07:32 04Aug10 Roberta Sanderson -
My deepest groaning is for a move of God that will bring the fear of the Lord
upon our hearts! With HIM in the highest place in our lives, we will experience
doing "all things through Christ, Who lives in me". He will be the One Who
empowers us to be as bold as young lions in the face of any evil. Thank you for
your courage in speaking the truth.
07:47 04Aug10 anon -
I have often wondered about this very passage that you bring revelation. Thank
you so much for printing truth! It rings true in my spirit ... what is belief
without courage? Nothing ...
08:14 04Aug10 Jerry/Connie White -
We agree with you - it is time that the church wake up and smell (face) the
roses - the church has slept too long and now, what is sin is no longer sin but
just an excuse. The World does not need any more excuses - they need to know
personally the Reason - they need to know personally their Messiah. Thank you
for writing the truth.
09:01 04Aug10 DP -
This is so true. Just yesterday, the building of the mosque in NYC was
approved. Cowards ... fearful ... yes. This is about giving up territory to
the enemy.
09:05 04Aug10 Steve Miller -
I am in agreement with everything you say about cowardice but I apply it
differently. What I see in almost all ministries that focus on Israel is a
cowardliness to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Most "Jewish" ministries are intimidated from presenting Jesus clearly and
directly, saying they have to be discrete with the Jews, what you end up with
almost every time is compromise. The only thing that gives any ministry
legitimacy is the presentation of Jesus Christ Himself. If he is not presented
there is no Gospel, there is no anointing, there is no real ministry. If there
is no Jesus, there is no legitimacy.
Our example is John the Baptist. every time He was prodded he deflected and
pointed to Jesus, "He must increase I must decrease ... behold the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world." Jesus said he was the greatest man that
ever lived, why? I believe it is because he pointed to Jesus more that any man
that ever lived to that day. Jesus' very next words speaks of us. He said,
"he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater then John the Baptist."
If this is true then we need to point, proclaim, testify, preach of Jesus
Christ more then John the Baptist. This needs to be our passion, our
conviction.
I challenge you, if you want to see the Glory and power of God at work in your
ministry, sanctify the presentation of Jesus Christ in ministry and He will
show up to with powerful confirming signs and wonders. Jesus is the wisdom and
power of God.
-- Dr Juster replies:
Thank you for this comment. Our ministry - the Tikkun family of
ministries - does believe in boldly presenting Yeshua. I don't think
your post contradicts my article, but is another example of cowardliness.
Yes, when we are not first of all concerned to present the Gospel we are
off, lose the anointing, and lose legitimacy.
10:18 04Aug10 Karen -
This is a real eye-opener and it resonates within the heart. I've been praying
that I'll have the courage when the time comes to stand for and with the Jews
but the verses from Proverbs convict me of the need to become aware now of
those that are being led to the slaughter and take an active role. We have
been fooled too long into thinking that this life is about enjoying ourselves
and fulfilling our own desires, but we are being tested every day on the
important issues of life.
10:31 04Aug10 C.N. -
ust recently ministered to someone who had been under cowardice. Jesus came to
him as a 5 year old and asked him to come out from under the table where he was
hiding. The Lord took him in his arms and comforted him allowing him to mature
in this area. Perhaps intimidation from an adult had caused him to cower. It
is reversible!! Now there is a definite realigning of words to reflect
courage!
10:51 04Aug10 Mary L. Mossman -
When I think how many times I have read these verses in Proverbs and Revelation
and not comprehended their meanings I am appalled. Cowardliness is a subject
that each Christian must confront! Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
11:17 04Aug10 Tom -
I have preached Rev. 21:8 for DECADES. I agree with you 100%. As I'm sure you
know, Greek rules of grammar placed a series of items according to their
importance - the MOST important always came FIRST. Cowardice then outweighed
all those sins which followed. Examine vocal pro-islamic "sympathizers" a bit
closer and you'll notice that those who would allow Islamic freedoms are the
same who would deny Christian freedoms. They think they will make a pact with
the devil, but they forget that moslems (no, I did NOT mean to say "muslims")
have no sympathy for atheists, they insist on CONVERSION to Islam ... a very
ACTIVE and carefully monitored/evaluated PRACTICE of the Islamic religion ...
or they still lose their heads. Left-wing traitors are the worst kind of
cowards ... those who turn against their own in the hope of profit, or of
saving their own necks. These are ALWAYS disgustingly WEAK people, usually
males, (and NO, I didn't mean to say MEN ... there's a difference!).
-- Dr Juster replies:
Your post is stated in stronger terms than my article, but alas, it is
all too true. There are other books that make the point well, Glazov's
United in Hate is one such. We see the same now with Oiver Stone's
coddling Iran and seeking context for Hitler. God help us.
