Tragic Days and Glorious Days and today

 Some tragic human days include:

11th of September 2001 (Nicknamed 9/11) when four airplanes were hijacked and over 2,700 people were killed in the USA

7th of October 2023 when over 1,200 Israelis were killed at a music festival in southern Israel by Hamas terrorists, and raped, and another several thousand were injured or kidnapped

15th of April 1865 when the 16th president of the USA, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC

20th of April 1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado when two teens killed another 15 students on the birthday of Adolf Hitler.

7th of December 1941, Pearl Harbor Hawaii, Japan attacked the USA to spread the Second Wold War into that region. 2,300 Americans were killed and another 1,100 were wounded.

22nd of November, 1963. Three famous people died: Aldous Huxley, CS Lewis, and John Kennedy. The last was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Another fatal tragedy in US history.

24th of August, 1814. Washington, DC was burned!

And the list could continue in country after country, decade after decade, and you might wonder why I'm writing about all these.

July 1931, China Floods. 4 million died.

1900, Galveston, Texas. Another hurricane. 

September 1887, Yellow River Flood, 2 million died.

After writing about all these and so many other tragic days, I began a list of glorious days, good days, and winning days, when people shouted, 'Hurray!' and pleasure finally trumped tragedy.  But some were only personal when I graduated from university or received my Master's degree. Some were related to my family like when my kids stepped into adulthood, one by one, and stepped out of the shadows. My wife's graduation with her Master's degree; my son's first television appearance, my daughter's dancing in the Nutcracker, and the list continues but to be fair, they are all personal.

OK, so what about 'corporate' glorious days? Would that be the back-to-back Super Bowl victories of the Kansas City Chiefs? Or beyond sports, my political favourite won that mayoral or presidential race.  Why is it so much easier to remember trauma than personal triumph?

Andrea Bonior wrote in Psychology Today last year (https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/friendship-20/202312/traumatic-memories-really-do-feel-different) "People who have experienced trauma have a different relationship to those memories than they would to memories of typical, everyday events. Even memories with negative emotional connotations, like sadness, still seem to be in a different category than memories of trauma—where shock and helplessness force the body into an extreme threat response. The intrusion that comes with re-experiencing traumatic memories often involves the entire body and can send people into devastating cycles of flashbacks, nightmares, and even dissociative states."

Bonior cites recent studies and concludes: "These memories are perhaps less akin to how we think typically of recalling an experience and instead are more like reliving that experience. Trauma therapists and trauma survivors have long conceptualized trauma this way, as the body truly revisiting the experience, but to have actual scans of brain activity conveying the difference in these concrete ways is an important step forward."

Last night was 7 October here in Australia and I attended a commemorative service and vigil on the Gold Coast. The mayor spoke; the rabbi spoke; a Christian pastor spoke; and we sang some songs of peace. "Never again is now" was cited by at least two of the speakers and the spirit of the gathering was peaceful and supportive of the Jewish people. 

Of course, one year ago in Israel, over 1,200 people were taken, slaughtered, raped, killed, and hundreds more were injured. Actually, all the people were injured as were most of the world's Jewish population. Tragedy launches the 'shock and helplessness' I felt again last night, which for many here in Australia is continuing.

We desperately long for peace. Or do we? As I sat in the crowd last night, listening to the powerful remarks by the mayor of the Gold Coast, I wondered if those who straddle the middle road are intent on real peace. The rabbi declared that the Greens are not interested in the environment, but are filled with hate. Many in the crowd agreed with those who oppose Penny Wong, our Foreign Minister, as she double talks about Israel and peace. 

How can we proclaim peace at this time?  

How will you proclaim peace?

Yes, tragedies are powerful, and PTSD is well documented. Can we find hope on 8 October? Can we find hope on 5 November? Can we find hope any day?

What will you do to make your world a better place?

How not to win: Horses, chariots, and Joshua Chapter 11

  Living in the Promised Land: A study in the book of Joshua

To view this online as a video:  https://youtu.be/H3SzFw4zptE

Lesson Eleven: How not to win

A.     Introduction

1.     Greetings

2.     Overview. [For those online, see this book overview from The Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU )

B.     Today’s lesson: Chapter 11: How not to win

The story today is again a military story and thus may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I remember watching my father meet up with a friend of his from the US Navy with whom he served in World War II. I was only a young person and traveling by car hundreds of miles with my family in a car, to meet with a man and his family with whom I had nothing to do was already tiresome and daunting. Then over the next few days my dad and this man in Ohio would share stories of their exploits on the ship on which they served, while the rest of us were somewhat forced to bide our time, and to be with people whom we would otherwise never have even met. 

