"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)

The High Priest of Israel wore the inscription "holiness to the Lord" to illustrate to all who obeyed God that they were "accepted before the LORD" (Exodus 28:36-38). Joshua, as a type of all believers, was granted "places to walk" in the courts of God (Zechariah 3:7). Christ’s disciples were commanded to "ask" the Father for "whatsoever," since they were chosen and ordained to "bring forth fruit" (John 15:16). We have permission to "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).

But there is more! Not only are we accepted, we are "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13), an "earnest |down payment, deposit| of our inheritance" (v. 14). We are "stablishe|d| . . . anointed . . . sealed" (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

We are "confirmed" in everything (1 Corinthians 1:4-8), consecrated and sanctified to serve (Exodus 28:41; 1 John 2:27), and given the "earnest of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 5:5) to empower our ministry.

The Holy Spirit does His work through a threefold ministry in our lives. He will work on Christ’s behalf, through our witness, to bring conviction to those not yet in Christ (John 16:7-11). He will also minister to us as the teacher of our spirits to guide us into all truth (John 16:13; 14:17, 26; 15:26).

Furthermore, the wisdom, prudence, and knowledge of God are revealed to us through His work in us (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). All that is necessary for our "effectual working" (Ephesians 3:7) is "graced" to us so that we can "work out |our| salvation" (Philippians 2:12). We are "complete in him" (Colossians 2:10).

I am making preparations for a book project that, until now, I have not had an opportunity to fulfill – writing a book of true war stories and pictures as told by currently homeless U.S. military veterans. The book? “The Last American Patriot.” Please take a few moments to read about this project and consider helping me get it written by partnering with me as I walk across America beginning April 1, 2012. ~ Cody Bateman | Go Here

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by Gil Ronen (IsraelNationalNews)

The Al Aqsa Center has released a statement saying that it has received information that Israel plans to divide up the Temple Mount into separate Jewish and Muslim sections, in the same way that the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron is divided.

According to the statement, as reported by the Elder of Zion blog, Jews would then be able to perform “Talmudic rituals” (i.e., pray) in the sacred site.

The Al Aqsa report goes on to say that Israeli police plan to use the new arrangement to cleanse the Temple Mount of Muslims under flimsy pretexts.

According to another plan “revealed” by the Al Aqsa Center, Jews will freely enter the mosque between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., between Muslim prayer times. These alleged plans will be implemented this year.

Dozens of Arabs stoned Christian tourists and police on the Temple Mount Sunday morning, a day after a former Muslim Mufti warned of a possible “break-in” by Jews.

Elder of Zion notes, “There is only one reason why these rumors are started — to keep Jews off of the holiest site in Judaism. They want to stir up riots because, according to these defenders of Islam, it is better than no one go to the Temple Mount than to allow Jewish ‘filth’ from ‘desecrating’ it.

“These incitements have worked in the past, so the Al Aqsa defenders will keep churning out the lies that Arab Muslims are more than happy to believe, fed by hateful terrorist-supporting media like Palestine Today.”

Jews who ascend to the Temple Mount today are not even allowed to pray at this holiest site for Judaism, as it is considered an incendiary action that can provoke Muslim rioting.

"God and Father . . . who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)

Given our high position in Christ, it follows that God would provide whatever is necessary to accomplish His purposes in and for us.

The "Beatitudes" of Matthew 5:3-12 provide a good illustration. Each "blessing" is designed to meet a need or fulfill a desire of God’s "chosen" (Ephesians 1:4). The poor, meek, and persecuted are given ownership in the kingdom. The mournful are given God’s special comfort. Those who hunger for righteousness are filled. The merciful will obtain mercy, the pure in heart will see God, and the peacemakers are identified as God’s children. The longings of our souls and characters are all met by God.