13:29 04Aug10 Jesse Bruton -
Thank you for the exhortation to be a courageous man. I have never heard a
sermon on this. What a shame! The enemy works hard to silence and immobilize
God's people through fear. Too many resort to being simply "nice church-going
people." May this roar of yours from the heart of the Lion awaken us all to
greater works!
14:06 04Aug10 KJ -
I think that the answer to Rev 21:8 is 1.Tim 1:7 - They want to be teachers,
but they understand neither their own words nor the matters about which they
make such emphatic pronouncements.
16:58 04Aug10 Keith Miller -
I had often wondered who the cowards are in this verse; are they simply afraid
of everything and not trusting G_D for protection? I came to the conclusion
that cowards are those who do not readily publicly proclaim Yeshua or are
ashamed of being a believer. I never had real power in my walk until I started
boldly proclaiming Yehsua and risking scoffing and persecution. But thank you
so much for expounding and shedding more light on this passage of scripture.
17:41 04Aug10 Therese Langevin -
Yes, I have thought about that verse regarding cowards not getting into the
Kingdom of God. It is very sobering. It is important to hear the Lord
regarding when and what issue to take a stand on. We need to choose carefully
what we get involved in. We can not go in all kinds of directions at one time.
It is time for the church to rise up and take a stand on the important issues.
17:47 04Aug10 IV -
I totally agree with the article and want to add that true courage is when we
manage to overcome our own limits by trusting God. It can be different to
different people but when we manage to go beyond our own shadows, reaching for
God, we express true courage.
17:48 04Aug10 Becky Dymond -
You capture the essence of cowardice: it is simply honoring and preferring self
over others. The heart of salvation is restoring our ability to "act against
oneself," preferring another. Faith begins with preferring God over our self
serving inclinations, and matures to prefer others above ourselves as we
emulate our Elder Brother, Yeshua.
18:22 04Aug10 Phyllis McDowall -
The true followers of Yeshua will be seen in whether you are prepared to suffer
with Him or not. The scripture says that if we are willing to suffer with Him
we will reign with Him in Glory. True followers take up their cross daily but
cannot do it in their own strength but with His help alone. WE must pray at
all times in sincerity knowing the evil times we live in but with the hope
(eternal) that He knows and sees it all. We need the compassion in our hearts
too: the true love of God towards His people. Evil is coming to its full. Be a
Daniel and be staunch in our Faith towards Our God at all times in what ever
circumstances. The fear of man and what he can do is frighening but Our God is
able to take us through any trial if we are true to the end. Our Messiah is
coming very soon may we be found ready and true.
18:30 04Aug10 Pamela -
When we actually KNOW "Messiah in you, the hope of Glory", we understand that
in HIS Righteousness we find courage, since our "old man/nature" is dead, and
our "new nature" is seated in the heavenlies in Christ Yeshua, so our courage
for all things is in Him Who is now resident in us. Without Him, we can do
nothing (John 15:5). This article has inspired me to think about courage and
why this would end up being included in Revelation as it was. I had not seen
it so clearly before. We all need to see this.
21:46 04Aug10 Max Legg -
This is an excellent and true article. Cowardice is a terrible sin. In fact
it's hypocrisy. Will definitely get that book, "The Flight of the
Intellectuals", by Mr. Paul Berman.
22:19 04Aug10 Shirley Braggs -
This is such a timely article. More than ever, we are seeing people choose to
ignore atrocities committed by radical Islam and those same people condemn
Israel and the Jewish people at every opportunity. In my opinion, it is just as
cowardly to hope for Yeshua to come and rapture the International Church, but
leave the Chosen People of G_d to receive all the persecution and tribulation.
It is much akin to the whole scenario that happened in Nazi Germany in my mind.
Many people who called themselves believers watched as the Jewish people were
being slaughtered. We know there were many Christians like the ten Booms, but
they were not the majority. Those cowardly people hid in their churches and
homes and said to themselves, "Glad it's not me," and "I can't stand up for
them at the risk of my own life." I pray the whole Body of Yeshua will stand
with Israel and stand for the sovereignty of G_d, choosing to get behind the
Commander of Heaven's Armies as Joshua was instructed, instead of choosing to
believe He is on their side and that's all that counts. They need to see it
from Heaven's perspective.
22:59 04Aug10 Kim G. -
I believe that the cowardly here refers to those who 'call' them believers but
who will not stand with Israel. 'You will say, Lord, Lord ... and I will say I
never knew you!' As for politicians and intellectual left elites ... most are
of the world and are in agreement with ha'satan anyway. Consider Pres. Carter
and his professing to be a Christian and he is a big anti-Semite. I believe
Pres. BO is also an anti-Semite and not a believer. He believes in 'collective
salvation' ... from the pit! We can not expect brave things from
non-believers, but we are to expect brave things from true believers and I
think this is happening in some circles. I see Jews who once were very liberal,
are finally getting a clue ... they now understand who stands with them and
Israel. My prayer daily is that the Church will rise up and be someone that
will provoke Israel back to her Husband.
