Articles

I watched a video a few days ago that focused on pastors who own multimillion-dollar mansions. I was shocked. Using Jesus and the Apostles as an example, how can they possibly justify living in a 15-bedroom house on hundreds of acres and pay no taxes because it’s called a “parsonage”?

“And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Luke 9:57-58).

Is there anything wrong if a man has been blessed by God to have riches? Not really, but it should make you take a strong look at the content of the sermons, and also what he does with all the money. Do they preach a false doctrine, such as the “prosperity gospel”? Do they preach against sin and for forgiveness, or do they preach “seeker-friendly” sermons with no repentance? Be cautious when choosing to join a fellowship where the pastor seems to have riches but little truth.

When the Apostle Paul was teaching Timothy how to be a pastor, he told him to be content with “enough.” “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:8-10).

Love God, not money. He will take care of your needs.

I’m satisfied with just a cottage below
A little silver and a little gold
But in that city where the ransomed will shine
I want a gold one that’s silver lined.

The Apostle Paul faced many hardships in his service for the Lord but learned to be content in whatever situation he was in. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

It’s important to be satisfied with what God allows in your life. Life on this earth is temporary, and we must set our sights on eternity. If we learn to thank God for everything, we will be satisfied with what we have. God will always provide for your needs. When Jesus taught about trusting God to provide for us, He said to look around at how God provides for His creation.

“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30).

Riches in this world are fleeting, but Christians have a mansion waiting.

Though often tempted, tormented and tested
And like the prophet, my pillow is stone
And though I find here, no permanent dwelling
I know He’ll give me a mansion my own.

We face many challenges every day. The difference between being content and being in turmoil is trusting God. Most of our problems come from acting in a worldly manner. Temptations to sin are ever present. Satan and his minions are all around, bombarding us with fiery darts of temptation.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:6-9).

Satan puts the temptations to sin in front of everybody, both Christians and non-Christians. Resist the temptations. Think of the Prophet Daniel. He lived in a very pagan environment. He had been kidnapped when he was a young man, but never stopped honoring God in all he did. When he refused to bow down and worship a pagan idol, he was thrown into a den of hungry lions. How did he survive?

“Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt” (Daniel 6:21-22).

Daniel served God in spite of the temptations to sin, which he faced daily. God shut the mouth of the hungry lions, and He will keep you safe through the many temptations, torments, and tests you face in this world. When a law was passed requiring everybody to bow down and worship an idol, Daniel chose to openly worship God Almighty.

Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely
I’m not discouraged; I’m heaven bound
I’m just a pilgrim in search of a city
I want a mansion, a robe, and a crown.

How do you judge a person? If they have a lot of money, do you desire to be their friend? When I was a child, I thought it would be wonderful to be one of the many child stars I saw on television. As I grew older, I realized that Hollywood promoted a way of life that I wanted no part of. I read stories of the drugs, alcohol, and deviant lifestyles, and I want no part in that.

The riches in this life are temporary and will be left here upon death. We all will face judgment. Non-Christians will be judged by their own works…no works can bring salvation. Only a life built upon a foundation of God will survive the flames. It is only the righteousness of Jesus that brings salvation to sinners such as we.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:11-13).

You aren’t saved by works, but your works will earn rewards in Heaven. I want a crown to throw at Jesus’ feet! He’s done everything for me; I wish I could do more for Him.

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we’ll never grow old
And some day yonder we’ll never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us. The words were spoken to His disciples not long before His crucifixion, but they are meant for all of us. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).

If you’ve researched Jewish marriage customs of the time, you’ll better understand this passage. When a man and woman became engaged, the commitment was unbreakable, and the groom would return to his father’s house and build a place for him and his bride to live. When the home was ready, the groom would surprise his bride and take her to the home he had prepared. Jesus has prepared a place for His bride…the ekklesia… His church.

Prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. Troubling times are here, but if you believe God and trust Him, you will have peace that only comes from the Holy Spirit indwelling you. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

The word “Conversation” means the way you live your life. Be content with what you have and live to please Him; there’s a day coming when you’ll have a mansion made by Jesus Himself.

I’m ready to move; how about you?

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original Scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

It remains my favorite story. I think of it as a modern Bible story. When I read Yoni’s Last Battle, in Jerusalem in 2002, I put the book down after finishing, and I wondered, Did that really happen?

Indeed, it did.

A few very rare times, we hear a story so iconic and epic, so transformational…it never leaves you.

So it was with the daring hostage rescue Israel launched in the summer of 1976.

In the U.S., we were eagerly anticipating our Bicentennial. It was a year-long anticipation. We visited museums and saw the Freedom Train that spanned the country carrying our relics from the past. I bought a cheesy medallion. It was all so exciting. It was a completely different culture then.

A week before the Fourth that year, an Air France jetliner refueled at Athens, on the last leg home to Paris. After getting back in the air, terrorists with guns stood up and demanded the plane be flown to the heart of Africa: Entebbe, in Uganda. The country was run by a madman, Idi Amin, who enjoyed throwing people off buildings into canals filled with crocodiles. He had been cozy with the PLO for a while.

