إلهَي السّماوي القدّوس، أيّها الآب الحَنون، أتقدّم إليك اليوم بكلّ ما في داخلي من مشاعر مرارة وحُبّ انتقام. أعترف بأنني أعيش حالةً من الغُفران غير الحقيقي. أطلب منك أن تعطيني القوّة كي أحافظ على رَدّة فعلي تجاه من أساؤوا إليّ. ساعدني حتى أتعلّم كي أغفر لكلّ من أساء إليّ وأخطأ في حقي. أنا بحاجة أن تتعامل معي شخصيّاً في هذا الموضوع لأنّه يؤثِّر سلباً على علاقاتي وعلى عملي وعلى تفكيري. أَثِق بأنّّك قادر على مَنحي السّلام الدّاخلي كي أعود ذلك الإنسان الذي تريدني أن أكونه. آمين

When the Lord Tarries

Habakkuk 2:3
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

God has a storehouse of blessings that He has reserved for you and me. However, our timing to receive those blessings may not be the same as our Lord's. God has a specific timetable that He requires to accomplish His purposes in the life of the believer. Sometimes that timetable seems excruciatingly cruel and painful, yet it is needful.

When we read that Joseph remained a slave in Egypt and was then placed in prison after being wrongfully accused, it would be easy to second-guess the God of the universe. Oh, how cruel and uncaring, we might think. Joseph thought he was going to be delivered from prison when he interpreted a dream for a court official, but then he was forgotten another two years. Why? An early release would have disrupted God's perfect plan.

God takes time to develop character before anything else. God could not afford to have a prideful 30-year-old managing the resources of an entire region of the world.

We can sometimes delay this timetable if we refuse His correction.

Although it is sometimes difficult to understand, the Lord is just and gracious in His dealings with His children. When He does decide to move on our behalf, we will appreciate the delay and will often understand the reason it was needed. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! (Is. 30:18)

If you are awaiting the fulfillment of a vision in your life, ask the Lord for His grace to sustain you. It will be worth the wait.

Lessons from the Life of David

By Victor Tadros

David was the outstanding king in the entire history of Israel in Old Testament times. His reign represents the epitome of Israels national achievements and is so recognized throughout the Holy Scriptures.

How did God prepare David?

PS 66:10-12

For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Three Levels of Divine Training

For Spiritual Leaders

Basic Training:(Lion/Bear)

If you were in Davids shoes what would you choose as a basic training? A lion and bear to attack your flock or something easier to overcome like a rat and a rabbit for instance!!! If David was luckily attacked by a rat and a rabbit and he managed to kill them both, his Spiritual Resume would have been so weak and he wouldnt have qualified for the second step of training. Sometimes God gives you a hard problem or a severe attack to prepare you for the coming battles and to make out of you a Divine Champion. The Hebrew word of champion is ish-ha-benayim, which means A MAN BETWEEN TWO SPACES. God wants you to be a man who can stand in the gap alone and make victory.

EZE 22:30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

Intermediate Training: Goliath uncircumcised Philistine

1SA 17:34-36

But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, [35] I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. [36] Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.

Advanced Training: (Samuel & Saul)

1. Positive Preparation for the Kingdom (Samuel)
2. Negative Preparation for the Kingdom (Saul)

1SA 16:13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

David needed Samuel as a positive preparation element encouraging, supporting, guiding, blessing and most importantly anointing.

On the other hand, David needed Saul believe it or not as a negative preparation for future ministry discouraging, attacking, misguiding, misleading, cursing and attempting to kill and destroy!!!

Genesis 3: 14-15

So the LORD God said to the serpent:
Because you have done this...

I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.

In our Christian walk we need both types of training elements (The SS Training: Samuel and Saul). I, personally speaking, would like to be surrounded by many Samuels in my life. But God, sometimes, would put many Sauls (persons like Saul) around you to persecute you, bug you, give you a hard time and even attack your country (9/11)!!! Thats why God did not eliminate the Seed of the Serpent from the beginning, which would have given a complete rest to the Seed of the Woman!!!

David needed Saul, the element of persecution, to humble himself and learn how to depend only on the Lord for protection and refuge.

PS 31:4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.

PS 31:5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

In our life today, the Seed of the Woman is in need to the Seed of the Serpent as a negative preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven. Isaac needs Ishmael persecuting and attacking him. Ishmael is a wild man, "And he will be a wild man; his handagainst every man, and every man's hand against him" (Genesis 16: 12).

Jacob needs Esau! Jacob was blessed the night before he would meet with his brother Esau and his army of four hundred men. "When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him." In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD..."(Genesis 32: 6-9)

When life goes well and all is fine, Isaac of today Western Christian Nations will turn away from the Lord.