The practical needs of "wisdom and prudence" are met, too (v. 8). Wisdom is knowledge focused toward useful application, and prudence is the ability to develop successful activities based on wisdom. The Word of God is the source of wisdom (Deuteronomy 4:1-6; Proverbs 1:1-6) and is inspired of God to be "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Furthermore, He has "made known unto us the mystery of his will" (Ephesians 1:9). "Kept secret" in the days of the Old Testament prophets (Romans 16:25-26), it is now made clear to us so that we can show "unto the principalities and powers . . . by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10). These spiritual resources are available for every believer "to profit withal" (1 Corinthians 12:7). We must pray that we do not waste these resources like the "wicked and slothful" servant in the parables of the talents and the pounds (Matthew 25:26; Luke 19:22).

“It’s like I have a heavy heart, this burden on my back. There’s something that makes me want to cry but I don’t know what it is. Things have definitely changed.

Last week was so hard. I lost all my friends at school. Now that I have begun to walk my talk and stand for Jesus Christ, they make fun of me. I don’t really have to say anything and they turn me away.

But, you know what? It’s all worth it to me! I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus and I am not going to justify my faith to them. I am not going to hide the light that God has put into me. If I have to sacrifice everything, I will.

If my friends have to become my enemies to be with my best friend, Jesus, than that is fine with me.” ~ Rachel Scott, murdered at Columbine High School exactly ONE YEAR to the day after writing this entry in her personal journal…

Anyone who loves their father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and anyone who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And anyone that won’t carry his own cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of Me. Anyone who tries to keep their life shall lose it, but, anyone who loses  his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 10:37-39

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"According as he hath chosen us in him . . . that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Ephesians 1:4)

In the grand purpose of our "selection" into God’s family, two key words are used:

"Holy" (Greek hagios) stresses dedication. A holy man or woman is distinctively God’s, set apart for God’s use, separated from the secular, and consecrated to God’s service. All who are "chosen" are chosen to be holy.

The Colossian Christians were told to "mortify" the physical appetites, to "put off" their sinful mental attitudes and habits, and to "put on the new man . . . as the elect of God, holy and beloved" (Colossians 3:5-12). The focus is character.

"Without blame" refers to our reputations. This character will only be fully realized in heaven (1 Corinthians 1:8), but there is a present responsibility to "present your bodies a living sacrifice. . . . And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2).

The character of holiness will become the cause of a lifestyle of blamelessness. We are to be the "sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).

This holy and blameless condition will result in "the praise of the glory of his grace" (Ephesians 1:6), where God will someday "gather together in one all things in Christ" (v. 10).

What a magnificent thought! The purpose for which we have been chosen, predestined, redeemed, and forgiven is to be holy in character and blameless in reputation, so that when God gathers us all together in Christ, we will be the praise of the glorious grace of God!

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world." (Ephesians 1:4)

The search for identity and meaning can drive one to great successes or tragic failures. For the Christian, however, the question is answered throughout Ephesians.

We are chosen! We are selected as a favorite out of "many |who| are called" (Matthew 22:14) "out of the world" (John 15:19). What a privilege! We are God’s choice to bear His name, represent His cause, and share His glory throughout eternity.

In fact, we are "predestinated |previous boundaries set| . . . unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself" (Ephesians 1:5). And "if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17).

Furthermore, we have been "accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). That word, "accepted," is a specialized form of the word most often translated "grace." We have been "graced" by almighty God, who has set absolute boundaries around our lives and made us His children. We were purchased "through his blood" (v. 7) "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar |that is, ‘precious’| people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

Moreover, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)! Our sins are "covered" (Psalm 32:1); "cast" behind God’s back (Isaiah 38:17); removed "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12); "remember|ed| . . . no more" (Jeremiah 31:34); and cleansed "from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Hallelujah! Since we are God’s children, we should have no identity crisis. We are a chosen, predestined, accepted, redeemed, forgiven, and holy people. Finally, we are predestined "to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29).

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu (Arutz Sheva News)

Iran has used the visit of Gaza’s Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to offer “scientific and technological experience” to the PA for a “victory” over Israel.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told Haniyeh Saturday of “the need for Palestinian adherence to the basic principles of resistance as the key ingredient for their victory against Israel,” according to the official Iranian PRESS TV news agency. Haniyeh replied, “Muslims through full unity and with the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran will liberate Al Aqsa mosque [on the Temple Mount] in the future.”

