Know Magic

by Neal Walters In 1990, I was planning a trip to Israel, but it got postponed due to Desert Storm and the Gulf War. I finally go on a tour trip of Israel in 1996. But in the late 80s, in Oklahoma, before the internet, how does one begin to learn Hebrew? That was in the dark ages before internet. Audio Forum had a language catalog, and I learned about the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) courses. These courses were created by the US government, and used to teach either military or diplomats. The cassette tapes that came with FSI were useful, but the book lacked a lot. It was designed by the government for an instructor to use in a classroom environment, NOT for an individual to use for self study. Even today, I have never gone back to complete that book. Eventually, on a business trip, I visited one of the Borders book stores, which were all huge and new at the time. I found a “reader”, a book that teaches the alphabet, and had lots of practice exercises, where the student tries to read pages and pages of syllables and words. I began learning more and more prayer book Hebrew by attending synagogue. Each week, certain tunes would stick in my mind, and I would go home and try to learn the words to go with the tune. Music and singing definitely helps with the memorization. I used Menahem Mansoor’s “Biblical Hebrew: Step by Step” to get an introduction to Biblical Hebrew. A few years later, a friend taught Biblical Hebrew to a small group using Jacob Weingreen’s “A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew”. This is a very serious book, which we finished a couple of years later, doing one lesson every week or two. For Modern Hebrew, I remember using “Hugo Language Course: Hebrew in Three Months” and also Eliezar Tirkel’s “Every Hebrew”. Both came with a book and 3 or 4 cassettes. I like the Hugo course slightly better. A few years ago, I signed-up for two semesters of an online Hebrew course offered by Boston’s Hebrew College. The textbook was “Hebrew From Scratch - Part II” (with 5 CDs available). There was a lot of homework required, and we met with our teacher online each week for practicing conversation. Later, I took classes in Aggadic Literature and Talmud, which introduced Medieval Hebrew and Aramaic. Learning Hebrew can be very rewarding. I still can’t speak it as well as I would like, but the journey is still on going. Teaching Hebrew to others is one or the best ways to continue learning the language. Neal Walters now creates more direct paths to learning Hebrew. You can learn Hebrew faster with his courses at http://HebrewResources.com. This and other unique content learn hebrew articles are available with free reprint rights.

Once a month I take my children to a food pantry to do volunteer
work. On this particular Sunday we were stocking shelves with a
group of Episcopalian Youth. I knew this because each of them
was wearing an Episcopal shield lapel pin. Seeing these kids
really lifted my spirits. Usually it’s adults who work in the
food pantry and that can become pretty boring for my kids. Now
they had the opportunity to work with students their own age.

While separating out cans from boxed goods, my son Drew entered
into a very interesting conversation with a young man, Henry,
who appeared to be about 16 years old. Drew and Henry became
fast friends and worked together throughout the morning. When we
were finished with our work, we got in the car and on the ride
home, he started to share bits and pieces of his morning
conversation with Henry.

“You know, Henry is not so sure if he believes in God,” my son
informed me. This information kind of caught me off balance.
“Isn’t Henry a member of the Episcopal Youth Group that came to
volunteer at the food pantry?” I asked confused. “Yup, he said,
“but that really has nothing to do with his volunteering. He
does it because he thinks its the right way to do things, he
says he does it because he feels it’s the right thing to do.

Now, I believe that part of being a good Episcopalian is being a
good person, no question. But that’s not the whole ball of wax!

There are Christians who claim to be ethical people but who
would not necessarily consider themselves to be “religious.” So
my question is, what is their source for “goodness?” What does
an ethical Episcopalian use as the litmus test for good, if not
the scriptures? If goodness is defined by the individual, then
it follows that morality can also be defined by the individual
and that’s dangerous. That can lead us down that slippery slope
where what “I” think becomes sacred.

Henrys’ discussion with my son ended up being a real opportunity
for our family. It allowed us to explore our own concerns and
perceptions on the importance of an ethical framework that’s
God- based. Imagine how much infinitely deeper Henry’s acts of
kindness would be if he were sensitized to not only the physical
results of his being a good Samaritan, but the spiritual
ramifications as well.