05:59 05Aug10 Barbara Gleeson -
You have written an message that has been growing in my heart as the Holy
Spirit has given understanding of the very thing that has not been recognized
and taught. It's a word that is unrecognizable of its subtle empowerment to
make a God fearing person make a decision that otherwise would not. Why?
Because the cowardliness has never been dealt with, as with most of us we would
have all asked as the disciples did at the Last Supper, 'is it I?' recognizing
within them the awful possibility that betraying Jesus could even be something
they could do, enough to ask, "Is it I Lord?' and I too have recognized
cowardliness in me. I despise that I have it, but I praise God it has been
revealed. It's in the LIGHT now, and once the Light has revealed the hidden, it
is exposed and loses it's power. There is nothing hidden that will not be
revealed. Everything is being exposed, in us, in others, not one will be left
in the dark. Oh God! Expose our cowardliness so we can crucify that too! May
your Spirit rise up in every hidden area of our life given over to a boldness
of living for you in mercy, truth and love. Thank you sir, for this article. It
is one of the best truths overlooked in our bible teachings today.
08:04 05Aug10 Lauren LaSalle Urena -
I am thanking the Lord right now for this article! I am a member of the Isaiah
40 Prayer Team that meets every Tues eve to pray for Israel and the Jewish
people as well as our nation. Tomorrow we are going to Washington DC to pray
at some strategic sites. (White House, Supreme Court, etc.) The next day we
are going to the Holocaust Museum. I am printing out this article as I believe
it will encourage us as well as ignite us. As I read your article, I was
reminded of a quote I read as I entered Yad Vashem in Israel. It said, " A
country is not just what it does --- it is also what it tolerates". (Kurt
Tucholsky) Oh Lord, what are we tolerating as Christians, as Americans, as
individuals and as a nation? Forgive us and give us the courage to put legs on
our faith to go and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to establish His
Kingdom on the earth. For the Isaiah 40 Team, Thursday in Washington DC is
prayer and Friday at the Holocaust Museum is why. Thank you so much Lord for
the timing of this revelatory article!
09:51 05Aug10 Daniel Buffenmeyer -
I, too, often wondered about the passage discussed in the article. The passage
always seemed a little harsh to me. However, I am forced to realize my own
cowardice and try, with Yeshua's help to overcome it.
11:54 05Aug10 Albert Coulson -
I agree with you. We need to have the courage to stand for truth. I believe
the center of the antichrist's kingdom will come from Islam (Joel Richardson
& Walid Shoebat). I believe that we are however weak broken people, that
are prone to walk in fear. We need God's grace in being courageous.
I believe that God is always previous - giving us the desire to be courageous. We need then to set our will to do as God commands, for God will not move
against our free will. He then gives us the real power to be courageous.
The Lord's coming is very near. Though I walk in the shadow of death, He is
with me and comforting me.
17:10 05Aug10 - Charles Reece -
As the great 18th-century Irish philosopher, Edmund Burke - and even Albert
Einstein, once said: "All that is required for EVIL to prevail is for good men
to do nothing".
22:54 22Aug10 - Ruben Cado -
Thank you for this article and for the consideration of the value of real
courage in the Christian.
07:57 02Sep10 Donna Holloway -
When Leaders take on the form of a servant, and lay down their lives taking on
no reputation or fame for themselves - self crucified with Christ - so Messiah
can live in us. Then we no longer live to exalt itself, he has full possession
and complete rest in our tabernacled, laboring together in this present day
harvest!
12:14 02Sep10 Clyde Williamson -
Your article 'The Cowardly are Damned' of September 2.10 brought a clear word
to my heart. Immediately Ephes.6:14 came to mind - "Stand firm then, with the
belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness
in place," When I combined this with Isa 59:17 a prayer for His zeal to come
upon His Body began stirring within my spirit.
07:05 07Sep10 Lor Cunningham -
With Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the apostle Paul, the countless martyrs preceding us
and dying for THE TRUTH --Yeshua-- today, we must pray for His grace and
courage to stand and speak out for those who can not speak for themselves --
for the millions of aborted babies to the unnumbered ones whose slaughter is
ignored or minimized. Praise God that He is a God of ultimate justice and
mercy!
05:29 21May11 Lynn Meckley -
This article is very insightful and clicks with observations I've made. I live
in Indonesia and at times have found that people love to demonstrate against
US and Israel because it's popular to do that and not many here will oppose
them. Many demonstrators around the world would be crushed for rallying against
their own governments, so they get riled up about things that won't get them
in trouble.
|
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the
sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars
... their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the
second death." (Revelation 21:8 NIV)