CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

Zec 13:7 smite ( wound, attack, strike) the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered... According to the New York Times (August 1, 2010) 13% of active pastors are divorced. 23% have been fired or pressured to resign at least once in their careers. 25% don't know where to turn when they have a family or personal conflict or issue. 25% of pastors' wives see their husband's work schedule as a source of conflict. 33% felt burned out within their first five years of ministry. 33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family. 40% of pastors and 47% of spouses are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules, and/or unrealistic expectations. 45% of pastors say that they've experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. 48% of pastors divorce 50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job. 52% of pastors say they and their spouses believe that being in pastoral ministry is hazardous to their family's well-being and health. 56% of pastors' wives say that they have no close friends. 57% would leave the pastorate if they had somewhere else to go or some other vocation they could do. 70% don't have any close friends. 75% report severe stress causing anguish, worry, bewilderment, anger, depression, fear, and alienation. 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouse. 80% believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively. 90% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for ministry. 90% work more than 50 hours a week. 94% feel under pressure to have a perfect family. 1,500 pastors leave their ministries each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral failure.

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

Doctors, lawyers and clergy have the most problems with drug abuse, alcoholism and suicide. We must stay strong enough to withstand life, and attacks but soft enough to allow the Lord to mold us We were going to leave our mark on life but life has left us black and blue My training tells me that healthy people dont run from problems. Like David they face their giants. How can an officer who has been wounded and who is slowly bleeding out stay on the battle field and tend to even the most minor wounds? -In eze 34 it says because there was no shepherd the sheep became prey and meat for every beast of the field -Zec 10 wrote because there was no shepherd they went their own way and were troubled Much frustration comes from the paralyzed preacher who desires to walk in the Spirit Dr. Crabb writes that humans have one basic need that is a sense of personal worth, an acceptance of oneself as a whole, real person. This basic need requires two inputs, which are significance (purpose, importance, adequacy for a job, meaningfulness, impact) and security (love unconditional and consistently expressed; permanent acceptance). And the enemy is trying all the time to make us feel like we are worthless. The woman w/ the issue of blood in Luke 8 knew that life was slipping from her. She had the issue for 12 years She had sought help, but no one could heal her, a desperate place to find oneself. Healthy women experience a cyclical draining and build up

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(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

within their bodies, providing a natural rhythm for their lives, similar to a taking in and releasing of energy or spiritual sustenance. The woman who reached out for Jesus found herself lacking that rhythm, as there was no time for her body to regroup. As helpers of others, by the end of the day we can feel totally drained, as though we have nothing left to give to anyone. We read the words in Matthew 11 in The Message Bible translation, and we long for the unforced rhythms of grace that Jesus speaks about. Yet when we look at our lives, were either a spinning top hurling out of control or were dragging ourselves from person to person, meeting to meeting, day to day, with lethargy we cant seem to shake. We long to find a rhythm to our lives to nurture ourselves so we have something of value to give to others. "As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him" (8:42). The word translated "crushed" or "thronged" (KJV) is Greek sumpnego, "as a hyperbolic expression for 'crowd around, press upon,' something like 'almost crush.' "[1] It is the same word used by the Gospel writers in the Parable of the Soils (8:14) to describe the thorns "choking" the wheat and making it unfruitful. As Jesus moves toward Jairus' house, the streets are utterly jammed. I imagine it like the crowd moving out of a sports stadium at the end of the game, except that Capernaum's streets are not designed to handle these kinds of crowds. Jesus is able to push forward only with difficulty and progress is slow. "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her." (8:43) Among the pushing, shoving, elbowing crowd this day is a pale woman. For twelve years she has suffered from uterine bleeding and she is weak. Mark records, "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse" (Mark 5:26). With all of our modern medicine most of the time women who suffer from prolonged uterine bleeding often is only helped by hysterectomy. her problem is compounded by the way she is viewed by Jewish law -- as ceremonially unclean. Women were normally considered unclean during their period. "When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her regular cycle will be unclean as long as she has this issue. Any bed she lies on will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening." (Leviticus 15:2527) Anyone who knew about her illness would shun her. She couldn't go about in society and mingle in the marketplace with the other women, since a touch from her would make someone unclean. She couldn't attend ceremonial occasions, or synagogue worship. And so she resorts to secrecy. Probably she isn't even known in Capernaum. She comes incognito, her condition carefully concealed. But she comes with determination. We often look at our issues like this we are unclean we must keep this quiet. we must stay isolatedwe are unclean the best we can hope for is not to mess things up worse than they already are. Just as there was, in between the woman and Jesus, a press of bodies. Minister there will always be a press in between Jesus and you. But if through your weakness, pain, discouragement, issues, family, financial, tears, trials and tribulations just touch Him one more time

