Chapter – 31 ‘Yosef becomes a Chaplin in Israel’
Two weeks after returning to Tel Aviv, Yosef was at the CENTER, as the new designated Chaplin, preparing a message for the Saturday evening Devotional.
Later that evening as he walked toward the podium he spoke, “A short history review as we get started.” He told them that just after Jesus ascended to his heavenly throne, the first generation of Disciples started the Christian movement into the uttermost parts of the known world. He paused a moment and then continued, “By AD 70 all but one of those early Disciples had died a martyrs’ death; that same year Jerusalem was basically destroyed. Do you remember that in Matthew chapter 24, Jesus told the disciples what to expect.”
Yosef told them that it seemed like in AD 70 Gods favor on our nation of Israel, was put ON HOLD, so-to-speak. The Gentiles [non-Jews] were in control from AD 70 to 1948, when the UN gave a portion of the property back to the Hebrew Nation. “Are you with me so far?”
Yosef took a step to his right as he was thinking his next thought, then said, “The Disciple John was alive yet; when this all happened. Why? The reason is that Jesus was not through with him yet. Just like us, who are alive, the Lord has work for us to do. Think about it, the Apostle John lived about 25 more years after the Jerusalem destruction and wrote the Gospel and the Apocrypha before he took his last breath here on earth.” He told them John was the chosen one to unveil or reveal the word of the Lord to, maybe, this last generation.
Yosef walked back toward the podium then he commented, “The time of the Gentiles governing Israel has ended and Israel is being blessed once again by YHWH.” He looked slowly to his left and then to his right as he continued, “In 1967 the city of Jerusalem, once again, came under the control of the Jewish government.” He smiled for a moment then he told them that the Temple of YHWH would one day be built again. Yosef exclaimed, “Our parents, the older Jews, are looking for this miracle! In fact many of them are looking for Messiah; but we who have been enlightened know that the Christian Christ is Messiah.”
Yosef asked, “What do you think? Could this be the 11th hour in YHWH’s time line? All of us need to be about the Lords work. We each have spiritual gifts; not all of us are required to teach the WORD but all of us are commanded to use our GIFT’s in the service of the church body.” He mentioned several of the gifts; 1 Cor. 12. Then he said, “All different but all important.” He took a couple steps, took a deep breath, “This next week please read chapter 12 and think about how you might use one of the spiritual gifts to uplift our small group.”
Yosef concluded, “If we all use our gift, we can accomplish more things as a whole than if we individually were to do something halfway. Think about a tug-of-war, which team wins?”
[The team that works together]
Attachment
Matthew 24, Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in MY name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9 Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you [Israel OR Christians?] will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Perilous Times
15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Glorious Return
29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He [Jesus] will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. [It is after the Tribulation; maybe after the last Trumpet; the church is raptured?]
1 Corinthians 12, Now, concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. [Question – What is the ‘gift of Helps?]
[Note – Whatever you do; do it unto the Lord; don’t fret or worry about being thanked from individual people; trust that when you do it unto the Lord, your reward will be waiting for you when you hear Christ one day say, “Well done thou good and faithful child..!!”] – You can only be a child if you are in the family..
A list of some Gifts to consider
Shepherding – The Pastor who ministers to the flock [the congregation]….
Faith
Evangelism Administration
Apostleship Teaching
Helping others Wisdom
Mercy Prophecy
Giving Discernment
Hospitality Exhortation
Leadership Tongues
DG