I wonder how many people reading the Bible, especially this section of Joshua, all about military actions and kings and burning cities and long lists, I wonder how many of you on this zoom call or watching this YouTube are similarly wishing for another topic or two. Knowing that everyone thinks and deals with topics on different levels, let me tell you that there will be plenty takeaway for you from this chapter, so hang in there if you feel like you are in the back of the car, while your sister voices your deepest thought, “Are we there yet?”

The Psalmist said, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast (or remember) the name of the Lord our God.” (Ps. 20.7) And some of you may know a song or two from that particular psalm, like, “Now I know the Lord saves his anointed, he will answer from his holy heaven..etc.” or “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble.” Or the last verse, “May the King answer us in the day we call.”  In other words this psalm, written by King David, is a shout of faith and victory, a ‘how to win’ song, and helped King David get his focus right, either as he was going to battle or having just returned from one. 

I hear this psalm in my mind as I read Joshua chapter 11. If you’ve read it, you know that Joshua and the people of Israel conquer the Northern regions of what we call Israel today. And you might have seen a location that before last week you had never heard. It’s Merom. You see it in verse 5. You might know that last Friday was Lag B’omer, the 33^rd day of the countdown from Passover to Pentecost, and the traditional day of memorial to a 2^ndCentury rabbi named Shimon bar Yochai who is buried on that mountain. Over 100,000 Jews gathered last week to ….well, we don’t know exactly why they all went there, but usually there are prayers and such at the tomb of the Rashbi and his son. (Rashbi is the acronym of his name). Some attribute to him the authorship of the Zohar which is the mainstay of Kabbalah. I doubt that authorship since the books first showed up in the 13^th century in Spain and were published in that nascent form by Moses de Leon. 

History aside, the gathering in Meron last week saw a stampede and 45 people died and hundreds were injured. Investigations will be ongoing for years and blame shifting continues this first week, and no doubt, into the ages.

The locations are all purposeful in their listing, of course. And although to you and to those who like novels with fast pace, this unpacking of the conquest of the Northern parts of the land might seem superfluous, let me share with you what Butler says, 

“The use of the extended list of nations rests on an old tradition and serves a specific theological function. The territory occupied by these nations is promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18–21), and again to the nation suffering in Egypt (Exod 3:8, 17). The promise becomes the basis of divine demand in Exod 13:5; 23:23; 34:11, and can be used to exemplify the seriousness of divine anger (Exod 33:2). Deuteronomic literature then takes the motif to demonstrate the necessity that the nations in the land be totally exterminated (Deut 7:1; 20:17). Victory over the peoples becomes the sign that God fulfills his promises (Josh 3:10). This is brought to reality in 9:1; 11:3; 12:8 and serves again as the basis for divine command (24:11). The reality is that Israel has not fulfilled the divine command (e.g. Josh 15:63; Judg 1:21, 27:36; 3:1–5). Solomon achieved a solution by enslaving these peoples (1 Kgs 9:20–21). (For study of the lists and literature see J. Halbe, Das Privilegrecht Jahwes [FRLANT 114; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1975] 140–47.)”

I like this. Without the backdrop of specific areas, we might be open to the idea of negotiation. We might say, “Ah, look, we took Jericho and Ai, and a couple of other locations. That ought to do, right?”

When I read Davis on this section, he made a good comment about the opening paragraph of our chapter. 

“It is precisely in reading this extended detailed, particularising description of Israel’s opposition that you begin to feel how overwhelming the enemy is, to sense in line-upon-line fashion the almost hopeless situation Israel faces.” (page 96)

I like that summary. If you know the geography of Israel, even today, and imagine the hills and the plains, the hordes of the confederacy of the nations which opposed Israel, you would see the immensity of the task. 

But now, don’t stop there. Think of the conquest. If the enemies of Israel are that massive, what must the power of God be to overwhelm them? And what resources did Joshua employ? And remember King David’s conclusion about horses and other weaponry not being what we would trust!

Moses is our teacher who said this in Deuteronomy 20, “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.” (verse 1) 

And isn’t that what we read in verse 6 of our chapter today? God assured Joshua of the same presence. God would give him the victory. God would deliver us, every one of us from every one of them. And the horses and chariots would be knocked out. Gone. Demolished. Complete victory. That’s the assurance.

