Monday, February 10, 2014

City Of Champions

What does it take to turn a town into a city of champions?

In the 2014 Super Bowl, the starting tight end for the Seattle Seahawks was Alvin Bailey.  I had no dog in this fight, except for Alvin Bailey.  You see Alvin Bailey is from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where I have lived longer than any other place, and where my kids all went to school for K-12.  We still live in Broken Arrow today.   So since the hometown player played for the Seattle Seahawks, we were instantly fans of the Seattle Seahawks for this Super Bowl.  The Seattle Seahawks won, as we expected.  You see, Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

Alvin Baily was far from the first champion to come from Broken Arrow.  Brad Penny, the starting pitcher for the Florida Marlins, when they won the 2003 World Series, is also from Broken Arrow.  Kristen Chenoweth, the Emmy and Tony award winning actress, is also from Broken Arrow.  In fact, a very disproportional number of award winning athletes and entertainers have came from this small town.  Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

The champions born or raised in Broken Arrow, are not just limited to the arenas of sports and entertainment, nor are they a recent phenomenon.  This town has produced a Medal of Honor winner in WWII.  This town was home of the first automobile that had a light weight body and high gas mileage - it was the prototype for all such cars that followed.  Out of the the approximately 1,000 national merit scholarship winners across the entire United States each year, on average six have been from Broken Arrow.  The high school has had the highest standardized test score of any high school, public or private, in the US more than one time.  The Pride of Broken Arrow has won more national championships than any other band in the US, including a thirteen year streak of first place finishes.  This town has won numerous awards for its beauty, and received national attention for its exceptionally low crime rate.  Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

So how does a town become a city of champions?

It certainly has nothing to do with demographics. It has produced champions of every skin color and ethnicity.  There have been male and female champions.  Both Jews and Gentiles from Broken Arrow have been champions.  There is nothing exceptional about the ethnicity or geography, to explain why Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

Broken Arrow is not a large place.  Most of its history it was rather small.  It is only now on the verge of breaking the 100,000 mark in its population.  When it does it will become the city with the lowest crime rate of any city in the world with at least a 100,000 residents.  This phenomenally low crime rate is part of the answer and also reveals more of the answer.  When the Chief of Police of Broken Arrow was interviewed on 20/20, about what he had done to prevent a single murder from occurring in over a decade, he looked at the interviewer and told her, that it was nothing special, that he did.  He said, it was probably because the town had 153 churches and only one bar.  This is at the root of why Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

Broken Arrow has a long history of being occupied largely by the Children of Truth (those who obey the Father of Truth because they love Him).  This started with the original Creek (Muskogee) tribe of Native Americans, who started the town, and named it after the town in Alabama, that they had been evicted from, when they were forced to walk the Trail of Tears.  These Creek Children of Truth would frequently spend from sunset Friday to Sunday night congregating as a community, where they would eat together, spend time with each other, sing together and learn how to follow the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ).  Those people knew how to worship His Father in spirit and truth!  They laid the foundation, that made Broken Arrow into a city of champions.

This pattern of living has continued until present times.  Today, one of the most famous schools of ministry in the world, is located within half a mile of my house.  People from all over the world come here to learn about the Man of Truth, and people go from here to all over the world, to tell others about the Man of Truth.  Only The Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) knows, how many people have experienced miracles from Him in this town.  He alone knows the impact of the ministers, who have gone out of Broken Arrow, have had on the world.  When I got access to the God channel, I was a little disappointed, to see that almost half of the most famous ministers on Earth, were operating within five miles of my house. I knew all of these local ministers, and had eaten dinner with several of these champions of the Father of Truth, that live in this city of champions. 

The Father of Truth has blessed this town, because it has strived to put Him first.  This town has long been associated with the Maker of Champions.  This is the real reason, why Broken Arrow is a city of champions.

However, there is another city of champions, that has produced greater champions than Broken Arrow, or any other city on Earth.  That city is Bethlehem.  The Book of Truth (The Bible) tells us about this city of champions.

It was originally settled by the Canaanites as a city named "Bet Lak'hama" meaning the "house of the goddess of fertility".  It was already a city that would later be named Ephrath (and even later Bethlehem) that Jacob (Ya'aqob aka Israel aka Yishrael) was traveling to when Rachel (Rak'hel) died (Genesis 35:18-20).   Bet Lak'hama was so small and insignificant when the Canaanites dwelt there that it was not even listed in the long list of cities that belonged to the tribe of Judah (Yahuda) when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel (Joshua 15).  Yet when the Children of Truth began to occupy this city then it soon became a city of champions.