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. (Romans 1:29) So, God allows the Seed of the Serpent to attack the Seed of the Woman to achieve at least3 goals:

• To bring the Seed of the Serpent into full measure of judgment:

Genesis 15:16

In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."

• To Train Seed of the Woman in full measure:

2SA 22:35

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• To finally reward the Seed of the Woman also in full measure

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Rev. 22:11).

God respects the free will of man and allows everybody to go to the full measure of what is he/she doing whether good or bad. God wants to see the maximum of human freedom of choice; thats why He is still waiting for the world today. He gives more chances for the righteous to berighteous to the maximum and to the evil to reach the maximum of evil. Then, God would reward the righteous and punish the evil according to His justice.

1CO 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. [26] Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. [27] No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1TI 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness (training)has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

God wants you to learn the same lesson David has learnt:

PS 91:2-3 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snareand from the deadly pestilence.

Sometimes Divine dealings are very strange for us but finally God wants the best for us. He can put you in a tight corner, to bring you to the large. He can take something from you, in order to give you more. He can put pressures on you, to strengthen you. He can allow you to be injured, but later on, He would heal all wounds, old scars and fresh cuts, in your soul.

JOB 5:18

For he wounds, but he also binds up;

he injures, but his hands also heal.

Do you have Mr. Lion and Mr. Bear attacking you and your flock? Praise the LORD, you are under divine preparation for a leadership position in His Kingdom!

Do you have Mr. Ishmael and Mr. Esau coming at you with a great army? Praise God, you are in for a big blessing!

Are you chased by Mr. Laban (your Boss) who changed the deal with you 10 times and does not want to give you your salary or any promotion? Are you tired of that Boss who refused to give you your well-deserved and long-awaited promotion and who just hired another boss over your head who is far less qualified than you and who actually comes daily to you to teach him how to supervize you???

Oh man, this is hard, but... Praise God forMr. Unfairand for Mr. Incompetent whome he has just appointed above you in rank! God is in control and He will promote you as He did with Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Mordecai, Esther, to mention but a few!!!

Are you wounded deeply and still bleeding from inside? God will come to you "in person" and He will touch the innermost being of your soul. He will convey to the inner curves of your heart the healing love of the Father in Jesus Name by the Holy Spirit.

Are you extremely tired of everything in life? God has a wonderful plan for you and He will never rest until He will have achieved it fully in you, making out of you the great person He wants you to be for His glory.

Believe me, you are in the center of His Divine Training Course. All those things taking place right now in your life are not only carefully selected and kindly allowed but also masterfully orchestrated by your loving Father. Why? Because you are His Ambassador and you are Chosen by Him before the foundation of the world; you are precious in His sight! Yes you are! Don't tell me "you don't know my situation"!

Listen! This is a message from the Master of the Universe to you. Rejoice! You will get out of it safely! Praise the Lord! You will make it by His grace! Then, you will look back and be grateful for your Heavenly Father for all those events! You will!

Remain blessed,

Vic

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Seven Secrets of Stress Management

Then Jesus said, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest." There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 (NLT)

Jesus experienced enormous stress and pressure, yet it didn't seem to disturb his peace of mind. In spite of opposition, constant demands, and little privacy, his life reflected a calm sense of balance.

What was his secret?

Identification Know who you are (John 8:12)

Eighteen times Jesus publicly defined himself. There was no doubt in his mind as to who he was. If you are unsure of your identity, you'll allow others to pressure you into their molds. Trying to be someone you're not causes stress!

Dedication Know who you want (John 5:30)

You can't please everyone. Even God can't! Just about the time you get "Crowd A" happy, then "Crowd B" will be upset with you. Jesus never let the fear of rejection manipulate him. No one can pressure you without your permission.

Organization Set clear goals (John 8:14)

Jesus said, "I know where I came from and where I am going." (NIV) Preparation prevents pressure, but procrastination produces it. You work by either priorities or pressures.

Concentration Focus on one thing at a time (Luke 4:42-44)

You can't chase two rabbits at the same time! Jesus knew how to handle interruptions without being distracted from his primary goal.

Delegation Don't try to do everything yourself (Mark 3:14)

We get tense when we feel it all depends on us. Jesus enlisted twelve disciples. Don't allow perfectionism, or the fear that others may do a better job (or a bad job!), to keep you from involving others in the task.

Meditation Make a habit of prayer (Mark 1:35)

No matter how busy Jesus got, he found time to get alone to pray every day. A daily quiet time is a great stress decompression chamber. Use this time to talk to God about your pressures and problems, evaluate your priorities, and discover the rules for successful living by reading the Bible.

Relaxation Take time to enjoy life (Mark 6:30-31)

Balance is the key to stress management. Work must be balanced with fun and worship.