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

When she touched the hem of his garment or the edge of his talit or prayer shawl that rabbis wear this represented the titles of God that she was submitting herself to, putting her faith in and believing. These are the Names of God represented in the talit: Elohim- our Creator El Shaddai- God of Covenant Adoni- Master El Elyon- Most High God Jehovah Rapha- My Healer Jehovah Jireh- My Provider Jehovah MKadesh- My Sanctifier Jehovah Tsidkenu- My Righteousness Jehovah Shalom- My Peace Jehovah Rohi- My Shepherd Jehovah Sabaoth- Lord of Hosts Jehovah Nissy- My Banner in Battle Jehovah Shammah- The Abiding Presence She touched him and Jesus said that virtue or healing power left him and went into her. and sicknesss left her at the same time Immediately healed of her plague thy faith has made you whole Faith does not cover, faith is vulnerable and honest and open Faith sees the now and believes God for a greater tomorrow There are three aspects of vision that can be clouded for the wounded helper/healer. The first is a vision that is worn down, clouded as if with cataracts. Weve seen too much, and our eyes are covered with a film that makes all we see out-of-focus. We struggle to see the goodness in the people we work with, those glimmers of possibility that stir within all of us. A third concern that keeps our vision from being pure and clear is like the mirrored sunglasses that hide the truth about ourselves from those around us As leaders increase in stature, a significant temptation draws them like a magnet. They are seduced into hiding the truth about themselves in order to create or maintain an image that they believe will maintain their status.

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

Self-deception about our sin/pain is a narcotic, a tranquilizing and disorienting suppression of our spiritual central nervous system. Whats devastating about it is that when we lack an ear for the wrong notes in our lives, we cannot play right ones or even recognize them in the performances of others. Can You Say Shiboleth Jdg 12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. (jealous, wanted credit, wanted primacy without having earned it by faithfulness and the favor of God) Jdg 12:2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. Jdg 12:3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? Carnal and self-centered men think little of God and his anointed Jdg 12:4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. Jdg 12:5 And the Gileadites took the passages (crossing, entrance) of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Jdg 12:6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: (flood) and he said Sibboleth: (a heavy burden) for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

-- in this passage, judge -- Jephthah -- who is listed in the Book of Hebrew in the roll call of men and women of faith -- Jephthah was from the region of Gilead, east of the Jordan River, and was a member of the tribe of Manasseh -- at the time he was called to lead Israel, the Israelites were being oppressed by the nation of Ammon, who also lived east of the Jordan River -- as this chapter opens, Jephthah and his men have defeated the Ammonites and have returned home with the spoils of war -- and, although their struggle with outside oppressors is over for a time, there is still internal strife among the various tribes of the Israelites -- let's look at this together -- look at verse 1 again Ephraim was the strongest of the tribes the guardian of the ark of Jehovah, much better instructed than the Gileadites in the divine law -ministers we cannot get so used to the anointing that it becomes old and of no consequence, it must always invoke reverence and awe and wonder. 1. The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head." 2. Jephthah answered, "I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn't save me out of their hands. 3. When I saw that you wouldn't help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?" 4. Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh."