SPECIAL NOTE- I originally wrote this article after Tropical Storm Allison struck Houston in 2001. From a practical standpoint Allison taught those of us in this area, that a storm doesn’t have to be a hurricane to cause a great deal of damage. Of course 2005 saw the twin big storms of Katrina, and Rita. Many of those displaced found their way here to Houston. A great many are still enjoying our hospitality. Just as in 2001 the faith community did itself proud. May our Lord Jesus always give us the compassion, bravery, and wisdom to serve those experiencing disaster in his way, and his name.

Tuesday June 5, 2001 marked the beginning of a very interesting time in the history of my beloved Houston. We have seen thousands loose everything, and thousands of others ( Christians included ) rise to the occasion. That early summer day, Tropical storm Allison came to visit. There was some damage that Tuesday, but the storm moved quickly. Overall as such storms go it was close to the best case scenario.

Then came Friday, and Allison returned. This time from the north, this time moving slowly. At one point the storm became stationary. Over $2.3 billion in damages ! Tens of thousands of people forced from their homes. Several major hospitals closed, just when they may be needed most. One Memorial Herman with over 500 beds is still closed two weeks later. Every major highway, and dozens of major surface streets covered in high water. At least 21 lives were lost. In less than a week the best case scenario, became a community nightmare.

However even before the rain stopped, stories of Christian compassion, and service to others began to be written. At Lakewood Church one of the largest nondenominational churches in America, about 75 people had gathered for a couples class. By the time they got ready to leave the waters had risen so high they were stranded. Lakewood’s facility remained high and dry in the middle of one of the hardest hit parts of town. Refugees from the mighty storm began arriving at their doorstep. Without need of official sanction, and no advance preparation, those 75 classmates began a disaster shelter that grew to hold over 3,000 clients. The largest of over 30 shelters that would be set up at the height of the storm.

Later Lakewood served as a Red Cross Service Center where assistance was doled out to those who had suffered losses. When it became apparent that Red Cross, and FEMA assistance would not bring relief soon enough, Lakewood combined with Second Baptist-Houston to create an adopt a family program to help get people on their feet faster. In the days that followed armies of Christians arrived at the two churches. From all over town, people of every denomination, race, and economic status gathered. Wet rotted carpets were pulled up, sheet rock removed. Mountains of donated food, clothing and bedding were distributed. Cleaning supplies and elbow grease were used to begin erasing traces of the damage.

If the story stopped here, it would be a great example of practical ministry in a time of crisis, but it continues. Many other churches served as shelters and in the days that followed Red Cross Service Centers. Dozens of new volunteers, many of them Christians were put through accelerated training, and put to work. Uniformed scouts, many of them Christians, many of them from troops sponsored by churches and other religious groups, walked up and down many flights of stairs to deliver supplies in large darkened Hospitals which had lost power.

I was trapped in my own subdivision that Saturday. That Sunday, certain that my family was safe I worked at the shelter nearest my house. There I had clients of the shelter, victims themselves offer to help sort clothes, set up cots, do anything they could to fight the storm that had taken lifetimes of belongings. What they would not allow the storm to do, is take their faith, their need to contribute, or their self respect. I saw so many people praising the Lord as they brought donations of food, clothing and bedding. I saw young children coming with their parents to happily donate old, seldom used toys to children who now had none. Unity Church of Christianity from an area across town less affected by the storm sent a large supply of bedding and other supplies. A small troupe of Christian clowns and musicians arrived and asked to be allowed to entertain the children at the shelter where I served. We of course immediately accepted their offer to serve. They gathered the children in a large empty space of floor. They sang, they told stories, they even made balloon animals. The children, scared, at least temporarily homeless laughed.

When not busy elsewhere I did a lot of listening. I listened to frustrated survivors, and frustrated relief workers. I listened to children try to make the most of a situation they couldn’t understand. These are just the stories I personally have heard or witnessed. I know that many other individual Christians, Churches, and religious groups served admirably. I just don’t have the details close at hand. I do want to thank them for the efforts in crisis. I thank The Lord for providing them to serve.