Haniyeh is in Iran for the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and is trying to shore up badly needed financial support as well as outflank PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, head of the largely secular and rival Fatah party.

The two factions signed an agreement in Doha last week for a new unity government headed by Abbas and without PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Abbas is risking financial support from the European Union by joining Hamas without demanding that it reject terror and that it recognize Israel, although Abbas himself has not done so formally.

Iran’s offer of “scientific” assistance to the Palestinian Authority underlines the shared and stated objective of Iran and Hamas to destroy Israel.

A rejection of Iran by Abbas could throw the Palestinian Authority into further disarray, while accepting the Hamas-Iran alliance would clearly make Abbas an outcast even to the appeasement-minded European Union. Nearly two years ago, Abbas rejected advice from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, “He who does not represent the Iranian people, who forged elections and who suppresses the Iranian people and stole the authority, is not entitled to talk about Palestine, or the President of Palestine.

Iran and Hamas’s supreme leader Khaled Mashaal’s have been at odds with Haniyeh for not siding with its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The financial problems of Hamas in Gaza are attributed as the reason for Haniyeh’s visiting Tehran.

by Ryan Jones (Israel Today News)

Israel is widely portrayed as the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East, but a new poll reveals that Israelis may have very good reason for not trusting the intentions of their Palestinian peace partners.

Conducted by American pollster Stanley Greenberg and the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, the survey found that 61 percent of Palestinians do not accept the “two states for two peoples” formula that has thus far driven the peace process.

An even larger 66 percent said that while they would accept a “two-state solution” as a first step, they would want to eventually move on to replacing Israel with a single Palestinian state.

A full 92 percent said that even in a two-state solution phase, Jerusalem can be the capital of “Palestine” only, regardless of whether or not Israel retains control over the Jewish-dominated western half of the city.

Their intractable hard-line positions are the result of the fact that an overwhelming 72 percent of Palestinians reject any Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem and the land as a whole.

When your opponent is painted as an occupying invader with no legitimate reason to be in the land, it is easy to support violence against him, which most Palestinians do. Over 62 percent of respondents said Palestinian terror groups should abduct more Israeli soldiers until their demands are met, and 53 percent said they are in favor of teaching songs about hating Jews in Palestinian schools.

Note, that’s not songs about hating Israel or the Zionists, but songs about hating the Jewish race of people. In other words, anti-Semitism is taught in Palestinian schools with parental approval and support. It is that kind of education that has kept a healthy 73 percent of Palestinian adults in agreement with the old Islamic teaching that one day every Jew must be hunted down and killed.

For now, the poll showed that an average “only” 30 percent of Palestinians support open warfare against Israel, while 65 percent feel that diplomatic efforts are currently meeting most of their needs.

By contrast, the vast majority of Israelis, even many of those on the right, long ago surrendered to the idea that an independent Palestinian Arab state is needed to end the conflict.

The problem most Israelis have is that while an agreement to a two-state solution may be signed with the current Palestinian leadership today, there is no telling who will be in charge of a Palestinian state tomorrow, especially given that a majority of Palestinians appear ready to vote into power groups like Hamas that have the ultimate goal of removing Israel from the map.

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." (2 Peter 1:3)

In His wisdom and grace, God has seen to it that we have everything we need to produce "life and godliness." "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (v. 4). This all-sufficient tool is, of course, the written Word of God, much of which came through the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, who in turn claimed it came from God the Father: "For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me" (John 17:8).

Furthermore, the written Word is the source of our faith and the only hope of salvation. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). This Word in which our faith is grounded is forever alive, "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23), and not to be altered, edited, or supplemented. "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life" (Revelation 22:18-19).

Rather, we must live by the words of this book:

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

To ensure that the "great and precious promises" regarding "life and godliness" are ours, we must believe, guard, and follow the teachings of this book.

"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:13).