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

-- when Jephthah and his army returned home to celebrate their great victory over the Ammonites, they were met by their brothers -- men from the tribe of Ephraim -- the tribe of Ephraim lived on the west side of the Jordan River in a mountainous but fertile region -- by the time Jephthah was called to be judge, the tribe of Ephraim was beginning to be one of the largest and most influential of all the tribes -- they were prosperous -- they were rich - and they became one of the early centers of religious worship in Israel -- when the struggles against Ammon began, Jephthah issued a call for help to the tribe of Ephraim -- but the tribe refused to help -- divisions were already developing between the Israelites on each side of the Jordan River, and the Ephraimites refused to cross over and help their brothers in the fight against Ammon -- they were already rich and secure in their stronghold -- protected by mountains on one side and the Jordan River on the other -- why should they risk themselves for the men of Gilead? -- but then, when Jephthah emerged from the struggle victorious and returned home with his arms laden with the plunder from the Ammonites, the Ephraimites became jealous -- they felt like they had deserved a share of the plunder -- and so they gathered up an army to fight against Jephthah and take the plunder for themselves -- God was with them, even in the fight against their brothers -- the remaining Ephraimites fled from Jephthah's army and tried to make their way back across the Jordan River to their home, but the Gileadites had already seized the only crossing place at the fords of the Jordan River -- here's where the test comes in -- verse 5 5. The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he replied, "No,"

CAN YOU SAY SHIBOLETH

(ANGEL VIEW) 3/23/2013

6. they said, "All right, say `Shibboleth.'" If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time. -- the tribes of Israel on each side of the Jordan River had been separated so long they had developed different accents and ways of speaking -- just like here in the United States, people from the south pronounce words differently from the way people from the north pronounce them -- the Gileadites used this difference to determine who was of their tribe and who was an Ephraimite trying to sneak back across the Jordan River -- everyone who tried to cross the fords was asked to say the word, "Shibboleth" -- the Ephraimites could not make the "Sh" sound and instead pronounced it with a hard "Si" -- as "Sibboleth" instead of "Shibboleth" -- and when they were found out, they were killed -- now I know this sounds harsh, but keep in mind that the real issue here was not who belonged to each tribe but who belonged to God -- who followed God and obeyed His commands -- the implication in this passage is that if the Ephraimites were truly followers of God, they would have responded to the call of His judge, Jephthah, and would have fought against the nation of Ammon -- so God was using that word "Shibboleth" as a means of determining who were true followers and who were not -- just because everyone called themselves followers of God did not mean that they truly were -- in fact, years later, the tribe of Ephraim would split from the nation of Israel and establish idol worship in their capitol of Samaria -- this passage is an early indication of the hearts of those people in regards to following God and His principals.

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10

-- the term "Shibboleth" has become part of our English language -- it refers to a custom or phrase or use of language that identifies a group of people -- originally, it was used to determine who was in the faith -- who were true followers of God -- but the concept has been used throughout history to determine who belongs to a specific group -- for instance, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, American soldiers use the knowledge of baseball to determine if those around them were really Americans or if they were German infiltrators in American uniform -- the Germans didn't know about baseball and didn't follow the game, and so the Americans could quickly find spies by asking baseball questions as Shibboleths Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle (argos inactive useless barren) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Mat 12:37 For by thy words (logos something said, including motive, purpose, thought) thou shalt be justified, (just innocent) and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.(judged, guilty) Jordan is fed by a mountain called mt. hermon rising 9200 feet year round one can see snow atop mt. hermon Psa 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; flows from top to bottom Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. God commands blessing to those who are knit together in the bonds of unity.

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Starts small waterfall about a foot mile and half down turns into a 60 foot waterfall. Mat_12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance (running over) of the heart (thoughts, feeling, will) the mouth speaketh. Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. It is that which comes out of the mouth of man that shows clearly what has taken up in his heart. Pro 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. What are you saying about your Jordan river today Naaman dipped 7x in Jordan and was cleansed Jesus was baptized in Jordan Miraculously parted for Israel to cross Elijah and Elisha used their mantle to part the waters