Let Us Discuss Anti-Semitism With Father Dave

Father Dave

Welcome Fighter!

I'm afraid the ezine is a day or two late this week, but I made an executive decision early in the week to devote most of my spare hours to writing this article on anti-Semitism.

It wasn't an easy decision to make actually, as it involved me in criticising Aussie Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd (who is a man I deeply admire) for his attack on Iranian President, Mahmoud Admadinejad - a man I seriously dislike.

You'll remember that only a few weeks ago I interviewed Mr Khatami - the former President of Iran and Admadinejad's sworn enemy - and I really wasn't looking for opportunities to support the current regime. Even so, Mr Rudd's statement that Admadinejad's government was 'anti-Semitic' really bothered me, and in the end I had to write something. Anyway, the article on anti-Semitism has been published and I'd be grateful for your comments, and even more grateful if you don't label me as anti-Semitic on the basis of the article.

Apart from spending an inordinate amount of time this week writing (articles and sermons) I had a wedding, a baptism and a funeral, and did numerous rounds in the ring.

What was your week like? If you'd like to tell me in person, join me this coming Sunday in the Fighting Fathers Web Chat Room.

If you're a member of Fighting-Fathers.com you get entirely free access,. and indeed, I'd love to see you there. Just go to this URL at the appropriate time next Sunday and click the 'launch' button.

The time to meet on Sunday is 10pm, Sydney time. If you want to check how that translates into your timezone, check the Fighting Fathers Calendar for a comprehensive lists of times and places.

Oh God, Please Change My...

1. Oh God, Please Change My...



"There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid."1

"It's not my problem. It's my wife/husband who needs help!"

How many times have you heard this defensive type of statement? Having worked in the area of divorce recovery for the past decade or more, I have heard it repeatedly. One person recently said to me, "How do I make my husband understand that he is the one who needs help. He needs to know that he is wrong so he can get counseling."

"And why did you marry this person? What attracted you to him/her in the first place?" I ask. Rarely do I get an honest answer.

This is not true in all cultures but, at least where we make our own choice about whom we marry, there are always underlying reasons why we are attracted and drawn to a particular person of the opposite sex.

At least one single man I know was facing reality when he said that he could walk into a room full of women and would automatically be attracted to the sickest (emotionally sickest) woman in the room! He knew it was because of his own emotional sickness. There's hope for this man.

No matter what your wife/husband has done, the reality is you can't change them. If you try to, it just makes them angry or angrier. As I've said many times, the only one we can ever change is our self, and as we change, those around us are almost forced to change in one way or another. However, this is not always for the best because some people don't want us to change and get angry when we do. Change upsets the games they are playing!

I'm not saying that we should put up with someone else's abusive behavior. Not at all. But we need to remember that we are the only person we can ever change. And while we pray for the other person, we need to first ask God to change us—and to confront us with the truth about ourselves so we can see any character flaws we have that we need to work on and resolve.

And we can always ask God to help us to be as Jesus to our husband/wife so that they, seeing Jesus in us, will want him for themselves. That may be the only hope for encouraging others to change.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to quit playing the blame-game and always accept responsibility for whatever I am contributing in any conflicting situation in which I find myself. Help me to keep on changing and growing to become the person you want me to be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 30:18-19 (NIV).

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Choices

1. Choices



"'King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.' Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?' Paul replied, 'Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.'"1

Phil Parrino, a Daily Encounter reader, tells the story how in "World War I there was a young American ambulance driver who personally witnessed all kinds of death and suffering. After the war he wrote dark brooding novels and finally committed suicide. His name was Earnest Hemmingway.

"But there was another American Ambulance driver even younger than the first. The dead and dying he witnessed were mostly from the great influenza epidemic that swept Europe at the end of World War I. After the war he drew cartoons and made people laugh. When he died he was loved by millions. His name was Walt Disney.

"As you have said, it's not only what happens to us, but how we react to it. Our personality predisposes us to a certain extent, but in the end we make the choice."

Life is a series of choices. I am today where I am because of choices I made years ago. I will be where I am tomorrow based on choices I make today. And I will spend eternity based on the choice I make about accepting or rejecting God's great gift of salvation.

As Paul challenged King Agrippa to become a Christian, he challenges you and me today to make that choice and not to be an almost-persuaded. For help be sure to read, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at: www.actsweb.org/articles.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to see that my life has been shaped in so many ways because of choices I made in the past. Help me to make choices today for where I want to be tomorrow. And above all, help me to make the right choice about eternity by making sure I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and am a true follower of him. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Acts 26:27-29 (NIV).

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Father David Smith Talks To Seyed Khatami - the former President of Iran

Catching up with Khatami
Certainly the highlight of my week was catching up with Seyed Khatami - the former President of Iran.
The point of connection was my friend Sheikh Mansour. Not only are they both Iranian but Mr Khatami is a fellow sheikh, and so Mansour managed to organise a meeting between the three of us.
Mr Khatami had been invited to Australia by the Australian National University in Canberra to share his vision of a 'dialogue between civilisations', where Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and people of all faiths and cultures can sit down and share and learn from one another.
Mr Khatami's visit was not without controversy. In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, Colin Rubenstein claimed that Khatami was both anti-semitic and a supporter of terrorism. Certainly, as you'll see from the video below, Mr Khatami disagrees on both points.
My goal in interviewing Mr Khatami was both to hear of his vision for peace between peoples of all faiths and nations and to hear how he responded to the charges made against him in the Herald by Mr Rubenstein.