In this case, though, the terrorists were members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the German Baader Meinhof Gang. They demanded that Israel and the Europeans release terrorists from their prisons. If they didn’t, they would murder the Jewish passengers, all 105 of them. In fact, soon enough, the terrorists released hostages that were not Jewish. And, just as at Auschwitz, they separated the Jews from the others: one to the left, the other to the right.

Israel did not negotiate with terrorists. This put even more pressure on the cabinet, led by Yitzhak Rabin. The hostages’ families were screaming for a deal. Of course.

Thursday was the deadline.

Everyone, including the grave-looking TV anchors, knew Israel was in a real bind. They had foiled some airplane hijackings, but no one had ever operated at such a distance. It was 2,500 miles away from Israel.

Rabin announced they would negotiate.

That motivated the terrorists to push the deadline to mid-morning, Sunday, July 4.

At the same time, an Israeli pilot had a gem of an idea. He shared it with his superiors. Shimon Peres was defense minister at the time. It was his job to present the plan to the cabinet, greenlight it if he so decided.

This left Israel barely two days to plan and implement this audacious plan. The tip of the spear would be the Sayeret Matkal, Israel’s elite counter-terrorism unit. All three Netanyahu brothers would serve in it at different times, including the youngest, Iddo. Bibi had helped thwart a hijacking four years earlier in Israel. He and his team put on white coveralls and carried toolboxes, pretending to be from the maintenance crew. When they got in the door, bullets started flying, and the terrorists were quickly eliminated.

The year 1976 was a different matter.

It was decided to leave Israel at 4 p.m. on the 3^rd. They would take off from the southernmost tip of the Sinai, at Sharm El-Sheikh. (Interestingly, if Israel had already given back the Peninsula to Egypt, they would not have had the base at Sharm El-Sheikh and would not have been able to reach Entebbe.)

When they took off, the troops did not know if the cabinet had approved the plan. Israel sent its entire fleet of transport planes—four—and no fighter escort. They could not draw attention and could not be detected by Saudi or Egyptian radar. The planes flew just off the surface of the Red Sea in order to escape radar detection. The choppy ride caused several troops to get sick.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Netanyahu, commander of the Unit, read a novel as he sat in the lead jeep, tied down like the rest of the other vehicles.

En route, they got the greenlight from the government. Years ago, I interviewed two of the soldiers that went. One told me he actually relaxed when he heard they were, in fact, going ahead with it.

A couple of minutes before midnight, the planes circled high above Lake Victoria, a mile from the terminal where the hostages were kept. Believe it or not, the entire operation involving securing the hostages took five minutes. Five.

All terrorists were killed within minutes. A separate group led by Shaul Mofaz fired on the tower to keep heat off everyone else. They also blew up every Ugandan Air Force plane so no one could pursue them. The attention to detail was staggering, and most of it was planned by Netanyahu. His hair was longer than usual. He had been deeply involved in still-classified actions in the Sinai before being called back. He slept very little those last few days.

Another commando, the one that was in the door first, told me that they had to have complete surprise that night, and they did. The last thing anyone on the planet expected was waves of IDF commandos coming from the sky.

Within minutes, stunned hostages were being led/carried to waiting planes.

The Israeli cabinet felt they would take 20 percent casualties. With 200 men sent, that meant 40 killed or wounded. In the end, they suffered two serious casualties. Surin Hershko, a member of the elite Golani Brigade, was shot and is to this day a quadriplegic.

Jonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu was killed.

He lay on the tarmac while a small team worked on him. He briefly tried to raise himself, then fell back down. He bled out, and his body was placed in a foil-like bag. Next day, he would be buried on Mt. Herzl. His parents, his brothers Bibi and Iddo, Rabin, and others were there. Peres read the eulogy. I’ve visited Yoni’s grave many times.

Every time I think about it, which is very often, I marvel. For me, those young commandos, with face-paint and wearing Ugandan fatigues, are still emerging from the planes and jumping into the vehicles for the short drive to the terminal building at Entebbe Airport.

In the end, they succeeded far beyond even their wildest hopes. By mid-morning, the exact moment of the murderous deadline, Israeli citizens looked up and saw the transport planes back in their own airspace. The shrieks and screams of joy can probably still be heard. Rabin and Peres were there waiting for the lead plane. They asked where Yoni was.

“He went first, he fell first,” came a reply.

Where do such men come from? They come from God, I do believe. The novelist Herman Wouk, a friend of the Netanyahu family, wrote that Yoni was “an ember of sacred fire.”

Yes, he was. In every era a handful of men like them are in place to keep the rest of us safe. The brightness of their being stings the eyes of the mediocre men that surround us, including the gargoyles that practice terrorism, and their enablers in politics and media. Those that affirm them, such as the college students lionizing the Hamas gang that raped and murdered Jews on October 7, are so empty-headed one wonders how they function at all. They are profoundly stupid and, I think, unreachable.

I also don’t believe the culture is what it once was. Few remember Entebbe today, and when they do hear about it, seem indifferent. I find that staggering.

It doesn’t, though, in any way stop me from remembering them, the young Zionist lions that volunteered to go to a remote land and free innocents. They will always deserve our most profound respect. As one of the participants said years later, the operation was “beyond the horizon.”

And so it was.

jimfletcher761@gmail.com

I’m Ready to Move :: By Nathele Graham

Entebbe…at 50 :: By Jim Fletcher