“I am humbled and embarrassed at the adulation because I don’t feel we did anything we weren’t supposed to do or anything exceptional.”
That’s what 93 year old paratrooper Jim Martin said about his part in D-Day, 70 years ago.
Then he jumped out of a C-47 airplane. And parachuted onto Utah Beach. Just like he did 70 years ago, when he helped to retake France.
I was amazed at the way Martin parachuted at age 93, but I was even more inspired by his attitude about doing his duty, without any expectation of recognition. Read More
Last post we looked at a guy who transcribed a copy of the complete Torah, with perfect accuracy, using a feather pen and a sheepskin parchment (it took him eight years). Today I saw a story about how the moon might be used to preserve the Torah. As newscientist.com put it, the moon will be used as sort of a backup hard drive for the supercomputer we call Earth. Let me explain. Read More
As the Washington Post article stated, “Forget auto-correct.” It wasn’t available to Richard Epstein, the man who copied the Torah over an eight year period. According to Jewish tradition even one error would make the entire text unfit for use in Jewish worship.
Epstein said of his accomplishment:
“I feel like basically the Torah wrote me, more than I wrote the Torah–that it really shaped me. When you write, you go much slower than you think, and especially when you’re writing the Torah. It’s wet and it’s gooey.”
Epstein followed the Jewish tradition of speaking each word out loud, and then speaking each letter in that word out loud before writing it. Read More
Dutch Jesuit Priest, Father Francis Van Der Lugt, was killed by a masked gunman–shot twice in the head. He was killed at a monastery in the Syrian rebel stronghold of Bustan al-Diwan. Some report that he was beaten before he was shot.
Father Francis was famous for his refusal to leave Bustan al-Diwan in spite of the obvious danger. In a video interview from February, 2014 he was asked why he wasn’t taking advantage of the opportunity to leave Syria and return to the safety of his home in the Netherlands. Father Francis said he didn’t want to abandon the twenty-eight remaining Christians, and that even if there were no Christians, he would stay to help all Syrians.
One of his passions was rescuing the religious art in the area from the destruction of the war. He would often search through the rubble of churches and mosques looking for the remains of religious artwork, some pieces as old as 1,000 years.
Father Francis laid down his life for his friends–even as his Savior did.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16
In Dacula, Georgia a twenty-year old firefighter named Matthew Swatzell just finished a 24 hour shift. While he was driving home that morning he fell asleep at the wheel, crossed the center line, and drove head-on into an oncoming car. That car was carrying the wife, unborn son, and daughter of a youth pastor named Erik Fitzgerald.
Erik’s wife and son were killed in the crash. Only his nineteen month old daughter survived.
One of God’s great teachers passed away today. Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement died this morning around 3 AM. Chuck Smith had a huge influence on this blog through his book Living Water. In fact almost any God Running blog post concerning the Holy Spirit has borrowed heavily from Chuck Smith. Of course like many of you, I’ve listened to his teachings on the radio for years.
I also loved reading about his work in his book Harvest. I don’t know how anyone could read that book and not come away with a view of Chuck as one of the best examples of fruit bearing ever. (Today there are more than 1,600 churches born out of the Calvary Chapel movement.) He was a man whose ministry truly pointed to Christ and glorified God.
Oh, and the title: Chuck once said, “One day you will read in the paper that Chuck Smith died. Don’t believe it. It should say, ‘Chuck Smith Moved.'”
RIP Chuck. No doubt you’re welcomed in heaven, but you’ll be missed here on earth.
Billy Graham wrote a letter to the president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani. He’s asking him to release American Pastor Saeed Abedini from prison. As Billy Graham put it, Abedini “…was in Iran working to build an orphanage when he was arrested and later sentenced to eight years in prison. His situation has been receiving an increasingly high level of attention in the United States. Unfortunately this publicity has been entirely negative for Iran, with the belief that the primary reason for Pastor Abedini’s imprisonment was because of his Christian faith.” (Graham, Letter to Iran’s President, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
According to his wife, Abedini has been tortured Read More
93 Year Old Paratrooper Celebrates D-Day by Jumping Out of C-47 Airplane
D-Day Paratrooper Jim Martin
That’s what 93 year old paratrooper Jim Martin said about his part in D-Day, 70 years ago.
Then he jumped out of a C-47 airplane. And parachuted onto Utah Beach. Just like he did 70 years ago, when he helped to retake France.
I was amazed at the way Martin parachuted at age 93, but I was even more inspired by his attitude about doing his duty, without any expectation of recognition. Read More
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Posted on June 6, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, News
D-day, do without expecting, duty, Jim Martin
Torah to be Preserved–on the Moon?
