notes from lisa...

"And, Who is My Neighbor?" But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Yeshua, "And who is my neighbor?' (Luke 10:29) This is a strange question, if you consider who was doing the asking. Those assembled (If you don't know), are attempting to trick Jesus into condemning Himself, with His own words--this was surely an odd question from such a source (if you don't know what he is up to). Take note--not just anyone was asking this question of Jesus--this person was referred to as a "lawyer", "religion scholar", "expert", "teacher", "expert on the Law", "expert in Moses' teachings", etc. (in various versions). This man knows the Law. He knows all of the Law--surely he knows the 16th and 17th verses of the 20th chapter of what we call the Book of Exodus. (The Law for Jewish people consists of the Torah--and over 600 commands that had to be memorized and kept. If you offended in one point, y...

Most of us are familiar with the evils of the system of Apartheid that existed in South Africa for many years. Even today, many experience the aftershocks of that wicked and damnable system. Under Apartheid, only European whites were completely free, in South Africa. Indians, no matter what their education and accomplishments could not travel freely without "papers" and were still subject to harassment. Blacks suffered far more--being even darker. They were forced to live in crowded townships, only allowed to leave to work for the European whites (who couldn't survive without their labors). When they began to demand their rights as citizens, they were beaten, jailed and brutally murdered--sound familiar? These evils aren't limited to people of color either--remember Adolph Hitler? He was so fixated on creating the "perfect" race of blond-haired, blue-eyed people with no "imperfections". They should all have a particular nose and jaw line, and n...

"RETHINK CHURCH". I had to put that in quotes, because I borrowed that statement from the United Methodist Church commercial, I just viewed. I think they have a point. It is time to "rethink church"! Church, as we know it, is not accomplishing the goals that Christ would have it. It isn't working like the New Testament model. Souls aren't being won--like they once were. people aren't being healed or raised from the dead in our churches. Of course, some would argue, that it isn't for this day--but tell me, what was the cut off date? We are in the same dispensation--Grace, right? So, what changed??? I would surmise, that our problem is relational, in nature--with God, and even more so, with others. Of course, if we have problems with others--our relationship with God becomes fractured, too, soooo.... What can we do about this? The Scriptures give us very clear directions about how we should relate to one another. How to have good and prosp...

NOTHING ELSE WILL MATTER... "1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (The Message) "1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everyt...