Like Broken Arrow, the greatness of Bethlehem began with a small group of the Children of Truth.  Judah was the son of Israel for whom the tribe of Judah is named (1 Chronicles 2:1).  Hezron was the grandson of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:3-5).  Caleb, the son of Hezron, married Ephrathah, and unto them was born Hur (1 Chronicles 2:18-19).  The great grandson of Hur was Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:50-51).  He is the champion that gave his name to the city of champions.

Ephrathah was the farming village that was originally built on the site of the old Canaanite city of Bet Lak'hama.  It was named after the wife of Hezron.  This is why Bethlehem is sometimes referred to Ephrathah in the Book of Truth (Psalm 132:5-7).  This is a feminine name and is sometimes changed to the masculine form of the name as Ephrath.  Ephrath ("Epfrath)" or Ephrathah ("Epfrathah") means "fruitful place" indicating it had became a place of plenty.  It was later expanded to be a city by Bethlehem and renamed after him.  Bethlehem (Beth Lek'hem) literally means "house of bread" indicating that it the fruitful place had been expanded to be more through the work of people.  These are the champions that turned the ruins of an obscure ancient Canaanite city into a city of champions.

The next champion was one of the 12 judges of Israel.  The judges were champions that the Father of Truth raised up to deliver the children of Israel from their enemies and to turn them back to following Him (Judges 2:16-18).  One of these elite judges was Ibzan from Bethlehem (Judges 12:8-10).  This is when Bethlehem first became a city of champions.

The arose another champion in Bethlehem.  A man of Bethlehem named Elimelech fled to Moab when a famine arose in Israel and died there (Ruth 1:1-3).  His sons had also died there but his wife Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess - a Gentile (Ruth 1:19-22).  Then Boaz, a champion businessman in Bethlehem, rose up to protect this Gentile that had given up everything to follow the Father of Truth and to protect her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:1-12).  Again Boaz rose up to bring the Gentile champion that had saved Naomi to a place of great honor in Bethlehem (Ruth 4:5-12).  Bethlehem again proved itself to be a city of champions.

These two champions in Bethlehem were the beginning of a family of champions that would arrive in Bethlehem.  They were the great grandparents of next champion from Bethlehem - King David (Ruth 4:13-17).  Bethlehem continued to be a city of champions.

David was a champion shepherd.  He would allow nothing to harm the flock of his father because he had confidence in the Father of Truth (1 Samuel 17:35-37).

David was a champion musician (1 Samuel 16:17-19).  David played his instrument in the presence of the king (1 Samuel 16:23).  David was even the worship leader for all of Israel (2 Samuel 6:5).   David was the rock star from Bethlehem!

David was a champion songwriter. He wrote 75 of the 150 psalms in the book of Psalms.  He continued to write songs to praise the Father of Truth until the end of his life  (Psalm 72:18-20).

David was a champion warrior.  He was known his fighting abilities before all of Israel ever saw him fight (1 Samuel 16:18).  He was the only hope against an evil supernatural oppressor that no one in Israel could fight against (1 Samuel 17:23-26).  He delivered Israel from the hand of this oppressor because he fought to bring about the will of the Father of Truth (1 Samuel 17:45-50).  He was the one chosen by the Father of Truth to lead the armies of Israel to save Israel from all of her enemies (2 Samuel 3:18).

David was a champion king.  He was chosen to be king before he ever appeared to Israel (1 Samuel 16:1).  He was anointed to be king while he was still unknown to Israel (1 Samuel 16:11-13).  When he came of age he was only accepted by part of the Jews as their king (2 Samuel 2:8-10).  It was only after the rest of the Jews had suffered greatly that that all of Israel accepted David as their king (2 Samuel 5:1-3).   Then the Law of Truth became the law of the Israel during the reign of David (1 Kings 3:14). The time will come when he will rule over all of Israel forever (Ezekiel 37:24-25).

David was a champion prophet.  The Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost) was upon David so that he could prophesy from the moment that he was anointed by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13). The Spirit of Truth spoke the Word of Truth through David until the very end of his days (2 Samuel 23:1-3).