Last post we looked at a guy who transcribed a copy of the complete Torah, with perfect accuracy, using a feather pen and a sheepskin parchment (it took him eight years). Today I saw a story about how the moon might be used to preserve the Torah. As newscientist.com put it, the moon will be used as sort of a backup hard drive for the supercomputer we call Earth. Let me explain. Read More
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Posted on May 30, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, News, Seeker
Bible, google lunar xprize, Torah, Torah to the moon
Man Copies Torah Without a Single Mistake (Using a Feather Pen and a Sheepskin Parchment)
Epstein said of his accomplishment:
Epstein followed the Jewish tradition of speaking each word out loud, and then speaking each letter in that word out loud before writing it. Read More
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Posted on May 24, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, News, Seeker
Bible accurate, Bible reliable, Is the Bible reliable, Richard Epstein, scribe, sofer, Torah
Father Francis Beaten, Then Shot Twice in the Head
Father Francis Beaten and Shot
Dutch Jesuit Priest, Father Francis Van Der Lugt, was killed by a masked gunman–shot twice in the head. He was killed at a monastery in the Syrian rebel stronghold of Bustan al-Diwan. Some report that he was beaten before he was shot.
Father Francis was famous for his refusal to leave Bustan al-Diwan in spite of the obvious danger. In a video interview from February, 2014 he was asked why he wasn’t taking advantage of the opportunity to leave Syria and return to the safety of his home in the Netherlands. Father Francis said he didn’t want to abandon the twenty-eight remaining Christians, and that even if there were no Christians, he would stay to help all Syrians.
One of his passions was rescuing the religious art in the area from the destruction of the war. He would often search through the rubble of churches and mosques looking for the remains of religious artwork, some pieces as old as 1,000 years.
Father Francis laid down his life for his friends–even as his Savior did.
References:
John 15:13
Luke Chapter 23
Jerusalem Post
BBC
Catholic Herald
NOS
Video: Homs priest says “‘hunger’ is the biggest problem”
NY Times
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Posted on April 7, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
News
Bustan al-Diwan, Dutch Priest shot, Father Francis Van Der Lugt, Jesuit priest shot, Syria, Syrian rebel
Firefighter Kills Mother and Unborn Son in Head-on: What Happened Afterwards is Astounding
In Dacula, Georgia a twenty-year old firefighter named Matthew Swatzell just finished a 24 hour shift. While he was driving home that morning he fell asleep at the wheel, crossed the center line, and drove head-on into an oncoming car. That car was carrying the wife, unborn son, and daughter of a youth pastor named Erik Fitzgerald.
Erik’s wife and son were killed in the crash. Only his nineteen month old daughter survived.
What happened afterwards is astounding.
[HT Irene, longtime loyal reader.]
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Posted on February 6, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, News
car crash kills pastor's wife, Christian living, Christianity, erik fitzgerald, firefighter youth pastor wife killed, Forgiveness, grace, matthew swatzell, pastor forgives firefighter
Super Bowl Players Who Use The YouVersion Bible App
Some of the players in today’s Super Bowl use this app.
I love the YouVersion Bible App, use it all the time. If you’re interested, you can check it out here: YouVersion Bible App.
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Posted on February 2, 2014 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, News
Bible, Bible App, Bible Reading Plans, Broncos, Christian, Christian football, Seahawks, Super Bowl, Super Bowl Christian Bible, YouVersion
Chuck Smith Moved
One of God’s great teachers passed away today. Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement died this morning around 3 AM. Chuck Smith had a huge influence on this blog through his book Living Water. In fact almost any God Running blog post concerning the Holy Spirit has borrowed heavily from Chuck Smith. Of course like many of you, I’ve listened to his teachings on the radio for years.
I also loved reading about his work in his book Harvest. I don’t know how anyone could read that book and not come away with a view of Chuck as one of the best examples of fruit bearing ever. (Today there are more than 1,600 churches born out of the Calvary Chapel movement.) He was a man whose ministry truly pointed to Christ and glorified God.
Oh, and the title: Chuck once said, “One day you will read in the paper that Chuck Smith died. Don’t believe it. It should say, ‘Chuck Smith Moved.'”
RIP Chuck. No doubt you’re welcomed in heaven, but you’ll be missed here on earth.
More about Chuck Smith:
Bob Coy, Remembering Pastor Chuck, Calvary Chapel Blog
Ed Stetzer, Chuck Smith Has Died, Christianity Today
Chuck Smith’s Website, The Word For Today
Great video about Chuck Smith and his work on The Comfort Zone with Ray Comfort:
Pastor Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel Reached Hippies With Gospel, Christian Post
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Posted on October 3, 2013 by Kurt Bennett
News
Calvary Chapel, Chuck Smith, Chuck Smith dead, Chuck Smith Dies, Chuck Smith Moved, Harvest, living water
Billy Graham Writes Letter to Iran’s President
American Pastor Saeed Abedini and his family.
Billy Graham wrote a letter to the president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani. He’s asking him to release American Pastor Saeed Abedini from prison. As Billy Graham put it, Abedini “…was in Iran working to build an orphanage when he was arrested and later sentenced to eight years in prison. His situation has been receiving an increasingly high level of attention in the United States. Unfortunately this publicity has been entirely negative for Iran, with the belief that the primary reason for Pastor Abedini’s imprisonment was because of his Christian faith.” (Graham, Letter to Iran’s President, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
According to his wife, Abedini has been tortured Read More
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Posted on September 25, 2013 by Kurt Bennett
News
Abedini, Billy Graham, Billy Graham writes letter to Iran President, Christian News, Christianity, human-rights, Iran, middle-east, politics, religion, Rouhani, Saeed Abedini
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