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Take Care of What Counts and God Will Take Care of You
Today's Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:2629
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 1:2627, 29

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty . . . that no flesh should glory in His presence.
When God says, "All this is yours," do not get frustrated because you do not have it. Go and possess it. How? You simply walk in the kingdom.

This means that once you see and understand a kingdom principle, then start doing it. Live it out in your life, and watch God show up. The best thing about God's Word is that it does not depend upon our educational level, personal abilities, or resources!

Education is important in our culture, but in the kingdom, it is not what counts. I know many people in the kingdom who do not even have high school diplomas, yet they make more money than other people who earned master's degrees or doctorates! This is nothing but God's favor and grace in operation. God can use anyone who dares to believe Him and possess the inheritance.

Let God promote you and raise you up. You just walk in the kingdom.
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know that I have let Your kingdom principles fall by the wayside in my life. Forgive me. I pick up Your kingdom ways, Jesus, and I trust You with the results.
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The Truth Changes The Facts

by

Victor Tadros

The Devil is the father of lies. In our modern day language, he is a Bald-Faced Liar. He always attacks by using, propagating, promoting and spreading out lies. When Satan fails to defeat us using his subtle and sneaky "lies" he changes the battle strategy and starts attacking us with "facts". Many believers win the battle agianst lies but when they are wacked by the conglomeration of "facts" hurled at them by the Devil, in most cases, they are confused, entangled and they lose heart. There are at least 3 facts the Enemy uses to attack our faith:

1- the fact of urgent needs (Matthew 13: 14-21): The multitudes were really hungry after Jesus has been preaching them all day. It is a fact beyond any doubts that those people were really hungry. Jesus knew that they needed to eat. The Truth (Jesus) was facing the "Fact" of material need. The Truth can change the fact of physical needs. Facts are temporary but the Truth is eternal. The Truth intervened and changed the fact ofempty stomachsfamished withhunger into full stomachs bloated with sizzling charcoaled fish and fresh bread with extra 12 baskets to give others too!

2- the fact of imminent danger (Matthew 8: 23-27): The disciples were in a small boat tossed by the waves from every side. The sound of the stormy angry sea was high and ironically the Truth (Jesus) was at the bottom of the boatquietlywheezing and snoring, probably catching some zzzzs in la-la land!But then, again, the Truth woke up and gave orders to nature changing all the facts and turning the scene into one of tranquility, peace and silence. Again we see that the facts of life, eventhough, roaring, threatening, and consuming, are still under control and under the full command of the Truth.

3- the fact of weakness and disease (John 11: 1-44): Lazarus was sick, then very sick, then dead, then stinking! They called Jesus asking him for help when he was sick, but he did not come quickly. Jesus was reluctant, nonchalant, unconcerned and indifferent to an emergency situation. He kept shilly-shalleying and dilly-dallying till Lazarus breathed his last and dropped dead!!! (Your dear friend is now dead! Are you happy now Jesus?!)

Does this ring a bell? Why didn't he come quickly to save his deteriorating friend? In other words, why would God allow the situation of his loved one(s) to get from bad to worse? Because God is not looking for solutions (as we think He is) but, on the contrary, He is looking for some problems and actually big problems. Why? Because he has a huge surplus of solutions! He has all the wisdom, power, authority, glory, magnanimity, and majesty!

He wants problems!!! Now you look scared! Dont' deny it! I can see panic in your eyes now! That's why in Exodus 14, it was God's perfect plan to put his lovely people between the Devil (Pharaoh) and the deep blue Sea (Actually between the devil and the deep "Red" Sea!!!). God is asking for it. Inother words, He is courtingtrouble as we say. He does not follow the old maxim that says:

Don't trouble trouble

till trouble troubles you;

It only doubles trouble

and troubles others too!

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them." Exodus 14: 1-4

This sounds like a suicidalplan leading only to the destruction and total annihilation of God's people! Holy Moses !!!

Why would God put me between a rock and a hard place and/or between fire and a hot pan? It does not look like a good plan frommy loving Heavenly Father, does it?

Very good question!Thanks for asking!

God wanted to show His people His glory! He wanted them to see and experience, first hand, how God is really powerful. How God's people will come to know that He can throw their enemies in the middle of the sea, open a dry road for them in the middle of the deep waters, and lead them to the land of prosperity?

He can and willdo that for you too! that's why He had allowed you, in the first place, to come to that ugly stinking bottle-neck situation that you are experiencing right now!

The Truth can change the facts of material needs, danger, sickness and death. Are you hammered by the facts of life around you? Bring all of them to the Truth to contain them, mold and shape them turning them into something wonderful for you and others. Always remember that the Truth (Jesus in you the Hope of Glory) has the upper hand and the last say in every fact of every situation.