I did not write this so you would feel sorry for Houston, or its people. Thousands in my community are still struggling to recover. However what I saw as this crisis unfolded reinforced my faith that the Lord will provide for us through our brothers and sisters in faith. What I do want everyone who reads this to learn, is what I call the lesson of Allison. No matter how bad the crisis that strikes your community, you the individual Christian can be part of the solution. Those blankets you have stored away, and will likely never use mean so much to those who have none. If you can drive you can help. If you can set up a cot you can help. If you can scrub a wall you can help. If all you can do is sit and listen, you can help. Big disasters like Allison get a lot of attention. But a crisis can come in any size. If a single house burns, that’s a major crisis to the family that called it home. The lesson of Allison is that in serving each other, we serve our Lord. Our example of service provides a shining testament to the unsaved. It will be generations before the people here forget Allison. I pray that the community of faith who calls themselves Christians never forget the practical ministry of service.

Robert A. Crutchfield is president of Kingdom Relationship Minstries. He is a minister,public speaker, and success/ relationships coach. He holds the Competent Leader Award from Toastasters International, and is a Brainbench Certified Trainer. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. In 2001 when Allison struck he was serving as vice-president of the Recreation Board of Galena Park, Texas. Visit him online at http://www.kingdomrelationships.org.

A renewed mind, in the Biblical sense, is a mind that is so saturated with Scripture that it thinks Scripture when a crisis hits, rather than relying on wits for a solution to the crisis.

In other words, our minds are renewed when it is so saturated with the word of God that we think Scripture when decision time arrives, rather than trying to “figure things out for ourselves” by using our wits. At that point in time, we know we have renewed our minds in the Biblical sense. This is what Paul meant in his letter to the Romans.

Rom 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)

Now let us go a step further. Let’s pay close attention to those Scriptures in the Old Testament that were obviously addressed to The Abrahamic Seed Group. Concentrate on these because, unless they are specifically done away with, they are still in force now and we Gentile Christians are grafted into the same promises. We get the same benefits from them that the Old Testament members of The Abrahamic Seed Group received from them.

Healing with these Abrahamic blessing Scriptures

God’s provision for healing the members of The Abrahamic Seed Group is his Word. The Bible is VERY plain about this. Here is just one instance.

Ps 107:20-21
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (KJV)

Notice very clearly the verses above. God sent his word…His Word! We members of The Abrahamic Seed Group have God’s instrument and cure for sickness here. This is it. But it seems too simplistic. It seems too good to be true. But it is true. Here’s another one.

Prov 4:20-22
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (KJV)

Again, His words and His sayings are health to the flesh of the members of The Abrahamic Seed Group. Consequently, we must renew our minds with the above Scriptures. We must concentrate and meditate on them so thoroughly that we don’t even hesitate to depend on them to put us over when we become ill.

The basis for your healing

Of course, healing for us Christians comes by “faith.” But what is faith? “Faith” is information we get from God for us to act upon. “Believe,” in the Bible, is simply acting upon this information we received from God.

The above Scriptures are our “information.” Obviously, God’s words are his answer for our healing. Both verses above could not be plainer. God’s words are, indeed, his answer for our healing.

Now we must act upon them. How? Here’s how! Notice some practical instructions we are to walk out.

1. Psalms 107:21 above tells us to praise him for sending his word to heal us.
2. Proverbs 20:22 tells us to attend to His words.
3. Proverbs 20:20-22 also tells us to incline our ear to His sayings or words.
4. It also says to not let them depart from our eyes.
5. In addition it says we must keep them in the midst of our heart.

Start here. Do these simple things and your healing is on its way. There is much, much more in Proverbs 20 that pertains to your healing. These, however, will get you started.

Dr. Jay Snell, Evangelist and Author, wrote the definitive, four volume set of books concerning the promises to Christians (healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation) contained in the Abrahamic covenant. These books were presented many times on TBN. His web site is jaysnell.org E-mail him at support@jaysnell.org