The video you see here is only about half of the first of the two sessions Mr Khatami gave me.
The unabridged audio versions of both interviews have been uploaded to the Fighting Father members area if you want to hear the rest. Just click here.

And if you want to keep up-to-date with my videos on YouTube, click here.

The Woman of God from the East

The Woman of God from the East


Pastor (Mrs.) Delight Chikezie is the woman of God from the East who has been called to minister and bring divine deliverance to the poor and needy widows in Eastern Nigeria and other places and to heal the sick and comfort the broken hearted.
She is happily married with five children who are glad and grateful to the Almighty God Jehovah for what He is doing in their family and for using their mother for His awesome miracles with signs and wonders following her wherever God has led her.


She was in Lagos to ask her cousin Hope who is the publisher of Supple magazine in Nigeria to produce 3, 000 copies of the poster of her forthcoming deliverance crusade in Umuahia, Abia state and she shared the divine rhema of her ministry with me. I told her that obedience to the command of God is better than sacrifice and recalled how God gave me the grace to preach on public transport buses in Lagos city for 11 years, working as a project secretary in the office of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and how I also enjoyed the company of fellow Christians in preaching the good news and planting churches on Bonny Island in Rivers state. She told me about the horrible and terrible human sacrifice made by the politicians in their cult in their desperation for power and wealth.
“Many virgins were murdered in their human sacrifice and in fact a young man was burnt alive in one of their cultic rituals,” she said.
I was shocked that such demonic rituals were done in my state of origin.
She disclosed the identity of the great harlot holding the political leaders captive in Abia state. Her harlotry and sorcery have been used to rule and ruin Abia since her son became the governor. She is the High Priestess of a goddess worshipped by her devotees and the politicians in her cult. The woman of God from the East said that God is already exposing the occultists and destroying their evils to deliver Abia state.

Hope had to delay other printing jobs to respond to the urgent order of the woman of God from the East and within 16 hours, his Art Director produced the camera ready artwork of the poster and Hope printed the 3, 000 copies of the poster, because he cannot delay the work of God for the benefit of our Abia state and the rest of Nigeria. The printer worked from afternoon to 9.30 pm and we had to carry the copies of the poster and the woman of God from the East to the branch of her church near the NNPC depot in Ejigbo, Lagos. She told us that she had forgotten her bag in our production office in Shomolu. We got to Ejigbo at 10.30 pm and after dropping the woman of God from the East, we left for our residence in Ifako, Lagos and got there at about 11.25 pm. I was glad and grateful to the Almighty God for granting Hope the grace to do this divine assignment to support Pastor (Mrs.) Delight Chikezie. She came to our office the following day to collect her bag and prayed for us.

Pastor (Mrs.) Delight Chikezie needs more support to comfort poor and needy widows in Abia state. She can be contacted on telephone numbers, 08038185523 and 08032222697.

Pastor Bruce Marsee has passed away‏

On Faith-Space.com : Pastor Bruce Marsee has passed away‏

From: Faith-Space.com (mail@faith-space.com)

Sent: Fri 3/20/09 10:28 AM

To: kingofkingsbooks@hotmail.com (kingofkingsbooks@hotmail.com)

A message to all members of Faith-Space.com A message to all members of Faith-Space.com ( Bruce was one of our first members and friend to many here at FS our prayers go out to his family) Bruce went into the hospital Wednesday morning and was admitted for kidney issues and Congestive heart failure. He fought a long and hard fight but today around 4pm the Lord said it's time to come home and rest. All of you were on his mind even as he was saying goodbye to this wold. One of the last things he did was have his nephew send a message to you to pray. He loved his friends and thought of you as family. Please remember me as I try to deal with the days ahead. When you think of him sing a song, play your music loud, tell a joke, love with all your heart and above all reach out to those who are lost. These are things that Bruce held closest to his heart. We will all miss him but he is waiting for us in heaven saving a seat for us in that heavenly choir.


With all my Love,

Lisa Marsee



Visit Faith-Space.com

My Prayer for You Today and Always By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Welcome to the month of MARCH!


IT IS WELL!


My prayer for you today and always

(1) You will find favour with someone you don't expect.
(2) You will be too relevant to be ignored..
(3) You will encounter GOD and will never remain the same.
(4) The grace for completion will come on you, you shall be blessed till the blessed call you blessed.
(5) The hand that will send this message to others shall not Labour in vain.

(6) The mouth saying ''Amen'' to this prayer shall laugh forever ...Amen.

Very, Very soon and I say Very Very Very soon, GOD is going to do a miracle and lift you up for GOOD. Here is a test: if you love God and you're not ashamed of Him, send this to ten people.

God Loves U.


THIS IS MY PRAYER TO YOU ALL TODAY AND FOR EVER.


Pastor and Mrs. E.A. Adeboye