You can rejoice now eventhough you are surrounded by the most devastating "facts" of real life. Just come to Him "as you are" putting all your trust in Him and He will save you and you will see Him and His power in an unprecedented way.

Remain blessed

Vic

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What is the greatest miracle in the Bible?

by Victor Tadros

The greatest miracle is that God is building his church without violating the principle of mans free will. God is accomplishing his purpose of redemption without violating mans free moral agency. This is the astonishing miracle. How can God use such a bunch of jerks to achieve His Supreme Divine Purpose?! (Rashness of Peter, disbelief of Thomas, adultery of David, disobedience of Moses, promiscuity of Sampson, etc.) Yet, God used, has used and will continue to use 'ordinary" people like you and me in this world to achieve Redemption! Can you believe that?

Genesis 1 - 11 speaks about the "need for redemption". From Genesis 12 until the end of the Old Testament, the Bible speaks about the "channel of redemption". The 4 Gospels speak about the "purchase of redemption." The book of Acts is about the "proclamation of redemption." the Epistles talk about the "explanation of redemption" and the book of Revelation is about the "consummation of redemption."

"that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19)

God is building His church with living stones that do not stay in their right place!!! If every believer would just stay in the right place, lots of problems would have been eliminated in the missionary fields today. But God is so faithful to choose normal people to build His kingdom. The sovereignty of God versus the freedom of man is one of the most difficult principles to comprehend.

The people we meet in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation are simple, ordinary people, yet through them, God did great things. These are vivid pictures of how God can and does use all kinds of people to accomplish His good purposes even people like you and me. That's the secret of success in Christian life. Many people miss that key principle. We find it clearly in the following passage of the Scripture:

"From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me
holy is his name." (Luke 1:48-49)

Now according tothe modern worldly principles of success, why would all generations call someone blessed? Inother words, whywould the world recognize somebody by making a statue for him/her or putting his/her picture in the Hall of Fame or something like that? He or she must have done something forhumanity!Right?

InGod's Kingdom, this is not the case! "All generations will call me blessed" not for something I 'did" but for something "Somebody Else" did for me!!! "For the Mighty One has done great things for me"!!!

Now this is very very very strange! Why wouldall people recognize me and bless me for something I DID NOT DO, in the first place? That's the secret of success in ministry. You will succeed in ministry not because you "do" something. You succeed and prosper because He "does" the workfor you!!! You get the blessing when you allow God to work in and through you!!! Would you allow the Mighty One to do great things in your life? He has been waiting for you to give Him the green light to start working but you have been so busy with all kinds of stuff in your ministry, coordinating with Tom, Dick and Harry -ordained ministers with a big TV show ministry! (AbracadabraMinistries International!!!). You are not paying any attention to the most important Person who can really bring it to pass! Stop "trying" and start "trusting".

I wish every pastor, minister and evangelist would realize this great principle. Let us allow Him to do great things for us insteadof burning our candles on both ends trying to do some humanistic,self-centered, self-gratifying, and self-empowered hocus pocus ministries turning the church into a big junk yard!capisch? ...

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Gods trains are always on time

by Victor Tadros

When you grow impatient, you are tempted to take a wrong decision. Chances are that you start to think of any short cut to achieve Gods will mans way.

We have problems because we try to run on our own timetable. Gods trains are always on time. They are never too early, never too late. But our problem is that we try to ride on Gods trains according to our own timetable. Then we get stomach ulcers because everything does not fit. You start shouting: I am not gonna make my next connection if I dont catch that train

But if we learn to ride on Gods trains according to His timetable, we are always right on time. But if you try to ride on Gods trains according to your own timetable, you will have all sorts of problems.

Take that example:

GE 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar;so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."

Here is a very clear example, when Sarai suggested to Abraham to take her Egyptian maidservant Hagar for wife to bring a son to Abraham. God has said I will give you a son. Yet, Abraham and Sarah try to shortcut the will of God. Sarah thinks: Time is going on, I am getting older! God you can do something, please do something now

Usually in situations like that we try to help God out and it is always wrong.

• Do you remember when Abraham stepped out of the Divine Plan and went into Egypt and was afraid for his life and said that Sarah was his sister? The Pharaoh took her and gave Abraham lots of camels, cattle and men servants and maidservants.

GE 12:15 And when Pharaoh's officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

Hagar was part of the gift of Pharaoh to Abraham!!!

Mistakes bring more chances to make mistakes!!!

GE 16:3 Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived."

"When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.

Unsuccessful Shortcut:

Abraham did as Sarah suggested. Hagar becomes pregnant. Now another problem has popped up. Hagar becomes proud and puffed up.