Look at verse 7, what did Joshua do as a result? He attacked suddenly. That usually means ‘at dawn’ in a surprise attack, like happened at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Early on that Sunday morning, before anyone was really awake, the Japanese attacked the US and propelled the US into WWII. My dad was not far from Pearl Harbor, anchored off Hawaii’s coast at the time. Here in this passage, the people of Israel surprised the Hazor-coalition and defeated the Hittites and the Perizites and all who had confederated.

Now, don’t see this as a moment in time only. The battles probably ensued throughout the region for a long time. Look at verse 18. We read that Joshua waged war for a long timeיָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים

What’s a long time? Many days. Let’s just say this reading of our text today doesn’t allow for a television show, 42 minutes long, not including commercials, and a one-off exercise of duty. No, I imagine this taking of the North to have lasted for years.  The Bible doesn’t always tell us the extent of time, but only collapses down to the purposes or results in our time.

Taking Hazor, according to verse 10, which is the major metropolis of the day, would have been significant and when that happened, it would have traumatized the other nations in the confederacy.  The people even burned the city to the ground. By the way, this is the only city burned in the northern conquest. That itself begs another question, which we might get to .

The spoil was removed, like at Ai. I wonder why some cities were to be utterly destroyed without spoil taken and others were allowed to benefit the Jewish people. Is it possible that the Torah’s words are negotiable?  That is, Deuteronomy 20 was stated about spoil and towns. Yet there were circumstances which show that different towns experienced different endings. In my view, the Torah is a living document and we need the Word applied in our lives rather than to make a constitution out of it without the grace of commentary applied by the Author. Feel free to make mention of that in your questions later. 

Let me ask you, do you think it would be wrong to sleep in a house formerly owned by a Hivite? Or by a Jebusite? What about a former brothel? Or a house formerly owned by Rene Rivkin or Jeffrey Epstein? That may have influenced the burning of the town of Hazor, and may also have influenced the non-burning of the towns around it in the North.

More on horses

The horses were hamstrung. (.9) That means they were disabled by swords into their calves. Pain, uncontrollable yelping, and uselessness to battle. The battle took place in part on Mt Merom, which is about 4,000 feet above sea level and not in the valley. That is not where you want horse and chariots to be housed. You want your horses on level ground. Chariots especially don’t manoeuvre well in the hills. Joshua’s strategy of sneak attack worked to prevent the use of the enemy’s forces due to their inability to meet on the ground which was ‘theirs.’

Remember David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17)? There Goliath wanted David to meet him in the plains. His taunt is here: “And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.” (verse 8)

Anyway, Joshua’s blitz caused conquest to occur, for the domino effect of the battles and as a result Israel ‘owned’ the North.

Two more comments before we end.

The “hardening of the hearts” of the nations against Israel (verse 20). This may seem unfair, but remember, this is the culmination of centuries of opposition by the peoples of the land against God and against his people Israel. Read Romans chapter 1 and you will see the ‘turning over’ of people to their own wishes and desires. One step at a time, people do what they want to do and God releases them to their own fate. Here again we see what we saw with Pharaoh and the Egyptians. 

Finally, the mention of the Anakim is highlighted. Some still live, in Gaza and Ashdod, the author says, but this puts a cork in the conclusion of the battles. The Anakim were the giants whom the 10 spies saw (Numbers 10) and who caused Israel to wander for 40 years due to their believing that the entire land was filled with these Incredible Hulk knockoffs. If 100 years from the writing of this book there was still a question about Anakim, and about the predictions of the 10 spies (especially related to the other 2 spies) this phrasing from verse 21 to the end would help us put clarity to this. The land would have rest from war. (verse 23) due to the desolation of the nations, even the Anakim. 

As we conclude today, what will you make of this story? Is it only a record of military information and useless to the ordinary 21^st century man or woman? No, I think it’s a chronicle of God’s intervention, of human creativity, of continuing hearing from the Lord, and of the assurance that those who belong to the Lord will ‘get there’ in the end. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of Yeshua, amen?

Invitation

Dear friends, do you have such a commitment to the Lord of Lords today? Have you met the one who was cursed on the Roman tree for you in Jerusalem? if you have never asked Yeshua to be your Saviour, today as we keep learning from Joshua, would you choose to believe the Lord of life?   What does it mean to be strong and courageous in light of learning about Yeshua? Would you be willing to take a stand for him who took a stand and died on a Roman cross for you? We love Yeshua because in his death he accomplished salvation for all people. He took the curse we deserved to give us his righteousness which he deserved.

Without that kipporah (sacrifice) we would be hopeless, but because Yeshua died in our place on Passover, as the Passover lamb, and his blood was applied to the doorposts of our hearts, we can be forgiven. 