Still yet more champions arose from Bethlehem.  Two more champions from Bethlehem slew the brothers of the giant that David had killed (2 Samuel 21:19-21).  Bethlehem had not ceased to be a city of champions.

The people of Bethlehem were among those champions that returned from captivity to rebuild Judah (Ezra 2:1-21). Bethlehem continued to be a city of champions.

Yet, there was still one more champion that would come from Bethlehem that made all of the previous champions seem insignificant by comparison.  This champion was foretold as coming from Bethlehem by the Prophet of Truth called Micah (Micah 5:2). The Man of Truth was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4-6).  The Champion of Champion was born in the city of champions.

The Man of Truth is the champion shepherd. He will allow nothing to harm the flock of his Father because he has confidence in the Father of Truth (John 10:11-15).

The Man of Truth is the champion warrior.  He was known his fighting abilities before anyone has saw him fight (Joshua 5:13-15).  He is the only hope against an evil supernatural oppressor that no one on Earth will be able to fight against (Revelation 13:4).  He  will deliver Israel from the hand of this oppressor because he will fight to bring about the will of the Father of Truth (Revelation 19:11-13).  He was the one chosen by the Father of Truth to lead the armies of Heaven to save Israel from all of her enemies (Revelation 19:14-15).

The Man of Truth is the champion king.  He was chose to be king before he ever appeared to Israel (Micah 5:2-4).  He was anointed to be king while he was still unknown to Israel (Matthew 3:16-17).  When he came of age he was only accepted by part of the Jews as their king (John 12:12-15).  It will be only after the rest of the Jews have suffered greatly that that all of Israel will accept him as their king (Luke 13:34-35).  Then the Law of Truth will become the law of the whole Earth during his reign (Micah 4:1-3). The time will come when he will rule over all of the Earth forever (Revelation 19:15-16).

The Man of Truth is the champion prophet.  He was recognized as a prophet by many in Israel (Matthew 21:11). He proved that he was a prophet by the miracles he did (John 6:14).  He is the Prophet that Israel was told that they must listen to by Moses and was spoken of by all of the Prophets of Truth (Acts 3:22-24).

The Man of Truth is the champion savior.  He died to save others from the wrath that their sins deserved (Romans 5:6-9).  He died to save Israel (Romans 11:25-27).  He also died to save the Gentiles (Romans 15:8-12).  He was raised from the dead so that all could be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).  He will save from death everyone that surrenders to him (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).  He is the champion of champions because no one else has ever conquered the grave!

Why was Bethlehem a city of champions?  It is because these men loved and obeyed the Father of Truth - the Champion Maker.  David was made into a champion because he showed his love for the Father of Truth by obeying what was written in the Law of Truth and all of the Word of Truth that he knew (1 Kings 11:34).  The Man of Truth in like manner only did the will of His Father that is written in the Law of Truth and all of the Original Covenant (Tanach aka The Old Testament) (Hebrews 10:7).

The Champion Maker will make anyone into a champion that will show their love for Him in the same manner (1 Kings 11:38).  He will make Jews and Gentiles that will do this into champions (Acts 10:34-35).

Those that seek to do the will of the Father of Truth become champions like the Man of Truth (Mark 3:35).  They will overcome every obstacle set out by the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan aka The Devil) to doing His will by the telling others about all that the Champion of Champions did when he shed his blood for them (Revelation 12:9-11).

All of these champions will live forever in New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12). They will live there with the Champion Maker (Revelation 21:1-3).  Only these champions shall live with the Champion of Champions in this city while his enemies will live with the Father of Lies in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:6-8).  This city will be inhabited by those that became champions when they showed their love for the Father of Truth by obeying what was written in the Book of Truth (Revelation 22:14-15).  New Jerusalem is the City of Champions.

The Champion of Champions is preparing a place in the City of Champions for anyone that will come into the House of Truth (John 14:2-4).  You can come into the House of Truth and start learning how to be champion by submitting to the training of the Champion of Champions because you believe that the Champion Maker gave him victory over death (Romans 10:9-11).  The Man of Truth and the Spirit of Truth are inviting you to come into the House of Truth so that you can live in the City of Champions (Revelation 22:16-17).

Come into the House of Truth.

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