"Sorry Sarah, the baby is jumping now inside, I cant make breakfast this morning"

"The baby is reading now in my womb. Ishmael is taking his quiet time right now!I cant move too much!"

"Ishmael is playing tennis inside, I cant clean the tent!"

It seems that women have special skills in teasing each other with non-verbal signs. Hagar could not insult her mistress Sarai directly; so she started pecking on her using a nonverbal communicative way. Women can get this very quickly. Sarah begins to suffer from her own schemes and blames Abraham for that! Sarah tried to shift the problem to Abraham -- typical technique between wives and husbands, but Abraham said no. This is your maidservant; you deal with her.

Are you suffering now from your own schemes like Sarah? Are you blaming others for your own faults? Do you put the blame onyour family, friends, pastor, society or circumstances? Have you made your own short cut to get quick results because you are tired, soexhausted of waiting for the LORD? Have you been waiting so long for God's trains and it seems that they will never come?

Don't take the wrong train just because it is available and ready now! Jumping on the wrong train will not solve your problem. It will complicate things. I don't know why wrong trains tend to come first? Ishmael came before Isaac and got married before Isaac !!! Essau was born just seconds before Jacob who was tailgating him bumper to bumper - fender bender claim with no insurance! Jonah found a ready Luxury Five Star Cruise Ship sailing to Tarshish! But that was the wrong destination. Are you on your way now to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh?

Now it is time to get back on track. Stop blaming others or yourself. Come back to him as the wise prodigal son did. He said to himself: "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father" (Luke 15: 17)

It is time to go back to your Heavenly Father, like the lost son did. I know that you don't know His reaction. You are not sure He will accept you after all that you have done. Your Heavenly Father is waiting eagerly for the moment of your return.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate." (Luke 15: 20-24)

Your decision to come back to God is acause of celebration!!!

So come now to Him and confess your sins. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to get forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Him.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1: 9)

Amen

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Victory in Christ

by Victor Tadros

Genesis 3:14-15(The Message)

God told the serpent:
"Because you've done this, you're cursed,
cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals,
Cursed to slink on your belly
and eat dirt all your life.
I'm declaring war between you and the Woman,
between your offspring and hers.
He'll wound your head,
you'll wound his heel."

Satan will always attack and God will always counter attack. Though there will be battles lost along the way, the war will be won by the Christ. He is the victor. It is already here in the prophecy about the serpent's head: He shall bruise your head, or "He will crush your head" in other translations. Striking the head and not the heal is the deadly blow. We are fighting from victory and not towards victory. The victory has been won; Christ has already achieved victory for us.

Remember, we never reach perfection while still on earth. There will be always some sin that lurks in the attics and basements of our lives, seeking to deceive and to devour and to divide us. But Jesus Christ has defeated sin, and we are made alive in Him (Romans 6:11). Therefore let me encourage you to live as a victor through the power of Jesus Christ.

Start by coming to the cross, by faith. Ask Jesus Christ to come into your life. Then as you face evil, as you encounter it, as it rears its head in temptation, claim the power of God that Jesus offers, now that Hes living within you through the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit. And claim this powerful assurance as well which the apostle Paul confidently proclaimed in his letter to the Romans:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)

When we boil it all down, we really have two options:

• We can choose to live according to our depravity for evil is right there with me. as Paul wrote in Romans 7:21.
• We can choose to live as victors through the power of Jesus Christ.

All of us have sinned and made our own mistakes in a way or another.

Jesus Christ is the one great exception. There is no grim in Him, only glory. No dark side, only light. No sinfulness, only righteous. No blue, only spotless white. He is the great Good News. Scripture says three important things about Jesus:

He knew no sin;

He had no sin;

He did no sin.

Knowing no sin, having no sin, doing no sin, He qualified as the Lamb of God who took away the power of sin, the shame of guilt and the dread of death. Therefore, when we confess our sins, He hears us and cleanses us. What a relief! We make this honest confession, Guilty as charged. He answers, Heard and forgiven! As Paul put it so powerfully in Romans 8:1: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

You can say, Lord, right now, at this very moment, I am weak. You are strong. By Your strength Im stepping away from this evil, and Your power is gonna give me the grace to get through it victoriously. Take charge right now.

And then walk away. Stand firm! Trust Jesus to meet your every need. He will.

Remain blessed,

Vic

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Why Wait?

by Victor Tadros

Temptation started with a question: Did God say? Do you think God did really say so? Is that what God meant? Are you sure you understood what did He say? Casting doubts on believers to shake their faith, Satan began to question Gods goodness. He said God does not want you to enjoy things: if God really loves me, He would have given me this or that. We began to question Gods goodness and love. God loves us andHe wants the very best for you and me. We have to get that truth nailed down deeply in our hearts and minds in order to resist all doubts of Satan.

