzled as to its purpose and even how long ago it was built.The mysterious structure is cone shaped, made of “unhewn basalt cobbles and boulders,” and weighs an estimated 60,000 tons the researchers said. That makes it heavier than most modern-day warships.Rising nearly 32 feet (10 meters) high, it has a diameter of about 230 feet (70 meters). To put that in perspective, the outer stone circle of Stonehenge has a diameter just half that with its tallest stones not reaching that height.You will need to check the Live Science report, or the original scholarly article from International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (Vol. 42: Issue 1; March 2013) here or here (pdf). There you will find a map, photos and drawings of the structure.I stopped very near the spot of the structure to make some photos of ripe date palms a few years ago.The Sea of Galilee near Bet Yerah. The view is to the east across this narrow southern end of the lake. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.Whatever this structure and it purpose, it seems to have existed long before any of the biblical activity recorded in the region.

I Surrender ALL???

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

                                                                                                              Jesus Christ - (Matt.16:24)

This is the requirement of the Lord. It is plain and simple, yet it separates those who believe, from those who do not. It separates the world and its thinking, from God!  Surrender. There is the moment of surrender and there is the practice of surrender. One is the point of recognizing that you cannot do anything about your spiritual situation by yourself and the other is a moment-by-moment and life-long process. Paul stated it this way,  "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Rom 12:1 )."  The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar! We have to re-surrender our life over and over again, to maintain the mind of Christ and the humility of having God's will be done in our lives. When this decision is made, understand, IT WILL BE TESTED! It will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.  Again, Paul states, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). 

Many, when they become Christians, portray the air of "perfect me." They speak of following the Lord, and portray an august air of superiority, wearing the term Christian as a badge. They portray the air of "I am above that," "I am disciplined in my life - I have but few flaws." Yet, anyone who is honest with themselves, understands that we are, by nature, self-centered beings, far from perfect. When hurt by someone, our natural inclination is to hurt back. It is natural to hoard money instead of generously sharing it, to defend ourselves when criticized, to hide our mistakes instead of confessing them, and to try to impress others by our lives. 

• Job's true moment of surrender, occurs not in the beginning of the book, but in the end - in Job  42:5 "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you..."  
• Paul’s moment of surrender occurs on a trip to Damascus to persecute Christians -  Acts 9:18  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized...
• For others, less drastic methods are needed to get their attention. Regardless, surrendering is never just a one-time event. Paul stated, "I die daily" (1 Cor.15:31).

You can usually figure out what will please God by doing the opposite of your natural inclination.

It is time to surrender — to God’s grace, love, and wisdom.  What characteristics about yourself will you have to adapt in order to do “inconvenient, unpopular, costly, or seemingly impossible tasks” because of your surrender?  Have you "made a contract" with God lately, in either being baptized (Rom.6:1-4), or in continually being the living sacrifice on a daily basis for the one who has saved you from your sins (Rom.12:1,2)? It is time to overcome your pride, ambition, and selfishness and surrender your life to Christ.

Jim

Byzantine Winepress

 Byzantine-era wine press etc. JERUSALEM.- A settlement from the Byzantine period in which an impressive wine press and a ceramic model of a church were preserved was exposed in salvage excavations the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted near Hamei Yoav prior to the construction of an events garden by the Shevet Ahim group, led by the Yifrah Brothers.

[...]

The link is to (and the quote from) an article at ArtDaily. The original IAA press release (from which the photo comes) is here (HT Joseph Lauer). Follow the links for more photos of the site.

photograph: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority

God Love and YOU

This Is Love



"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. This one verse speaks more than the volumes of books that have been written about it can contain. Yet, not many people know, that John wrote about this same thing again. "In this the love of God was made manifest among us," the apostle John wrote, "that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live

through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us

and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10).

Many have created this impression, that because of the above statements about God’s love, that Jesus placated the wrath of a vengeful God, as if Jesus needed to persuade the Father not to pour out his wrath on us. Such a view could be further from the truth. The Father sent his Son on this great errand of mercy and grace, and though Jesus came voluntarily and gladly, we do not need to lose sight that He was SENT by the Father. It is God’s love for us that is the compelling cause of Jesus' great work of atonement.  Paul clarifies this thought in that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV).  WE were sinners, and it is "because of the great love with which he loved us" (Ephesians 2:3-4) that Jesus died for us. Herein is the glory of the cross.

Justice, according to every law of God both old and new Testaments, cries out, “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Isa 59:2 

It is only in Christ that justice is reconciled. God’s wrath and love are both given full expression—and all so that we might experience and come to know the unsearchable riches of Christ.

What a great humility and gratitude this should produce in us. Humility, that we were the cause of Jesus’ unimaginable suffering on the cross. Gratitude, that He so willingly and lovingly experienced God's wrath that we might not have to suffer it ourselves. Can our heart in understanding this, say anything other than to bow our knee in worship and give our life as an expression of thankfulness?