If you’d like to receive that today, just now, join me as we pray.

Say something like this: “Father in Yeshua’s name, forgive me my sin, I was wrong to dismiss you and to disbelieve in you. I need your mercy. I deserve punishment but you are kind and merciful and I receive your grace. I repent. I receive Yeshua as my saviour and Lord. I will live because of my faith in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.

If you prayed that, please let us know of your profession by writing straightaway, won’t you? Bob@JewsforJesus.org.au We’d love to hear from you.

 

Conclusion

We are delighted you have joined us today. Please join us next week and learn with the others how you can stay on track in 2021 and beyond.   I hope to see you next week as we continue our studies in Joshua.  You will certainly see yourself in the readings and in the lessons. Next week we will look at chapter 12, in what I call “God is faithful” and see what lessons we can draw for ourselves from the events there!

Hope to see you then… until then, Shabbat shalom!

 

 

Bibliography

Butler, Trent C., Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7. Joshua. Word, Waco, 1983.

Davis, Dale Ralph, Joshua: No Falling Words, Christian Focus, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland, 2019.

Hess, Richard. Tyndale Commentary Complete. 

Meyer, F.B., Joshua and the Land of Promise, Christian Literature Crusade, Ft Washington PA, 1977.

Pritchard, James, “The Bible reports on Gibeon.” Penn Museum, Expedition, 1961. Volume 3, Issue 4.

Sanders, J. Oswald, Promised-Land Living, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984.

Toms, Paul, This land is your land. Gospel Light Publishing, Glendale CA, 1977.

Weirsbe, Warren. Be Strong: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs, 2010.

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D-Groups for this week

1)              Monday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse

2)              Monday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White

(Contact our office for zoom details)

If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?

 

The Book of Joshua:   Outline.

 

C.     Entering the Land (Chapters 1-4)

a.     Chapter 1: A funeral and a promise (Leadership Lesson 1)

b.     Chapter 2: A harlot saves the day 

c.      Chapter 3: Go against the flow (Part 1)

d.     Chapter 4: Go against the flow (Part 2)

 

D.    Taking the Land (5-12)

a.     Chapter 5: Roll away iniquity: a study in sacraments 

b.     Chapter 6: Joshua fit d’battle ob Jericho

c.      Chapter 7: Getting it very wrong: Achan and his mistakes

d.     Chapter 8: Combat and Covenant

e.     Chapter 9: Common sense is not so common

f.      Chapter 10: Southern dominance

g.     Chapter 11: How not to win

h.     Chapter 12: God is faithful

 

E.     Possessing the Land (13-21)

a.     Chapter 13: Inheritance lessons

b.     Chapter 14:  For example

c.      Chapter 15: Geography lesson

d.     Chapter 16: Trends of note (Part 1)

e.     Chapter 17: Trends of note (Part 2)

f.      Chapter 18: Apportionment (Part 1)

g.     Chapter 19: Apportionment (Part 2)

h.     Chapter 20: Provisions (Part 1)

i.       Chapter 21: Provisions (Part 2)

 

F.     Retaining the Land (22-24)

a.     Chapter 22: Can an altar alter anything?

b.     Chapter 23: Staying on edge

c.      Chapter 24: Three funerals and Renewing the covenant

 

The Seven Nations

 

1.     Amorite

2.     Canaanite

3.     Girgashite

4.     Hittite

5.     Hivite

6.     Jebusite 

7.     Perizzite 

 

 

Josh. 11:1   Then it came about, when Jabin king of ^aHazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph, ² and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the ^aArabah — south of ¹Chinneroth and in the lowland and on the ²heights of Dor on the west — ³ to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and ^athe Hivite ¹at the foot of ^bHermon in the land of ^cMizpeh. ⁴ They came out, they and all their armies with them, ^aasmany people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. ⁵ So all of these kings having agreed to meet, came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

 

Josh. 11:6   Then the LORD said to Joshua, “^aDo not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall ^bhamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” ⁷ So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. ⁸ The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they ¹defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and ^aMisrephoth-maim and the valley of ^bMizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them. ⁹ Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he ^ahamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

 

Josh. 11:10   Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured ^aHazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. ^11 aThey struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, ¹utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. ¹² Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just ^aas Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. ¹³ However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned. ^14 aAll the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed. ¹⁵ Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

Josh. 11:16   Thus Joshua took all that land: ^athe hill country and all the ¹Negev, all that land of Goshen, the lowland, ^bthe Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland ¹⁷ from ^aMount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon ¹at the foot of Mount Hermon. And he captured ^ball their kings and struck them down and put them to death. ¹⁸ Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. ¹⁹ There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except ^athe Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. ^20 aFor it was of the LORD to ¹harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might ^butterly destroy them, that they might²receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

Josh. 11:21   Then Joshua came at that time and cut off ^athe Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. ²² There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in ^aGath, and in ^bAshdod some remained. ²³ So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and ^aJoshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. ^bThus the land had rest from war.