• Why wait: we are the now-generation. I want it today, not tomorrow. I want it yesterday not today!!!

• We are the fast generation. We have "Fast food", "Instant coffee," "Fast cars," "Fast money," "Fast loans," and "Slim fast".

• We are the easy generation. We have "easy gals," "easy recipes," "easy webs," "easy life," "Easy Jet,""easy money ," and "easy weight loss."

• We are the new-generation. We have the "cat's meow," "cat's pajama," "state-of-the-art," "New Technologies," "New Gadgets," "New Delhi," and "New York" !

In the area of sin there is nothing new as we say in British English: Queen Ann is dead (Everything is old hat; in German Alle sind Kalte Kaffee). It is all been done. In the area of sin you can not do anything new. The Ten Commandments have been broken many billions of times.Just read the daily news and you will see that: hate crimes, violence, killings, robberies and rape to name just a few. This is the problem of mankind. There is nothing new in the area of sin. It has all been done and it continues to be done again and again.

The fall of Adam and Eve was a complete fall. It touched the 3 basic concepts of sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

Even as the fall of man was a complete fall, the salvation that is provided for us through Christ is a complete salvation. Christ was led by the Spirit of God into the desert to be tempted by Satan. He was led of God to be tempted. The Tempter Satan approached Christ, the Savior in an open and direct manner (not in disguise as Satan did when tempting man. Satan took the form of a serpent). Jesus Christ was led of God into the desert and he also fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and there were 3 temptations: (Matthew 4)

1) Since you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread (Lust of the flesh). it is written (in the scriptures): Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

2) If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test. [Satan quotes from the scriptures. (Pride of life)

3) Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give to you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. (Lust of the eyes.)

Was it wrong for the Christ to eat? No, but it waswrong for him to eat at that time! We can be tempted in 2 ways:

A) to do that which is wrong in itself.

B) to do that which is right but at the wrong time.

Christ was tempted to do that which was right but in the wrong timing. Was it right for the Christ to show who he was, yes. Later on, he went to a wedding in Cana and turned water into wine. It was right for Jesus to receive all the kingdoms of the earth but not from Satan and not at that time. He had to go first to a cross and lay down his life as atonement for the world; then all things come to pass for him.

• Many times between the sexes (male and female) we are tempted to do that which is right but at the wrong time.

This is one of the biggest things in the Christian life that we have to learn to do things not only Gods way but also at Gods time. For example in John 7, Christ said to his brothers who wanted him to go to the Feast that his disciple would see his miracles and believe in him. John 7: 6-8 The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is rightYou go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come. Christ went later to the Feast. It is very important for us to learn to do things not only in Gods way but also in Gods time. In the fullness of time Christ was born of a woman under the law. Throughout the whole Scripture we find that certain things have to take place at certain times.

Learning to wait upon God is an essential experience in Christian life. Sometimes we ask God for something and God says: Wait! and it is very hard for us to wait. Being patient is very hard for us. God understands us very well and when He instructs us to wait, He has good reasons.

If you want to be modern, live up to date, then give your entire life to be sold out to God. In the life of sin there is nothing new. Its all beendone millions and millions of times. On a Sunday afternoon, outside the city of Chicago, somebody told Moody: The world has not yet seen what God can do to a man who is totally given over to Him. Moody said: I will be that man. God used that man. He was a shoe salesman at that time. We have now Moody Bible Institute and many other organizations established by Moody. Life with God is an adventure, a real adventure.

"However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Co. 2: 9)

The world still hasnt seen all that God can do to a man or a woman who is totally sold out to him. God has no favorites. He can take you as you are and will move from there. God can use a man/woman like you to achieve His Divine Purpose for this generation and the generations to come.

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Three Things to Remember

(when you are at theend of your rope!)

by Victor Tadros

• Remember the faithfulness of God in the past.
• Remember the holiness of God in the present.
• Remember the warnings of God for the future.

As the book of Genesis ended, the Israelites were in Egypt. A famine in Canaan had forced the journey, and Josephs assistance had made it possible for them to live there. The book of Exodus records the situation that arose after Josephs death as the Israelites became victims of bondage under the despotic rule of another Pharaoh who did not know Joseph and whose main concern was to build a stronger Egypt no matter how (the end justifies the means!)

But God miraculously delivered His people. The Book of Exodus is the account of Divine intervention in hard situations. When we come to an end of ourselves, God can start! God saved His people and started to train them to walk in faith. He provided a set of written statutes (guidelines) for them to follow and a place of meeting for worship and fellowship. The book begins with a groan of agony and ends with a "shout of victory"!

The book of Deuteronomy calls Israel to remember who God is and what He has done. Lacking faith, the old generation had wandered for 40 years and died in the desert. They left Egypt behind, but never knew the Promised Land. Then on the east bank of the Jordan River, Moses prepared the sons and daughters of Israel to possess the land. After a brief history lesson emphasizing Gods great acts on behalf of his people, Moses reviewed the law. Then he restated the covenant Gods contract with His people.

Some believe that the word Deuteronomy means repetition of the law.This assumption arose fromthe translation in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate of a phrase in Deuteronomy 17:18"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy (repetition) of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites."

Deuteronomy is the last book of the Pentateuch five-volumed book.

InHebrew itactually means copy of the law not a "repetition of the law" as many people think though Deuteronomy is, in a certain sense, a repetition of the law. The Hebrew name of the book is elleh haddebarim (These are the words) or, more simply, debarim (words).

Deuteronomy is a book of counsel given to people who were about to make a great transition in their lives. It is addressed to the people of Israel at a vital time in their experience as a nation and as Gods people. They have just finished forty hot and miserable years walking in circles in the desert. They have never experienced the glorious entrance into the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy takes us from the generation of wanderings and brings the people of God right back to the edge of Canaan. Here they are at the edge of the Promised Land once again.

The lessons are clear. Because of what He expects,we should listen and obey; because of what He is,we should love Him completely. Learning these lessons will prepareus to possess the Promised Land.

Are you at a transitional phase in your life? Have you been wandering aimlessly for years in the desert of life trying to find a place of rest, stability and tranquility? Have you received lots of Divine Promises from God but until now you are still livingon the edge of the Promised Land (or livingon the edge of your life!) unable to possess what has beenin storefor you? It is time now to take the land by faith. Simply trust and obey.

Do you remember the story of Saul when he was looking for the donkies of his father Kish. He went to Samuel the Prophet to know the "destiny of the donkies" but he found out "his own destiny". He discovered that God had something far more important than the lost donkies. God was planning to make him King of Israel !!!

"Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys."I Samuel 9: 3

Then he finds two things waiting for him: a "Banquet" prepared by Samuel, the Prophet of God and a "Kingdom" prepared by the God of Israel Himself! What a glorious future prepared and stored for saul. Have a look at the following verse to see an important fact that will change your life, mode of thinking, mode of emotions and attitudes:

I Samuel9: 24 "So the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, "Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time I said, 'I have invited guests.' " And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

Now you can see from the highlightedunderligned glorious words above, that there is something that "has been kept for you!" Even though you do not know it, even though you are not seeking it, even though you are seeking other things that are far less important and you have been so concerned about trivial things in life. Something precious "was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time". Now you can see your life within a different perspective. You can have a new look to your circumstances. Now you can understand that God has a Purpose for you that is far more important and valuable than what you have been looking for. Have you lost some "donkies" in your life? Are you still "sad for the past" and "fearful of the future"? Are you squeezed between the past and the future like between two sharp jaws of a pincer or two blades of scissors?

I encourage you today. There is no need for you to be sorrowful for your past or fearful of you future. You did not lose something of great value in your past as you immagined. You thought it was valuable but actually, if compared with what God has prepared for you, it is not. Your future is safe and sound. All the treasures of the Kingdom are waiting for you in your glorious future in Jesus.

Don't say: "I am no lucky! Some peoplejust have luck but not me!". That's a lie. Don't believe the lie of the enemy that you have no portion in success.You have a "delightful inheritance" in Jesus!

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance." (Psalm 16: 6)

"Now if we are children, then we are heirsheirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8: 17)

"With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity (good luck)." (Proverbs 8: 18)

Have you been wasting your precious time and energy looking for "donkies"? Donkies will break your heart "without even knowing!" Donkiesare symbols of all our material concerns, business affairs, humanistic activities, future endeavours, pursued interests, insurance plans,etc.

It is high time for you to stop seeking donkies. You know it is ironic that we always have what we seek. If you seek the Lord, you will have the Lord. If you seek donkies, you will have donkies, lots of them! The problem of the churches today is that they are not seeking the LORD.They are, like Saul, stillrunning afterdonkies; that's why churches of today are full of "Braying" not "Praying!"

" The ox knows his master,
the donkey his owner's manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand." (Isaiah 1: 3)

This transitional period of your life will come to an end when you stop seeking donkies and start seeking the Lord with all your heart, all your mind and all your power and ability. God has made promises to you to encourage you and prepare you. God does not want to tease you by offering you wonderful promises but keeping them out of your reach. He does not intend to tantalize you by great hopes but keep them away from you. The Heavenly Father will not bait you, as you think, by showing you desirable goalsbut leaving you unsatisfied.