To tell the truth

When I was a kid in the US, black and white game shows filled the afternoon and early evening time slots on the television. One of my favorites was a 'solve the mystery' game of choosing between two imposters and an honest person in a show called "To tell the truth." Bud Collier was the host, and sometimes (as in this episode) Merv Griffin sat in for him.Within 7 minutes the truth was revealed.

See the episode and guess who is the Aussie Reg Evans who saved President John F Kennedy back in World War 2.  To tell episode 1961 (Also in this episode is a set of twins who are bat boys for the new Minnesota Twins baseball team and a cattle photographer). Regular panelists during the 14-year run of the show were Don Ameche, Orson Bean, Johnny Carson, Ralph Bellamy, Polly Bergen, Kitty Carlisle, Peggy Cass, Bert Convy, Hy Gardner, Phyllis Newman and Tom Poston.

The great thing about this fact-finding game is that within 7 minutes you discover truth, the crowd applauds, prize money (up to $1,000) is awarded along with a carton of cigarettes, and it's all nice and neat.

If only finding out the truth could happen in the world today, some 53 years later, with such ease and in such a time frame. Do I dream or is this a delusion?

Today I read a report from Israel. Actually just mention the word "Israel" and immediately lines in the sand are drawn, sides taken, and opinions delivered. How is someone supposed to have a reasonable conversation with another when 'truth' has already either been stated or withheld?

So today I read this about photography. And journalistic honesty. Photo truth from the Jewish Forward newspaper. The photographer is questioned and answers about staging pictures. I think about this often when I'm trying to capture a moment on a golf course, or in a concert, with a baby or family, a wedding...you get it. The tough thing about photojournalism is readiness and patience. And if you miss a moment, be honest-- you missed the moment.

Here's the real photo story about the two Israeli boys. True story The whole episode came to the fore in the Gaza conflict last August. What is the truth about what's going on, or was going on, or will be going on in Israel?

I hear that a lot lately in the US news which I often monitor from here in Sydney. Michael Brown is the black man in Ferguson, Missouri who was killed last August. The 'hands up' commentary by the Rev Al Sharpton and repeated by thousands country-wide is supposed to replicate a scene from last summer, but it's also not the truth. The Grand Jury sorted that out well, and the testimony and evidence is all available. Or is it? Even today more evidence is yet to be revealed. And each of us who wonders wants to know, did the Grand Jury get it right? We actually set ourselves up to be the jury ourselves. Dear CNN and BBS, please send all data to me. I will be deciding and will reveal my decision in due course. Thank you.

BBC has a bit on Grand Jury here

And even as I was driving to work today, I heard on the news about a Palestinian leader, Ziad Abu Ein, who was killed today in the West Bank. The story from the Arab side is  published here.

Who is this man? This from the Israeli side of things today. JPost report

Ziad Abu Ein was sentenced to life in prison by an Israeli court in 1982 for his role in a bombing that murdered two Israeli teenagers in Tiberias in 1979. He was released in 1985 in prisoner swap.

 So, how to tell the truth? How to determine the truth? No wonder when Jesus said very clearly "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me" he got in trouble. When He stood in front of Pontius Pilate at his trial (The original Grand Jury), "What is truth?" Here is the context of the question.  Jesus answered Pilate, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jewish leadership, and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him." (John 18.37-38)

Start with Messiah Jesus. He's the Truth. He will help you sort out the other truth and truths out there. (Apologies to the XFiles)

Listen to Him. He speaks the Truth. He is the Truth. The Truth about God. The truth about you. The truth about how to get in right relationship with God. I wouldn't lie to you.

 

 

___________________________

PS. Bud Collyer taught a Sunday school class at his Presbyterian church in Connecticut for more than thirty-five years and spent some of his off time as a caretaker at his church. According to one story, a parishioner called the church one Sunday during a particularly heavy snowstorm to inquire if the church would have services that day. "Oh yes," Collyer replied, tongue in cheek, "God and I are here." Collyer was known to have contributed to various Christian religious works, including authoring at least one religious book and making a recording of the New Testament of the Good News Bible. He wrote two inspirational books, Thou Shalt Not Fear (1962) and With the Whole Heart (1966).