God wanted to give His people the Promised Land. It was their unbelief and disobedience that kept them going in circles. The same thing applies to you and me in our walk with the Lord. The key to the promised land is as simple as that: "Obey Him faith-fully"

"Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you." (Deuteronomy 6: 3)

"The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today." (Deuteronomy 6: 24)

But I cannot actually obey God if I don't trust in Him. If I believe in Him taking Him at His word, I become obedient with a tendency to depend upon Him. If I dont believe in Him, I become disobedient and I will try to do my own thing. You will find these two opposing lines going through the whole Scripture.

Will you trust God now and take a decision from the bottom of your heart to obey Him for the rest of your life? He will guide you and lead you. He will take care of the deep wounds in the innermost parts of your soul. He will alleviate the pain of your inner being. He will restore you by building up and remodelling all the ruins of your life. He wants you to accept His offer. The good news is that His great offer to you today is for free !!!

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David."

Isaiah 55: 1-3

The Bible can be summed up in one word, "Redemption". It all starts of Him. It goes through Him and finally it goes unto Him. It is the same with my life and your life. Our life is of Him; it has to be lived through and unto Him. To him be the glory forever and ever. All glory should go to Him. If our church, our work, our ministry is not bringing glory to Him, then, forget it. It will all be burnt.

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Wallet Lost

(Second Lesson in Paris)

by Victor Tadros

Ishared with you previously that I have been struggling with the concept of losing my life for the sake of Jesus in order to save it. It did not make any sense to me. I wanted to save it in order to save it rather than lose it in order to save it!

The First lesson was in the Louver Museum, when God showed me the Mona Lisa and talked to my heart about that piece of cloth (Fabric) that was "lost" for the sake of the Artist and it was actually "saved" in the Louver Museum. All other pieces of fabric that was manufactured at the same patch have become filthy rags and were trashed but only the piece of fabric that was sacrificed to the Artist that remained intact.

The second lesson was when I went shopping in Paris (Men go shopping too!!!). I wanted to get some T-shrits for Tony, Vivian and Mary (they are my brother and two sisters for those who are curious!).

I went downtown Paris and I got some wonderful T-shirts with a very good price. Then I had some money remaining in my wallet. I wanted to buy more clothes but somehow, deep down in me, I just wanted to be frugal and save some money. So I saved the rest of the money.

On my way back, I took the underground metro in Paris. I was pickpocketed in the Metro! For those who do not know what does "pickpocketed" mean, a guy stole my wallet! I was beside myself with anger "Holy Anger I must assume". I said outloud in Arabic (when you are angry normally you speak in your native language!): "Had I lost my money, I wouldn't have lost them." I meant: "had I spent my money, I wouldn't have lost them." In Arabic the Verb "lose" can mean either to "spend" or to"lose". Then the Holy Spirit caught me like the cat that ate the canary. Now you are speaking about losing and saving. The money you spent, are saved in the form of T-shirts. But the money you "Saved" are lost (they are in the hands of the Thief right now!).

I will never forget what God spoke to my heart at that moment. I was in Belleville-Paris Mtro Station. The Lord said to me: "Victor, if you give me 70% of your life, the Thief (Satan) will steal 30% of it. If you give 90% of your life, the Thief (Satan) will steal 10% of it. If you give 99% of your life, Victor, the Thief (Satan) still will be happy to steal 1% of your life. Now would you agree with me that you have to believe Jesus when He said in Mark 8: 35 "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

I realized that losing my life for Jesus and for the gospel will save it. Then I also realized that the thief (The Devil) will come tomeand to all other believers who did not lose their lives for Jesus andsteal theremaining partsof their lives, the parts that have not been invested in the Kingdom of Heavens.

Jesus said in John 14: 30 "for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me (He has nothing in me)." Now the Prince of this World (Satan) came to Jesus like a thief, but Jesus was wise enough to lose His life for the sake of His Heavenly Father. He invested His whole life for God's sake. So when the Thief came, he has no hold on Jesus. In other words, when Satan came, he could not steal anything from Jesus, because Jesus has already "spent" and lost all his life for the Father in Heaven.

The enemy will come to you for sure. Now the question is, will he find something to steal and enjoy? Have you saved something from God's Kindgom? Then, the Devil will find something to steal from you. But if you invest "everything" for the Lord, the Devil will come only to find nothing in your wallet! You can then tell the Devil coming to steal from you:

"Merci, Monsieur! Au Revoir Monsieur! Il n'y a plus d'argent! Get lost Monsieur! j'espre ne plus jamais vous revoir!

AUF NIMMER WIEDERSEHEN! GO JUMP IN A LAKE!"

Will you give Jesus now 100% of your life? Take my advice. Give it to Jesus before the enemy would come and snatch it away from you. Then it will be too late to give it to God.

Remain blessed

Vic